My experiences with the new (and old) Stingrays

[Briton]

I would go for a Pre EB first, followed by a Classic and an Old Smoothie. All 2 bands which have the definitive Stingray tone with some slight variation. Out of the three I have mentioned I own a Classic and wouldn't swap it for a Special any day of the week. There is only one proper Stingray and that is a 2 band.

 

[PeaveyPlayer]

I would go for a Pre EB first, followed by a Classic and an Old Smoothie. All 2 bands which have the definitive Stingray tone with some slight variation. Out of the three I have mentioned I own a Classic and wouldn't swap it for a Special any day of the week. There is only one proper Stingray and that is a 2 band.

 

[Yango]

94 Ray, HH Special, 95 Sterling

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I really, really dug the tone I got from my Sterling, fortunately, that skinny Jazz neck—that my left hand never got along with—drove me to discover my beloved Stingrays. But I still think that a Stingray neck on a Sterling body (single H) would be absolute Nirvana (the place, not the band). Tone for days, comfortable neck, cool contoured body, and not too heavy!

I’m not why sure why Sterling Ball has never offered that option. I think it would be a winner.

 

[dab12ax7ef]

Through the years I’ve owned about 20 EB and pre-EB basses, probably played 300+ gigs on them.

Sounds like you should be telling us all about MusicMan basses. While I haven’t tried them all, my #1 is my 2001 SR5.

 

[Burwabit]

I owned a Classic and did like the 2-band EQ. However, I like the Special more. All around better instrument. And 2lbs lighter.

 

[StayLow]

Also the plastic control cavity on the back is just slapped on there, not recessed into the body. Come on EB, if a $500 Ibanez can do this I think a $2200 USA made bass should too.

Do you mean for the batteries? Yeah, that definitely should've been recessed. I'd say same for the neck plate. Typical amazing build quality otherwise, the G-string-sliding-off-the-fingerboard issue on the 5's notwithstanding.

I play a lot of Stingrays and variants; 2/3 band, US EBMM, Classic, US SUB, SBMM and dig 'em all as far as active basses go. All single H. I could do with less interaction in the 3-band EQ tilting the balance between the low and high strings, but it is what it is.

Am curious about the Specials, but in the comparison demos I've heard online the newer ones always sound more tame and relatively thin. Again talking Single H here. Since I don't feel I'm really missing anything with my Stingrays, and they're not too heavy, it'll be awhile before I try a Special and if I buy one it'll probably be for looks. They have some gorgeous new finishes and the roasted necks look great. Speaking of esthetics, sure wish they'd give people an option not to have the pickguard on them though, especially given the price. Maybe they do if ordering a new build.

Thanks for your balanced review.

 

[sikamikanico]

I’ve never been impressed by Stingrays sound-wise, but the Special HH I tried sounded really good. I particularly liked the split options (positions 2&4), and the Stingray (position 1) option sounded convincing to me. I’ve tried older HH and wasn’t as impressed. I guess it could be just a matter of individual basses that I tried, but EB got my attention again (I enjoyed Cutlass/Caprice basses too).

 

[birminghambass]

Do you mean for the batteries? Yeah, that definitely should've been recessed. I'd say same for the neck plate.

No, the HH models have a control cavity cover on the back. Kind of shocking that it's just screwed on there. On my Sterling the neckplate is recessed, a nice touch. As I state in the review, while these have improvements they are not of a better build quality IMO.

 

[PBassin]

I'll put in my vote for the Stingray Classic!

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[PJ Muzikmansky]

I'll put in my vote for the Stingray Classic!

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HOT DAMN ! That is one funky looking bass Bro. Outstanding.

 

[Eidolon0274]

I've never bonded with a stingray, hate the steep fretboard radius and the pickups are grindy in a bad way to me.

I'm just leaving this comment here to meet the talkbass quota for someone leaving a comment in a thread that knows nothing about the subject or dislikes the topic.

 

[Dabndug]

Pre EB or Classic is my preference, though I like them all. I'm old enough to remember when the pre EBs were the finest non-boutique bass available. Musicman QC and craftsmanship was head and shoulders above the rest in the late '70s, and the Stingray sound was unique.

 

[Gizmot]

I love my EBMM bass - but this post and others has me gassing for a new Special. If I’m still gainfully employed in three months, I may take the plunge.

 

[murphy]

I am sad they stopped making the SR5 HS...I love the single neck pickup much better than the HH setup

I have had 90s SR5 H....2000s SR5 HH , H and HS....kept two HS models

I get a woody thick P bass type tone soloing the neck and use it for most styles...Bridge pickup for Disco/funk though

 

[sawzalot]

I voted for the Stingray Standard, thinking primarily of my ‘94 stingray. That era had SO much going for it: the sound, the workmanship, the truss rodnwheel, they finally got the bridge right, the pickups—it was a really good time for them. I bought the stingray back then to have a utilitarian 4-banger and it worked it’s way up to be my main axe for many years now.

 

[AngelCrusher]

I want a 2-band ray that sounds like this guy's (Paul S. Denman, bassist for SADE)!

View attachment 3349778

Or, maybe one like Gail Ann Dorsey's 3-band ray, (tour bassist with David Bowie, and others)!

View attachment 3349782

Sting ray classic with the treble rolled back a little from the middle and the bass a little forward. It is that Sade tone. I had it and I loved it. Negatives are the basses are heavy and are slab, so no body contour. That's about it. I would pull that thing out at gigs and people would come over and talk to me about it before I even got a chance to plug it in.

 

[REV]

Your post gives me hope that someday I will find a Stingray that I can like. I have owned 4 Stingrays in my life. They seem to sound good in the music store and play well enough but as soon as I get them home I start regretting my decision. I am always a little envious when I see other bassists playing a Stingray and getting a good sound. Maybe these specials will do it for me.

 

[Fun Size Nick]

The only Stingray that I ever felt I connected when trying it in the shop was a pre-EB. I haven’t played a special yet though. It would be fun to stick a 5-year-old set of TI flats on one to see if I could dig that!

 

[Bevan777]

I have to respectfully disagree. I love my Special and especially the feel of the neck. I think part of the tone comes from the neck. It’s almost gives it a dry and hollow sound to me. Maybe it’s in my mind, but I hear it.

I would agree with this, I own one special and have played another, both seem more resonant that my other stingrays, I believe this is due to the neck.

 

[mouthmw]

I voted for Classic/Pre EB which basically to me means - 2 band. Sure, deviations between eras here and there, from one bass to another, but 2 band was always my favorite and what I currently have (I actually have an older standard 2 band). The old 3 band is cool (I had one too), but I prefer a 2 bander.

THAT SAID, I haven’t tried the new Specials and would love to get one honestly. If I were given a choice on which ray to get next - definitely Special. Love almost all of the changes they did to the 3 band model from what I’ve heard on every possible video clip (yes, I’m checking clips of ray specials daily. Daily!)