Stingray...the golden era?

[White Cloud]

Happy Saturday felllow Basschatters!

Back in 1987 (when I had black hair and a six pack) I bought a brand new Musicman Stingray, it was heavy but played like a dream and had a very, very special live and recording sound in what was a successful period in my personal musical adventures. Isn't the way that a musician can spontaneously reminisce about an instrument with which they have long since parted very strange?

Anyway, we eventually parted company in a long forgotten trade in deal for something else that has been long forgotten.

I have always loved the whole Stingray thing but never ever went there again (no idea why!) This has got me thinking - what was the golden era of this particular breed of bass, was my 80's version a classic or did I get lucky?

[Old Horse Murphy]

I've owned a few 88-89 Stingrays and they were all wonderful basses. In fact, I preferred them to a late 70's and early 80's Ray that I also owned.

Picking one up again is definitely my next purchase

[HazBeen]

I would say '78/89 is when the best ones I have played were all built. I had a '93 as my main bass for about 14 years, it was very good but never on par with the '82 I owned or the '86 my mate had.

Also the 2 band EQ version always sounded better to me than the 3 band they brought out.

But if that means golden era....

[Chiliwailer]

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1480156419' post='3182039']
Isn't the way that a musician can spontaneously reminisce about an instrument with which they have long since parted very strange?
[/quote]

I hear that, strange but sometimes quite true. As I've said already about 100 times this month... I sold my 78 Sabre 10 years ago and always fancied getting another one, it's the only bass I've ever wanted back and I've had tons of good'ns. It recorded amazingly and I had the tunes to haunt me all that time. Live, it kicked it out too. I got a 79 Sabre last month and it's just as good.

Fact is, the 78 was a special instrument and this 79 must be too. Is that a Sabre thing or late 70's thing? Dunno. The other many I've played over the years from various periods have been great or good, with no consistent grade IMO.

[machinehead]

The golden era was 2003 to 2005, US made SUB....

Frank.

[stingrayPete1977]

I think circa 1990 was a good era, best of most bits imo.

[MattM]

My 88 'Ray (now owned by a Mr Keeves of this parish) remains the finest wooden bass I've ever owned

[martthebass]

I've had a few, but never a preeb. My first was a 1990 2eq, kept that for about 15 years, a very nice bass if a bit heavy. The nicest one For sound and playability was a 30th Anni. My current is a 2001 2eq which is very nice and has a highly figured neck. My conclusion is that there are good ones from all decades but you don't usually find a bad one.

[rodney72a]

Mid '80s to early '90s for me. My first EBMM was a 1992 2-band Sunburst SR4, bought from new, still have it. It's on the heavy side but plays and sounds beautifully.

The best features were around then - gloss necks, mute bridges, chrome battery covers, all on a contoured body. The 6-bolt necks with the capstan wheel may be more stable/practical but I'm particularly fond of the 4-bolts (on the SR4) with the adjuster at the headstock. Many necks had amazing figuring, too. Very playable, slim profiles.

Plus some great finishes can be found in those years. Simple colours. Blueburst, Trans Red, Sunburst and my all-time favourite, Peach.

In my experience, you can't go wrong with an instrument from that era.

Edited November 4, 2018 by rodney72a

[Kiwi]

Mid to late 80's rays are the best period in the company history IMO. Quality was amazing as EB attempted to resurrect the brand.

[Bolo]

MusicMan never had a crap era or hit-or-miss production like 7ender does. A MM bass of any vintage might suit you or might not, but all are fit for live duty and recording.

[martthebass]

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1480408751' post='3184041']
I concur Mart. I still have that one and it's a beauty. Some say that the 30th is the best of the "modern" Stingray's; I'm sure some might disagree. Having said that, the Gilded White I just picked up is very close to the 30th in sound and feel. I now own more Stingray's than any other bass and I'm not quite sure how that happened. If you had asked me about 5-6 years ago, I was Fender through and through, flirting with other brands occasionally. I just don't play Fender in the Bowie band as it doesn't feel or sound like the right instrument in that context.
[/quote]

It is a peach H, still have slight pain sometimes over moving that one on but it was just too beautiful to gig and I was too precious about it. The 4003 that replaced it is still in the stable though so all ends well I guess. I'm back to 2 MMs (that's if you class the Sterling Sub USA as a proper MM - it certainly sounds the part) in the fleet after a bit of a swap out and ZERO Fenders.

[Musicman20]

[quote name='Bolo' timestamp='1480403802' post='3184006']
MusicMan never had a crap era or hit-or-miss production like 7ender does. A MM bass of any vintage might suit you or might not, but all are fit for live duty and recording.
[/quote]

I'd agree with this.

If you want a vintage style/sounding Musicman, but brand new, just get a Classic Stingray.

[radiophonic]

I have a '90 or '91 - one of the earliest 6 bolt jobs anyway, with a serial number that overlaps with the earlier model. Trans Teal, gloss neck, string dampers, metal battery cover, 2 band EQ. I've played it in every band I've been in since then and tried many more recent ones (later 90s, 00s) in shops, but none have a neck as nice as mine or are as nicely balanced.

