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Are Musicman Basses really that good?

#23
IMO they're very nice. Definitely play one before you buy. They're a bit on the heavy side, but they balance nicely on a strap.

I have a US MM Sterling 4, and it's excellent. I'm looking really hard at the Sterling 5.
 
#29
Quoting myself from another thread...

andruca said:
Stingray 5ers have been my 5ers of reference for 20 years, due to 4 main factors: unparalleled playability mostly due to having the best 5er neck ever, aggressive and focused mix owning tone, amazingly rich and resonant sound, awesome low B. IME no Fender can resonate like an EBMM does, much less have a low B that's remotely close (except maybe the Roscoe Beck Jazz V, then again, still not comparable to SR5s in other depts). A others have mentioned, one of the most important facts about that resonance and low B tightness is stiffness. Besides wood choice, the 6 screw and increased contact patch in the neck joint of a SR5 (often overlooked) is most probably one big cause. Makes for a stiffer platform for the strings to vibrate on, thus your more tense sensation. If said platform is less stable you not only hear that dull sound from the strings but you also can definitely feel that flabbyness in your plucking/picking.

I might be seeing where the OP is coming from. I've been looking for viable Fender-ish sounding alternatives to my Ray 5ers for a decade. Problem being I don't like how Fenders play, their necks, their horrid QC, etc. So I owned many sucedanes, both cheaper and more expensive. Most 5ers don't play remotely like it, many have chunky necks or a too wide string spacing (I'm set on the SR5's 17.5mm), most wouldn't cut in a mix, some would have a terrible low B, or would simply sound like I put a blanket on the amp compared to SR5s. I even had a Sterling5 HS which both wasn't good enough at the Fender-ish game and also sounded thin at the strictly Musicman tone game. Currently I own an indo Yamaha BB-615 (P+J pickups, 3 band active) and a MIK Ibanez ATK-405 (MM+J pickups, 3 band active). Both have super thin necks and resonate/feel/play VERY alike my Stingray5s (the BB by virtue of a ramp in between pickups so I can pluck in the MM position), both are solvent at P and Jazz tones, but play way better than any Jazz I've played (only exception being CIJ Geddy Jazzes -if they made a 5er I'd already own one-), have more oomph and overal authority plus a better low B than Fenders (both on the aggressive side of the spectrum, the BB sounding more classic and the ATK being more hi-fi/modern).

Wanna get frustrated about all 5ers? Get a Stingray5.
Click to expand...

They are THAT good. Weight is not that big a deal at ~4.5kg, but I'm a big guy, even SR5s look like guitars on me, YMMV. I own 2 too, both with the old 3 coil ceramic PU, both modified to have full pickup flexibility.

stingrays.jpg
 
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#30
I've played a couple of them and have owned the Sterling line of the Musicman Basses. I really like the build quality of the Musicman as well as the nice solid B string. Other than that I really don't like them. It's a tonal thing for me. I'm just not a fan of the nasally sound that they produce.
 
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#35
I wuv my Sterling H 4, which I should have sold when I got my P bass but have explained to the wife I need it for a backup. ;) I just put new strings on it and have been breaking them in, really enjoying the narrower neck, and power and variability of its pickups.

Meanwhile, P bass has been glaring at me from its wall rack, accusing me of thinking it's too fat just 'cause it's ~1lb heavier than the Sterling. Maybe I'll let it stew a day or two; it'll be hungry for me when I come back, which I will.

Silly P bass. Fat is GOOD!
 
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#37
I recently got a 4 string MM SR at GC on a deep clearance discount. I wasn't sure I'd like it, but it has slowly become a bass I really enjoy. I've thought about making it a BEAD tuning bass, or getting a 5'er (though I already have a 5'er I really like). I'd buy it all over again, and even at a higher price than what I paid.
 
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#39
I recently checked out a Music Man Stingray & was astounded to find that with the string saddles nearly buried, the 'Ray was only capable of action of 8/64" @ the 17th fret. I usually set my basses up with .010" of relief & 5/64" @ the 17th fret. Sadly, that makes them sort of useless for me.
 

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