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SBMM Stingray Short scale

#601
Those numbers are the overall resistances of the bass’s output in Ohms. K means multiplied by 1000 Ohms.

The volume knob also acts as a push button switch which radically changes the output volume.

When I said volume full, I just mean rotated to the position that is loudest.

There is also a three position switch in a knob as opposed to a slider.
 
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#602
Joe Nerve said:
BL wanted the interview part edited out. I said I'd repost it. We did a bunch of songs, but I think this one shows how the bass acts all the way up and down the neck (something someone was concerned about)... so I'm posting this song.
Click to expand...

Thanks for re-posting that Joe, sounds awesome! Very cool to see someone with the same bass as me let loose in a professional setting. I'm a novice player at this point, so its nice to hear what that little beast is actially capable of.

I'm sure you've posted it before, but what strings are you currently using? And do you like the sound and tone you are getting for both finger style and pick playing? I'm using my Stingray with rounds exclusively for pick, and for plucking songs I normally go with my squire jag SS with flats (But what you are getting sounds really sweet in that mix!)
 
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#603
Joe Nerve said:
RE the quality control, on my MIM Mustang the pickup selector switch was faulty. On my MIA Mustang the bridge pickup didn't work. I had to exchange the bass. That's how my experience with Fender QC has always been. About half the basses I've purchased had issues, the other half were fine.

Never had any issues with Musicman QC.

I've owned about a dozen of each.

Not sure what you mean by increasing the relief and action regarding QC, but if you're talking about setup out of the box, I honestly have no idea how any of my basses ever arrive. I don't pay attention to that, and think its always a hit or miss kind of thing. I don't expect basses to be set to my liking and always adjust them as soon as I get them. Both my SS Musicmans and Mustangs currently have awesome action, with no buzzes.

And finally...

A video I posted got taken down because the BL wanted the interview part edited out. I said I'd repost it. We did a bunch of songs, but I think this one shows how the bass acts all the way up and down the neck (something someone was concerned about)... so I'm posting this song.


Click to expand...

Joe, great playing on this! Your tone sits very well in the mix, and you did a great job of playing supporting lines during the solo. I found that particularly relevant because the other guitarist is rather quiet in the mix to my ears.

I think it's interesting that you were the only one wearing a mask. On one hand, it will really lock this performance down in time. On the other hand, it gives you a slightly sinister and mysterious look that I think works in your favor and compliments your white/black bass.
 
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#605
Joe Nerve said:
RE the quality control, on my MIM Mustang the pickup selector switch was faulty. On my MIA Mustang the bridge pickup didn't work. I had to exchange the bass. That's how my experience with Fender QC has always been. About half the basses I've purchased had issues, the other half were fine.

Never had any issues with Musicman QC.

I've owned about a dozen of each.

Not sure what you mean by increasing the relief and action regarding QC, but if you're talking about setup out of the box, I honestly have no idea how any of my basses ever arrive. I don't pay attention to that, and think its always a hit or miss kind of thing. I don't expect basses to be set to my liking and always adjust them as soon as I get them. Both my SS Musicmans and Mustangs currently have awesome action, with no buzzes.

And finally...

A video I posted got taken down because the BL wanted the interview part edited out. I said I'd repost it. We did a bunch of songs, but I think this one shows how the bass acts all the way up and down the neck (something someone was concerned about)... so I'm posting this song.


Click to expand...

Nice vid Joe, thanks for posting.
 
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#606
Tex Bass said:
I'm sure you've posted it before, but what strings are you currently using? And do you like the sound and tone you are getting for both finger style and pick playing? I'm using my Stingray with rounds exclusively for pick, and for plucking songs I normally go with my squire jag SS with flats (But what you are getting sounds really sweet in that mix!)
Click to expand...

Those are the strings the bass came with. I play a lot with a pick in this band, and like the sound even more. I'm not a flats guy. Never made the connection. I'm more of a fan of high end and cut. In that vid, I'm going through an Ampeg stack. With Fenders, Ampegs and my playing style - I usually get a ton of boom. I think the same may have been true if I had flats on, but that's just my preferences. Has a lot to do with the way I set my amps too, I guess.

RodRy said:
Joe, great playing on this! Your tone sits very well in the mix, and you did a great job of playing supporting lines during the solo.
Click to expand...

