2011 MusicMan Stingray 4H Bass Review

Greetings!

I have long been a big fan of the MusicMan Stingray bass and it seems like I always have one around the house because I think they are the best bolt-neck production basses on the market. So, this seems like a good opportunity to look over the 2011 Stingray that I recently picked up.

The Stingray bass was designed by Leo Fender and Tom Walker, and it was introduced in 1976. It was originally available only as a 4-string with a single humbucker pickup, a two band equalizer, and active electronics. This was one of the earliest productions basses with an active pre-amplifier, if not the first. This gave it more output and a more aggressive sound than the competition.

Ever since Ernie Ball Strings bought the MusicMan brand in the 1980s, there has been a constant improvement in features and options available for the Stingray, including: contoured bodies, improved neck joints, better truss rod ergonomics, and more than enough electronics and pickup configurations. But I am a simple man, and I still prefer a plain-old Stingray with a single humbucker pickup and the 2-band or 3-band (like this one) equalizer. And that is why this bass appeals to me so much - because it is pretty close to the way it was originally intended to be.

As I said before, this Stingray was built in 2011, and it is finished in a glossy black, like a lot of these are. This one has a contoured hardwood body with a six-bolt neck joint (for extra special sturdiness and sustain). It has has had a gentle life, so it is still in terrific shape.

The neck is a peach. It is true, and the truss rod works freely (you have to love the easy to adjust trussrod wheel). It has a nice-looking rosewood fretboard, and the 21 high-profile frets are still in good shape. The back of the neck is finished in gunstock oil and wax, which always feels as smooth as silk, though it does show dirt more. This one has a compensated nut, which I am unable to hear any intonation difference from, but someone with a good ear might…

The original hardware is all there, which includes the Schaller BM tapered post tuners and the high-mass bridge. I love the way the bridge bolts so solidly to the body on these basses. It is not a Classic model, so it does not have the string mutes, but I am not sure how many people actually use those things anyway.

The electronics are also unmolested, with the original single humbucker pickup and 3-band preamp. Stingrays have punch to spare, making them fabulous funk or rock basses. This is a well-made bass. The finish is perfect and the frets are simply gorgeous. I strung it up with some new regular gauge Slinkies, dropped the action a little, and It plays well and sounds magnificent, just like every other Stingray I have ever owned. As a bonus, it is relatively light (for a Stingray, that is), coming it at a little under 9 1/2 pounds. All bass players should own one of these at least once in their career.

Mahalo!

2007 MusicMan Stingray 4H Bass Review

Greetings!

I have long been a big fan of the MusicMan Stingray bass and it seems like I always have one around the house because I think they are the best bolt-neck production basses on the market. So, this seems like a good opportunity to look over the 2007 Stingray that I recently picked up.

The Stingray bass was designed by Leo Fender and Tom Walker, and it was introduced in 1976. It was originally available only as a 4-string with a single humbucker pickup, a two band equalizer, and active electronics. This was one of the earliest productions basses with an active pre-amplifier, if not the first. This gave it more output and a more aggressive sound than the competition.

Ever since Ernie Ball Strings bought the MusicMan brand in the 1980s, there has been a constant improvement in features and options available for the Stingray, including: contoured bodies, improved neck joints, better truss rod ergonomics, and more than enough electronics and pickup configurations. But I am a simple man, and I still prefer a plain-old Stingray with a single humbucker pickup and the 2-band or 3-band (like this one) equalizer. And that is why this bass appeals to me so much - because it is pretty close to the way it was originally intended to be.

As I said before, this Stingray was built in 2007, and it is finished in a subtle Egyptian Smoke poly. I am not really sure what Egypt has to do with any of this, but it is a nice color. This one has a contoured hardwood body with a six-bolt neck joint (for extra special sturdiness and sustain). It has seen a lot of playing, so it has some dings and scratches, and there is some finish checking at the neck joint, which happens on these because the neck pocket is so tight.

The neck is a peach. It is true, and the truss rod works freely (you have to love the easy to adjust trussrod wheel). It has a nice-looking rosewood fretboard, and the 21 high-profile frets are still in good shape. The back of the neck is finished in gunstock oil and wax, which always feels as smooth as silk, though it does show dirt more. This one has a compensated nut, which I am unable to hear any intonation difference from, but someone with a good ear might…

The original hardware is all there, which includes the Schaller BM tapered post tuners and the high-mass bridge. I love the way the bridge bolts so solidly to the body on these basses. It is not a Classic model, so it does not have the string mutes, but I am not sure how many people actually use those things anyway.

