2009 TDPRI Giveaway Winners List is available HERE

Nick Fanis · October 28th, 2003, 04:03 AM

I am waiting for my Sting P-bass to arrive and I am already thinking of replacingb the stock single coil with a Duncan or Rio Grande.Do I REALLY need to do it,or is the stock pickup just fine?

4mal · October 28th, 2003, 09:37 AM

Nick - you are exhibiting symptoms of severe GAS pain! Only kidding...
I tried out a Sting in two rooms. 1 was a rehersal space where the pickup was VERY noisy. Unusable for what I was attempting that day. The other room was my studio space which has a very low RF/EM 'floor'. In there it was fine, sounded punchy in a low-fi kind of way. Bassman and 1x15 ported cab. But nothing I couldn't get with Fender.

So - for live use - worthless unless you're gigging in very quite rooms.

Tim Armstrong · October 28th, 2003, 06:53 PM

Those pickups have a footprint that looks vaguely stratish, I'm wondering if, like a Musicmaster Bass, you could drop in something like a Bill Lawrence twin rail without having to remove any wood...

Cheers, Tim

martini · October 28th, 2003, 10:27 PM

Couldnt agree less with you about the noise factor: I own a Sting model and have had no noise problems either live or in the studio, maybe theres a bit of duff wiring in there?

I think the stock pup is fine tonewise, don't forget that these are replicas of vintage instruments so any limitations in the sound is part and parcel of that.

Nick Fanis · October 29th, 2003, 02:22 AM

this is what I wanted to hear.I mostly care about the TONE I don't care about noise (I am used to it I play teles!).I will give the stock pup a chance....

Dennis_UK · October 29th, 2003, 12:48 PM

Mine sounds fine to me. Keep it in!

RickC · October 29th, 2003, 04:11 PM

lots of local blues guys up here (northeast) have picked up on the Sting as a great, cheap way to get some 50's P-bass vibe. I've heard tons of these, stock, in real clubs, driving real bands and they sound great. No noticable problems with noise either.

In other news, I sat in a couple of weeks ago and borrowed the house guy's MIJ '51 Precision re-issue. He had a big wad of foam under the strings at the bridge, otherwise stock. Man, that bass played and sounded great! Didn't look too shappy either; all blonde and Tele-like. I want one!

/rick

Dennis_UK · October 31st, 2003, 01:01 PM

If it had been available over here before I got the Sting, that's the one I'd have bought. Never mind. I've already got long term GAS plans for my arsenal. The '51RI, an Aerodyne (although I truly dislike Jazzes normally), and some sort of '62RI. I might build that myself. The only mods I have planned for any of these is to replace the vintage reverse tuners, or not to put them on in the first place if I build.

RickC · November 2nd, 2003, 10:39 PM

Dennis, you are right on. As I was fondling that big gorgeous blonde neck, I found it hard to imagine ever needing or wanting another. Er, bass that is...

/rick

Tele295 · November 6th, 2003, 08:09 PM

The stock pickup is nice and punchy, but I haven't been thrilled with the sound when I roll the tone knob down. I had the same complaint with my original 55 P-Bass (since sold

). Must be the nature of the beast.

Nick Fanis · November 7th, 2003, 06:08 AM

Tone knob?What IS a Tone Knob?!! :?

Nick Fanis · November 8th, 2003, 02:49 PM

Ok here is the verdict:
I got the bass yesterday strung it w/ nice pure nickel PYRAMID roundwounds (045-105) and gave it a thorough try both through an Avalon preamp for recording and a Gallien Kruger 400b running through an AMPEG 8X10 cabinet.

THE BASS KILLS !!no need to change anything.It growls,and punches w/ the best of them...

Dennis_UK · November 9th, 2003, 04:12 PM

Told you it was a good'un! Enjoy!

brock29609 · November 10th, 2003, 03:43 PM

Now that we've established that the MIJ stock pickup is good, does anyone claim that the tone can be improved by switching to a replacement (same type, but different brand. i.e. the Seymour Duncan SCPB-1 or SCPB-3)?

GuitarJonz · November 10th, 2003, 03:56 PM

Bill can make a SC sized pickup for the Sting, it is not shown on his page, but if you call, they can describe it. I think it's only like $46, and will be totally noiseless, as it has the same stacked coil design as the L280 series of guitar pups.

