anyone not like musicman basses?

[wazzel]

The stingray is not a one trick pony. They are alot more versitle that people think. The single PU just has that appearance. If they were not they would not have the extreemly stylistically varied flagship bassest playing them.

Check the link from their website

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[gillento]

Me too. I am definetly a J guy!

I don't like the sound the MMs produce...except for Tony Levin and Paul Denman....

How do they get these smooth, warm fat tone????

 

[ggunn]

I don't think they're bad basses, but I don't think they're worth what they sell for. One of the most over-rated basses around.

Matter of opinion, of course. Mine is worth every penny to me.

 

[Tom Howland]

LOVE the tone. HATE the feel, weight, uneven output from string to string, etc. (Speaking of SR5)

Me too.

Great tone.
Tight spacing. (Why after all these years, won't they make 19mm an option to go alone with 17.5mm spacing)

 

[willsellout]

My opinions:

Pros:

-They looks good,
-They play good,
-Awesome quality.

Definitely.

Cons:

-They sound is too active and get lost in the mix when playing live, and it's all electronics with no wood sound - just as artificial as it gets.

I've seen many people play MM's and played a couple live. I've never heard one get lost in a mix. if anything they tend to stand out a bit more than they need to.

-Most 5s strings are way over 9 lbs, which is too heavy for me.

MM's are definitely heavy. My 4 string Sterling is probably about 9 lbs.

-G string on StingRays have lower volume.

Never noticed this..of course this could be fixed with a proper setup I think.

-Sterling's bodies are too small for comfort.

Maybe personal preference, but they are definitely not too small for comfort; they fit me perfectly.

This is all after owning four StingRay 4-strings, five StingRay 5-strings, three Sterlings, and trying a Bongo at a store.

I really wanted to like them, because they look and play good, but time after time I found myself hating the sound when I played them live.

For a guy who doesn't like them, you sure owned a lot of em



dan

 

[jefft54]

Well, that's nice.

For a clanky, one trick pony.

How do you feel about squash?

I hate squash. Especially when it looks like this...

 

[Brim]

Here's a clip Link Removed of my single pup SR5 (made in 2000, no compensating nut, ceramic poles, etc...not one of the newer models) I posted a few days ago in the "Heres a fun one: Post your go to RECORDING BASS and Soundclip" thread. I just figured out how to use Garageband and was fooling around with some drum loops etc. I'm not the cleanest player so be gentle on me, I was just having fun! The clip is the SR5 in three parts. The distorted parts are all Garageband effects. Some of the "clanking" you hear is just my sloppy right hand and the action is close, but I kinda like how it sounds. I went straight into the audio input of my iMac with a 1/4" to mini converter jack, pup set to parallel mode, EQ flat with just a touch of bass boost, volume knob about 75%. Hope you enjoy the clip! And enough of this bashing...man is TB hostile. Let's all get along and be encouraging.

Peace!
Brim

 

[king_biscuit]

4


Never noticed this..of course this could be fixed with a proper setup I think.

No it can't. Please see the link I posted where Sterling Ball himself discusses this!

 

[realdeal]

No it can't. Please see the link I posted where Sterling Ball himself discusses this!

+1
NOTHING to do with set-up, strings, etc.
It's a design issue, apparently electronic.
In my use, not a deal-breaker with my Sterling, not at all, but I do wish it wasn't there.
Not cool to be in denial though, even if you're a rabid MM fan.
It's alright...yes, there, there, they are very good basses.

 

[Ian Perge]

I wasn't a fan pre-pickup expansion - the single humbucker just didn't do anything for me tonally, the limitations of RH anchoring, etc. That's largely changed with the introduction of the dual humbuckers and the single-coil/humbucker. The Bongo was also a great change: I'm all for Sterling's comments about how most design changes hadn't occurred in 40 years and the desire to "shake up" the bass community. If I were give the choice of one MusicMan to own, it would be a Bongo 5 H/SC, followed closely by the Sterling 5-string H/SC.

I also have to give them props for being the most consistent "mass market" builders, and still up there even counting smaller, "hand-built" shops. You don't see many duds come out of EBMM, period, and they're generally refining and improving their instruments year after year..

 

[willsellout]

No it can't. Please see the link I posted where Sterling Ball himself discusses this!

I read the link. I see where SB mentions that the preamp design on the Stingray's lead to a weak G string. I also see several people say with a proper set up/different strings/etc. the problem disappeared. I'm one of those where the problem disappeared. I think it's safe to say it is fixable on at least some of the MM's.

