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StingRay Encounters

#101
Cory rich40 said:
The 500. With those rumbles, we don’t have the option of an active input jack. I was just noticing that my stingray and bongo sounded louder when I use that combo. I’ve also gone amp crazy the last year. I would bet my other amps would be really loud to if I plugged my basses into the passive input. Remember, active basses are still kind of new to me, and I haven’t tried plugging them into the passive input jack yet only because I was under the impression you weren’t supposed to. But I guess I can
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Yeah I usually run my instruments into the passive jack to start and then if it’s distorting I switch to the active jack. Also, this might just be me but I almost never turn the volume knob on my stingray up all the way. I tend to ride it at about 50-75 percent of the way up. Idk if it really helps all that much but I think it helps tame the hotter output, someone told me that can be a good idea on active basses generally.
 
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#102
Cory rich40 said:
The 500. With those rumbles, we don’t have the option of an active input jack. I was just noticing that my stingray and bongo sounded louder when I use that combo. I’ve also gone amp crazy the last year. I would bet my other amps would be really loud to if I plugged my basses into the passive input. Remember, active basses are still kind of new to me, and I haven’t tried plugging them into the passive input jack yet only because I was under the impression you weren’t supposed to. But I guess I can
Click to expand...

Smokey P said:
Yeah I usually run my instruments into the passive jack to start and then if it’s distorting I switch to the active jack. Also, this might just be me but I almost never turn the volume knob on my stingray up all the way. I tend to ride it at about 50-75 percent of the way up. Idk if it really helps all that much but I think it helps tame the hotter output, someone told me that can be a good idea on active basses generally.
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I use a Rumble 500 as well. I also run my volume on my StingRay Specials at about 50%. I have no issue .
 
#104
I love Stingrays! The 20th Anniversary has a warmer tone but they both have that unbeatable, powerful character in the sound.

I usually dial back the treble, bump mids and bass for a warmer finger style sound.
IMG_0227.JPG


Here we are with the trio of Stingrays. The black and tobacco burst are both 2014 models. In never met one I didn't like.

IMG_5594.JPG
 
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#105
Smokey P said:
Yeah I usually run my instruments into the passive jack to start and then if it’s distorting I switch to the active jack. Also, this might just be me but I almost never turn the volume knob on my stingray up all the way. I tend to ride it at about 50-75 percent of the way up. Idk if it really helps all that much but I think it helps tame the hotter output, someone told me that can be a good idea on active basses generally.
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That’s actually what Leo reccomended in the 70s manual! But he was more strict, never turn the volume pot up past half or you’ll drive the amp, the active jack is there for people who want all that detail and all that volume! But it sounds better at half or even at a quarter to me! I run them quieter which seems to actually shift the treble knob response to a meatier frequency, probably cause the detail in the volume knob gets loss on the top end
 
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#106
Cory rich40 said:
The 500. With those rumbles, we don’t have the option of an active input jack. I was just noticing that my stingray and bongo sounded louder when I use that combo. I’ve also gone amp crazy the last year. I would bet my other amps would be really loud to if I plugged my basses into the passive input. Remember, active basses are still kind of new to me, and I haven’t tried plugging them into the passive input jack yet only because I was under the impression you weren’t supposed to. But I guess I can
Click to expand...
. The active jack is just a inherent -15 on the gain usually! Amplifiers in the 70s didn’t really have an active jack and the actual musicman amplifiers from then actually didn’t have one! Unless you want it at full blast on the volume pot shouldn’t have any issues with the amp distorting, I think even if you did wanna do 100% on the volume pot a 500 watt solid state is very unlikely to break up
 
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#107
Cory rich40 said:
The 500. With those rumbles, we don’t have the option of an active input jack. I was just noticing that my stingray and bongo sounded louder when I use that combo. I’ve also gone amp crazy the last year. I would bet my other amps would be really loud to if I plugged my basses into the passive input. Remember, active basses are still kind of new to me, and I haven’t tried plugging them into the passive input jack yet only because I was under the impression you weren’t supposed to. But I guess I can
Click to expand...
I don't think I've ever used the Active input on any amp that has both an Active input and a Passive input and the the basses I use the most are a ceramic SR5HH, a Stingray Special 5HH, and a G&L L-2500, all of which are quite hot and/or with very powerful EQs. I've never had an issue, I just had to be sane with the volume knobs. With my Stingrays, I typically set the volume to about 70-75% and I set the G&L to about 90-95% (seems the taper on the G&L knob has most of its volume in the last 10%). Those seem to be good starting points and then I can adjust it up or down as needed, plus most have an input gain you can also adjust if your bass's output is relatively high. That should also work on nearly every amp that doesn't have separate Active and Passive inputs.

I've never owned a Rumble 500, but I've played in a couple of open mic nights where the house amp was a Rumble 500. FWIW, I was quite impressed with that combo each time I used it. It sounded great, filled a bar nicely without any PA support, and it sounded great with a bunch of bassists playing different styles on a variety of basses. Based on my limited experience, I think they great bang-for-the-buck amps. Would love to hear one with the matching 2x10 cabinet someday, too. :D
 
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#112
LadyLoveStingRay5 said:
Nice!!
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It’s very nice. Because it’s designed as passive from the start, the pu has higher natural output compared to a normal Stingray pu. The finger board is ebony. I believe that the neck is the same size and profile as the Stingray Specials. Once I accepted that it is not going to sound like a P, all was good.
 
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#116
berg_2001.jpg

My 90s Stingray EX is the only one I still own, and it's my favorite. I've had a few Stingrays, and they were all great, but this one is perfect. Perfect!

It's got that perfect 90s aggressive 3 band punk/funk tone, and the action is super low (around 1 mm at 12th fret) with no unwanted fret buzz. The neck is also super stable, once I set it, never had to touch it in years.

I bought it because it was pretty light weight (for a non Special). It was originally 8.8 lbs, but I did 2 mods and now it's only 8.5 lbs so it's absolutely perfect for live use with my RHCP tribute band. The mods are easy - aluminum knobs and G&L ultralite tuner aluminum posts.
 
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