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EBMM StingRay Special Club

#15,701
Element Zero said:
Anyone ever… ahem… replaced the bridge on their Special with a “non Music Man” style bridge?
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I sure haven't and dont plan on it, but curious why you are considering it. I defintately want the update if you do it, but despite me normally preferring bridges with more mass, one of the main selling points for me is how lightweight it is.

Also you will definately be hurting the resale value because i doubt you will find something that lines up well with the 3 screw layout of the special, and the older stingray bridges were posts.


To each their own, but i always find it interesting when people buy $3000+ instruments and then start modding them by changing pickups or hardware lol. If im spending that much on a bass i better love all of it lol.. That said i guess if you love EVERYTHING but 1 little thing that would be pretty cheap and straightforward mod whynot.
 
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#15,702
tremor100 said:
I sure haven't and dont plan on it, but curious why you are considering it. I defintately want the update if you do it, but despite me normally preferring bridges with more mass, one of the main selling points for me is how lightweight it is.

Also you will definately be hurting the resale value because i doubt you will find something that lines up well with the 3 screw layout of the special, and the older stingray bridges were posts.


To each their own, but i always find it interesting when people buy $3000+ instruments and then start modding them by changing pickups or hardware lol. If im spending that much on a bass i better love all of it lol.. That said i guess if you love EVERYTHING but 1 little thing that would be pretty cheap and straightforward mod whynot.
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I’m not planning on it… but I’m curious. It’s just nitpicking. The ONLY thing I don’t dig is feeding the strings into the bridge. I’d MUCH rather have a quick release type setup.

As a side note, I recently discovered how much I do not like Dunlop nickel strings. They’re quite rough. I got spoiled with the Elixirs have had on since last August.
 
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#15,703
DarkRay BFR question. Do you think one of the Grapes of Wrath would tend to hold value on the second hand market vs a normal StingRay? I know you can get some bargains on the specials (20-30% vs new) and I know it's unlikely to find a BFR 2nd hand but just wondering.
 
#15,706
NicholasU said:
Oh I agree on the buy it to play it but just wondering if a bargain can be had on the BFRs used.
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I've seen some pretty good prices on BFRs on Reverb. I'm holding out for this BFR myself.

1769976079065.png
 
#15,708
I think it's perfectly reasonable to talk about resale value. This forum is all the evidence you need that musicians love acquiring and selling gear. How many times (myself included) do you splurge on an instrument to say.. this is the last one for good.. it's exactly what I was looking for all this time... Only for a few years later for that to change.

I'm much more comfortable buying a very expensive bass I can play... And down the road if my tastes change or that next wave of GAS hits that I can sell it for a decent return vs it being worth peanuts and me having to go to the bank account solely to cover the next GAS acquisitions.
 
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#15,709
tremor100 said:
I think it's perfectly reasonable to talk about resale value. This forum is all the evidence you need that musicians love acquiring and selling gear. How many times (myself included) do you splurge on an instrument to say.. this is the last one for good.. it's exactly what I was looking for all this time... Only for a few years later for that to change.

I'm much more comfortable buying a very expensive bass I can play... And down the road if my tastes change or that next wave of GAS hits that I can sell it for a decent return vs it being worth peanuts and me having to go to the bank account solely to cover the next GAS acquisitions.
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GAS is a real problem and needs to be spoken about openly. :laugh:

Some of us indeed help managing the effects of such a problem and I agree is worth discussing. Resale values for sellers is good to talk about but also for buyers.

I recently bought a Custom Shop for Strat for 50% cheaper than list. If I'd have bought that new I'd either have not sold or if needs must then I'd be gutted.

Also sold a used Ray a few years ago for what I paid for to fund another instrument and I'm going to take a bigger than expected hit on a Sandberg. The merry go round of buying and selling instruments.

Next thing in my sight is a BFR DarkRay and I'd love to pick one up on the cheap but have no idea on the resale values and hence the question.
 
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#15,710
NicholasU said:
GAS is a real problem and needs to be spoken about openly. :laugh:

Some of us indeed help managing the effects of such a problem and I agree is worth discussing. Resale values for sellers is good to talk about but also for buyers.

