drTStingray

[quote name='Mikey R' timestamp='1401009865' post='2458956']
Are modern Rays the same as the classic Rays?
[/quote]

The standard modern Ray in 2 band EQ single H form is electronically similar to a 79 onwards pre EB. It has body contours and an improved 6 bolt neck joint, oil and wax finished neck , 11 in radius neck, plastic battery box flip top, and excellent thumb wheel truss rod adjuster all of which differ from a pre EB. They are top load bridge (which pre EBs went to in about 1980). The Classic 2 band Ray model has the slab body, strings through bridge, mute loaded bridge, chrome battery box cover and finished neck of the pre EB, and a number of other nice cosmetic enhancements like heavily figured maple necks. They also have a 7.5 in radius neck - not sure what the radius of pre EB necks was.

There are umpteen other models including 3 band EQ, HS or HH pick up variants, a massive variety of colours and three fingerboard variants.

I can tell you I've compared recordings made 'back in the day' with my pre EB Ray and some made recently with my EBMM Classic Ray and they're very similar indeed.

For anyone who's thinking whether or not they need a Ray, the simple answer is go and try some. The HH compared to the H alone is like trying to compare a jazz to a precision in Fender speak. There is tons of variation available in sound, and for a skilled player able to vary playing style they can be a Swiss Army knife of basses - even in H form. The Ed Friedland video shows this to good effect.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1400857886' post='2457654']
Looks like it will be a super rare bass! Classic Sabre PDN!
[/quote]
Yes indeed - it is said by many people that the 30th Anniversary Ray with mahogany body is the best ever - so the Sabre with mahogany should be pretty good. Can't wait!!

Well I certainly did - I've placed an order for a Classic Sabre in this series. Now the 4 to 5 month wait................

I am about to order a PDN 2014 Sabre :-) mahogany bodied Sabre with roasted maple neck should be awesome!!

Agreed - I have 4 Stingrays and a Bongo 5HHp - the Bongo has a completely different sound but retains that Musicman DNA within it.

The EQ on the Bongo is marvellous - especially the low mid.

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1399835021' post='2448189']As a result of that, there is less of a tendency to anglicize the pronunciation of certain words
[/quote]

At the risk of sounding jingoistic, there is somehow something perverse about the concept of anglicising the English language!! A contradiction in terms perhaps?

In the case of the word status which is in general use for a different meaning other than the name of a bass guitar it's generally pronounced state us in GB - now there are regional differences - for instance where I grew up in England it would be pronounced sty tuus with a certain tuneful inflection. Regional pronunciation (even in This country) has variation - worldwide there are vast differences in pronunciation.

No doubt stah tus and various other pronunciations are in use elsewhere in the world or Somerset, Essex etc.

[quote name='Arron_Brown' timestamp='1399491312' post='2444804']
I am having all of the electronics and pickup fully reinstalled with new parts and I just have no clue why this happened? Any thoughts?
[/quote]

How are you doing this? The only way you can replace with Musicman parts is to return the faulty ones to them - they don't sell these parts any other way. It's very unusual for the major parts to go wrong - much more likely a faulty connection.

McNach's solution is the likely problem.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1399830531' post='2448116']
Earlier today I unscrewed the battery compartment, and pushed the bent metal contacts that act as springs in, to push better against the battery (they were nearly flat!). Took two minutes. The battery makes better contact now and it seems it's done the trick.
I hope the OP's is the same.
[/quote]

This is a standard fix after relaxing the battery and checking it's not the Jack socket. Glad it worked.

Now come on folks we're not Californicans surely?

There was a long running thread on Talkbass about the pronunciation of the name Rickenbacker - apparently there is a group of people from a certain geographical area who think it's pronounced Rickenbocker!! But Stahtus - havin a larf surely!!!???

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1399645161' post='2446262']
We could always ask Jerry Scheff - he's a BC Member.
[/quote]

Now he is one awesome bass player!

[quote name='Bolo' timestamp='1399763575' post='2447509']

I happily disagree
[/quote]

Me too

[quote name='drewboy' timestamp='1399711480' post='2446835']


I hope nobody minds me posting this. Please let me know if you do. Merchant CIty Music are doing the new 2014 Music Man PDN in Neptune Blue. Happy to give you a quote and any more information. More info here:
https://www.guitar.co.uk/community/music-man-pdn-neptune-blue-2014/
[/quote]

Thanks and will be in touch.

