For those who want a wide spaced Stingray 5,

[Darkstrike]

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='1278000' date='Jun 22 2011, 12:31 AM']Yeah I just re-read and realised that, damn you for quoting me before I deleted my post haha. I thought the quote from the original post would explain it better so I just removed my whole post.[/quote]
I move quick, unless it requires actual physical speed or effort!


I probably should have posted the whole quote at the start, cheers for that.

[Musicman20]

Ok I want one!

[Marlat]

According to Sterling this is limited to US buyers only unless UK / international dealers put enough pressure on EBMM to have this opened up to overseas clients. On the basis that it doesn't look like they are planning to Market this other than by word of mouth on forums, it seems it is unlikely to be available to UK buyers.

[charic]

Anyone else think the numbers quoted about are false?

I bet he'll atleast break even, possibly even better + the bonus of 125 basses in two weeks followed to a "fad" crowd wanting them? (no offence to those wanting them, not ALL who want these are in the fad crowd but there are a LOT out there)

This wouldn't usually bug me but actually making a point to mention it on his forum isn't exactly the brightest of ideas.

[Machines]

I think he's very sure not enough people will place an order and then he can do a big "I told you so" about supply and demand.

[charic]

Either that or he'll play deaf to any orders that push it over the 125

[Darkstrike]

So, no UK eh?

I wonder is it for less hassle, or is it shifting the goal posts to make it less likely to get the 125.......

[Shockwave]

Well Sterling claims that he will send to the UK if enough of us bitch at the UK distrubuters, which would mean paying UK retail right?

Anyway I have sent my "Bitching" e-mail to one of the distrubutors at the following E-mail address.

[email protected]

[Mr. Foxen]

So, he makes a big point of saying they sell in 75 countries, an refuses to offer these to more than 1 country?

[Musicman20]

Registered my interest in a maple HH Ray 5 19mm with S&T UK.

If they do them for normal UK street price and dont put extra on (they shouldnt because they are the same in the USA) then I dont mind going through a dealer.

[mcnach]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1277937' date='Jun 21 2011, 11:38 PM']Or do they think they do because of threads telling them if they are moving from a four they must have exactly the same as there four string bass?[/quote]

hey! I know what I like without someone telling me what it is.

I have just bought a Squier Jazz V DeLuxe, the active version, purely because of the string spacing. It seemed like a half decent bass at the price (£180 used but mint) and not bad sounding either. I know I could get used to other spacings to the point of not caring much, but it sems unless I constantly play my 5ers, I lose the "familiarity" and I'd feel nervous gigging with them. It's a pity because both my SUB5 and the G&L L2500 are very nice. The G&L in particular is a BEAST. Love it. But with the Jazz V, it's decidedly easier and comfortable and it takes me next to no effort to switch fingerstyle to slap and back.

If only it sounded like either of the other two.

Maybe with a MM pickup at the bridge and a John East preamp...
(between 0-10, where 0 is I'm totally joking and 10 is I'm dead serious... how much do you think I'm joking? )

[stingrayPete1977]

10 ,I'd say you are serious and already made a mockup template Jose!

Sterling Ball has some strange ideas, Not exactly water tight market research he is doing is it?

[mcnach]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1279085' date='Jun 22 2011, 09:39 PM']10 ,I'd say you are serious and already made a mockup template Jose!

Sterling Ball has some strange ideas, Not exactly water tight market research he is doing is it?[/quote]




you are right, I already put a Seymour Duncan SMB5A I have at the appropriate location for a Stingray vibe, just placed it on top of the existing pickup, for visual purposes. It looks killer
I was only 90% serious

If I do it, I will post the results on the EBMM forum. But I'll post an advance warning here so you all have time to buy popcorn and swtich over to watch the fireworks

[Darkstrike]

[quote name='mcnach' post='1279118' date='Jun 22 2011, 10:03 PM']
you are right, I already put a Seymour Duncan SMB5A I have at the appropriate location for a Stingray vibe, just placed it on top of the existing pickup, for visual purposes. It looks killer
I was only 90% serious

If I do it, I will post the results on the EBMM forum. But I'll post an advance warning here so you all have time to buy popcorn and swtich over to watch the fireworks [/quote]

If you do go for it, you might be better off with a Nordstrand pickup, more expensive, but they make one suited to 19mm spacing already.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Darkstrike' post='1279177' date='Jun 22 2011, 10:44 PM']If you do go for it, you might be better off with a Nordstrand pickup, more expensive, but they make one suited to 19mm spacing already.[/quote]

I bought a Nordstrand MM4.2 for one of my OLPs, after having enough experience with the Duncan SMB4A (which I love). The Nordstrand is a bit anaemic in comparison... I certainly didn't see it as an improvement over the SMB4A.
For that reason alone I'm reluctant to get a 5-string version. The SMB5A works for me, and the string spacing is not much of an issue, as far as I can make out:



I should have placed the pickup a little closer to the bridge, but the Jazz pickup underneath kept pulling the SMB5A up, so that's why it looks that way. It still allows to see what it'll be like.

