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I was playing a Stingray today at GC

L

LuckyCondlins

Oct 10, 2007
469
0
41
Virginia Beach, VA.
#1
WOW

I really NEVER KNEW. I haven't really done much bass shopping in the past few years, and never really had a chance to sit down and really mess around with a stingray, but BOY I am glad I did.

I WANT ONE!

The neck is so easily playable ( I didn't like the maple neck though, rosewood was sweet)

and I liked the rays with the single pickup, better than either of the others with the dual or that jazz style neck pickup.

Im not sure of the exact "model" the one I was playing was, but boy it was sweet!

so stingray peoples, WHY should I buy a stingray!!

I really was looking for a bass with a thinner neck like a jazz or the old ibanez soundgears, and the stingrays was nice
 
#3
I bought a stingray. While the tone is INCREDIBLE, I much prefer the Sterling now that I've played both.

Although, in 1-2 years, when I'm a better player and grow into it, i will probably be glad I have the thicker, fuller version.
 
#5
ill check oat the EBMM sterling on the nets.

Im looking for a 5 string by the by!

I have an Aria Pro II and the neck is just so fat.

Foolin around with an old ibanez soundgear made me realize that a thiner neck feels so nice.

I tried the new USA 08 P-basses, and that neck was fat as well..
 
#6
I purchased my first stingray when i was sixteen after saving up for two and a half years and to this day after buying several other comparably priced basses i just can't find another one that has a better sound and feel. The construction is amazing, they are just so solid. I hope you seriously consider a stingray, they are awesome basses especially for the price.
 
#7
LuckyCondlins said:
ill check oat the EBMM sterling on the nets.

Im looking for a 5 string by the by!

I have an Aria Pro II and the neck is just so fat.

Foolin around with an old ibanez soundgear made me realize that a thiner neck feels so nice.

I tried the new USA 08 P-basses, and that neck was fat as well..
Click to expand...


The Stingray neck is pretty fat. It's a heavy bass too.
I just bought a soundgear and plan on using that for a few shows, to give my back and neck a break from long gigs with that heavy stingray.

I'd say strap one on and spend 5 minutes wearing it... I loved mine at first, but wearing it for 5 hours, i started to love it a lot less. I'd use nothing else in the studio - but live, it's too heavy (i do jump and move a bit)
 
#8
AlstottMVP2 said:
I bought a stingray. While the tone is INCREDIBLE, I much prefer the Sterling now that I've played both.

Although, in 1-2 years, when I'm a better player and grow into it, i will probably be glad I have the thicker, fuller version.
Click to expand...


A thicker, fuller version? :hmm:?
Are you just talking about body and neck styles or sound?

I love both, but prefer the Sterlings.
and btw, for the OP, Sterlings do come in 5 strings too :)
 
#10
You're getting a 5 string, so you're already in waters beyond where my fingers can keep up :)

If you play live though, I'd recommend thinking about how it'll feel after 4 hours. It seriously put a damper on my live style. I used to hop around with a 7 pound Ibanez, then I graduated to a (12 pound?) Musicman and yeah, I hated the difference. At home on my knee, she plays superb. But playing some cheesy Fuel song at 1:35 AM, all I can think about is a lighter bass :)
 
#11
I own a StingRay5. I've had it since 2003.

My reaction was quite similar to yours. I remember the day I tried one at Guitars & More in Indianapolis/Greenwood. Plugged it into this Mesa head + 2X15 cab. The tone was of the gods. 6 months later, I placed my order from them.

The bass isn't my lightest, but with a nice strap it's more than doable. I use an Italia Wide 5. I've done 3-4 hour shows with no problem. Heck, in high school-I did 6-8 hour long rehearsals with it [and a Levy's M6 strap] and was fine. Yeah, i was a bit sore afterward, but it's playing for 6-8 hours. The tone was well worth it.

If you want to hear a Ray5 in action, check out my Myspace.com page at Link Removed and click on 'Reach Out' . It's from a demo CD I played on. The signal chain was Ray5 into SansAmp RPM blend at 50/50 into the board. Wasn't any heavy sound shaping, I had the RPM on it's 'SVT' suggested settings.

I now play 2 electric basses live-the Ray5 w/Slinky Rounds and a P-Bass w/Sadowsky flats. Between those 2 I have 99.999999% of the electric bass sounds I will ever need covered.
 
