Stingray 5 Club!

[Stevorebob]

SBMM had also brought an HH 5 string model.

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As I play a Ray 35 with a single humbucker, which I find brilliant to play and very versatile in tone etc. What exactly would be the advantage added by the second humbucker?

Mind you, I love the look of it and dream of having it at night, most every night. Just positively wondering.

The HH provides more versatility. Most useable are positions 1, 2 and 4 on the selector. 1 you’re familiar with. 2 (the out side coils of each p’up) gets close to a J-bass tone. And 4 (the inside coils of each p’up) gets one into P-bass territory. And there are the 3rd and 5th position, as well. Whether you will like or will use this versatility — maybe not — that’s another thing.

 

[dave64o]

I play an SR5HH and love the versatility of the second pickup. The pickup switch gives me 5 distinct tone options, plus very wide tone shaping from the 3-band EQ. Since I like position 4 best (inner coils), that's an option I can't get from a single H Stingray. Speaking solely for myself, I love having the second pickup.

On the other hand, if you play any slap/pop then the second humbucker can get in the way. It's also not a traditional Stingray and there are those who say they can tell the difference beaten an H and an HH and that an HH can't give you exactly the same tone as a single H. They may be right, but I can't believe that the tone difference is large enough that more than a handful of people in the world would be able to reliably pick out an HH model if they didn't actually watch the bassist playing an HH model or weren't told up front that it's an HH model.

The bottom line is that, as is the case with almost every preference, YMMV. However, both versions of a Stingray are great choices. If you prefer the simplicity, an H model is fantastic. If you like having flexibility and options right on the bass, the HH model is also fantastic.

 

[KaseOfBass]

SBMM had also brought an HH 5 string model.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

As I play a Ray 35 with a single humbucker, which I find brilliant to play and very versatile in tone etc. What exactly would be the advantage added by the second humbucker?

Mind you, I love the look of it and dream of having it at night, most every night. Just positively wondering.

Just more tonal options. With the HH, you can add in a very thick, modern and scooped tone in position 3, a jazz bass-ish tone in position 2, and a P-like tone in position 4 or 5 (this seems debatable, I think position 5 sounds more like a P, but plenty others favor position 4 for this type of tone). The HH config just makes it a jack-of-all-trades instrument. Top that with a three-band EQ, and you've got more tone-sculpting capabilities than you're likely to ever need.

I've had at least a couple of each, though EBMM (I've never had or played a SBMM bass, though I'd imagine they're similar), and always preferred the H model over the HH simply because when it came down to it, I never used anything other than the bridge pickup. At that time, I bought a StingRay to sound like a Stingray, so the H got that done and I had the benefit of different single H sounds that the HH didn't have (parallel/series + filter/series on the H, vs. parallel only on the HH).

There's certainly no right or wrong. Sometimes you just have to scratch that itch to find out.

 

[Daniel Piper]

There is no way in a million years I would ever be able to hear the tone difference between an HH switched to rear H, and an H.

 

[selowitch]

Here’s my delightful 2001 EBMM SR 5H in Honeyburst. She’s a little heavy but the neck feels amazing and sound is stellar.

 

[dave64o]

Such a beautiful finish!

 

[Sid the Kid]

There is no way in a million years I would ever be able to hear the tone difference between an HH switched to rear H, and an H.

True if both Basses are in parallel. If the single H is switched to series you would undoubtedly hear a difference, and it is one that the HH can not do. Also happens to be my favorite Stingray tone ever.

 

[Alan Ace Cooper]

I LOVE the old pickup and preamp in my 1988 Stingray 5 string bass. I only "Like" the newer style pickup and preamp in my 2004 Stingray 5. Has anyone ventured out and put in one of the Seymour Duncan STC-3M4 3 Band preamps in their Sting 5?

 

[selowitch]

I LOVE the old pickup and preamp in my 1988 Stingray 5 string bass. I only "Like" the newer style pickup and preamp in my 2004 Stingray 5. Has anyone ventured out and put in one of the Seymour Duncan STC-3M4 3 Band preamps in their Sting 5?

So far I think I'm happy with the stock pickup in my 2001 EBMM SR 5H but I'd be willing to try the SD one sometime.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

So far I think I'm happy with the stock pickup in my 2001 EBMM SR 5H but I'd be willing to try the SD one sometime.

