a cap around 380pf should give you roll off around 4KHz. If you want less of a mid scoop you can raise the 500pf treble cap to 1nF or higher. this is all subjective depending on your ears and setup
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Music Man sound and pickups
- Thread starter TonyP-
- Start date
a cap around 380pf should give you roll off around 4KHz. If you want less of a mid scoop you can raise the 500pf treble cap to 1nF or higher. this is all subjective depending on your ears and setup
I've talked about my 98 EBMM Stingray H 5-string before (I hope I have the model right. Single pickup, 3-band EQ) . Positively LOVE this bass.
I'd like to get a little, not a lot, but a little more output from the B string (The G string on mine doesn't at all exhibit the low output I've read about. It's just fine). If I can't find a way, the bass will be just fine.
But it seems like I read about a procedure where the individual pole pieces can be raised or lowered in these pickups. Is there anything to this, or was it just a TacoBell-induced really funny dream I had?
Thanx for any advice. I"m not about to touch the pup unless someone with experience discusses it here.
BTW, I LOVE the stock pup on mine. It gives me everything I want with the sound. I can't imagine being it getting any better. I may get another MM Ray to play with the electronics with, but this one will stay perfectly original.
I'd like to get a little, not a lot, but a little more output from the B string (The G string on mine doesn't at all exhibit the low output I've read about. It's just fine). If I can't find a way, the bass will be just fine.
But it seems like I read about a procedure where the individual pole pieces can be raised or lowered in these pickups. Is there anything to this, or was it just a TacoBell-induced really funny dream I had?
Thanx for any advice. I"m not about to touch the pup unless someone with experience discusses it here.
BTW, I LOVE the stock pup on mine. It gives me everything I want with the sound. I can't imagine being it getting any better. I may get another MM Ray to play with the electronics with, but this one will stay perfectly original.
you can of course adjust the entire pickup up or down and change the angle, bringing up the bass side a pinch.
in general you don't want that pickup too close to the strings, there's a lot of magnet pull. they should live well further away than fender pickups, for example.
dropping the pickup also decreases the differences in output between one string and the next (the whole magnetic inverse-square law and all that).
i don't think it's very safe to try and push the polepieces themselves around, you risk breaking a coil wire that way.
in general you don't want that pickup too close to the strings, there's a lot of magnet pull. they should live well further away than fender pickups, for example.
dropping the pickup also decreases the differences in output between one string and the next (the whole magnetic inverse-square law and all that).
i don't think it's very safe to try and push the polepieces themselves around, you risk breaking a coil wire that way.
Wow, good idea, Walter. You always come through. It is kinda close, on second thought. I'll try that.
Thanx again, and take care...
This has been a super informative thread. Thanks everyone.
I have pickup questions! I've got a MTD Kingston artist 5 coming, which has the MM pickup in the sweet spot.
It's my first MM style bass and I'm planning to upgrade the pickup and electronics. I'm thinking Nordstrand 5.4 and their MM preamp. Given the tonal goals below, does this sound right?
I realize the bass is different: basswood body and 35" scale but those are the reasons I'm not just buying a SR5.
My favorite Stingray player is Tony Levin, but I also really like Jeff Caxide, and Justin Chancellor and Tim Commerford on the songs where they use Rays. I am looking for a good rock tone, that takes effects well and can coexist with a wash of guitars or a lot of ambient synth noise.
I play mostly with my fingers though I also rake, chord and strum, and have an aggressive technique. I can play well with a pick but mostly don't, and I'm a lousy slap player. Everything else I own is in a Fender-sounding neighborhood.
I have pickup questions! I've got a MTD Kingston artist 5 coming, which has the MM pickup in the sweet spot.
It's my first MM style bass and I'm planning to upgrade the pickup and electronics. I'm thinking Nordstrand 5.4 and their MM preamp. Given the tonal goals below, does this sound right?
I realize the bass is different: basswood body and 35" scale but those are the reasons I'm not just buying a SR5.
My favorite Stingray player is Tony Levin, but I also really like Jeff Caxide, and Justin Chancellor and Tim Commerford on the songs where they use Rays. I am looking for a good rock tone, that takes effects well and can coexist with a wash of guitars or a lot of ambient synth noise.
I play mostly with my fingers though I also rake, chord and strum, and have an aggressive technique. I can play well with a pick but mostly don't, and I'm a lousy slap player. Everything else I own is in a Fender-sounding neighborhood.
I found both the Nordy MM4.2 and 4.4 to be too polite, especially for rock.
Jeff Caxide's SR5 was built back when they were still equipped with the ceramic pickups which are much more aggressive than the alnicos...which I find much more aggressive than the Nordys.
I think you'd probably be better checking out the Seymour Duncan offerings. At least for the pickups, use whichever preamp you seem to like best.
I feel the same way about the 4.2. No experience on the other.
