12 New Stingray Special Bass Colours and Bass Custom Design Announced at NAMM

[drTStingray]

As it says in the title - page to the bottom for the new custom design selection service - includes fretless, SLO neck profile, left handed, 30 unique colours - to be available via the on line shop (The Vault) 

 

https://blog.music-man.com/instruments/ernie-ball-music-man-new-at-namm-2024/

Edited January 26 by drTStingray

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

Mmm. SLO’s, but no HS configuration?

That Brûlée finish looks 🤢. Talking of which; white pick-up covers on the Candyman also 🤢.

In fact, the only one that looks remotely interesting (to me) is the BFR Moonbeam, but it’s not available as a 4 string.

I dread to think what the RRP’s will be.

 

[spyder]

I can't get the link to work?

 

 

Now working.🤠

Edited January 26 by spyder

[40hz]

8 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Mmm. SLO’s, but no HS configuration?

That Brûlée finish looks 🤢. Talking of which; white pick-up covers on the Candyman also 🤢.

In fact, the only one that looks remotely interesting (to me) is the BFR Moonbeam, but it’s not available as a 4 string.

I dread to think what the RRP’s will be.

 

The Brulee is probably my favourite finish of those (apart from Kiwi Green) 🤣🤣

 

Good to see Ernie Ball are allowing customisation now, I suspect the extra cost for doing so to be astronomical.

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

I’m just trying to remember whether the SLO neck was a costed option when I ordered mine.

I don’t remember having to pay extra, but I may have misremembered that over time.

Although I welcome the availability of options, it will come at a hefty price.

I remember trying to order a white Stingray with different coloured hardware.

They absolutely point blank refused to do it.

[Chiliwailer]

15 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

 

I dread to think what the RRP’s will be.

 

Absolutely. The older I get the more SLO appeals, but my buying days are well over here for a new MM, a bit over £2k for an HH Special in 2018 was already pushing it for me personally. 

Edited January 26 by Chiliwailer

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

14 minutes ago, Chiliwailer said:

Absolutely. The older I get the more SLO appeals, but my buying days are well over here for a new MM, a bit over £2k for an HH Special in 2018 was already pushing it for me personally. 

My SLO was £1900 new in March 2017. Likewise, my Special was £2.2k new in Oct 2018.

It will be interesting to see how much they are charging in 2024.

[drTStingray]

1 hour ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

My SLO was £1900 new in March 2017. Likewise, my Special was £2.2k new in Oct 2018.

It will be interesting to see how much they are charging in 2024.

I’d imagine £3k plus. I paid for just under £3k for both my BFR Bongo and Tim Commerford long scale passive Stingray. When you consider that a Pino Signature team built Fender Custom Shop Precision is £4.5 k, this seems reasonable - a standard Musicman is on a par with these - picking special options is somewhat better - all the necks are hand finished in terms of shape and finish and the bodies, and the woods are picked for character if they’re going to form part of a figured neck or transparent body finish. Last time I looked, people were asking £9k for a nice used Wal so £3-4 k for a specially selected fretless, for instance sounds ok to me. 
 

I can imagine getting something like a fretless HH in a smart colour - however I do already have too many basses lol 🤣🤣 where the hell does one store all the cases!!!! And I don’t have any of those ones with huge cases like Alembics!!! 
 

Great news for lefties as well 👍

Edited January 26 by drTStingray

[martthebass]

I’ve a hankering for a nice short scale ray or 4H special in a sparkle finish…..but as gig revenue hasn’t increased since before the pandemic it will likely remain a hankering. 

[horrorshowbass]

Let's get those houses remortgaged lads.....

[Lfalex v1.1]

I'll have a Bongo 4HH in Kiwi Green, please.  Black Hardware,  of course. 

[StingRayBoy42]

I bagsy 'Hot Honey' for my drag name.

[neepheid]

1 hour ago, StingRayBoy42 said:

I bagsy 'Hot Honey' for my drag name.

 

Hi, I'm Funcy Piece, nice to meet you.

[NancyJohnson]

It's odd how moist people get over some new finishes.  Where's the innovation?  Where's the new designs? 

 

Much as I detest Fender, at least they gave it a go with munters like the Dimension or the Meteora.

[neepheid]

4 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

It's odd how moist people get over some new finishes.  Where's the innovation?  Where's the new designs? 

 

Much as I detest Fender, at least they gave it a go with munters like the Dimension or the Meteora.