I recently bought a Custom Shop for Strat for 50% cheaper than list. If I'd have bought that new I'd either have not sold or if needs must then I'd be gutted.

Also sold a used Ray a few years ago for what I paid for to fund another instrument and I'm going to take a bigger than expected hit on a Sandberg. The merry go round of buying and selling instruments.

Next thing in my sight is a BFR DarkRay and I'd love to pick one up on the cheap but have no idea on the resale values and hence the question.
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I had the chance to buy one of these when i was considering getting the first special. The reason i didn't was im still not sold on having distortion circuits in my bass, i love the finishes of the SRS so it was a feature i felt like i was paying the premium for but also passing on by getting a natural looking Bass.

Lastly, the Shadow Korina BFRs range wildly. Ive seen some that look unbeleivable and some that almost look like a joe dart stingray beause it just looks liek plain ash or some something. I remember when i bought my limited edition Fender Jazz that was sandblasted i was terrified after seeing some picks of people getting theirs that the figuring in the swamp ash would be dissapointing, i got lucky, but didn't want to temp fate.

I feel like i saw the Shadow Korina BFR on Reverb on here not too long ago - that said it was one of the ones with very minimal figuring - it was going for more than it was new by like 1k.
 
#15,711
tremor100 said:
I had the chance to buy one of these when i was considering getting the first special. The reason i didn't was im still not sold on having distortion circuits in my bass, i love the finishes of the SRS so it was a feature i felt like i was paying the premium for but also passing on by getting a natural looking Bass.

Lastly, the Shadow Korina BFRs range wildly. Ive seen some that look unbeleivable and some that almost look like a joe dart stingray beause it just looks liek plain ash or some something. I remember when i bought my limited edition Fender Jazz that was sandblasted i was terrified after seeing some picks of people getting theirs that the figuring in the swamp ash would be dissapointing, i got lucky, but didn't want to temp fate.

I feel like i saw the Shadow Korina BFR on Reverb on here not too long ago - that said it was one of the ones with very minimal figuring - it was going for more than it was new by like 1k.
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Good info to know since that is a BFR I am very interested in myself. Good thing I can't afford it right now anyway. GAS can hit me all it likes, I can't do anything about it. 🤣
 
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#15,713
tremor100 said:
To each their own, but i always find it interesting when people buy $3000+ instruments and then start modding them by changing pickups or hardware lol. If im spending that much on a bass i better love all of it lol.. That said i guess if you love EVERYTHING but 1 little thing that would be pretty cheap and straightforward mod whynot.
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It may be "interesting" for whatever reason, but in my case, changing a pickup(s) and/or a preamp can mean the difference in loving an instrument 99% and 100%. And it did.

And it's easier than spending thousands on different amplifiers, cabinets, and pedals for the same reason.

Another reason to love my Stingray Special. Absolutely no inclination whatsoever to change anything on it. 100% love it the way it came out of the box (except for the strings).
 
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#15,714
So a while back, I was crowing about the fact that I still don't have a scratch, dent, or mark on my 3-months-old-to-me Stingray Special.

This morning is new string day and checking the bass over. The first string change since I put my Pro Steels on it right out of the box. Still no scratches, dents, or marks. Really?? I'm not really baby-ing or trying to be extra-careful. I pull it out of the case and play it.

However, I noticed the pickguard. Yikes! But no surprise. I practice my slapping chops at least a few minutes every practice session. I need my fingernails for finger playing, so I can't cut them back to avoid the scratches. Just part of it....😳😁

(That while bar below the pickup is a reflection of the overhead work light above my desk.....)

(Damn, these new phone cameras that show every speck and particle!....🤣)

IMG_4154.jpeg
 
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#15,717
NicholasU said:
And on the subject of a use BFRs a stunner just popped up on reverb. Not sure how this equates to new in the US. After import tax and shipping to the UK it looks like a 10-15% drop in value roughy. Not too bad.

https://reverb.com/uk/item/94328645...ial-4-h-electric-bass-guitar-lignite-12-of-20
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Stay tuned….. I might be listing one of my BFR 5HH and my Sandberg Ida 5 next week.

I picked up a Fodera right before Christmas and ithat means I have to thin the herd.
 
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