I want a Stingray...I really do...

[Todd Hamby]

If you were close to NC I have a house full of Stingrays you could try

 

[lordradish]

It caused me problems, but eventually just naturally made adjustments to my technique. I still think the string spacing is too tight, the neck a bit on the skinny side for my liking, but it's stopped being an issue for my playing.

I tend to like narrow spacing. All of my custom stuff has 16.5mm.

 

[_Obra_]

I tried a lot of them and currently own a Special, but this two from 1989, particularly the 2 band EQ black one is a Terminator!

 

[N4860]

I’d love to have one, but a real EBMM stingray is a rare sight these days. The market is simply flooded with Sterling models.

Also, I’d want a fretless burst one but the last time I checked around they don’t even make a fretless anymore.

They have done some fretless Stingray Specials as a BFR the last few years on occasion. And each time has been a burst I believe so keep an out on the used market and you might get lucky. I snagged this one in few years back used for like $2200 CDN:

 

[Jimmy Stump]

I'm in the minority I guess.

I tried a USA Stingray, Ray 34, Ray 24, and Ray 4.

I am a fan of the 1.5" neck so the Stingray and Ray 34 didn't do it for me. On another note, I tried two Ray 34 and I couldn't believe the difference in weight between the two. Bizarre. And one of the Ray 34 was actually broken. Brand new but we couldn't get a sound out of it and the battery tested fine.

Tone wise, I would put the Stingray and the Ray 34 as the best. Both had 3 band EQ's.

The Ray 4 IMO is easily the best "bang for the buck" out of the group. The one I have has a fit and finish that is out of the park and the neck is incredible. The pickup is too hot and I will replace it with either a Nordstrand or Aguilar shortly. Aside from that, this bass is awesome. I have this $300 Ray 4 and a $5,000 Lull jazz that get equal time.

 

[JC BASS 91]

Well, my Ray24CA arrived on Monday and I have been playing it off and on over the last few days.

The fit and finish is actually quite nice. The frets are dressed par for this price point. I may polish them when I change the strings. No dead spots on the neck at all. The action is right where I like it. The tort pickguard that came on it is getting replaced with a white pearl one (I love tort on sunburst, black, red and some whites, but NOT on blue).

Tone wise, it sounds like a Stingray, but I do plan to rewire it to be in parallel instead of the stock series wiring. Not sure why they did that. Looks, plays and sounds great. So, this seems to be my solution to my problem.

Overall, I am more than happy with what I now have. I REALLY like the 2-band EQ over the 3-band EQ Rays I have played in stores.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Well, my Ray24CA arrived on Monday and I have been playing it off and on over the last few days.

The fit and finish is actually quite nice. The frets are dressed par for this price point. I may polish them when I change the strings. No dead spots on the neck at all. The action is right where I like it. The tort pickguard that came on it is getting replaced with a white pearl one (I love tort on sunburst, black, red and some whites, but NOT on blue).

Tone wise, it sounds like a Stingray, but I do plan to rewire it to be in parallel instead of the stock series wiring. Not sure why they did that. Looks, plays and sounds great. So, this seems to be my solution to my problem.

Overall, I am more than happy with what I now have. I REALLY like the 2-band EQ over the 3-band EQ Rays I have played in stores.

Enjoy!!

 

[Maxi Funkl]

Well, my Ray24CA arrived on Monday and I have been playing it off and on over the last few days.

The fit and finish is actually quite nice. The frets are dressed par for this price point. I may polish them when I change the strings. No dead spots on the neck at all. The action is right where I like it. The tort pickguard that came on it is getting replaced with a white pearl one (I love tort on sunburst, black, red and some whites, but NOT on blue).

Tone wise, it sounds like a Stingray, but I do plan to rewire it to be in parallel instead of the stock series wiring. Not sure why they did that. Looks, plays and sounds great. So, this seems to be my solution to my problem.

Overall, I am more than happy with what I now have. I REALLY like the 2-band EQ over the 3-band EQ Rays I have played in stores.

Welcome to the land of Stingray's have fun.

 

[BrentSimons]

I am going to start by saying that I am what you would call a researcher...an informed consumer.

That being said...

I would love to get myself a Stingray, but there are some factors feeding into my decision making process that I'm to the point where I absolutely cannot seem to make a decision.