 

Oi!  I like the Dimension, and am in no way looking for one at this time (Gear Abstinence...)

[horrorshowbass]

5 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

It's odd how moist people get over some new finishes.  Where's the innovation?  Where's the new designs? 

 

Much as I detest Fender, at least they gave it a go with munters like the Dimension or the Meteora.

Fair point.

They could do with looking at G string alignment first and don't get me started on the Dart 3 thing.

Still that Kiwi green

[Lfalex v1.1]

50 minutes ago, horrorshowbass said:

...don't get me started on the Dart 3 thing.

Still that Kiwi green

 

 

Dart 3? 

If it's like Tony Levin's 3 string Ray, count me in! If not, then Meh! 🙃

 

Ooh...Can I have the (non-existent) 3 string Ray in Kiwi w/ black hardware..

[horrorshowbass]

Joe Dart three signature model. He's slowly killing the stingray by removing its great features model by model 😆 

[Old Horse Murphy]

I love that Kiwi Green 5 String but (cost aside) unless I could specify one that weighs under 8.5lbs and one where the G String isn't so bloody close to the edges of the fretboard with confidence, it's never going to happen. 

[drTStingray]

5 hours ago, Old Horse Murphy said:

I love that Kiwi Green 5 String but (cost aside) unless I could specify one that weighs under 8.5lbs and one where the G String isn't so bloody close to the edges of the fretboard with confidence, it's never going to happen. 

The Stingray 5 Specials are normally in the 8lb ish range. My Cruz teal 5 HH is 8 lbs. My 2019 crescendo (very white) Bongo 5HH is under 8 lbs so I think you’d stand a good chance. Re the string spacing etc, I guess it’s part of the design to have 5 strings on a fretboard of that width - I have five Musicman five strings, have gigged all of them (some very regularly) and have really only seldom pulled the G string over the side of the frets - and only at home practicing (noodling). I guess it’s something you get used to and is offset by the ability to play easily and quickly across the neck. One of the reasons I bought my original SR5, having tried a range of different makes was the slickness of the neck and the ability to play a five string but with relatively small hands. I have to say, I found some makes to have less manageable wide fretboards. None of the others got the sound I was after!! 

Edited January 27 by drTStingray

[Misdee]

For my taste, these new standard colours for the Stingray Special are bloody awful. The only inoffensive ones are the black one and the Black Rock. The Candyman does indeed need black pickup covers and either a white or black pickguard. The rest are all far too Liberace for my taste.

 

Maybe this latest selection is so conspicuously unappealing in order to usher prospective punters towards the soon to be available custom order service.

 

I recently bought a Stingray Special and would like another to give me a choice between rounds and flats. I am intrigued what  options EBMM will be offering to tempt me, but it better be good. A new  ordinary Stingray Special is overpriced for what it is, and no doubt a custom one will be too.

Edited January 28 by Misdee

[Misdee]

It's also a bit disappointing that EBMM have started treating the Bongo a bit like a ginger haired stepchild. Only two crap colours and one pickup configuration available ect. Ironically, the Bongo would look great in some of these new finishes.  I love the Bongo and would  cheerfully buy another if EBMM would make the effort to tempt me. 

Edited January 28 by Misdee

[neepheid]

Just now, Misdee said:

It's also a bit disappointing that EBMM have started treating the Bongo a bit like a ginger stepchild. Only two crap colours and one pickup configuration available ect. Ironically, the Bongo would look great in some of these new finishes.  I love the Bongo and would buy another cheerfully if EBMM would make an effort to tempt me. 

 

At least they didn't take it out to the back yard and shoot it in the head (Big Al)...

[Eldon Tyrell]

On 28/01/2024 at 16:02, Misdee said:

It's also a bit disappointing that EBMM have started treating the Bongo a bit like a ginger haired stepchild. Only two crap colours and one pickup configuration available ect. Ironically, the Bongo would look great in some of these new finishes.  I love the Bongo and would  cheerfully buy another if EBMM would make the effort to tempt me. 

Looks like they have something to tempt you after all:

3 new colours for the Bongo: lime green (don't know which fancy name EBMM will give it) with maple fretboard, blood orange (with rosewood fingerboard) and one in satin grey (called titan grey)

New features: maple fretboard on the lime coloured one (first time ever, according to AJ), oil and wax finish, and stainless steel frets

 

2 new Darkray colours too: dark rainbow and gold bar. 

 

from 08:50:

 

[Eldon Tyrell]