My experiences with the new (and old) Stingrays

[Stranger Danger]

Ugh. Sorry I was so specific.

I meant previous Stingray H models. Perhaps the 18v preamp has something to do with it?

I think it's probably less grindy. The 18 volt preamp increases clean headroom. It depends on what you mean by grindy. Thats a hard term to nail down. I think the bottom end is largely dependent on the bass knob. It definitely can do a lot of different and musically useable tones. Much more versatile than the previous Stingrays.

 

[80jazz]

I think it's probably less grindy. The 18 volt preamp increases clean headroom. It depends on what you mean by grindy. Thats a hard term to nail down. I think the bottom end is largely dependent on the bass knob. It definitely can do a lot of different and musically useable tones. Much more versatile than the previous Stingrays.

I will agree with that last statement. I tried a Sterling a couple of years ago but sold it about 6-8 months later. The H special seems to sound a bit improved based on the videos I have seen.

I probably need to try one before buying sight unseen .

 

[MordBass]

Ive owned one and played a ton.... my thoughts are that pre EB are awesome, late 80's to mid 90's standard rays and sterlings are my fav.... early 00's are fine but not worth what they were charging new, and the newest ones feel comically cheap for the price.

 

[Judge Nickels]

I've been watching carefully for a year waiting for one of the sites that lists weights to offer a black Special 4H w/ a maple board. This thread reminded me to check again and American Musical had one at 8lbs even. BOOM. It'll be here Wednesday.

 

[Judge Nickels]

 

[john_g]

When I bought my Stingray, I was debating on trying to find an old pre-EB, get a classic, or a standard 3 band. I ended up getting a 3 band as I love having the mid control. I eventually will get an old pre-EB all blonde Stingray though.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I’m breaking in a new set of EB Cobalt flats on mine. Loving them so far.

The Slinky Cobalt Flats and the Special are a perfect match to my ears and hands.

 

[Maxdusty]

Wow...thanks for a nice insight and review. Good to get views on the differences from the experienced Ray players out there.
I was at a music store a couple of days ago and tried three or four of the Sterling Ray34 basses to see how they differed in setup to the one I just got on CL - primarily the string tension, height etc. To my surprise all the Ray34s felt rather different from each other, necks felt different - I mean I can understand differences with wood used and as such, uniqueness of each instrument even of the same model - these were used standard Ray34s not the Ray34CA, but there seemed to be more differences than I'm used to seeing in other brands.

 

[Briton]

Regarding the poll itself, why do you Americans always have to include a pathetic option like the last one in the poll. It just encourages idiots to turn the poll into a farce.

 

[twinjet]

Let's bring it down a notch, please.

Rule #1: Respect your fellow members.

 

[birminghambass]

Ive owned one and played a ton.... my thoughts are that pre EB are awesome, late 80's to mid 90's standard rays and sterlings are my fav.... early 00's are fine but not worth what they were charging new, and the newest ones feel comically cheap for the price.

Just curious what makes you think this? The build quality? The individual components ?The tone ?
I agree that the late 80s -95 are my favorite too.

 

[MordBass]

Just curious what makes you think this? The build quality? The individual components ?The tone ?
I agree that the late 80s -95 are my favorite too.

I feel like its a combo of things. It just seems to me like the wood was better when it comes to the necks. The new ones can get a wide range of great tones but the necks just dont feel like the old ones to me. All of those 86ish to 95ish just have a smoooooooth, straight neck with superb playability while the new ones almost seem to fight you on it. Even going back to the mid 90's I remember loving every ray that i pulled off the wall at GC. These days, they have 4 at my local store and I wouldnt buy any of them. They just feel like they arent constructed as well and that they used lower grade materials.

 

[birminghambass]

Regarding the poll itself, why do you Americans always have to include a pathetic option like the last one in the poll. It just encourages idiots to turn the poll into a farce.

I know right? Lame Americans always ruining TB with our ridiculous poll options !
But seriously, put any poll on TB and people will comment on the lack of a "carrots" option. They want to vote without actually voting. And I'm fairly certain it's not just us Yanks that do it.

 

[Briton]

I know right? Lame Americans always ruining TB with our ridiculous poll options !
But seriously, put any poll on TB and people will comment on the lack of a "carrots" option. They want to vote without actually voting. And I'm fairly certain it's not just us Yanks that do it.

The reason I said "You Americans" is that I only see that kind of option on American forums. Why on earth would anybody be interested in someones opinion that they consider themselves being a weiner. Currently the weiner option is in second place, I think I don't need to explain what my point is anymore.

 

[Chef]

Further sniping at each other will result in tickets for all parties.

Do better.

