Fx using Sting Ray bass

[dheangel]

Hi,
I recently bought a Sting Ray (great bass!). When i plug it into my fxs it sounds really bad. Now i´m selling my entire set (Fuzz Factory, Boss LS2, Boss OC2, envelope filter, etc.) becuse i need a smaller set. My question is about how is the response of EHX Nano Bass Balls with my new bass and what fuzz pedal you can recomend to me?

 

[aledeville]

I've found that the Stingray is a bit of a problem child when using effects. However, the Darkglass distortion is exactly what it needs - so there's your easy solution

 

[blizward]

Active electronics in general can be problematic in my experience. There should must be an impedence matching device somewhere to solve the problem. Never cared to look for it since I only use passive electronics for this reason.
EHX pedals such as the Bass Balls have trim'pots inside that you should set to have the pedal make its best of active electronics methinks.
Fuzz Factory being germanium based, I think it diesn't like buffers at all. Something in the Big Muff family should be better. The FF is a bit of an oddball in that respect. Most modern made fuzzes should play well with any bass.
Just try it before!

 

[Blaargh]

Germanium fuzzes don't get on with active pickups. I use a Bass Big Muff Deluxe and it works fine- it even has a -10db switch for use with actives.

You could try dialling back the volume controls on your bass, or I think buffered pedals should help. As far as I remember, all Boss pedals are buffered, stick a TU-3 first in your signal chain?

 

[Dave W]

I have no issues running a Stingray and effects.

 

[beaglesandbass]

I know next to nothing about effects so this is merely just a guess, but would having a compressor first in your effects line help with this?

 

[bassbrad]

I had an amazing early EB MM Sting Ray bass for many years that was my small group of number 2 basses and the only reason it is gone is that it always had too many issues with my effects and the rest of my rig when switching.

 

[nshuman]

Pretty sure quite a few people on here use Rays with effects. Let's see if we can get some to comment.

 

[BartmanPDX]

I've used a Stingray with my board but I have to turn down the volume a bit or I'll engage the Micro Boost (clean boost) and set it at less than unity because the 'ray has a hot output.

You just need to back off the volume a bit or use a pedal that cuts the output in front of everything.

 

[Adamixoye]

I use a Stingray and don't really have any problems, but I do need to keep an eye on the levels. Darkglass is indeed a great match with it, but I run it at the end of the chain, so it doesn't really effect things in the middle.

 

[two fingers]

Maybe look up what Tony Levin used with Peter Gabriel all those years? His tone was always heavy with effects using a Ray.

 

[jwr]

Had the same issue with my Stingrays. Roll the volume back a bit and that out to help. You're probably slamming them with too much power. Also try tweaking your settings with the ones you have.

The Baseballs works fine with actives. Fuzz. Well there are a metric crap ton but not all hold character with actives.

My favs are

TAFM
VAULT
Depth Charge
Duality
Lone Wolf Ocatve Extreme
Bumble Fuzz
Buzzz

There are others but those are the ones I dig the most.

 

[Adamixoye]

FWIW I like to run my SR at full overall volume, but flat (center detent) on the 3 EQ bands.

 

[blindrabbit]

I played my SR5 for over a couple of decades without any issues.

That said, it has been discussed in another thread how the 3-band preamp in the 'Ray can mess with octavers.

 

[john_g]

I just got a Stingray too and it, and my other active basses like my G&L or Spector, dont play well with my effects either. My Ric or Jazz sounds great with just about anything though. I just assumed it was because of the active electronics and it being much hotter than a passive bass.

 

[spaz21387]

I use a stingray with effects often. Ill agree that with anything darkglass its amazing. The ray also likes rats and my bridge city sound beard fuzz. I didnt really like any big muffs with it though.

 

[Soonerbldr]

i run a B: Assmaster with my SR5 and it is a beast.

 

[Veldar]

I use a bongo 6 string as my main/only bass and I'm an effects lover.

It just comes down to dialling in what works with that bass in particular, as an effects user I already know that a huge tonal shift bass wise (e.g. Stringray to a music passive P for example) would change how everything sounded, it's just a matter of trying out different effects to see what sounds good and what doesn't with each instrument.

 

[mpdd]

With the beastly G&L L2k:
Rat tail
Dark driving
Mini moog delay

 

[Alien8]

Stingray lover. Effects lover.

Yes they need to be massaged to be truly happy together. Fuzz pedals benefit from pickup simulators (like a ball / buffer buster).

Other effects like auto filters and octavers need good technique to nail exactly what you want, and a compressor can help this a bit.

For octaver a specifically I found I had to mod my EBMM to lower the high pass filter frequency. You may be fine with a COG T16 without mods tho... It seems to vary from bass to bass.

A good setup and attention to the preamp as you play helps a but too. These are really just details tho, find effects you like first, then try to make them play nice. Effects with adjustable sensitivities help, as does volume control - like others have said.