My solution was to own both a 2000 EBMM StingRay 5H (ceramic) and a 2001 EBMM Sterling 4H (alnico).
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EBMM StingRay Special Club
- Thread starter MultiScaleMale
- Start date
For what it's worth, it looks like the snowy night and amethyst finishes cost more, at least in the US--$200 more than most of the others. A single H snowy night or amethyst is $2499US, the smoked chrome and raspberry burst are $2399, and the other new colors are $2299. (Sweetwater has a couple of exclusive colors on their site as well.)How much is the price increase on the new specials in the USA? Just seen some of the new models have come up on the Andertons website in the UK and they are about 40% more expensive than last years models. £3K for a Stingray, that's insane.
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4-string Bass Guitars | Sweetwater
Well I just bought my 2nd Stingray in 30 days. I cannot overstate how utterly impressed I am with my new 4H Special, so much so that I had begun to consider looking for a 4HH. Normally I don't care for much "overlap" in my instruments but I find that the weight and ergonomics of the Special has had a negative effect on my opinion of my other basses.
With the less than exuberant opinion of the '21 color options and across the line price increase, I felt the writing was on the wall in regards to used Specials and that I had better get ahead of the game if I wanted to find what I was looking for. Wanting a maple fretboard definitely narrowed my options but after digging deep into the TB classifieds I was rewarded with what I consider a score. A gently used 8.4 lb black & maple 4HH for $1000 less than the '21 model that has the black hardware that I personally don't prefer over the chrome. I may be wrong but I have a feeling that the price of used Specials may see a slight bump in the near future.
With the less than exuberant opinion of the '21 color options and across the line price increase, I felt the writing was on the wall in regards to used Specials and that I had better get ahead of the game if I wanted to find what I was looking for. Wanting a maple fretboard definitely narrowed my options but after digging deep into the TB classifieds I was rewarded with what I consider a score. A gently used 8.4 lb black & maple 4HH for $1000 less than the '21 model that has the black hardware that I personally don't prefer over the chrome. I may be wrong but I have a feeling that the price of used Specials may see a slight bump in the near future.
Nice score! I'm not usually one for black basses but that looks great with the roasted maple neck. With the Special, I feel like you can get enough tones out of them that it isn't bad at all to have more than one. Especially if you choose to string them up with some different types of strings. I really like the half rounds on one of my HH Specials for a nice contrast to the rounds on my others.
I agree, already ordered a set of TI flats for the 4HH for contrast and I just love them on all my basses. Thinking of going 2 for 2 with a tort pick guard as well
Does anyone have a hum when not touching any of the metal on their bass? I have a 4H and it hums when my hands are not touching the strings/bridge/controls. It appears to be properly grounded but the control cavity doesn't seem to have any shielding. See attached. None of my other active basses do this. Seems like a shielding issue? Are they supposed to come shielded?
Attachments
So I plugged my amp into another AC outlet and the hum went away. Strange thing was none of my other basses hum in either AC outlet.
Just wanted to say... Recently I acquired my first 5'er, a G&L M2500. I've been practicing on it a lot lately. I'm somewhat of a G&L fanboy for their passive basses, but I've never been huge on the L series. The M is really nice and I love how broad the 3 band EQ is.
Last night I had an itch to play my Special 4H just because it had been about a month since I had taken it out of the case. OMG. This bass was made for me. I forgot how much I love the feel of the neck, the tone of the revoiced EQ. everything... EBMM hit a grand slam with this bass.
If anyone has a Special 5HH in aqua burst, I'm interested in buying.
Last night I had an itch to play my Special 4H just because it had been about a month since I had taken it out of the case. OMG. This bass was made for me. I forgot how much I love the feel of the neck, the tone of the revoiced EQ. everything... EBMM hit a grand slam with this bass.
If anyone has a Special 5HH in aqua burst, I'm interested in buying.
