76 Stingray Fretless, The Story & it's Departure

[Phill]

A sad bass related day today. My 1976 (first year of production) Musicman Stingray Fretless Bass is leaving my studio for the last time. 

 

During the pandemic, after really getting deep into the playing, style, tone & bass history of Pino I sought out a standard fretless Stingray from anywhere. 

After nearly biting the bullet & getting a custom EBMM fretless from them directly this wonderful bass popped up after I placed a wanted ad on Facebook. I looked over it for a week & got it on the way to me. 

 

A perfect bass for what I was looking at and at the time, an instrument I couldn’t put down! Studio sessions & some live work with it too.

This bass was the sound of Feralman Music the artist's set & such a distinct bass sound for his tracks live. It was used twice live with him & the band, numerous rehearsals, numerous recording sessions too. This was the bass’s first artist appearance for myself. 

 

As time went on I got more and more reluctant to take it out in public, along with the actual need of this sound live/in the studio. Plus a new addition from Overwater basses really covers the sounds needed for a MM Stingray and in the form of extra low notes too. 

 

It’s definitely a regret that I felt almost instantly & still do but needs must & this bass is one that I feel needs to be played. Maybe one day it will make its way back around to me (fingers crossed) but definitely a special bass & leaves me with just one "vintage" bass going forward & an empty slot on my guitar rack too. 

IMG_4497.HEIC IMG_4498.HEIC

[Linus27]

Wow, absolutely stunning and so very special. I didn't even know that Stingray's came with binding either but it certainly adds to the look. Do you run it with flats or rounds?

[Phill]

19 minutes ago, Linus27 said:

Wow, absolutely stunning and so very special. I didn't even know that Stingray's came with binding either but it certainly adds to the look. Do you run it with flats or rounds?

Always with rounds for this one. The binding was added at a later I believe but really sets it off 

[Rich]

And a brass nut too. Have fretless Rays always had those?

[Phill]

3 minutes ago, Rich said:

And a brass nut too. Have fretless Rays always had those?

I don’t think so, no 

[Piers_Williamson]

That's a beautiful looking Stingray.  It looks like you have polished it within an inch of its life!

[songofthewind]

Wow that's a handsome bass!

[GuyR]

I love the look of the natural body and bound neck. I wasn’t aware MM produced a fretless so early.

[Piers_Williamson]

1 minute ago, GuyR said:

I love the look of the natural body and bound neck. I wasn’t aware MM produced a fretless so early.

I suspect it might have had a new fret board, but it looks absolutely fantastic for it.

[Phill]

10 hours ago, Piers_Williamson said:

I suspect it might have had a new fret board, but it looks absolutely fantastic for it.

Yeah it was originally a rosewood fretless board. Later changed to ebony