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Thick question - is there a Musicman with a thinner neck?


Gust0o
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As per the title - does such a thing exist?

Loving my Stingrays. Easily the best basses I've picked up. Substantial, both in build and sound, they rock straight from the plug in, with no fiddling required.

However, my hands are f***ed. Do they have kin with smaller necks?

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I don`t know the size of the neck on a Stingray, but my Sterling by Musicman is the same width as a Precision, approx 41mm. But, when playing it, it seems a lot faster in hand. Probably not quite as deep a profile, though I`ve no way of measuring it. To the eye, it looks like this is the case.

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[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1338837413' post='1679903']
And, to ask for the moon on a stick, would any of these have the same 3EQ option?

Gareth will be laughing at me now, given my abundant praise for the Stingray... am just thinking of if my hands get any worse :lol:
[/quote]

Yes, the Sterling by MM Ray34 has the same 3EQ as a Stingray.

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[quote name='Bassman Sam' timestamp='1338838550' post='1679933']
Have you been checked out for RA? If not, get it done.
[/quote]

Crikey, I hope not - but, am backing seeing my GP about the Carpal Tunnel, so I'll be querying again if there's anything else I should be doing.

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1338839376' post='1679948']
Yes, the Sterling by MM Ray34 has the same 3EQ as a Stingray.
[/quote]

Ta!

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This Sterling by Musicman thing is so confusing, The OP needs an EBMM Sterling not a Sterling by Musicman. The SB14 is the equivillent from the cheaper Sterling by Musicman range. The Sterling has a ceramic pickup and maybe a different preamp afaik too, that said so does my black ray 5 and I love it! :)

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[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1338844700' post='1680044']
This Sterling by Musicman thing is so confusing, The OP needs an EBMM Sterling not a Sterling by Musicman. The SB14 is the equivillent from the cheaper Sterling by Musicman range. The Sterling has a ceramic pickup and maybe a different preamp afaik too, that said so does my black ray 5 and I love it! :)
[/quote]

+1. Its the USA Sterling you are after :)

They Musicman range can get quite confusing, but once you get there you feel like a right nerd as you can pick facts out of your memory all the time, hahah!

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[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1338837413' post='1679903']
And, to ask for the moon on a stick, would any of these have the same 3EQ option?

Gareth will be laughing at me now, given my abundant praise for the Stingray... am just thinking of if my hands get any worse :lol:
[/quote]

I think you'd be best with the Musicman Stingray SLO Special...same Stingray as you have but a slimmer more Jazz-like Sterling (USA) neck.

Or, if you fancy having two, pickup a Musicman USA Sterling as well, which will have the same (ish) 3EQ, but a three way switch as well as a ceramic pup which gives much more of a middy aggressive tone. Its the same 'style' as a Stingray, but slightly smaller body, slimmer neck, nice neck contour at the back, and slightly different scratchplate.

:)

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[sub]Model:[/sub]
[sub]Sterling[/sub]

[sub]Size:[/sub]
[sub]12-1/2" wide, 1-5/8" thick, 43-7/8" long (31.8 cm wide, 4.1 cm thick, 111.4 cm long)[/sub]

[sub]Weight:[/sub]
[sub]9 lbs (4.08 kg) - varies slightly[/sub]

[sub]Body Wood:[/sub]
[sub]Select hardwood[/sub]

[sub]Body Finish:[/sub]
[sub]High gloss polyester[/sub]

[sub]Bridge:[/sub]
[sub]Standard - Music Man® chrome plated, hardened steel bridge plate with stainless steel saddles; Optional - Piezo bridge with nickel plated brass saddles[/sub]

[sub]Pickguard:[/sub]
[sub]Standard - Black or White; Optional - Shell, White Pearloid, Vintage White Pearloid, or Black Pearloid.[/sub]

[sub]Scale Length:[/sub]
[sub]34" (86.4 cm)[/sub]

[sub]Neck Radius:[/sub]
[sub]11" (27.9 cm)[/sub]

[sub]Headstock Size:[/sub]
[sub]Only 7-5/8" (19.4 cm) long[/sub]

[sub]Frets:[/sub]
[sub]22 - High profile, wide[/sub]

[sub]Neck Width:[/sub]
[sub]1-1/2" (38.1 mm) at nut, 2-1/2" (63.5 mm) at last fret[/sub]

[sub]Neck Wood:[/sub]
[sub]Select maple neck[/sub]

[sub]Fingerboard:[/sub]
[sub]Fretted - maple or rosewood; Fretless - Pau Ferro with or without inlaid fretlines; Stealth - Ebony Fretted or Fretless[/sub]

[sub]Neck Finish:[/sub]
[sub]Gunstock oil and hand-rubbed special wax blend[/sub]

[sub]Neck Colors:[/sub]
[sub]Standard - Natural; Optional - Matching painted headstock[/sub]

[sub]Tuning Machines:[/sub]
[sub]Schaller BM, with tapered string posts[/sub]

[sub]Truss Rod:[/sub]
[sub]Adjustable - no component or string removal[/sub]

[sub]Neck Attachment:[/sub]
[sub]5 bolts - perfect alignment with no shifting; Sculpted neck joint allows smooth access to higher frets[/sub]

[sub]Electronic Shielding:[/sub]
[sub]Graphite acrylic resin coated body cavity and aluminum lined control cover[/sub]

