35th Anniversary Stingray 5. Wow!

[tb-player]

So this was announced a little while back. I don't shop much for basses so I apparently missed it. It has to be the prettiest Stingray I've ever seen. But at $3799, it's also the most expensive. Really striking!

StingRay 5 35th Anniversary | Basses | Ernie Ball Music Man

 

[scubaduba]

Yeah, that's a real looker.

 

[Geri O]

I’d hit that….

(A) if I had the funds, but about to start another Lull build, and….

(B) Did I really just write that?…

 

[Killing Floor]

Love it. Blocks on a Ray.

 

[fhtagn]

It's probably the prettiest version of Stingray I've ever seen – but costs approximately 5600 euros here in EU. That's closer to $5800 with the current exchange rates. Ouch.

 

[tb-player]

Love it. Blocks on a Ray.

Yeah, those blocks and no pickguard got me. The accent line around the top is great too. It almost feels too fancy for a Stingray, which in my mind has always been more of a workhorse bass. But yeah, still pretty spectacular.

 

[Snert]

Meh. Way too much for my tastes. I'd rather spend that sort of coin on an actual custom, not a generic bass with a top.

 

[Killing Floor]

The BFR Sabre guitar looks a lot like this.

 

[GeeBass]

The accent line around the top is great too.

Looks like the top of body where right arm crosses over has NO chamfering at all - IME this is a problem ergonomically, and would be uncomfortable to play for longer periods.

Looks great though.

 

[P. Aaron]

These builders are always finding new ways to help people part with their money. I'll just watch from a distance and be grateful I'm not tempted anymore.

Yeah, it's lovely but, in the world I'm in, it's about 2 house payments, and more than 14 car payments.

 

[lowfreqgeek]

Looks like the top of body where right arm crosses over has NO chamfering at all - IME this is a problem ergonomically, and would be uncomfortable to play for longer periods.

Looks great though.

Looks chamfered to me. The burst does a good job of hiding it, but the light on the edge gives it away. It also has a nice rounded edge, not a sharp corner.

That said, I've never had a problem with slab bodies, so that's entirely personal. I actually have 2 nearly identical bodies (made at the same time from the same board of Alder); one is chamfered, the other is slab. They feel nearly indistinguishable for how I play, but I don't rest my wrist on the body, either.

 

[N4860]

I love that they used those tinted looking blocks rather than just traditional white blocks. Makes them blend with the body colour in a nice way.

 

[swink]

Although I am a big fan of the SR5, this one does not excite me. I understand the use of improved woods and the inlays, but all in all there is not a big difference from a standard version, which as always meets very high standards.
It is hard to outperform yourself when you are at the top.

 

[cavemanbass]

I don’t understand the part about spalted maple top AND a thin maple veneer… why put veneer over a figured top? Maybe I’m misunderstanding what is going on… or the veneer is hippie sandwiched between the body and top?
I would definitely rock this bass but prefer the look of the 20th anniversary Ray with flame maple top (no veneer) and adhesive pickguard (removable). Not a huge fan of the spalted look, and I’ve become accustomed to the oval guard on Rays. Obviously YMMV

 

[Mastermold]

Although I am a big fan of the SR5, this one does not excite me. I understand the use of improved woods and the inlays, but all in all there is not a big difference from a standard version, which as always meets very high standards.
It is hard to outperform yourself when you are at the top.

Yeah I'm a big fan of the SR5 and my 2013 is a really nice bass. I'd be interested in this one solely for its looks.

 

[two fingers]

Yeah.... I looks nice. But for that kind of coin I'm calling Mike Lull, or somebody like that. You're pretty much paying almost double for some nice looking woods on a production bass.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Nice but when you hit $4k, there are a lot of options in competition for your funds.

 

[BassComa]

It looks fantastic. I just dont get why they decided that the neck finish would be high gloss polyester instead of the standard gunstock oil and hand-rubbed special wax blend.

Judging from the pictures some looks absolutely gorgeous and worth the money while some of them looks not so gorgeous for that kind of money.

Compare those two specimens: A - 35th and B - 35th

IMHO, A - 35th is AAA+++ while B - 35th just A. So ordering one of those is a lottery, you get either an absolutely gorgeous looking bass or you may end up getting a good looking bass. For that price one expets absolutely gorgeous bass every time.

 

[Altitude]

Blocks on a Stingray sure is a good look.

But there are some really nice options at $3799. I dunno.

 

[tb-player]

It looks fantastic. I just dont get why they decided that the neck finish would be high gloss polyester instead of the standard gunstock oil and hand-rubbed special wax blend.

Judging from the pictures some looks absolutely gorgeous and worth the money while some of them looks not so gorgeous for that kind of money.

Compare those two specimens: A - 35th and B - 35th

IMHO, A - 35th is AAA+++ while B - 35th just A. So ordering one of those is a lottery, you get either an absolutely gorgeous looking bass or you may end up getting a good looking bass. For that price one expets absolutely gorgeous bass every time.

That’s why you order from Sweetwater or some other retailer that lists photos (and weight) of the actual instrument. Nothing worse than ordering a highly figured top and receiving a bland looking one… especially at almost $4k. I’m with @two fingers. For that kind of scratch, I’m calling Spencer at Mike Lull.