Strings to tame a Sting Ray ?

[SoulApprentice]

Ciao Eden
Apologies if I missed the info, but I believe I have not read anything regarding your preamp... is it a 2-band or a 3-band EQ?
I currently have both, and there is a huge difference between the two, as they have a baked-in tone profile which you'll never be able to correct to the point of having a 2-band to sound exactly like a 3-band and vice-versa.
Here's an amazing video showing these differences, including the resonant peak at 4KHz backed-in in the 3-band preamp, which is the reason why I much prefer the old 2-band.



If this is the issue, if you have a 3-band and you want to get rid of the 4KHz peak, I don't think different stings will help. What could really help, on the contrary, is a nice parametric EQ set quite surgically around this frequency to cut out the resonance.

 

[micguy]

That was interesting, thanks!

You’re welcome.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

GHS Brite Flats, the original OEM strings in the '70s

Lovely strings for that "dry" 70s tone. But most bass players seem to hate them. They're very stiff/inarticulate but because of this they can handle a VERY low action without fret buzz. I hated them at first. I didn't like the tone or the sticky feel. But the stickiness disappeared after a while and when the tone mellowed out I actually started to like them. They will never be my first choice but they are very unique sounding strings that I like to have installed on ONE bass. And that bass actually happens to be a Stingray (more specifically a SBMM Ray4 with upgraded pickup/preamp from Nordstrand). Not really my style of bass but I like to keep it around for those rare moments when I need THAT tone.

 

[Nebadon2000]

Ciao Eden
Apologies if I missed the info, but I believe I have not read anything regarding your preamp... is it a 2-band or a 3-band EQ?
I currently have both, and there is a huge difference between the two, as they have a baked-in tone profile which you'll never be able to correct to the point of having a 2-band to sound exactly like a 3-band and vice-versa.
Here's an amazing video showing these differences, including the resonant peak at 4KHz backed-in in the 3-band preamp, which is the reason why I much prefer the

If this is the issue, if you have a 3-band and you want to get rid of the 4KHz peak, I don't think different stings will help. What could really help, on the contrary, is a nice parametric EQ set quite surgically

Ciao Eden
Apologies if I missed the info, but I believe I have not read anything regarding your preamp... is it a 2-band or a 3-band EQ?
I currently have both, and there is a huge difference between the two, as they have a baked-in tone profile which you'll never be able to correct to the point of having a 2-band to sound exactly like a 3-band and vice-versa.
Here's an amazing video showing these differences, including the resonant peak at 4KHz backed-in in the 3-band preamp, which is the reason why I much prefer the old 2-band.



If this is the issue, if you have a 3-band and you want to get rid of the 4KHz peak, I don't think different stings will help. What could really help, on the contrary, is a nice parametric EQ set quite surgically around this frequency to cut out the resonance."

Not so Amazing Video both sound awful with modded Squire and I have never heard from hundreds of Demos on YouTube or in the Wild such awful sound on either 2 or 3 band

This Video is useless to anyone who actually has played or listened to either and keeps being used as if is some difintive difference
It would be better if you having both put ou a Video playing and showing your point

 

[Nebadon2000]

 

[Rib 13]

I don't know why many folks don't seem to get this, but all strings start out at their brightest. Fairly quickly, they lose some of that initial brightness, and then for a good long while, they are fairly stable at a reduced brightness - they are getting duller, but VERY slowly. At some point, they will become dull enough that you decide it's time to change them - they don't really "die", you just decided one day they aren't what you want any more.

So, given that life cycle, if you put strings on that are "just right" at first, unless you have a deal with unlimited free strings and a roadie to change them every day, YOU HAVE BOUGHT THE WRONG STRINGS!!!. If that is your initial reaction, in not too long, when the initial zing dies out, you'll be running around telling everyone that "those strings die fast". No, they don't "die fast" - you bought the wrong strings.

The right strings, when you put them on, are too bright. You turn down the tone controls on your bass and your amp or pedalboard, you play them for a while, and then....a week or two later, you turn the knobs back to their normal positions, and... the strings sound great. Congratulations! You have bought the right strings - by buying strings that are too bright initially, you now have the benefit of enjoying that long, relatively stable period, and the strings sound good for a good long time.

I never play a gig with new strings - I always make sure they get played at least a week before I play a gig (this means I need multiple basses (reason #42 for why you need another bass). That way, I am never trying to coax the sound in my head out of a bass that is too bright - if you end up in that situation, you tend to play timidly, which is not a good thing.

Anyway, the short lesson here is: When you try the right strings, you won't know it for a while - you need to leave them on long enough to have them settled before you know if you've go the right strings. If they sound too dull or just right when you first put them on, however, you know you don't have the right strings.

Theres guys out there like me that want that brand new zingy string tone to utilize (if need be, brightness and zing can be dialed back/subtracted via tone controls or EQ from new zingy strings but brightness/zing cant be dialed forward on strings that dont have it there to begin with)

But the bigger issue is consistency: many players use their E and A strings the most and D and G strings the least, so they dont break in evenly. So, for a lot of guys, the E and A strings are broken in, the D is sorta getting there, and the G sounds brand zingy new. (Unfortunately, Ive had this happen with bass players on projects I engineered over the years). For me as a player, this would not do (especially for the slap songs and a lot of 80s and newer material)

 

[bulldean]

My Stingray is untrained and agitated. I love it that way.

