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Any MM Sting Ray masters out there?

robkphoto

robkphoto

Jan 28, 2009
230
2
Brooklyn, NY
www.robkfilms.com
#1
I just bought a Music Man Sting Ray and wanted to see if anyone could shed some light on it's age and give me any more info on this particular vintage of Sting Rays. I bought from a guy off Craigs list and it seemed like a pretty great deal. He said he bought it new in 2000 but I think it's probably older than that. He said he's had it in storage and just got it out recently and no longer plays so no longer needed it. It's super clean, needs a polish but has no dings or scratches. Could definitely use a set up but plays really well. It has the old style bridge. What are the pros and cons on these? It also has the serial number stamped on the bridge rather than on the neck plate. Any info/ comments would be greatly appreciated. Many Thanks!!

Rob K
 

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#2
hmmmmm! if im not mistaken it could be in the mid to late 90's..but i can be wrong.. Just because i have a 94 sterling that i had brought new back then and i can see that your bass has the foam mutes also
 
#5
My guess is 94/95 also. The mute bridge with the saddles offset like that was called the Flea bridge, which was only used a few years before they went to the short bridge.

On the Ernie Ball forum, there is a thread for posting your serial, and an EBMM employee would look up the build date.
Or you could just email EBMM customer service as well.
 
#7
i think this must be from before 94, because eb removed the mutes around that time. same bridge just no mutes. or maybe someone put those on after so your bass could also be mid nineties. my guess is from 1990-96.
nice find!
 
#8
I was about to buy this bass when someone got to it before I could pull the trigger:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=512899

And the seller tipped me off to this Sting Ray that I ended up buying on Craigs List (We both live in Brooklyn). I'm pretty happy as this bass is pretty flawless. Looks almost brand new, probably an 8.5/10 (see below). Haven't been able to play it through an amp yet although I've played it through my POD and it sounds great. The seller claimed that he bought it "new" in 2000 and that he played for a couple years and then gave it up for lack of time and patience and it's been in storage ever since. He wanted to sell fast so I think I got a really good deal on it. I thought it was older than a 2000 given the bridge style with the mutes but I also wasn't sure if they had a three band eq before then. Everything looks to be original as it's all stamped Ernie Ball and the fit and finish is near flawless. Anyway can't wait to plug it in, all I need now is a bass rig.

Thanks for the info. Any more comments would be appreciated. I'm wondering if there is any sort of a tonal difference with the Sting Rays from this period or if they sound the same as the newer Rays and the older ones. I know a lot comes down to the specific instrument but just wondering if there are any general pros or cons.

Cheers!
Rob K.
 

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#10
robkphoto said:
The seller claimed that he bought it "new" in 2000....

I thought it was older than a 2000 given the bridge style with the mutes but I also wasn't sure if they had a three band eq before then.
Click to expand...

The 3 band eq came out in '87, so yeah it's been a round a while.

The original owner could have very well bought it in 2000. There have been plenty of people who posted they bought a StingRay brand new that had been hanging on a store wall for years.
 
#12
Just checked it out on musicmanbass.org and the closest Serial # they have is:

42664...Sep 1994. Honeyburst with Maple. White pg. String Mutes. 3 Band EQ.

Mine is 42619 and is a very similar bass. I guess mine is a Honeyburst as well although it doesn't have the Maple fretboard. So I'd guess August or Sept. 1994.

I also entered the number in the Ernie Ball Serial Number Database and we'll see what they say. I wouldn't be surprised if he did get it new in 2000. Said he got it in California. Changed out the battery and it looks brand new in the battery compartment.

Thanks for all of your help. Cheers!
 
#15
Hey, I'm glad to see you were able to pick up the bass! I've had one of those 'middle period' Stingrays before, with the 3-band EQ, 6-bolt neck, metal battery cover and string mutes, and I think they sound great. In my opinion Stingrays tend to have much less variation over the years due to the increased role the electronics play in achieving the sound; in other words, though woods and construction may change over time, the design of the preamp circuit hasn't really. One thing that I did on the one I just sold was to make sure to put nickel strings (as opposed to steel or chrome) on it, as they seem to go dead faster and give a much more thumpy tone to the Stingray. That's my 2 cents. Anyway, I am really glad to see that you got a good deal on the Stingray - based on the nice condition it's in, I'd say that you are better off with that one than the one I sold.
 
#16
Congrats on the bass!! MusicMan.org is a great site. I learned a ton by going through that site a few years back.

all the best.

Edit: The bass they show on the EBMM forum color guide for Cherry Burst is mine :)
 

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