Stingray tone

Ibanez ATK305 - sounds close in Attack position (switch), but to my ears (and IMO) more "organic" - I like them both, but chose the ATK over the SR5.

Jamie

 

I've been on the same quest. I ended up getting a MTD Kingston 5 and installing a Basslines pickup (from a Lakland) and an Aguilar OBP-1 preamp. I also had to move the pickup location about 5/8" into the StingRay position. I haven't played it out with the band much yet (my Sadowsky get's all the play time) but it sure seems to nail the SR tone and the playabilty is outstanding.

 

I would have said ATK also.

If you want to spend a little more, and want a totally different feel, get a used Warwick FNA. That's a great *almost* Ray sound with that Warwick growly bottom.

 

I was going to say the ATK also.

I own an OLP copy. It sounded kind of like a muddy StingRay with a lot less high and high mid definition. Then I installed the Duncan preamp and the Duncan alinico MM pickup and now it sounds A LOT like a StingRay. BTW I also own a StingRay, so I have A/B 'ed them. Even with the upgraded preamp and pickup, the OLP still lacks a little of low-mid projection of a real StingRay, but it's very close IMHO. Another BTW - my OLP is the clear-finished elm, not the solid-color basswood.

 

That is hilarious!

I find no shortage of low end growl/beef on mine - if anything the SR5s I've played have more HIGHS than the ATK - just proof that YMMV.

Good luck in the quest!

J

 

How about a MM Sterling 5?

 

i know what you mean about the growl issue.....

if youve played an olp mm, and didnt like the way it played as well, maybe this isnt what youre looking for but what i did is got the duncan smb-4d replacement pickup and it was growl city! almost too much, to the point where i plug into my -15db port to prevent clipping. my point i guess is this, if you find a bass that you like that could take a mm-style pickup, maybe consider getting that pickup for it, even passive its got a mean growl! maybe like an ibanez srx or something along those lines. i played an ibanez srx700 recently and it played and sounded great, if i had another 300 bones to blow i might have gotten it as well. stock, though, it didnt really have the growl youre talking about.

 

Ibanez ATK

 

( doh,,, just saw you were talking about 5ers )

 

The new ATKs come with Elixers, which IMO do not sound good - as soon as I put some D'Addarios on, the bass sounded a lot better, ESPECIALLY the low B (it sounded muffled with the stock new Elixers). YMMV

Jamie

 

I think there is something wrong there.

Side by Side comparison of my ATK and Stingrays, the Stingrays have a bit more treble zing, and the ATKs have more meat in the low-mids.

The ATKs sound deeper but less detailed.

 

The newer active OLPs sound awesome straight out of the box.

I found the neck pickup got in the way a bit when I first got it too. I was considering moving it closer to the bridge or removing it altogether, and while trying to decide I just lowered the pickup as low as it would go, until it was almost flush with the pickguard. It was quite cool playing around with having a big level drop between pickups, but then after a while I decided to raise the pickup to normal height again to see if I could get on with it.... and it just doesn't seem to be a problem anymore no matter how hard I'm digging in - I guess I've just subconsciously adjusted my technique to work around it. Whatever it is I do now, it can't be that hard cos otherwise I'd have surely needed to work at it lots

 

While its not a 5, Sunday I tried out a new OLP Double buck(Comes with active preamp.) I was very surprised(WOW!! was my actual response) They have come a long way recently, and curbed my desire for a Musicman. I now want a new OLP.

 

What is that?

 

That's no MTD. Also, the pickup is much too far back on that bass to nail a StingRay tone.