Why so many Old Smoothie's used for sale and is the Butterscotch ugly?

#41
I sold mine.

When test-running it in the shop, I was overwhelmed with the play-ability, looks and ultra-smooth (duh..) sound.
It was not long that the ultra-smooth sound became a bit annoying, especially in a band-mix.
The Old-Smoothie in my opinion is lacking character. I had the same with the Reflex - too bland.

The bass is not too blame -. It is a beautiful well crafted great sounding bass, just not my cup of Musicman tea.
 
#42
Jim C said:
I have an 83' (that was $200 used in 86) and a 96' that was also a deal.
I have used both over the years espeically with some funk and slap and pop.
I have gone back to a more traditional rock / R&B tone and the SR's have sat as they always felt like a one trick pony compared to a P or J.

Ironically, I was thinking about selling them both.
Can't believe I never thought to try flats on these treble monsters.
Thanks for the tip.
PS - I don't hear that much of a change in tone the mix from 2-band to 3-band.
Click to expand...


With the right set of flats these basses go from zing machines to thump monsters. Even with the flats I still roll the treble almost completely off. On my Classic 2 Band I have GHS Precision Flats and it is old school thump city. On my 3 band I either use TI’s or LaBella 760fl’s and I have a smooth as silk rock groove moister. Once again, treble almost off.

Once I realized that those knobs moved and I didn’t have to set each Bass the same it became a very versatile instrument and not a one trick pony.
 
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#44
armybass said:
On my Classic 2 Band I have GHS Precision Flats and it is old school thump city.

Once I realized that those knobs moved and I didn’t have to set each Bass the same it became a very versatile instrument and not a one trick pony.
Click to expand...

I have heard it said that Stingrays shipped with GHS flats until early 78 - as a die hard Bernard Edwards fan I keep meaning to put some on my Classic - have you tried the mutes as well Armybass? I recorded a couple of tracks with mine rolled on - increases the thump a lot - especially on muted notes.

Agreed on the tone controls!! The other big tone changer is altering the plucking hand position or intensity - an oft used phrase but it really can be majorly in the fingers on a Stingray.
 
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#45
armybass said:
On my Classic 2 Band I have GHS Precision Flats and it is old school thump city.

Once I realized that those knobs moved and I didn’t have to set each Bass the same it became a very versatile instrument and not a one trick pony.
Click to expand...

I have heard it said that Stingrays shipped with GHS flats until early 78 - as a die hard Bernard Edwards fan I keep meaning to put some on my Classic - have you tried the mutes as well Armybass? I recorded a couple of tracks with mine rolled on - increases the thump a lot - especially on muted notes.

Agreed on the tone controls!! The other big tone changer is altering the plucking hand position or intensity - an oft used phrase but it really can be majorly in the fingers on a Stingray.
 
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#47
FirewalZ said:
I have the same story, bought a 3 band Stingray in 1996 and it was my main bass for about 10 years. Took a long break from playing, and when I started back up again, I to lost favor with the aggressive and bright tone, so it rarely got stage time. However, I've been experimenting with flats, and so far really digging it. I have a set of Group III's on order.
Click to expand...
I find the EB original flats and Roto RS77s shine on Rays...currently quite like the Fender flats on my bongo and have LaBellas on my 3band Ray
The Rotos always seemed best on my 2band USA SUB
 
#48
I would love an Old Smoothie as well as a Cutlass...but I want both in a modern musician package...12 radius, compensated nut ..
Or...give me that Smoothie PU/Pre package in 4H bongo...even with dummy knobs , just let it be...
 
#49
I haven't been that interested in an Old Smoothie mostly because I'm very happy with my two BFRs. The only other StingRays I'm really itching to get are a Dargie Delight (with the martini glass inlays) and a Starry Night.
 
#51
armybass said:
With the right set of flats these basses go from zing machines to thump monsters. Even with the flats I still roll the treble almost completely off. On my Classic 2 Band I have GHS Precision Flats and it is old school thump city. On my 3 band I either use TI’s or LaBella 760fl’s and I have a smooth as silk rock groove moister. Once again, treble almost off.

Once I realized that those knobs moved and I didn’t have to set each Bass the same it became a very versatile instrument and not a one trick pony.
Click to expand...

I think the tone knobs is sometimes misunderstood on these basses.
When I first got mine, I had the treble and volume full up and tried to make changes at the amp which wasn't that great a sound (for me).
+1 about treble roll off.

Here's something to try:
Take a normal Fender bass, set the amp the way you like it and without playing, push the strings towards the body right before they touch the pup. The cone will move some.
Now do the same thing with a SR. With the bass pot up and the amp adjusted for the same tone, the speaker cone will move much farther. The bass EQ offers some serious low end and must have a lowish center freq.

I'm sure you all have heard this before but a fellow board member John K worked with or for Leo. He said the SR is so bright because Leo had started to loose some high frequencies in his hearing (like 90% of us geezers) and voiced it brighter so it seemed good to him.
Not because he wanted to create the first bass that would cut glass.
Or something like that.
 
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#52
The pickup size was something I pondered when I first saw these; I'm def. a pickup anchor type, playing on the E string would take some adjustment for me (wish I could bend my R thumb like Jaco). I am intrigued by the flats on a Ray premise, mine's been sitting in the corner for a decade (OK, used it a coupla times a few years ago), as it's just too sizzly/hot for my tastes now. I love to cycle through my basses, Ima gonna slap my GHS flats on her and see how it sounds...have a feeling I'm gonna like. These flats still have some sheen to them, I'm surprised as I did have them on a P for a couple years, it got some play...let's see what happens.
MJ
 
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