The electronics are also unmolested, with the original single humbucker pickup and 3-band preamp. Stingrays have punch to spare, making them fabulous funk or rock basses. This is a well-made bass. The finish is perfect and the frets are simply gorgeous. I strung it up with some new regular gauge Slinkies, dropped the action a little, and It plays well and sounds magnificent, just like every other Stingray I have ever owned. As a bonus, it is relatively light (for a Stingray, that is), coming it at a little under 9 1/2 pounds. All bass players should own one of these at least once in their career.

I would love to keep this around, but another Stingray just rolled in, and it is in nicer shape so I will be moving this one along shortly. Drop me a line if you are interested…

Mahalo!

2011 Ernie Ball MusicMan Stingray Bass Review

Hi there!

It is no secret that I am a big fan of the MusicMan Stingray bass and it seems like I always have one around the house because I think they are the best bolt-neck production basses on the market. So, this seems like a good opportunity to look over the 2011 Stingray that I recently picked up.

The Stingray bass was designed by Leo Fender and Tom Walker, and it was introduced in 1976. It was originally available only as a 4-string with a single humbucker pickup, a two band equalizer, and active electronics. This was one of the earliest productions basses with an active pre-amplifier, if not the first. This gave it more output and a more aggressive sound than the competition.

Ever since Ernie Ball bought the MusicMan brand in the 1980s, there has been a constant improvement in features and options available for the Stingray, including: contoured bodies, improved neck joints, better truss rod ergonomics, and more than enough electronics and pickup configurations.

But I am a simple man, and I still prefer a plain-old Stingray with a single humbucker pickup and the 2-band or 3-band (like this one) equalizer. And that is why this bass appeals to me so much, because it is pretty close to the way it was originally intended to be.

As I said before, this Stingray was built in 2011, and it is finished in a gorgeous Black Cherryburst poly. And I must say that Ernie Ball is spraying one the most beautiful fade finishes on the planet these days. This one has a contoured ash body with a six-bolt neck joint (for extra special sturdiness and sustain).

The neck is a peach. It is true, and the truss rod works freely. You have to love the easy to adjust trussrod wheel. It has a nice-looking rosewood fretboard, and the 21 high-profile frets are still in great shape. The back of the neck is finished in gunstock oil and wax, which always feels as smooth as silk. This one has a compensated nut, which I am unable to hear an intonation difference from, but someone with a good ear might…

The original hardware is all there, which includes the Schaller BM tapered post tuners and the high-mass bridge. I love the way the bridge bolts so solidly to the body on these basses. It is not a Classic model, so it does not have the string mutes, but I am not sure how many people actually use those things anyway.

The electronics are also unmolested, with the original single humbucker pickup and 3-band preamp. Stingrays have punch to spare, making them fabulous funk or rock basses. This is a well-made bass. The finish is perfect and the frets are simply gorgeous. I strung it up with some new regular gauge Slinkies, dropped the action a little, and It plays well and sounds magnificent, just like every other Stingray I have ever owned. As a bonus, it is relatively light (for a Stingray, that is), coming it at around 9 1/2 pounds. All bass players should own one of these at least once in their career. Trust me…

Mahalo!

2000 Ernie Ball MusicMan Stingray 5 Bass Review

Greetings!

Today we are looking a fantastic bass I found on the wall at my local Guitar Center, and at a really good price – a 2000 Ernie Ball Musicman Stingray 5.

Ernie Ball started building fivers in 1988, and they have gone on to become the best selling 5-string basses ever made. It seems like every country bassist I have ever seen on stage has a one of these. They have a relatively narrow (17.5mm) string spacing, so the neck is not too wide. Originally only available with a single humbucking pickup, Stingray 5s can now also be had with 2 humbuckers or a humbucker and a single coil. You can even throw in a piezo bridge and go fretless if you want to.

This one is a plain-Jane single humbucker bass, and it rocks. It looks to have been hardly played at all over the past 14 years, and the glossy Trans Teal poly finish is in great shape.

It is all original, including the kick-ass hardware, which includes a six-bolt neck joint, a high mass bridge (bolted AND screwed to the body) and Schaller tuners. This was made before the age of compensated nuts, so it did not get one. Do you really need a compensated nut on a bass?

