I am going to start by saying that I am what you would call a researcher...an informed consumer.
That being said...
I would love to get myself a Stingray, but there are some factors feeding into my decision making process that I'm to the point where I absolutely cannot seem to make a decision.
I think at this point I am 'overinformed' and unable to decide what to do.
Part of my problem is that all of the new breed of EBMM and SBMM Ray34 basses all have roasted maple necks. I absolutely despise the look of it. I just can't bring myself to accept it...and some of the color combinations that minimize the look of the roasted maple necks are not ones that I get super excited about.
Yes, one option is to try and lay hands on a much older EB or SBMM that didn't use the roasted maple necks, but all I am finding are SUB series basses...which could be an option (see below) or basses that are going for $3000-$5000 or more, and I'm just not going there.
I have read probably 2/3 of the way through this thread (and pretty sure my brain oozed out my ear at one point from information overload):
Music Man sound and pickups
I have also watched some superb YT videos where they do a direct comparison between a EBMM and SBMM basses.
I have also watched countless videos where they take SUB series basses and upgraded them to try and achieve this sound or that sound and seem to be pretty dang successful. There's even one out there where a guy took a Squier Precision bass and turned it into a VERY convincing sounding copy of a pre-CBS Stingray!
I have read COUNTLESS threads on various forums where you will get supportive arguments for either/or. Some saying you just gotta save and get the EBMM. Some that say you can get most of the way with the Ray34. Some that even say you can get a Ray4 and upgrade the tuners, pickup and preamp and nail the classic late 70s MM tone. There was even one post I read (not sure which forum that was on, now) where a guy said he bought a EBMM and traded out the pickup and preamp to get the classic 70s tone over the more modern sound of the stock bass. <shrug>
Options I have considered:
1. Buy an EBMM Stingray and learn to live with the roasted maple neck.
2. Buy a Ray34 Stingray and learn to live with the roasted maple neck and upgrade the tuners (which seem to be a weak point from most of the threads I have read).
3. Buy a Ray24CA (which seems to be this bizarre mix of configurations with a jazz bass nut width) and upgrade the tuners, pickup and preamp.
4. Buy a Ray4 Stingray (which also has the jazz bass nut width) and upgrade the tuners, pickup and preamp, and possibly the bridge.
5. Buy a custom body and neck from Warmoth and build it out with the pickup and preamp.
From the thread referenced above as well as other sources, "the" pickup to get for that classic tone is the Nordstrand MM4.2 and pair it with the East MMSR 2 band preamp. With options 3-5, this is what I would do.
Options 1-4 give me the look as well as the sound in the end (maybe? Opinions vary...). Option 5 gives me the sound with the flexibility to make it look however I want. I have to admit, though, that part of my desire is to also have the look as well as the sound.
I think I have been down every rabbit hole with this, trying to come to a decision and I absolutely just can't seem to get there. I feel like there are too many options to get there, all at various price points, and to be honest, none of them get me exactly where I want to be...and after almost 2 years of research, where I have gone from option 1, to option 2, back to 1, then considered 3, then back to 1, then to 2, then thought about 4, then option 5, back to 1, back to 2, then to 1 again, then...you see where I'm going with this? For TWO YEARS!
Recently I have gotten to the point where I have come up with what I am calling "option ZERO"...where I just throw up my hands, walk away and just forget about the idea of getting a Stingray until one more or less falls in my lap that ticks off all my boxes for a price I'm willing to pay (which is pretty much the EXACT way I scored my Ric).
With the way things are going with my brain on this, I'm fast approaching option zero...
That being said...
I would love to get myself a Stingray, but there are some factors feeding into my decision making process that I'm to the point where I absolutely cannot seem to make a decision.
I think at this point I am 'overinformed' and unable to decide what to do.
Part of my problem is that all of the new breed of EBMM and SBMM Ray34 basses all have roasted maple necks. I absolutely despise the look of it. I just can't bring myself to accept it...and some of the color combinations that minimize the look of the roasted maple necks are not ones that I get super excited about.
Yes, one option is to try and lay hands on a much older EB or SBMM that didn't use the roasted maple necks, but all I am finding are SUB series basses...which could be an option (see below) or basses that are going for $3000-$5000 or more, and I'm just not going there.
I have read probably 2/3 of the way through this thread (and pretty sure my brain oozed out my ear at one point from information overload):
Music Man sound and pickups
I have also watched some superb YT videos where they do a direct comparison between a EBMM and SBMM basses.
I have also watched countless videos where they take SUB series basses and upgraded them to try and achieve this sound or that sound and seem to be pretty dang successful. There's even one out there where a guy took a Squier Precision bass and turned it into a VERY convincing sounding copy of a pre-CBS Stingray!
I have read COUNTLESS threads on various forums where you will get supportive arguments for either/or. Some saying you just gotta save and get the EBMM. Some that say you can get most of the way with the Ray34. Some that even say you can get a Ray4 and upgrade the tuners, pickup and preamp and nail the classic late 70s MM tone. There was even one post I read (not sure which forum that was on, now) where a guy said he bought a EBMM and traded out the pickup and preamp to get the classic 70s tone over the more modern sound of the stock bass. <shrug>
Options I have considered:
1. Buy an EBMM Stingray and learn to live with the roasted maple neck.
2. Buy a Ray34 Stingray and learn to live with the roasted maple neck and upgrade the tuners (which seem to be a weak point from most of the threads I have read).
3. Buy a Ray24CA (which seems to be this bizarre mix of configurations with a jazz bass nut width) and upgrade the tuners, pickup and preamp.
4. Buy a Ray4 Stingray (which also has the jazz bass nut width) and upgrade the tuners, pickup and preamp, and possibly the bridge.
5. Buy a custom body and neck from Warmoth and build it out with the pickup and preamp.
From the thread referenced above as well as other sources, "the" pickup to get for that classic tone is the Nordstrand MM4.2 and pair it with the East MMSR 2 band preamp. With options 3-5, this is what I would do.
Options 1-4 give me the look as well as the sound in the end (maybe? Opinions vary...). Option 5 gives me the sound with the flexibility to make it look however I want. I have to admit, though, that part of my desire is to also have the look as well as the sound.
I think I have been down every rabbit hole with this, trying to come to a decision and I absolutely just can't seem to get there. I feel like there are too many options to get there, all at various price points, and to be honest, none of them get me exactly where I want to be...and after almost 2 years of research, where I have gone from option 1, to option 2, back to 1, then considered 3, then back to 1, then to 2, then thought about 4, then option 5, back to 1, back to 2, then to 1 again, then...you see where I'm going with this? For TWO YEARS!
Recently I have gotten to the point where I have come up with what I am calling "option ZERO"...where I just throw up my hands, walk away and just forget about the idea of getting a Stingray until one more or less falls in my lap that ticks off all my boxes for a price I'm willing to pay (which is pretty much the EXACT way I scored my Ric).
With the way things are going with my brain on this, I'm fast approaching option zero...
