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Sadowsky

I agree - I need my neck pickup to be further from the bridge - no point in having a bass that lacks....bass.
I have a Stingray Special 4H and it certainly doesn't lack Bass nor have I heard a Sadowsky Modern that seems to lack Bass plus both have Bass knob shelved at 40hz

Saying that we may differ in what's enough Bass :)
 
I have a Stingray Special 4H and it certainly doesn't lack Bass nor have I heard a Sadowsky Modern that seems to lack Bass plus both have Bass knob shelved at 40hz

Saying that we may differ in what's enough Bass :)
My Peavey has pickups in the Modern position and it is not lacking in bottom. Neither did the Peavey Cirrus basses and Ken Smith I owned lack bottom end. That position offers clarity and definition.
 
I have a Stingray Special 4H and it certainly doesn't lack Bass nor have I heard a Sadowsky Modern that seems to lack Bass plus both have Bass knob shelved at 40hz

Saying that we may differ in what's enough Bass :)
Those are active basses that have bass boost on tap - both of those, if you set the knobs at half rotation, you have a substantial amount of bass boost. Electronic eq doesn't really compensate perfectly for having the pickup a bit further out; the eq necessary to compensate perfectly is different on each string. The reason that 'Rays are considered weak on the G string is because of this "not quite right" compensation.
 
Those are active basses that have bass boost on tap - both of those, if you set the knobs at half rotation, you have a substantial amount of bass boost. Electronic eq doesn't really compensate perfectly for having the pickup a bit further out; the eq necessary to compensate perfectly is different on each string. The reason that 'Rays are considered weak on the G string is because of this "not quite right" compensation.
I have 5 StingRay Specials and have owned 2 others. A weak G string has never been my experience.
 
I agree - I need my neck pickup to be further from the bridge - no point in having a bass that lacks....bass.
I learned this the hard way. Years ago I bought a gorgeous Masterbuiltd Sadowsky 24 fret but it was modern pickup configuration. It sounded exactly like a Ken Smith. Some would love that. I can’t stand that burpy bass tone. Thankfully the guy from Fret Nation worked well with me on the return. It’s a shame, because it felt great.
 
I learned this the hard way. Years ago I bought a gorgeous Masterbuiltd Sadowsky 24 fret but it was modern pickup configuration. It sounded exactly like a Ken Smith. Some would love that. I can’t stand that burpy bass tone. Thankfully the guy from Fret Nation worked well with me on the return. It’s a shame, because it felt great.
Thunder.jpg


I call this "50's spacing" - the pickups are moved 15% further out than 60's spacing (there's a logical reason for that number), with the neck pickup a bit further out than a 51P. It's a deeper, throatier sound - it has a unique voice, and I like it.
 
I have 5 StingRay Specials and have owned 2 others. A weak G string has never been my experience.
I had two pre-Specials with weak Gs. I had to do some acrobatics with the pickup height to make them even reasonably audible and even. As with several other issues, Ernie Ball seems to have corrected that problem with the StingRay Special. Like you, I've never had a weak G with a Special.
 
Here is what Big Poppa [Sterling Ball] had to say about weak G back in 2005; to bad last post wasn't heeded :)

Links are direct to Sterlings post NOT what is in description not sure why but need to click link



 
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Here is what Big Poppa [Sterling Ball] had to say about weak G back in 2005; to bad last post wasn't heeded :)

Links are direct to Sterlings post NOT what is in description not sure why but need to click link



Sorry if I'm misreading this, but Sterling's reaction seems to be, "Yeah, I know lots of players don't like this aspect of my product, but tough luck. Just get used to it." Seems kind of uncharacteristic of him.
 
Sorry if I'm misreading this, but Sterling's reaction seems to be, "Yeah, I know lots of players don't like this aspect of my product, but tough luck. Just get used to it." Seems kind of uncharacteristic of him.
Sort of :) To me he is saying G is not weak but thinner and part of Sound that makes the Stingray from the beginning with Leo's design and many liked which got Stingray going and yes you either like it or not as with most things; lots of players don't like Jazz, Precisions, Gibsons, Ric's Etc.; So What🙃

The majority of Stingray players don't hear weak G but Stingray tone and are very content

IME whether in the Wild, on Recordings, Video's most players have no problem with 'G' being weak or buried in mix and it's snappy[thinish] sound is heard clearly [as somewhat with 'D'] and Sounds like a Stingray

Sterling and his company have made first rate, well built and excellent sounding basses for what 4 decades with good success and the Special is doing Great
 

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