19mm EBMM 5 string: fact / fiction?

[Dr. Cheese]

Since string spacing is measured in metric

Maybe Sterling could go all American and offer the string spacing as 0.748031" ?

 

[dickfitts]

Fact #1: Americans LOVE oversized products, preferably shipped from overseas and offered at rock-bottom prices. XL, Super Size, Wide, Extended Cab: Marketing dept. could go nuts here. This Is The Way.

Thread! I still say try it with the import line. Those factories in Indonesia could crank some out pretty quickly.

Fact #2: Americans LOVE crapping on the metric system. This also can be capitalized on. This Is Also The Way.

Since string spacing is measured in metric

Maybe Sterling could go all American and offer the string spacing as 0.748031" ?

 

[N4860]

If he was going to talk to us, he could talk to us like people who actually give him money from time to time, not chumps. I have read where more than a few makers have posted here: Sheldon Dingwall; Roger Sadowsky; Pete Skjold; Ken Smith; as well as Sterling Ball. Only Ken Smith was worse than Sterling Ball when it came to communicating. It is really no big deal when a maker says he is not going to do something that one of us suggests. All Mr. Ball had to say is that he is not planning on a wide spaced Stingray and leave it at that.

As for a wide spaced Stingray losing money, we don’t know because it has never happened. As I mentioned earlier, he could try it out with his import line at a very low price. If he shipped 500 or 600 wide spaced Sterling Classic fives for $550-$650, there is absolutely no reason why he could not sell them.

SBMM is a licensing agreement so I'm not sure how that would apply. I don't think it's exactly the same way as MIM fender compares to the MIA fenders. SBMM is not just another division of EBMM. Yes, there are other builders who frequent talkbass, but none of those that you mentioned are the same scale as MM. I agree that he could communicate better as I had said previously, but that doesn't make disqualify his justification for not listening to a few talkbass members. I agree that the only evidence of the validity of a 19mm spaced SR is when he offered to make it and only a few people committed to it. Should he have waited longer, probably, but that's not for me to decide since I'm not in the bass production industry.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Fact #1: Americans LOVE oversized products, preferably shipped from overseas and offered at rock-bottom prices. XL, Super Size, Wide, Extended Cab: Marketing dept. could go nuts here. This Is The Way.



Fact #2: Americans LOVE crapping on the metric system. This also can be capitalized on. This Is Also The Way.

I'm not crapping on it, it's a much easier figure 19mm .
I wish we'd just drop the imperial system, I mean seriously decades ago they MADE me learn it in elementary .
I get my Soda in litres.
My petrol and milk in gallons
Lumber is measured / sized by quarters.
I have to have 2 sets of hex keys
My rulers have 2 sides.
Don't get me started on farenheit vs celsius!

 

[N4860]

Because they're offered. You can't definitely say that it won't sell when he'll NEVER offer it.

Sure, that's true, but who are you to suggest that it is in their best interest to produce such an instrument to your own specifications? Have you done the market research that suggests that they should do it? Or are you just basing it on a few threads on a very niche forum?

 

[Dr. Cheese]

SBMM is a licensing agreement so I'm not sure how that would apply. I don't think it's exactly the same way as MIM fender compares to the MIA fenders. SBMM is not just another division of EBMM. Yes, there are other builders who frequent talkbass, but none of those that you mentioned are the same scale as MM. I agree that he could communicate better as I had said previously, but that doesn't make disqualify his justification for not listening to a few talkbass members. I agree that the only evidence of the validity of a 19mm spaced SR is when he offered to make it and only a few people committed to it. Should he have waited longer, probably, but that's not for me to decide since I'm not in the bass production industry.

All I can say is that Fender and Ibanez offer basses with wider string spaces at various price points and do alright. Lakland is smaller scale, probably, but still significant, and all of their fives are wide. As I said before, it is his company, and he can run it as he wants. It is also not the only option for bassist’s. Personally, I have zero issues with SR5 string spacing, but I think wide spacing would be a great option.

 

[N4860]

So, adding a 6 string bass and a 7 string guitar are no big deal, but a 19mm 5 string is?

Also, they never just added a 6 string stingray or 7 string guitar. The 6 string bongo is it's own thing and is used by a variety of pro players. The 7 string guitars were started by pros that had already endorsed their guitars. Not a handful of people on an internet forum. If you have some evidence of a builder of the scale of EBMM deciding to make a new model based on a handful of posters from an internet forum, please share as I would be delighted to see and to evaluate the success of such recommendations.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Sure, that's true, but who are you to suggest that it is in their best interest to produce such an instrument to your own specifications? Have you done the market research that suggests that they should do it? Or are you just basing it on a few threads on a very niche forum?

I'll bolster this by commenting that there are FEW successful, volume selling 19mm 5 strings available by any MFG.

 

[spade2you]

Also, they never just added a 6 string stingray or 7 string guitar. The 6 string bongo is it's own thing and is used by a variety of pro players. The 7 string guitars were started by pros that had already endorsed their guitars. Not a handful of people on an internet forum. If you have some evidence of a builder of the scale of EBMM deciding to make a new model based on a handful of posters from an internet forum, please share as I would be delighted to see and to evaluate the success of such recommendations.

LOL, much like the last time, I'm fascinated by the EBMM fans that are just as adamant as Sterling that WE don't deserve custom basses. Even Peavey accommodated that for a brief period.