The electronics are the stock ceramic pickup (alnico was used until 1991 and after 2008), with a 3-way selector switch. The positions are: series, single coil (closest to the bridge) and parallel. I am a big fan of the parallel mode. The knobs include the volume control and a three-band equalizer.

After I got it home, I cleaned it and installed new strings and it is a fantastic bass. After more than a decade the 22 frets are still level and the finish shines like new. I like the feel of their gunstock oil necks and this one is no exception. The electronics have no hum, and I really like the tone of this instrument, as it really cuts through the mix. It is pretty much a winner! It is a tad heavy at 10 pounds, 8 ounces, but that is the way it seems to go with these.

Ernie Ball is a fabulous company that still makes their instrument in San Luis Obispo, California, so you are going to pay a bit more to get the Cadillac of 5-string basses. The cheapest ones available have a list price of $2350, and a street price of $1645. Shop around a bit if you want to pick one of these up new.

Of course, my track record with 5-string basses has been terrible. Most do not stick around for more than a month or two, but I am going to give this one the old college try, and it is a great playing bass. We’ll see if this one makes it until my 3rd quarter inventory update.

Mahalo!

2010 Ernie Ball MusicMan Stingray 4 Bass Review

Hi there!

I don’t think there has been any time over the past ten years that I have not had a MusicMan Stingray bass around the house. So, without any further ado, today we are looking at a gorgeous 2010 Stingray that I picked up from my friend Tom a while back.

The Stingray bass was designed by Leo Fender and Tom Walker, and it was introduced in 1976. It was originally available only as a 4-string with a single humbucker pickup, a two band equalizer, and active electronics. This was one of the earliest productions basses with an active pre-amp, if not the first. This gave it more output and a more aggressive sound than the competition.

Ever since Ernie Ball bought the MusicMan brand in the 1980s, there has been a constant improvement in features and options available for the Stingray, including: contoured bodies, improved neck joints, better truss rod ergonomics, and oodles of electronics and pickup configurations.

But I am a simple man, and I still prefer a plain-old Stingray with the original 2-band equalizer. And that is why this bass appeals to me so much, because it is pretty close to the way it was originally intended to be.

As I said before, this Stingray was built in 2010, and it is finished in a gorgeous vintage sunburst poly. And I must say that Ernie Ball is spraying one of the most beautiful sunbursts on the planet these days. This one has a contoured ash body with a six-bolt neck joint (for extra special sturdiness and sustain).

The neck is a peach. It is true, and the truss rod works freely. You have to love the easy to adjust trussrod wheel. It has a nice-looking rosewood fretboard, and the 21 high-profile frets are still in great shape. The back of the neck is finished in gunstock oil and wax, which always feels as smooth as silk. This one has a compensated nut, which I am unable to hear an intonation difference from, but someone with a good ear might…

The original hardware is all there, which includes the Schaller BM tapered post tuners and the high-mass bridge. I love the way the bridge bolts so solidly to the body on these basses. It is not a Classic model, so it does not have the string mutes, but I am not sure how many people actually use those things anyway.

The electronics are also unmolested, with the original single humbucker pickup and 2 band equalizer. The bass and treble knobs are boost and cut, not boost only, as some maintain. I think this misconception came about because there are no center detents.

This is a well-made bass. The finish is perfect and the frets are simply gorgeous. I strung it up with some new Hybrid Slinkies and dropped the action a little and It plays well and sounds magnificent, just like every other Stingray I have ever owned. As a bonus, it is very light (for a Stingray, that is), coming it at a little under 9 pounds. I know I have said this before, but this one might be a keeper…

Mahalo!

Ernie Ball MusicMan Classic Stingray 5 Bass Review

Greetings!

It is no secret to my friends that I have a rocky relationship with 5-string basses, and I have been though oodles of Fenders, Stingrays, Sadowskys and Spectors over the years with no joy. But somehow another one has made its way into the man cave – a MusicMan Classic Stingray 5. This one is really nice and I am having better luck with this one than with any of its predecessors. Maybe it is my state of mind…

The Ernie Ball Stingray 5 has to be one of the best-selling 5-string basses on the planet since it went on sale in 1988. It seems like every country act I have ever seen has one of these basses holding down the bottom line. In 2010, Ernie Ball issued a new version of the Stingray 5, the Classic, which incorporated many of the features that were found on the popular 4-string Stingray Classic models.

