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Looking for a funk/rock machine......

Geddyfleaharris

Geddyfleaharris

Mar 5, 2007
3,237
1,320
Portage la Prairie, MB, Canada
#1
I play Rics and play in a metal band. I am going to join a side project that will be playing funk/rock/blues and would like to add a bass to my line up (which is currently all Ric) for flavour and versatility. As much as I love my Rics some things are tougher to do on it than other basses I have played i.e. slapping.

So here is some background.....

I love the look of Sting Rays but just cannot get over the width of the neck. A little too fat for me. I have used a GL Jazz in the past and loved the neck but it was almost too thin near the nut and would cramp my hand. Plus I thought it was a little thin sounding (yes I know I could add a preamp but not really into doing that). I also used to own a Sterling and really loved the bass but the one I had the neck moved around on a weekly basis. I am not much for adjusting my own gear so it was a pain in the a$$ dealing with a bass whose neck went wonky depending on the amount of humidity in the air. I am also not a P-bass guy. I just cannot get into them though I have tried many times over the years.

I am really thinking about going back to a Sterling but have concerns over getting another bass with a wonky neck.

I would love to hear some suggestions on what people think are great 4 string funk/rock machines.

Thanks. :)
 
#2
Geddyfleaharris said:
I love the look of Sting Rays but just cannot get over the width of the neck. A little too fat for me.
Click to expand...

Seriously, at least try out an old StingRay, like anything older than 1990ish. The necks are much thinner front-to-back and rounder fretboard edges...night and day difference.

What's "wonky" about Sterling necks?
 
#3
American Fender J's are graphite supported in the neck, if you prefer active you could go with the American Deluxe.

Lakland's offerings are also quite competitive up in that price range. JO's, DJ's, and 44-01/2's would all sound great for funk and the like (and the 44-01/2's have a passive option).

What do you prefer in terms of active/passive?
 
#6
I think the Fender 70's Jazz is a great funk/rock machine...

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#8
The neck on your Sterling must have been some kind of incredibly rare quirk. I never heard of anyone having any neck stability problems with one. I had one for several years and the neck was rock solid. Customer service at EB is awesome also, if you did encounter any problem I'm certain they'd take care of it.

As for the Stingray, the neck is actually only a fraction of an inch bigger than the sterling. And it's not all that thick or wide at all. I wouldn't write it off so quickly. I found that different neck profiles feel awkward to me for all of a day or 2. While I realize we're all different I really believe that most people need to just adjust to something that's a little different than what they're used to. I've been switching back and forth from widely spaced 5s to 4 string jazz basses and everything in between - and it doesn't make any difference to me any more. It used to, very much so.

All that being said - out of close to a hundred basses that I've owned nothing feels more at home to me for with the rock/funk thing than my Stingray HS. There are are loads of awesome burpy, thick, punchy, stingray to P to J sounds in there. I recently got myself into my first funk/rock band and I'm loving it more than ever.

Want to add also that I dont' know what MM does differently with their EQ (I'm not much of an electronics guy) but I have a Streamer Jazzman with the same pickup config as the MM, but it has only a fraction of the versatility. Almost like all the tone knobs on the Warwick go from 1 - 3, while on the Stingray they go 1 - 11. Probably has a lot to do with the pickup seperation options on the Stirngray also.
 
#9
Why has everyone jumped in with "Fender J!" when he stated he doesn't want one?

ATK necks aren't as slim as Js and not as fat as Stingrays, reasonably cheap, well built if you get a good one and are something a bit different, plus the string through/bridge stringing options make for 2 completely different sounds aswell as the 3 way pickup. Can get a Bassculture pickup if you want a more stingray like vibe from the electrics - I prefer the sound of mine over a ray now - and you'll still have alot of change then you'd have had after getting a ray too.
 
#13
Caca de Kick said:
Seriously, at least try out an old StingRay, like anything older than 1990ish. The necks are much thinner front-to-back and rounder fretboard edges...night and day difference.

What's "wonky" about Sterling necks?
Click to expand...

Thanks for the replies!

Answers to questions:

I wasn't meaning all Sterling necks were wonky - just the one I had gave me a lot of grief. I loved the bass though.

Maybe if I gave a Sting Ray an honest workout I would feel differently about the neck. As you say Joe after a day or two a person usually gets used to the neck. I do like the EBMM brand overall.

I am not against Jazz basses. The GL Jazz's neck was just a little too thin for my tastes. My knowledge of Fender basses is so limited that I did not know they made an active Jazz. Cool. The P-bass is just a non-starter for me.

Doesn't really matter to me if the bass is passive or active. I have played/owned both and can work with either.
 
#16
mcm said:
Lakland DJ. Looks and tone and price!
Click to expand...

for what it's worth, these basses are incredible. i haven't been that impressed with a j-style bass in a long time. i was floored by the quality of this one. sounds incredible and the feel was impressive in a big way! highly recommended.

the new fender american standards are very nice, as well.

all this said, i am a big fan of EBMM basses, and i haven't found another bass i've bonded with as much in sound and feel than the stingray 5 that i own.
 
#19
I had a Fender AD Jazz and it was one of the nicest basses I've ever played. Neck was thin, but not too thin, and stable as all get out. I found it more versatile than an Am Std. Jazz that I was also considering at the time.

Spectors are also fantastic. Flea used an old NS2 on the intro to Higher Ground. They have a great growly, punchy tone.

Also, Stingrays with a maple board are great too. Listen to some Louis Johnson, great sound and the neck is not as thick as a P-bass. Its thick, but not uncomfortably so IMO. The Spector necks are thicker too, well on the neck-through models anyways. But, I would still highly recommend giving the AD Jazz a spin before making any final decisions. They are a seriously underrated bass.
 

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