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Questions about 2 pickup Stingrays

R

russpurdy

Guest
Apr 16, 2013
819
31
#1
Hey guys, I have a few questions about two pickup Stingray basses (especially the HS models).

First, has anyone tried installing concentric knobs or a blend knob of the pickups? I really love jazz bass style controls where you can control the mix of each pickup. Would this be at all possible with the existing circuitry? As I understand it, on production models you have choice between coils and pickups but only a master volume. Anybody know if this can be changed?

Second, with two pickups, is it possible to get an approximation of a jazz bass sound? I know it won't soud exactly like a jazz but can you get something similar? The two jazz tones I would want to achieve are the slightly scooped "both pickups on" and the jaco-ish rear pickup on full with neck pickup rolled off about 25%. Can a dual pickup stingray get in the ballpark of these sounds? I have a jazz already and would like to try the stingray sound but I'd like to be able to et close to some of those jazz tones without switching instruments.

Third and final, I love the look of single pickup rays. They are classic. If I bought a two pickup ray and wanted to convert it down the road, would I be able to remove the neck pickup and put a different pickguard on to get that classic look? I know I would have the hole for the pickup selector but other than that it should be just like a single pickup ray right?
 
#4
russpurdy said:
Second, with two pickups, is it possible to get an approximation of a jazz bass sound? I know it won't soud exactly like a jazz but can you get something similar? The two jazz tones I would want to achieve are the slightly scooped "both pickups on" and the jaco-ish rear pickup on full with neck pickup rolled off about 25%. Can a dual pickup stingray get in the ballpark of these sounds? I have a jazz already and would like to try the stingray sound but I'd like to be able to et close to some of those jazz tones without switching instruments.

Third and final, I love the look of single pickup rays. They are classic. If I bought a two pickup ray and wanted to convert it down the road, would I be able to remove the neck pickup and put a different pickguard on to get that classic look? I know I would have the hole for the pickup selector but other than that it should be just like a single pickup ray right?
Click to expand...

1st, the HS ray is actually a 3 pickup bass. Under the pickguard is hidden another single coil for hum cancelling purposes. My guess is if you wanted you could simply lower the neck pickup enough to hide that too, and just throw a regualr stingray pg on it.

As for the jazz bass tone, with an HS you can use either the neck or the bridge soloed. That with the additional 3 band EQ yeilds lots of jazz like tones. Does it nail a Jazz, hard to say for me cuz I damaged my hearing quite a bit during my career, but I can get a billion and one sounds out of my Stingray - so I say yes. Sounds that to me blow away both a Stinray, and a Jazz. And I feel the HS is a more versatile bass than the HH. I'd elaborate, but gotta run.
 

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