budget bassist Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 So i post on the EBMM forums a lot, and for anyone not following there's some stunning new stuff coming out soon! Two entirely new bass models and a stealth stingray by the looks of it! Not bad for a company like musicman eh? First is called the "big al", basically a bass version of the albert lee guitar. Second is the 25th anniversary bass, modeled after the axis guitar, not sure what it's called though. Both will be available in H, HH, HS HSS or SSS and will have the bongo's 4 band EQ plus pickup selector buttons and active passive switches (and i thought the bongo was versatile!!!!) Personally i think they're both really nice looking! Also ernie's son just released a picture of a stealth stingray and said nothing more, so i'm taking it as a hint that it will be put into production soon, i hope Here are the pics! (first 3 are of the 25th anniversary, so obviously the next 5 are the big al and the last is the stealth ray) Enjoy Quote
Machines Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 Love the Axis - not many basses that shape, but the Albert lee isn't for me. The Stealth Ray I despise - it looks like a cheap OLP ! Quote
RayFW Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 I'm a big MM fan but I don't like those 2 'new' designs at all. I must admit to really liking that stealth 'ray though. They all come across as pretty lazy designs. If they're going to be lazy why not bring back the Sabre or Cutlass? Quote
Dubs Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 I think the first one looks pretty good, but the 2nd one looks really odd and cheap - looks very 80s to my eyes - great for some, shyte for others. I'm not sure about the stealth 'ray either, but it's good to see some new stuff coming from them. Quote
Kev Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 nice to see 2 new designs, but i wont be interested in either. I agree that the stealth ray does look like something olp would have brought out... Quote
Toasted Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 I really don't understand these OLP comments. OLP are MM designs, so of course they look like MM products. . . . :s Quote
mcgraham Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 Does anyone else notice how retracted the upper horn is on the axis bass? I'm thinking that unless they've got some seriously clever design work going on that there's going to be [i]insane [/i]neck dive on it. Saying that though, I think it looks a darn sight better in that picture than in the picture of an unfinished one someone posted a while back. I also see a scaled down resemblance to the Wood&tronics Chronos body shape. Mark Quote
tombboy Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 (edited) [quote name='mcgraham' post='373911' date='Jan 8 2009, 11:48 AM']Does anyone else notice how retracted the upper horn is on the axis bass? I'm thinking that unless they've got some seriously clever design work going on that there's going to be [i]insane [/i]neck dive on it. Mark[/quote] Indeed, VERY clever design work. Scaled down headstock, mahogany tone block to add sustain and weight under the pickups. They've done some intense R&D and I think they pretty much know what building basses is all about now. Edited January 8, 2009 by tombboy Quote
mcgraham Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 Hmmm.... still not sure that will be enough to counter act having such a 'pulled back' balance point. I'll believe it when I see it. Mark Quote
Machines Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 [quote name='Toasted' post='373909' date='Jan 8 2009, 11:47 AM']I really don't understand these OLP comments. OLP are MM designs, so of course they look like MM products. . . . :s[/quote] It's this one I see the similarity to, I dislike the all black hardware especially with a black body/headstock. Quote
MB1 Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 [quote name='rayfw' post='373835' date='Jan 8 2009, 09:49 AM']I'm a big MM fan but I don't like those 2 'new' designs at all. I must admit to really liking that stealth 'ray though. They all come across as pretty lazy designs. If they're going to be lazy why not bring back the Sabre or Cutlass?[/quote] MB1. Dont think Getting Harry Hill and Ryan Giggs in to Promote them is gonna work either!.... Quote
budget bassist Posted January 8, 2009 Author Posted January 8, 2009 [quote name='tombboy' post='373918' date='Jan 8 2009, 11:56 AM']Indeed, VERY clever design work. Scaled down headstock, mahogany tone block to add sustain and weight under the pickups. They've done some intense R&D and I think they pretty much know what building basses is all about now.[/quote] Yeah, i can't see musicman releasing something that dives like a beast, these designs might not be for everyone, but i really like them (go ahead and call me a fanboy!) I think the axis will look better when it's got some hardware etc on it though Quote
EBS_freak Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 Love the axis shape... whether they can make it work is another matter...! Quote