It seems pretty simple to me. Lower action on the treble side with higher PU height. Of course this is why I prefer the double PU design of the HH or HS.


Dan

 

[Brim]

I read the link. I see where SB mentions that the preamp design on the Stingray's lead to a weak G string.

I never really noticed the weak G string issue on my SR5. Neither on the fretless Sterling I previously owned. Maybe my ears are not has discerning.

 

[FunkySpoo]

No kidding. It's ok not like a bass no reason to make stuff up. I don't like fenders, because I don't like them. They are fine basses with history of being fine basses. Just not my thing.

I can get bassy or trebbely or a buch of stuff inbetween on my SR5H. Never clanky or rattely or any of that other stuff people keep making up. It's a lot more than a one trick pony. I've done rock, punk, country and hymns (in a Catholic choir where I play my ray) with never not in being able to fit my tone to the band. I've never gotten your tone sucks or you need to sound like a fender from, sound guys, fans or bandmates. The only bad thing I can say is it is heavy, but the last fender I tried was just as heavy.

I am going to keep rocking my ray because it is what I like.

Yeah, I love the "one trick pony" comments. What a load of crap. Stingrays are used in Rock, Punk, Country, Jazz and a bunch of other genres. So yeah, I guess their one trick is sounding great in a lot of different music. As far as the "clacky" sound comments: Maybe you all should start listening to players with decent technique. Unless these players are all closet Fieldy fans

 

[seansbrew]

I love the looks and sound of MM (Stingray) basses, but thats about it. I used to own one a few years back. I ended up selling it for a few reasons. First off the Musicman bass was not comfortable for me to play whatsoever. As with most basses the more you play them the more you get used to them. I figured I would get used to it, wrong. After playing it for about a year I started to develop pain in the tendons of my right (plucking) hand. Of course this is not the fault of the manufacturer, the bass just didn't fit me.
Second, this bass was flat in the upper register. Right at about the seventh fret the character of the bass would change dramatically. The higher up the neck I went, the deader the bass sounded. Slapping and plucking in the upper register sounded thin and lacked presence. The notes would not ring out and lacked the "Musicman sound."
Third, the bass did not intonate well. Before this bass I never had such a hard time with intonation. I called Musicman about my problem and was told by one of the builders that Musicman basses are not designed to be in exact intonation beyond the twelfth fret. I could not believe what I was hearing. I reconfirmed that I was not talking to the janitor by mistake.
Maybe I got a lemon? I remember custom ordering this bass and waiting 8 months to get it. It was black sparkle with the matching headstock and rosewood board.
As for musicmans other basses I do like the Bongo's, but don't think I will ever own one.

 

[hyp.spec]

wow... I didn't think my post would reach 8 pages


+1 to me

 

[bovinehost]

I called Musicman about my problem and was told by one of the builders that Musicman basses are not designed to be in exact intonation beyond the twelfth fret. I could not believe what I was hearing. I reconfirmed that I was not talking to the janitor by mistake.

This is not a "Music Man" issue. This is characteristic of fretted instruments in general. And I doubt the janitor would know that. It seems even some bassists don't know that.

 

[gypsyfireman]

i shouldn't be surprised at some of the dissent for MMs on here i guess, but i am!

i've played a lot of basses up to the $2000 mark, and all the MMs i've played have been excellent. i know, different strokes for different folks...but i guess i've been very impressed with the quality and consistancy of the instruments vs. other makes. i know they're not cheap, but they ain't exactly boutique either. i think you really get a great value for the money with them.

just my $.02...

 

[seansbrew]

This is not a "Music Man" issue. This is characteristic of fretted instruments in general. And I doubt the janitor would know that. It seems even some bassists don't know that.

I did not state that this was a "musicman issue", it was just specific to this bass particular bass. I am only giving my testimony on the bass that I owned and gigged with. It was far more prominent on this particular bass than any other bass I owned at the time, or have owned since. It was noticeable to any bass player that played it. The five other basses I had at this time did not have this issue; or at least to a degree that it was distracting. I used to own a Hondo that intonated better than this thing.

 

[mynan]

I did not state that this was a "musicman issue", it was just specific to this bass particular bass. I am only giving my testimony on the bass that I owned and gigged with. It was far more prominent on this particular bass than any other bass I owned at the time, or have owned since. It was noticeable to any bass player that played it. The five other basses I had at this time did not have this issue; or at least to a degree that it was distracting. I used to own a Hondo that intonated better than this thing.

...more coughing noises

 

[GregC]

wow... I didn't think my post would reach 8 pages


+1 to me

For starting a needlessly divisive thread on a subject that's been discussed many times before? Try -100.