Misdee

It's all starting to make sense to me now.

The only way this mob could be even more bohemian is if they're not actually even French. I certainly wouldn't want to be sharing a bathroom with them in rented accomodation.

That sounds like it could be a very expensive habit. I suppose it could be worse, though. At least you haven't discovered Alembic basses yet. If spending money on music gear helps you deal with depression then I won't criticise you for doing it. However, I can pretty much guarantee that sooner or later it will do you more harm than good because of the strain debt problems put on relationships. Also, buying stuff as a pick-me-up won't keep working forever. The novelty wears off. What then? If you're looking for happiness in material things you will always end up disappointed. It's easier said than done, I know, but it's better to seek help for the root cause of the problem than just treat the symptoms yourself, otherwise you're just storing up trouble for yourself. If chronic illness and medication are partly causing the depression, that might be able to be addressed by a specialist. Don't be frightened to ask for help. Depression is an illness, nothing more and nothing less, and there's lots of different approaches to treating it. Even if past interventions have failed, there's always another way to try. Sooner or later you will find something that works well for you, and then you will be able to enjoy music gear and everything else in life even more.

The stuff of nightmares. I like it.

Fodera didn't invent the single it bass, but they did popularise them. The Emperor single cut came out in 1989, and Anthony Jackson was one of the first players to embrace the single cut aesthetic. Fodera bring the totemic bass builders they are, single cuts became a trend, particularly for "advanced-level" bass players. Playing a single cut has become a bit of a statement of identity for a certain strata of bass players. My own personal take on them is, in most cases, "Crikey, this thing weighs a ton, it's like playing my front door with strings on, no wonder Anthony Jackson looks so miserable most of the time!" To me it's mostly a lot of lutherie looking for a reason to justify itself. I'm sure in certain instances a singlecut is a valid part of a design, but there's plenty of basses on the market that are single cuts just for the sake of having that option available for potential customers. If Fodera were looking to solve specific issues and improve tone and found a singlecut design achieved those goals, fair enough. However, lots of other manufacturers jumped on the bandwagon, made a singlecut and tried to make out that they were solving a problem by doing so, despite the reality being that most bass players were completely unaware of and untroubled by the problems that were being solved for them by the singlecut design.

I've got the Fender Pure Vintage '74's on a Fender AVRI '74 Jazz and they are indeed the business.

This splendid comparison put together by a Basschat member should be of interest to anyone thinking about buying a used Stingray:

I remember reading a thread about pre-EB MusicMan basses on Talkbass and one poster who played bass during that era was recounting how when the first Stingrays hit the shops they were a revelation in terms of quality compared to new instruments from established names like Fender, Gibson and Rickenbacker. He also emphasised that at that time, MM basses were considerably more expensive than a Jazz Bass, P Bass or 4001. I had an '82/83 Charvel-era Stingray and it was pretty well-made, from what I remember, but the EBMM basses were a level above in terms of overall quality. Over the years I've not encountered many people having problems with pre-EB basses due to construction issues originating at the factory. Vintage MusicMan basses are all pretty sought-after and I've never heard of any production eras to be avoided. Maybe the bad ones didn't make it to the shops.

That sounds like a lovely selection of Stingrays. There's always been a discrepancy between what a Stingray is worth and what you can get for one. Their usefulness, quality and formidable reputation undermined by the laws of supply and demand. There's just so many available that it's bound to drive the price down. That said, really nice Music Man basses like you've got will always command a better price than less desirable examples. You could always find bargain-price Stingrays. (Ancient history I know, but I paid £315 for a mint pre-EB in 1989. In 1992 I stumbled on a used EBMM in a guitar shop in Bradford for £400), and that won't have changed. Someone who paid £750 for used Stingray fifteen years ago who needs money might well sell nowadays for £1000 or less and feel like they had done okay on the deal. When it comes to Stingrays, if you've got cash in your hand and you're patient you can still pick up a bargain. It's likely to be an older model, though. As for Specials, even if they go for two grand secondhand, that's a big depreciation the new retail price. The harsh reality is that if you really need to sell, things are worth what you can get for them. The intrinsic value is irrelevant.

