Musicman growl -- how do they do it?

[unclejane]

And then the G&L's are like a Music Man on steroids. It makes though because he started both companies.

As for the original post, I think it has to do with the fact that the body and the bidge have a nice bit of mass and unlugged, I'd say the setup really affects tone.

Agreed, it's the construction and setup. The woods used really have nothing to do with it, it being the 5 string version means it's got a heftier neck which will really affect the tone.

I played a fretless Sterling not too long ago (which I'd have bought if it had been an unlined version) and tho the rest of it was identical to the fretted model it had a completely different sound. The more mellow muted fretless sound and it only put out grit when I hit it hard. That was the 4 string, tho.

But both the sterling and stingrays just have that Leo Fender construction which gives them that grunt.

Agreed on the G&L (I have two). The fretted G&L's have even more grunt than the music man if you can believe it. Tho I think the G&L 4 string unplugged sounds a little more like a Fender P or J with a kind of acoustic-like quality. The 5 string has a flatter whack to it because it's built heavier and it does sound more "hi-fi" plugged in....

Still the music man is one of the all time greatest basses ever made....

LS

 

[oddgrowth]

it's not just mm's.

I've had 2 mid-90's handmade warwick corvette prolines w/the regular passive mec J pickups that growled like no tomorrow. I sold one and l kept one.
My 80 USA BC Rich Mockingbird Supreme has 2 split Seymore Duncans (w/ the varitone setup) and also has a great low end growl.

Pretty sure the warwicks are ash.

Not sure about the Rich, it has a Holoflake finish but seems almost 1 to 2/3 heavier than the regular american made Richs.

 

[G2K]

I concur with most of the reasons mentioned and I would think other basses may have a similar impact being played unplugged. I think the neck may have more to do with it and where the bow iniates from. It would make sense that the point of maximum tension on the neck would vary from bass to bass and would be dependant on, neck mass, T-Rod setting, string gauge/tension, how the bridge is set into the body and how the break angle of the strings when wound. I do have a EBMM and practice unplugged quite frequently, it does sound great, but I know there are other basses that do as well.

 

[David Jayne]

I don't know man, I still think there's something proprietary going on with the woods and construction that you just can't duplicate with a Warmoth neck and body.

As far as the neck is concerned, you're right. Warmoth's are heavy and stiff; different animal compared to a MM or Fender. It's mostly the neck/electronic package/pickup location.

 

[Demanu]

My 80 USA BC Rich Mockingbird Supreme has 2 split Seymore Duncans (w/ the varitone setup) and also has a great low end growl.

similar like Bernardo. A lot of growl.

I'm quite sure that depends for electronics in bass. I have 2 inputs in bass. one of them works with preamp and second one is working without preamp. There is a large diffrence between (even with eq in aguilar set to 0).

 

[kirkm24]

I think the pickup placement has as much to do with the sound as the pickup itself. For one thing, you have a huge beefy humbucker pickup and then it's positioned back by the bridge that combination is pure growl and bark. To me a Stingray sounds like a Jazz with the front pickup rolled off on steroids. It's a unique sound and it's a signature characteristic of the Stingray which is what makes it a classic.

It's because of the pickup and pickup placement that a Stingray sits so well in just about any mix. It can cut through a thick wall of guitars easily.