51pbass · November 15th, 2003, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Fanis

I am waiting for my Sting P-bass to arrive and I am already thinking of replacingb the stock single coil with a Duncan or Rio Grande.Do I REALLY need to do it,or is the stock pickup just fine?

" The pickup is a bad copy of a National Treasure. Junk it, put in a Duncan Antiquity. "Nuff said !!

Dennis_UK · November 16th, 2003, 08:33 AM

why put an SD in an original '51?

51pbass · November 18th, 2003, 02:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis_UK

why put an SD in an original '51?

" Hey Bub, it is a National Treasure !! HOLY GRAIL also !! My father bough it from Leo in 1950. It had minor pickup problems from day one. I still have the original pickup framed on my wall. A guy that builds most of Dusty Hill's basses told me about this particular custom pickup from Duncan. It is class number one !! If Leo Fender could hear it, he would agree it should have sounded like that when it was made. I own over 70 old P Basses and this one and a John Bolin custom built Tele Bass are my weapons of choice. It has the same pickup. Any more questions ?? :D

Nick Fanis · November 18th, 2003, 06:30 AM

well I don't doubt 51p bass experty but to my ears at least the stock sting bass sounds awesome.
The bass player in my band (I am a guitar player and a very bad bass player actually) who owns quite a few top quality basses was VERY impressed by the sound of this bass.He is actually looking for one to buy!
I can only imagine that with a SD antiquity this bass would sound even better.....(if it is possible!)

Dennis_UK · November 18th, 2003, 05:16 PM

I doubt the current pickup is greatly inferior to the National Treasure - it's certainly not one bit worse, or better, than my 69 Telebass was. The SD is doubtless good - he doesn't make many duffers, that's for sure! But then it's not the same, either, any more than the splits he makes sound the same as stock Fender pickups. Horses for courses. You takes your pick. YMMV. Etc. Or, I'll not be modding my Sting. It sounds great to me, and Nick, and that's all that matters. For a different (slightly) sound, I'll build me a '62...sometime!
Whatever, 51p, I'd love to see a pic of that bass!

Harvey · December 2nd, 2003, 08:14 PM

I have the Sting which I've left alone, but did change the pickup in my 90s MIJ blonde 51 RI. Tried to put in a Bassline Quaterpounder myself and managed to fry the pot. After my local guitar tech stopped laughing he put in the Quaterpounder. However, it didn't quite fit so he had sand the edge of the pickup back a little. Snug, but it works now and sounds great, too.

martini · December 17th, 2003, 04:08 PM

If you only use two, how can you justify hoarding the others? Dont sound like a holy grail to me; more like a pension plan. :?

Dennis_UK · December 17th, 2003, 04:53 PM

...I'd have a pension plan like that as well!

October 28th, 2003, 04:03 AM	#1 (permalink)
Nick Fanis Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Athens-GREECE Posts: 1,826 15 Photos	Opinions on the stock STING pickup... I am waiting for my Sting P-bass to arrive and I am already thinking of replacingb the stock single coil with a Duncan or Rio Grande.Do I REALLY need to do it,or is the stock pickup just fine? __________________ "Hit him again Jack,he is crazy!" Hunter S.Thompson www.myspace.com/nickfanis

October 28th, 2003, 06:53 PM	#3 (permalink)
Tim Armstrong Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ocean Pines, Maryland, USA Age: 50 Posts: 13,148	Size? Those pickups have a footprint that looks vaguely stratish, I'm wondering if, like a Musicmaster Bass, you could drop in something like a Bill Lawrence twin rail without having to remove any wood... Cheers, Tim

October 29th, 2003, 02:22 AM	#5 (permalink)
Nick Fanis Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Athens-GREECE Posts: 1,826 15 Photos	this is what I wanted to hear.I mostly care about the TONE I don't care about noise (I am used to it I play teles!).I will give the stock pup a chance.... __________________ "Hit him again Jack,he is crazy!" Hunter S.Thompson www.myspace.com/nickfanis

October 29th, 2003, 12:48 PM	#6 (permalink)
Dennis_UK Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Calstock, Cornwall, UK Age: 56 Posts: 715	I get no excess noise either... Mine sounds fine to me. Keep it in! __________________ Fender MIM Precision, all black, 2004. Fender MIJ Precision, '51 RI, Butterscotch, 1996. Squier VM Precision TB, 3TS, 2007 Markbass CMD121H 1x12 combo plus 1x12 ext cab My band: The Rock'nRoll Outlaws

