Modifying a Stingray???

[mcnach]

Don't do it! Don't mod an expensive and desirable bass like a Stingray! You'll trash it's value!

It's just a bass, adding a pickup is not exactly a crazy mod. If it makes a nice bass into something you'd like better... have at it!

I don't get why people are so precious about not change anything on Stingrays

 

[mcnach]

Leave the 'Ray as-is. Buy a Lakland 44-02, which has a J/MM setup already. Or, seek out an older StingRay 4 or 5 HS (or Sterling H-S) built out that way already.

Except the Lakland does not have the MM pickup where it needs to be to sound like a Stingray.

 

[mcnach]

These are affordable enough that it might be worthwhile to start here

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...arcus-miller-z7-4-string-bass-guitar-burgundy

This is not a bad suggestion at all. I've got the 5 string version in natural finish and it's a pretty good bass. It definitely can take you into Stingray territory, although if you're used to the preamp on Stingrays you'll have to ignore what you know and 'learn' the Sire's preamp. I love that it has a passive tone control (which functions both in passive and active modes) and the Jazz pickup adds some very useful tones.

 

[micguy]

You never want to be the person responsible for a bad remodel.

Is there a bad mod jail, or is it just a few minutes time out on a chair in the corner? What kind of time are we talkin' about doing here?

 

[JazznFunk]

Except the Lakland does not have the MM pickup where it needs to be to sound like a Stingray.

Never said that it did. What it does have is a J pickup in the neck position, which the OP desires. And the Lakland gets in the ballpark of the StingRay if you EQ it right. But no, it will never sound exactly like one. In a mix though.... it's not super far off. All of that is more desirable than carving up a perfectly good EBMM 'Ray to install a neck J pickup which may or may not work well, as others have stated too.

 

[JazznFunk]

It's just a bass, adding a pickup is not exactly a crazy mod. If it makes a nice bass into something you'd like better... have at it!

I don't get why people are so precious about not change anything on Stingrays

Because like most mods, unless it's done really really well, it won't do anything to preserve the resale value moving forward. As others have stated, the existing preamp may not play well with an additional pickup tacked on. Basically, if you plan on keeping the bass forever, go for it. If you expect others to drool over a DIY mod that may or may not be desirable in X number of ways.... you will likely be disappointed.

 

[M-Mittlesteadt]

I honestly do not know why anyone has a difficult time dialing in a specific "tone" (regardless of bass used) with the variety of tonal options on amps, preamps, pedals, etc. available these days...without hacking a beautiful bass.

I used to be that guy, always modding things and sometimes regrettably ruining some beautiful basses. I once turned a nice Alembic into a fretless by ripping out the frets (carefully) and refinishing the neck. The mod worked great, played great and still looked great, but it really lost it's resale value. It was a dumb idea then and even dumber in hindsight now.

"I'm just sayin'...'"

But do what you gotta do. Only you know what you want and it's your decision.

 

[JazznFunk]

I honestly do not know why anyone has a difficult time dialing in a specific "tone" (regardless of bass used) with the variety of tonal options on amps, preamps, pedals, etc. available these days...without hacking a beautiful bass.

I used to be that guy, always modding things and sometimes regrettably ruining some beautiful basses. I once turned a nice Alembic into a fretless by ripping out the frets (carefully) and refinishing the neck. The mod worked great, played great and still looked great, but it really lost it's resale value. It was a dumb idea then and even dumber in hindsight now.

"I'm just sayin'...'"

But do what you gotta do. Only you know what you want and it's your decision.

I'm down with mods if it does something that is not readily available in a completed form already, and if you're not ruining a bass that by default is pretty expensive - which EBMMs are these days. Example: fretless 'Rays are super hard to find now, and the custom shop options that EBMM does offer are not cheap. I have considered buying a fretted SBMM Ray34 and having it professionally de-fretted and epoxied. The cost for the entire project would likely be double what I'd pay for the bass itself, but it's also likely that it would retain at least some of that value if re-sold because they're hard to find anyway. Having it done well, professionally, is half the battle.

 

[Jmiah]

You would have been better off to get a HH and then do a simple mod to bypass one of the neck coils with a switch. I did this on a HH in the past with great results. I actually did it with all coils but it's easy to do with just one.
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/stingray-5-hh-mod.1657079/

Hey brother, thank you for the reply and I appreciate your recommendation. I’ll probably end up just doing exactly what you said. I’m not here very handy with tools, but I do have a tank hose extremely good and I’m confident he’ll make it look like it was an HH from the get go

 

[Stranger Danger]

Don't

 

[TrustRod]

Adding a neck pickup is a great addition to any Stingray/Stingray clone. Especially if your goal is to make music as opposed to selling the bass. There's a mega thread here somewhere with dozens of successful builds. Here is my personal journey with the MM in traditional placement and the P very close.

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/my-olp-and-what-it-has-become.1442305/