NBD: It's a mini Stingray.

I went out three days ago, to try out some short scale basses. This is my second proper foray into using the more
diminutive scaled bass. After many years of long scaling, I got myself an American Performer Mustang and used it as my
main gigging bass, for a year or so. Then I slipped back to the familiar and returned to the Jazz bass. More recently I fancied
a lighter , smaller bass, for playing at home. I was toying with the idea of a Hofner Club or Violin, or some other kind of semi.
Then I saw a lot of great solid bodied short scalers.

Anyway, I decided to go out and try some, making my way over to Promenade Music, as they had 3 short scalers in stock.
The one that really grabbed my attention was a Sandberg California II Lionel Short Scale. A kind of stylish, mini P-bass, in
vintage white. But on close scrutiny I realised it was aged. Not heavy relicing, just clever pitting and small marks that
genuinely made it look like an old bass. But as I really dislike any form of fake ageing or relicing, it put me right of this
rather tasty bass. That left a Hagstrom Viking, which had overly high action, so was put down almost immediately and a bass
I wasn't that keen on trying, a Sterling by Music Man Stingray S.S. The reason being, I've owned 4 full sized US EBMM Stingrays
and although really loving them, always found the tone, rather too aggressive for the bands I have played in. Nevertheless, I did
pick the little 'Ray up, for an unplugged play and it has to be said, it is so spot on. Diminutive and a little toy like, after Jazz bass
playing but it was just so solid and vibrant.

Damn it, I didn't want another Stingray. So I left that shop and headed to another, to try out a Gibson SG Standard Bass. Now
I really loved the sound of this. That big old Mudbucker was awesome, with or without the bridge mini HB. Overall a rather
great bass, with one enormous flaw. I expect you will know what I am talking about. Neck dive. OMG, let go of the neck, for a
split second and it so wants to obey gravity, rapidly sliding toward the floor. I know there are a multitude of ways to try and
combat this balance issue but I didn't have it in me to take the problem on.

So I went home to think again and carry on trawling the 'net. Eventually I had to admit to myself, I really fancied that mini 'Ray.
So today I returned to Prom, to have a really good go. I plugged the little darling into an Eich 1x12 combo and was soon
away with the bass playing faeries. It sounded bloody good. Now this bass, unlike the other Stingrays, is passive. But it has
a couple of clever tricks up it's sleeve. One being a push/push volume knob, that gives a nice little increase in output. The
second being a 3-way, rotary knob, pickup selector. With one pickup? Yes, this gives the mighty, single pickup, three different
wirings. Series, true single-coil and parallel. I know the middle position is true S/C and sounds awesome. I think the first position
is parallel, which sounds equally as great, being a tad thicker. The 3rd, I think, is Series and is the traditional Stingray tone.
This I preferred, with the tone control rolled back. Anyway, with it's ease of play, great feel and superb tones, this relatively low
cost bass, is kicking up a storm at home and I'm thinking of taking it to the next rehearsal.

I have to give a special mention the the Eich combo, I played through. What a cracking, smallish combo. Very high quality sound.
Whilst there today, I asked the shop tech to lower the action on the Hagstrom Viking bass, so I could have another go. He did so.
TBH, I didn't really like the way the bass played but I loved the pick ups. Thick and warm, with a ton of depth.