The first thing I noticed when I first saw this bass was that it looks a lot more like a 4-string Stingray than a Stingray 5. The body shape is the same (with the classic slab contraction), and the pickguard and control plate cover (chrome-plated brass, BTW) look just like regular Stingray parts.

The body is made of ash, and has a super thick coat of Classic White poly finish. This color contrasts nicely with the tortoise-shell pickguard and chrome hardware. The bridge is set-up so it strings through the body, and there stainless steel saddles and mute pads that are adjustable for each string. These classic models use a 6-bolt neck joint, and it seems as if there is not quite as much access to the upper frets as there is on a regular Stingray 5, but I never use those frets anyway.

The neck is simply gorgeous, with a nice birdseye pattern in the maple. Flamed necks are also available, should you prefer that. Also they are available with maple or rosewood fretboards, and all of them have a smooth poly finish on the neck with a bit of vintage tint thrown in to the mix. The headstock has the traditional 4+1 tuner set-up (with Schaller BM tuners), and they use the old-school MusicMan logo and font.

The neck is the usual 34-inch scale and has 21 frets over a 7.5-inch radius. It is about 1 ¾ inches wide at the nut (not compensated, by the way), so this has a fairly narrow string spacing for a fiver. They stuck with the new-style trussrod adjustment wheel at the heel of the neck, so adjustments are as easy as pie.

The electronics package on this bass is simple, with a single alnico magnet humbucking pickup and a 2-band active equalizer. The battery is accessed through a vintage-style chrome cover that screws to the back of the body.

And the craftsmanship that went into assembling all of the wonderful parts is first rate. The finish is smooth and the fretwork and neck to body fit are superb. It plays wonderfully, and the relatively narrow nut (for a 5-string) means less of an adjustment for me. This bass sounds amazing and its tone sits very nicely with the kick drum.

Some folks will find nits to pick with it, such as the kind of useless mute system (which still looks really cool), and the fact that you cannot get a left-handed of fretless version of this bass. But, you really cannot please everybody.

It is possibly the ultimate rock bass, but with all of this good stuff, you are not going to get one very cheaply, and that may be a problem for the company. With a list price of $2820 and a street price of $1974 the MusicMan Classic Stingray 5 falls into a no-man’s land in between the hordes of $800-$1000 “entry-level” basses and the realm of $3500+ custom basses. But once you play one you will surely it is worth it and there will be no turning back. Try one and see…

Mahalo!

Ernie Ball MusicMan Classic Stingray 4 Bass Guitar Review

Greetings!

Since the 1970s, the Stingray bass has evolved to become one of the best bolt-on neck production basses you can buy. This meant that some of the original features were left behind, and of course some players were unhappy about the changes. In 2009, the Ernie Ball Company gave players the opportunity to put their money where their mouth is and offered up the Classic Stingray 4, which has some really neat retro features.

The major differences between the Classic Stingray and the Stingray (which is still available) are: • String-through bridge and body (yay) • Mute kit added to a larger base plate bridge (meh) • Uncompensated nut (boo) • Poly-finish birdseye or flame maple neck(yay) • 7.5-inch neck radius (yay) • 2-band equalizer only (no 3-band available) • Pretty chrome battery compartment cover instead of a more functional plastic battery box • Classic color selections (yay)

Other than these items, these basses are standard MusicMan fare. They have ash bodies with a thick poly finish, and fortunately they stayed with a 6-bolt neck joint instead of going back to a 4-bolt or (gasp) 3-bolt microtilt design.

The necks are beefy with 1 5/8-inch wide nuts and are 34-inch scale with 21 frets. Again, I am glad they use the modern truss rod wheel (now chrome!) instead of the crummy old bullet truss rod ends.

The hardware is first rate, too. The bridge has stainless steel saddles, and standard Schaller BM tuners with tapered posts are installed in the 3+1 headstock configuration. An alnico humbucker rounds out the 2-band electronics package.

And I have been sucked in with the rest of the crowd and love these basses. The 2010 Coral Red one that you see here is a monster of a bass. I swapped out the 0.045 to 0.100 standard strings for some Hybrid Slinkies (0.045 to 0.105) and it is one of the best Stingrays I have ever owned.

