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That MM string ray sound, I why don't I like it?

#62
HeavyHand said:
Ok, Not trying to start a String Ray hate thread or anything like that, but I have recently been in the market for a new bass and have been out perusing guitar stores and have had the chance play a classic and modern String Ray couple of separate occasions. I was pumped because, I've never played one before. But, as it turns out I didn't really like the tone I was getting. I was boosting and cutting the bass, treble, and mids (in one case). And couldn't really get something I liked.

I was mostly okay with the E and A strings, but when I got up to the D and G, especially the G, I just felt like the tone was to treble-y or bright or...something? And the closest thing I got to liking the sound was pretty much rolling the treble the whole way off, but even then it was like it was too much still.
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You are not alone. I struggle over a couple of years with two EBMM (Stingray/Sterling) but i couldnt never figure out how to sound to my liking. I was always turning up/down controls and never happy with my sound. To me, these basses always sounds too much trebely, twangy, sizzling, fretty per saying. Only way of no achieving this sound was boosting bass and cutting treble/mids. But then you get a boomy, unclear sound. The only way i could make it sound to my like was with flats ( i tried a lot of strings (nickel, SS, brands etc) But, then i got restricted to use ONE kind of strings. Thats not nice. Those are not for everyone. To each their own. Some swear by them, and are nice, well crafted basses. Just no the sound to all. So as Jazz, Precisions etc etc etc.
 
#64
I really love the P , Jazz and Stingrays sound. They are perfect tones for different kind of things...There is only one tone my ear cannot learn to appreciate yet and is the sound of slap on a maple board active jazz that in some certain EQ gets way tooooooooo bright.
 
#65
steveinohio said:
I've played everything.
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#66
avvie said:
I love the Stingray tone but when I play it in my pop/soul band it seems just entirely too funky. Bootsy would be proud but I just can't get the funk under control with it. It worked with my rock band well though. Sounded ridiculous when I played a Grateful Dead set with it.
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I would have flipped my lid to see Phil play a Stingray.

It's not "his" sound. It may have happened in some alternate universe, such as when I play NFA on my 'Ray. I ain't Phil, very certain of that.
 
#75
HeavyHand said:
So, I was trying to figure out the tonal properties of the 'Ray, like apparently it is also very mid scooped according to other people here. I had no clue.
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Your basis of comparison is a P bass: probably a passive bass, with a single split coil pickup, mid location and wired in series. The location gives plenty of low end, the split coils are sampling a single point of string velocity on each string and the series wiring tends to make for strong midrange tone.

Stringray factors:

1) wide spaced humbucker with coils in parallel. Sampling string velocity in two places creates an additional series of nulls in the tone. Parallel combination tends to sound zingy, with a bit of emphasis on lows and highs and less mids.

2) rearward placement: moves the position nulls up in frequency and starts the low end roll off at a higher frequency and is more pronounced at any given low frequency.

3) active electronics: pickups are buffered and then run thru several bands of fixed frequency boost and cut rather than the passive, bleed off the highs to ground tone pot which produces a different effect.

Bear in mind: there are Stingrays and Sterlings with two pickups and five-way selector switches that have more pickup combinations and more forward pickup positions that have more low end response. Also, the Sterlings generally use series combinations so mids tend to be stronger.

However, if you really have no use for a bright, aggressive tone, you may have little use for a MusicMan bass compared to a passive P.

Otto
 
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#77
I feel the same way about the single pickup (H) stingray. I have three suggestions:

- Try a dual pickup (HH) model. Totally different sounding bass.
- Change your technique a bit. I have a heavy attack and it is awful on a stingray H.
- If possible try a two band model. Totally different sounding bass.

As stated previously, different strokes for different folks. We all do not gel with every bass out there. There are videos of players who get this incredible tone out of a stingray. Smooth, woody, perfect! I am not one of those players and I sympathize with what you are saying. I tried and moved on from single H stingrays.
 
#79
I recently got a Ray, and I only played one before for a short amount of time in a GC, so I was pretty close to a newb. Its a 3 band and it IS on the bright side. However, I love the tone and use it as another tool in my toolbox. I do also realize that I could put flats or grounds on it if I want warmer. Like any other bass in existence, its not for everyone.
 
#80
miles'tone said:
I sold my old 2-band Stingray years ago for pretty much the same reasons that the OP hasn't got on with them.
After seeing this vid by Ed Friedland, I instantly regretted that I sold it.
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I'd been through 2 Classics. Liked the look, and how they played, yet hated the tone. I was running bass/treble full up. Took a chance on another Classic, then saw this video. It is about where you set the treble/bass. Rolling completely off, then work up has given me a new appreciation.
 

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