Musicman Stingray

[kendall]

Saturday found me in a music shop in Liverpool and as it was raining, I decided to take some time out and try a bass I've never played before. A Musicman Stingray MIA was passed to me.

First things first, it sounds immense, really liked to amount of tones I could get out of that one big pick up! Weight, balance etc were good also. Comfortable to play apart from....

The neck, it felt so chunky - it was a four string but I struggled with the thickness of the neck. I was also surprised to find a few sharp edges on the frets......especially as it was over £1,200.

That said, maybe I would get used to a thicker neck, The neck on my 5string jazz is wide but slim enough for my small hands to cope with and after an initial fumble, me and the jazz get on nicely.

I am really taken with the stingray sounds, but that neck is a bit of a downer for me.....

Maybe I should try a few more variations of it.....

What's everyone elses experiences of Stingray variations?

[marcus bell]

Same experience as me mate...

Try a sterling! Similar in sound and a jazz width neck, or even a sub model stingray, £300 ish for a great instrument and the necks are so comfy

[sammybee]

I had the same experience when I bought my Stingray without playing one. Love the look, the finish, the tone - everything about it screams quality. But as you say the neck is just too darn thick for me to get comfortable with. I'm hoping it will grow on me as it's one bass I really don't want to part with.

[theyellowcar]

As per the above suggestion a Sterling would be the way forward if you find the Stingray neck a little chunky. The Sterling is 38mm at the nut, like a Jazz, so it should feel significantly more slimline.

[mep]

Glad you found some Stingray love. I have no problem with the neck. Good luck with your hunt.

[Dingus]

When people are complaining about the size of the neck do they mean the width or the depth, or both?

The width at the nut is about halfway between a traditional vintage Precision and Jazz Bass width (presumably Leo Fender thought that would be an inclusive compromise) and it used to be that the width was offset slightly by a noticeably shallow neck profile front to back . Pre -EBMM basses and earlier post EBMM examples have pretty slender neck thicknesses. It is noticeable in recent years ,however, that the neck profile on Stingrays seems to have got slightly chunkier.

Personally, it doesn't particularly bother me, but I expect it could very well alienate people used to the feel of the older Music Man basses. It's not just Stingrays, either. All the EBMM basses I have tried recently had had some degree of substance to the neck shape. The EBMM Sterling, for example, has a narrower nut that the Stingray, but a similar depth front to back, or at least that has been the impression I get.

[Floyd Pepper]

I've always been drawn back to a Stingray but I always struggled with the neck.
Then, I found a Sterling by Musicman Ray 34 ca. Looks like a stingray, sounds like a stingray, half the price of a MIA Stingray and is fitted with a 38mm 'Jazz' neck.
I'm so happy with this bass. The only thing missing for me is the contoured body but other than that, it's fantastic.

[discreet]

Hmm, I dabbled with a Jazz for a while but was relieved to get back to my P neck, which is a bit of a baseball bat. I think it's about whatever you get used to, really... I like a lot of wood in my hand. Fnarr - and I say again, Fnarr.

Edited February 17, 2014 by discreet

[theyellowcar]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1392677156' post='2371614']
Hmm, I dabbled with a Jazz for a while but was relieved to get back to my P neck, which is a bit of a baseball bat. I think it's about whatever you get used to, really... I like a lot of wood in my hand. Fnarr - and I say again, Fnarr.
[/quote]

I'm a bit schizophrenic when it comes to necks.

I have 2 basses with Jazz necks and then a baseball bat Precision. Some days I like the extra room of the P, other days I prefer the way I can motor around the fretboard on a Jazz neck.

[Scott S]

Oooooh, I have baaaaaad GAS at the moment...for a 'ray!

white, black scratchplate, maple fretboard...blue, black scratchplate, rosewood fretboard...dargie's delight, ebony fretboard...natural, white scratchplate, maple fretboard.

There are some lovely examples for sale on here....but I have no spare dosh...DAMN YOU, GAS!!!

[Cairobill]

Neck profiles on new 'Rays are really uncomfortable.

My tried and tested solution is this. Buy a second hand Stingray Classic….check the weight first (make sure it's not too heavy. i favour 9lbs or under)…the necks feel great and I say that as a huge fan of skinny jazz and Ric necks.

Here's one which has no affiliation with me…for under 1100 quid.

