Lets talk about Musicman

[acidbass]

The disappointing thing about most Stingrays I have played is the uneven output from E string to G string. Going by the Ernie Ball forums, an awful lot of owners suffer from notes on the G string getting lost completely in the mix. This is surely a design/QC fault. You think EB would know better! It's up there with the horrible sharp pickup surround edges on a Rick.

[Duarte]

6 hours ago, drTStingray said:

You are definitely correct - and I recognise that middle one!! 👍

I used it the other day at an outdoor festival type gig - broke all the 'accepted rules' - DI from my Mark Bass amp - post EQ. Sounded fabulous - the PA/sound guys came and asked me about the bass after the set - they were highly impressed with the sound and particularly compared with the Rics and Tbirds they were dealing with from other bands. The Bongo's a secret weapon!! 

So that's where it ended up! I miss the BIG Bongo dearly. I think it's just too good a bass for me, totally wasted.

My 1993 Sterling 4 is the one for me.

[andruca]

Regarding neck profiles, AFAIK, there's 3 main versions of them:

THICK: the classic Stingray profile, sorta' "Precisionish", also used for the Cutlass

MED: Bongos (only ever played 2, haven't had the chance to A/B them with anything really)

WIDE: Sterlings, Caprice and Stingray5 (and some late special edition Stingray 4 string basses, I just don't recall their name).

The thin profile, my fave, is almost Ibanez SR thin (my Stingray5s are 20mm front to back @ fret 1 and under 2mm more @ fret 12), sort of Jazz shaped (a more cramped nut), but even thinner front to back than most Jazzes, except for a few, such as the Geddy Jazz, which is very close (I ignore the exact specs, but I've played old MIJ/CIJ and newer MIA Geddy Jazz basses and the old MIJ/CIJ ones felt thinner -front to back- to me, probably thinner than a 4-string Sterling too).

[drTStingray]

5 hours ago, acidbass said:

The disappointing thing about most Stingrays I have played is the uneven output from E string to G string. Going by the Ernie Ball forums, an awful lot of owners suffer from notes on the G string getting lost completely in the mix. This is surely a design/QC fault. You think EB would know better! It's up there with the horrible sharp pickup surround edges on a Rick.

This is something that some people seem to experience - I have a lot of Stingrays and don't seem to have this problem at all - maybe I've overcome it over the years and I know many other people don't see it as a problem - I've never heard a Stingray recorded produce this effect which leads me to suspect it's the sort of issue you get with many types of basses, and especially those capable of a scooped sound, in a heavy mix, when heard from 3 ft in front of the Bass rig. Combine that with the tendency for some people to turn the treble and bass up full, not to mention poor after market or do it yourself set up of instruments and there's a whole recipe for disaster in a couple of sentences. Basically if you use the EQ sensibly and set the whole Bass (including pick up height) to factory settings you're far less likely to experience this.  

[obbm]

10 hours ago, Duarte said:

What's that little guy on the far right? I spot a pre-EB/Early EB headstock logo, gold hardware, early string tree placement and a mahogany finish... not a configuration I'm familiar with

 

That was a 1980 pre-EB.  The finish was known as Root Beer. I bought it from the USA.  The story behind it was that in 1980 MM were trying to get better exposure so they produced a number of basses for named artists.  This one was allegedly made for Tom Hamilton, hence the gold hardware, although I was never able to prove it.  It went to a new home in Denmark a few years ago.  The scratch plate was fitted by a later owner although it still had its original black one.  It was quite heavy.

 

[martthebass]

1 hour ago, drTStingray said:

This is something that some people seem to experience - I have a lot of Stingrays and don't seem to have this problem at all - maybe I've overcome it over the years and I know many other people don't see it as a problem - I've never heard a Stingray recorded produce this effect which leads me to suspect it's the sort of issue you get with many types of basses, and especially those capable of a scooped sound, in a heavy mix, when heard from 3 ft in front of the Bass rig. Combine that with the tendency for some people to turn the treble and bass up full, not to mention poor after market or do it yourself set up of instruments and there's a whole recipe for disaster in a couple of sentences. Basically if you use the EQ sensibly and set the whole Bass (including pick up height) to factory settings you're far less likely to experience this.  

I did have a US Sterling that suffered from a mild form of 'weak G', but it wasn't a major issue and I tweaked most of it out with string height adjustment and tilting the pup.  Neither of my current Rays suffer from it at all. 

I get what you're saying about losing the sound in the mix on stage though.  I've played some venues where the upper register has just disappeared on stage but when I've gone out front with the wireless kit the sound has been spot on. 

[Chiliwailer]

Slightly off topic and with no G strings involved

I spoke to Strings & Things (UK MusicMan distributor) recently  and they said that if I register my Old Smoothie online for warantee I’ll get an extra few months and free gift in the post.