#12
I just measured the neck of the ibanez. Exactly the same as the Sterling5 and Stingray5 at 2 3/4 at the last fret. the aria is 3 1/4

the 5th fret of the aria is already 4 cm wider at the 5th fret than all of the other basses.

although, 4 cm may seem not much, it really is and you can really feel it.
 
#13
CamMcIntyre said:
I own a StingRay5. I've had it since 2003.

My reaction was quite similar to yours. I remember the day I tried one at Guitars & More in Indianapolis/Greenwood. Plugged it into this Mesa head + 2X15 cab. The tone was of the gods. 6 months later, I placed my order from them.

The bass isn't my lightest, but with a nice strap it's more than doable. I use an Italia Wide 5. I've done 3-4 hour shows with no problem. Heck, in high school-I did 6-8 hour long rehearsals with it [and a Levy's M6 strap] and was fine. Yeah, i was a bit sore afterward, but it's playing for 6-8 hours. The tone was well worth it.

If you want to hear a Ray5 in action, check out my Myspace.com page at Link Removed and click on 'Reach Out' . It's from a demo CD I played on. The signal chain was Ray5 into SansAmp RPM blend at 50/50 into the board. Wasn't any heavy sound shaping, I had the RPM on it's 'SVT' suggested settings.

I now play 2 electric basses live-the Ray5 w/Slinky Rounds and a P-Bass w/Sadowsky flats. Between those 2 I have 99.999999% of the electric bass sounds I will ever need covered.
Click to expand...

well good lord cam, thats a lot of shows there!!

I dont have any speakers, just crap Laptop ones. I have NO doubt it would sound wonderful in a mix!

I have heard the others talk about the weight...Lets just say, I wanted a lighter bass, what would be an option to a Stingray/Sterling 5 string?

a lighter counterpart for example.. A fender Jazz? plus, I like that thinner neck remember
 
#16
Double humbucker Stingrays are the business IMHO. I wouldn't give Musicmans a second look until they came out with those. Not that the single pickup versions don't sound good but I just like to have more versatility in my basses. You can get many sounds out of my 5-string HH Stingray except a true jazz bass sound which is why the Alleva Coppolo LM5 will be here next month hopefully. Keeping my fingers crossed. :)
 
#17
Basseroni said:
Double humbucker Stingrays are the business IMHO. I wouldn't give Musicmans a second look until they came out with those. Not that the single pickup versions don't sound good but I just like to have more versatility in my basses. You can get many sounds out of my 5-string HH Stingray except a true jazz bass sound which is why the Alleva Coppolo LM5 will be here next month hopefully. Keeping my fingers crossed. :)
Click to expand...

NICE! I played a black jazz he had there at BPL and it blew me away. I went back to look at it the next day and it was gone. I think someone bought it.
 
#19
LuckyCondlins said:
I have heard the others talk about the weight...Lets just say, I wanted a lighter bass, what would be an option to a Stingray/Sterling 5 string?

a lighter counterpart for example.. A fender Jazz? plus, I like that thinner neck remember
Click to expand...

I don't know how much you want to spend but the Alleva Coppolo basses are VERY nice. Granted it's a "boutique" jazz bass meaning it's NOT cheap but you get a true old school Fender Jazz sound out of his basses. He offers basses in the 60's and 70's pickup position and you have the option of the LG (alder/rosewood--60's) or LM (ash/maple--70s). I like thinner necks as well which is one of the main reasons I dove in and made the investment. The other reasons are it has the same easy pull-out battery compartment like the Musicmans and an active/passive circuit. The bass sounds passive even in active mode and even in passive mode it's LOUD.

You can check them out at www.allevacoppolo.com
 
#20
I've been playing a Stingray 5 in my regular rotation for about 6 years now. In fact it's the only bass that's made it through all the gas pains sinc it's purchase. Tht's 6 basses bought and sold and the SR is still with me and going out to gig tomorrow night. They do run a little heavier than many other brands but the amazing balance makes them very manageable. They are also built like tanks and the necks are about the most comfortable I've experienced on a 5'er and I've tried a few. I think musicman gives you some of the best value per dollar of any production bass. And they sound great too!!
 

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