Dread Bass Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 I love stealth basses but i would really like it if it had a maple fingerboard thats all i would change black and maple always looks good. I much prefer black hardware to chrome or gold. Quote
Toasted Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 [quote name='Machines' post='373956' date='Jan 8 2009, 12:53 PM']It's this one I see the similarity to, I dislike the all black hardware especially with a black body/headstock. [/quote] See what you're getting at now!! Quote
Jarhead Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 I like the stealth 'Ray, just looks awesome to me. Not to sure about the really pointy one though, doesn't look good to me, but the Axis bass is nice I think. Zach Quote
KevB Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 The 25th Anniv is OK in a misshapen Les Paul kind of way. The others I wouldn't cross the road to piss on if they were on fire frankly. Quote
Huge Hands Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 I thought the "stealth" bass looked s**t in the little preview pic and was agreeing with the OLP comments. However, I opened up the image to full size and now I am very aroused. If they do it in a 5 string, and I suddenly end up with a windfall of cash, then I'd be interested..... Happy to be one of the minority! Quote
nash Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 (edited) lets not for get this from '02 edit: i like all 3. the stealth is obvz for metal. the big al is all out rock and roll. Edited January 8, 2009 by nash Quote
Russ Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 Looks like EB/MM are putting out a new range to fill in the gap left by OLP and the SUB range... [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3FG3ZSiKrYE"]Sterling by Ernie Ball[/url] I'll have the Ray35, please. Quote
NancyJohnson Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 [quote name='budget bassist' post='373770' date='Jan 8 2009, 04:09 AM']So i post on the EBMM forums a lot, and for anyone not following there's some stunning new stuff coming out soon! Two entirely new bass models and a stealth stingray by the looks of it! Not bad for a company like musicman eh? First is called the "big al", basically a bass version of the albert lee guitar. Second is the 25th anniversary bass, modeled after the axis guitar, not sure what it's called though. Both will be available in H, HH, HS HSS or SSS and will have the bongo's 4 band EQ plus pickup selector buttons and active passive switches (and i thought the bongo was versatile!!!!) Personally i think they're both really nice looking! Also ernie's son just released a picture of a stealth stingray and said nothing more, so i'm taking it as a hint that it will be put into production soon, i hope Here are the pics! (first 3 are of the 25th anniversary, so obviously the next 5 are the big al and the last is the stealth ray) Enjoy[/quote] I love the black Stingray. Can I ask where these photos came from? The MM site is pretty awful...nothing on there. P Quote
martfitz Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 [quote name='Russ' post='374501' date='Jan 8 2009, 09:55 PM']Looks like EB/MM are putting out a new range to fill in the gap left by OLP and the SUB range... [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3FG3ZSiKrYE"]Sterling by Ernie Ball[/url] I'll have the Ray35, please. [/quote] They're not to fill the gap left by the OLP and SUB as these new ones aren't budget basses, that gap is going to be filled by something else, allegedly Quote
Russ Posted January 8, 2009 Posted January 8, 2009 [quote name='martfitz' post='374536' date='Jan 8 2009, 10:27 PM']They're not to fill the gap left by the OLP and SUB as these new ones aren't budget basses, that gap is going to be filled by something else, allegedly [/quote] From what I understand, they're going to be the EB/MM equivalent of Fender's MIM/MIK basses, made in the Far East somewhere, so they will be a lower price point. Probably more like SUB replacements than OLP ones in terms of quality, though. Probably also a response to G&L's well received Tribute range too. Quote
budget bassist Posted January 8, 2009 Author Posted January 8, 2009 (edited) [quote name='martfitz' post='374536' date='Jan 8 2009, 10:27 PM']They're not to fill the gap left by the OLP and SUB as these new ones aren't budget basses, that gap is going to be filled by something else, allegedly [/quote] Sterling actualluy said they're to fill the gap made by the SUBs, they aren't exactly budget, they're kinda mid priced korean made basses. I have to say, i'd quite like a go on one of those SB-14s. And as for the source, [url="http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-basses/34835-update-jan-7-anniversary-bass-preview.html"]this[/url] thread on the EBMM forum, check the last 3 or 4 pages, all the pictures i posted are there, or from a couple of other fairly recent threads on that forum. Edited January 8, 2009 by budget bassist Quote
josh3184 Posted January 9, 2009 Posted January 9, 2009 looks like nice stuff to me- looks like I'm going to get another massive GAS attack. Yay. Quote
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