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Musicman Stingray/Bongo/Sterling Or Custom Valenti?

#3
Dawkinzz said:
saw this question and thought it deserved its own thread...

which one would you go for or have and your reasonings for choosing it?

and of course the style of music you play
Click to expand...

I think an even more valuable question is: "Who here has actually played all of these basses and, if so, which one would you choose?"
 
#5
Unless there's a specific reason why you want the exact features of one of the MMs, I'd go with the Valenti regardless of music style, because I have three Warmoth basses (one of them is my #1) and I know that the quality of the parts is top notch, and because you can get a truly custom bass with the exact pickups / electronics / hardware / woods / shape / finish you want at the price of a mass produced one. Plus I haven't played any of his basses but I hear Mr. Valenti's setup work and attention to detail is second to none.
 
#14
FL Knifemaker said:
Can you order a Valenti with a MM pup?? :confused:
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PM TB'er Nino Valenti with your questions, and he'll let you know what's doable. I've never dealt with him (although I hope to in the very near future), but all signs seem to indicate that he's a great guy to work with.

Oh, and to answer the original poster's question, these basses don't have much in common with each other. The Ernie Ball basses you listed are all perfectly fine and have strong followings, but they don't do it for me; therefore, my answer would be Valenti. You really need to play these basses though, because they're so far apart in tone, one won't be much of a substitution for the other.
 
#15
I've played a couple of Bongo's in a couple of different configurations and I personally didn't like them too much.

I've owned a couple of Ray's and Sterling's. IMO great basses that have a very distinct sound. The build quality on the ones I've owned have been top notch and the necks feel great, especially the Sterling. I wouldn't mind owning one of these again.:bassist:


FL Knifemaker said:
Can you order a Valenti with a MM pup?? :confused:
Click to expand...
No, I can make one with a MM style pickup alla Nordstrand, BassLines or EMG, though
 
#18
This is a very cool thread and I'll respond with my .02. I'll preface this by saying that I have never played a Valenti but I have no reason to doubt what everyone here has to say about Nino and his work.

I have been thinking through this very issue and this is my take:

Let's assume that:

* You want as much (practical!) tonal versatility as possible in your arsenal.
* You are unable/unwilling to have a whole lot of basses.
* You want an authentic Stingray sound

Based on those assumptions, I am thinking that the best move is to buy a Stingray AND a Valenti.

My rationale:

* Only a Stingray sounds like a Stingray.
* A custom-designed bass can get you just about any other sound you want/need besides a Stingray. If you specify it properly, I'll bet that Nino can suggest/build a bass that will get you every other sound you need.

Here's a (TOTALLY non-scientific) picture of how I see it:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]​

This also applies is you choose a Stingray and a Bongo but some people don't like the way Bongos look. You also lose the "custom made for ME" allure that a Nino bass would provide.

I am interested in what others think about this.
 
#19
IotaNet said:
This is a very cool thread and I'll respond with my .02. I'll preface this by saying that I have never played a Valenti but I have no reason to doubt what everyone here has to say about Nino and his work.

I have been thinking through this very issue and this is my take:

Let's assume that:

* You want as much (practical!) tonal versatility as possible in your arsenal.
* You are unable/unwilling to have a whole lot of basses.
* You want an authentic Stingray sound

Based on those assumptions, I am thinking that the best move is to buy a Stingray AND a Valenti.

My rationale:

* Only a Stingray sounds like a Stingray.
* A custom-designed bass can get you just about any other sound you want/need besides a Stingray. If you specify it properly, I'll bet that Nino can suggest/build a bass that will get you every other sound you need.

This also applies is you choose a Stingray and a Bongo but some people don't like the way Bongos look. You also lose the "custom made for ME" allure that a Nino bass would provide.

I am interested in what others think about this.
Click to expand...

I agree 110%. I have a Bongo and a Hot Rodded SUB. Both are keepers, I love the sound of both. The Bongo has more range but SUB is an ongoing project that I'm having fun with. I bought a Rumblefish because it had what I consider a unique sound that I really like. At this point, I would rather add a quailty, traditional jazz bass to my collection for that particular sound. I'm giving up motorcycles so the wife doesn't mind big packages coming to the door :D
 
#20
IotaNet said:
This is a very cool thread and I'll respond with my .02. I'll preface this by saying that I have never played a Valenti but I have no reason to doubt what everyone here has to say about Nino and his work.

I have been thinking through this very issue and this is my take:

Let's assume that:

* You want as much (practical!) tonal versatility as possible in your arsenal.
* You are unable/unwilling to have a whole lot of basses.
* You want an authentic Stingray sound

Based on those assumptions, I am thinking that the best move is to buy a Stingray AND a Valenti.

My rationale:

* Only a Stingray sounds like a Stingray.
* A custom-designed bass can get you just about any other sound you want/need besides a Stingray. If you specify it properly, I'll bet that Nino can suggest/build a bass that will get you every other sound you need.

Here's a (TOTALLY non-scientific) picture of how I see it:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]​

This also applies is you choose a Stingray and a Bongo but some people don't like the way Bongos look. You also lose the "custom made for ME" allure that a Nino bass would provide.

I am interested in what others think about this.
Click to expand...

fancy, a graph.:eek: :eek: :eek:

even if it made no sense, everyone will believe you because it looks cool.

but it did make sense
 

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