October 29th, 2003, 04:11 PM	#7 (permalink)
RickC Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 189	more testimonial lots of local blues guys up here (northeast) have picked up on the Sting as a great, cheap way to get some 50's P-bass vibe. I've heard tons of these, stock, in real clubs, driving real bands and they sound great. No noticable problems with noise either. In other news, I sat in a couple of weeks ago and borrowed the house guy's MIJ '51 Precision re-issue. He had a big wad of foam under the strings at the bridge, otherwise stock. Man, that bass played and sounded great! Didn't look too shappy either; all blonde and Tele-like. I want one! /rick __________________ "shot with nitro"

October 28th, 2003, 09:37 AM	#2 (permalink)
4mal Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The Gorge Posts: 2,510	Nick - you are exhibiting symptoms of severe GAS pain! Only kidding... I tried out a Sting in two rooms. 1 was a rehersal space where the pickup was VERY noisy. Unusable for what I was attempting that day. The other room was my studio space which has a very low RF/EM 'floor'. In there it was fine, sounded punchy in a low-fi kind of way. Bassman and 1x15 ported cab. But nothing I couldn't get with Fender. So - for live use - worthless unless you're gigging in very quite rooms.

October 28th, 2003, 10:27 PM	#4 (permalink)
martini Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 424	Couldnt agree less with you about the noise factor: I own a Sting model and have had no noise problems either live or in the studio, maybe theres a bit of duff wiring in there? I think the stock pup is fine tonewise, don't forget that these are replicas of vintage instruments so any limitations in the sound is part and parcel of that.

October 31st, 2003, 01:01 PM	#8 (permalink)
Dennis_UK Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Calstock, Cornwall, UK Age: 56 Posts: 715	They're really nice, aren't they, Rick? If it had been available over here before I got the Sting, that's the one I'd have bought. Never mind. I've already got long term GAS plans for my arsenal. The '51RI, an Aerodyne (although I truly dislike Jazzes normally), and some sort of '62RI. I might build that myself. The only mods I have planned for any of these is to replace the vintage reverse tuners, or not to put them on in the first place if I build. __________________ Fender MIM Precision, all black, 2004. Fender MIJ Precision, '51 RI, Butterscotch, 1996. Squier VM Precision TB, 3TS, 2007 Markbass CMD121H 1x12 combo plus 1x12 ext cab My band: The Rock'nRoll Outlaws

November 2nd, 2003, 10:39 PM	#9 (permalink)
RickC Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 189	yes! Dennis, you are right on. As I was fondling that big gorgeous blonde neck, I found it hard to imagine ever needing or wanting another. Er, bass that is... /rick __________________ "shot with nitro"

November 6th, 2003, 08:09 PM	#10 (permalink)
Tele295 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: St. Latchodrom, CA Posts: 4,028 14 Photos	The stock pickup is nice and punchy, but I haven't been thrilled with the sound when I roll the tone knob down. I had the same complaint with my original 55 P-Bass (since sold ). Must be the nature of the beast. __________________ "Turn it up and it doesn't need any reverb." - Danny Gatton www.dannygatton.info Tiger Town Aces - Music That Bites Back In Redd we trust! Free Bill Kirchen! If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?

November 7th, 2003, 06:08 AM	#11 (permalink)
Nick Fanis Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Athens-GREECE Posts: 1,826 15 Photos	Tone knob?What IS a Tone Knob?!! :? __________________ "Hit him again Jack,he is crazy!" Hunter S.Thompson www.myspace.com/nickfanis

November 8th, 2003, 02:49 PM	#12 (permalink)
Nick Fanis Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Athens-GREECE Posts: 1,826 15 Photos	Ok here is the verdict: I got the bass yesterday strung it w/ nice pure nickel PYRAMID roundwounds (045-105) and gave it a thorough try both through an Avalon preamp for recording and a Gallien Kruger 400b running through an AMPEG 8X10 cabinet. THE BASS KILLS !!no need to change anything.It growls,and punches w/ the best of them... __________________ "Hit him again Jack,he is crazy!" Hunter S.Thompson www.myspace.com/nickfanis