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' timestamp='1399025650' post='2440066']

Back in the day when I was quite a fan of MM stuff, and I was still a member of their forum, I suggested to their design team ( BP that is) that perhaps having a Stingray with a switchable passive option would be a useful alternative to those who find their pre-amp too nasal and often too overpowering at the expenses of feel and individual nuances. It all went downhill from there with BP thinking I needed my head checked. But hey-ho 5 years later here he is designing the very thing.
[/quote]

Are you sure you didn't ask for an active/passive switch on a Bongo?? But you are right he did used to steam from the ears at such suggestions.

Now the real holy grail are the standard Stingrays they made in a limited run for Guitar Centre with the same electronics as the white/gold hardware PDN around the same time.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1399647512' post='2446293']


Nice! I'd love to try a Sabre.

Can you PM me or put on thread what the 'upcharge' is for the fact its a PDN bass?

Cheers
[/quote]

I've PMd you.

No specific info as yet but via S and T and probably Andertons I'm looking to order on Monday - EBMM CS gave me a link to UK Premier Dealer Network list (there aren't many) - plus a contact if any problems.

Anyone else likely to order one of these? The Bongo looks great.

I'm afraid I've succumbed to the GAS and am sorting out a Classic Sabre in this configuration as we speak!! Blue burst is one of my favourite colours.

A mahogany bodied Sabre with a gunstock oil and wax finished figured roasted maple neck sounds fabulous to me. The single H Bongo is also rather appealing.

Sub Ray - white one looks great as does the walnut one. They sound superb.

Congratulations - lovely bass.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1398896043' post='2438906']
Does the dep represent the band well enough?

I'd rather lose a gig for the band that have a band member for the night to do the gig, and do a lacklustre gig as a result
[/quote]

+1 and to add to this, damage the bands reputation enough to lose future gigs. Accepting gigs and needing deps is ok so long as people understand the contribution to the whole band sound the depped musician makes. If they don't (as is sometimes the case in semi pro set ups where, say the contribution of the rythmn section is underestimated) then it can be a problem.

Depping is fine so long as you are competent to cover the ground.

I've been in bands where dates have been negotiable as bookers are trying to fill several slots - and the band member/leader doing the organisation accepts the first date offered in the full knowledge that, say the whole rythmn section is not available. This is poor organisation and shouldn't be accepted - I have known the result to verge on catastrophic and lose repeat work!

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1398773148' post='2437414']

it is particularly good for reliving my youth in the 1980's and slapping, popping and totally over-the-top fingerstyle playing are handled with aplomb by the Bongo.
[/quote]

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who does this, Dingus! I've also only ever seen about half a dozen Bongos in real life and certainly not a black or white one.

They're a great bass and really have the potential to become quite iconic IMO owing to rarity, how good they are - and they must be one of the most memorable bass creations of the last two or three decades.

The mute pads on pre EB basses were never much good. One simply fell off my 79 when it was a couple of weeks old.

Not sure why you guys are cutting up mouse mats and the like. EBMM do the mute kits as a part (you can probably order them from Strings and Things). Apart from slightly larger diameter thumb screws they are the same I think. If you didn't want to fit the whole kit you could cut off the pads and then superglue them on your pre EB chrome plate.

The mute pads on pre EB basses were never much good. One simply fell off my 79 when it was a couple of weeks old.

Not sure why you guys are cutting up mouse mats and the like. EBMM do the mute kits as a part (you can probably order them from Strings and Things). Apart from slightly larger diameter thumb screws they are the same. If you didn't want to fit the whole kit you could cut off the pads and then superglue them on your pre EB chrome plate.

Back on track - I have a lovely lava pearlescent Bongo 5 HH with piezo. It's a fabulous bass - just doesn't get enough use unfortunately as I am a diehard Stingray fan really.

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1398732214' post='2437113']
I had a white Stingray for a while until I realised how much it looked like a toilet seat.
[/quote]

I wondered how long it'd be before someone said that......... But a white Stingray is of course a thing of great beauty in reality - the white ages (quite quickly) to a nice cream colour. Simple answer if have the lavatory mind disposition - take off the pickguard or have a transparent one!! And whatever you do don't have a P!! ;-)

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1398725052' post='2437080']

I wouldn't be desperate to sell at the BC crazy low prices. In the same way I wouldn't pay £800 for a JV Squier.
[/quote]

+1 and I guess those selling for such low prices are desperate for the cash. Btw isn't Squire an entry level line? £800 is balmy (IMHO)

I put flats on my Stingray to sound like Bernard Edwards. I've had TI flats on my Classic Ray strung through the body for about 12 months and they sound great - you sure the La Bella salesman isn't trying to sell us special strings with these scare stories? Stingrays shipped with flats for the first two years or so of manufacture.

Fender, Lakland, Musicman are hardly low end manufacturers particularly in the models they offer the option of stings through the body.