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Swapping out Musicman Stingray pickup...

R

richkidsonlsd

Nov 15, 2007
73
1
#1
I was wondering if i swapped out the original Musicman Stingray pickup for a Seymour Duncan SMB4D what I would gain and what I would lose.....any recommendations would also be great.... Maybe just doing the pre-amp section instead?? I dont know never hot rodded any basses before.....

thanks

Im looking for that low end driven smooth bass sound...seems like the pickup I have now is trebly even when i turn the treble down and the bass up....
 
#3
+1

A Bartolini pickup would be the one I'd look at if I were trying to tame the brightness and get a smoother response from a Stingray. Be aware though, that you should keep hold of your original pickup. Stingrays sold with aftermarket pickups usually take a big hit price-wise.
 
#4
I'm one who swapped out the stock pickup in my SR5 for a Bart, and while it was good, the stock pickup is where it's at. The Bart really mellowed the sound out, giving the bass more low-mids I thought. I did like the single-coil mode on the Bart better than the stock pup... sounded more like a p-bass tone. Overall though, if you buy a StingRay, it's for a certain sound, IMO. Having owned one for a while, I find I can get all sorts of sounds with the EQ. EBMM does alot of R&D when it comes to tone, so their basses sound great out of the case, but it may not be for everyone.
 
#5
ive had mine since 1999 i used to love the sound.....and i love the bass...but im also pretty interested in the 1957 Reissue soun d of the p bass....i just like the more low end sound......maybe im just EQ-ing mine all wrong.....
 
#11
In my opinion (and this is only my opinion, so take it for what it's worth), if you swap out the MM pickup, you are losing the soul of the MM bass. Now the Barts and the SD pickups are great, quality electronics, but the MM pickup is the bass. It's the heart and soul of the Stingray.

Don't do it!
 
#12
DeanT said:
In my opinion (and this is only my opinion, so take it for what it's worth), if you swap out the MM pickup, you are losing the soul of the MM bass. Now the Barts and the SD pickups are great, quality electronics, but the MM pickup is the bass. It's the heart and soul of the Stingray.

Don't do it!
Click to expand...

Well put. I'd try a set of flatwounds on it before swapping out the pickup.I have a Sterling that I got specifically for that reason.I put a set of EB flats on it,and it's instant old school tone,but better.
 
#14
richkidsonlsd said:
Maybe just doing the pre-amp section instead??
Im looking for that low end driven smooth bass sound...seems like the pickup I have now is trebly even when i turn the treble down and the bass up....
Click to expand...


My opinion, it's the preamp. MM uses the same pickup between the 3eq and 2eq Stingrays, and you get two different sounds because of the preamp.

I have used the SD preamps before and I think it sounds good...still have one in my parts box for a future use.
But I think I'd really like to try the East MM preamp next time. John East says he really nailed the old 2eq tone with the mid knobs centered (it's supposed to actually turn the mid pot off).
 
#17
richkidsonlsd said:
yeah mine has 4 knobs...... 1 being the volume the others being i actually dont know what each of the other knobs are im bad with this stuff i just play with the all turned all the way up clockwise.....
Click to expand...

Try setting your first knob (volume) all the way up, but the other three centered (there should be a click in the center). With the active EQ jacked you risk overdrive your amp or effects pedals (if you like it clean). But hey, if it sounds good, do it! I've been known to keep the bass knob cranked on mine and it sounds fine.
 
#18
Caca de Kick said:
My opinion, it's the preamp. MM uses the same pickup between the 3eq and 2eq Stingrays, and you get two different sounds because of the preamp.

I have used the SD preamps before and I think it sounds good...still have one in my parts box for a future use.
But I think I'd really like to try the East MM preamp next time. John East says he really nailed the old 2eq tone with the mid knobs centered (it's supposed to actually turn the mid pot off).
Click to expand...

He's probably right. I swapped the MM pickup for a Bart MMC and it did not cure the tonal grief, go rid of the EBMM preamp and put in a NTMB Bart, the bass breathes now. It still has the Bart pickup which I like. The MM pickup would work too, but I haven't bothered to put it back.

FWIW, this is my general grief with G&Ls. when I had a L2500 it was the same grief, ... the bass sounded choked. Got rid of the G&L preamp, put in some single/paralell/H switches, a new Bart preamp and those pickups breathe....
 
#20
thank you.......i mean i was young and dumb when i bought all my gear....and just got back into a band in march....now im really aiming to toy around with my sound and experiment and try to find smooth rolling bass sounds and then add some effects pedals and such.....I just got a traynor Amp sponsorship and picked up the Traynor 800h tube pre/SS amp sounds way better than my GK 1001rb head.....


so thank you to everyone for your input i had no idea the difference that a flatwound string vs a regular EB slinky strings....
 

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