I've got a Sire Z3 for plunking on when the mood takes me and it's sounds more like a vintage two band Stingray than my Stingray Special does. The older vintage basses have the treble EQ shelved higher, so it's got that top end slice. They've got a more scooped-out tone than the newer iterations. Around the time Ernie Ball took over production of MusicMan I had a vintage Stingray, and a very nice example it was too. However, for my taste those new EBMM basses I was trying in the shops were superior in every way to my pre-EB Stingray. I would have cheerfully done a straight swap. The Specials have got enough of that vintage sound though, and you can easily EQ it in. The Special is a bit richer in the mids and a more focused tone overall. It's all in my mind, I know, but the Stingray Special being lighter makes it seem even more punchy when I play it. The subtle changes in design have really improved comfort overall. I really like them ( At the moment I'm actively looking to buy a second one to put flats on). If other folks prefer the older basses then good for them, though. As the saying goes, you pay your money and take your choice.

I totally agree about the build quality from EBMM. Arguably the best on the market from that kind of production. I've had several EBMM basses, all bought new, and only one of them was slightly under-parr, and even that one was better than most upmarket USA Fenders. EBMM set themselves high standards. I meant more the consistency from string to string. The weak G on the some of the older Stingrays was a bugbear that took a long time to get sorted out. The Stingray Special doesn't have that problem.

Stingray Specials definitely go for more. FWIW, I think the Specials are by far the best Stingrays ever. The older basses had all sorts of problems that the Special version solved. They don't sound the same as a vintage Stingray, that's true, but I prefer the sound of the Special. It sounds enough like a good Stingray for my needs, and its so much more consistent and comfortable to play. Build quality is superb and the overall design is so well thought out. It's just a shame so many of the stock finishes are so bloody awful that it hurts my eyes to look at them. Try playing a vintage-style Stingray with a slab body weighing ten pounds and upwards for a while and then pickup a Special and it's a relief.

I bet the bloke with the spiky hair was someone famous you didn't recognise. I was once negotiating a purchase at a music shop and Ronnie Size walked in. In an instant it was as if I became invisible and inaudible. I think the staff were all deeply in love with Ronnie.

If you mean for a used Stingray then the best answer is "very variable", but if your patient and look round a while you can get a bargain. The resale on Stingrays can be pretty low compared to the price of a new one because they've been making them a long time, they're very popular, and there were always plenty available in the shops. Consequently, there's loads of them in circulation of various vintages. If you find someone selling one they bought used, you might even pick one up for under a grand. Probably not on Basschat at that price, though.

I'm a bloke in my 50's or 60's (can't remember which!) but I really don't fit the rest of the stereotype. You're quite right though, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Yes, I'm sure Status have grown in reputation and desirability since their voluntary demise. Losing the brand has emphasised it's value. Put it another way, what else can you go out and buy for the equivalent of what a Status bass used to cost? If I remember rightly my Streamline cost about £1600 in late 2016. It was just after Brexit and the pound had crashed against the dollar so UK-made basses looked a good option at the time. That would be equivalent to £2225 today. That's a lot less than a Spector Euro or a USA MM Stingray retails for at the moment. Considering the esoteric designs using woven graphite and the overall quality, Status basses were very reasonably priced in comparison to a lot of other brands. If they relaunched and doubled the prices they still wouldn't be priced out of the market in comparison to their peers. Folks might grumble for a while but they'd get used to it. Luxury goods of all kinds have become more expensive across the board. Look at Wal basses. A MK1 Wal during their heyday in the late 1980's cost the equivalent to £2360 in today's money, and yet people now pay nearly four times that for one. In the '80's Status basses cost substantially more than a Wal Custom. It's all about how the brand is perceived in the eyes of the public.