Ray35, upgrading pickup.....

[tylerwylie]

Thoughts? I have a Music Man Bongo 6, a Stingray 4, and love the tones these get and I also have the Ray35. Now, since the Ray35 is the lower end, I believe it also probably has more room for upgrade. Are the upgrades worth it over the stock? Has anyone tried this before?

I'm curious....

 

[ericmknight1906]

I purchased a Ray 35 about 3 weeks ago and have since then made it my main axe. Its something about that single humbucker that forces people to turn heads. In my opinion it is not "lower end" by any means and the sound and feel definetely has Stingray written all over it. Leave it alone. Its perfect the way that it is.

 

[TonyP-]

I put a Nordstrand in 2 of mine and I'm happy with it.

 

[tylerwylie]

I put a Nordstrand in 2 of mine and I'm happy with it.

Do you have sound clips available? Before and after? Or just after is fine as well.

 

[TonyP-]

Do you have sound clips available? Before and after? Or just after is fine as well.

I could probably send you something...Just give me a day or two...

 

[tylerwylie]

Alright, I have two US EBMM basses and love this 5 stringer as well, and think if I can upgrade the pickup to make it better able to compete, sonically, with its US brethren that it would be worth the small chunk o' change.

This is not to say, the bass isn't great sounding already.

 

[TonyP-]

Alright, I have two US EBMM basses and love this 5 stringer as well, and think if I can upgrade the pickup to make it better able to compete, sonically, with its US brethren that it would be worth the small chunk o' change.

This is not to say, the bass isn't great sounding already.

I do not have any before and afters however...

If I'm going to record what I can do is give you a sample of 89 SR5 with a stock pickup, the Ray 35 with the Nordstrand and a new Sterling 5.

Let your ears be the judge
Cheers

 

[tylerwylie]

I do not have any before and afters however...

If I'm going to record what I can do is give you a sample of 89 SR5 with a stock pickup, the Ray 35 with the Nordstrand and a new Sterling 5.

Let your ears be the judge
Cheers

Sounds great, which pickup did you end up getting? The 5.2 or 5.4?

 

[TonyP-]

Sounds great, which pickup did you end up getting? The 5.2 or 5.4?

5.2 (the 5.4 is a little darker)
They sound great IMHO, I think you would be stoked.

Shoot me a PM with your email and I will try to send some MP3s over when I lay it down.

 

[tylerwylie]

So I think I'm gonna get the Nordstrand MM 5.2, also thinking about one of the John East preamps....

 

[topcat2069]

So I think I'm gonna get the Nordstrand MM 5.2, also thinking about one of the John East preamps....

That's what I used for my "Ray" build (John East MMSR TBT 2 Band) and it sounds exactly like my old '76 String Ray sounded.

I think you'll be very happy

 

[shirtforbrains]

Go with the nordstrand it brought back my stingray to life. This is after I had a new stingray pickup in my 93 ray because I had a bart and sold the original back in the day.