drTStingray

These are very interesting comparisons - for my money the Flea Active is more vintage Stingray sounding whilst the Stingray Special and Modulus Flea have more bite and clarity. Not a weak sounding string in sight though 😂👍 https://youtu.be/J5u9H_FMfC8 https://youtu.be/vEC8yN1DE8s

Nice bass - excellent colour - and glad to see I'm not the only person whose Wal plans always seem to get scuppered 😂

I agree - I think it's cool - as people have said these are true signature basses (a bit like the old Fender Marcus Miller). There are a lot of Myung fans so will no doubt fill a niche. I wonder if they'll do others in die course - there was talk of a Commerford Stingray at one point.

Agreed - it would be a very dull world if we all had the same view 👍

On the question of pre amps it's covered in the blurb - apparently the sound is fixed to what John Myung uses with Dream Theater - with the added pick up blend ability so giving more range. Onboard pre amps are extremely useful for live playing and studio work - I wouldn't be without one and if everyone was forced, heaven forbid, by the bass guitar police 😂 to play a passive bass I would be plugging in an outboard pre amp like a Sadowski or other popular item like many bassists use. The extra headroom given with an 18 volt pre amp avoids your bass sound sounding squashed or compressed (although some people want that). It does not klip your amp as you set the input gain to compensate (although again some people prefer the amp to klip when really digging in).

Do you know if/when they're going to make it available elsewhere?

Granted - apologies for replying also but there are a number of innaccuracies in the statements made, most particularly some is a vast generalisation which is focussed on certain areas only. I can best describe this with a description from a recent BBC programme I watched which puts this in a nutshell - Soul Divas at the BBC - from those performances shown from the early/mids 70s through, beyond the singers, the remainder of the music was largely led by the bass (it was extremely audible) and the bass did not sound like a sub laden mess. The processing had changed from the 60s (where bass had been less audible even when in the case of Motown it took an important role) because of improved recording techniques and most likely equipment, and in some cases improved bass guitars and a realisation that it performed a fundamental role. Of course many were using Alembic pre amps to boost the sound of instruments like the Precision by then. If you remove that from soul, R and B and dance music it's like removing crunchy guitars from Status Quo or Hammond Organ from Keith Emerson - it neuters the music making it sound more like late 50s early 60s Soloman Burle, for instance. More importantly part of the bass guitar's role is to link the rhythm with the harmony - if you can't hear it then it performs a different role entirely and other parts of the music are more prominent. In the 80s synth often was used because it's more focussed and can perform that fundamental role (and was popular - flavour of the month). In a nutshell it's often the difference between black music and white music - when reggae was first brought to a mass audience in the UK record company owners worried the bass would be too loud and prominent for mass tastes so in the beginning it was toned down for mass market releases. Ive seen many musical theatre performances of soul music - examples of bass guitars used have been active Sadowskys and Stingray 5s, and Fender Jazz. I'm sure they are used but not the Precision - as I said before they have a particular wooliness to the sound which can be improved with additional pre amp and/or aggressive playing. This is different with say pick played punk rock where they are popular - but ask a death metal fan whether he thinks Fender Precisions are on 90% of recorded work and I'm sure he or she would chuckle!!! All is not lost - it seems modern producers have grown out of their 60s throwback era as far as bass is concerned and have realised they're missing a trick - as much of what's played on radio (not classic rock stuff) is dance orientated with prominent bass cutting through - which I'm sure, if Bernard Edwards was alive, would be proud of 😏oh I'm trying to sound like him by the way, (back on topic) hence the Stingray use (most definitely without a weak G string sound - indeed a much more focussed and fat octave pop you couldn't ask for - which you can't do with a Precision) - which has always been welcomed by everyone I've played with over 40 odd years 👍 The likes of Calvin Harris has always included prominent bass in his music. I once went to try out a Marcus Miller Fender Jazz and after hearing the style I was playing, the music shop owner and guy talking to him said have you thought of playing a Stingray 😂 I didn't let on haha 😀

I can't resist saying this but apart from your figure likely being very inaccurate - more importantly many of us have noticed a tendency for bass guitars to be rather inaudible in various radio and other settings over a number of more recent years - is this what 'sitting in the mix' and 'blends' means? It certainly doesn't help music genres where the bass takes a more fundamental role. So is the choice of bass part of the cause of this?