 

[Eden Ray]

Ciao Eden
Apologies if I missed the info, but I believe I have not read anything regarding your preamp... is it a 2-band or a 3-band EQ?
I currently have both, and there is a huge difference between the two, as they have a baked-in tone profile which you'll never be able to correct to the point of having a 2-band to sound exactly like a 3-band and vice-versa.
Here's an amazing video showing these differences, including the resonant peak at 4KHz backed-in in the 3-band preamp, which is the reason why I much prefer the old 2-band.



If this is the issue, if you have a 3-band and you want to get rid of the 4KHz peak, I don't think different stings will help. What could really help, on the contrary, is a nice parametric EQ set quite surgically around this frequency to cut out the resonance.

Ciao,
You're right, I did not specify that my StingRay has a three band EQ.
The 4kHz peak has been mentioned also in an earlier post, but I am not sure that this is what I want to get rid of.

 

[Eden Ray]

My Stingray is untrained and agitated. I love it that way.

As I noted in the OP, I loved it that way too.

 

[Geri O]

As I noted in the OP, I loved it that way too.

I love mine that way as well, regardless of genre.

But I do understand your desire to tame it some.

If I can stick my head above the FlatsFest going on for a second, I'd play those Slinkys until they get dull and keep them on there as long as you can.

With my fretless bass, I remove a set of strings from either my Stingray or my Jazz that I've dulled down (6-8 weeks old, usually) and put them on my fretless. They are still very warm-sounding and have a little bit of bite to them. If I've really beat them up (aggressive playing, a lot of slap-style), they will be hard to intonate and keeping tune. But I've been about to get sets that haven't been so beat up and they are perfect for fretless.

I'd try this approach since it will involve no set-up changes and the expense of flats. Not to mention, avoid a lot of EQ wanking that I usually find unsatisfying and unsuccessful. You are attempting to change the character of the bass. That's not an EQ thing at first.

 

[SoulApprentice]

As I'm sure you have noted, the fact that the author of the video uses a modded Squire is irrelevant: the pickup type and positioning is the same of a Stingray, and the electronic is completely bypassed (i.e. pickup wired directly to the output jack). The outboard electronics used in the test are the exact reproduction of the two preamps, so to me this is a pretty well conceived test.
The sounds in a YT video are always pretty far from the real ones, so again not a super relevant point here... what I have found very interesting and useful (but I have no problem in you not finding the same value in it) is the level of details, including the curves which I believe are quite helpful in "seeing" the differences you hear in the sound samples.
Finally, I don't really feel I have to "show my point", other than that the two preamps have clearly very different tones backed in, which is a point very well shown in the video.

 

[SoulApprentice]

The 4kHz peak has been mentioned also in an earlier post, but I am not sure that this is what I want to get rid of.

Then, since swapping the preamp from a 3 band to a 2 band is a bit expensive - in particular if you are not sure this is what you want - I suggest you try a parametric EQ (a pedal or a DAW) and see if you like what you hear when cutting that spike... This was definitely my case, YMMV...

 

[GIBrat51]

Hello,

For years I loved my Sting Ray with maple fingerboard and fresh Ernie Ball regular Slinky strings for an aggressive and nasty tone I wanted for the type of music I mainly played.

Now I am seldom playing that genre, and for the others I play I feel I would like a smoother/rounder/mellow/more gentle tone. Not really a darker one; I still want some presence and brightness.
I got some good results by changing the EQ on the bass or outboard, but I would like to see what different strings may bring.

I play with fingers and pick, some slap.

Any suggestions?
I tried reading some threads in this Forum; am I in the right direction with DR Sunbeams or stabilized(*) Hi Beams?

Thank you!


(*) By “stabilized” I mean that, to my understanding from what I read, the Hi Beams are too bright when new and they deliver their best after some use.

Well...
If you want to put other round wound strings on that Stingray? Sorry; I pretty much got nothin' for you. Out of 27 basses that I currently own? I have Roto88 Tapes on two, and short scale TI324 Jazz Rounds on one. All the rest - including my '20 EBMM 4HH Stingray Special - wear various gauges and brands of flat wounds.
My 4HH SS wears Galli JF4505 Jazz Flats - and, to my ears, they suit it perfectly - for what I play. Which is mostly Rock; Rockabilly; Blues: C&W; and some Motown; all written before 1980 or so. Being flats, they did take some time to break in - or, as you say; "Stabilize" - but now that they are? They are not the darkest sounding flats, by any means - but definitely not the brightest, either. Good lows; lots of low-mids and mids; and a pretty decent high end. Fairly flexible - for flats; actual tension is about average for their gauge; and far and away the smoothest strings I've ever played. Can you slap on them? I can't say; I don't slap - ever; and I'd imagine that the 4HH's dual pickups would make it fairly awkward to try, in any case...
Would they work for you? I don't know; but, if you want to try flats? Maybe they would make you happy; maybe not...

 

[J Wilson]

Nickel Rounds. For me the 3 Bears' 'this one is JUST right' between Rotos and stainless rounds, and the dead-end of flats or ground wounds, though I would make an exception if forced for GHS PressureWounds.

 

[Badbasics]

For years I used Dadario half rounds playing various genres, seemed like a good tone to me