I just put a new set of TI JF345’s on my 98 SR5. And a new set of DR Pure Blues on my 2019 SR5 Special. There’s so much to be said for putting the right strings on the right Bass. 
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Stingray 5 Club!
- Thread starter armybass
- Start date
I just put a new set of TI JF345’s on my 98 SR5. And a new set of DR Pure Blues on my 2019 SR5 Special. There’s so much to be said for putting the right strings on the right Bass.
Yep, digging the Pure Blues myself.
Hello!
I have a request from anyone who has a Stingray with a compensated nut. Can you measure the height of your strings at the nut? I just picked up a Big Al with a compensated nut, and it feels like the strings are really high off of the board at the nut. Trying to figure out if I need to take it in to get the nut slots filed down, or if the compensated nuts are supposed to be that high.
Thank you!
I have a request from anyone who has a Stingray with a compensated nut. Can you measure the height of your strings at the nut? I just picked up a Big Al with a compensated nut, and it feels like the strings are really high off of the board at the nut. Trying to figure out if I need to take it in to get the nut slots filed down, or if the compensated nuts are supposed to be that high.
Thank you!
Well, how's the intonation at the first fret?
My 2019 SR5 has the strings about 1.5mm or so above the board, as best I can tell using my feeler gauges.
My 2019 SR5 has the strings about 1.5mm or so above the board, as best I can tell using my feeler gauges.
I’ve had quite a few opportunities to put my ray 5 through its paces in an urban gospel setting recently. Beautiful spanky tones! Modern and huge sounding. Crisp and articulate.
Picked this up a couple of days ago from a fellow TB’er. It’s a 2009 BFR JH-5 in Cabernet Pearl with a rosewood neck. What a tone monster!!
Nice! I never tried an HS model (my Stingray is an HH) but I've always been kind of intrigued by them. How do you like the neck pickup by itself?
I have a Stingray 4HH. With the preamp set flat, I'd say the neck pickup soloed on the JH5 is very close to my 82 P-bass with the tone set midway. It's a very useable tone option!
Interesting. I haven't used Postion 5, neck pickup, often on my HH, but I have been using it a lot more recently (haven't seen a lot of HH owners who use Position 4 much, but that's by far my favorite). Guessing the S at the neck would be a little more open and less scooped than an H, probably more articulate sounding.
I'll have to get on YouTube and look for some demo videos when I get a chance.
I'll have to get on YouTube and look for some demo videos when I get a chance.
My favorite is Position 4 as well! Position 2 is next. I have started to dabble a little on 5 when I want P-ish.
It’s a soft “P” tone, not aggressive at all. I’m trying to like it on the special
I have read that the Specials are less aggressive (which may not be a bad thing for some). My SR5HH has ceramic pickups and read those can be more aggressive than the alnicos and assuming the neodymium pickups as well. I haven't played the others long enough for my own comparison.
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You guys are really making me want to find a two pickup SR5. Both my 98 and my Special are H models which is my favorite but I’ve had a few Special HH’s and really dug them. Just when I thought my gas was gone.
Oh yeah... and here is the Green Machine from my gig Saturday night..... oh she's a lovely thing.
I’ve also been kicking around the idea of picking up a Special 5HH. I’m kind of traditionalist and always been a Single H guy, but I love the spacing and necks on the SR5 so much that maybe an HH might make sense for a change up?
Anyway, my rig the other night. Bootylicious jams and grooves were had.
Anyway, my rig the other night. Bootylicious jams and grooves were had.
My SR5HH is a 2007, which I think was the last year with the ceramic pickups. Yes, it can be aggressive sounding but I’ve had no trouble adjusting the EQ (very flexible and useful, small adjustments go a long way) and pickup selector switch to get any sound I needed.
While I haven’t yet concluded I’m a flats guy, I’ve had gone back and forth with Chromes on it for a couple of years and I think I’m sticking with the Chromes for a while. They have enough bite for this bass to give me snarl when I want it and they also make it easier to tame that snarl when I want to. If you haven’t tried flats on it and are in the mood to experiment, it could be worth seeing what you think of them. So far I think they can work well on a ceramic Stingray if you want a little more tone range from it. But I still LOVE how Lo Riders sound on it - the steels or nickels, depending on the sound you’re looking for. The steels especially make a ceramic Stingray cut through like a chainsaw!
That being said, I would like to try a new Stingray Special at some point. I have the same impression of them (less aggressive sounding than mine) and suspect that pairing one with my Stingray would give me an even wider range of Stingray-ish tone with the feel and ergonomics that seem to fit me so well. Someday ....
Yes, a very lovely thing ... AND the color makes it a lovely match for Bergantino gear, too.
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My SR5HH is a 2007, which I think was the last year with the ceramic pickups. Yes, it can be aggressive sounding but I’ve had no trouble adjusting the EQ (very flexible and useful, small adjustments go a long way) and pickup selector switch to get any sound I needed.
While I haven’t yet concluded I’m a flats guy, I’ve had gone back and forth with Chromes on it for a couple of years and I think I’m sticking with the Chromes for a while. They have enough bite for this bass to give me snarl when I want it and they also make it easier to tame that snarl when I want to. If you haven’t tried flats on it and are in the mood to experiment, it could be worth seeing what you think of them. So far I think they can work well on a ceramic Stingray if you want a little more tone range from it. But I still LOVE how Lo Riders sound on it - the steels or nickels, depending on the sound you’re looking for. The steels especially make a ceramic Stingray cut through like a chainsaw!
That being said, I would like to try a new Stingray Special at some point. I have the same impression of them (less aggressive sounding than mine) and suspect that pairing one with my Stingray would give me an even wider range of Stingray-ish tone with the feel and ergonomics that seem to fit me so well. Someday ....
Mine's 2007 too! The first few years I had it GAS was convincing me that it wasn't as good as the alnico SR5s but I have grown to really love the ceramics. It's been the piece of gear I've kept the longest.
And just like you I have no problem with getting good tones with small EQ adjustments (I love that!). Funny years ago I tried Chromes and took them off the same day! Went back to the Slinkys and continue to use them. Don't know if I would go back to trying Chromes as I even have rounds on my fretless.
I'm seriously considering a SR5HH Special if it's below 9 lbs.! And still hoping EBMM announces a fretless version!