I don't think most Stingray owners these days are over protective of the brand - now go back 15 yrs and there was quite a public spat on the internet between an independent forum owner who ran into difficulties and Musicman leading to some quite ugly behaviours from a number of people - there were people banned from the relatively new EBMM forum as a result (and also subsequently when further individuals spat their dummies out). That is the period (15 yrs ago) when some people posting on the manufacturer's forum tended to be somewhat over zealous - possibly because of the aforementioned spat. But notably some of those banned personages seem to have been responsible for trolling on other forums against Musicman (including this particular issue - I'm surprised they haven't thought to replace the faulty string yet 😂 or picked another bass which suits them - if such a thing exists in the universe). Im quite happy for people to take whatever view they like but I do draw the line at inaccuracy. The frequency charts show the reality for a 2 band Stingray (see earlier in the thread). That, indeed was, I believe what Sterling Ball was talking about (although he'd been trolled on the EBMM forum for a couple of days before saying what he did). Anyway if you just don't get on with the type of bass then fine, just use something else and walk away. I've noticed the same people generally get involved in these threads. I don't think people do post threads about other basses (alleged design errors and faults) in this way generally (other than the daft Rickenbacker trolling that goes on in this forum (thankfully less often) with nil action from moderators (yawn)). It's interesting this thread started a day or so before EBMM announced the John Myung Bongo (another type of bass subject to regular trolling by buffoons - who get an instant ban on the major bass forum), with another thread running. Perhaps it's just coincidence, or maybe my natural Hercules Poirot glands are over active, but timing is quite interesting 😏 😂

I have a number of Stingrays from a range of eras and have never had any of these problems - i know many people who have the same experience and seemingly those bass heroes who turned me on to playing them didn't either. I seriously don't think I've just been lucky. Certain amp types do seem to have naturally scooped sounds and need different treatment. I'm not going to name them here but one type seems a particular problem. Maybe my playing is in synch with these basses as I've been playing them since about 1980. Maybe it's a combination of that with the set up and EQ? Interestingly I played my 4HH Stingray Special at an outdoor gig on Saturday night and guess what - the bass sound (for me) disappeared for one entire song and most particularly the D and G string. The drummer was playing tom toms only on that song - and yes you guessed it that was cancelling part of the bass (and other instruments) from where I was standing, as the ambient sound of the drums at that point were louder at source. The same can happen with crunchy guitar (with any bass). The audience were able to hear it all mixed fine. My conclusion on this matter, and based on evidence (recordings, the EQ and frequency charts) etc etc is this is not an issue with the bass but to do with player choices and combinations they create and the people who have described their issue have been given more than ample advice to overcome it. If they still don't like it there's a simple answer - sell your bass and buy something you like but please stop moaning about 'design errors'. This is a bit like saying BMW cars spin if you accelerate too hard through a bend or exit from a roundabout - well of course they do - its the laws of physics, a reasonably lightweight car with rear wheel drive and high power - but it's the way the car is being driven - basically fundamental operator error 😂👍 I have a particular problem playing a Precision - not only is the sound woolly and not as focussed as I'd like - I also get chronic blisters as I have to play harder to get the sound anything like focussed (I'm not talking volume - I'm talking attack - thump or whatever you wish to call it. My choice is to play basses I think suit my requirements better but I'm certainly not going to start raising bass forum threads on how to overcome design errors with a Precision bass (which are problems I encounter based on my own playing requirements). They basically don't suit me unless I choose to play with a very vintage (woolly) sound.

I understand exactly what you mean - from about 1977 on bass guitar sounds became very different - far more focussed/ clean and crisp sounding. Whilst a Precision can sound ok slapped anyone trying to play Level 42 slap lines on one will immediately see the sonic and other limitations of that type of instrument. If you want to get the Stingray slap sound (an example of which is a late 70s Louis Johnson sound) on a budget then an SBMM Sub will get you in the ball park (listen to Juliaplaysgroove on You Tube - a good example is her cover of Hair by Larry Graham). For slightly more money, a used USA Sub will get you a full Musicman 2 band EQ sound. For those who don't get the difference between a slapped Precision and say later 70s sounds, listen to the first Rose Royce album and then the later 70s ones - the later ones have Alembic bass where the slap sound is far cleaner and crisp sounding (less muddy).

The neck is very interesting - I don't know whether anyone else has picked up on this but it's a 5 string neck dimension with 6 strings applied (which is what Myung's Bongo has). Presumably the rosewood under the G and C strings is there for a sonic reason (even though many bass forum participants know wood type and density makes no difference to the sound of electric instruments......). Very interesting instrument and will no doubt please the many John Myung fans. (PS the laquer line has been a feature of Musicman basses since the early 90s, when they started using the wax and oil finish on the necks - with use, the colour difference reduces significantly as the back of the neck darkens).

