Stingray and bongo with tube amps

[Cory rich40]

How do you guys think Ernie ball basses(mainly the stingray special and bongo) pair with tube amps such as a fender super bassman 300 or an ampeg SVT vr or even the ampeg pf50t? I happen to have the super bassman and the bassman 800 hybrid head, as well as the new fender Adam Clayton 50 watt combo amp. Do the basses work well with fender amps?

 

[ihixulu]

Yes. Why wouldn't they? I'm not being snarky, just curious about the nature of your question.

 

[Killing Floor]

Both the Stingray and the Bongo are considered "electric bass guitar".
Bass amps are ideally suited for basses like that.

 

[Cory rich40]

Yes. Why wouldn't they? I'm not being snarky, just curious about the nature of your question.

I'm just curious about others opinions. I think they work great together myself. I'm mainly bored at the moment and want some discussion. I have heard that modern class D amps work great with them as well(Gallien Krueger, darkglass,etc.)

 

[Cory rich40]

Yes. Why wouldn't they? I'm not being snarky, just curious about the nature of your question.

And I've seen demos on YouTube where folks complaining about an active stingray being used instead of a passive fender with the pf50t

 

[Wisebass]

Hi Cory

How do you guys think Ernie ball basses

The Stingray and Bongo are active basses = high output => use the "low" input on your amp(s)

Do the basses work well with fender amps?

Ernie ball bass into Fender amp?

Should workout just fine!

Just don't tell Leo about it!

Wise(b)ass

 

[Tim Skaggs]

I have a Sterling by EB SUB series Stingray and I also have a late 70's Fender Studio Bass amp section (180 watts all tube). The Sterling had crazy high output and made the Studio Bass amp distort at almost any gain setting. Re-wiring the Sterling pickup from series to parallel took care of the output, and the bass is all good with the tube amp, but anyone who didn't tinker & modify stuff like I do might not have had a great experience with the SBMM bass into a tube amp.

 

[sawzalot]

Remember in 1976 when the stingray was released, tube amps were very popular and class D virtually or completely nonexistent.

 

[FRoss6788]

The bass has a volume knob on it. When you turn one way, it has less output.

 

[ac100X]

I run a Bongo, a 78 Musicman Sting Ray & Sterling Sting Ray into an Orange 200ad. All of them sound great and have no problems.

 

[Dasgre0g]

 

[agedhorse]

I think it depends as much on your personal tastes as anything, but there are some tube amps that do struggle with very hot pickups, especially when played with a heavy touch. If you are unwilling or unable to turn the bass down a bit to accommodate this limitation, then a tube amp (and some solid state amps) might not be your best choice.

 

[Nebadon2000]

Yes that one SBMM (cheapest) has been mentioned to have excessive Hot output and cause problems for any type amp

I have Stingray Special that does not have Hot output it is Similar to most passive basses I have had

Running into Mesa WD 800 with tube pre into passive Bass input with everything centered on Amp and Bass Gain is at 1 o'clock just before clipping leaves me plenty of room on gain if add Eq

PS Sorry gain at 12 with volume maxed I set volume on Bass 75-80%

 

[Wood and Wire]

I have to say, I sometimes struggle to get a really satisfying tone from a StingRay through an SVT.

I just find it takes a bit more work to get it dialled in without fighting it - which really boils down to how I like to have the 2band EQ StingRay set.

Too much bass boost at the instrument, and the tube in the SVT preamp compresses, acting like a tape bias - you end up with totally out of control woofing lows, mushy mids, painful razor sharp sizzle when you try to brighten things up again.I

I think the key is to be judicious the a 2band EQ, or not veer too far from the centre detents on a 3band EQ, taking advantage of the additional mid-band.

That said, I've got lovely results out of my Marshall, and Sound City tube amps, just utilising their tonestacks - but perhaps a significant contributing factor was that I was not using an Ampeg 8x10 cabinet.

I've also heard people other than myself manage to get great tones out of a StingRay & SVT - here's one of my all time favourites :


2band EQ

 

[VeryTallBassist]

I gigged with a Bongo 5 HS into a Mesa Bass400+ for years back in the mid 2000s. Sounded huge.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

I used my old StingRay through an SVT for YEARS. Pairs well, yes, but you have to be careful not to overdrive the input- stingRay is very hot.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

How do you guys think Ernie ball basses(mainly the stingray special and bongo) pair with tube amps such as a fender super bassman 300 or an ampeg SVT vr or even the ampeg pf50t? I happen to have the super bassman and the bassman 800 hybrid head, as well as the new fender Adam Clayton 50 watt combo amp. Do the basses work well with fender amps?

They fair as well as anything else you play through them

 

[PrimitiveMan]

Stingray through a tube amp always sounds amazing in my opinion!

 

[rodl2005]

How do you guys think Ernie ball basses(mainly the stingray special and bongo) pair with tube amps such as a fender super bassman 300 or an ampeg SVT vr or even the ampeg pf50t? I happen to have the super bassman and the bassman 800 hybrid head, as well as the new fender Adam Clayton 50 watt combo amp. Do the basses work well with fender amps?

It always works well for me.

How'd you like that ACB50?

 

[five7]

The best my bongo 5 sounded was thru a svt II and 810.