 

[wizard65]

I know right? Lame Americans always ruining TB with our ridiculous poll options !
But seriously, put any poll on TB and people will comment on the lack of a "carrots" option. They want to vote without actually voting. And I'm fairly certain it's not just us Yanks that do it.

Being an Aussie, I had to google Wiener.

 

[roswell1965]

The reason I said "You Americans" is that I only see that kind of option on American forums. Why on earth would anybody be interested in someones opinion that they consider themselves being a weiner. Currently the weiner option is in second place, I think I don't need to explain what my point is anymore.

Nothing more American than wieners and apple pie! You guys have your beans and toast, packets of crisps, chips, and perhaps a pint at the corner pub if there's enough left over in your pay packet.. and we've got dogs and pie! So what's the problemo? It's all good baby!

 

[Jared Lash]

Back on topic, I checked out a few Stingray Specials today at Guitar Center. They had a 5HH in Charcoal Sparkle, a 4HH in Dropped Copper and a 4H in Jet Black.

Fantastic basses. I have felt for years that the 3-band Rays were too clanky for my tastes and that the 2-band classics were closer to what I wanted. As it turns out, the Special is what I really want. Tonally it just works for me. I dig it set flat and the preamp is super musical.

I appreciate the different tones of the HH models (well I didn't get to hear the neck soloed on the 4HH because it had a wiring issue - thanks GC!) but for me a 4H or possibly a 5H would be what I'd want. The soloed bridge MM pickup is far and away my favorite sound and I like the extra room near the fretboard for slapping.

If they'd had a 4H in any other color I might have walked out with it. Chopper Blue, Charging Green or Dropped Copper in particular. Maybe Burnt Apple.

Everything about the redesign works for me. Other than maybe the bridge design. I have roasted necks on my two guitars (EBMM Cutlass and Valentine) so I knew I'd love that aspect, and I did.

When I got home I spent about half an hour trying to get my bass with the Nordstrand BigSplitMan to sound like the Stingray Special. I got pretty close but it meant turning down the bass, cutting the high mids and rolling the tone control back a fair amount. I realized that the BigSplitMan is bassier and very "pokey" compared to the Stingray Special's pickup.

So for now I'm happy with getting a decent facsimile with my Stambaugh but I still have G.A.S. for one of these new Stingrays.

 

[keto]

I identified with your observation in your OP of the notes really 'jumping off the neck', as I thought the same when I played some specials a few months ago. I felt that to also be the case unplugged, and could only attribute that to the roasted neck. They feel incredibly hard, light, stiff and non-resonant, all of which would reduce energy absorption from the string. I think it is a big sonic factor. But, as always, thats just IMHO, and YMMV.

I just assumed this was because of the SS frets, not the roasted neck. Either way it's a real quality that the Specials have over the past Stingrays.

Hmmm, I noted this as well and thought it was due to the ebony fingerboard.

Interesting. The ones I played (3) were all maple.

I thought it was the ebony and, yeah, I posted the same ‘notes jump’ over in the Special thread. Interesting, and it could be the frets. My other main bass is a very bright L-2000, gloss maple fretboard bound n blocked...it’s brighter than the Ray, but doesn’t have the ‘notes jump’ so much.

I think it's probably less grindy. The 18 volt preamp increases clean headroom. It depends on what you mean by grindy. Thats a hard term to nail down. I think the bottom end is largely dependent on the bass knob. It definitely can do a lot of different and musically useable tones. Much more versatile than the previous Stingrays.

I traded an Old Smoothie for my Special, much less grind in the preamp, I wish the new one had that but totally agree about the usefulness of the new pre. Love the neck shape and profile, very fast playable for me, Smoothie was always a touch too big to be comfortable for me.

On the other hand, lots of small annoying issues with mine, and it’s in the shop getting looked at again.

 

[mouthmw]

About the notes jumping off, I'll add another one - it's the new pickup & preamp design.

Yeah I know.. I'm just not a "tone wood" fanatic, sorry. I've had basses with rosewood, ebony and maple fingerboards, I've had nickel and SS frets. I've switched a neck on a bass that had ebony board to the one with rosewood. Didn't make a difference, except it looked a hell of a lot better. Anyways, the differences are incredibly subtle if your setup is right, and you're playing the strings that you wanna play, and the strings that you know. Biggest difference was always, and always, pickup and preamp swaps.

I just had a Nordstrand MM4.2 in my 2 band Stingray (for about 5 months, that's how I bought it used). Finally decided to put the original pickup back in it. Bam! The preamp finally worked how it should (low end and high end didn't clash in weird phase cancellation when cranked all the way), and the notes seemed to "jump off the fretboard" more. What I mean is - it has that classic Stingray tone, finally.