The free gift turned out to be a nice tool kit worth about £46 (eek!). Nice touch, very impressed, big thanks to the Gentlemen at S&T 👍

 

Edited August 7, 2018 by Chiliwailer

[stingrayPete1977]

Oooh I like that tool kit! 

[Duarte]

12 hours ago, obbm said:

 

 

 

I love it!

[CameronJ]

3 hours ago, Chiliwailer said:

Slightly off topic and with no G strings involved

I spoke to Strings & Things (UK MusicMan distributor) recently  and they said that if I register my Old Smoothie online for warantee I’ll get an extra few months and free gift in the post.

The free gift turned out to be a nice tool kit worth about £46 (eek!). Nice touch, very impressed, big thanks to the Gentlemen at S&T 👍

 

I’ve been meaning to buy this tool kit for some time.

[SpondonBassed]

9 hours ago, stingrayPete1977 said:

Oooh I like that tool kit! 

It IS a nice little pack for the kit bag.

How many Allen keys does a Musicman need though Pete?

7 hours ago, CameronJ said:

I’ve been meaning to buy this tool kit for some time.

I assume this is a "universal" kit made for Musicman instruments across the range.

Edited August 8, 2018 by SpondonBassed

[Chiliwailer]

It’s a cool tool kit and I’m very grateful.

My Fender Custom Shop one is very cool tool kit too (and I’ve added to it a fair bit) so it’s good to have options. 

[Lozz196]

10 minutes ago, Chiliwailer said:

It’s a cool tool kit and I’m very grateful.

My Fender Custom Shop one is very cool tool kit too (and I’ve added to it a fair bit) so it’s good to have options. 

Oooh, I like, that`s def on my shopping list

[stingrayPete1977]

2 hours ago, SpondonBassed said:

It IS a nice little pack for the kit bag.

How many Allen keys does a Musicman need though Pete?

I assume this is a "universal" kit made for Musicman instruments across the range.

You wouldn't use it, what ya thinking man! Lol

[Chiliwailer]

58 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Oooh, I like, that`s def on my shopping list

If you buy the £3000 version it comes with a free Custom Shop bass

[Musicman20]

14 hours ago, Chiliwailer said:

Slightly off topic and with no G strings involved

I spoke to Strings & Things (UK MusicMan distributor) recently  and they said that if I register my Old Smoothie online for warantee I’ll get an extra few months and free gift in the post.

The free gift turned out to be a nice tool kit worth about £46 (eek!). Nice touch, very impressed, big thanks to the Gentlemen at S&T 👍

 

I got one of these recently for buying the guitar version of the Stingray in HH....and it is a beautiful offset rock machine!

[Musicman20]

I still think the Stingray is the best bass guitar design. This hasn't changed since I first heard the tone and saw the body shape when I was a young teenager. 

They can be very aggressive and cut through no matter what the other instruments are doing. But put flats on it and drop the treble and its an old thump machine.

 

[SpondonBassed]

2 hours ago, stingrayPete1977 said:

You wouldn't use it, what ya thinking man! Lol

You've lost me, sorry.  Can you expand on that?

[stingrayPete1977]

1 hour ago, SpondonBassed said:

You've lost me, sorry.  Can you expand on that?

I would keep it just for show! 

[fretmeister]

Right then.

 

I need to make roughly £2300 to be able to buy a new lightweight 4HH

 

Going to have to catalogue all the pedals and amps and guitars and stuff I don't use anymore to see how close I can get.

[SpondonBassed]

1 hour ago, stingrayPete1977 said:

I would keep it just for show! 

Fair enough.  It could well be a collector's item in its turn.

You've still not said what all the Allen keys are for.  Have I to provide evidence of Musicman ownership to find out or summat?  I mean, this topic is quite cliquey already.

Heeheehee
(Puts on flame proof onesie)

[stingrayPete1977]

Well the wheel of fortune truss wheel can be adjusted with any of those keys. 

[Duarte]

1 hour ago, stingrayPete1977 said:

Well the wheel of fortune truss wheel can be adjusted with any of those keys. 

Or indeed, anything!

 

[martthebass]

1 hour ago, SpondonBassed said:

Fair enough.  It could well be a collector's item in its turn.

You've still not said what all the Allen keys are for.  Have I to provide evidence of Musicman ownership to find out or summat?  I mean, this topic is quite cliquey already.

Heeheehee
(Puts on flame proof onesie)

...yes, please verify your credentials or get the hell outta here.

Big Poppa.

[SpondonBassed]

55 minutes ago, martthebass said:

...yes, please verify your credentials or get the hell outta here.

Big Poppa.

If I have to get my credentials out, would you at least draw the blinds first please?