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Stingray-most versatile bass ever made?

#23
Most versatile? - this right here:
IMAG0392.JPG


With 2nd place going to this with it's factory S1 switch:
White Fender Jazz.JPG
 
#24
Killed_by_Death said:
G&L's L-2000 gets my vote for most versatile & the best pickups in the industry.
If they made a lightweight one w/o neck dive I'd have one.
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Agree to disagree on that regarding versatility and the pickups - this spends most of it's time in it's case while I gig other basses:
G&L L2K(1).JPG


FWIW, it's under 9lbs, and isn't particularly neck divey - nice neck, though, and oozes old school class...
 
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#27
Stingrays are indeed very nice basses, I have a US Musicman SUB Ray. Awesome sound and really love the bass, but the most versatile? Weeeell, no in my opinion. I would say a nice P/J bass would fit the bill a little more- getting one that's both active and passive would be much more versatile.
 
#28
I own an EBMM SR5HH and I wouldnt consider it versatile but its a beautiful bass with nice tonal options using the 5 way selector. Many different choices from double pups back to single. I dont think the HH is quite the "classic" sounding Stingray though compared to the single pup SR...just my opinion.
If I was voting for a "versatile" bass I would opt for my Peavey T-40. My chiropractor loves it too.
EBMM SR5 Stingray2.JPG Peavey T40 Swamp ABS Bass Case 1.jpg
 
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#31
mbell75 said:
Really? Look at the huge list of SR players. Everything from punk and metal to jazz and funk and everything in between. The P bass is the only other bass I can think of that comes anywhere close to being used by such a wide variety of players playing completely different genres of music. A SR is pretty much an industry standard in most studios along with P basses. Unless Im forgetting something, I can't think of another bass as versatile and as widely used.
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A Jazz bass, also an industry standard in studios and very widely used.
 
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#34
mbell75 said:
Just picked up one of the new Sterling Stingray SUB Ray4s, or whatever the hell they are calling them these days (which is a steal and the best bang for the buck at $299 IMO). Havent played a Sterling/MM in years and I was just reminded of how awesome they sound and how much ground they cover compared to the last Fender P and J basses I have had which I liked as well. Especially with the onboard EQ. You want to play all out aggressive rock? Its in there. Slap some old school funk? Check. Grab a pick and get a punk sound? Yep. Play some dub/reggae? Absolutely. Jazz? Fusion? Country? I can't think of a single tone or style you can't get from a Stingray and the punch and clarity is top notch. I would argue they are even more versatile than a P bass and certainly sound more aggressive. Are they the most versatile basses ever made?
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I would say that the Stingray is not a super versatile bass as far as getting tons of different "voicings" (although, even in that regard, I think it is more versatile than most people give it credit for), BUT that its "signature sound" can be used in most any genre. I came to this conclusion way back in the 80s when I saw so many different players in different styles of music (Louis Johnson funk, Bernard Edwards disco R&B, Paul Denman jazz/pop, AC/DC hard rock, even a few country players) using Stingrays.

I've used both Stingrays and Sterlings over the years a lot. I tend more toward Sterlings because of the thinner neck and reduced size. But I can get the "Stingray sound" out of my Sterling, which is what I use most of the time. I recently got an HS Sterling and... and YES, it can get a bigger variety of sounds with that extra pickup, BUT I tend to not even use those sounds. I always gravitate back to the parallel humbucker sound (Stingray sound). It just seems to fit into just about anything that I play, no matter the genre. If you don't think you can get a Stingray to be smooth as silk, listen to Paul Denman of Sade fame. That's my favorite bassist; his Stingray is incredibly smooth and fits Sade music like a glove.
 
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#35
As for G&L basses... I've had a couple over the years and they were really nice basses. They sounded great. BUT--and I know I'm not the only person who has a stupid reason for disliking a bass--I'm sorry, I can't get around how much I honestly loathe the headstock shape on G&L basses. That "tumor" that sticks out of the bottom of the headstock drives me into an unreasonable and senseless state of nausea. Don't know why. I just HATE that shape. In fact, with the last G&L bass I had, I was tempted to saw the "tumor" off, sand it, and refinish it. I traded it away instead.

The very early G&Ls didn't have the "tumor." Those are the only ones I could live with.
 
#37
Killed_by_Death said:
I guess our ideas of what is considered lightweight differ.
The ones with Empress bodies, which are light, tend to have neck dive.

My Ibanezes are 8 lbs, & I've never seen a G&L that light, even my G&L Comanche guitar.
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I only interjected because your post makes it sound like light balanced G&Ls don't exist, and I would agree completely if it were 1982. :D Most ash or alder ones coming out these days are 8.* lbs and I never met one with neck dive.

Sting Rays are flexible but probably not the most flexible.
 

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