I think at this point I am 'overinformed' and unable to decide what to do.

Part of my problem is that all of the new breed of EBMM and SBMM Ray34 basses all have roasted maple necks. I absolutely despise the look of it. I just can't bring myself to accept it...and some of the color combinations that minimize the look of the roasted maple necks are not ones that I get super excited about.

Yes, one option is to try and lay hands on a much older EB or SBMM that didn't use the roasted maple necks, but all I am finding are SUB series basses...which could be an option (see below) or basses that are going for $3000-$5000 or more, and I'm just not going there.

I have read probably 2/3 of the way through this thread (and pretty sure my brain oozed out my ear at one point from information overload):

Music Man sound and pickups

I have also watched some superb YT videos where they do a direct comparison between a EBMM and SBMM basses.

I have also watched countless videos where they take SUB series basses and upgraded them to try and achieve this sound or that sound and seem to be pretty dang successful. There's even one out there where a guy took a Squier Precision bass and turned it into a VERY convincing sounding copy of a pre-CBS Stingray!

I have read COUNTLESS threads on various forums where you will get supportive arguments for either/or. Some saying you just gotta save and get the EBMM. Some that say you can get most of the way with the Ray34. Some that even say you can get a Ray4 and upgrade the tuners, pickup and preamp and nail the classic late 70s MM tone. There was even one post I read (not sure which forum that was on, now) where a guy said he bought a EBMM and traded out the pickup and preamp to get the classic 70s tone over the more modern sound of the stock bass. <shrug>

Options I have considered:
1. Buy an EBMM Stingray and learn to live with the roasted maple neck.
2. Buy a Ray34 Stingray and learn to live with the roasted maple neck and upgrade the tuners (which seem to be a weak point from most of the threads I have read).
3. Buy a Ray24CA (which seems to be this bizarre mix of configurations with a jazz bass nut width) and upgrade the tuners, pickup and preamp.
4. Buy a Ray4 Stingray (which also has the jazz bass nut width) and upgrade the tuners, pickup and preamp, and possibly the bridge.
5. Buy a custom body and neck from Warmoth and build it out with the pickup and preamp.

From the thread referenced above as well as other sources, "the" pickup to get for that classic tone is the Nordstrand MM4.2 and pair it with the East MMSR 2 band preamp. With options 3-5, this is what I would do.

Options 1-4 give me the look as well as the sound in the end (maybe? Opinions vary...). Option 5 gives me the sound with the flexibility to make it look however I want. I have to admit, though, that part of my desire is to also have the look as well as the sound.

I think I have been down every rabbit hole with this, trying to come to a decision and I absolutely just can't seem to get there. I feel like there are too many options to get there, all at various price points, and to be honest, none of them get me exactly where I want to be...and after almost 2 years of research, where I have gone from option 1, to option 2, back to 1, then considered 3, then back to 1, then to 2, then thought about 4, then option 5, back to 1, back to 2, then to 1 again, then...you see where I'm going with this? For TWO YEARS!

Recently I have gotten to the point where I have come up with what I am calling "option ZERO"...where I just throw up my hands, walk away and just forget about the idea of getting a Stingray until one more or less falls in my lap that ticks off all my boxes for a price I'm willing to pay (which is pretty much the EXACT way I scored my Ric).

With the way things are going with my brain on this, I'm fast approaching option zero...

G&L Kiloton?

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Well, my Ray24CA arrived on Monday and I have been playing it off and on over the last few days.

The fit and finish is actually quite nice. The frets are dressed par for this price point. I may polish them when I change the strings. No dead spots on the neck at all. The action is right where I like it. The tort pickguard that came on it is getting replaced with a white pearl one (I love tort on sunburst, black, red and some whites, but NOT on blue).

Tone wise, it sounds like a Stingray, but I do plan to rewire it to be in parallel instead of the stock series wiring. Not sure why they did that. Looks, plays and sounds great. So, this seems to be my solution to my problem.

Overall, I am more than happy with what I now have. I REALLY like the 2-band EQ over the 3-band EQ Rays I have played in stores.

!!

 

[JC BASS 91]

!!

