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Passive Stingray

#4
I once had a passive musicman clone made by arbor. it has an interesting sound. it can provide a bright, upper mid-rangy sound if you equip the bass with a set of stainless steel strings. from what I can tell you from my experience of having a passive musicman-styled bass guitar, it won't be as versatile as an active musicman-styled bass guitar.
 
#5
Well, I think that would be obvious, but I'm not going for versatility.

See, it seems like there are four main bass tones, and most other basses are just some variation of one of these: P, Jazz, Rick, and Stingray.

The P, Jazz, and Rick(?) are all passive. The Stringray is the active one of the group, and while the sets it apart from the rest, I still think a single MM pickup in the bridge/sweet spot and a passive configuration could give a unique tone.
 
#6
KingRazor said:
Well, I think that would be obvious, but I'm not going for versatility.

See, it seems like there are four main bass tones, and most other basses are just some variation of one of these: P, Jazz, Rick, and Stingray.

The P, Jazz, and Rick(?) are all passive. The Stringray is the active one of the group, and while the sets it apart from the rest, I still think a single MM pickup in the bridge/sweet spot and a passive configuration could give a unique tone.
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That can be true in some ways that a passive musicman stingray can have a unique sound. if you in fact in the market for a passive musicman-styled bass guitar, I would say check out either the arbor ab410 4-string bass or a stagg mb500 4-string bass. they're both passive musicman clones and do provide some interesting sounds. give any of those basses a try. you might dig the sound quality of these basses.

Are rickenbaker basses passive? I always thought that they're active.
 
#7
Crystalman85 said:
That can be true in some ways that a passive musicman stingray can have a unique sound. if you in fact in the market for a passive musicman-styled bass guitar, I would say check out either the arbor ab410 4-string bass or a stagg mb500 4-string bass. they're both passive musicman clones and do provide some interesting sounds. give any of those basses a try. you might dig the sound quality of these basses.

Are rickenbaker basses passive? I always thought that they're active.
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I admittedly know nothing about rics

I was really just curious about how the bass would sound, not necessarily in owning one. Unless I particularly like the sound, that is.
 
#8
I once had an active/passive switch on a vintage StingRay. It still sounded very much Ray-like, but at a much much lower volume output. The punch comes from the preamp. I remember that running it passive, it was lower in output than a regular Jazz Bass. I really didn't like it and quickly converted it back.
 
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#11
Caca de Kick said:
I once had an active/passive switch on a vintage StingRay. It still sounded very much Ray-like, but at a much much lower volume output. The punch comes from the preamp. I remember that running it passive, it was lower in output than a regular Jazz Bass. I really didn't like it and quickly converted it back.
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I'm not sure if it is still the case, but the older Rays ran perfectly well without a battery in them.

I used to have an early 90s Ray, and, without the battery, it sounded just like what Caca de Kick says.

IMO, basses with that pickup in that spot need the active EQ.
 
#12
Crystalman85 said:
That can be true in some ways that a passive musicman stingray can have a unique sound. if you in fact in the market for a passive musicman-styled bass guitar, I would say check out either the arbor ab410 4-string bass or a stagg mb500 4-string bass. they're both passive musicman clones and do provide some interesting sounds. give any of those basses a try. you might dig the sound quality of these basses.

Are rickenbaker basses passive? I always thought that they're active.
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Nope, Rickenbackers are passive.
 
#19
It wont sound anything out of the ordinary. It would sound like a stingray with lesser gain and less tonal options. With the PU at the bridge position I reckon a bass boost would be more practical than a treble roll off.
 
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#20
BrandonBass said:
It wont sound anything out of the ordinary. It would sound like a stingray with lesser gain and less tonal options. With the PU at the bridge position I reckon a bass boost would be more practical than a treble roll off.
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I think a passive bass with a single bridge pickup kind of completes the "holy trinity of bass tone". You have the P bass with one pickup in the neck position. The Jazz, with one pickup in the neck and one in the bridge. And finally, the Stingray, with one pickup at the bridge.

:D
 

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