You think, if I paid enough, I could get a custom a StringRay; one with 5, or if I could, 6 strings, a thinner neck, and a narrower string spacing? Basically, I want something that sounds like my StingRay, but with a different feel. I love the thick neck and wide string spacing for my SR4, but I want/need something with 6 (or if not possible for Ernie Ball then, I guess 5 will do) strings and the SR5 are too wide for my taste (I wouldn't be using it for slap)..soo what do you think?
as far as i know, EBMM never has and never will make a very-custom bass for anyone. ie. i don't like your chances of getting EBMM to build you a 6 string EBMM or one with different string spacing unless you are a very well known endorsed artist.
I don't fancy your chances much, even if you are an endorsed artist. I heard that the reason Flea went to Modulus Graphite was because Ernie Ball wouldn't make him a graphite necked stingray! I reckon your best bet would be to get a luthier to make you a custom bass to your specs. Delano (www.delano.de) make custom MM style pickups with exposed pole pieces. Hope that's of some use mate! Cheers, Eude
I dont know about custom stingrays, you dont see very many custom full stop, let alone extreme variations like that. Also, i think Flea went to Modulus because MM refused to rename the Stingray the flea bass
Just have a luthier make you a custom Bass based off of the Stingray(Carey Nordstrand makes a killer MM replacement pickup).
I'd get in touch with Nino Valenti. He might be up for doing such a project, and you would be hard-pressed to get a better bang-for-your-buck top-quality MM-type custom bass anywhere else.
Good move on MM's part for not making the "Flea bass", because now everytime I think of Modulus, I always think of the flea bass and none of their other products. To top it off i'd never buy anything with anyone name on it besides the manufacturer or designer anyway.
Other than custom finishes the only fully "custom" bass I've ever seen EB make was the three-stringer they made for Tony Levin, so I would say your chances are not so good. Go with a custom luthier.
MM is also very protective of their products' distinguishing features (like the headstock) so even a custom SR lookalike will not appear very SRish. But mebbe you can join the EBMM forum and lobby for a bass you like. Sterling Ball has been known to listen to forum members even if it means a loss for him. Great guy.
i just bought a SR5 and am kind of regretting it. Some people live by the 5th string but I am now thining i would have been better off with a sr4.
Improv, check out Skjold. He doesn't make a SR clone, but his single pickup basses are very reasonable. I think you get single pup six for under $2,000, I think.
Dave LaRue has a few pickguard-less Bongos and a killer quilted-top no-'guard Sterling, but other than him and TLev I can't think of anyone else on the bass side of the company.
nope... you cant get a custom music man. endorsed artists can tho (as mentioned above). they would make the endorsed guys a sig if they wanted one... the sterling 5 should debut at anaheim namm... so there's a year to wait to see if you like that bass' feel.
I think you may be the only person on earth who thinks the SR5 spacing is too wide... I find it's spacing pretty tight.
Sounds like you need a 5 string sterling mate, i think they exist but i may be completley wrong again
wait, wait WAIT... What makes a stingray a STINGRAY if you can't get the tone with the pickups on a quality bass like a Valenti??