Atomic dustbin Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 (edited) Hi all. I currently have a mid 90's MM Stingray 4 , 2 band eq and love the thing. It's one of my best gear purchases ever. I'm thinking of getting a Stingray classic 4 too. I'm a total sucker for birdseye! My questions are.... Will there be enough of a difference soundwise to my Stingray? Will they sound almost identical? I know there are differences such as radius, slab body etc. Anyone with experience of both? I only started bass after years of playing guitar 6 months ago and have never had the chance to play a Classic Stingray. Wish I had picked up bass years ago. Cheers Edited June 9, 2017 by Atomic dustbin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiliwailer Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 This is not helping my Stingray GAS at all..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 They're nicer in the flesh than pictures can do them justice, try one out and see how you get on, I think you'll like it, a lot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 My Stingray Classic 5 is the best bass guitar I have ever played/seen/heard.....and I've played A LOT. The neck is fantastic. They have shot up in price recently, so now the 4 string is way more than my 5 sting cost, which is unfortunate, but I do see them as a premium instrument. It might sound similar to your standard 2 band....but that neck....! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artisan Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 I've just recently got a classic 4 in a trade deal & must say it is one of the best basses I've ever played. Construction is perfect & it's very versatile sound wise. As for the neck it's bloody lovely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJE Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 The classics are lovely basses but honestly if you already have a 90s 2 band I really cant see you getting anything different tone wise. The classics are very expensive unless you go secondhand (I think I saw one yesterday for £1200) but I do understand the desire for the lovely birdseye neck and some of the lovely colours they used to do. If it was me and I had the money for a Classic, I would be hunting around for a late 80's stingray with a highly figured neck (they come up surprisingly often, heres one https://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/ernie-ball-musicman-stingray-bass-1988/1243906413) and save yourself a chunk of money. Andy Baxter Bass has a nice red mid 90's in stock with some nice grain, but I have seen more OTT neck wood. You can always send it to Dave Wilson guitars for good finish to be applied to the neck if you want the figuring to pop and like a gloss neck. he does loads of stingrays and they look amazing, I'm toying with having mine done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic dustbin Posted June 9, 2017 Author Share Posted June 9, 2017 Thanks for all the replies. I think I will try and pick up a used one first. I saw one for £1200 but not sure if the Coral Red colour is for me. I'm not in a rush to buy so I can wait for the right one to come up for sale. It sounds like there is much love for the classic! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highfox Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 Personally having owned a pre EB and also A StingRay 4, I'd go for the Classic now if I could afford it and was after a Stingray, best of both worlds imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 [quote name='Atomic dustbin' timestamp='1497024150' post='3315413'] Thanks for all the replies. I think I will try and pick up a used one first. I saw one for £1200 but not sure if the Coral Red colour is for me. I'm not in a rush to buy so I can wait for the right one to come up for sale. It sounds like there is much love for the classic! Thanks [/quote] Much as I love the late 80s/90s Stingrays, the Classics have one or two extra features - the one which most appeals to me is strings through bridge - to my mind this adds quite a bit of sustain. However the neck radius is different and they have skinny vintage frets. These basses are absolutely top notch. I have a coral red one - very nice indeed, in fact quite gorgeous, but some people prefer the more classic (for MM) colours (natural/sunburst). The coral red colour was only made for about 12 months so there aren't that many around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic dustbin Posted June 9, 2017 Author Share Posted June 9, 2017 [quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1497029945' post='3315460'] Much as I love the late 80s/90s Stingrays, the Classics have one or two extra features - the one which most appeals to me is strings through bridge - to my mind this adds quite a bit of sustain. However the neck radius is different and they have skinny vintage frets. These basses are absolutely top notch. I have a coral red one - very nice indeed, in fact quite gorgeous, but some people prefer the more classic (for MM) colours (natural/sunburst). The coral red colour was only made for about 12 months so there aren't that many around. [/quote] Thanks dr T I do prefer the natural finishes. I didn't know they only did them for about a year in Coral. The one I saw was 2011 I think. It looks a little bit pink to me. Maybe it was just the photos I saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 (edited) [quote name='Atomic dustbin' timestamp='1497030712' post='3315469'] Thanks dr T I do prefer the natural finishes. I didn't know they only did them for about a year in Coral. The one I saw was 2011 I think. It looks a little bit pink to me. Maybe it was just the photos I saw. [/quote] They are basically very similar to fiesta red - indeed the initial ones made were called that. They're quite pink in some lights but range from deeper red to almost orange dependent on light conditions - they can appear quite pale pink under fluorescent tube lighting. Looks great in combination with the highly figured maple neck. The natural colour wasn't introduced on the classic Stingray until three or maybe five years back. Edited June 9, 2017 by drTStingray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 (edited) Mine is Tobacco Burst which is another early colour changed to retroburst was it DrT? Being a May 2010 it's very early for a UK five string. [URL=http://s997.photobucket.com/user/stingraypete/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-07/20140730_173849_zpsnblgtvmm.jpg.html][IMG]http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af100/stingraypete/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-07/20140730_173849_zpsnblgtvmm.