My opinion: HH if it's going to be your only bass, H if you have other specialized basses.
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Stingray Special H vs HH, a Poll
- Thread starter Jim C
- Start date
I recently sold my HH fiver, but I loved the many tone options. The pickups were very usable in every position of the switch. I mostly used the neck pickup fully on, but I wasn’t trying to find that “stingray tone,” I was just playing a cool bass with some great tone options.
I didn’t find there was enough room between the two pickups for my fingers though, I kept hitting one or the other and I didn’t like the feel. Those are two BIG pickups.
I didn’t find there was enough room between the two pickups for my fingers though, I kept hitting one or the other and I didn’t like the feel. Those are two BIG pickups.
this is probably the best answer. the HH is an excellent swiss army knife.
I’ll also add that I find the parallel, filter, and series switch to be very useful in dialing in the right tone. When I first got my Special 5H I didn’t quite notice a huge difference between the positions, but then I started playing with others and it became a critical component. For my applications, the filter position is the best for helping the tone sit without being overwhelming.
I frankly don't have strong feelings on this subject. I recently got a Special 4HH and I like it a lot, but I also really like my 4H Specials and my 2-band StingRay. The 4HH does add some versatility, but I can get a reasonable Motown sound out of my 4H Special with flatwounds. The only Rays that rub me the wrong way are the old 3-bands, which are too harsh for my tastes.
2 band is best my friend. Regarding the H thing, unless you are into splitting hairs, the H on the HH = the H on the H.
I didnt find the neck pickup interesting enough to keep around.
I didnt find the neck pickup interesting enough to keep around.
HH if you just work better with two pickups, but for me the single pickup OG Stingray Five is the perfect five string in a bolt-neck pattern instrument. EBMM did a masterful, benchmark job of growing the original Stingray 4 into a five-string that really was the first five for most guys they could just pick up and play with no tricks past learning to handle five instead of four strings.
I stilll KICK myself for missing out on the short-lived neckthrough versions.
I was working a store where we sold Music Man (guitars, basses, and amps) when they were a new thing on the market, the original company with Mr. Fender involved. The four-string Stingrays sold like hotcakes, and even though as vintage instruments the Sabres are kind of a thing these days, back then we couldn't give them away.
I stilll KICK myself for missing out on the short-lived neckthrough versions.
I was working a store where we sold Music Man (guitars, basses, and amps) when they were a new thing on the market, the original company with Mr. Fender involved. The four-string Stingrays sold like hotcakes, and even though as vintage instruments the Sabres are kind of a thing these days, back then we couldn't give them away.
Well...
Personally? No, my ears do not find it to be true. I'll concede "very similar", but... no; not quite the same. For one, the bridge pickup on my left handed '20 EBMM 4HH Special is not in the same position as the H's single pickup. The neck pickup? Very not in the same spot...
For another - and probably more important - reason? The HH's pickups are designed with noticeably less output than the H's single pickup has. It says so, in the specs - and my ears can definitely hear the difference, too...
I've played a number of Stingray H's in the last several decades - both 2- and 3-band versions. Very nice basses, of course, but... I never saw the need for one. It's main claim to fame - slap, and the tone that goes with it - is something I never needed, for anything I like to play. And, the other tones I could get from it? Well... I have a whole herd of basses; some of them give me those tones already, so I always just... passed.
Is the HH the bigger seller? Can't say for sure, but... I sorta doubt it. I really, really like mine, though. 2 pickups and a 5-way switch give me a lot of tonal options - most of which I can use, for what I like to play...
IMO an HH is not the classic Stingray sound, and the neck pickup doesn't add anything useful. The pickup was designed to be in the sweetspot, and the electrronics and EQ points were also design around being in that sweetspot. I've tried to like my HH.......but ultimately it ended up on the block.
4/5H is good enough for Tony Levin, therefore it's good enough for me.
Beyond that the HH don't look right to me.
Beyond that the HH don't look right to me.
I would get the HH for the thumbrest alone.
What, I can get more sound options? Extra bonus!
What, I can get more sound options? Extra bonus!
Well… slapping the right way may be slightly different between different players, but, you’re not wrong. Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten have significantly different hand positions for their various slap techniques and I’ve no doubt they could get by just fine on an HH Stingray, as could I to be honest… no problem.
However, I’m so used to how much space there is on say a J or a P or a H Stingray for your poppin fingers that even though I’m quite confident in my abilities, that darn neck pickup just feels awkward there. If I owned one and played it long enough I’d adapt. It’s been over a decade since I worked at my local GC where I played A TON of basses. I think (physical) feel is just as important as an instruments tone.
I always had a hard time with slapping on Spectors and Warwick Thumbs because the distance between the underside of the G string and the surface of the top is so great compared to say a Stingray’s pick guard. On a Fender P/J, Stingray, G&L, Fodera, Schecter, Cort, Ibanez… lots and lots of other basses feel similar. But those smaller carved bodies on the Spector and Warwick Thumb are so foreign and odd feeling.
As I’m know with 99% of us that really play, I SUPER picky.
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If you already have a 2band….. keep it. My only experience with HH models is 5 string Specials. I have 2. Both of mine are BFR models without pickguards. Way more visually appealing to my eyes. Both have figured maple necks/ fingerboards .
I also have 2 of the 5H models and I find having all of these with different strings and set ups and switching options to be very useful.