Yes, ideally you'd want the polepieces a bit more spread-out, but they're still reasonably located. Instruments with misaligned pickups are not uncommon, and it usually does not have an audible effect. The field from those magnets must be pretty wide.

Edited June 24, 2011 by mcnach

[mcnach]

[quote name='Darkstrike' post='1279177' date='Jun 22 2011, 10:44 PM']If you do go for it, you might be better off with a Nordstrand pickup, more expensive, but they make one suited to 19mm spacing already.[/quote]


but now you're making me doubt... hmmm.

[Darkstrike]

I get a little OCD about things like pickups in relation to string spacing. Honestly, one of the main reasons I changed the stock pickup in my SX to a Duncan, when I got a wider bridge for it.


Still got that SX MM pickup to stick into something......

Edited June 24, 2011 by Darkstrike

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='Machines' post='1278068' date='Jun 21 2011, 11:38 PM']I think he's very sure not enough people will place an order and then he can do a big "I told you so" about supply and demand.[/quote]
The 2 week window will make sure of that as those who want one won't even know in time. 1/4 million dollars of orders for a new product with no pictures in only one color in 2 weeks? I'd bet these will never be made even if he gets 250 orders, he's not the kind of guy to admit he's wrong.

EDIT: I see I'm far from the first to see through this ruse

Edited June 26, 2011 by Vibrating G String

[ThomBassmonkey]

For anyone interested: [url="http://store.music-man.com/products/productdetail/part_number=150-01-99-01/574.3.1.1.16083.63361.0.0.0?pp=20"]http://store.music-man.com/products/produc...361.0.0.0?pp=20[/url]

[Delberthot]

Not available for international orders unfortunately though so that should ensure that they definitely will not be made.

Once ordered you need to call up to pay your deposit - they could always leave the phone off the hook

Cynical aren't I?

Edited June 29, 2011 by Delberthot

[Musicman20]

They have been reduced to $2000 and Sterling Ball (BP) is giving money to charity (all of it?) if it goes ahead.

This makes me wonder why so many on talkbass criticise them. Sure, Ive had a few QC issues, but so far, they have done an excellent job with the replacements.

$2000 for a custom spaced Ray 5 is cheap compared to a Metro Sadowsky!

Anyway, im glad we seem to have more manners on Basschat as the Talkbass thread is appalling.

[Marlat]

Has anyone got experience using a shipping service in the US like shipitto? I am tempted to order one but need to get a reliable US service set up to take delivery.

[ThomBassmonkey]

[quote name='Musicman20' post='1286420' date='Jun 29 2011, 01:56 PM']$2000 for a custom spaced Ray 5 is cheap compared to a Metro Sadowsky![/quote]

I think that's kinda the point, they won't do these as custom orders so they need enough of an order to justify making a production run.

I suspect most of the dislike of them from a lot of places is to do with how agressive they are as a company, I understand that they're protecting their interests but there's certainly some very unsporting stuff they seem to have done if the rumours are true (like the headstock copyrighting).

I've recently got a ray 5 and I love it, if I wanted a wide string spacing one and had the money, I'd be jumping at this offer. Sadly I think the amount of people that have $2000 laying around to spend on something like this with 2 weeks notice isn't going to be many. It's a shame because with Rays being such a distinctive bass for slap, it'd be great to have a version with a wider string spacing available. I really think that if Sterling looked at the bigger picture, he'd see there's plenty of money to be made from doing this in the long term. Even if only 50 are ordered, 50 orders for something that was previously unavailable in 2 weeks with very little notice is good going and surely a sign of how popular they could become.

[Marlat]

I just inquired of EBMM whether it would be possible to purchase a bass form the UK and have it shipped to an address in the US. The answer was no. Apparently all orders must be billed and shipped to an address in the USA. Unfotunately that means there is no way for people in the UK to get their hands on one of these basses unless you happen to have a US billing address for your credit card!

[Darkstrike]

Dang, that whole thing became a disasterpiece across Tb and the MM forums.

Shame they're not including peeps outside the US.