Musicman Fretboard Edges

[thegummy]

On the full-fat MM Stingrays that cost a couple of grand, are the edges of the fretboard rolled like they are on American Fenders or square like on Mexican Fenders?

I asked on here about trying out the Stingray sound and was recommended the Ray4. Tried it and really liked it so traded in a PRS guitar and now just waiting for it to come in stock.

If I continue to like it over the coming months I might get one of the full on 2k models but I do prefer a rounded fretboard if possible, so are they like that?

[uk_lefty]

Not on mine which is a 2017 model. Still best neck I've ever had my hands on though 

[drTStingray]

If you're going to spend that much, you really must go and try some out (places like Andertons normally have stock).

In answer to your question, yes they have rolled edges. In fact they're all hand finished (like Fender CS). However my early 90s Stingrays have squarer edges.

To be honest, the neck shape has always been a great plus point on Stingrays (it was one of the key selling points when I bought one at the end of the seventies - at a time my previous desire had been a natural Precision - but the Ray simply felt right and that sound.....)

The latest Stingray Specials continue that tradition - they are simply the best feeling and looking bass necks around, for me. I have examples of Stingrays with maple, rosewood and ebony boards - they're all great. The latest ones have stainless steel frets as well.

As I say, try some - I think you'll like them. 

Edited September 6, 2019 by drTStingray

[thegummy]

One person says they are and another says they aren't.

Does that mean some are and some aren't?

[FinnDave]

27 minutes ago, thegummy said:

One person says they are and another says they aren't.

Does that mean some are and some aren't?

It's Schrodinger's bass - it's only wrong if you play it and it's wrong.

[drTStingray]

1 hour ago, thegummy said:

One person says they are and another says they aren't.

Does that mean some are and some aren't?

They have been for some time - in fact, like the neck finish and truss rod adjustment wheel, I'm pretty sure the fretboard edge treatment predates Fender adopting it (for some models). It's quite subtle on Musicman basses but very noticeable if you play one of the earlier basses A/ Bd.  

Edited September 6, 2019 by drTStingray

[uk_lefty]

20 hours ago, uk_lefty said:

Not on mine which is a 2017 model. Still best neck I've ever had my hands on though 

Maybe mine is a very subtle one... Im not an expert but the edging is not as pronounced as I've seen on others, if indeed it is. Also keep in mind that I'm left handed, we don't get half the bells and whistles everyone else does in general. 

[drTStingray]

There are different levels of this. I've seen close up photos of bass fretboards with what are described as heavily rolled edges - these have a pronounced radius between the edge and the surface of the fretboard. The Musicman ones are more subtle, and it is done by hand as part of the neck finishing process. For that reason there may be some minor variation. 

My older Musicman basses have a much more pronounced edge to the fingerboards - indeed the profile seems slightly different as well. With hand finishing there's going to be minor variation. 

One of the differences with the US Musicman Sub is the neck finishing - as well as being painted they also reduced the level of work by hand on the edges of the fretboards (per Sterling Ball). 

Here is the Sire version - it looks heavily rolled to me (machine as opposed to hand finishing) - you would have problems with this on many basses because of spacing from the strings to edge of fretboard. 

Edited September 7, 2019 by drTStingray

[dannybuoy]

Even the cheap Ray4 has a really nicely finished neck. One of the best feeling necks on a cheap bass I've ever felt!

[thegummy]

4 hours ago, drTStingray said:

There are different levels of this. I've seen close up photos of bass fretboards with what are described as heavily rolled edges - these have a pronounced radius between the edge and the surface of the fretboard. The Musicman ones are more subtle, and it is done by hand as part of the neck finishing process. For that reason there may be some minor variation. 

My older Musicman basses have a much more pronounced edge to the fingerboards - indeed the profile seems slightly different as well. With hand finishing there's going to be minor variation. 

One of the differences with the US Musicman Sub is the neck finishing - as well as being painted they also reduced the level of work by hand on the edges of the fretboards (per Sterling Ball). 

Here is the Sire version - it looks heavily rolled to me (machine as opposed to hand finishing) - you would have problems with this on many basses because of spacing from the strings to edge of fretboard. 

Wow that is pretty extreme in that photo, I don't think I'd want that. It's more just taking the sharpness off.

3 hours ago, dannybuoy said:

Even the cheap Ray4 has a really nicely finished neck. One of the best feeling necks on a cheap bass I've ever felt!

It felt quite nice when I tried it out in the shop but it was a rosewood fingerboard I tried so will have to wait and see what the maple feels like when it arrives.

I've never actually played a bass with rolled edges but in the 6-string guitar world it's a must for me - I tried out a Mexican Fender to try to save some money but the hard edges were so distracting after being used to the rolled ones on my American models.

So far all the basses I've been playing don't have rolled edges and has been okay so not sure if maybe it's less of a necessity on basses or maybe just that I haven't experienced the rolled edges to compare the others to so I don't know what I'm missing.

[dannybuoy]

Yeah when I saw a pic of the Sire rolled edges, I thought that was a little extreme, and would either result in issues with the strings slipping down the curved edges, or them having to make the neck wider to compensate.

[CameronJ]

2 hours ago, dannybuoy said:

Yeah when I saw a pic of the Sire rolled edges, I thought that was a little extreme, and would either result in issues with the strings slipping down the curved edges, or them having to make the neck wider to compensate.

To be fair, it’s the roundedness of the frets that matter, re: strings slipping off the fretboard during playing, and the frets don’t seem massively rounded off at the edges on the Sire so this may not be such a worry.

[radiophonic]

My '92 stingray has pretty square neck edges but the frets are nicely rolled off. It is without exception the nicest neck I've ever played. I've never been 100% sold on the scoopy sound, but the neck is so good, it's remained my only or main bass for 27 years.