American 6 string basses and 7 string guitars should theoretically be a risky venture. The Ibanez price point is about the normal price limit for both markets. $3k 7 string guitars are a very niche market.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Also, they never just added a 6 string stingray or 7 string guitar. The 6 string bongo is it's own thing and is used by a variety of pro players. The 7 string guitars were started by pros that had already endorsed their guitars. Not a handful of people on an internet forum. If you have some evidence of a builder of the scale of EBMM deciding to make a new model based on a handful of posters from an internet forum, please share as I would be delighted to see and to evaluate the success of such recommendations.

Mesa.

 

[N4860]

All I can say is that Fender and Ibanez offer basses with wider string spaces at various price points and do alright. Lakland is smaller scale, probably, but still significant, and all of their fives are wide. As I said before, it is his company, and he can run it as he wants. It is also not the only option for bassist’s. Personally, I have zero issues with SR5 string spacing, but I think wide spacing would be a great option.

When it comes to things like this, sure, you can say x company does this, and y company does this, but in my experience, if I'm running a company, I look out for my own interests and determine what is best for me. That's why I say it's Sterling/his family to decide what they should produce since they have a lot more market information than any of us do. If we personally don't like what they're offering, we simply don't buy the product. There's a reason why they significantly cut down their product line in recent years and it has to do with being efficient in their offerings and producing what sells.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Also, they never just added a 6 string stingray or 7 string guitar. The 6 string bongo is it's own thing and is used by a variety of pro players. The 7 string guitars were started by pros that had already endorsed their guitars. Not a handful of people on an internet forum. If you have some evidence of a builder of the scale of EBMM deciding to make a new model based on a handful of posters from an internet forum, please share as I would be delighted to see and to evaluate the success of such recommendations.

A wide spaced Stingray would be a lot less radical than the Big Poppa basses which did not last. It would be less of a departure than the Caprice, a great bass that only lasted a year. Lakland’s 55-94/55-02 are basses that least outwardly resemble Music Man, and have been around since 1994 and 2002 respectively.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Also Rickenbacker finally released a 5 string.
It is a slow seller .

 

[Dr. Cheese]

When it comes to things like this, sure, you can say x company does this, and y company does this, but in my experience, if I'm running a company, I look out for my own interests and determine what is best for me. That's why I say it's Sterling/his family to decide what they should produce since they have a lot more market information than any of us do. If we personally don't like what they're offering, we simply don't buy the product. There's a reason why they significantly cut down their product line in recent years and it has to do with being efficient in their offerings and producing what sells.

I simply believe that ego and pride play a role in Sterling Ball’s choices. He certainly does not come off as a cold number cruncher in his posts or videos. Dude loves his basses and is proud of them, and he has a lot to be proud of too. There is emotion in his choice not to offer the wide option. It is not just about money.

 

[N4860]

A wide spaced Stingray would be a lot less radical than the Big Poppa basses which did not last. It would be less of a departure than the Caprice, a great bass that only lasted a year. Lakland’s 55-94/55-02 are basses that least outwardly resemble Music Man, and have been around since 1994 and 2002 respectively.

They tried to be new and innovative with some "radical" new designs and quickly decided it wasn't working. What about that suggests that they should modify the models that they have had success with? I understand that you're suggesting to just modify an existing model to different specs, but this comparison is not the same since they were trying to break into different markets entirely with those offerings.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

When it comes to things like this, sure, you can say x company does this, and y company does this, but in my experience, if I'm running a company, I look out for my own interests and determine what is best for me. That's why I say it's Sterling/his family to decide what they should produce since they have a lot more market information than any of us do. If we personally don't like what they're offering, we simply don't buy the product. There's a reason why they significantly cut down their product line in recent years and it has to do with being efficient in their offerings and producing what sells.

Yep.
New pickups . New bridge. 15 min of programming on the CNC.
Got to keep the production costs down , and the profits high.

 

[dickfitts]

Between Fender and MTD, that's gotta be a goodly ratio of the 5 string market available, produced for a wide audience, in 19mm.

And I understand a company not wanting to go this route, for any reason they determine. Certainly and literally not my business. But gosh I just love the playability and character of Music Man basses and would love to support them in this format. And I'd be over the moon if they did. Kind of like if I REALLY wanted a Camaro but was too tall to fit into one of the classic ones. Wouldn't do my concept of what I wanted any good to get suggested a Mustang instead...

Of course, all is not lost, and this is indeed a spoiled first world problem to be sure. All the same the crackpot solution i just settled on was reaching out to Maruszczyk to see if they'd do one. With 24 frets too

I'll bolster this by commenting that there are FEW successful, volume selling 19mm 5 strings available by any MFG.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Also Rickenbacker finally released a 5 string.
It is a slow seller .

It also has narrow spacing and is noisy.

 

[N4860]

Yep.
New pickups . New bridge. 15 min of programming on the CNC.
Got to keep the production costs down , and the profits high.

Right, it's only a few hundred bridges, pickups, bodies, necks, labour, finish, etc for the roll out of said new product line. Let's hope they all sell!

 

[Dr. Cheese]

They tried to be new and innovative with some "radical" new designs and quickly decided it wasn't working. What about that suggests that they should modify the models that they have had success with? I understand that you're suggesting to just modify an existing model to different specs, but this comparison is not the same since they were trying to break into different markets entirely with those offerings.

As I and others have said, thousands of wider spaced basses are sold every year. I truly believe a Stingray or Sterling with that feature would find a market. The choice is not mine to make, but you have my opinion.