Ernie Ball Music Man Retro ’70s StingRay Bass

[stonevibe]

Only $3199... 

EBMM Retro ’70s StingRay Bass

 

 

https://guitarbomb.com/2023/10/31/retro-70s-stingray-bass-musicmans-nostalgic-ode-to-a-classic/

31

[asingardenof]

Lovely but no.

[Lozz196]

Great sounds, love Stingrays when someone else is playing them.

[Eldon Tyrell]

These look great but £3299 is quite a bit beyond my bass budget, I am afraid 😞

However, good news is that, according to Peach Guitars, the price "was" £3799 (not sure when as they just listed them today), so maybe they really are a bargain 😉 

https://www.peachguitars.com/music-man-retro-stingray-bass-70s-stingray-h-black.htm 

 

 

 

https://www.peachguitars.com/music-man-retro-stingray-bass-70s-stingray-h-white.htm 

 

 

 

[NJE]

I saw a few Instagram posts about these and got very excited until I remembered how much MusicMan basses costs these days.

 

£3199 at GuitarGuitar, which I am sure is fair for a USA made instrument these days and I know the quality will be ace, but I just can’t wrap my head around it. You could get a vintage original stingray for that money, or go and get a late 80’s early 90’s for a lot less, and get a forearm and belly contour thrown in for good measure.

Edited October 31, 2023 by NJE

[gjones]

New USA Stingrays are selling for ridiculous prices these days. I bought mine, a used 2014 model, from Guitar Guitar about 4 years ago for £1200, which sounds like a total bargain now.

[cd_david]

They have too many versions/places of manufacture/brands and sub brands, to keep track of now. 
 

However;

 

This is a Stingray Proper! I’m glad to see all the correct/original design cues on the instrument. I wouldn’t buy their weight saving versions (fender bridge and lightwEight tuners)  now based purely on the cosmetics so it’s good to see the actual design on sale again. 
 

Not that I’d pay £3k for one either though 🤣

[drTStingray]

Stingray proper as per 1976/77 even down to the original long pole pieces and tantalum capacitors it seems.

 

The natural finish is only available in the on line shop (The Vault) - hmmm…. they ship internationally! 
 

I suppose when you compare the price to a used pre EB Stingray, you’re getting the same thing, with new parts, but with warranty etc etc. Similar principle (and price) to, say a Fender CS Pino bass!! 

[Eldon Tyrell]

1 minute ago, drTStingray said:

The natural finish is only available in the on line shop (The Vault) - hmmm…. they ship internationally! 

I saw that and I cannot unsee it. That's the bass I always wanted (Bernard Edwards/Louis Johnson vibes) but I just don't have the funds 😞 

[acidbass]

Scandalous.  Surely for a few hundred quid more you could get an actual retro bass from that period which would only appreciate in value.  Unsure if these would even hold their value in today's market.

[neepheid]

Nope. The disease that has infected SBMM prices is organisation-wide, it would seem...

[sammybee]

Love that black and maple. If I were in the market for a another 'ray, I'd bite their hand off

[StingRayBoy42]

Very nice and VERY expensive.
I'd rather have an original with a few battle scars.

[drTStingray]

On 31/10/2023 at 17:51, Eldon Tyrell said:

These look great but £3299 is quite a bit beyond my bass budget, I am afraid 😞

However, good news is that, according to Peach Guitars, the price "was" £3799 (not sure when as they just listed them today), so maybe they really are a bargain 😉 

https://www.peachguitars.com/music-man-retro-stingray-bass-70s-stingray-h-black.htm 

 

 

 

https://www.peachguitars.com/music-man-retro-stingray-bass-70s-stingray-h-white.htm 

 

 

 

It appears the Peach ones have been sold. Judging by the apparent lack of interest on Basschat (compared with Talkbass where there have been about 300 replies to the thread…) I can only assume this is because BC may have ceased to be a beacon of what’s going on, basswise these days - or maybe the U.K. has stagnated, bass wise!!! 🥴🤣

Edited November 3, 2023 by drTStingray

[Eldon Tyrell]

1 hour ago, drTStingray said:

It appears the Peach ones have been sold. Judging by the apparent lack of interest on Basschat (compared with Talkbass where there have been about 300 replies to the thread…) I can only assume this is because BC may have ceased to be a beacon of what’s going on, basswise these days - or maybe the U.K. has stagnated, bass wise!!! 🥴🤣

Or we are just all BROKE 😞

[LowB_FTW]

3 minutes ago, Eldon Tyrell said:

Or we are just all BROKE 😞

You don't have to be considered broke to not be able to afford $3199 for a bass.

I know this is BassChat, but let's be sensible about things here, hahaha

 

Mark

[diskwave]

I played a 77 black/maple for ten years in the 80's...nothing special at all. I've played subs which were better, nicer. A heck of a lot hyperbole out there in guitar land.

[Johncee]

I never buy new basses, so not for me, but nevertheless the price looks OK compared with, eg Fender Custom Shop offerings.

[drTStingray]

On 03/11/2023 at 22:40, Eldon Tyrell said:

Or we are just all BROKE 😞

Most likely, yes - this is GB after all (and even Nigel’s broke (relatively!!😀) according to banks!!). Looking at the more expensive stuff in Marketplace it seems you’re right. 

[Eldon Tyrell]

14 minutes ago, drTStingray said:

Most likely, yes - this is GB after all (and even Nigel’s broke (relatively!!😀) according to banks!!). Looking at the more expensive stuff in Marketplace it seems you’re right. 

Maybe "broke" was a bit harsh but I am sure that most of us (including me) have less money available for bass related stuff, esp. if you are not a pro musician and just a hobbyist (like myself). Two years ago, I was able to afford a Timmy C, last year the Darkray, this year I would have loved to pull the trigger on the natural Retro Ray but just cannot afford it (landing cost: £3510.37!). Sad but true.  However, I still have the EBMM Vault website open in a tab, just in case ; - )

[stingrayPete1977]

EBMM prices have gone crazy, I didn't realise until recently how much something like my Blue Pearl SR5 would cost new now. 

 

 

[Wolverinebass]

Ernie Ball. If you're reading this thread, sort your life out. Issuing a bass which costs more new than the period model it's copying? Really?!!

 

I think there are far better basses that I'd spend £3100 on. Plenty of manufacturers (some of which are in the affiliate pages here) which for that cash would make a bass that would be spectacular. 

 

There's nothing massively special about these. They're not character basses in the way that brands like Alembic, Wal, Status, ACG are. They're just a slightly more modern take on what Leo thought a bass should be in the 70s. As such, they're not boutique and to me are a £2k bass max.

 

Maybe it's all reverse psychology though. Maybe they don't really want to ship to Europe and the UK so are jacking up the prices so nobody will buy them leaving them cheaper in the US where their more natural market is?

[Sarlscharisma]

I've not done any in-depth research on this but those Retro MMs make the Fender AV2 basses look positively bargain basement territory.  I would imagine the only difference is probably quality of build compared to Fenders iffy QA processes.  But essentially basses like the AV2 Jazz 66 vs Retro MM is same difference.