Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
I SEE A RARE BASS
- Thread starter BlueAliceOasis
- Start date
I remember those days. Fenders were generally under 300.00, My Gibson Ripper cost somewhere between 3 and 400.00, and Ricks were about 450.00. A lot of money in those days when the minimum wage was a dollar something!
What's with the MusicMan Stingray with 4 strings and a 5 string pickup?
Nice bass! Reminds me of that Queen song,
I see a rare bass
Hanging on the wall
Guitar Center Guitar Center
Can you sell it to me?
Sure, over priced and frightening
Very very pricey
Case sold separately
Apply for a GC credit card (high interest rate)?
No I have enough card now
Cash please
Fire Glo! Fire Glo!
Pack it to go
I see a rare bass
Hanging on the wall
Guitar Center Guitar Center
Can you sell it to me?
Sure, over priced and frightening
Very very pricey
Case sold separately
Apply for a GC credit card (high interest rate)?
No I have enough card now
Cash please
Fire Glo! Fire Glo!
Pack it to go
Old Smoothie. Based off original prototype Stingray. Why it has a 5 string humbucker I do not know. Anyone have the answer?
"In honor of the 40th Anniversary of the legendary StingRay Bass, Ernie Ball Music Man is proud to introduce a spot-on replica of StingRay prototype #27 that was designed for Sterling Ball back in the '70s. Dubbed "Old Smoothie" for its smooth, vintage voice, "Old Smoothie" sports an accurately-shaped alder body in an exclusive classic Chocolate Burst finish, a period-correct pickguard shape, a select maple fingerboard with low-profile narrow frets, a select maple neck with an accurately-shaped headstock, a rear-mounted truss rod and a walnut skunk stripe, a classic mute bridge with original stainless steel "Old Smoothie" saddles, a vintage-accurate single "Old Smoothie" humbucker with 10 elongated alnico magnets,and more!"
Because that's the way it was made 40yrs ago when they were prototyping the StingRay. 
Prototyping usually involves different pick-up placements and different pick-up construction- hence the 10 pole configuration.
Why didn't the 10 pole configuration make it into production? well perhaps they wanted a more aggressive sound with the StingRay, and 'Old Smoothie' was just- well...a little too smooth?
Prototyping usually involves different pick-up placements and different pick-up construction- hence the 10 pole configuration.
Why didn't the 10 pole configuration make it into production? well perhaps they wanted a more aggressive sound with the StingRay, and 'Old Smoothie' was just- well...a little too smooth?
That looks like one sweet Stingray!
I would think that it would make for more aggression though?Because that's the way it was made 40yrs ago when they were prototyping the StingRay.
Prototyping usually involves different pick-up placements and different pick-up construction- hence the 10 pole configuration.
Why didn't the 10 pole configuration make it into production? well perhaps they wanted a more aggressive sound with the StingRay, and 'Old Smoothie' was just- well...a little too smooth?
Off axis pole placement = smoother less aggressive tone.
Cool thing was that my friend's grandfather had a desert gold 4003 rick from the 70s and he let me play a gig with it when i was 19. Probably one of the greatest shows i've played haha.
DG was the color of the year in '04 or '05 IIRC. Never produced before or after that, from what I researched.
I wasnt sure if it was desert gold but that was the closest finish.
$400 in 1980 is $1,170 today. That $5 you got for mowing a lawn in 1980 just went a bit further than the $5 you get today.
I'm guessing it was once white. My once-white 4003s/8 looks about like that.
I remember when I was about 14 or 15 and checking out all of the shops on 48th st in NYC. Would have been 1994 or so. It was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life. Every store was loaded with the most incredible basses. Man that street was really something back then.
