• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Stingray pickups

Which Stingray Pickup for me?

  • Bartolini MMC

    Votes: 8 22.9%

  • Seymour Duncan SMB-4a (Alnico)

    Votes: 12 34.3%

  • EMG MMTW

    Votes: 3 8.6%

  • Other - please state which

    Votes: 12 34.3%
  • Total voters
    35
T

Thurisarz

Aug 20, 2004
824
2
Sweden
#1
I have a stingray project and the only thing missing now is the pickup. I haven't played around with the replacement pickups there are on the market today only the stock MM stingray pickup. I have done a search but some of the alternatives i couldn't find info on so i wonder what you TBers think of the Bartolini MMC and the EMG MMTW? The EMG i assume is active but the bart is passive, right? It will be wired to a series/parrallel switch and EMG EXB control.

Please vote and comment on which pickup you think will fit my bass which wants a passive organic sound, not metallic and Hifi sounding. I may put TI jazz flats on this baby or GHS Pressurewounds! I will be using this bass with my praise group and also maybe with my 60's pop/punk band.
 
#6
Thurisarz said:
I have a stingray project and the only thing missing now is the pickup. I haven't played around with the replacement pickups there are on the market today only the stock MM stingray pickup. I have done a search but some of the alternatives i couldn't find info on so i wonder what you TBers think of the Bartolini MMC and the EMG MMTW? The EMG i assume is active but the bart is passive, right? It will be wired to a series/parrallel switch and EMG EXB control.

Please vote and comment on which pickup you think will fit my bass which wants a passive organic sound, not metallic and Hifi sounding. I may put TI jazz flats on this baby or GHS Pressurewounds! I will be using this bass with my praise group and also maybe with my 60's pop/punk band.
Click to expand...

The original pickup in a Stingray is a passive alnico magnet.Definitely not Hifi. If you don't want hi fi,don't go with the barts or EMG's. You can't do passive with EMG's as they have a preamp built in the pickup itself.For me, Barts sound good,but, are too weak to run without a preamp.both I think will be too modern for what you're wanting to do.I would recommend the basslines alnico MM,or the Norstrand MM replacement.I'm unsure if you are building a bass from scratch,or modding a factory Stingray.Most folks will tell you the the original pickup in MM basses sounds he best.Just depends on what you're after.
 
#7
if you want an organic tone from a passive Stingray type pup, look around for a used OLP pickup. No joke. They're warm, organic and have more output than some of my active basses Just a really nice "fit in the mix" sound. I get compliments on the sound of my 5-string OLP all the time.

They are set up for a bit narrower string spacing, but the large pole pieces should go a lopng way towards overcoming that problem.

oyo
 
#8
Energy said:
i am a big fan of the DELANO humbucker. due to its four coil construction it's dead quiet, even in single coil mode. and it sounds wonderfully tight and detailed.
Click to expand...

They gets my vote too :).

I had a Delano MC4HE/M2 (Quad coil) in this ...

139-3932_IMG-1.jpg


... with series/parallel/single coil modes on a 3-way switch.

When I sold the bass, I kept this pickup and it'll certainly be going into a future bass project :). Nice construction too ...

133-3354_IMG.jpg
 
#12
I've owned the Seymour-Duncan SMB-4DS (the ceramic MM pickup with SD's tone circuit/preamp), the Nordstrand MM4.2 and a Lane Poor MM.

The Seymour-Duncan was definitely my favorite but it was SUPER aggressive and very thick (even after I took the SD tone circuit completely out of the bass). Yielded an amazing rock tone. The Nordstrand MM4.2 was definitely the most natural and organic sounding of the 3. It also seemed to offer the best balance between aggression and politeness. The Lane Poor MM (no longer in production), although highly sought after and regarded was by far the worst. Tons of highs and high-mids, and basically shy everywhere else.
 
#15
Yeah, that "StealthRay" is def. the black helicopter of basses IMO-- I can picture a sunglasses/black suit wearing Secret Service agent playing that one at Jenna Bush's wedding party.
Consider the GFS (Guitar Fetish) MM pickup...comes in alnico or ceramic, the alnico sounds great passive, don't let the price fool ya.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back