Of course it sounds like a Stingray, and can be very edgy or smooth, depending on how it is eq’d and how much the strings are dug into. But the real magic is the neck on this thing.

The 7.5-inch radius fretboard suits my playing style much better, and I prefer the poly finish to the gunstock oil that is found on the standard Stingrays. It feels better to the touch and it cleans up much easier. Win-win.

It is not horribly heavy either, coming in at around 9 ¾ pounds on my digital scale. It is a real peach, and I hope that I can keep this one around for a while.

The price of nostalgia will cost you a bit for this one. A new Classic Stingray 4 has a list price of $2570 and a street price o f $1799, so you had better start saving now.

By the way, there are also Classic Stingray 5 and Classic Sterling models available too, in case the Stingray 4 is not your bag. As long as you do not want a lefty, as they are not selling any of these for southpaws.

Mahalo!

2004 MusicMan Stingray 4 Bass

Greetings!

Today we are looking at one of the few basses that I currently have that is equipped with active electronics: a 2004 Ernie Ball MusicMan Stingray bass.

In case your head has been stuck in the sand for the last 35 years, the Stingray bass was designed by Leo Fender and was introduced in 1976. It has a Precision Bass body shape, and the neck profile and nut width are just about the same too.

It was initially available only as a 4-string with a single humbucker pickup, a two band equalizer, and active electronics. The Stingray was one of the earliest production basses with an active pre-amp, if not the first. This gave it more output and a more aggressive sound than the competition.

The MusicMan brand was bought by the Ernie Ball company in 1984, and since then there has been a continually evolution of the Stingray, including: contoured bodies, stronger neck joints, improved truss rod access, and different EQ and pickup configurations (including a piezo). Also, the necks on most basses are finished in gunstock oil and wax, while the classic models have a poly finish on the neck.

This one was made in 2004, so it has all of these improvements including the 3-band equalizer, though it retains the single humbucker pickup configuration. It is all original, except for the pickguard (originally black, new tort, back to black again). I do love black basses with tort guards, though…

I got it from a guy on Talkbass, and the only gripes I have about it are things that he did not bother to tell me about, like a nasty ding on the edge of the fretboard at the second fret. That and that he was stupid enough to put the spare pickguard in the case so that it would rub again the paint on the back of the body for its trip across the country to me.

Aside from that, it plays very well, and sounds great with roundwound strings. I have been playing P basses with flats lately, and it took some adjusting to go back to an active bass with rounds.

Amazingly, seven years later the frets are still level with nice edges, and just show a little wear. I have been reborn and now enjoy fatter necks, so this one feels very natural to me (as long as I remember not to catch my hand on that nasty aforementioned ding).

It is a bit stout, coming in at about 10.5 pounds, but I am willing to put up with it because it is a nice bass. Apparently I am still a MusicMan fan boy.

Mahalo!

1998 Musicman Stingray 5 Bass

Greetings!

Today we are looking a peach of bass I picked up from a local guy who had advertised it on Talkbass – a 1998 Ernie Ball Musicman Stingray 5.

Ernie Ball started building fivers in 1988, and they have gone on to become the best selling 5-string basses ever made. It seems like every country bassist I have ever seen on stage has a Stingray 5. They have a relatively narrow (17.5mm) string spacing, so the neck is not too wide. Originally only available with a single humbucking pickup, Stingray 5s can now also be had with 2 humbuckers or a humbucker and a single coil. You can even throw in a piezo bridge and go fretless if you want to.

This one is a plain-Jane single humbucker bass, and it rocks. It looks to have been hardly played at all over the past 13 years, and the glossy black poly finish is in great shape.

It is all original, including the kick-ass hardware, which includes the high mass bridge (bolted to the body) and the Schaller tuners. This was made before the age of compensated nuts, so it did not get one. Do you really need a compensated nut on a bass?

The electronics are the stock ceramic pickup (alnico did arrive until 2008), with a 3-way selector switch. The positions are: series, single coil (closest to the bridge) and parallel. I am a big fan of the parallel mode.

The previous owner strung it with DR Black Beauties, which I ordinarily hate, but they really sing on this bass. I’m going to leave them on there for awhile and see how they hold up.

Of course, my track record with 5-string basses has been horrible. Most do not stick around for more than a month or two, but I am going to give this one the old college try, and it is a great playing bass. We’ll see if this one makes it until my 4th quarter inventory update…

Mahalo!