The SD SMB4A is my preferred one. Very ballsy, but still sweet.
Preamp wise... I prefer the John East ones. Not the cheapest, but totally worth it, for me.
The 4.4 sounds very similar to the 4.2, but it's got less high end content. It just didn't have any of that characteristic MM bite no matter how I EQ'd it.
Thanks for that!
I can see how that well appeal to some, but I would not like it either.
Thanks, everyone. It's nice to have a rare thread on a gear forum where I have been encouraged to spend less money (edit: not if I get the John East!). Here's my question about the SDs: can they be coil tapped and wired so I can run in single (front), single (back), parallel and series? Or is that a special thing?
Hello everyone,
I've been recently getting into more fingerstyle for lounge and slow heavy minor funk groove type of music. Music that makes you just wanna go UGH. The stock EBMM pickup on my Stingray is a little bit too twangy for me. Any pickup recommendations for me to have a smooth buttery tone with just a tiny bit of growl with more bass low mid presence while maintaining a warm upper mid range and clean but not shrill highs? My stingray is from 2005 I think. How much does the preamp contribute to the sound I want?
Kind regards
I've been recently getting into more fingerstyle for lounge and slow heavy minor funk groove type of music. Music that makes you just wanna go UGH. The stock EBMM pickup on my Stingray is a little bit too twangy for me. Any pickup recommendations for me to have a smooth buttery tone with just a tiny bit of growl with more bass low mid presence while maintaining a warm upper mid range and clean but not shrill highs? My stingray is from 2005 I think. How much does the preamp contribute to the sound I want?
Kind regards
Hello everyone,
I've been recently getting into more fingerstyle for lounge and slow heavy minor funk groove type of music. Music that makes you just wanna go UGH. The stock EBMM pickup on my Stingray is a little bit too twangy for me. Any pickup recommendations for me to have a smooth buttery tone with just a tiny bit of growl with more bass low mid presence while maintaining a warm upper mid range and clean but not shrill highs? My stingray is from 2005 I think. How much does the preamp contribute to the sound I want?
Kind regards
The problem I have with those Stingrays is that the pickup is hardwired to only be parallel. That enables the EQ to give the bass a wider variety of sounds, however the more noticeable sound that the pickup would make on its own in series isn't in the cards. I would get a pickup that has a proper 4-conductor plus shield wire, but is not an overwound pickup, and wire it in series and see how that goes. I use the SPB-1a (alnico) for it. Maybe for you the ceramic variant (SPB-1d) is more for you but to be honest they are pretty similar compared to a parallel-only pickup.
The preamp in vanilla Stingrays doesn't do anything special. It is linear with the pots in the middle and otherwise a normal 3-band EQ.
If it doesn't work out there is a good aftermarket scene for selling your new pickup.
Hello everyone,
I've been recently getting into more fingerstyle for lounge and slow heavy minor funk groove type of music. Music that makes you just wanna go UGH. The stock EBMM pickup on my Stingray is a little bit too twangy for me. Any pickup recommendations for me to have a smooth buttery tone with just a tiny bit of growl with more bass low mid presence while maintaining a warm upper mid range and clean but not shrill highs? My stingray is from 2005 I think. How much does the preamp contribute to the sound I want?
Kind regards
Personally, I'd recommend some strings to be changed first. They make a HUGE difference on Stingrays. I've used a number of my stock MMs for recording hip-hop and reggae bass lines. Having a nicely broken in set of strings (or flatwounds) can get that thump and quiet some of the harshness.
As for the preamp, there is a difference between the 2b and 3b, but not so drastic that I'd say you need to swap it out. I've got both and am happy with either for this kind of vibe, when properly dialed in.
Hello everyone,
I've been recently getting into more fingerstyle for lounge and slow heavy minor funk groove type of music. Music that makes you just wanna go UGH. The stock EBMM pickup on my Stingray is a little bit too twangy for me. Any pickup recommendations for me to have a smooth buttery tone with just a tiny bit of growl with more bass low mid presence while maintaining a warm upper mid range and clean but not shrill highs? My stingray is from 2005 I think. How much does the preamp contribute to the sound I want?
Kind regards
I have had this same realization to as my tone preference changes and shifts. I have a 96 EBMM Stingray with Basslines p-up and preamp, it sounds great but at times i do think it to be harsh, twangy and not round enough. This is why i have a Jazz Bass and switch back and forth depending on the style of music, need or what tone im digging at the particular moment.
Wooo. I hope it's not more aggressive than the stock ceramic in my 98 5-string Ray. It's plenty aggressive and I can kinda tone it down when necessary (or use the Precision). Any more aggressiveness would be, well, like a mouthful of Sweet Tarts...
I really love the stock pup in my Ray. I can't imagine wanting any more of what it does, but as I said earlier, I'd like to have another Ray as an experimental bass for playing around with pups and pres.