Well on the basis of some people's view on here, my Old Smoothie would be a silent bass 😂😂😂 because the strings go between the pole pieces. It most certainly isn't and is a slightly smoother sounding Stingray. This completely anhialates the pole pieces theory and the posting earlier in the thread of the 2 band frequency charts at different EQ settings explains why some people's G string prominence lowers. It is often down to EQ setting. If you're playing a 3 band Stingray, you can just turn the mid range up to avoid that issue, or boost your mid range on your amp a little if you're using a 2 band. The worst problem I have ever had hearing the G string (indeed quite a lot of the bass) was a Fender Jazz through a Hartke combo with a very loud drummer and guitarist playing crunchy rock. The audience didn't seem to have the same issue. This is another factor - what frequencies other instruments are filling - play in a band with a heavily left handed keyboard player or a guitarist playing low end rythmn guitar and you may have a problem hearing certain frequencies of your bass as well - but remember this is 5 ft or 10 ft in front of your rig - FOH will sound very different even if you aren't through the PA. The pole piece alignment change applies to the neck pick up on dual pick up Stingrays, and is probably more an aesthetic change. I haven't seen any difference on the bridge pick up. However the pick up covers on the Special are different from the pre mid 2018 version and the new ones have neo pick up magnets.

Both the original Stingray 4 string design and the Ernie Ball post 1984 single pick up version have pole pieces which follow the contour of the fretboard (or fingerboard in the case of Fretless versions). Of course, if people change the height of the saddles so they are all equal in height from the bridge, this affects the height of the strings across the pick up. Ive never really experienced this problem unless using heavily scooped sounds, and frankly loss of the G string sound when standing in front of a rig in a band situation is not unique to Stingrays with over scooped sounds, and the worst examples I've come across have been Ibanez Soundgear basses - however this can be achieved with most basses, more particularly two pick up Jazz type basses, but even Precisions. The main thing on a Stingray is to watch your bass set up (especially saddle and pick up heights) and avoid double scooping everything by selecting scooped sounds on the bass and amp (and worse still in triplicate, on any PA arrangement). I have yet to hear a weak G string issue on a recorded Stingray sound (I've regularly asked people who experience this issue to replicate it in a recording) indeed they are often very prominent - just watch some of the people on You Tube playing Stingrays and particularly Juliaplaysgroove, who usually uses an SBMM Sub. Her version of Hair by Graham Central Station shows how prominent the G string is, as it is on other recordings such as Dua Lipa. Similarly Fretless Stingrays - you never hear the issue recorded - in fact they have a great G string sound!! In addition to this, anyone who alters these basses (such as altering the pole piece heights) should be aware they are likely to reduce their resale value - unless returned to stock - I certainly wouldn't buy one unless it was in stock condition. However if it's your bass, do what you wish with it. The biggest variable on any bass is the strings - is string choice and gauge an issue as well as set up?

Including black - I think I've read that this is the most readily faked and dealers are quite wary of them - presumably there weren't many made (as indeed there weren't of a number of colours). The matching headstock was, I think an option (but seemingly quite rarely chosen) on a custom colour Precision of that era.

My take on this, and based only on Musicman Stingrays (so relatively high end bolt on production basses):- 1) Not essential - they have great sustain without. 2) with stings through there is more sustain - can be useful if you're playing say a ballad with longer note lengths. 3) possibly improves slap tone etc 4) If you plan to use flat wound strings and a foam mute probably won't make much difference (then again if you really want to go full 60s throw back (non Jamerson) an Epiphone Rivoli or Hofner may be a better bet anyway). I have TI flats on my Stingray Classic (strings through) currently!!! I find there is little or no practical difference fitting the strings. As a bass player who started in the mid 70s (and learnt on a bass with tape wounds) no one I knew would be seen dead with flat wound strings until the 60s throw back era started more recently - that said I have them on two basses which is fun, but am thankful for rounds to get back to reality (the late 70s/80s/90s sound) which I prefer. I can mute the strings to create flat wound thump anyway - I always thought that was part of bass guitar technique anyway 👍 So in summary, a non essential advantage (and present on original Precisions, Stingrays and more recent versions of some models of those basses (usually higher end ones) and Fender Jazz. So probably a bit up market in more recent years.

In reality there's not a vast difference between the Musicman 2 band and pre 2018 3 band. The main differences are:- 1) The 3 band has a high pass filter which cuts frequencies right at the bottom end which can be boomy in some situations 2) The 3 band Musicman mid frequency needs to be cut - possibly about 50% below centre to get a 2 band sound (boost the bass and treble a little as well). I do this and then turn the mid up as a tone control dependent also on the frequency of the other instruments. Worth trying this!! All that said one of the best recorded 3 band sounds I've heard had all three controls on full boost!! A bit of compression from the desk and what a sound! It was on a modern rock song. The latest 3 band (Stingray Special) is quite different - the EQ is more like a single pick up Bongo with the amount of bass available but the mid is centred lower than the previous 3 band in terms of frequency - but then has more cut and plenty of boost available - plus neodymium pick up magnets and an 18 volt pre amp.

They're in the section of their website called 'The Vault' and available in the US only as I understand. As you all probably know Musicman only do these things as limited, and in set finish combinations (in effect they're pre built for stock). Gone are the days of a configurator - even when it was available lots of people apparently asked for stuff not on there (wacky colours etc). It's a bit like Fender, except they will do other configurations - at CS Masterbuild prices usually to get your exact spec....... I read somewhere that manufacturing is very marginal and even the addition of a matching headstock add significant cost, especially if offered on an all colour basis. I think we should be thankful they give the range they do on Stingrays!! A lot of colours there.

I too don't like gold hardware generally (I like it on Warwick Streamers) - I think it fits this limited Musicman colour perfectly - in fact complements it well. Perhaps since having an aqua blue sparkle Stingray 4HH my acceptance of 'in yer face' colours has increased. To me the pink champagne sparkle is great - it also has a figured roasted maple neck which will add to the 'exclusivity'. If you're wondering whether I'm having great trouble not pushing the button on one of these, you're absolutely correct 😄😍😍😍

Some of the SR4 Fretless issued last winter were like that (but not all - I did have my eye on one at the time). Thank the Lord!! There are only 85 worldwide - wouldn't pay for too many to order one 😏 😂 @hiram.k.hackenbacker yes an interesting and possibly predictable reaction - several ladies have asked to have their photo taken with my coral red Stingray Classic - one of them is left handed and held it the wrong way up...... 😬 I don't know if you know but they have some SLO neck profile Stingray Specials available (only in the US), along with lefties as well. Im seriously contemplating the Stingray pink champagne sparkle 😍

You could always buy a black plate - would look great with the gold screws. I prefer the pearl white on this colour. The SR5's rather nice as well. This always happens when I'm seriously thinking about ordering a Wal - Musicman issue something I don't actually need, but can't resist for less than half the price 😧😊

I really want one of these 😯😬 There's also an SR5 fretless without pickguard 😎 https://www.music-man.com/bfr/july-2020?utm_source=email&utm_campaign=july_2020_bfr

I played Saturday afternoon at an outdoor private party - we had our own open fronted marquee and were able to generally get 3 m apart from each other so singing and brass could all happen. The audience were at tables outside with very large table umbrellas. Of course, Saturday was host to probably the largest amount of rain seen in months in the south east of England but it all went fine and we went down well. Every band member complained of aches and pains the following day and severe tiredness - 15 wks without a gig, then, 2 X 1 hr sets took its toll!!! My bass gear, ready to play - the stuff in the background is all the singer's...... don't ask - Antiques Road Trip influence I think!! Nice saxes! We did a nice version of Bueno, by Morphine and that Baritone was put to great use!

I also played that guitar and it was very nice indeed - great tone as well (I think it was in Regent Sounds when I saw it). A colour of that era on Stingrays and Precisions, maybe other Fenders was walnut, as demonstrated by that bass. The neck profile on the Stingray was one element which I found perfect (for me) when I bought one new at the end of the 70s. The Precision's neck profile was one element that put me off buying one. As has been said, it is the profile as well as the width which counts. Modern Stingrays have an 11" radius which gives them a shallow feel and as they are all hand finished with a super slick oil and wax (no laquer) finish. They are particularly good - and the roasted maple of the Specials seems to make them feel even slicker to me. The Classic Rays and Old Smoothies have a more curved radius (7.5 in) and a lacquered finish so feel much more like the 70s Stingray. They feel quite different from other makes of basses, and even those with the same width at the nut. Radius, width and profile are the keys to this IMHO, and finish is the other core element to the feel.

Would yourself, @AndyTravis and one or two others be what is colloquially called 'statistical outliers' amongst us more elderly members? 😬 you're making me feel positively ancient which I do (achingly so) anyway after playing two 1 hr sets Saturday afternoon for the first time since March!! Ps the Sadowski's absolutely wonderful, Musicman sublime but Wal is er well, sort of exquisite!! 😊