November 9th, 2003, 04:12 PM	#13 (permalink)
Dennis_UK Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Calstock, Cornwall, UK Age: 56 Posts: 715	Excellennnnnnnnnnt! Told you it was a good'un! Enjoy! __________________ Fender MIM Precision, all black, 2004. Fender MIJ Precision, '51 RI, Butterscotch, 1996. Squier VM Precision TB, 3TS, 2007 Markbass CMD121H 1x12 combo plus 1x12 ext cab My band: The Rock'nRoll Outlaws

November 10th, 2003, 03:43 PM	#14 (permalink)
brock29609 Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 106	Now that we've established that the MIJ stock pickup is good, does anyone claim that the tone can be improved by switching to a replacement (same type, but different brand. i.e. the Seymour Duncan SCPB-1 or SCPB-3)?

November 10th, 2003, 03:56 PM	#15 (permalink)
GuitarJonz Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Central Mass. Posts: 3,192 7 Photos	Lawrence Bill can make a SC sized pickup for the Sting, it is not shown on his page, but if you call, they can describe it. I think it's only like $46, and will be totally noiseless, as it has the same stacked coil design as the L280 series of guitar pups.

November 16th, 2003, 08:33 AM	#17 (permalink)
Dennis_UK Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Calstock, Cornwall, UK Age: 56 Posts: 715	If it's a National Treasure, why put an SD in an original '51? __________________ Fender MIM Precision, all black, 2004. Fender MIJ Precision, '51 RI, Butterscotch, 1996. Squier VM Precision TB, 3TS, 2007 Markbass CMD121H 1x12 combo plus 1x12 ext cab My band: The Rock'nRoll Outlaws

November 18th, 2003, 06:30 AM	#19 (permalink)
Nick Fanis Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Athens-GREECE Posts: 1,826 15 Photos	well I don't doubt 51p bass experty but to my ears at least the stock sting bass sounds awesome. The bass player in my band (I am a guitar player and a very bad bass player actually) who owns quite a few top quality basses was VERY impressed by the sound of this bass.He is actually looking for one to buy! I can only imagine that with a SD antiquity this bass would sound even better.....(if it is possible!) __________________ "Hit him again Jack,he is crazy!" Hunter S.Thompson www.myspace.com/nickfanis

November 18th, 2003, 05:16 PM	#20 (permalink)
Dennis_UK Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Calstock, Cornwall, UK Age: 56 Posts: 715	National Treasures I doubt the current pickup is greatly inferior to the National Treasure - it's certainly not one bit worse, or better, than my 69 Telebass was. The SD is doubtless good - he doesn't make many duffers, that's for sure! But then it's not the same, either, any more than the splits he makes sound the same as stock Fender pickups. Horses for courses. You takes your pick. YMMV. Etc. Or, I'll not be modding my Sting. It sounds great to me, and Nick, and that's all that matters. For a different (slightly) sound, I'll build me a '62...sometime! Whatever, 51p, I'd love to see a pic of that bass! __________________ Fender MIM Precision, all black, 2004. Fender MIJ Precision, '51 RI, Butterscotch, 1996. Squier VM Precision TB, 3TS, 2007 Markbass CMD121H 1x12 combo plus 1x12 ext cab My band: The Rock'nRoll Outlaws

December 2nd, 2003, 08:14 PM	#21 (permalink)
Harvey Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Aston, PA Posts: 169 33 Photos	Pickups I have the Sting which I've left alone, but did change the pickup in my 90s MIJ blonde 51 RI. Tried to put in a Bassline Quaterpounder myself and managed to fry the pot. After my local guitar tech stopped laughing he put in the Quaterpounder. However, it didn't quite fit so he had sand the edge of the pickup back a little. Snug, but it works now and sounds great, too.

December 17th, 2003, 04:08 PM	#22 (permalink)
martini Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 424	70 P bass's If you only use two, how can you justify hoarding the others? Dont sound like a holy grail to me; more like a pension plan. :?

December 17th, 2003, 04:53 PM	#23 (permalink)
Dennis_UK Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Calstock, Cornwall, UK Age: 56 Posts: 715	If I had the choice... ...I'd have a pension plan like that as well! __________________ Fender MIM Precision, all black, 2004. Fender MIJ Precision, '51 RI, Butterscotch, 1996. Squier VM Precision TB, 3TS, 2007 Markbass CMD121H 1x12 combo plus 1x12 ext cab My band: The Rock'nRoll Outlaws

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