What do you guys think about this bass?

[woodyng]

I had one of the first year Stingrays,and really loved the sounds i was able to get with it.it was black with a maple fretboard,and i thought it was the ugliest bass i ever bought. It was a pawn shop special for $200 that needed a refret,and i sold it after about 6 monthes for a $1000. This was right around the time this new hot bassist named Flea appeared on the scene....
JOHN-that 'ray is awesomely gorgeous.

[weemac]

I have a MM Sub which is a Stingray in plain dress. I have not had it long and am getting used to it. Apart from a different fundemental sound to a Rickenbacker they also respond very differently to the Rickenbacker when you pick in different in positions.
I know most folks use stingrays for violent playing but they really respond to being caressed as well.
And as JB said there is so much scope lurking in that EQ too...
After playing it for a while I still sound like me....

emac.

[rickenbrother]

It's very nice. I'm sure you'd get great tone and playability. If you get one, get it with an unlined fingerboard!

[wints]

I could possibly be of some help on this one Tony...





What can I say? Huge tone across the board (no pun intended!) from this 1980 FL. Everyone seems to love the early PreEB pre amp/EQ set up, and coupled with the ebony board make for one very impressive fretless. This is practically the closest one will get to the Pino tone from a hardware perspective, but then his fingers have something to do with that as well...
The "feel" for FL tone is subjective, but that's what makes Pino's playing sound special, and very different to the video's JB posted.

The neck is quite thin as well, which was a real nice surprise when I bought it unseen. I was expecting something Fender like, but it comes in between a Ric and a standard Fender. The description of a fat Jazz by Jaymi is pretty close. It's easy to get around on...

I can't comment on later MM basses, but this bass has that classic combination of features that really do shine in a fretless. I only need a nice early Wal fretless now to complete the picture...

[iiipopes]

Yes, I agree. To my ears, the pre-EB active preamp is a better preamp for these basses. I think Cassius987 transplanted one into one of his FL's as well.

[sloop_john_b]

Wints - WOW. That is amazing. I am one of those idiots who needs lines on a fretless but I would make an exception for that one!!

[rickenbrother]

I can't comment on later MM basses

I can. My StingRay5 is a great bass. Was my main 5 string until I finally got a 5 string Rick. I'm sure the 4 string StingRay is equally as good.
If there were no such thing as Rickenbacker basses, my main players would most likely be StingRay's. The Sterling is not for me with the J-bass profile neck. The Bongo sounds and plays really nice, but I just can't get into that shape. Never tried a Big Al, which I'm still on the fence about as far as looks go.

[sloop_john_b]

Never tried a Big Al, which I'm still on the fence about as far as looks go.

I love the look of the Big Al and I was fully convinced I was gonna buy one, until I tried out a few. There are just too many switching/pickup options and the pickups just didn't sound all that inspiring. I'll keep my one-pickup/two band Stingray thankyouverymuch!

[ajish4]

I moved the thread for you Tony.

My 2 cents..............it's not a Rick.

LOL, thanks B....See what happens when you take your glasses off!?!?

I'm considering myself lucky I didn't delete it while trying to post it!

SO much to comment on, thanks everyone!

This is more of a fact finding mission with hopes of getting something next year.

My problem is I can't try one locally. Stuart really is a no man's land for bass guitars. Guitar shops a plenty (and STRICTLY guitar shops ) but really nothing for us lowly bassists. Bass Central is a GOOD 2.5 hour ride, Tampa 3 hour plus. Just nothing here locally. Times like this I really miss NY.

I keep hearing the Sabre was a great bass, I too have heard the pre EB basses were the ones to get. I'm NOT thrilled by the aesthetics of the Big Al/Bongo bass either. I need something more "traditional". I also don't like the lined neck. Wints, THAT bass looks SMOKIN! Thanks too JB for your post. I really appreciate it.

