OLP

[waynepunkdude]

I want to get a Stingray but can't afford a MM or a SUB, have any of you had any experience of OLP? will they give me a taste of what a MM has to offer?

[Tait]

having owned an OLP and my dad owned a stingray, i can say that stingrays are in a completely different league to the OLP. the OLPs are passive and feel cheaper, but they are £800 cheaper new so its no suprise. yeah, the OLP will give you a feel of what a stingray's like, but they're nowhere near as good as a real stingray.

if you want a stingray sound for cheaper i'd say best thing to go for is an ibanez ATK (my dad owns one of these, too), they don't look the same but they sound very much like a stingray. the neck's closer to a precision than a stingray, and they're heavy. but i think the ATK is easily on par with the musicman. at least try one out before you buy.

[OutToPlayJazz]

Look out for an OLP MM22. That's the twin humbucker active version like a Sterling. They're not very expensive and really great to play with an excellent sound. Best of the budget basses. Get one before they're all gone now that Ernie Ball has pulled the licence!

[Dubs]

i think OLP's are generally regarded as the best Stingray copies that are out there…I could be wrong though. I've played a few but not really got on with them, but then again i didn’t get on with my MM Stingray either which i owned from new for about 3 years. They’re really common so I’d be surprised if you couldn’t find one in a shop somewhere to try.
For the money I don’t think you can go too wrong - just judging from some of the reviews they get.

[budget bassist]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='235222' date='Jul 8 2008, 07:47 PM']Look out for an OLP MM22. That's the twin humbucker active version like a Sterling. They're not very expensive and really great to play with an excellent sound. Best of the budget basses. Get one before they're all gone now that Ernie Ball has pulled the licence![/quote]
+1 The last basses the OLP factory pumped out were easily the best, go for an OLP MM22, much prettier, active, double humbucker, the bridges are the correct size so it even looks like a current ray bridge, the headstocks look a bit goofier, but that's the one to go for.

Also i tried Iwtait's dad's ibby ATK and it did sound very nice and stingrayish, i'd reccommend giving one a go.

[stingrayfan]

Mine was ok and fun to play but they do feel cheap. Save for a Sub.

[simon1964]

[quote name='budget bassist' post='235233' date='Jul 8 2008, 08:09 PM']+1 The last basses the OLP factory pumped out were easily the best, go for an OLP MM22, much prettier, active, double humbucker, the bridges are the correct size so it even looks like a current ray bridge, the headstocks look a bit goofier, but that's the one to go for.

Also i tried Iwtait's dad's ibby ATK and it did sound very nice and stingrayish, i'd reccommend giving one a go.[/quote]

Pleased to see my ATK getting a mention!

In terms of quality feel, you can't beat a 'ray. That having been said, OLPs are very nice for the money, and are the best of the Stingray copies I've tried.

But as others have said, the ATK gets very close to the Stingray sound and vibe without being a straight copy. I'd give the OLP and ATK a try.

[waynepunkdude]

I'm going to give the OLP a go the reason i asked is because i have been offered one for £80 from what your saying i might as well take it.

Thanks for all your help I might try out the ATK a bit further down the line.

[simon1964]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='235287' date='Jul 8 2008, 09:29 PM']I'm going to give the OLP a go the reason i asked is because i have been offered one for £80 from what your saying i might as well take it.

Thanks for all your help I might try out the ATK a bit further down the line.[/quote]

I'd say £80 was a good price for the OLP. You'll do well to find a better bass for that sort of money.

[stoo]

From what I can gather, the older OLPs vary wildly on quality so you might get a blinder or might get a lemon.

To quote Sterling Ball....

[quote]Regarding OLP quality it was all over the board much to my disapointment...(why do you think I cancelled the deal?) The irony is that the last batch were made in Korea at a higher price point due to the sub leaving the markiet and they were truly great....to good but too late.....[/quote]

[url="http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-basses/30716-question-week-big-poppa-2.html#post485243"]http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-...html#post485243[/url]

[Jobiebass]

I bought Stoo's OLP 5HH (think thats the MM32)
Enjoyed it tbh, I bought it to test the water for a musicman 5 as I already had a ernieball ray. mine was the double hum which was active with 5 way switching. made me want a propper one though. there is nothing better then EBMM stuff. built like a brick s**t house and you never need to upgrade them.

No its not the same as a EBMM, but they are still pretty decent. Think of them like the Mex fenders, the japs being the subs.

Selling mine if your interested, £200 (same price stoo was selling it for, I traded him for my Mex Fender Jazz)

[Dave Dubya]

Do they have plans to start another lower cost range to replace the OLPs? (or to change to a different manufacturer?)

