Stingray HH… what’s the deal?

[tb-player]

I love a Stingray. The tone is so iconic. I played one for years and at some point, I’d like to have one again.

So I did a little window shopping. In my travels, I became intrigued with the HH Stingrays. They got me thinking, “I could probably get a classic Stingray tone and still have other options when I blend in that neck pickup.” So I shared this on a bass-related Discord group and was surprised at the responses. Basically, they said you cannot get the classic Stingray tone with an HH, even with the bridge pickup solo’d, because they’re wired differently than a standard H Stingray. I didn’t like that answer… lol.

So I now bring the same question here. Can you achieve the single H tone on an HH Stingray? What has been your experience?

 

[80jazz]

I have one, and I don't see how you couldn't.

(Full disclosure: I am not a fan of the H basses.)

 

[tb-player]

I have one, and I don't see how you couldn't.

Do they sound like a jazz bass with both pickups on?

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I love a Stingray. The tone is so iconic. I played one for years and at some point, I’d like to have one again.

So I did a little window shopping. In my travels, I became intrigued with the HH Stingrays. They got me thinking, “I could probably get a classic Stingray tone and still have other options when I blend in that neck pickup.” So I shared this on a bass-related Discord group and was surprised at the responses. Basically, they said you cannot get the classic Stingray tone with an HH, even with the bridge pickup solo’d, because they’re wired differently than a standard H Stingray. I didn’t like that answer… lol.

So I now bring the same question here. Can you achieve the single H tone on an HH Stingray? What has been your experience?

Somebody told you wrong. I dont know about the pre specials or the 4HH, but the 5HH gets me classic sound and a whole lot more.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

http://static.music-man.com.s3-us-w...2018-03-14/CFD+StingRay4+HH+Bass+20180314.pdf

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

http://static.music-man.com.s3-us-w...2018-03-14/CFD+StingRay5+HH+Bass+20180314.pdf

 

[Isaac_James]

Seems to me the only significant drawback to an HH Stingray is that the neck pickup could get in the way of slapping, if that's a big part of your sound.

 

[Sam Dingle]

I would imagine it wouldn’t sound the same the way a PJ bass still doesn’t fully sound like a P bass with the J pickup turned off

 

[Maxi Funkl]

I have a 4HH Special and when ever I played it at gigs other musicians in the room said how great my Stingray sounded not a one said it sounded good for a 4HH. Sounds like you ran across Stingray Purist non-sense IMHO.

 

[N4860]

I love a Stingray. The tone is so iconic. I played one for years and at some point, I’d like to have one again.

So I did a little window shopping. In my travels, I became intrigued with the HH Stingrays. They got me thinking, “I could probably get a classic Stingray tone and still have other options when I blend in that neck pickup.” So I shared this on a bass-related Discord group and was surprised at the responses. Basically, they said you cannot get the classic Stingray tone with an HH, even with the bridge pickup solo’d, because they’re wired differently than a standard H Stingray. I didn’t like that answer… lol.

So I now bring the same question here. Can you achieve the single H tone on an HH Stingray? What has been your experience?

Someone told you wrong. The 4HH Stingrays have the same wiring for the bridge pick up as the single H Ray's. Where things are a bit different is with the 5 string Stingrays. The 5H has a switch added that the 4H doesn't have. The switch goes between parallel, single coil, and series mode for the 5H. With a 5HH the switch instead just changes between the 5 different coil positions between both pickups. That being said, even both the 5H and 5HH can still both do the parallel single H bridge tone. Some people claim there are subtle differences between the bridge tone on a 4H and 4HH but they're in the exact same position on both so any difference comparing the 2 could be other inherent variables like the mass of the body/neck, fretboard type, strings, etc.

 

[jeff62]

I’ve owned both. Can you get classic Stingray? Yes (or close enough I couldn’t tell the difference). Is the extra pickup useful? I’m sure you will get varied opinions. I found that it wasn’t, and I don’t slap. I’m back to the single H and am very happy.