I will after that pickguard gets changed. To be honest, I find it rather unattractive right now. For me, tort just does NOT belong on blue! Yuck. LOL

 

[Stevorebob]

I will after that pickguard gets changed. To be honest, I find it rather unattractive right now. For me, tort just does NOT belong on blue! Yuck. LOL

As a service to all, before and after shots would be nice.

 

[JC BASS 91]

As a service to all, before and after shots would be nice.

Oh fine...here are a couple of Sweetwater's glamour shots they sent me after it shipped:

 

[VeryTallBassist]

I just installed a series parallel switch in mine over the weekend. To be honest, I kind of expected a bigger difference. I mean, it's noticeable for sure, but it sounds more like you turned up the bass than anything else.

 

[IronLung1986]

Well, my Ray24CA arrived on Monday and I have been playing it off and on over the last few days.

The fit and finish is actually quite nice. The frets are dressed par for this price point. I may polish them when I change the strings. No dead spots on the neck at all. The action is right where I like it. The tort pickguard that came on it is getting replaced with a white pearl one (I love tort on sunburst, black, red and some whites, but NOT on blue).

Tone wise, it sounds like a Stingray, but I do plan to rewire it to be in parallel instead of the stock series wiring. Not sure why they did that. Looks, plays and sounds great. So, this seems to be my solution to my problem.

Overall, I am more than happy with what I now have. I REALLY like the 2-band EQ over the 3-band EQ Rays I have played in stores.

Is that the same 2 band from the old USA models?

 

[JC BASS 91]

Is that the same 2 band from the old USA models?

Supposed to be.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

I went for option C, a Ray25CA upgraded with Hipshot Ultralights, John East 2 band, and Seymour Duncan SMB5D. Note - that's the ceramic pickup. I thought the combination with the Alnico was a little too vintage for my taste. This combination sounds almost exactly like my pre EB Cutlass 1 did. You'll probably want to replace the pickguard too. It completes the look. View attachment 5067061

I’m curious…specs on the Ray25CA show a Ceramic pickup stock. Yours had an AlNiCo?
Did you get a WD pickguard for an EBMM Classic 5 for the pickup shape, since the OEM pickup has the “ears”?

I have the SMB-5D along with a set of UltraLites in a box waiting for a Stingray 5-type project, and I haven’t considered the Ray5CA as a platform.
How do you like the pickup? I bought one after only hearing the 2 or 3 [good-sounding] samples currently available on the ‘Tube.

 

[VeryTallBassist]

I’m curious…specs on the Ray25CA show a Ceramic pickup stock. Yours had an AlNiCo?
Did you get a WD pickguard for an EBMM Classic 5 for the pickup shape, since the OEM pickup has the “ears”?

I have the SMB-5D along with a set of UltraLites in a box waiting for a Stingray 5-type project, and I haven’t considered the Ray5CA as a platform.
How do you like the pickup? I bought one after only hearing the 2 or 3 [good-sounding] samples currently available on the ‘Tube.

The stock pickup is ceramic. It's much better than the standard SUB Ray pickup.

I wound up getting the SR5 Classic/USA SUB 5 pickguard from Pickguard Heaven. I didn't get the new pickguard until I had decided on the SMB-5D specifically because I didn't want to have to Dremel it too much and the PG didn't have ears. As it stands, I still had to Dremel it slightly around the truss rod adjustment wheel. It wasn't an exact fit, but very close.

I absolutely love the SMB-5D. I had originally tried an Aguilar AG5M, but I wasn't getting enough sizzle out of it. This thing, especially combined with the John East 2 band, is absolutely awesome. It can get that top end when you push the highs. It's got plenty of lows on hand. It smooths out nicely if you roll back the EQ's. And it can get a little dirty when you push it. To my ear, it's everything a Stingray should be.

 

[VeryTallBassist]

Did you get a WD pickguard for an EBMM Classic 5 for the pickup shape, since the OEM pickup has the “ears”?

Here's the link to the pickguard.

 

[JC BASS 91]

New pickguard arrived today. I love how this looks SO much better than the stock tort pickguard! I rewired the pickup to be parallel as well. Definitely a noticeable drop in volume on it after that. Going to try a Nordstrand MM4.2 in it. After hearing some different samples, I think it will get me closer to the tone I am looking for on this bass.