[sub]Controls:[/sub]
[sub]Single Pickup, 3-band active preamp; vol, treble, mid, bass; Dual Pickup, 3-band active preamp; vol, treble, mid, bass; Piezo 3-band active preamp: vol, mag/piezo pan, treble, mid, bass[/sub]

[sub]Switching:[/sub]
[sub]Single Pickup - 3-way lever pickup selector; Dual Pickup - 5-way lever pickup selector[/sub]

[sub]Pickups:[/sub]
[sub]Standard - Music Man® humbucking with ceramic magnets and hum canceling phantom coil; Optional - Dual Humbucking with ceramic magnets; Optional - Humbucking/Single coil with ceramic magnets[/sub]

[sub]Left Handed:[/sub]
[sub]Yes[/sub]

[sub]Strings:[/sub]
[sub]45w-65w-80w-100w (Super Slinky Bass #2834[/sub]

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[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1338836588' post='1679887']
I have recently acquired a [b][size=5]Sterling by Music Man SUB14[/size][/b] and it has a 38mm wide at the nut neck, somewhat deeper than my 38mm at the nut Fenders. And very nice it is too.
[/quote]


my head is going to explode!!!

MusicMan Sterling... ok
Sterling by MusicMan... which can be a Stingray type, or a Sterling type... :blink:
SUB14... :huh: :unsure: now, they do a SUB as well!!! Of course, nothing to do with the previous SUB range from 2003-2006...

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[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1338836501' post='1679885']
I don`t know the size of the neck on a Stingray, but my Sterling by Musicman is the same width as a Precision, approx 41mm. But, when playing it, it seems a lot faster in hand. Probably not quite as deep a profile, though I`ve no way of measuring it. To the eye, it looks like this is the case.
[/quote]

Mine was 38mm at the nut. The Stingray was just over 40mm
In Price order........

ErnieBall MusicMan stingray, Sterling etc.... are US components built in the US
ErnieBall Musicman SUB are US components built in the US.
SterlingBall by MusicMan SB14(Sterling) and Ray34/35(Stingray) made in the Far East from components possibly made there too. 'Checked' in the US.
SterlingBall by MusicMan SUB (so far only a ray sort of model) God knows, look worse than the worst OLP's I've seen.

If you want a Stingray with a skinny neck and a quality product you can rely on, make a custom order with BassDirect or Strings and Things, if it isn't up to scratch when it gets to you send it back. this is what I would do, or pick up the used Greenburst Sandberg Basic, very ,uch like a stingray, only less weight and slimmer better feeling neck.

Like all of the lines each suffers from the occassional QC issue that is either a nightmare or something not a big deal. These what mass-manufactured bass doesn't?

Used Sterlings can go for pretty cheap on the used market, and the ceramic pup and electronics don't make too much a difference to notice in a live band setting or a mix, I would get another Sterling if funds allowed, just for the single coil sound. You get a nice mix between Musicman and Jazz, great for nailing some of the tones Tim C has when he switched to using Jazz basses.

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Here are your choices for a Musicman with a narrower (more like a Fender Jazz width at the nut) bass:-

1) Stingray SLO special - a Stingray in any standard colour, with 3 band or 2 band EQ, with 1 pick up or two (either HH or HS),with or without matching headstock, as you want. Oh and choice of maple, rosewood or pau ferro fretless board.
2) Sterling (NOT an SBMM) - smaller body than Stingray, 3 band EQ, ceramic magnets, 3 way switch giving series/parallel/single coil plus all the variations as in 1)
3) Sterling (NOT an SBMM) Classic - all as 2) above but only in 2 band EQ - no fretless available - classic colours only; flamed or birds eye maple neck.
4) Big Al - pointy shaped body (but great fit to play especially sat down), mahogany body (the very early ones were alder) - 4 band EQ (in multi pick up version - 3 band in single H version) with coil selectors, series/parallel, active/passive - multi pick up available in SSS; HH variants - all colours etc as above.

Plenty of choice then :)

The SBMM SB14 is a version of 2) above made in Indonesia - with a basswood body and fewer options.
There was a SUB Sterling model - has 2 band EQ without coil tap.

Hope this and the other posts help you - let us know how you get on.

All of the above come up used sometimes and bargains can be had - however the Stingray SLO special, Sterling Classic and Sub Sterling are all quite rare - and especially on the used market - I've never seen a used Big Al advertised except on the MM forum.

Don't worry about alternatives - quite honestly only a Musicman sounds like a Musicman and suggest you don't alter the neck you already have - the resale value will undoubtedly drop and most of the sort of people who buy Musicmans wouldn't buy it off you. Very few people modify them or even change the colour.

Edited by drTStingray
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[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1338847877' post='1680105']
my head is going to explode!!!

MusicMan Sterling... ok
Sterling by MusicMan... which can be a Stingray type, or a Sterling type... :blink:
SUB14... :huh: :unsure: now, they do a SUB as well!!! Of course, nothing to do with the previous SUB range from 2003-2006...
[/quote]

OOps. I meant Sterling by Musicman SB14. 3 band EQ, thin neck, smaller basswood body. Sell new for around £550+/- Good enough for me and what I do.

Review here by Ed Friedland for this and the Ray34
[media]http://youtu.be/67Fo7AKwfA0[/media]

Edited by Paul S
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