MM 35th Anniversary StingRay5 - and no more hard cases

[jd56hawk]

5 hours ago, Kev said:

 

Mono cases are a good chunk more expensive than a regular ABS case, and far more protective.  Good step foward for me, although it is odd they dropped one of the main Mono features of top loading.

Sure, but it doesn't change the fact that most people prefer hardshell cases.

Mono cases run from $180 to $270...and this new one sure isn't the Vertigo.

[Kev]

2 hours ago, jd56hawk said:

Sure, but it doesn't change the fact that most people prefer hardshell cases.

What makes you think this?  I can't stand hardcases.  The only time I'd ever think about wanting something more rigid is if I was travelling overseas, and I'd want a proper flightase for that.

 

I would say 8/10 high end bass manufacturers/luthiers ship basses in high quality soft or hard-soft cases these days, and for good reason.  They offer more shock protection and support, they're lighter in weight and they often have much more space for accessories.

[jd56hawk]

44 minutes ago, Kev said:

What makes you think this?  I can't stand hardcases.  The only time I'd ever think about wanting something more rigid is if I was travelling overseas, and I'd want a proper flightase for that.

 

I would say 8/10 high end bass manufacturers/luthiers ship basses in high quality soft or hard-soft cases these days, and for good reason.  They offer more shock protection and support, they're lighter in weight and they often have much more space for accessories.

I always use gig bags, but whenever I talk about them, countless hardshell case lovers chime in about them.

(I also have a Gator Pro Go.)

Edited June 10, 2022 by jd56hawk

[Guest]

I have to say that Dingwall gig bags (Canadian models) are great - very thick padding and formed to fit the bass very snugly but they are quite heavy on their own.
On the other hand the Sadowsky (really Warwick) Portabag offered with the German Metroline series is poor - the neck is held in place (just about) but there is no form fitting around the body and it bounces around with little protection. The MM hard cases are formed to the bass and IMHO offer better protection than most gig bags (probably not the best Mono units though). 
However, it’s academic as that’s what they will come with from Q3 2022

 

[mcnach]

On 09/06/2022 at 08:40, FDC484950 said:

Interesting spalted finish on the 35th anniversary SR5. Not sure about the block inlays but I expect it will look great in the flesh. 
It seems they are also moving away from hard cases to mono travel cases. Probably more practical but personally I like a hard case (probably tradition). 
Interesting development with heat treated pickups too.

 

https://blog.music-man.com/news/ernie-ball-music-man-new-at-namm-2022/

 

 

Heat-treated pickups... is that the new snake oil? What does it even mean? 

 

 

[mcnach]

On 09/06/2022 at 15:29, pineweasel said:

Regarding the SR5, they look so much better without a pickguard, don't they?

 

They do, or with an oval one. That huge piece of plastic on the SR5 always looked bad to me.

[Doctor J]

Looks nice but why a slab top? Meh.

[Musicman20]

The cases look alright to me. I like the Mono bags. They will save a fortune on shipping costs no doubt. 

[OliverBlackman]

If you can afford to pay £3-4k on this bass in these times, you can afford £100 for a hard case if you want one. 

[Grahambythesea]

I like the look of this, never thought the scratch plate on the Stingray 5 did anything for its looks. Like the majority (?) here I have generally abandoned hard cases, they don’t fit the front seat of my tiny car (DS3).

[WinterMute]

I have a 20th Anni SR5 and it's a monster bass, certainly the nicest SR5 I've played, I like it's voicing a lot.

 

I like the 30th as it doesn't have the pickguard, but it seems to be a bit of a rehash of the 20th, the 25th was a very different beast.

[rodney72a]

On 13/06/2022 at 18:45, WinterMute said:

I have a 20th Anni SR5 and it's a monster bass, certainly the nicest SR5 I've played, I like it's voicing a lot.

 

I like the 30th as it doesn't have the pickguard, but it seems to be a bit of a rehash of the 20th, the 25th was a very different beast.

 

The 30th Anniversary SR5 came with a (tort) pickguard.

[WinterMute]

9 hours ago, rodney72a said:

 

The 30th Anniversary SR5 came with a (tort) pickguard.

yeah typo, I meant the 35th Anniversary, didn't think much of the 30th at all, seemed a bit ordinary. I'm sure it wasn't, as SR5's are lovely basses anyway, it just seemed too much like the standard SR5.

 

I do like an SR5 without a pick guard. 

[OliverBlackman]

2 hours ago, WinterMute said:

yeah typo, I meant the 35th Anniversary, didn't think much of the 30th at all, seemed a bit ordinary. I'm sure it wasn't, as SR5's are lovely basses anyway, it just seemed too much like the standard SR5.

 

I do like an SR5 without a pick guard. 

I’ve obviously not played the 35th, but the 30th is the only MM bass I would buy. The one I played at the bass Gallery was just a sublime instrument way beyond the others I’ve tried (including the 20th) or owned

[WinterMute]

4 hours ago, OliverBlackman said:

I’ve obviously not played the 35th, but the 30th is the only MM bass I would buy. The one I played at the bass Gallery was just a sublime instrument way beyond the others I’ve tried (including the 20th) or owned

I've got a 20th, it suits me better than the 30th, which is undoubtedly a great bass, I just find the voicing on the 20th more aggressive.

 

Not that I'd turn a 30th down if one turned up at my door with a ribbon tied to it tbh. 

 

I'll be trying the 35th as soon as I can find one.

[LukeFRC]

It’s a pretty bass - I like that a lot!