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EBMM Stingray Classic 4

phatbass1

phatbass1

May 5, 2010
80
36
67
Raleigh, North Carolina
#1
Well,

I just added another Stingray to my arsenal...
2012 Ernie Ball Music Man Classic Stingray 4 (Butter Cream)
* Flamed Maple Neck, Rosewood fretboard
Man this thing is sweet! I can't put it down...it plays like a dream.

It is amazing to me how different Stingray models can be. I used to have a 2014 HH (Pacific Blue Burst) with the 3 band EQ and multi-position pick up switch and was very disappointed with it. In my opinion the built quality was average in comparison, the action was inconsistent up and down the fingerboard and it just sounded thin and un-Stingray like.

I also currently own a 2013 EBMM Stingray Classic 4 in Candy Red, Flamed Maple neck and Birds-Eye Maple fretboard and it also is a pure pleasure to play.

Anyone out there have one of these beauties? I'd like to hear your opinions and observations.
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#5
Love the build, love the neck. I ended up selling mine after a year. I couldn't get over the slab body, the fact that it never played well with my main amp (Orange AD200), and the two band EQ. It sounded great with my Mesa combo.

I had an HH at the time, and if your HH sounded thin there was a problem with it. My first HH had a row of coils in the bridge p/u that were dead, so it sounded thin and weak. EBMM sent me a replacement, the result being one of the thickest tones ever, sort of like a steroidal Jazz tone, but you could get some of the mids back with the 3EQ.
 
#9
TMARK said:
Love the build, love the neck. I ended up selling mine after a year. I couldn't get over the slab body, the fact that it never played well with my main amp (Orange AD200), and the two band EQ. It sounded great with my Mesa combo.

I had an HH at the time, and if your HH sounded thin there was a problem with it. My first HH had a row of coils in the bridge p/u that were dead, so it sounded thin and weak. EBMM sent me a replacement, the result being one of the thickest tones ever, sort of like a steroidal Jazz tone, but you could get some of the mids back with the 3EQ.
Click to expand...

I traded that HH for my 2012 Classic Stingray 4, Butter Cream, Flamed Maple neck and Rosewood fretboard, two Band EQ and never looked back...I love it!
 
#15
I busted out mine for band practice last night. I love the small radius and the blocky body, makes me feel like I stepped back in time playing it. Built like a tank for sure. Turn both knobs to about 60% full, dig in super deep with the right-hand plucking fingers, and I swear I can make it sound like a pissed-off duck. And that's a good thing.
 
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#17
Beautiful Basses.
I’m thinking about purchasing a Ray34CA. Besides the Made in Indonesia and some pretty cheap looking tuners it looks and sounds great. It’s has an all maple neck and from what I can tell the p/u and bridge is the same as an EBMM Stingray
Anyone have any thoughts? Any experience’s with these basses?
 
#19
Congrats to the op on acquiring a beautiful bass. I was lucky enough to pick up a buttercream classic 4 with birdseye maple neck earlier this year. As far as fit and finish it's at the top of what i've seen and played (pretty limited compared to some of these lifers). Very solid with a great feeling neck (I like a bit of chunk). It has helped me realize my preference of gloss over matte, and 1.65 nut width over 1.75 and 1.5. The sounds are amazing and it is quite easy to eq in sounds similar to your favorite recordings also done with a ray. Yes the body is slab but the edges are rounded off enough to me to be comfortable. Perhaps it's the high in the chest players need the cutout and have problems with slab bodies. Mine is also very light weight (around 8.5 pounds) for a stingray so I lucked out there. Haven't had any mids problems with the 2 band eq but I guess that's because the amps I use have a mid knob that can boost if needed. All in all after having mine for like 2-3 months now and seeing yours got to say the buttercream just screams class no matter the fretboard wood! Here's a link to the thread that has photos of it if you'd like to see the buttercream with maple.

SOLD - NEAR MINT STINGRAY CLASSIC | TalkBass.com
 
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