J bass vs stingray

[Evets1987]

I have both but the stingray is my number one.

 

[Pings Bass]

Why not both? This is talk bass, the place for excessive bass consumption. For the price of a new EBMM ray, you could get a MiM J and a SBMM ray.

 

[zon6c-f]

I'm personally not into the idea of a bass with only a bridge pickup, like the Stingray, for the reasons you listed. How about a Music Man with two humbuckers? Or a G&L L-2000, which can also do single coil, like a jazz bass, if you have the k-switch. Good luck!

@ 2009? I went to buy MM 5er ; always wanted one and gig required 5.
Balked at $1700 price; held my nose and tried my first Squier ( j5-active)
Easily coaxed identical tones !
GC door guy couldn’t believe it sounded identical . Knobs have detents like big $$$$ basses ; feels awesome.. SOLD

 

[Speakz]

Someone mentioned the J/MM style bass which is what I use the most and I play in the same genre's you describe. The J/mm configuration is extremely versatile. Sandberg makes the California TM4 which is what I use and you can find them used for around $1200-1400, new closer around $2k.

 

[Dave W]

I love and have extensively used both for years.
Both fit in any genre, with a Stingray being a little more in-your-face IMO.
Both are as versatile as the player is. A J bass has more options in having a second pickup, but that doesn't mean that all of the available tones are useable. Same goes for a Stingray, it's got the onboard preamp to change up tones, and the SR5 has the series/parallel switching option.

I greatly prefer the single pickup Stingray, preferably with a ceramic pickup ran in series instead of alnico ran in parallel. They fit into the mix wonderfully!

I feel like too many bedroom players are more concerned with versatility. Drastically changing tones in the middle of a gig kills the overall mix. For me, with any bass I generally set it and forget it once that mix is worked out.

 

[58kites]

I greatly prefer the single pickup Stingray, preferably with a ceramic pickup ran in series instead of alnico ran in parallel. They fit into the mix wonderfully!

Which models have ceramic pickup ran in series?

 

[jon5252]

One suggestion- especially since you are talking about mass produced items. Play more than one of each before you make up your mind. I have had a couple of Musicman and Fenders both that are not as goods other basses I have owned of the same brand. I bought a brand new PDN Stingray 5 a couple years back I could not get a good sound out of to save my life. Probably tried half a dozen different string types and it was just weak in the mix. I have seen that bass pass through Ebay half a dozen times since I have owned it. They all don't go together the quite the same. Play some examples, make comparisons and buy the bass that speaks to you.

 

[sometimes]

Non sequitur (kind of), but someone needs to develop a bass that has a pickup that runs from the bridge to the neck with sensors everywhere so someone can pick where they want their "polepieces" to be located. Not a modeling bass that requires software or a USB connection. It could be a bit like a ramp and have multiple voicings like that Fishman pickup. Probably not possible (it would need 10,000 switches, knobs, etc) and not appealing to many (because it would probably cost $10,000), but I've had a LOT of coffee, so ignore me.

I like the number 10,000

 

[Lesfunk]

Non sequitur (kind of), but someone needs to develop a bass that has a pickup that runs from the bridge to the neck with sensors everywhere so someone can pick where they want their "polepieces" to be located. Not a modeling bass that requires software or a USB connection. It could be a bit like a ramp and have multiple voicings like that Fishman pickup. Probably not possible (it would need 10,000 switches, knobs, etc) and not appealing to many (because it would probably cost $10,000), but I've had a LOT of coffee, so ignore me.

I like the number 10,000

Kind of like the sliding pickup on the Gibson Grabber?

 

[rotero]

So I've been playing bass for about 3 - 4 years now and that entire time I've been jamming on a soungear ibanez bass that was given to me as a gift. It's a cheap bass for sure but I've done a ton of work on it and gotten it to sound really good. Currently I have some Legend DR Flatwounds on there and some custom made foam mutes so i can get a really funky and punchy sound (punchy is more because of my technique though). But I think it's time that I start looking at a new bass, one that'll get me through college and be more reliable through sessions and gigs.

At first I was looking at some fender jazz basses because a bunch of my favorite players use them (joe dart, jaco, a ton of others) but every time I've gone to music shops to try out some I have been a little disappointed with them. However, whenever I go to a music shop and play a stingray I feel at home. I love the tone and the feel of them, and my gut's telling me that it's the way to go. A bunch of my other favorite players also use them (louis johnson, joe dart again, fernando rosa, pretty much any funk guy)

That being said, I have heard some poignant criticisms of stingrays, like that they are not versatile, they sound terrible in certain genres, and that they sound nasaly in mixes. I personally believe that versatility is a matter of the player and how well they can imitate genres, but that's just one opinion.

