EBMM StingRay Special Club

[relayer66]

Really nice! Thank you.

Well, I’ve got a Moonbeam on the way. It will be my first fiver in many years, since I sold my Modulus Flea in 2006 I think.

 

[graphics1988]

They made a few changes to the original Stingray and the built the Bongo and Big Al both of which were pretty original ideas IMO. Surprised they didn't sell all that well and the Big Al was disco'd.

I agree - The Big Al should have been a HIT - I've never tried one but I thought they looked pretty sweet and the 3 single PU's - assuming they were noise cancelling(?).
Maybe they will do a Sabre return - with some improved concerns (aka weight etc)...I'd be in on a Retro Sabre.

 

[Jim C]

The ONLY thing that kept me away from the Big Al was weight. Pretty sure they were 10+ lbs. on average.

 

[Joelc73]

The Big Al was a great bass. I’d love to see that return.

 

[Jeff K]

How good are these new colors y'all!

I am jonesing for a 4H hot honey.

My wifebass is a 5H 25th anniversary, and have always operated under a strict two bass policy. I need my second bass to look more classic/traditional/understated, as along with the usual old guy rock gigs, I play a lot of weddings and funerals etc, as is usual for a musician involved in a lot of church contexts.

Sits back in the 'visual mix', but still beautiful. Very reminiscent of G&Ls honeyburst, which was always a softer interpretation of the burst than EBMMs.

Beautiful!! When I saw this pic, I immediately thought of my old G&L Honeyburst. They're both stunning!

I really love the new Genius Gold color, but I'm just not the kind of guy who could pull off the Sparkle look. So I opted for the Burnt Ends.

My old Honeyburst G&L and my new Burnt Ends:

 

[dave64o]

The ONLY thing that kept me away from the Big Al was weight. Pretty sure they were 10+ lbs. on average.

They are a bit portly. IIRC, mine is 10.1 pounds. Doable, but lighter would be better, as would slightly better balance. But, even after four sets, the smile on my face (and the faces of our guitarist and our keys player) from the sound makes me forget about the weight. At least until I get up the next morning.

The SSS version is just a killer instrument. The amount of tonal variation is just ridiculous and there's no bad tone in it. And I still use it mostly in passive mode because it sounds so good even without bringing the preamp into the equation.

 

[melloncollie]

They are bit portly. IIRC, mine is 10.1 pounds. Doable, but lighter would be better, as would slightly better balance. But, even after four sets, the smile on my face (and the faces of our guitarist and our keys player) from the sound make me forget about the weight. At least until I get up the next morning.

The SSS version is just a killer instrument. The amount of tonal variation is just ridiculous and there's no bad tone in it. And I still use it mostly in passive mode because it sounds so good even without bringing the preamp into the equation.

Maybe the new lightweight tuners and bridge from the specials would be enough to shave off some weight. Hell maybe take out the preamp too!

 

[Jim C]

I just changed my old 3-band SR to 2-band with G&L tuners and lightweight knobs and shaved off 6.5 ounces.
Sounds much better too IMO.

 

[dave64o]

Maybe the new lightweight tuners and bridge from the specials would be enough to shave off some weight. Hell maybe take out the preamp too!

I still want to play with the preamp because I suspect i'll love it once I start to use it. And I'd probably also keep the bridge just to keep weight in the body. But the lightweight tuners is an interesting idea and it can be a non-destructive one. I might do some searching to see how much the original tuners weigh and see if I can find lightweight drop in replacements that are worth it.

The Musicman Forums could probably give me that info. But I've seen enough people get ripped apart there for asking about non-Musicman mods/parts to know NOT to ask them about that!

 

[cholyoke]

The ONLY thing that kept me away from the Big Al was weight. Pretty sure they were 10+ lbs. on average.

Both my 5SSS and 5H are <10 pounds (9.5 and 8.75, respectively). The lighter ones are out there. Both are super bitchin', too.

I still want to play with the preamp because I suspect i'll love it once I start to use it. And I'd probably also keep the bridge just to keep weight in the body. But the lightweight tuners is an interesting idea and it can be a non-destructive one. I might do some searching to see how much the original tuners weigh and see if I can find lightweight drop in replacements that are worth it.

The Musicman Forums could probably give me that info. But I've seen enough people get ripped apart there for asking about non-Musicman mods/parts to know NOT to ask them about that!

I have both kinds of tuners on my Big Als, but the lightweight ones for the Big Al are not the same as those used on the Stingray specials. The tuner bores on both Big Al headstocks are the same ID (~0.670"). The only thing you need to do to change tuners is add a couple of small indentations for the pins on the back of the lightweight tuners (see image below). The lightweight tuners are 1.7 oz including the bushings and the old style tuners are 3.0 oz not including the bushing. I didn't want to pop it out because I'm lazy. I've been thinking about ordering some of the newer ones for my 5SSS. I didn't check the tuners from the stingray special, but I doubt they have different bore sizes.

 

[dave64o]

Arghhhhh... I checked that link and was thinking this might be the way to go. Then I read further. They're for "newer" models manufactured after April 2012 (approximately) and not for basses with the clover tuners. The Musicman S/N Database says my bass was made in April 2011 and it has the clover tuners.

Right now the weight doesn't bother me much but, assuming it eventually does, I'll have to see what I can find out there that fits - or just be willing to accept having to drill new holes in the headstock.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

OK a couple of things here.

1st, this bass is beautiful in looks and sound. The cosmetic and electronics changes were all excellent choices IMHO. I personally would not want this as my only StingRay Special, but it would make a nice unique addition. He has definitely given me ideas. I would have snagged this if I had seen it sooner.

2nd, this band is great!! Im going to check them out live asap.

3rd, I bet the the new HOT HONEY finish would look great with this pickguard.

4th, StingRays off every kind should always be offered in natural, black, white, and the original chocolate burst.
ernie-ball-music-man-stingray-special-5-h-8-4lbs-roasted-maple-fretboard-swamp-ash.1643079

 

[PhinDog]

Arghhhhh... I checked that link and was thinking this might be the way to go. Then I read further. They're for "newer" models manufactured after April 2012 (approximately) and not for basses with the clover tuners. The Musicman S/N Database says my bass was made in April 2011 and it has the clover tuners.

Right now the weight doesn't bother me much but, assuming it eventually does, I'll have to see what I can find out there that fits - or just be willing to accept having to drill new holes in the headstock.

I believe that the G&L light tuners will fit MM basses. Not sure about the Big Al. I have used Gotoh GB528 tuners on my G&L JB to see if it helped with some neck dive. It helped some. But I ended up putting them on my Sire V7 5 string. Great tuners and are super light. Here are some other options from them. RES-O-LITE Series アーカイブ - G-GOTOH The tuners will leave the two top holes open, but that never bothered me. Just use a caliper and measure the tuners you have and most places that sell these in the US will accept returns as well if they don't work.

 

[lordradish]

Didn't realize there was a Special club on here.
Now I'm part of the team, as of a few hours ago. 8 lbs, 2 oz, baby!

 

[lordradish]

Okay, now that I'm in the club, I went from a 5h to an HH, and I'm just blown away by the tone combos. Only messed around with it a bit, but apart from position 5 (the classic), I really like that position 2 with the inner one of each pickup.

Curious, what do you HH users think of the different tones? What do you use them for? Any you particularly like or don't like? Nice to know I can now get a nice reggae tone if I need it. Still trying to figure out which is the best for old school jazz, but I guess I'm gonna have to do some real-world testing first.

 

[Bill Murray]

Okay, now that I'm in the club, I went from a 5h to an HH, and I'm just blown away by the tone combos. Only messed around with it a bit, but apart from position 5 (the classic), I really like that position 2 with the inner one of each pickup.

Curious, what do you HH users think of the different tones? What do you use them for? Any you particularly like or don't like? Nice to know I can now get a nice reggae tone if I need it. Still trying to figure out which is the best for old school jazz, but I guess I'm gonna have to do some real-world testing first.

the HH is the way to go! I use position 3 almost exclusively but I’ll switch it up on occasion mostly for fun, I like 4/5 for funk, I don’t think I’ve ever used 1 or 2 in a live or studio setting.

 

[_Obra_]

I would like if someone can explain why a new Stingray Retro '70s is 400 USD/EUR more expensive than a new Stingray Special? If they produce them the "old" way, shouldn't they be cheaper than new ones with all the modern materials and features?

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I would like if someone can explain why a new Stingray Retro '70s is 400 USD/EUR more expensive than a new Stingray Special? If they produce them the "old" way, shouldn't they be cheaper than new ones with all the modern materials and features?

Nostalgia !! People will pay for it. This is why Fenders are so popular. ( It’s not because of their new designs ).
People always want what they can’t have . They are cheaper than real vintage examples. This about sums it up I think. Did I miss anything ?

 

[N4860]

Nostalgia !! People will pay for it. This is why Fenders are so popular. ( It’s not because of their new designs ).
People always want what they can’t have . They are cheaper than real vintage examples. This about sums it up I think. Did I miss anything ?

Pretty much this exactly. They most likely appeal to a much smaller number of people compared to the SR Special line and I'm guessing production numbers reflect that as well. So if you're a die hard original Stingray fan that's wanted a vintage Ray but can't find one, these new reissues are a great option.

 

[N4860]

Didn't realize there was a Special club on here.
Now I'm part of the team, as of a few hours ago. 8 lbs, 2 oz, baby!View attachment 5383793

That is such a great looking bass. I personally lean towards more flashy finishes but I do have a soft spot for some wood grain. I really like the Burnt Ends and Hot Honey finishes. What's the clear coat like on that one? Is it glossy or satin? The pics look like its got some gloss to it but maybe not as much as other basses.