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EBMM StingRay Special Club

#9,263
dave64o said:
I might be able to give you an idea of what a Burnt Ends (such a delicious name for that finish! :drool:) might look like with a white pickguard.

I'm actually the third owner of my Vintage Tobacco Burst, and it originally came with a white pickguard. The second owner, who sold it to me, bought the tort pickguard that's on it now as well as an unused parchment pickguard that neither he nor I installed (yet? I might try it just for something different).

Here's a picture of my bass from the original owner's for sale ad, with the original white. The finish isn't exactly the same, but maybe it helps you visualize how the Burnt Ends might look.

View attachment 5016992

I think the white pickguard looks better with the maple than it might with a rosewood fretboard. This is roasted, so it's a darker maple color, but it's still not as dark as rosewood. I think black might be the better choice with rosewood.

Highly subjective, though. So take my opinions for what they're worth. ;)
Click to expand...

You know, after I look at that tobacco burst a bit closer, it's so close to the burnt ends, finish-wise. Just a hint of more orange in there. I'm assuming it's an ash body as well?
 
#9,264
walking_line said:
You know, after I look at that tobacco burst a bit closer, it's so close to the burnt ends, finish-wise. Just a hint of more orange in there. I'm assuming it's an ash body as well?
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Not 100% sure. At 8.3 pounds for a 5HH, it's light enough to suspect that its swamp ash, but I don't know if they made Stingray Specials with swamp ash. But since it's a burst, it's probably some kind of ash.

I checked the serial number data base on the Ernie Ball Basses Forum (Serial Number Database | Ernie Ball Music Man), but the result doesn't show me the wood type.

For kicks, I also tried my 2007 ceramic 5HH, but that result didn't specify the body wood, either.
 
#9,265
dave64o said:
Not 100% sure. At 8.3 pounds for a 5HH, it's light enough to suspect that its swamp ash, but I don't know if they made Stingray Specials with swamp ash. But since it's a burst, it's probably some kind of ash.

I checked the serial number data base on the Ernie Ball Basses Forum (Serial Number Database | Ernie Ball Music Man), but the result doesn't show me the wood type.

For kicks, I also tried my 2007 ceramic 5HH, but that result didn't specify the body wood, either.
Click to expand...

My s/n also doesn't specify a body wood.

IIRC, I believe that I read somewhere that they did use ash for the burst-type finish specials. I used to own a MIA deluxe ash JBass (it was a cherry burst... turns out that was waaay too red for me :laugh:). It was also a lightweight, and the wood looked very similar to my burnt ends. Mine's 7 lbs, 11 oz, so I think it's more than likely swamp ash.
 
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#9,267
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#9,270
#9,271
walking_line said:
My s/n also doesn't specify a body wood.

IIRC, I believe that I read somewhere that they did use ash for the burst-type finish specials. I used to own a MIA deluxe ash JBass (it was a cherry burst... turns out that was waaay too red for me :laugh:). It was also a lightweight, and the wood looked very similar to my burnt ends. Mine's 7 lbs, 11 oz, so I think it's more than likely swamp ash.
Click to expand...
Wow, under 8 pounds is fantastic! :woot:

A cherry burst too red? They always looked kind of orange-y to me. Or is that the problem, it was too red and not a more "proper" orange-y reddish burst?
 
#9,272
dave64o said:
Wow, under 8 pounds is fantastic! :woot:

A cherry burst too red? They always looked kind of orange-y to me. Or is that the problem, it was too red and not a more "proper" orange-y reddish burst?
Click to expand...

Yeah, it was just that outside contour and the horns were so… bright red. The ash grain inside of the red paint was a really beautiful, but the red was just so extra for me. I’m sure it’s really appealing to some, but wasn’t for me. Much preferred my 62 reissue jbass’ traditional sunburst. (And, if I’m being honest, the passive PUs in a jbass too.)

I feel like the burnt ends special has what I was looking for when I bought that USA deluxe jbass (but just didn’t have) in both looks and sound.
 
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#9,278
Paradilum said:
The problem I have with EB maple is that once the grunge starts kicking in, good luck making it look good again.
Click to expand...

I think the idea is you're supposed to give it a light sanding, and a fresh treatment of oil & wax, before it gets into that state.

Alternatively (and my preference) is to have an old, gloss lacquer finished neck : none of those problems, and it brings out the grain like a wet stone.
 
#9,279
EBMM's recommendation is buried on the FAQ page. :bookworm:
FAQ | Ernie Ball Music Man
"Some of our instruments have necks that are finished with a glossy or matte polyester finish. These necks can be cleaned and maintained with a polish cloth similar to the body of the instrument.
However, many of our necks are not finished that way. They are finished with tru-oil and gunstock wax for a smooth natural feel.
For routine conditioning and cleaning of these necks we recommend Ernie Ball Wonder Wipes Fretboard Conditioner.
If the Wonder Wipes are not available try using a high grade of lemon oil. It will work both on maple, rosewood and ebony. If the neck is very dirty, you can use a small amount of Murphy's Oil Soap, diluted 3:1 with water, to clean it. Keep in mind that if the dirt has gotten into the wood, it cannot be removed except by sanding it down, which we do not recommend a lot of. It is better to keep it clean in the first place. Washing your hands first helps!
On an maple neck, some discoloration after many hours of playing is normal.
An annual (or so) dose of tru oil and gunstockwax will help to keep the neck maintained; we use and recommend Birchwood-Casey Tru-oil, but any good quality gunstock oil will work.
Birchwood-Casey products are available at most sporting goods or gun stores, or now you can order them direct. Their web address is Invalid Link Removed.
Be sure to follow all of the manufacturers recommended safety precautions when using any oils or waxes."
I've used the Murphy's Oil Soap/Birchwood-Casey tru oil and gunstockwax method with excellent success! :hyper:
Cool thing is you can control the amount of finish you want. :cool:
I use lemon oil before each string change. Works for me! :thumbsup:
 
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#9,280
bumble yeti said:
If the neck is very dirty, you can use a small amount of Murphy's Oil Soap, diluted 3:1 with water, to clean it.

...snip :<....

An annual (or so) dose of tru oil and gunstockwax will help to keep the neck maintained; we use and recommend Birchwood-Casey Tru-oil, but any good quality gunstock oil will work.
Birchwood-Casey products are available at most sporting goods or gun stores, or now you can order them direct. Their web address is Invalid Link Removed.
Be sure to follow all of the manufacturers recommended safety precautions when using any oils or waxes."
I've used the Murphy's Oil Soap/Birchwood-Casey tru oil and gunstockwax method with excellent success! :hyper:
Cool thing is you can control the amount of finish you want. :cool:
I use lemon oil before each string change. Works for me! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...


Not easy products to come by, when you live in a part of the world that practices gun control.

Soft cloth & Mr Muscle furniture polish, on the other hand...



Gloss finish neck for the win, again :D
 
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