Sometimes I go back to this channel's Stingray demos when I want to listen to SR goodness.
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Why We Love Stingrays
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
Sometimes I go back to this channel's Stingray demos when I want to listen to SR goodness.
See my earlier post....I've also had the love/hate thing going with my Stingray since I bought it in the mid 90's, for pretty much the same reason, the aggressive/metallic zing....which i think is more pronounced on the 3-bands like mine. For this reason my Stingray has spent many a year in its case. But with age comes wisdom(i hope) and ive learned how to make it work, it started with realizing how it sounds alone or in front of the amp, vs how it sounds within the context of the mix or recording. Broken-in Flatwounds or dead rounds really help and actually sound very good, im particularly fond of how broken-in Sunbeams really warm up the sound and tames the aggressive mids. Also no cab tweeter needed
I’ve always found the “zing” most people don’t like will disappear in a mix. What you’re left with is well-defined tone and note definition. And whenever it’s still too much, you can always turn down the treble knob and boost the lows a hair.
Currently have about 8x SBMM Rays (7x SUB w/ mods and 1x Ray24 w/ JE preamp- most will be sold soon, doing a large mod project video series) and then my keeper flock has about 11 USA EBMM, 6 of which are Rays ('17 Firemist Gold, '18-'19 Special in White, BFR Fretless, BFR April 2020 HH "Pinky", Old Smoothie, and my SR Classic. The "other 5" are a Cutlass, 2x Sabre Classics, a Sterling, and a Bongo BFR Sept 2020).
I like Stingrays
"Sell me your cheeldren " lol
Dibs on the fretless bfr 4 if you decide to sell .
I had a Sterling for a while with the ceramic pups. It wasn't my cup of tea. I much prefered the Stingray alnico's.
Yes, flats would be great! I loved Bernard Edwards and his Stingray wasn't zingy at all.See my earlier post....I've also had the love/hate thing going with my Stingray since I bought it in the mid 90's, for pretty much the same reason, the aggressive/metallic zing....which i think is more pronounced on the 3-bands like mine. For this reason my Stingray has spent many a year in its case. But with age comes wisdom(i hope) and ive learned how to make it work, it started with realizing how it sounds alone or in front of the amp, vs how it sounds within the context of the mix or recording. Broken-in Flatwounds or dead rounds really help and actually sound very good, im particularly fond of how broken-in Sunbeams really warm up the sound and tames the aggressive mids. Also no cab tweeter needed
Yikes my memory's shot---I realized ago I did own a Stingray classic 4 string, bought unseen and sold it right away as it was too heavy and the neck wasn't comfortable for me. I wanted the alnico tone but haven't really searched for it again since. Plus I'm really happy with how my SR5 sounds through the Genzler!Then again, I have been GASing for another Stingray again
It's ok. I've probably forgotten half the gear I've owned. It comes with age..
Then again, I have been GASing for another Stingray again
Live and in a loud club/dense mix is where I notice all of the details, otherwise yeah, I always sound like me as well.
The Stingray is in that Holy Pantheon of instantly-recognizable bass tones, ala the Pbass.
Seems like the ultra bright treble response was designed for the amps of the time, and personally I HATED how mine sounded with my GK/Hartke rig but fell in live with it once I got an Ampeg setup.
17.5MM really bothers me when playing live or I’d still have it.
The 2-Band Classic I had/dumped, trying to get back into the Ray thing, was on my Mt Rushmore of perfect bass tones.
I’m a card carrying PJ fanboy who loves the tone of a Stingray, in particular Bernard Edwards. I’m a man with no country.
Thats a good insight and an angle I hadn't thought of. I dont like mine with a GK either, it pairs better with my Mesa.
What made it click with me was a Bassplayer article about Steve Miller's bassplayer, who used switched to a Stingray, and the comment I remember was (paraphrasing) 'I could finally hear the difference between G and F#'.
Something like that.
I try to keep that in mind when evaluating gear. How older designs that became standards of tone/design were initially there to solve real-world gigging/recording problems of the time.
1st Gen PBasses with flats and a mute are a good example: allowing upright players to have a more portable option that still sounded a bit like an upright. I've played 52' Pbas, with mutes/flats/through a B15, and to my ears it sounded like a very loud, amplified gut-strung upright bass.
I wasn't there for it (39 years young) but I've heard from my older bass brethren that the Stingray Bass was an absolute revelation, as far as the typical basses that one could get their hands on at the time.
That it still gets so much use/praise is a testament to it's original concept.
In for the John Belushi's in 'Blues Brothers' trying to embarrass his friend into rejoining the band references.
I always loved Bernard, Louis, and Paul S Denman in a StingRay. Couldn’t find a Stingray that was right for me. These 2 you tubers convinced me to give it one more try. So glad I did.
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Both Sterling and Stingray are budget models, but they sure give me the tone I want. The Sterling is a USA SUB from 2004 and my SBMM Stingray 5 is from this year.
If it feels good sounds great and plays well cost doesn’t matter.
You have a nice set of basses!!
I know the SBMM SR5 sounds huge in the mix when I hear the playback and my amp is not even mic’ed. The Sterling has great tone also and it is incredibly easy to play.
Recorded this with my 95 4string/3band Stingray...SD Basslines pickup and Pre-amp were put in many years ago.
It recorded great and I was very happy with the result
It recorded great and I was very happy with the result