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Edited June 9, 2017 by stingrayPete1977 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic dustbin Posted June 9, 2017 Author Share Posted June 9, 2017 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1497033897' post='3315506'] Mine is Tobacco Burst which is another early colour changed to retroburst was it DrT? Being a May 2010 it's very early for a UK five string. [URL=http://s997.photobucket.com/user/stingraypete/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-07/20140730_173849_zpsnblgtvmm.jpg.html][IMG]http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af100/stingraypete/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-07/20140730_173849_zpsnblgtvmm.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [/quote] Very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic dustbin Posted June 9, 2017 Author Share Posted June 9, 2017 [quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1497031743' post='3315484'] They are basically very similar to fiesta red - indeed the initial ones made were called that. They're quite pink in some lights but range from deeper red to almost orange dependent on light conditions - they can appear quite pale pink under fluorescent tube lighting. Looks great in combination with the highly figured maple neck. The natural colour wasn't introduced on the classic Stingray until three or maybe five years back. [/quote] Maybe thats why the classic I saw in Coral didn't grab me, because it has a rosewood board not figured maple. The more I look at it, the more I like it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 I like the seafoam green one too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted June 9, 2017 Share Posted June 9, 2017 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1497033897' post='3315506'] Mine is Tobacco Burst which is another early colour changed to retroburst was it DrT? Being a May 2010 it's very early for a UK five string. [URL=http://s997.photobucket.com/user/stingraypete/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-07/20140730_173849_zpsnblgtvmm.jpg.html][IMG]http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af100/stingraypete/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-07/20140730_173849_zpsnblgtvmm.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [/quote] Looks great - and yes, when the Classic range was introduced some of the colours were planned to be rotated - which tended to be at NAMM - so tobacco burst became retro burst and the three pastel colours, red, green and blue, were dropped after the first year of production. These colours had been requested on the MM forum periodically. There are Guitar Centre specials as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic dustbin Posted June 10, 2017 Author Share Posted June 10, 2017 [quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1497045707' post='3315609'] That looks fabulous Pete. A lovely soft burst. Tastefully done. Here is my Sledge. [/quote] I think I have a new screensaver! That bass looks fantastic. That neck figuring is amazing. Thanks for sharing and thanks to Pete too. Both amazing instruments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic dustbin Posted June 10, 2017 Author Share Posted June 10, 2017 [quote name='Chiliwailer' timestamp='1496991573' post='3315098'] This is not helping my Stingray GAS at all..... [/quote] Don't fight the feeling Chili. You know you need a Stingray😃 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machinehead Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 Apart from the obvious differences (finish and choice of woods for example) how close do the Stingray experts (which I am not!) feel that the 2003 to 2005 US SUB model is to the Stingray Classic? Frank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiliwailer Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 (edited) [quote name='Atomic dustbin' timestamp='1497075818' post='3315652'] Don't fight the feeling Chili. You know you need a Stingray😃 [/quote] Ain't that the truth Got a lovely pre EB Sabre, but a Ray would be nice too. One day I'll have one again.... Edited June 10, 2017 by Chiliwailer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 [quote name='Atomic dustbin' timestamp='1497075419' post='3315651'] I think I have a new screensaver! That bass looks fantastic. That neck figuring is amazing. Thanks for sharing and thanks to Pete too. Both amazing instruments. [/quote] No probs and plus one on that sledge neck, wowser! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 (edited) [quote name='machinehead' timestamp='1497104977' post='3315893'] Apart from the obvious differences (finish and choice of woods for example) how close do the Stingray experts (which I am not!) feel that the 2003 to 2005 US SUB model is to the Stingray Classic? Frank. [/quote] It's mainly just the finish which obviously is not up to the normal EBMM standard with the painted black neck, 'interesting' pick guard and the unusual body finish, the classic really is another step up again from the regular already nicely built stingrays when you've got one in your hands. There are some trans SUBs out there though and they have nice bodies made of nice wood, people that have stripped painted SUBs have had mixed results afaik. There's nothing wrong with them though, sound wise the player would make a million times more difference than the difference between the basses, find a trans teal one and fit a standard black pick guard on it and you've got a great bass! Edited June 10, 2017 by stingrayPete1977 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 [quote name='machinehead' timestamp='1497104977' post='3315893'] Apart from the obvious differences (finish and choice of woods for example) how close do the Stingray experts (which I am not!) feel that the 2003 to 2005 US SUB model is to the Stingray Classic? Frank. [/quote] I have both. Functionally fairly similar. That's about where the ways part - it's like comparing a Mexican Precision and a high level Custom Shop one. The US Sub is a great bass, very good value, and gets the basic 2 band MM sound. Also bullet proof construction. Lots of things are different - biggest change is non hand finished neck and the edges aren't rolled - no hardware is stamped - body wood is poplar, not ash, painted neck, textured finish. As I said, cool bass in its own right but the Classic Rays are things of beauty with excellent playability and function. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.