ern500evo

Maybe it's worth putting a set of flats on the fretted Streamer and seeing how it sounds then?

Don't know if I'm lucky or have just got really low standards, but the build quality on both my MM basses, a 2010 Stingray and a 2013 Bongo, is first class. As others have said, some basses and guitars just don't do it for some people, whilst others love them. Whenever I play my friends Wal I can't wait to give it back, yet another friend of ours is obsessed with it!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171416718410 I was watching this out of curiosity, starting bid of £300. It ended with no bids, may be worth sending the seller a message to see if they still have it and If so what sort of price they're looking for.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1407952518' post='2525717'] In that case id just get a ebmm Sterling instead if you want the jazz nut [/quote] Anybody would think you like MusicMan basses Pete!! :-)

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1407949294' post='2525660'] Oh I get the price comparison bit, totally, but the fact is this thread is/was about the basses with the smaller necks, not the standandard ones. [/quote] Ah yes, I see your point now! My apologies, that will teach me for not reading the whole thread!

I think those posts are mainly aimed at the depreciation factor. If you buy a Ray34 new at £700ish, a year from now you are going to be looking at a re-sale value of £400-450. Whereas if you buy a used USA 'Ray for £700 in a year of so it's still gonna hold roughly the same value. I've never played a SBMM so can't comment on the sound or build quality. However, the USA 'Ray that Pete mentions collecting in his above post is mine, and have to say I'm blown away by how good it is!

[quote name='Bobthedog' timestamp='1407356081' post='2519812'] I am very much a learner, however, the three instructors I have used (different locations) have insisted I learn with fingers before moving to a pick. [/quote] Have they said why? Not that I'm sayjng they're wrong, I have no idea what the best teaching methods are so that could be entirely normal procedure, I'm just curious.

I only use a pick for one or two songs that we do as the song sounds better for it, but every time I do I end up thinking to myself, I HAVE to practice with a pick more, because when I do have to use one it feels clumsy. I watched a recording of me using a pick at a gig and you can tell I'm not entirely comfortable with it. So as others have said, I don't use one often but it's still important to keep yourself comfortable and familiar with as many techniques as possible, so that when the need arises you don't feel like you're suddenly struggling.

As someone who owns a Bongo Stealth I have to say cool, the only non-black parts on it are the fretboard and the writing on the headstock. Having said that, if it was available I would probably order a Bongo in Tangerine pearl with a maple neck! :-)

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1407070892' post='2517005'] Yes I bet them strings will help it sing, the ones on it were clean enough but probably 4 years old. [/quote] Wow, you weren't wrong! Did a little outdoor gig yesterday at our football club with a vocal only PA, new strings, RH750 cranked more than usual, through my Big Twin 2 and it just growled! So much bite to the tone. Helped that we only had one guitarist yesterday so there was plenty of space to find a spot in the mix but it sounded awesome. It could be my new number 1 after that performance!

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1406738423' post='2514272'] As you know this is its actual twin, they even have identical setups on them [URL=http://s997.photobucket.com/user/stingraypete/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-07/20140713_211055_zpsj25rszqk.jpg.html][IMG]http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af100/stingraypete/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-07/20140713_211055_zpsj25rszqk.jpg[/IMG][/URL] The mystery drink is in fact A&W Root Beer, I was one of handful of people sad to see Mcdonalds take root beer off the menu all those years ago, I bloody love the stuff but you just dont get it anywhere, OK diner is the only place near me that serve it, importing it costs a fortune but eBay has recently come to the rescue and I have 24 new cans to go at now! For the purposes of nothing but pornographic Stingray images here is my Tobacco burst ClassicRay5 with John East preamp [URL=http://s997.photobucket.com/user/stingraypete/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-07/20140730_173849_zpsnblgtvmm.jpg.html][IMG]http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af100/stingraypete/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-07/20140730_173849_zpsnblgtvmm.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [/quote] Ah yes there it is with it's 5 string twin! Re-strung it with some Ernie Ball Flexsteel's yesterday, man it's got some bite now!! Doing an open air 1 hour set at the football club where I manage today so can't wait to get my amp cranked a bit and hear that growl! I've said it before and I'll say it again Pete, that tobacco burst is beautiful!

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1406970526' post='2516286'] Congrats lovely bass. Hope you enjoy. [/quote] Thanks mate, so far so good, it's so nice to play, really loving it.

I've got 5 and 2 of them virtually never leave the house now. When I got my Bongo I toyed with selling my Warwick Streamer but decided I didn't need the money or the space so I kept it. Keep it as a GAS fund, if something comes up you really want then you can sell/trade it, until then enjoy having two great instruments to choose from!

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1406741278' post='2514319'] That Bongo looks well mean! [/quote] Thanks mate,I had hell's trouble getting hold of it. It's another one of my bargains, after much searching of t'internet I got it from a shop in Holland, delivered in less than 48 hours and a healthy £500 less than Thomann or Project music. The looks might not be everyone's bag but they are fantastic instruments. Having a 4 band eq on board takes a bit of getting used to, you have to resist the urge to 'over fiddle' (I've invented that term just for Discreet!!). I love the all black finish of the Stealth model. Although if plans work out and we head back to Florida on holiday next year I could be tempted into paying Bass Central a visit to see if they've got a Tangerine Pearl Bongo in stock, or a Neptune blue/maple PDN model! Either would be a cool contrast alongside the Stealth.

My latest addition to the fleet, my 2010 USA 2eq alongside my current main player, my Bongo 4HS Stealth.[url="http://s1289.photobucket.com/user/ern500evo/media/048_zps84a306ec.jpg.html"][/url]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1406669170' post='2513656'] BTW, all this boring talk about basses. What [i][b]tipple[/b][/i] was it?!?!?! [/quote] I'll leave that to Pete to reveal, all I'll say is that it's so specialist it's not readily available in shops!

[quote name='Horizontalste' timestamp='1406723256' post='2514073'] Come on fellas's, it can only be single ply matte black ;-) [/quote] They could almost be twins! The blue and maple with black scratchplate is perfect for me, love it. Although I have to say Pete's tobacco 'Ray 5 is an absolute beauty.

Thanks guys, I'm over the moon with it! Hope you've been enjoying a few cold ones Pete!

[quote name='Chiliwailer' timestamp='1406624104' post='2513019'] Lurvely! 2 eq - [/quote] Thanks man!

Ok i've actually had it a couple of weeks now but have only just got the chance to photograph it and sit down to do this. I've had some 'Ray gas building for a while after spending a lot of time listening to old funk/soul/disco type stuff as our drummer and myself are talking of putting together a more function friendly band to keep us busier, This recently came up in a conversation on here about a USA Sub for sale at GAK (apologies again about the thread hijack on that one!). It was on eBay with a starting price of £600 but didn't get any bids, i was still undecided on getting one when the auction ended as i'd not long shelled out for a new Bongo. Anyway i was about to send the guy a message to ask if he had a price in mind when i get a notification saying it had been re-listed at £550. At this point the biggest snag was he lives in Chesterfield and wasn't prepared to ship it and i was hard pushed to find the time to travel from Bristol to collect it, so was starting to think "just forget it, i haven't got time to collect it" when in steps Stingray Pete saying he would be willing to collect it on my behalf and he travels to Bristol often! Game on! So after much PM'ing between Pete and myself i sat down on the morning it was ending and prepared myself for a bidding war, thinking it's bound to get some bids at only £550, it is after all a 2010 USA Stingray. Well i was wrong, £580 later and i've won it! I've only used it for one rehearsal so far and some neighbour friendly volume home practice but i already love it, it's far more versatile than a lot of folks give the 2eq 'Ray credit for. I love the Blue Pearl and maple combo, it just looks so cool. I've got a couple of gigs this weekend and a rehearsal on weds so should get more of a chance to give it a workout. Will it challenge my Bongo 4HS as my main player? Well i dont know about that just yet, but what i will say is i'm delighted with it, i love the way it sounds, looks, plays. I have to say a massive, massive thanks to Stingray Pete, not only did he make a trip to Chesterfield to collect it, he gave it a set up, cleaned it and planned a trip to Bristol to visit a friend and deliver it!! The spirit of this community is staggering at times, to think that someone would go to that length for someone who is essentially just a username on a forum whom they've never met! I really can't thank you enough Pete, the reality is, that without your intervention i wouldn't be sat here writing this as the deal simply would not have happened. Also thanks to Russ (EBSFreak) for the inside info on Pete's favourite tipple, and yes you were right, as soon as he saw the box he guessed i'd been in touch with you! [URL=http://s1289.photobucket.com/user/ern500evo/media/045_zps8248ec2b.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b502/ern500evo/045_zps8248ec2b.jpg[/IMG][/URL][URL=http://s1289.photobucket.com/user/ern500evo/media/046_zpse29c92dd.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b502/ern500evo/046_zpse29c92dd.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s1289.photobucket.com/user/ern500evo/media/047_zps2007fe83.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b502/ern500evo/047_zps2007fe83.jpg[/IMG][/URL][URL=http://s1289.photobucket.com/user/ern500evo/media/048_zps84a306ec.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b502/ern500evo/048_zps84a306ec.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=http://s1289.photobucket.com/user/ern500evo/media/050_zps6c1b0862.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b502/ern500evo/050_zps6c1b0862.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Just bought a Hipshot BT1 from Martin, great guy to deal with! Smooth transaction, great communication, item arrived super quick and well packaged (incl original fitting instruction) Deal with confidence folks!

Apologies to the OP for the complete thread hack! Pete, you are a bad bad man, it's even more tempting now!

[quote name='Horizontalste' timestamp='1405021495' post='2498066'] Looks like it could be pearl blue, its a fantastic colour in the flesh, the metallic flakes really pop out under the lights. I have a single ply matte black guard on mine & it looks ace. [/quote] My biggest issue is the fact it ends saturday and he lives in Chesterfield, I'm in Bristol and struggling to think of when I'd be likely to have the time to go pick it up. Thinking hat on!

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1405019177' post='2498040'] Lol, if it goes for £550 it will be the biggest ray bargain ever! [/quote] I am seriously tempted by it, I love that blue & maple combo. How long did they run the £1000 offer for Pete? Trying to figure out how old it is.