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Sterling by Music Man… Joe Dart model by stealth?


fretmeister

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11 hours ago, drTStingray said:

Indeed and I’m sure you’re right. However some people, from their posts, seem to think it’s the same company!! Linked but not the same 👍

Must admit, I'd never given it any thought really. So, they're not the same company? Thtat does rather explain the confusing naming... 

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15 hours ago, drTStingray said:

Indeed and I’m sure you’re right. However some people, from their posts, seem to think it’s the same company!! Linked but not the same 👍

 

I don't think that's accurate. They call themselves "Sterling by Music Man" for a reason :)

About | Sterling by Music Man

 

Their predecessor, OLP, was unrelated to EBMM. But when their license to build Music Man copies ended, Ernie Ball took matters into their own hands and started the Sterling brand. OLP was a subsidiary of Hanser Music Group, who used to be the US distributor for brands such as Kustom, BC Rich, Michael Kelly guitars, Traben, Warwick and Spector. Under the OLP brand they also built cheap versions of Traben basses and a line of motorcycle-inspired "Orange County Choppers" guitars that were awful, back when OCC was at the height of their popularity due to the Discovery Channel series. 

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1 hour ago, LeftyJ said:

Under the OLP brand they also built cheap versions of Traben basses...

I had one of those. I bought it as a beater bass. Nothing special, just a basic PJ bass with a fancy chrome-looking plastic scratch plate - not like a real Traben where the bridge is part of the fancy metal scratch-plate.

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On 03/06/2024 at 13:22, BassAgent said:

Exactly. Saying SBMM is completely different than EBMM is like saying Squier and Fender are unrelated.

You need to read what I said - that it is a different company (Praxis Musical Instruments, I understand). I didn’t say there was no relationship between the two - obviously there is because the designs are similar. The

SBMM instruments are built under licence from EBMM, to their designs, and manufactured in the Far East. The idea the EBMM factory is going to be clogged up manufacturing these budget Joe Dart basses (as suggested in an earlier post) is totally wrong. 
 

SBMM is somewhat different from OLP as it manufactures different levels (with different pricing bands) of instruments - OLP were budget instruments (and with quite a good reputation). 

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Posted (edited)
15 hours ago, drTStingray said:

You need to read what I said - that it is a different company (Praxis Musical Instruments, I understand).

 

I think Praxis Musical Instruments is only their "production partner" as they call it in their "About"-section, just like Cor-tek (Cort) is for many guitar brands (PRS SE series, the Indonesian Ibanez models and many, many more). But yes, you're absolutely right: the EBMM factory won't feel a thing from the demand for the SBMM SUB Joe Dart model. Their "cut out the middle man"-approach to selling these through their own channels is clever and helps raising demand by creating an air of exclusivity, since it won't be available through their regular dealer network. 

Edited by LeftyJ
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