[url="http://www.thebassgallery.com/product_details.cfm?ID=2792&type=Bass%20Guitar"]http://www.thebassga...e=Bass%20Guitar[/url]

Edited February 18, 2014 by Cairobill

[kendall]

Thanks for the replies all. Glad its not just me that found the neck too chunky. They really do have a special sound to them. But that neck! I will try out a Sterling next chance I get.

[Musicman20]

I think the EBMM necks are the best in the business, but probably because I am so used to them.

The Ray necks are faster than a P bass...by far. I would say they are inbetween a P and a J but closer to a P.

The Sterling neck is INCREDIBLY fast...

Edited February 18, 2014 by Musicman20

[Highfox]

Just took my recently purchased pre-eb Ray to my luthier to get a once over and set-up done.. and he said it's one of the nicest necks he has ever seen on a bass and he should know he's been building them for the past 40 years

[odysseus]

I love my Stingray. I play a couple of jazz basses too, and the necks do indeed seem a little skinny after the 'Ray. As long as you have a good warm up on whichever you are going to play, it shouldn't be a problem.

Edited February 18, 2014 by odysseus

[badboy1984]

I use to own a Stingray and now a Bongo. The bongo feels like it have a slimmer neck compare to Stingray.

[grenadilla]

I just got a Sterling Ray 34 last week and I like It. It has a Precision-width nut . The Sterling Ray34ca ("Classic Active" ) has the narrower Jazz-type nut. My neck is not fat but the fingerboard is flatter than most Fenders. The Sterling Ray 34ca has smaller frets, no body contours for arm or belly, and a 2-band E.Q. with top-mounted jack. After playing Precisions, this is a different vibe .

[Dingus]

The older Stingrays had a very pronounced shallow "D" profile. The knock on effect from that skinniness, however, was that they were very prone to shifting. My pre-EBMM 'Ray ( the only Stingray I have ever owned) was very unstable by comparison to the necks on my other basses ( Wal and '70's Precision) at the time. A lot of folks complain about the necks shifting a lot on post-EBMM Stingrays, too, so maybe that is why EBMM have opted to make them a bit more chunky.

Edited February 19, 2014 by Dingus

[Dingus]

[quote name='badboy1984' timestamp='1392823756' post='2373136']
I use to own a Stingray and now a Bongo. The bongo feels like it have a slimmer neck compare to Stingray.
[/quote]

The Bongo has its' own unique neck profile.

[bonnp]

novice question, if i put a jazz neck on a p bass will it limit me with type of strings, prefer heavy gauge, will there be any difference in tone or playabilty, is it entirely down to how u prefer your neck fat or thin?

[theyellowcar]

[quote name='bonnp' timestamp='1392885537' post='2373729']
novice question, if i put a jazz neck on a p bass will it limit me with type of strings, prefer heavy gauge, will there be any difference in tone or playabilty, is it entirely down to how u prefer your neck fat or thin?
[/quote]

Not at all, you will still be able to use your preferred string gauge, the key thing to note is that would need to re-set (or at least check) your set-up once the new neck is fitted.

In terms of impact on tone - not a lot in my experience unless you were changing from a Rosewood board to a Maple board (Maple is a little brighter than Rosewood)

Just make sure you measure your neck pocket before you buy anything.

[badboy1984]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1392833843' post='2373291']
The Bongo has its' own unique neck profile.
[/quote]

It certainly unique enough for me to like it lol. Only down side on that Bongo i don't like is the 2x 9v battery lol.

[Dingus]

[quote name='badboy1984' timestamp='1392886787' post='2373744']
It certainly unique enough for me to like it lol. Only down side on that Bongo i don't like is the 2x 9v battery lol.
[/quote]

I love the Bongo, too, and I personally think it is by far the best EBMM bass. I love the look of it as well, and I can't understand whey some folks think they are ugly. I suppose the 18 volt circuit is essential , because it's those electronics that give those basses such a unique sound.

[martthebass]

I didn't think there should be much variation what with modern CNC and all but my 2001 Ray does feel slimmer and faster than some of the mid 2000s Rays I've had and the 1990 specimens I had some years back. If youre coming from a Jazz I guess it could feel more of a handful but it's hardly a baseball bat. As others had said above if you're a Jazz man then the Sterling is your man!