I NEED a fretless that is DEAD QUIET. I can't have that single coil 60 cycle hum. Or at least, as quiet as possible. Even a nice HB or a bass with a preamp. I NEED that tone to cut through the mix of my regular Sunday playing of 20 or so other musicians while not being obnoxiously loud. While I love older basses, I'm considering this, or a new 4004cii and converting it. I mean, we're talking Piano, vocal and bass trio kind of stuff. Special ballad songs, slow and low...but at a volume that can fill a 2900 seat church. LOL, THEN I have to work on my playing ability for sure. This is new ground for me.

Some other suggestions are a Warwick (but I heard they have huge necks), Spector of which I know NOTHING about....and then there are these EB basses.

We're on the Christmas crunch now, so this is something hopefully that will come to fruition next year.

Keep it comin' guys, I really appreciate it!

[weemac]

It's very nice. I'm sure you'd get great tone and playability. If you get one, get it with an unlined fingerboard!

They look far better without the lines but I'd need them there for reference....

Eden.

[wints]

Wints - WOW. That is amazing. I am one of those idiots who needs lines on a fretless but I would make an exception for that one!!

I struggle too JB. On the Stingray the dots are where the frets would be, where on my Ric there are in the middle. Switching from one to the other requires adjustment and I don't play FL enough at present to make a case on either! At one point a few years ago, I was going to go completely to fretless, but the RM1999, '68 4001 and a '64 Jazz made short work of that idea!

[jaymi]

I moved the thread for you Tony.

My 2 cents..............it's not a Rick.

LOL, thanks B....See what happens when you take your glasses off!?!?

I'm considering myself lucky I didn't delete it while trying to post it!

SO much to comment on, thanks everyone!

This is more of a fact finding mission with hopes of getting something next year.

My problem is I can't try one locally. Stuart really is a no man's land for bass guitars. Guitar shops a plenty (and STRICTLY guitar shops ) but really nothing for us lowly bassists. Bass Central is a GOOD 2.5 hour ride, Tampa 3 hour plus. Just nothing here locally. Times like this I really miss NY.

I keep hearing the Sabre was a great bass, I too have heard the pre EB basses were the ones to get. I'm NOT thrilled by the aesthetics of the Big Al/Bongo bass either. I need something more "traditional". I also don't like the lined neck. Wints, THAT bass looks SMOKIN! Thanks too JB for your post. I really appreciate it.

I NEED a fretless that is DEAD QUIET. I can't have that single coil 60 cycle hum. Or at least, as quiet as possible. Even a nice HB or a bass with a preamp. I NEED that tone to cut through the mix of my regular Sunday playing of 20 or so other musicians while not being obnoxiously loud. While I love older basses, I'm considering this, or a new 4004cii and converting it. I mean, we're talking Piano, vocal and bass trio kind of stuff. Special ballad songs, slow and low...but at a volume that can fill a 2900 seat church. LOL, THEN I have to work on my playing ability for sure. This is new ground for me.

Some other suggestions are a Warwick (but I heard they have huge necks), Spector of which I know NOTHING about....and then there are these EB basses.

We're on the Christmas crunch now, so this is something hopefully that will come to fruition next year.

Keep it comin' guys, I really appreciate it!

Something more exotic in fretless would be a Jaydee Supernatural MK bass...If you have not seen one, I am not surprised...Anyone from UK has prob seen a bunch. Where I am, they are unknown and yet at the moment, I have 2 of them and working on a 3rd. I made a short video for those who had asked and plugged it in right out of the box from UK.



Nice smooth tone...not just for Level 42 fans that is for sure....

[FretlessOnly]

Some other suggestions are a Warwick (but I heard they have huge necks)

I would describe the neck on my Warwick Corvette Standard FL as "very small." Then again, the Corvette has single coils.

[jps]

Very cool, Jaymi! You are the only one I know who has a JD, since I don't know MK.

[jaymi]

Very cool, Jaymi! You are the only one I know who has a JD, since I don't know MK.

I actually have 2 soon to be 3...the others have frets...which is why I did not post the video/photo links to those here.