Which records more easily: Precision or Stingray?

[dukeorock]

now that i think about it, i had really good luck with my gibson grabber back in the 90s

I’ve had a few artists/clients prefer my old Grabber before. They can be awesome in the studio!

 

[dukeorock]

Not to open up a can of worms, aren't most recording engineers more receptive to flatwound strings in general (due to having less overtones) and less partial to the actual bass brand/model? That's what I've read somewhere anyway.

Engineers are a pretty diverse group too. Not sure you could generalize like that or not. Though for a lot of rootsy stuff (old country, blues, etc), I’d probably grab a bass strung with flats first as a hunch

 

[EatS1stBassist]

I started thinking about this the other day when my teacher mentioned a country/rock artist for which he recently did session work. My teacher is a Lakland endorser, and LOVES his 44-60, but seems to be using his Precision often in the studio. This got me thinking about Leo Fender’s other single humbucker creation, the Stingray. I want to hear from guys with serious studio time about which is easier to get a good tone out of for recording and why.

Hands down a Precision!!

 

[SunnBass]

No. The answer to the original post is: no.

 

[EatS1stBassist]

That sounds like you think there's only one kind of "good tone". There are lots of different great electric bass guitar tones on classic records. If what you're after is, say, good Rickenbacker tone, then using a Fender won't do you any good. As for "easy", seriously, who cares? What matters is the end result. If a recording engineer suggests that I switch from a Rickenbacker to a Precision because he doesn't know how to record a Ric well, I'd rather switch to a better engineer.

With regard specifically to the difference between a Precision and a Stingray (and a G&L L1000, another Leo-designed single-humbucker bass), I doubt it makes much difference. They're in the same ballpark. Your choice of amplifier would probably be more significant.

I disagree having owned all of those basses and more than one model of each. They all sound different.

 

[Craig4003]

Do you do sessions? Because I’m not aware of a plugin that makes any bass sound like any other bass with a few clicks, nor do I think I’d want to!

I agree.

I don’t feel as argumentative as you seem to think, from what I’m reading. Texts do get easily misinterpreted, so apologies if I’m coming off as combative. Just think it’s fun to look at from different angles. My first response to the OP was that I happen to think P’s and MM’s both record quite well and there’s plenty of evidence for both. BUT, I don’t think mentioning a diverse sample set of bassists all using a P is beside the point, or not my point, anyway! I think the bassist has a greater impact on the tone than the bass itself. thats what I’m saying.

No, you don't seem combative to me. It's all good. And I totally agree that the Precision is a great choice for many sessions. I just don't think "easy to record" is really the issue -- it's more that it's familiar and it has the kind of tone that many producers want in their recordings.

 

[Craig4003]

I disagree having owned all of those basses and more than one model of each. They all sound different.

Sure, but don't you think you could get a Stingray into Precision territory with suitable EQ? Not an exact match, but 80-90% of the way there, close enough that most radio listeners wouldn't notice the difference? They certainly are more similar to each other than either is to, say, a Gibson EB-3.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

Precisions always sound good. It is the safe bet to bring a P.

 

[DavC]

my only StingRay was back in the late 70's ... i did some recording with it .... with no complaints ...

i think it comes down to which tone fits the job better .. ?! since the pickup placement is in a different spot , that can't be helped ... that said , the P would usually start out with more lows , .. a phatter tone without much fuss ... but the StingRay might have a clearer attack ... a broad generalization

which is easier .? might reflect on the sound recording engineer's preference , experience with each , studio gear , etc ... after about 35 years of recording myself , i still rarely get the sound/tone i hear in my head .. !! regardless of the bass ... and there have been quite a few , probably 90% of them with the 2 pup setup .

here's a track using my strangest pickup configuration ... Warrior Sig ..

me playing all the parts ... Merry Christmas

 

[NOVAX]

Hey Cheese man. Precision -
It's like good strong coffee with fresh cold half and half and a few spoons of C and H !! Sweeten to taste.

 

[JGbassman]

Hahahaha!!! - yeah, good luck with that...

That's a nice thought if you are paying the bill, but if you are doing a session gig speed and accuracy are money. If an engineer can dial in a sound quickly with one bass it will trump one an engineer has to fiddle with. I've also done sessions where you will show up and they will hand you a bass they want you to record with. If I'm being paid, I just smile and grab the bass.

 

[FugaziBomb]

Generic...lol! That's the word of people who are pissed that their favorite gear isn't the most popular.

I think a P Bass is generic sounding, but in a good way. As in: if you want a great sounding generic bass tone, a P Bass is a great place to start. Jazz Bass, Stingrays, Ricenbackers, PJs, etc seem to be more popular among players looking for a niche sound.

 

[Frampton]

I don’t know the answer, or even if there is an answer, but engineers seem to love that p-bass.

 

[twinjet]

my only StingRay was back in the late 70's ... i did some recording with it .... with no complaints ...

i think it comes down to which tone fits the job better .. ?! since the pickup placement is in a different spot , that can't be helped ... that said , the P would usually start out with more lows , .. a phatter tone without much fuss ... but the StingRay might have a clearer attack ... a broad generalization

which is easier .? might reflect on the sound recording engineer's preference , experience with each , studio gear , etc ... after about 35 years of recording myself , i still rarely get the sound/tone i hear in my head .. !! regardless of the bass ... and there have been quite a few , probably 90% of them with the 2 pup setup .

here's a track using my strangest pickup configuration ... Warrior Sig ..

me playing all the parts ... Merry Christmas

View attachment 2853257

That was spectacular. Thanks and Merry Christmas.

 

[bass71]

You can't create what isn't there in the first place..and as an above poster rightly said the low mid from a P is packed with information that can then if required be happily removed.

 

[TonyP-]

This is a very good topic actually.

I cannot comment directly to what the OP mentions.

I will say that at one time I started recording a lot more that I did not like the sound of Stingray in recording as compared to Jazz bass...It kind of killed the Stingray phase I went through.

I didn't keep a single one, yet I still like them...To my ear I did like them in a mix live.

Note: This is just my personal preference only.

 

[Teijo K.]

I disagree having owned all of those basses and more than one model of each. They all sound different.

Wasn't that the point? That they all sound different? I thought that was the point there.

 

[Teijo K.]

As a recording engineer, I would say they both work. At least if it is a digital studio, its lazy to demand that all the bassist must sound the same.

 

[mesaplayer83]

That's a nice thought if you are paying the bill, but if you are doing a session gig speed and accuracy are money. If an engineer can dial in a sound quickly with one bass it will trump one an engineer has to fiddle with. I've also done sessions where you will show up and they will hand you a bass they want you to record with. If I'm being paid, I just smile and grab the bass.

I totally agree - and even if *you* are paying the bill, I can't imagine your band mates, producer, etc... will be OK with the added time wasted and expense of replacing the engineer - and as if it were just that simple, anyways...

 

[Slevage]

It ain’t the instrument!