Stingray Controls Not Responding

[Michael Jewels]

Hello, everybody.

I have a Stingray, which I bought brand new in 2001.

I haven’t played it in about 6 months, and when I plugged it in last night, no sound.

The battery was spent.

So, I installed a new battery, and the sound returned, but with 2 oddities:

1) The volume is only about half what it should be.

and,

2) The tone controls are not responding at all.

I am going to bring my Stingray in for a set up and cleaning, but I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this or knows anything about this.

I find it strange that the volume works, but not the EQ.

Any advice welcome.

Thanks.

Mike

 

[Michael Jewels]

My Ray

 

[ardgedee]

I hate being the one to suggest this, but have you tried a second fresh battery?

Also, did you notice any corrosion or crustiness in the battery compartment?

 

[Kerplunk]

What brand of battery did you install? Duracell's are the recommended brand.

 

[aprod]

What brand of battery did you install? Duracell's are the recommended brand.

I have had too many Duracell leak. Energizers have been super reliable.

 

[Kerplunk]

Very good. I didn't recommend them, EBMM does. You might want to send them your insights.

 

[Gopherbassist]

I hate being the one to suggest this, but have you tried a second fresh battery?

Also, did you notice any corrosion or crustiness in the battery compartment?

Good thoughts, a bad battery is my first guess. After corrosion I'd give the battery wires a very gentle tug and see if anything changes. Then I'd be hunting for some kind of short that could have activated the preamp with no plug inserted, but that's troubleshooting I'd pay a tech for.

Also, as dumb as it sounds, did you turn the volume knob all the way up?

 

[BassicJazzy]

Very good. I didn't recommend them, EBMM does. You might want to send them your insights.

I think it's a sizing issue. Duracells are USA-made, seem to meet EBMM standards for size so no issues with the battery box. 9v batteries tend to vary slightly in exterior dimensions.

I too prefer Energizers but my active basses have snap caps, not battery boxes. Size discrepancies not an issue for those.

 

[Gopherbassist]

I have had too many Duracell leak. Energizers have been super reliable.

Recently, or just in life? I also generally default to Energizer, but I haven't had problems like that with either brand in many years.

 

[BassicJazzy]

Good thoughts, a bad battery is my first guess. After corrosion I'd give the battery wires a very gentle tug and see if anything changes. Then I'd be hunting for some kind of short that could have activated the preamp with no plug inserted, but that's troubleshooting I'd pay a tech for.

Also, as dumb as it sounds, did you turn the volume knob all the way up?

I have heard of leakage destroying the wiring behind the connection contact in the battery box. If that happens you probably need to replace the box.

I had leakage destroy the wiring inside a soft snap cap. My solution to that has been to play the bass passive, which works fine, sounds fine. But that's a Fender, not a Stingray.

 

[Element Zero]

Just to try and eliminate other possible causes, did you try using a different instrument cable?

 

[logdrum]

Maybe the knob screws have backed off and the connections to the shafts are not tight

 

[Michael Jewels]

I hate being the one to suggest this, but have you tried a second fresh

Yes, I installed a new battery I had hanging around, and when nothing changed, I bought a new one at the store.

No change.

This is very odd to me.

I am pretty good at tinkering, especially because my father taught me, if you really don’t understand how to fix something, don’t try unless you can afford to lose what you’re trying to fix.

My Stingray has been on my short list to get another set up and cleaning, so I’ll leave it to the crew at 30th Street guitars, who do fantastic work.

By the way, 30th Street Guitars is on 27th Street.

They started out on 30th Street, but moved to 27th Street when the rent went up.

Www.30thstreetguitars.com

A few short blocks from Madison Square Garden, and right down the block from The Fashion Institute of Technology.

I may go tomorrow.

Thanks to all who replied and offered help.

Mike

 

[ashtray]

My Ray

View attachment 7561692

You should probably just sell it off dirt cheap as a broken bass and buy a new one. 25 years is a long time. No one will probably want it though… shoot, I’m feeling generous, I’ll take it off your hands for a few hundred bucks.

(She’s a beaut! Hopefully the shop is able to solve the issue.)

 

[FightMilk]

Congrats on your new passive stingray!

 

[murphy]

I had to replace the plastic battery box in my Stingray 5ver

Fixed everything

 

[rojo412]

Battery clips and/or boxes are frequently at issue. I basically start any diagnoses there now (after measuring the voltage on a battery).

 

[Salicete]

Deoxit for electronics on the pots and input.

You said you had not played it for some time.

 

[BassicJazzy]

Deoxit for electronics on the pots and input.

You said you had not played it for some time.

No. Great for wrecking pots, and gumming up inside of input jack. Turning the pots several times, over and over again, just as effective without risk of damage.

 

[Salicete]

No. Great for wrecking pots, and gumming up inside of input jack. Turning the pots several times, over and over again, just as effective without risk of damage.

Can't say you are wrong, I can only say it has worked for me for many years, with no ill-effects. I suppose if one were to hose components down with too much product or use the wrong version of the spray it could well do as you say.

I can only testify to what has worked well for me.