Is A StingRay Worth It?

[Wood and Wire]

This is because it requires a battery to function properly. The phrase 'just because one can do a thing, does not mean one must do that thing' comes to mind.

No 5h1t.

But it does pass sound, which is contrary to what most people assume.

 

[jd56hawk]

You mentioned buying a high-end Jazz bass.
You can always buy a Bacchus Jazz bass with a turbo switch, more versatile than a regular passive J, no need for a battery, either...priced right, too, compared to a Stingray.
Funny thing?
Plenty of people mod Fender Jazz basses, but very few mod Bacchus Jazz basses.
I wonder why.

 

[DonaldR]

You cannot be more disco, funk and pop that Bernard Edwards IMHO, and he was famous playing a Stingray (passive pickups and 2-band preamp).

 

[TheReceder]

The question to me would be can I put the time in to get the tone I want. Most basses I've dealt with either have a wide or tight frequency band. To me, my EBMM hh is broad enough that I can get whatever I need after I've taken the time to learn what it can do.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Mine does too, but the volume is very low, and the tone controls make absolutely no sense - like they're some kind of whacky filters - but it works.

The tone controls did not do anything in my case. My thinking is the preamp is wired in parallel to the pickup; that's the only way I can figure that it still made sound without the battery installed.

 

[jdthaddeus]

I've had my 2024 Stingray 5 through several gigs now and I just love it. My band mates are quite thrilled with it too (the tone).

For reference, I usually play heavier stuff but my current band is classic rock and 70's/80's pop with a little 80's rock all the way down to Margaritaville and The Story in Your Eyes.... which is a shockingly fun song to play on bass! (I never would have played this music by choice, but turns out it's fun).

I couldn't tell you about disco or funk. I lean toward the metal side and blues. For the music I play, and for my current band, the Stingray absolutely rips in a live band. I hope that helps.

 

[DWBass]

For me, at their current pricing, no. You're in boutique bass territory now with their pricing. I'd wait around for a used bass at a good price. Love the changes and the lightweight but ain't no way I'm paying that much for a Musicman!

But that's just me and my opinion.

 

[MovingPitchers]

Pretty sure someone has suggested this but their Sterling by MusicMan models aren’t anything to look over, especially their SUB series.

I currently have a SBMM SUB Stingray 5 from 2021 and it’s a BEAST. Best five string I’ve ever played and I bought it used for under $400.

 

[JazznFunk]

Pretty sure someone has suggested this but their Sterling by MusicMan models aren’t anything to look over, especially their SUB series.

I currently have a SBMM SUB Stingray 5 from 2021 and it’s a BEAST. Best five string I’ve ever played and I bought it used for under $400.

EBMM doesn't have anything to do with SBMM other than licensing all of the designs, including the pickups. Beyond that, I agree. My SBMM 4H natural/maple roasted neck is a beast, especially considering what I paid for it back in 2020. I prefer it to the current EBMM Specials, honestly. I prefer the old bridge with the big lugs on each side, among other aspects of the 'old' Rays.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Was/is that first Lakland the Bartolini or the LH-3 system? I've always been under the impression that those preamps (the LH-3 was based off of the NTMB-L) needed a functioning battery to be installed in the cavity to produce a signal, even if the EQ is bypassed in 'passive' mode. I've never attempted to play my 44-02 without a battery in there because well.... it's an active bass.

I've never had a battery die on me in an active bass, except in one instance where I left a bass in a case for at least a year or more after having played it extensively in the year prior. I didn't check the battery before I took the bass to a gig and it died during sound check. That was totally on me, and totally a result of poor preventive maintenance, and a failure didn't surprise me. It literally is something I never worry about.

Ive never plugged in my active Laklands without a battery in it. My 5501 (with US LH3 active preamp) works/passes signal with a totally dead battery. As a matter of fact, that bass had a dead battery in it for years and I just played it passive. When the preamp was engaged, there would be no sound. of note: I replaced that stock pickups with Nordstrand single coil alnico V's, 60s wound. Sounds very jazz bass-y.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

One of my bands is a weekly live karaoke, I use my single H 5 for this, it sits great everywhere in the 450 song book; whether its Beatles, Fugees, Coolio, to Alice in Chains.

Never had a weak G in any Musicman and have owned 30 of my own, and brokered about 80 more as a side hobby.

I had an early 2000s StingRay5. That bass sounded a bit different than my StingRay 4's. Good sounding bass for sure, just not my thing these days.

 

[Paul New]

There's an really good comparison of the 2-band and 3-band Stingray EQ circuits here:

I love this stuff!

 

[Jeff Scott]

...The Story in Your Eyes....

Loved playing that in a band years ago.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

I hear it completely different.

I have an American Standard Jazz with a Sadowsky On board pre and it sound WAAAY bigger than any Ray I've had in the past.

It's pickup placement, to me, with a single H, It'll never have the same deep bottom as a J, never.

Yeah, a Sadowsky on board pre amp would make a Squier sound good!!

 

[Tonegasm]

Finally snapped a photo of mine before Sunday's service.

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[Shane Watts]

Finally snapped a photo of mine before Sunday's service.

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Have any clips or livestream from this bass?

 

[Bass Viking]

If you’re undecided, consider getting a bass with a J/MM pickup layout e.g. Lakland, Sandberg. Very versatile.

 

[jdthaddeus]

Loved playing that in a band years ago.

The bass lines are rockin'! I did not expect that from such a mellow sounding song.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Yes!!!