[waynepunkdude]

Cheers for the offer buddy but I don't play 5 strings.

I would love an MM but the wallet wont allow it.

[stoo]

[quote name='Dave Dubya' post='235397' date='Jul 8 2008, 11:59 PM']Do they have plans to start another lower cost range to replace the OLPs? (or to change to a different manufacturer?)[/quote]

Yep - their plan is to start over with a new manufacturer, but they don't seem to be in too much of a rush.

[Dave Dubya]

Well that's good. It does seem like they genuinely wanted to offer something in that lower quartile price range, without it being low on quality.

As it says in that forum link above, not everyone can justify or afford the high-end premium but still aspire to having a Stingray.

[budget bassist]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='235287' date='Jul 8 2008, 09:29 PM']I'm going to give the OLP a go the reason i asked is because i have been offered one for £80 from what your saying i might as well take it.

Thanks for all your help I might try out the ATK a bit further down the line.[/quote]
Ah that's cool, i say go for it, pics when you get it?

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='budget bassist' post='235536' date='Jul 9 2008, 10:12 AM']Ah that's cool, i say go for it, pics when you get it?[/quote]


Of course it's black but i'm going to strip in down and paint it Bright Green because I don't like plain basses.

[Dr.Dave]

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='235246' date='Jul 8 2008, 08:26 PM']Mine was ok and fun to play but they do feel cheap. Save for a Sub.[/quote]

Funnily enough that's why I don't care for the Sub.

Like having a Porsche Boxster , everyone knows you can't afford a 911. But get an MX5 , half the cost of a Boxster but cool in it's own right.

I like the OLP rays and to my mind there's more milage in buying one for not much coin and saving for a Ray if you think it's your holy grail.

[Dubs]

[quote name='stoo' post='235402' date='Jul 9 2008, 12:02 AM']Yep - their plan is to start over with a new manufacturer, but they don't seem to be in too much of a rush.[/quote]

What’s happened with OLP? Were EB not happy with the quality of the products they’ve been producing? I must have had my head up my arse recently cos I’ve not heard about this yet.

Excuse me if there’s another thread about this…

[stoo]

[quote name='benwhiteuk' post='235623' date='Jul 9 2008, 12:09 PM']What’s happened with OLP? Were EB not happy with the quality of the products they’ve been producing? I must have had my head up my arse recently cos I’ve not heard about this yet.

Excuse me if there’s another thread about this…[/quote]

Thats pretty much it. EB thought the earlier OLPs were too inconsistent on quality and so cancelled the licensing deal.

Some alternative arrangement is in the offing, but haven't yet heard much as to indicate who or when...

[Machines]

Apparently the later OLPs (MM22/32) were great, but it was too late by this point. I think it was Sterling Ball who said this..

[stoo]

[quote name='Machines' post='235634' date='Jul 9 2008, 12:22 PM']Apparently the later OLPs (MM22/32) were great, but it was too late by this point. I think it was Sterling Ball who said this..[/quote]


[quote name='stoo' post='235380' date='Jul 8 2008, 11:33 PM']From what I can gather, the older OLPs vary wildly on quality so you might get a blinder or might get a lemon.

To quote Sterling Ball....


[quote]Regarding OLP quality it was all over the board much to my disapointment...(why do you think I cancelled the deal?) The irony is that the last batch were made in Korea at a higher price point due to the sub leaving the markiet and they were truly great....to good but too late.....[/quote]

[url="http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-basses/30716-question-week-big-poppa-2.html#post485243"]http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-...html#post485243[/url]
[/quote]

[Dubs]

Ahh…so OLP f***ed it up for themselves, unlucky. If OLP have got their act together then why pull the licence now?

[stoo]

[quote name='benwhiteuk' post='235646' date='Jul 9 2008, 12:35 PM']Ahh…so OLP f***ed it up for themselves, unlucky. If OLP have got their act together then why pull the licence now?[/quote]

Seems odd, eh?


If they'd already started making arrangements for another company to take over OLP's role then I could understand it, but then it's dragging out a bit if they're still not at the point where they're confident enough to go public about it.

[Lfalex v1.1]

It is a shame that the original deal's off.
The MM3 I've got is great. Needed a better set-up / intonation job, but once that was done it's fine.
I tried a MM22 (4string, 2xHB, 3 Band EQ) in a shop, and that was superb. Needed a good set-up again- the G & D strings were laying on the fretboard, but the underlying quality was there.

I can't help but think that the MM2 and MM3 (if you can get a good 'un) are a good bet for hot-rodding Primarily in terms of a better set of controls- series / parallel and or active EQ...