 

[ComeHomeShane]

I love a Stingray. The tone is so iconic. I played one for years and at some point, I’d like to have one again.

So I did a little window shopping. In my travels, I became intrigued with the HH Stingrays. They got me thinking, “I could probably get a classic Stingray tone and still have other options when I blend in that neck pickup.” So I shared this on a bass-related Discord group and was surprised at the responses. Basically, they said you cannot get the classic Stingray tone with an HH, even with the bridge pickup solo’d, because they’re wired differently than a standard H Stingray. I didn’t like that answer… lol.

So I now bring the same question here. Can you achieve the single H tone on an HH Stingray? What has been your experience?

ok, so, disclaimer... I'm a stingray nut. I own too many of them. I wouldn't call myself a 'purist', but I do know which models I like and which I like less.

That being said, yes, IME a single H ray will sound different than a HH with the bridge pick-up solo'd. Is it a big difference? No. Out of 10 bass players how many will notice? Not many if any at all. But when recorded in the same fashion and then A/B compared, an average bassist will notice a difference

Like I said... it's not huge. They all sound like stingrays. Live settings the difference is negligible. My personal preference is the single H. But unless you're splitting hairs with your recorded tone, it's not gonna matter.

 

[PrimitiveMan]

I love a Stingray. The tone is so iconic. I played one for years and at some point, I’d like to have one again.

So I did a little window shopping. In my travels, I became intrigued with the HH Stingrays. They got me thinking, “I could probably get a classic Stingray tone and still have other options when I blend in that neck pickup.” So I shared this on a bass-related Discord group and was surprised at the responses. Basically, they said you cannot get the classic Stingray tone with an HH, even with the bridge pickup solo’d, because they’re wired differently than a standard H Stingray. I didn’t like that answer… lol.

So I now bring the same question here. Can you achieve the single H tone on an HH Stingray? What has been your experience?

My main bass is a Stingray Special 5 H. I've also owned a 5HH and 5HS and compared them directly to my single H (all with the same strings). The HH and HS nail the bridge pickup tone with it solo'ed no problem. If you're being very nit picky you can hear some slight differences between them, but the same could be said if I compared two single H basses.

Generally the tone is near identical

That being said, I still prefer the single H, especially on the 5 as you get the 3 way (parallel, faux single coil, and series) switch.

The other settings on the HH and HS weren't my thing, but definitely still sound good. I do really like the inner coil setting. No setting sounds like a jazz or precision bass if that's what you're going for.

I'd say try some out!

 

[Bruiser Stone]

Having owned a beautiful 5HH Special until recently, I think there is indeed a subtle difference, but not enough to matter. I no longer have it only because the string spacing was too tight, but in the ‘1’ position, it sounded close enough to a H to count. The neck pickup was in the way of slapping, but I got beautiful low end out of positions 2-4. And aesthetically, I prefer the look of a HH.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Just get both and don’t worry about it.

 

[Killing Floor]

That’s nonsense. And get the 3EQ because Mids is how you tune to the room.

 

[GreyBeard]

I owned a SR5H and HH for a while. I found that there were no added tones that the HH model had over the H that appealed to me. In fact, my goto R&R tone is the H model in series which the HH model doesn't have. And, the placement of the neck pup on the HH got in my way during my slap happy days. I ended selling the HH and haven't looked back.

 

[tb-player]

To answer my own question, I listened to this video by @LowEndLobster w/ headphones. To my ears, the difference is negligible.

 

[PolkaHero]

My luthier flat out told me he's glad I didn't get the HH model. That massive neck humbucker has such a strong magnetic pull he's seen it do some strange things to the strings. For me I didn't buy a Stingray to get a really deep dub tone, I want it for that authentic low midrange burp that the original instrument gave in spades. Also, the neck pickup probalby just gets in the way of slapping and popping not that I do that much but it's nice to have in the toolbox.