Fishy Stingray at GC

[BrianToska]

So I went into my local GC today to get some strings and just look around. I browsed the pedals and basses and finally ended up at the used section. They had an older looking Stingray hanging on the wall that has been well used. As I pull it down and start playing it, I notice a few things that are a little fishy.

1. There’s no “Made in San Luis Obispo” on the back of the head stock

2. The tuners are Schaller tuners

3. Neck plate is a Sterling By Musicman neck plate

4. There are indentations by the bridge where one of the cheaper SUB series bridges would have sat (the ones with the bigger base plate)

5. Nut width is 1.5”

I spoke with the manager and he said that there’s matching stamps in the neck pocket that confirm that it is a USA Ernie Ball Music Man neck and body.

What do you fine ladies and gentlemen think about all of this? I’ve been GASsing for a nice Stingray and it honestly sound good and feels amazing in the hands while playing.

 

[BrianToska]

Oh and the price for this bass is $599 on the GC website while the hang tag says $699. This is so fishy but it felt so good and I want a Stingray so bad.

 

[jd56hawk]

You know the song "Walk Don't Run" by the Ventures?
Do the opposite!
Of course, it could be a Stingray with a Sterling neck plate, different tuners, and no SLO on the back of the headstock...and you can ask the manager to back up his claim.

 

[DWBass]

Headstock figuring doesn't look like USA Musicman. Sterling by Musicman neck plate? Why? Bridge looks right unless it's fake. Pricing is off too. Run from this one.

 

[bdgotoh]

Bridge saddles aren't USA, polepieces don't look like alnico.

 

[Wood and Wire]

Somethin' ain't right.

That's basically the headstock decal of an EB Classic / 1984-1988 Stingray, but it has a 6 bolt neck, and a modern style bridge - but the bridge doesn't appear to be stamped "Music Man".

The tuners have always been Schallers, but they're stamped "Music Man" licensed by Schaller.

They didn't have "made in San Louis Obispo" until about 1990.

I'd guess it's a Ray 34 Sterling (or whatever they're called - I've never seen one in the wild), that's had the nut scuffed up to look old, and the headstock decal changed (apparently pretty well. Can you get a more detailed shot?).

 

[FenderOli]

Removed "Made in Indonesia" logo
no „Sterling“ logo at the bridge - bridge replaced
Schaller Tuners - replaced
Logo - replaced
SUB Sterling PickUp „with Ears“

Whatever it is - definitely no Ernie Ball.
(also no S.U.B. from 2003 - those were slabs).

 

[mouthmw]

Lots of things wrong here yup. Nothing here seems to be USA EBMM. It stinks of indonesian SUB with replaced bridge, neck plate, tuners and logo. Or it could be worse. Could be a chinese knock off.

 

[somebrains]

If the B and T pots don’t have a detent it’s probably a Ray34ca someone did a counterfeit job on.

They’re cool basses for $350.

 

[somebrains]

1.5” nut + no pot detents + sbmm = ray34ca with a bunch of tattoo work trying to pass itself off as something else

Go in there and tell the manager they got jacked and are selling counterfeit product.

Take it off his hands for $200, buy a Nordstrand pickup and MM repro preamp, use it as a beater with an expensive sticker on the headstock.

 

[SirMjac28]

Ask him why a USA MM is that cheap?

 

[Adhesive_X]

I would never pay 6-700 for something questionable. Most likely it’s a SBMM ray34 with an aftermarket decal on the headstock.

You’d be better off buying a new ray34 for the same price,

That bass is nowhere near being legit...

I bet gc messed up taking it in on trade and keep it priced high to see if they can dupe someone into recouping some of the cost

 

[Adhesive_X]

Plus..GC used section always has legit stingray 4’s for around 800 bucks. Not worth the risk

 

[HalfManHalfBass]

String tree is totally wrong. This isn't the real Stingray you're looking for. Move along.

 

[jd56hawk]

I spoke with the manager and he said that there’s matching stamps in the neck pocket that confirm that it is a USA Ernie Ball Music Man neck and body.

Hmmm, looks like the manager's full of @#$%.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

I spoke with the manager and he said that there’s matching stamps in the neck pocket that confirm that it is a USA Ernie Ball Music Man neck and body.

What do you fine ladies and gentlemen think about all of this? I’ve been GASsing for a nice Stingray and it honestly sound good and feels amazing in the hands while playing.

Yeah! Like GC pulls the neck off of every used guitar to see what’s under the hood.
That’s the most truth I’ve heard all day. But it’s only 7:30 am.
I agree with others. Go back and ask the manager to pull the neck.

 

[JakobT]

Looks like a Ray34 with a neck replacement. Decal is wrong, tuners are wrong, string tree is wrong. The rest looks like a standard Ray34.

 

[Slater]

“Fishy”, “Stingray”, I get it!

Whatever it is, it only has the value of a “parts” bass.

 

[Ric5]

So I went into my local GC today to get some strings and just look around. I browsed the pedals and basses and finally ended up at the used section. They had an older looking Stingray hanging on the wall that has been well used. As I pull it down and start playing it, I notice a few things that are a little fishy.

1. There’s no “Made in San Luis Obispo” on the back of the head stock

2. The tuners are Schaller tuners

3. Neck plate is a Sterling By Musicman neck plate

4. There are indentations by the bridge where one of the cheaper SUB series bridges would have sat (the ones with the bigger base plate)

5. Nut width is 1.5”

I spoke with the manager and he said that there’s matching stamps in the neck pocket that confirm that it is a USA Ernie Ball Music Man neck and body.

What do you fine ladies and gentlemen think about all of this? I’ve been GASsing for a nice Stingray and it honestly sound good and feels amazing in the hands while playing.

Offer $200

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

Can find now Stingrays and Sterlings at around 1000/1200USD second hand ... hope they are not conunterfeit too as Id like to buy a Sterling ...