My 5HH Crescendo wears extra light rounds and is tuned E-C. Sounds very sweet and angelic, especially in position 2 . But she can do the Marcus Miller, Larry Graham, and Louis Johnson thing with finesse and ease.
My 5HH Moonbeam has a figured maple top and neck and also wears light rounds. The notes just resonate and jump off . I mainly use position 4 on this one but 5 sounds just like a StingRay should to my ears .
Pickup height and strings make a huge difference on the HH models.
My 5H Custom is rosewood fingerboard Amethyst Sparkle
matching headstock. Wears a 4 yr old custom set of Super Slinky Cobalt Flats . I put a set together with some single strings and mixed from different sets. I prefer flats on my rosewood fretboards. I can Bernard Edwards with an added low B on this funky disco 
queen. She can Motown too!!My 5H BFR Fuego/ Purple Sunset is my own custom and wears a well broken set of TI flats. Like I said….. they all do something different and have their place .
The orginal 2band is the bass sound that I fell in love with in my youth. I dont care for the pre Special 3 bands , with the exception of the 35th Anniversary models . But I wouldn’t want a 2band as my only bass. I don’t think I would want any bass as my only bass.
That neck pickup placement doesn’t bother me , but I’m a female with short fingers and small hands. I’m sure for some , it could be an issue. Basses are not one size fits all.
This isn’t a Special but an import Sterling version. Mr. long does a great demo of the versatility of the HH models and how to adjust your technique and hand positioning for slapping .
Pretty much. I don’t think this pickup was placed with player comfort in mind. I play Marcus style (mostly have played a J in the past) but I adjusted. I based what I said on “flea slap” or “guitar shop slap” which is 99% of the slapping I’ve seen in the wild. It’s dabble-slap. Most of the musical slappers don’t play that way. I digress though- each player should play the style and instrument that makes them happy!
I'll bite, I never played any old school Stingrays back in the day. I stumbled into Stingray Specials in 2020 I wanted a higher end production model bass and couldn't find a Nathan East Yamaha J5 anywhere hell still can't unless its a overpriced used model. So I went into GC tried several high end basses. I was blown away by both 4 & 5 strings specials even though they were beat up wall hangers. So, sight unseen bought a 4 HH Burnt Ends online. Because single pickup guitars have never been my thing. I never had a problem Thumping on the bass tonal sculpting possibilities are fantastic covers anything I want to play. The craftsmanship was impeccable so now I wanted a 5 string. I went back to GC it was 2022 played the Fretless BFR 5H, OMG was that bass killer, that neck was perfection. I found that even though it was a single pickup the 3 postion switched satisfied need for tonal sculpting possibilities. So, once again bought a 5H classic black sight unseen online. I'm hooked on Stingray Special's now.
In a ideal world I'd also have 4HH SLO, 5HH, 5HH Fretless. Since I'm not a Stingray traditionalist I doubt seriously I'd ever own a 4H unless its a USA Sterling with a 3 way switch.
I love Jazz Basses, Stingray Special's, & Fodera Monarch Standards. (unfortunately I no longer have it was a long term loaner 7 years or so.) I also enjoy my Charvel P/J 1st P bass I've personally bonded mainly due to the Slim A symmetrical Jazz neck which is killer.
I highly recommend HH STINGRAY SPECIALS.
In a ideal world I'd also have 4HH SLO, 5HH, 5HH Fretless. Since I'm not a Stingray traditionalist I doubt seriously I'd ever own a 4H unless its a USA Sterling with a 3 way switch.
I love Jazz Basses, Stingray Special's, & Fodera Monarch Standards. (unfortunately I no longer have it was a long term loaner 7 years or so.) I also enjoy my Charvel P/J 1st P bass I've personally bonded mainly due to the Slim A symmetrical Jazz neck which is killer.
I highly recommend HH STINGRAY SPECIALS.
They have become my go to. I think they offer boutique build quality , at USA
factory pricing . I’ve picked up all but 2 of mine at a steal on the used market.My other 3 basses were purchased new at great deals . Correction…. I did pay full price from the factory for my Custom Design Experience Antheyst Sparkle 5HH. I was more than happy to do so . After begging EBMM to make me one with matching headstock, they finally emailed me and I do believe I was blessed to get the first or one of the first CDE basses. I ordered about 3 weeks before they were announced to the public for NAMM. It is my understanding that they only offer lavender sparkle finish and not the Amethyst Sparkle.
I think the HH gets a lot of unnecessary hate. I have large hands and the neck pickup does not get in the way at all for me while slapping. On top of that, position 2 on the HH has become my new favorite slap tone. It satisfies everything I would want to hear from my jazz bass but with a little something extra. Maybe it’s just the preamp talking.
Either way, I love it. Between that, the bridge being more barky and punchy than a jazz, and the neck pickup satisfying that same deep woody tone, I feel no need to pick up a jazz bass anymore after owning an HH.
Also, the neck pickup sounds as much like a stingray as any single H I’ve had, including my 5H when I A-B them.
Either way, I love it. Between that, the bridge being more barky and punchy than a jazz, and the neck pickup satisfying that same deep woody tone, I feel no need to pick up a jazz bass anymore after owning an HH.
Also, the neck pickup sounds as much like a stingray as any single H I’ve had, including my 5H when I A-B them.
