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S.U.B. Club

#1,482
pudgychef said:
The Stingray in my avatar is a 3-band...and is a great example..but I do prefer the 2-band tone and that sweepable mid option sounds great!
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Agreed, I can't say I don't like the 3 band preamp, but I do miss the 2 band tone a bit. Hoping the East preamp will bring me that classic tone with the extra mid flexibility. Should cure my GAS for a 2 band ray and give me the perfect "all in one" Stingray :D
 
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#1,484
mouthmw said:
Unfortunately, I got the bass used, and there was no serial number sticker on the back of the headstock anymore. Seller didn't have it either. I got the date from the neck pocket stamp. I guess it could have been an older body, but my headstock had the "S.U.B." written on it and not "SUB. Bass" as they were introduced in 2004. Still, could have been older body and neck I guess. I'll never know the true DOB of that bass I suppose.

I'm really gassing for the East preamp, the mid control is something that makes it even more attractive to me. Do you use your mid frequency at 100 Hz - 1 kHz or 200 Hz - 2 kHz? Did you keep the original pickup? I really loved the old school 2 band tone, so I'm 99% sure that I'll be picking up the East preamp. How close is the preamp to the original 2 band tone wise, when you have the mid knob centered? From the clips I've heard, it's damn close, if not even a bit better (tighter).
Click to expand...

Ah, pity, we'll never know the exact DOB then and in 2004 at some point they did "appear" to have switched to parallel (or used up all stocks of series), before the logo change.
So we'll keep it there as very likely, but not 100% verified. (again, not sure many people care, and I don't even know why I care :D)

I have it set at 100-1000Hz I believe. I use it mostly for the lower end of the 'mids' spectrum. The preamp is very close to my 2002 original, but I'd say a bit tighter on the bottom end (it was the first thing I noticed) and the treble doesn't seem quite as ear-piercingly high... but the original MM preamp was a bit different, so I don't know if the difference is a reflection of the MMSR being based on the older preamp, or due to modifications that John East made to his '76 one. Whichever is the answer, it is classic Stingray in spades. With the mids knob at the centre detent, the mids module is entirely flat, so it's just the 2EQ.

I didn't replace the pickup, only the preamp. I do not have the original preamp. I kept it for a while, but I knew I was never going to go back to it, and this bass is the one bass I'd save from a burning building... so I ended up using it on an old OLP I used to have. One day I sold the OLP with the preamp... I kind of wish I had kept it, but at the same time at least now it's being used by someone. It'd be in my drawer with various other things I never use, had I kept it.

When I ordered the MMSR preamp I asked John about a bypass switch. He suggested installing it on the volume knob using a pull/push switch type of potentiometer. He only charged me for the extra part that he had to order for me. It delayed the order by a few days only. He's a great guy to deal with. I've bought a bunch of preamps over the years from him and we've had a few discussions about what I wanted... so if you think of any alterations to the stock products, it's worth asking him.
The bypass switch saved me at one gig at a beer festival! :D I'm generally very careful about replacing batteries regularly etc, but I was convinced I had replaced the battery on that one only a couple of months earlier... so I didn't even check (I write the date on each battery I install). The bass was working just fine, then I felt it sounded a bit rough and the output wavered a bit and went. For a few seconds there was no sound while I checked my cable was in place, and the knobs on my amp and bass... then just pulled the switch: glorious sound again. It wasn't great but it was much better than having no bass at all while I went to fetch a new battery.
I like bypass switches, even if I hope to never needing them.
 
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#1,486
mouthmw said:
Agreed, I can't say I don't like the 3 band preamp, but I do miss the 2 band tone a bit. Hoping the East preamp will bring me that classic tone with the extra mid flexibility. Should cure my GAS for a 2 band ray and give me the perfect "all in one" Stingray :D
Click to expand...

I love the mids module... which you can buy separately too. I like (on some other basses) having a passive tone control and the mids module just to tweak the mids... Easy to install and it's just one extra knob... or not, as you can often get a dual concentric pot for passive volume/tone
 
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#1,488
mouthmw said:
Oh yeah bro, can’t wait. I can already picture trying out some fat low mids bump on this baby. Classic stingray + sweepable mids? What’s not to love? Even hardcore EBMM fanatics can’t say that it’s a crime to mod your ray with it xD
Click to expand...

well, after you do it, go to the EBMM forum and show them what you've done...

Then retire to a safe distance with a bag of popcorn and a couple of beers, and watch the fireworks ;)
 
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#1,490
mcnach said:
Beautiful!

A SUB 4 digits younger was from January 2004, so yours is likely born in January '04 too. I have a white one as well, from Sep/Oct '03. Yours is from the period where I've only found instruments with the pickup wired in series as opposed to the usual parallel for Stingrays: series with the 2-band EQ is a fantastic combination, I love it.
Well done! :)
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You were bang on.. Thanks...
""Hello to you.. Picked up my 1st ever Music Man bass yesterday...a Passive USA SUB in great condition... would like to know the birthdate if possable thank you.... X05608 Laurie Bass
This Passive SUB 2EQ was completed on January 2nd, 2004. The color is Textured White with the Rosewood fretboard. It was originally shipped to Music Stop. """
 
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#1,492
lowdownthump said:
Don’t be afraid to make them an offer. If it’s been there a while they will take it.
I’ve never paid full asking price for anything used from them. After so long they will drop the price anyway. Helps to talk to a manager that can actually make that decision. And keep checking back .
Click to expand...
Well,lowdownthump,decided to take the plunge,and get the white SUB,before someone else bought it? Should be on the brown truck today? Hopefully,they will clean up some,of the grimy finger smudges?
IMG_7389.jpg
 
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#1,495
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#1,498
Chrome Dome said:
Well,lowdownthump,decided to take the plunge,and get the white SUB,before someone else bought it? Should be on the brown truck today? Hopefully,they will clean up some,of the grimy finger smudges?View attachment 2934199
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nice! I like how they painted the pickguard black... it doesn't bother me when it's black. I could have done that to mine! :D
 
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