Concept: A 4-string StingRay 5

[jd56hawk]

Very few negative comments when it comes to Musicman StingRays, but the one I hear all the time is toilet seat pickguard.

The Chowny Retrovibe one definitely looks better.

 

[hooky_marr]

Really, they should bring back the 5 string Stingray "classic", and call this one a Silhouette Bass 4/5, as it's called when it's a guitar.

Funny you should say that, because a decade ago I got a beat-up OLP MM5, their licensed version of the Silhouette Bass, and had a luthier friend convert it to a short scale 4-string bass, as an experiment.

It was gorgeous, and very comfortable, esp with a guitar-sized body, but I think it would have sounded better as an instrument designed from the ground up as a bass, with higher-quality woods. It was also a bit restrictive in terms of pickup placement because we had to work around the original guitar HB-sized routs.

 

[hooky_marr]

It would likely never sell.
This is only the second time I've ever seen a post on talkbass actually want the massive teardrop pickguard covering up half of the SR4 body.
I always see the opposite; more people wishing the SR5 always had the normal oval guard like on the classic.

If you have a beautiful finish or a stunning grain, its half covered up.

I would prefer no pickguard at all, if I had a figured wood or transparent top, but that's not an option except on the BFRs and a couple of artist models. :shrug: For a solid finish, I think the teardrop shape complements the curves really well.

That's a thing that really peeves me (as a professional designer), when the curves on an instrument are fighting each other. The SR5's curves really bring out the "Corvette Stingray" aspect of it, when held in playing position it has this great aspect of forward motion.

 

[hooky_marr]

Very few negative comments when it comes to Musicman StingRays, but the one I hear all the time is toilet seat pickguard.
The Chowny Retrovibe one definitely looks better.

Interesting. The Chowny seems to be trying to split the difference between a Rickenbacker and a StingRay, but I hear you on the "toilet seat" thing. I think the oval just doesn't quite look like it's scaled correctly to reflect the outer contours.

 

[hooky_marr]

Sabre had a neater shaped control plate and pickguard

Debatable. It's trying to do that Jazz Bass / Mustang thing where merges with the metal control plate, but the upper 'horn' doesn't follow the actual contours of the instrument. To me, it looks like the metal bit is dangling off the 'egg' shape, so it's not creating a unified line for the eye to follow.

Plus, it's not so much about the SR5's pickguard, but also, the carved horns, which reduce weight and make it look a lot sleeker. Can't get that on a regular Stingray or Sterling unless you want to refinish it completely...

 

[jd56hawk]

Interesting. The Chowny seems to be trying to split the difference between a Rickenbacker and a StingRay, but I hear you on the "toilet seat" thing. I think the oval just doesn't quite look like it's scaled correctly to reflect the outer contours.

They make some interesting basses.

 

[hooky_marr]

They make some interesting basses.

Yes they do. (You can REALLY see the Ric influence on that red one.) I like the Scott Whitley signature bass, if it had an arm contour I might be tempted...

 

[Ric5]

how about a 5 string stingray with an egg-shaped pickguard

 

[Chickenwheels]

That's basically it.

• This is a quick and terrible photoshop job.
• Imagine, if you will, a StingRay 5, with one less string, and the same 'teardrop' pickguard shape.
• Maybe with a slightly narrower body than a standard StingRay, keeping the same curves and chamfered horns from the 5, but leaning towards a little Spector-ish?
• Made to be lightweight, maybe with a chambered body?
• Maybe a smaller headstock, similar to the Reflex bass?
• Also to be available in a downsized short-scale version.
• Idea: bring back a variety of pickup options: H, HH, HS, SS, SH (for that woofer-and-tweeter arrangement) and an S-S-S layout (like the Big Al, or more like an old 80s PRS Bass IV, with one right at the neck heel)?

View attachment 4798686

Thoughts?

I like it.
As mentioned, the Stingray 5 and Sterling could very easily have been named the Silhouette bass (4 & 5) if the Sterling had been appointed like this. Which to my eye is much nicer than the “SquashRay” look of the Sterling. IMHO.

 

[InhumanResource]

It would likely never sell.
This is only the second time I've ever seen a post on talkbass actually want the massive teardrop pickguard covering up half of the SR4 body.
I always see the opposite; more people wishing the SR5 always had the normal oval guard like on the classic.

If you have a beautiful finish or a stunning grain, its half covered up.

I was about to say something similar, the 5ers leave something to be desired in the looks department in comparison to the 4 strings. The “classic” 5’s look beautiful, but the slab body may not be for everyone.

Interesting idea about a chambered body for weight, though. These suckers can be heavy.

 

[InhumanResource]

Very few negative comments when it comes to Musicman StingRays, but the one I hear all the time is toilet seat pickguard.

The Chowny Retrovibe one definitely looks better.

Taste is subjective of course, but I think your example on the left is a pretty sweet looking axe. Got the right color and everything!

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I would prefer no pickguard at all, if I had a figured wood or transparent top, but that's not an option except on the BFRs and a couple of artist models. :shrug: For a solid finish, I think the teardrop shape complements the curves really well.

That's a thing that really peeves me (as a professional designer), when the curves on an instrument are fighting each other. The SR5's curves really bring out the "Corvette Stingray" aspect of it, when held in playing position it has this great aspect of forward motion.

Amen!!!

 

[PeaveyPlayer]

I actually really want this now

 

[rashrader]

I have never liked the SR5 Pickguard (it takes up far too much real estate), so I’m gonna hard pass on this idea. How much do I dislike it? Enough that I will not buy one.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

EBMM is largely a guitar company now. We'll see some new products but bassists as a group are more likely to just buy the tried and true StingRays that have been with us for decades.

 

[Altitude]

It would likely never sell.
This is only the second time I've ever seen a post on talkbass actually want the massive teardrop pickguard covering up half of the SR4 body.
I always see the opposite; more people wishing the SR5 always had the normal oval guard like on the classic.

That's where my head is as well. They did one like that a while back, no? Stingray Classic 5 maybe?

 

[Smooth_bass88]

I don’t dislike that

 

[swink]

Don't think so. At least as currently listed, the SR5 'special' has Neodymiums and the Sterling has ceramics.

In the 1990s when the EBMM Sterling was developed as the 4 string version of the SR5, the SR5 had Ceramic pickups. the sterling was available in either H,HH,HS and H piezo versions.

So what you are describing a is Sterling with a teardrop.

 

[Dragan]

It would likely never sell.
This is only the second time I've ever seen a post on talkbass actually want the massive teardrop pickguard covering up half of the SR4 body.
I always see the opposite; more people wishing the SR5 always had the normal oval guard like on the classic.

I may be in minority then, for me sr5 pickguard shape looks very cool

 

[Alessandro Cruz]

I did something similar about 15 years ago, just for fun... Sure it lacked some refinement, but...