Thanks too much :). This isn't my regular band, but I'm becoming their regular player as we don't play out all that often. I love that I get to jam with them and have total freedom to do what I want. Just about everything I do with them is improvised on some level. My main band is wedding/corporate/club. I rarely (if ever) stray or improvise at all. This guy is real old school laid back R&R, and a lot of fun to play with. Its a no pressure gig.

RodRy said:
I think it's interesting that you were the only one wearing a mask. On one hand, it will really lock this performance down in time. On the other hand, it gives you a slightly sinister and mysterious look that I think works in your favor and compliments your white/black bass.
Click to expand...

Thanks on that too, but being the only one with a mask is about to become an issue with these guys.

We did a rehearsal for this, and because my wife works in health care I told them I'd only agree if we all wore masks. If my wife tests positive for Corona, she's out of work, and we can't chance that. I'd say more about my feelings regarding this, but I know that could get messy here :) .

They wore masks at the rehearsal. In this little studio however... well, yeah...
 
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#607
Joe Nerve said:
Those are the strings the bass came with. I play a lot with a pick in this band, and like the sound even more. I'm not a flats guy. Never made the connection. I'm more of a fan of high end and cut. In that vid, I'm going through an Ampeg stack. With Fenders, Ampegs and my playing style - I usually get a ton of boom. I think the same may have been true if I had flats on, but that's just my preferences. Has a lot to do with the way I set my amps too, I guess.
Click to expand...

I couldn’t understand at first why you preferred to keep those bright stock rounds on, but I get it now. I think the trick is just to cut the highs down, just like you said. There’s an amazing growl tone present in the rounds that isn’t quite possible with flats, even when it’s mainly just the lows and mids coming through. I’ve been playing only flats for at least a decade, but this bass has helped me appreciate rounds all over again.
 
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#608
So close to pulling the trigger on one and then went and listened critically to some demos of normal Rays and is it me or does it sound gated? Almost an effected gate feel with a big attack and then a large drop off in sustain. Could be the videos but it sounds like the players are working very hard to get notes to stick around where most sound like percussion.

Anyone have isolated sound clips of the short scale one? Or is that the 'Ray' sound?
 
#609
Solude said:
So close to pulling the trigger on one and then went and listened critically to some demos of normal Rays and is it me or does it sound gated? Almost an effected gate feel with a big attack and then a large drop off in sustain. Could be the videos but it sounds like the players are working very hard to get notes to stick around where most sound like percussion.

Anyone have isolated sound clips of the short scale one? Or is that the 'Ray' sound?
Click to expand...
 
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#613
Solude said:
So close to pulling the trigger on one and then went and listened critically to some demos of normal Rays and is it me or does it sound gated? Almost an effected gate feel with a big attack and then a large drop off in sustain. Could be the videos but it sounds like the players are working very hard to get notes to stick around where most sound like percussion.

Anyone have isolated sound clips of the short scale one? Or is that the 'Ray' sound?
Click to expand...

As I understand it, these are passive neodymium pups which makes them very powerful. If the pickup is set too close to the strings it will sound as you describe as the magnets can interfere with string movement.
 
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#614
Solude said:
So close to pulling the trigger on one and then went and listened critically to some demos of normal Rays and is it me or does it sound gated? Almost an effected gate feel with a big attack and then a large drop off in sustain. Could be the videos but it sounds like the players are working very hard to get notes to stick around where most sound like percussion.

Anyone have isolated sound clips of the short scale one? Or is that the 'Ray' sound?
Click to expand...

I don’t have any sound clips to share right now but this bass has amazing sustain. Straight out of the factory, the pickup was way too close to the strings for my taste, so maybe that can affect the sustain by slowing down the string vibration quicker (as previously suggested). But after bringing the pickup closer to the body, the sound is much more balanced and it sustains for a very long time. It still surprises me how long a note can last at full volume, even with the most gentle touch.
 
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#618
I was jamming with some random drum loops in Logic Pro tonight and I thought I would share some short samples of this bass without any effects, EQ or compression. I hope this is helpful for someone. Sorry it's sloppy and the mix may be too loud and not very good, but this is just for demonstrating tone with fingers. I've never been in a band and I don't know what I'm doing, so whatever.

Details:
D'Addario standard nickel rounds
Apogee One interface
Logic Pro 10.5

Dropbox - stingray sample.mp3 - Simplify your life

Dropbox - thingy.mp3 - Simplify your life

Side note: the tone is at 50% on the first one and it's maxxed out on the second one. I used the "series" pickup selection (I think?) .. It's the one that you get when you turn the pickup knob all the way towards the neck. ;)
 
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