EB Musicman Stingray electronics died on me?

[Arron_Brown]

My stingray has completely died on me after an intermittent problem of cutting in and out worsened. It began making a low sounding humming with no signal from the pickups coming out at all and the hum increases to a high pitched squeal and popping. I had the faulty preamp replaced and it is still not working but it has actually worsened. I am having all of the electronics and pickup fully reinstalled with new parts and I just have no clue why this happened? Any thoughts?

[mcnach]

What year is the Stingray and what is the battery compartment like?

Mine (2002) is starting to misbehave. It can cut out, and it can make a hum noise... in my case, it's the battery compartment not making a good contact. I can cure it temporarily simply by opening it and closing it hard again. But it'll eventually give me trouble again. Does it make a scratch noise if you touch and push on the battery cover (while plugged in with the volume up, of course)? If so, it's probably the same as mine.

I've heard it this happening on some Stingrays.

I suspect I can cure mine by cleaning the contacts and pushing the springs up so that the battery is held more tightly. If that doesn't do it I might just change the connector type.
I hope yours is something similarly simple.

[siphillips]

Just came across this thread, randomly the symptoms you describe sounds exactly like what happened to my cousins 4 string Musicman stingray. Couldn't source the problem and sold the guitar as faulty.

[mcnach]

Earlier today I unscrewed the battery compartment, and pushed the bent metal contacts that act as springs in, to push better against the battery (they were nearly flat!). Took two minutes. The battery makes better contact now and it seems it's done the trick.
I hope the OP's is the same.

[drTStingray]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1399830531' post='2448116']
Earlier today I unscrewed the battery compartment, and pushed the bent metal contacts that act as springs in, to push better against the battery (they were nearly flat!). Took two minutes. The battery makes better contact now and it seems it's done the trick.
I hope the OP's is the same.
[/quote]

This is a standard fix after relaxing the battery and checking it's not the Jack socket. Glad it worked.

[drTStingray]

[quote name='Arron_Brown' timestamp='1399491312' post='2444804']
I am having all of the electronics and pickup fully reinstalled with new parts and I just have no clue why this happened? Any thoughts?
[/quote]

How are you doing this? The only way you can replace with Musicman parts is to return the faulty ones to them - they don't sell these parts any other way. It's very unusual for the major parts to go wrong - much more likely a faulty connection.

McNach's solution is the likely problem.

Edited May 11, 2014 by drTStingray

[mcnach]

Hmmm, it looks like Strings & Things do sell parts now, like preamps... but not pickups, as far as I can tell.

[url="http://www.ernieball.co.uk/c/music-man-spares?pp=8&pg=6"]http://www.ernieball.co.uk/c/music-man-spares?pp=8&pg=6[/url]

[Bolo]

Oh wait no, those are for the stRingray ><

[bakerster135]

[quote name='Bolo' timestamp='1399916279' post='2448942']
Oh wait no, those are for the stRingray ><
[/quote]

Haha! Surely "Ernie Ball UK" should've got at least that right!?...

[Machines]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1399915458' post='2448931']
Hmmm, it looks like Strings & Things do sell parts now, like preamps... but not pickups, as far as I can tell.

[url="http://www.ernieball.co.uk/c/music-man-spares?pp=8&pg=6"]http://www.ernieball.co.uk/c/music-man-spares?pp=8&pg=6[/url]
[/quote]

Pickups are on the previous page of that link.