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NBD! Musicman StingRay 5H Special

#41
EBMM could have easily kept cranking out 'this year's model' at each succeeding NAMM with only new colors or the occasional 'limited edition' with some sort of gimcrackery to keep the collectors happy.

Instead they took the very brave move of truly and thoughtfully updating their classic designs when there was no real market pressure to do so. Moreover, they got it REAL right. Bravo ! ! ! 8.5 lbs, 18v electronics, and look at that neck heel. They burned the midnight oil here, guys.

I'm a huge StingRay Five fan: It was a lot of guys first five by nature of the expansion from four to five string back then being done brilliantly: The first mass-market five that just worked, right out of the box, it just got out of the way and you could play it without a lot of the usual five-string foibles. A real Classic in its' own way.

They could have EASILY got this wrong, but wound up with meaningful and useful improvements.

Great Score, I'm Cruz Teal with envy ! ! !
 
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#44
Uh oh! Found these for my drummer today as I was demo'ing a Mesa Bass amp with the Musicman StingRay 5H Special.

AD9S0BcSeksE6EmARe7w_zpswz26zz12.jpg


fullsizeoutput_322c_zpsszb3a4h1.jpeg
 
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#45
Dr. Cheese said:
If a Stingray Special is in my future, I hope it is a 5H like yours. That new preamp lets the H cranks out lows like never before.
Click to expand...
I’ve previously owned one of the single H models in a four string. And before I bought it I demoed various different configurations.

I ended up going with the single H because of what you just mentioned.

The new preamp allows the bridge pickup to be much warmer and fatter than previous stingrays.

I found myself favoring the back pickup on each of the double pickup models that I demoed. On the older stingrays, I always needed both pickups so that the front one would make the sound warmer.
 
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#46
phillipkregg said:
I’ve previously owned one of the single H models in a four string. And before I bought it I demoed various different configurations.

I ended up going with the single H because of what you just mentioned.

The new preamp allows the bridge pickup to be much warmer and fatter than previous stingrays.

I found myself favoring the back pickup on each of the double pickup models that I demoed. On the older stingrays, I always needed both pickups so that the front one would make the sound warmer.
Click to expand...

I have not had a chance to play the new SR 5HH Special next to my 5H Special. So your comments are very well timed and well taken.
 
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#47
JW56789 said:
EBMM could have easily kept cranking out 'this year's model' at each succeeding NAMM with only new colors or the occasional 'limited edition' with some sort of gimcrackery to keep the collectors happy.

Instead they took the very brave move of truly and thoughtfully updating their classic designs when there was no real market pressure to do so. Moreover, they got it REAL right. Bravo ! ! ! 8.5 lbs, 18v electronics, and look at that neck heel. They burned the midnight oil here, guys.

I'm a huge StingRay Five fan: It was a lot of guys first five by nature of the expansion from four to five string back then being done brilliantly: The first mass-market five that just worked, right out of the box, it just got out of the way and you could play it without a lot of the usual five-string foibles. A real Classic in its' own way.

They could have EASILY got this wrong, but wound up with meaningful and useful improvements.

Great Score, I'm Cruz Teal with envy ! ! !
Click to expand...


Very well said. I could not agree more. I have been a SR5 fanatic for years. I did not think I could have been a bigger SR5 fanboy but I was wrong. I love the new SR5 and my new SR5 HH Special is the first HH model that I connected to. That 18v pre and all the other upgrades are just perfect.
 
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#48
armybass said:
Very well said. I could not agree more. I have been a SR5 fanatic for years. I did not think I could have been a bigger SR5 fanboy but I was wrong. I love the new SR5 and my new SR5 HH Special is the first HH model that I connected to. That 18v pre and all the other upgrades are just perfect.
Click to expand...

I gigged Wednesday night and have to say I was sort of missing having a neck PU and the extra depth of tone a balance neck and bridge PU give. But I need to work with the EQ on the 5H a bit more in Parallel and Series switch positions to see what I can get from them. I am not using the middle switch position much at this point.

I experimented with a Mesa WD-800/Subway 1x15 bass rig this week and compared to my GK MB Fusion 800/Baer ML112 bass rig. Both were superb but my GK MBF / Baer rig is sweet! I did try connecting both cabs, but the mismatch was apparent and I was getting different volumes and output. Still made a cool looking stack!

fullsizeoutput_322b_zpsem4l51xv.jpeg
 
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#49
GRoberts said:
I gigged Wednesday night and have to say I was sort of missing having a neck PU and the extra depth of tone a balance neck and bridge PU give. But I need to work with the EQ on the 5H a bit more in Parallel and Series switch positions to see what I can get from them. I am not using the middle switch position much at this point.

