The MM is not like some other active electronics basses. it is very simple and just allows you to make REAL TONAL adjustments to the EQ on the bass instead of having to go to the amp. I was not an active guy at all but love the ability to add a bit of bass or treble to the bass on the fly to fit various songs.
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Need quick education on Stingrays
- Thread starter Jao6859
- Start date
The MM is not like some other active electronics basses. it is very simple and just allows you to make REAL TONAL adjustments to the EQ on the bass instead of having to go to the amp. I was not an active guy at all but love the ability to add a bit of bass or treble to the bass on the fly to fit various songs.
I don't understand the mentality of anyone who buys a specific instrument known for a specific sound and then immediately modifies it to try to turn it into something else. Doesn't it make more sense to buy the "something else" in the first place? When I want to play a passive bass, I pick up my P. When I want to play what amounts to what was designed to be an active P replacement, I pick up my 1980 Stingray. When neither will do, then it's time for the JB. Isn't it supposed to be about picking the correct tool for the job? (I also play a 5 and an upright.) Don't ruin a perfectly good instrument that might be just perfect, as is, for someone else. Sell or trade the 'Ray and buy a P or whatever it is you actually prefer. In the long run, that's to everyone's best outcome, including the bass itself. In over 40 years, the only things I have changed on the Stingray are the strings!
I also don't understand the "too many knobs" argument. No matter if I am playing passive or active, I start with everything flat, and make minimal adjustments until I have what I want. I also don't wait until the day of the gig to start figuring out what all those knobs do. lol.
Regarding mods, you can't make a lousy sounding bass sound good by installing an excellent preamp or a massive bridge, or lighter machine heads. In my experience, the best thing you can do is buy the best bass you can afford. The better the instrument to begin with, the less likely you will feel the need to modify it, and the fewer mods you will feel like it needs. Just my 2 cents (over 50 years playing experience).
I also don't understand the "too many knobs" argument. No matter if I am playing passive or active, I start with everything flat, and make minimal adjustments until I have what I want. I also don't wait until the day of the gig to start figuring out what all those knobs do. lol.
Regarding mods, you can't make a lousy sounding bass sound good by installing an excellent preamp or a massive bridge, or lighter machine heads. In my experience, the best thing you can do is buy the best bass you can afford. The better the instrument to begin with, the less likely you will feel the need to modify it, and the fewer mods you will feel like it needs. Just my 2 cents (over 50 years playing experience).
Some look at knobs and ask why. I ask why not. 
It’s not any more knobs than are on your car stereo, or even your amp for that matter. Try it for a while. You might like it. I think it’s easier than having to fuss with the amp sometimes, you know?
Let there be knobs.
It’s not any more knobs than are on your car stereo, or even your amp for that matter. Try it for a while. You might like it. I think it’s easier than having to fuss with the amp sometimes, you know?
Let there be knobs.
Stingrays are really great basses. I have owned a few, and still have two that I play. I love them and have never had any issues with them at all. They’re working man basses, sound great, and are built like tanks. They were created to handle the aggressive slapping of the late great Louis Johnson. Please play it as is. Don’t change a thing other than batteries and strings.
This. You just want a volume & tone? Easy: volume is the first one, treble is the next one. Leave the rest around the center detent, or whatever "sweet spot" you find with some experimentation, and then never mess with them. (You can even pluck the knobs off and save them, if they get in your way.)
No, i don't think so. In all of mine, if the battery's dead, there's no sound. Because the audio is still wired to go *through* the preamp; a dead preamp doesn't automatically bypass itself.
I do have a couple of Music Man models (Bongos, Reflexes) that have a *passive* option, and i can hardly tell the difference in sound between passive, and active with all the controls set at the center detent. So there may not be any advantage to wiring in a "bypass" mode other than saving batteries.
Would gutting the electronics impact the "REAL TONAL" adjustment capability of a stingray? I stand by what I said. Changing the pickups, and preamps on a stnigray is a mistake if all you want is a tone and volume knob. trade it for a Pbass.
If there is any thought of reselling it, leave the preamp in there, leave it as stock as possible.
Agreed on the preamp/battery when taken out - I only asked the question rather than saying it was wrong because I don't think I've ever tried it. With respect to a passive mode, I can tell you that a bypassed/passive Stingray does not sound like (or as good as) active. At least mine doesn't - I tried that experiment and quickly put it back to the way it was.
Question about making a Stingary passive relative to their offshore OLP version:
According to Kent Armstrong, the OLP pups were nearly 14K Ohms of DC resistance.
Relative to other bass pickups this seems really hot but believable considering the placement and Ken suggests that it has enough gain to sound good like a standard SR.
https://reverb.com/item/6455773-kent-armstrong-musicman-stingray-bass-pickup-with-black-cover-hbmn1
What is the DC resistance of a real SR? I can check tonight but wanted to start the conversation here.
I just put an ancient, passive OLP back together and it sounds really good stock.
Wonder if a real SR pup without a preamp gets very loud?
According to Kent Armstrong, the OLP pups were nearly 14K Ohms of DC resistance.
Relative to other bass pickups this seems really hot but believable considering the placement and Ken suggests that it has enough gain to sound good like a standard SR.
https://reverb.com/item/6455773-kent-armstrong-musicman-stingray-bass-pickup-with-black-cover-hbmn1
What is the DC resistance of a real SR? I can check tonight but wanted to start the conversation here.
I just put an ancient, passive OLP back together and it sounds really good stock.
Wonder if a real SR pup without a preamp gets very loud?
I think its a blasphemy to a 1991 Stingray. On the other hand I never heard or played a passive Stingray. Passive JBs or Precisions are perfect. So why not give it a try? At least if you take care that you can transform it back to the original state. The result would interest me quite a bit. Christian
Have a tech wire in a passive/active switch. You can get a push/pull knob to accomplish this. Then, you have the option. I'm not a big fan of active either. All of my basses are passive or have an active/passive switch that I leave in passive mode.
What does your Stingray sound like when you engage the passive switch?
Does the output drop?
The 70s hangtag manual used to say that it’s not recommended you have the volume pot higher than half way on the bass, I’ve found that if you raise the pickups towards the string 1/32 more than factory default, lower the volume to 1/3 or 1/4, the fret noise and clicky stuff disappears, especially with flats, but in general, you don’t need the volume all the way open to get a good old school sound out of it. This also helps boost the bass end of the 3eq, which doesn’t hit the same lows as the 2eq, it’s a difference of being able to go to 10 vs going to 8 or 9, an amp can compensate for that anyways
As a passive fan, I would sell it.
Let someone else worry about shoving overpriced 9 volt batteries into a nice piece of wood.
With a cheesy plastic cover.
That could potentially break.
And, or get lost; after such an occurrence.
Let someone else worry about shoving overpriced 9 volt batteries into a nice piece of wood.
With a cheesy plastic cover.
That could potentially break.
And, or get lost; after such an occurrence.
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