Which of These Stingrays Would You Recommend?

Which Stingray would you recommend?

  • Old Smoothie

    Votes: 36 25.5%

  • Stingray Special 4HH

    Votes: 60 42.6%

  • Tim Commerford Passive Long Scale

    Votes: 21 14.9%

  • I hate Stingrays

    Votes: 6 4.3%

  • Carrots

    Votes: 18 12.8%
  • Total voters
    141
Roger W

Roger W

Supporting Member
Jul 10, 2019
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Baltimore USA
#1
Seems I'm going to have to make a lifestyle change. The good news is that, in addition to potential health benefits, I'll be saving up to $300/month. Maybe a bit less, maybe a bit more. Doesn't take an arithmetical genius to figure out that's in the neighborhood of $3000/year. Which brings us to which Stingray would you recommend? I really like my Sterling Ray34 HH, but why not step up? The choices, in order of expense, are an Old Smoothie, a Stingray Special 4HH in Raspberry Burst, or the new Tim Commerford long scale passive model. The reason I chose the Raspberry Burst from all the Stingray Specials available is it's one of the least objectional colors to me and the ebony fretboard.

I know some of you hate Stingrays, but I already have a great Jazz and it was hard enough to find that one.
 
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#3
lowdownthump said:
I would go with Special or Old Smoothie or Classic. Whatever you get I would suggest just getting the single H pickup . Like you said ….. you already have a good Jazz.
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Thanks! The Ol' Smoothie matches my esthetic - essentially 1951 Telecaster. But I like the neck heel on the Specials. And the Classics seem hard to find right now. Perhaps I'm looking in the wrong places.
 
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#4
Although you’ll notice a step up in quality with the Stingray Special 4HH over the Ray 34 HH, the Ray 34 will cover the same sort of tones as the Special.

In which case you may find the others interesting. I voted TC passive long scale but you’ll find the others equally interesting.

The 4HH Special is definitely the most versatile (and the bridge H gives you the normal Stingray sound).

You may wish to consider also a Stingray Classic which you may find used (possibly more frequently than an Old Smoothie).
 
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#6
I voted "Carrots", but I always vote the straight Carrots ticket, anyway...;) That aside; personally, I'd have to say "Stingray Special 4HH". I've wanted a 4HH since they were first made; problem was, I'm a lefty - and they never were. Until last year. 10 minutes after I heard they were making lefty 4 HHs, I was on the phone to the factory, ordering one. And... oooh, is it ever nice.:thumbsup::thumbsup: The Stingray H has pretty much always been available, if I wanted one; but... most of the things it's really good at, I have no use for. And, those things that I do have a use for? I have basses that do those things just as well - or better... As for the other EBMM basses that people have mentioned? There are no leftys; and I don't remember ever even seeing right handed ones. So, I can't really comment on them...:whistle:
 
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#7
GIBrat51 said:
I voted "Carrots", but I always vote the straight Carrots ticket, anyway...;) That aside; personally, I'd have to say "Stingray Special 4HH". I've wanted a 4HH since they were first made; problem was, I'm a lefty - and they never were. Until last year. 10 minutes after I heard they were making lefty 4 HHs, I was on the phone to the factory, ordering one. And... oooh, is it ever nice.:thumbsup::thumbsup: The Stingray H has pretty much always been available, if I wanted one; but... most of the things it's really good at, I have no use for. And, those things that I do have a use for? I have basses that do those things just as well - or better... As for the other EBMM basses that people have mentioned? There are no leftys; and I don't remember ever even seeing right handed ones. So, I can't really comment on them...:whistle:
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On my Ray34 HH I like switch positions 1, 3, and 5. No real use for 2 and 4. It's great that they finally built something for the left-handed market. I'm a rightie, but both my father and my mother-in-law were lefties.

drTSTingray said:
Although you’ll notice a step up in quality with the Stingray Special 4HH over the Ray 34 HH, the Ray 34 will cover the same sort of tones as the Special.

In which case you may find the others interesting. I voted TC passive long scale but you’ll find the others equally interesting.

The 4HH Special is definitely the most versatile (and the bridge H gives you the normal Stingray sound).

You may wish to consider also a Stingray Classic which you may find used (possibly more frequently than an Old Smoothie).
Click to expand...

Actually there's an Ol' Smoothie available at Wildwood Guitars for less than a Special HH, but no Classics. I'm extremely tempted by the TC.

Briton said:
Pre EB or Classic, it's weird that both of them are not in the poll, so it's carrots for me !
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Yeah, the pre-EBs are going for $4000 and up on Reverb. too rich for me. Haven't seen a Classic for sale anywhere.
 
#8
If you actually use the neckside H, an HH makes sense.

I voted passive because the only active-pre basses I actually have a measurable amount of want for are Wal, A-C, and in a distant third Sadowsky.


Roger W said:
lifestyle change. The good news is that, in addition to potential health benefits, I'll be saving up to $300/month.
Click to expand...
quitting cigarettes or cars?
 
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#10
HH is a happy place for all. Active, the preamp is a big part of the thingy. Go get it. The Smoothie might not be what you’re expecting, listen to some demos or go play one. They have a more traditional tone, less of a Ray tone. But still very nice basses.
 
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#11
They make great basses, no doubt, but this is the only one I can see myself playing.
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#13
I have an HH Special. I really like the neck pickup, it a monster of a sound, it's so deep. Everything great on it, except I have trouble slapping and popping because of where the neck pickup is. But the bass itself is a tone monster.
 
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#16
Roger W said:
Seems I'm going to have to make a lifestyle change. The good news is that, in addition to potential health benefits, I'll be saving up to $300/month. Maybe a bit less, maybe a bit more. Doesn't take an arithmetical genius to figure out that's in the neighborhood of $3000/year. Which brings us to which Stingray would you recommend? I really like my Sterling Ray34 HH, but why not step up? The choices, in order of expense, are an Old Smoothie, a Stingray Special 4HH in Raspberry Burst, or the new Tim Commerford long scale passive model. The reason I chose the Raspberry Burst from all the Stingray Specials available is it's one of the least objectional colors to me and the ebony fretboard.

I know some of you hate Stingrays, but I already have a great Jazz and it was hard enough to find that one.
Click to expand...
I'd pick the raspberry HH special if I were "you." If it were me buying it, for me, I'd get the stingray.
 
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