MM Stingray 5: SD AlNiCo 3-coil PU vs. complete electronics replacement

[Klaus]

Hello out there, I have a 1998 Stingray 5 fretless bass for which I am looking for a more natural open sound, actually, like on my fretted 1990 SR5. I understand that there are a couple of design differences between 1990 and 1998 Stingray 5s (ceramic vs. AlNiCo PUs., 3-coil/2-coil, preamp).

I would like to replace the stock ceramic pickup with one of SD's AlNiCo offerings, either the 3-coil SMB-5a (with or without the SD preamp mods), or the 2-coil version plus the STC-3M4 preamp. I would particularly like to use the single coil option, I grew fond of the fretless sound it gives. My guess is that the phantom coil of the 3-coil PU will grant minimum noise when using it compared to the 2-coil PU.

Which option of the two would you consider to be better? Is there an obvious sound difference between the 3-coil PU plus modified stock preamp vs. the 2-coil PU plus the STC-3M4 preamp? Will I have any difficulties in wiring up the 3-position switch when replacing the complete electronics?

Thanks in advance, Klaus

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: MM Stingray 5: SD AlNiCo 3-coil PU vs. complete electronics replacement

Welcome to the forum.

I'm not much into bass pups, so I can't answer your questions, but I am actually very interested in the potential answers. Seems to me to be some very insightful questions and I also await some replies.

 

[Klaus]

Re: MM Stingray 5: SD AlNiCo 3-coil PU vs. complete electronics replacement

Thanks GuitarDoc, I'm also curious about the answers to come. Hasn't anybody encountered similar problems with his/her Stingray bass and found a satisfying solution?

Cheers, Klaus

 

[Klaus]

Re: MM Stingray 5: SD AlNiCo 3-coil PU vs. complete electronics replacement

Hi all,

I guess I have some kind of voodoo to report. After having restrung my still rather new 1998 fretless StingRay 5 with DR HiBeams (my favourites for years) I left it alone on its guitar stand for two weeks as I didn't have time and/or inspiration to play. When I picked it up again yesterday, and again today, I notice a slight but readily noticeable difference in sound. Strange enough. Gone is a kind of dissonantly rough harmonics component (a strange sort of bell-ish sound) which has been present right after restringing the bass, especially on the G and D strings when played close the 12th fret. I'm now in the process of getting used to the sound the stock ceramic MM pickup gives me. So I might reconsider my plans of replacing the pickup or parts of the electronics altogether.

Best, Klaus

 

[jeremy]

Re: MM Stingray 5: SD AlNiCo 3-coil PU vs. complete electronics replacement

if you do end up changing the pup i would suggest the two coil alnico mm pup with the preamp. i typically used a series/split/parallel switch to give me a variety of tones from the pup itself all of which can be shaped by the great duncan preamp

 

[JonED]

Re: MM Stingray 5: SD AlNiCo 3-coil PU vs. complete electronics replacement

How do you wire the 3 way switch with the two coil pup and SD preamp?