Stingray 5 Club!

[PrimitiveMan]

Well, it arrived and the finish on this thing is amazing. I’m swapping out the strings and setting up the action so it’s playable for my hands.
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And I had to order different knobs. The Bacote knobs I already have (ordered for another bass) with 6mm holes are too small for the Stingray.
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I’m planning to gig it Saturday night along with my normal Spector 5.

Love that finish! What strings you putting on it?

 

[Barticus]

Love that finish! What strings you putting on it?

I run SIT nickel wounds with tapered B & E strings, which gives me nice low action. And those made a huge difference in sound, much more present.

 

[PrimitiveMan]

I run SIT nickel wounds with tapered B & E strings, which gives me nice low action. And those made a huge difference in sound, much more present.

I use SIT Foundations on mine but never tried the tapered set. Which set is it specifically?

I used to not be a tapered string fan but just recently have been loving the Blue Label Sadowsky set with a tapered B on my Bongo

 

[Barticus]

I use SIT Foundations on mine but never tried the tapered set. Which set is it specifically?

I used to not be a tapered string fan but just recently have been loving the Blue Label Sadowsky set with a tapered B on my Bongo

I play the 45-125, here are the part numbers that include the tapered, B and E strings. I typically order them five sets at a time to buy in bulk directly from SIT, as I have not found them for sale by this part number anywhere else.

• TNR545125L (45-125)
• TNR550130L (50-130)

I also used to play the Sadowsky’s and Skjold strings before that, all with tapered B&E strings.

I find that a tapered B string has a huge impact on the clarity of the tone on a B string. They don’t thud like regular strings can sometimes do. There’s a reason that many of the high-end boutique builders use tapered B&E strings and that’s for low action and clarity.

When I hear someone say that a bass has a terrible B string, I ask if they’re playing a tapered B because that makes a huge difference in tone.

The tapered strings also give you the ability to have much lower action with no buzzing as well. So when I get a new bass, that’s the first thing I do is put my strings on it and do a setup with low action.

 

[Barticus]

Has anyone swapped out the pickup on the 5H special? It feels like the sound is a bit uneven across the poles on this one.

 

[Stevorebob]

Has anyone swapped out the pickup on the 5H special? It feels like the sound is a bit uneven across the poles on this one.

Pretty much not a thing, pickup swapping with EBMM basses. But some folks dare to be bold.

 

[PrimitiveMan]

Has anyone swapped out the pickup on the 5H special? It feels like the sound is a bit uneven across the poles on this one.

Surprised to hear that as I find the neodymium pickups to be extremely even across strings. Maybe play with pickup height a bit?

 

[PrimitiveMan]

I play the 45-125, here are the part numbers that include the tapered, B and E strings. I typically order them five sets at a time to buy in bulk directly from SIT, as I have not found them for sale by this part number anywhere else.

• TNR545125L (45-125)
• TNR550130L (50-130)

I also used to play the Sadowsky’s and Skjold strings before that, all with tapered B&E strings.

I find that a tapered B string has a huge impact on the clarity of the tone on a B string. They don’t thud like regular strings can sometimes do. There’s a reason that many of the high-end boutique builders use tapered B&E strings and that’s for low action and clarity.

When I hear someone say that a bass has a terrible B string, I ask if they’re playing a tapered B because that makes a huge difference in tone.

The tapered strings also give you the ability to have much lower action with no buzzing as well. So when I get a new bass, that’s the first thing I do is put my strings on it and do a setup with low action.

I wish they offered taper on the foundations or power steel. The nickel power wound are a little dark for me.

I love the Sadowsky Blue Label B string! I've been using stainless but want to try the nickel too

 

[Barticus]

Surprised to hear that as I find the neodymium pickups to be extremely even across strings. Maybe play with pickup height a bit?

That’s what I’ve been doing, it was extremely low from factory, so I brought it up a little bit, but I may have to slant it a bit so it’s lower on the bass side. It’s not a huge deal, I was just curious what other’s experiences have been.

 

[Barticus]

I wish they offered taper on the foundations or power steel. The nickel power wound are a little dark for me.

I love the Sadowsky Blue Label B string! I've been using stainless but want to try the nickel too

I’ve asked for that as well, I’m actually going to see my SIT rep play in his band this Sunday so I’ll bring up that in our conversation and see what kind of feedback I get from him on that possible option.

 

[PrimitiveMan]

I’ve asked for that as well, I’m actually going to see my SIT rep play in his band this Sunday so I’ll bring up that in our conversation and see what kind of feedback I get from him on that possible option.

Awesome thank you!

 

[Barticus]

Surprised to hear that as I find the neodymium pickups to be extremely even across strings. Maybe play with pickup height a bit?

A very slight adjustment to bring the bass side down just a touch and it’s perfectly balanced and growls evenly now.

 

[Barticus]

I spent this week bonding with the Grape Crush, by getting used to onboard EQ changes needed for my 50+ song 4hr set.

Looks like I’ll be taking the Hercules double guitar stand as It will share time with my Spector tonight and I can’t wait to gig this bad boy through the 80,000w house system so I can hear what it ‘really’ sounds like!

 

[waynobass]

I find that a tapered B string has a huge impact on the clarity of the tone on a B string. They don’t thud like regular strings can sometimes do. There’s a reason that many of the high-end boutique builders use tapered B&E strings and that’s for low action and clarity.

When I hear someone say that a bass has a terrible B string, I ask if they’re playing a tapered B because that makes a huge difference in tone.

The tapered strings also give you the ability to have much lower action with no buzzing as well. So when I get a new bass, that’s the first thing I do is put my strings on it and do a setup with low action.

This is the first I've really heard about tapered strings. I wanted to see what they look like, and found this very good page:

What Why and When to use Tapered Bass Strings

 

[Barticus]

I spent this week bonding with the Grape Crush, by getting used to onboard EQ changes needed for my 50+ song 4hr set.

Looks like I’ll be taking the Hercules double guitar stand as It will share time with my Spector tonight and I can’t wait to gig this bad boy through the 80,000w house system so I can hear what it ‘really’ sounds like!

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Ready for sound check, only brought the Grape Crush



So much heft from this pickup, it sounds amazing live through a big system!

 

[NocoLaw]

 

[NocoLaw]

I joined the club a couple of weeks ago with this StingRay Classic 5. Definitely not light at 11 pounds, but I LOVE it with flats. I had played a ton of Rays, because I love the classics, but just never found one that was “it.” A localish fellow TBer and great player and sound man had this one. Every bass is different with different strings, but I have never tried one that’s was so dramatically different switching from rounds to flats. I grew up on and love the sound of 90s Rays - Flea and Commerford, etc., but I never get to play that style out. I play Americana, folky pop, and country; so, it’s the PERFECT amount of grit and growl with the PERFECT thump - not dull thud - for what I play. I’m over the moon with it!

 

[NocoLaw]

I had decidedly recently that I must just not like active bases, after owning a Modulus and a Sadowsky, and playing plenty of others; but I just hasn’t found the one, I guess.

 

[Nebadon2000]

I had decidedly recently that I must just not like active bases, after owning a Modulus and a Sadowsky, and playing plenty of others; but I just hasn’t found the one, I guess.

Sadowsky can be played passive along with many other active basses

Stingray Special 5 is one of the best
Active or Passive

 

[NocoLaw]

You bet, and I played mine that way some, but I preferred my Fender JV, so I sold it. I mean to throw no shade at all toward Sadowsky - the one I had and several others I have played were all killer, just not my ideal. I would happily gig one for the rest of my life if needed. Admittedly, I never did like the neck on it; so, that could have colored my taste.