I couldn’t agree more! I have also been a G&L fanboy for years though I am especially fond of the actives. Previously I kind of considered MusicMan & Stingrays as kind of "pit stop" for Leo between Fender and G&L. Wanting a Stingray to fill the vacancy of having a representation of Leo's primary bass designs, I picked up a 4H Special and my mind was blown not necessarily by the tone, which is excellent, but by how pleasurable it is to play. The weight, neck, balance & ergonomics just do it for me, so much so that I quickly bought a used 4HH Special as well which will relegate my L2K to its case for the foreseeable future. I'm officially an EBMM convert.
Also a big fan of G&L (since mid 90's) and had the good fortune to visit the factory during one of their rare Open Houses. My L2K has a special place in my heart
It came from the factory with the "K-mod" wiring and a #8 flamed-maple neck with low/wide frets. The K-mod allows for split-coil operation which just nails those Fender tones without even trying.I'll have to document a comparison between the two sometime soon
In order to keep this within the "StingRay Special" spirit of the thread, a few photos from the music room:
Funny I'm having the exact opposite experience. I just picked up an L-2000 and so far I like it more than my ray. My Stingray Special 4h is actually up for sale on reverb right now, I prefer my 90s Ray and Old Smoothie. I'll probably get another special at some point, for whatever reason I just didn't bond with the one I ordered online a while back.
Also a big fan of G&L (since mid 90's) and had the good fortune to visit the factory during one of their rare Open Houses. My L2K has a special place in my heart
I'll have to document a comparison between the two sometime soon
In order to keep this within the "StingRay Special" spirit of the thread, a few photos from the music room:
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Damn that L2K is beautiful!
If you ask me the k-mod should be standard wiring on all L-2ks. I did it on my first G&L along with swapping out the neck for a US neck with a maple fretboard and US tuners on a '90s tribute. There was a time when you could buy necks and bodies for cheap on their online shop. Also my '81 L2K Series-E stock controls switches between humbucking and single coil instead of series and parallel.Also a big fan of G&L (since mid 90's) and had the good fortune to visit the factory during one of their rare Open Houses. My L2K has a special place in my heart
I'll have to document a comparison between the two sometime soon
In order to keep this within the "StingRay Special" spirit of the thread, a few photos from the music room:
View attachment 4144218 View attachment 4144219
I definitely dig that the 4HH has 5 options for pup selection, very cool.
Sorry for the G&L content...
I can play this game!
The Special is one of a handful of lefties made last year. I was beyond stoked to find it, because I never thought MM would make a Special OR an HH. And now I have both!
The L2k is a tribute; refinished, obviously. I did the K-mod myself, and agree it should be standard. It's what I use 95% of the time.
The L2k is one of six G&Ls I have owned, and three I still have. I doubt I'll ever get another MM, simply because they don't do much for lefties. I've never owned a proper Fender.
The Special is one of a handful of lefties made last year. I was beyond stoked to find it, because I never thought MM would make a Special OR an HH. And now I have both!
The L2k is a tribute; refinished, obviously. I did the K-mod myself, and agree it should be standard. It's what I use 95% of the time.
The L2k is one of six G&Ls I have owned, and three I still have. I doubt I'll ever get another MM, simply because they don't do much for lefties. I've never owned a proper Fender.
Perhaps we should start a separate group... “Stingray Special + G&L L/M Club”...
QUESTION!?!
As you may have seen, I'm seeking a Ray Special 5HH in aqua sparkle... however, I'm interested in modifying the pickguard (or having a new pg made) so that it has the traditional oval shape and not the weird shark tail shape that the 5s have.
Does anyone have experience with this? Or atleast have a 5HH that you wouldn't mind taking the pg off so I can see the layout of the electronics cavity...
Feel free to pm
Thanks,
- Shane
As you may have seen, I'm seeking a Ray Special 5HH in aqua sparkle... however, I'm interested in modifying the pickguard (or having a new pg made) so that it has the traditional oval shape and not the weird shark tail shape that the 5s have.
Does anyone have experience with this? Or atleast have a 5HH that you wouldn't mind taking the pg off so I can see the layout of the electronics cavity...
Feel free to pm
Thanks,
- Shane
No photo, sorry, but the cavity is open where the selector switch mounts to the pick guard.