I experimented with a Mesa WD-800/Subway 1x15 bass rig this week and compared to my GK MB Fusion 800/Baer ML112 bass rig. Both were superb but my GK MBF / Baer rig is sweet! I did try connecting both cabs, but the mismatch was apparent and I was getting different volumes and output. Still made a cool looking stack!

fullsizeoutput_322b_zpsem4l51xv.jpeg
Click to expand...
Perhaps your store would be willing to order you one to try . If it’s soon enough maybe you could do a swap if you liked the HH better.
 
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#51
Gig Report as the Honeymoon continues.....

I did another show tonight with my 5 piece band. Tonight I embraced the 1st switch position (Switched back toward the bridge). Oh my! THAT delivers the STINGRAY SOUND! The EQ is so easy to use and the frequency centers are so well voiced, I was able to flavor my tone easily Boosting the bass or add/cutting midrange.

This bass is Absolutely remarkable the way notes sustain and all notes have texture and weight up and down the neck. The neck profile feels so comfortable in my hands and I love the 22 fret fingerboard. I took a couple solo's and the real-estate and upper fret access is effortless.

The light weight continues to make playing the bass pure joy. I am Loving this SR 5H like crazy! and I am sort of over the lusting for a SR 5 HH Special. This bass deserves to be fully embraced.

My new SR 5H is a perfect match for my bass amp & cab: GK MB Fusion 800 and Bergantino CN212 cab. PERFECTION! Color me "very happy!!!!"

fullsizeoutput_3255_zpstvk4bowb.jpg
 
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#52
GRoberts said:
Gig Report as the Honeymoon continues.....

I did another show tonight with my 5 piece band. Tonight I embraced the 1st switch position (Switched back toward the bridge). Oh my! THAT delivers the STINGRAY SOUND! The EQ is so easy to use and the frequency centers are so well voiced, I was able to flavor my tone easily Boosting the bass or add/cutting midrange.

This bass is Absolutely remarkable the way notes sustain and all notes have texture and weight up and down the neck. The neck profile feels so comfortable in my hands and I love the 22 fret fingerboard. I took a couple solo's and the real-estate and upper fret access is effortless.

The light weight continues to make playing the bass pure joy. I am Loving this SR 5H like crazy! and I am sort of over the lusting for a SR 5 HH Special. This bass deserves to be fully embraced.

This SR 5H (Cruz teal/Ebony FB) LOVES this bass amp/cab: GK MB Fusion 800 with Bergantino CN212 cab. PERFECTION! Color me "very happy!!!!"

fullsizeoutput_3255_zpstvk4bowb.jpeg
Click to expand...

Love the update!

A lot of us Special owners are still happily in love many months on. Glad you're grooving with yours
 
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#53
;)
GRoberts said:
Gig Report as the Honeymoon continues.....

I did another show tonight with my 5 piece band. Tonight I embraced the 1st switch position (Switched back toward the bridge). Oh my! THAT delivers the STINGRAY SOUND! The EQ is so easy to use and the frequency centers are so well voiced, I was able to flavor my tone easily Boosting the bass or add/cutting midrange.

This bass is Absolutely remarkable the way notes sustain and all notes have texture and weight up and down the neck. The neck profile feels so comfortable in my hands and I love the 22 fret fingerboard. I took a couple solo's and the real-estate and upper fret access is effortless.

The light weight continues to make playing the bass pure joy. I am Loving this SR 5H like crazy! and I am sort of over the lusting for a SR 5 HH Special. This bass deserves to be fully embraced.

This SR 5H (Cruz teal/Ebony FB) LOVES this bass amp/cab: GK MB Fusion 800 with Bergantino CN212 cab. PERFECTION! Color me "very happy!!!!"

fullsizeoutput_3255_zpstvk4bowb.jpeg
Click to expand...

That bass looks, feels, and sounds great in your hands. That’s a keeper in my book. Love the one your with. Sometimes you happen upon a bass and you just know it’s the one for you .:thumbsup:
 
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#57
I just got my Stingray Special 5HH in charcoal sparkle. While I love the tone and playability of the Stingray neck, I'm a bit disappointed in the fret work. I can feel the frets on the side of the neck, all of them on both sides. They clearly didn't file them down. I've felt this on cheap basses before but never a stingray. Did you have this problem?
 
#58
tminus10 said:
I just got my Stingray Special 5HH in charcoal sparkle. While I love the tone and playability of the Stingray neck, I'm a bit disappointed in the fret work. I can feel the frets on the side of the neck, all of them on both sides. They clearly didn't file them down. I've felt this on cheap basses before but never a stingray. Did you have this problem?
Click to expand...

Where did you buy it? What you are talking about could either be a lack of fret end finishing, or it could be what I know as "fret sprout". That happens to a lot of my instruments over time when the weather shifts and the wood shrinks slightly. If it if brand new, have the dealer dress the fret ends or pay your luthier to do that? My SR 5H does not have this issue.
 

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