I know there are a fair number of replacement Stingray pickups, but I honestly feel that the Music Man pickup and preamp, both versions, are perfect as is.

 

[selowitch]

I know there are a fair number of replacement Stingray pickups, but I honestly feel that the Music Man pickup and preamp, both versions, are perfect as is.

It's stunning how many makers of replacement pickups there are but geez ... I replaced pickups a few times in my teens before I realized that it's not always necessary unless the pickup fails or if the existing sound is truly unsatisfactory.

 

[Alan Ace Cooper]

I know there are a fair number of replacement Stingray pickups, but I honestly feel that the Music Man pickup and preamp, both versions, are perfect as is.

True. However, there is a major "Thump and Presence" between the 2 years. My 1988 is like a Sweet, Growling, Snarling Beast. My 2004 is just Sweet. The diodes and capacitors in the 88 breathe a lot better than the Circuit board pre in the 2004. I kinda want my 2004 to sound like the 88

 

[Dr. Cheese]

True. However, there is a major "Thump and Presence" between the 2 years. My 1988 is like a Sweet, Growling, Snarling Beast. My 2004 is just Sweet. The diodes and capacitors in the 88 breathe a lot better than the Circuit board pre in the 2004. I kinda want my 2004 to sound like the 88

I guess my ear is not so refined. They all sound great to me.

 

[CElton]

True. However, there is a major "Thump and Presence" between the 2 years. My 1988 is like a Sweet, Growling, Snarling Beast. My 2004 is just Sweet. The diodes and capacitors in the 88 breathe a lot better than the Circuit board pre in the 2004. I kinda want my 2004 to sound like the 88

Could be due to the evolution of the pup materials used. Started out with Alnico then switched to ceramic in 1992, and back to alnico in 2008. None of the replacements can touch any of the EB originals for the Stingray tone, IMHO, YMMV and all that.

 

[KaseOfBass]

True. However, there is a major "Thump and Presence" between the 2 years. My 1988 is like a Sweet, Growling, Snarling Beast. My 2004 is just Sweet. The diodes and capacitors in the 88 breathe a lot better than the Circuit board pre in the 2004. I kinda want my 2004 to sound like the 88

I know what you mean. The '88 SR5 I had was a different animal altogether from other SR5s I've had. You nailed it, that thing would absolutely snarl and growl like no other.

 

[selowitch]

I know what you mean. The '88 SR5 I had was a different animal altogether from other SR5s I've had. You nailed it, that thing would absolutely snarl and growl like no other.

Are there any replacement pickups that approach that sound, I wonder? My SR5s have that rounded-square shaped pickup and they are 2001 and 1998 respectively.

 

[KaseOfBass]

Are there any replacement pickups that approach that sound, I wonder? My SR5s have that rounded-square shaped pickup and they are 2001 and 1998 respectively.

Now that I do not know. From what I recall, the preamp has been tweaked a few times since then in addition to just being constructed differently.

 

[Element Zero]

Woohoo! Happy to be a part of this club now. Recently acquired 2000 SR5. Always wanted one in my arsenal. Sounds GREAT. Can anyone shed some light on what the pickup toggle is actually doing? I know one position is parallel and on is series and the other is something. Looking forward to using this puppy a lot in a 90’s rock band some old friends and I recently started.

 

[Alan Ace Cooper]

Woohoo! Happy to be a part of this club now. Recently acquired 2000 SR5. Always wanted one in my arsenal. Sounds GREAT. Can anyone shed some light on what the pickup toggle is actually doing? I know one position is parallel and on is series and the other is something. Looking forward to using this puppy a lot in a 90’s rock band some old friends and I recently started.
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Beautiful!!

 

[Admiral Thrawn]

Woohoo! Happy to be a part of this club now. Recently acquired 2000 SR5. Always wanted one in my arsenal. Sounds GREAT. Can anyone shed some light on what the pickup toggle is actually doing? I know one position is parallel and on is series and the other is something. Looking forward to using this puppy a lot in a 90’s rock band some old friends and I recently started.
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That purple sparkle and maple board, matching headstock...dayum!

Congrats on the find!