So what do you guys think would be best for me? For reference, my favorite genres to play are funk, blues, jazz, RnB, and fusion.

Get a two humbucker Stingray Special. Put your favorite flats on it or try the EB Cobalt flats. Keep your mute handy if you like that thump. You will be thrilled with that bass given what you said in your post. The second position from the bottom on the HH SR is a pretty good “both pickups” J sound. If you love that SR bridge pickup sound with the EQ no J bridge pickup will sound like that without a good bit of other gear. Go with what you love but definitely test drive an HH Special before you buy any other Ray.

 

[wazzel]

Play the bass you like. For the past 26 years I played a single H Stingray and a single H Sterling in all types of music. Never had an issue getting the right sound. A lot of "does this bass fit X music" is perception, not reality.

 

[Freekmagnet]

I'd recommend the StingRay. I have a StingRay and a Jazz, and they are completely different beasts. If you're at home on the 'Ray, you're always going to struggle with the Jazz. I know from experience - I've played a StingRay since 1986, and I bought a Jazz as a replacement when my bass got stolen. Even though the Jazz sounded great, I always had to work a lot harder to get the sound I wanted out of it. I ended up buying a new StingRay a few years later. I still have the Jazz because nonetheless, it's a really good bass.

 

[jam.majors]

I’ve played exclusively stingrays for over 20 years. Then I borrowed a p off of a friend and realized that’s the sound I really wanted. Also that the “weak g” stingray was weaker than I suspected.
I’m now playing a PJ and it has completely changed my playing and travel over the fretboard.
I still have a strong love for my Ray, but this PJ has taken me to a new place as a player.
So I voted Jazz.
(For any interested the basses are in my signature.)

 

[Artman]

Play the bass you like. For the past 26 years I played a single H Stingray and a single H Sterling in all types of music. Never had an issue getting the right sound. A lot of "does this bass fit X music" is perception, not reality.

I agree with this. If you’re asking about fretted vs fretless, then yeah, there’s a noticeable difference. Sure there are differences in the voicing of a fretted jazz and a fretted ray, but within the context of a rock/pop band mix it is subtle, and you really can use any bass for any music. I used a fretless Pedulla in a prog-metal band during the 1990’s and most people outside of the band didn’t even know I was playing fretless…or what a fretless bass is. If a bass feels great and you like the sounds, play it. The more time you spend on it, the more versatile that bass will become.
Ultimately, you are going to have to make the decision and live with it. Not a bunch of strangers on the internet.

 

[Vanheusen77]

In the end it’s all about what the bass is for. Fender style basses will always be more “mainstream” but I personally don’t think that should guide your decision. Get the one that you have the most fun playing!

 

[Dave W]

Which models have ceramic pickup ran in series?

Stock? A 1988-2007 Stingray 5 or an EBMM Sterling. I could be wrong about those dates, but I'm 99% sure that the 1987 SR5 came with an alnico pickup, and I know the 2008+ models did as well.
I lubs the ceramic so much that I have an SD ceramic model installed in my 78' Stingray...

 

[LoTone]

Stingrays are as versatile as the player playing them.

 

[sotua]

If the Stingray sings to you, get that one. Don't be caught up on hero worship. I used to lust after a Rickenbacker because of Geddy/Cliff worship. When I finally got my hands on one, it was a massive disappointment. I hated it. Turns out I'm more of a Jazz bass guy, though I also have a stingray which I love how it sounds but would like had a jazz sized neck

Same thing with guitar. When I moved to guitar, all my favorite bands were using HH PRS guitars. I went through a number of HH fixed bridge guitars, eventually getting to a HH PRS. Turns out that while the artists that make the music I *like* prefer that configuration, the music I *make* called for single coils - I got a strat and now I'm much happier with guitar *playing*.

 

[FishDub]

Play the bass you like. For the past 26 years I played a single H Stingray and a single H Sterling in all types of music. Never had an issue getting the right sound. A lot of "does this bass fit X music" is perception, not reality.

Yes..and I have played my Steinberger XL2 in funk, blues, reggae and everything in between. It fit in just fine..

 

[izpak]

Why not both if you have the budget?

Atelier Z regularly make both in a Jazz shape.