[White Cloud]

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1480384889' post='3183975']
Mid to late 80's rays are the best period in the company history IMO. Quality was amazing as EB attempted to resurrect the brand.
[/quote]
Aha, so my 86/87 may have been one of a golden era then...very interesting.

Thanks folks for all of your excellent participation in this thread

[stingrayPete1977]

When you think about it they came out of the blocks right into the mainstream from day one and have been in the lime light ever since which is some going to get a product out there so quickly. John Deacon was right in there with his and I'm sure we could link the earliest users right upto players like Lauren Taniel on tour with Beyonce right now without much effort!

Let's have a go 1976-2016, I'll start us off, fill in the gaps!
Anyone got a hit single for 76 I can only think of the Queen album that features some Ray action?
I'm going from memory, videos and hearsay, I'll bump tracks off for better suggestions and or evidence


1976 Queen day at the races album.
1977 Queen good old fashioned lover boy.
1978 Chic Le freak
1979 Chic I want your love
1980 Queen another one bites the dust
1981
1982 Billy Idol white wedding
1983 M Jackson Billy Jean (L Johnson)
1984 Sade smooth operator
1985 The cult she sells sanctuary
1986 Peter Gabriel sledge hammer (Tony Levin)
1987 Peter Gabriel big time (Tony Levin)
1988 Defunkt Smooth Love (Kim Clark)
1989
1990
1991 Red Hot Chili Peppers give it away
1992 Rage Against The Machine killing in the name of
1993 Rage Against The Machine bombtrack
1994
1995
1996
1997 Blur song 2
1998
1999 Blur coffee and TV
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004 McFly Obviously
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009 Take That up all night (Lee Pomeroy)
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014 The Vamps Cecillia
2015
2016 Beyonce Lemonade tour (Lauren 'LT' Taniel)


Come on guys help me out

Edited November 30, 2016 by stingrayPete1977

[White Cloud]

1976 - "I'll be good to you" by the brothers Johnson (the legendary Louis on bass). Reached no 3 in the US singles chart.

[stingrayPete1977]

Cool, keep them coming and I'll fill it the gaps

[drTStingray]

Any Jamiroquy with Nick Fyffe - talking Canned Heat etc. Runaway with Paul Turner is part on a Stingray (choruses IIRC).
Early Take That is on Stingray; some Westlife.
Some Culture Club (later singles).
The Feel No Fret AWB album - Lets Go Round Again single probably.
David Bowie singles from the late 70s on.
Paul Young singles (Pino); Elton John (Nikita) Pino - most recent singles also.
The theme to Later with Jools Holland is on an SR5 I think from the era when Dave Swift was an endorser (same era as Paul Turner with Annie Lennox).

[drTStingray]

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1480456658' post='3184628']
1976 - "I'll be good to you" by the brothers Johnson (the legendary Louis on bass). Reached no 3 in the US singles chart.
[/quote]

He didn't use a Stingray until the Blam album I think.

For 1976, you need to think of the first people to have them - Carl Radle with Eric Clapton is an example - bearing in mind the earliest production bases didn't get done till around September 76.

[drTStingray]

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1480156419' post='3182039']
Happy Saturday felllow Basschatters!

Back in 1987 (when I had black hair and a six pack) I bought a brand new Musicman Stingray, it was heavy but played like a dream and had a very, very special live and recording sound in what was a successful period in my personal musical adventures. Isn't the way that a musician can spontaneously reminisce about an instrument with which they have long since parted very strange?

Anyway, we eventually parted company in a long forgotten trade in deal for something else that has been long forgotten.

I have always loved the whole Stingray thing but never ever went there again (no idea why!) This has got me thinking - what was the golden era of this particular breed of bass, was my 80's version a classic or did I get lucky?
[/quote]

Well I've just bought a brand new 40th Anniversary Stingray and it's great - in fact I've had basses from the 80s (pre EB) from new - unfortunately sold - 90s, 00s and 10s - they're all rock solid live and recording basses so I would say there is no duff period.

The golden years depend on what floats your boat - certain colours are from certain periods only (eg pastel colours 2010-11 Classic Ray/Sterling only) - highly figured necks are late 80s- early 90s or current model Classic Collection (2010-date). Different people will have different views.

But if you want a slab body, two band natural Stingray with a maple neck like Bernard Edwards you can order one as standard production, which in my book is a cool thing to be available.

[markorbit]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1480450691' post='3184551']
1982 Billy Idol white wedding
1983 Billy Idol Rebel Yell?
[/quote]

Wow, I didn't know the Billy Idol stuff was a Music Man. I thought it was a Fender or Spector.

I think Supertramp used a Stingray but you have that year covered.

Edited November 30, 2016 by markorbit

[stingrayPete1977]

I'll update the list later, feel free to challenge and upstage a year and I'll swap it out especially if we can have different artists for each year.

Last night I started thinking about mcfly and the vamps for modern ones too.

[White Cloud]

Cool stuff guys! Not exactly classic 80's as such but King "Love and Pride" was a Ray (or was it a Sabre?)

[obi 2 kenobi]

1988 - Kim Clarke - Defunkt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFCdYYKQObA