+1 that Mr. Lesh appears to be playing a G&L in that pic, judging mostly by the bridge. As for the StingRay itself, it's either your bag or it isn't. When I bought mine, (recently!) it was strung with roundwound nickel hex-cores. When I told the sales rep I wanted a set of DR Marcus Millers for it, he seemed perplexed. To me it was defeating the purpose of the bass to put dull, thuddy strings on it. Especially since it has a maple neck. But that's also because I knew I'd have to set it up, as the action was way too low. Flatwounds would have masked this, making the next set of rounds sound buzzy. IMHO, it's better to use the EQ to cut a bright tone, and roll off what you don't need to hear, than to try to boost since you end up with a noisier signal. As the strings age, there will be less clank and more thud. Speaking of thud, and flatwounds in general: I had flats for quite some time on my Precision, which I traded in for the StingRay. After putting FatBeams on the P, it still didn't cut through the mix enough for me. I love the P-bass, and always will, but it does not have as wide a range of expression as the StingRay. The pickup location gives a great, punchy sound when plucked or picked, but it tends to work against you when slapping for various reasons. Now, if I want a dull thud, I can start with a bright sound and roll it off until it sits in the mix just right.
I think it's worth mentioning here that the amplifier/cabinet used has a lot to do with whether the sound will be either musical, or musically objectionable. In my case, it's an Eden WTX-264 with either a 12", a 15" or 2x10" cabinet. (Or all three at once if I want to piss off the drummer!) Those objecting to the sound of the D and G strings being too bright (i.e. the OP) may also wish to consider adjusting the pickup height, as this can make a world of difference.
Ernie Ball has a new set of flatwounds, and they appear to have a more tailored sound. Those will likely be my next set, but I'm unsure if I'll use them on my StingRay or my JellyFish. (sic) OLP.
EDITED TO ADD: It sounds like the OP is trying for what I would call a middle-of-the-road sound, which to me is a P bass with nickel, hex-core roundwounds. The DR FatBeams (stainless steel round-cores) worked for me, but the bass didn't after a while.
If you wish to understand the tone Scott is getting, try putting flatwounds on your Precision, and playing along to any pre-1975 LP--you'll hear it right away. No string whistles, smooth glissandi, a low fundamental which sits in the mix nicely, and enough midrange to be heard on a transistor radio. You could "tame" the StingRay sound with muffles, &c, but if the Precision is your bag, as suggested earlier, maybe DR Hi-Beams, or nickel hex-cores, with the tone control set to 7 will suffice.
All About Bass Strings | Bass Gear | StudyBass
Here, Scott Devine mentions that he uses his '59 reissue P-bass with the tone control rolled off completely:
Invalid Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed
The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Everything About Bass Guitar Strings
Season to taste:
How to Boil Guitar Strings for Better Sound - Get-Tuned.com
I think it's worth mentioning here that the amplifier/cabinet used has a lot to do with whether the sound will be either musical, or musically objectionable. In my case, it's an Eden WTX-264 with either a 12", a 15" or 2x10" cabinet. (Or all three at once if I want to piss off the drummer!) Those objecting to the sound of the D and G strings being too bright (i.e. the OP) may also wish to consider adjusting the pickup height, as this can make a world of difference.
Ernie Ball has a new set of flatwounds, and they appear to have a more tailored sound. Those will likely be my next set, but I'm unsure if I'll use them on my StingRay or my JellyFish. (sic) OLP.
EDITED TO ADD: It sounds like the OP is trying for what I would call a middle-of-the-road sound, which to me is a P bass with nickel, hex-core roundwounds. The DR FatBeams (stainless steel round-cores) worked for me, but the bass didn't after a while.
If you wish to understand the tone Scott is getting, try putting flatwounds on your Precision, and playing along to any pre-1975 LP--you'll hear it right away. No string whistles, smooth glissandi, a low fundamental which sits in the mix nicely, and enough midrange to be heard on a transistor radio. You could "tame" the StingRay sound with muffles, &c, but if the Precision is your bag, as suggested earlier, maybe DR Hi-Beams, or nickel hex-cores, with the tone control set to 7 will suffice.
All About Bass Strings | Bass Gear | StudyBass
Here, Scott Devine mentions that he uses his '59 reissue P-bass with the tone control rolled off completely:
Invalid Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed
The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Everything About Bass Guitar Strings
Season to taste:
How to Boil Guitar Strings for Better Sound - Get-Tuned.com
Last edited:
