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Music Man pros/cons

B

bassanddrums

Nov 28, 2008
160
1
#1
I'll be in the market for a new bass soon and the ones Ernie Ball spew out have caught my attention.

What does TalkBass think? Does anyone have a Bongo or a Stingray or a Sterling? Does anyone have any thoughts on their new Reflex basses (not with the Game Changer option, the simpler version that is basically the 25th anniversary model with more finishes)?

Thanks!
 
#2
I've owned many MM basses. They were all great. The only con I can think of is that some of them a heavy. They are always excellently crafted, they sound great live, as well as at home, and they offer a good variety of finishes and their price reflects their value, for sure.
 
#3
Yeah, they're great. I personally prefer the two-band EQ Stingrays, which have a ballsier sound IMO. Our guitarist accurately described my three-band as having a "zingy" sound. Sterlings also are worthy of consideration: They're very versatile and the J-style neck is comfortable.
 
#4
I have owned a MM for ten years and love it. I think that the new basses (big al, 25th ann, Reflex, Bongo) are cool but they simply can't touch the Stingray. I owned a Bongo for a minute and thought it was very versatile but found that I was always dialing in the bridge pup for the Ray sound. I own a Sterling and bought it because of the neck ( this was before the SLO option) but I always leave the switch in series so it sounds like a Ray. It is incredibly punchy and refuses to get lost in the mix. You can also get a vintage vibe by rolling off the treble and playing with the right hand closer to the neck.

Like I said, the new EBMM creations are cool but to me they really just seem like extra stuff when you only need one good tone. Just my two cents of course, if I were to say this on the EBMM forum the Bongo freaks would have my head.
 
#5
Very very well made basses. I got mine 8 years or so ago, one year used, and it has been nothing but absolute gold so far. I have found that it does rock and it's related subgenres really well, as well as more aggressive blues. It will do more than that no doubt, but those are what I consider it's strong points.

You will be far from disappointed with any MM product. :)
 
#6
I have owned a variety of Stingrays over the years, and all have been great guitars.

Presently have a Stingray 4 HH, and that is likely going to be my keeper.

Hard to go wrong with a MusicMan Stingray, is my opinion.
 
#7
I'm a try before buy kinda guy. I walked into the most reputable music store in my town, known for carrying fine basses, and played Laklands, Spectors, Fenders,etc - all similar priced instruments and walked away with a Classic StingRay 5. It simply was the best playing bass in the store today. She picked me.
 
#8
I'm torn. My old instructor suggested getting a P bass, and you guys are suggesting a completely unique vintage-ish MM sound. If I get one of the new basses, wouldn't I basically be able to tweak it to sound like a P, or an old Stingray, etc.?
 
#10
Sabre Lover Here... I like the Sterlings today. I don't know that their fretless versions are as good as the fretted. I have a fretless MM and have struggled to get the right tone out of it. Can never get a thin nasle tone. Too much humbucker I guess. But the fretted MM basses are all good. You can't go wrong.
 
#11
If you check out the HH Stingray, there are 5 pickup configurations you can select, using a lever just beside the Equalizer knobs.

I think that maybe one of those settings would be approximately equal to a P Bass. ( Maybe if you checked out the EBMM website? )

I do not really know what a P-bass sounds like, so I can't help you there.

Maybe somebody else with a HH can chime in?
 
#14
I have 1 Stingray Classic, 1 Sterling 4H and 2 Bongo's one being a 4H and the other being a 4HH. As far as playability goes, my Bongo's hands down win. I love those things. The Stingray has a different tone than the other basses but it sounds great. My Sterling is almost as versatile as my Bongo's and also is a tone monster. If I could only choose one Music Man bass to own based on performance, it would be the Bongo. I have not played a Big Al or a Reflex though but I am sure they would not disappoint either as all of my Music Man basses are excellent instruments.
 
#15
Pros - quality craftsmanship, consistency in construction, stingray sound, looks, durability, fit in the mix, Stingray 2 band preamp, slap ability, flexibility to fit in different music types, fretless or fretted, Big Al tone options, balance, playability, cost used, fantastic value of the musicman SUB bass

Cons - cost new, complexity of the Big Al series 3 pickup model, preamp design on the Stingray 3 band model, Big Al body style, weight, high gloss necks

Those are my pros and cons, your preferences may vary (never played a bongo or a sterling). However, every bass player ought to have a Stingray in their collection right along side a P bass and a Jazz bass. All very different animals, each with their own strengths. If I had a studio and needed to keep a bass around for artists to use it would be either a Stingray 4 string 2 band for classic bass needs or a Big Al 3 pickup bass as the swiss army knife of basses.
 
#16
Got my 1st Sterling in 1998 and my 2nd one in 2000. I still use both of them today. I have had many basses since then, but these 2 are my go to basses.Always just the right tone for whatever gig i am working in. Very happy with them.

RedSterling.jpg

BlueSterling.jpg
 
#17
bassanddrums said:
I'm torn. My old instructor suggested getting a P bass, and you guys are suggesting a completely unique vintage-ish MM sound. If I get one of the new basses, wouldn't I basically be able to tweak it to sound like a P, or an old Stingray, etc.?
Click to expand...

I haven't tried the Bongo but with the exception of the Big Al (and maybe the Bongo) you're not going to get a really accurate P bass tone out of a Musicman. Even the HH Stingray with the 5 way switch still sounds quite a bit different than a P bass to me. The Big Al on the other hand puts out a killer P bass tone with the center pickup solo'ed in passive mode. It's probably the most flexible bass I've ever seen and unfortunately one of the more complex preamps as well. Looks of the Big Al are "love it or hate it".

FWIW I so love Stingrays and P Basses I ended up building a single bass with both a stingray pickup/preamp and a P bass pickup/preamp in it. One bass to rule them all!
 
#20
I own a Bongo 4HH and find it to be wicked comfortable — light and eminently playable. I can dial in pretty much any tone I want with the 4-band pre -- but I'm not sure if I'm an active bass guy. I love the simplicity and tone of my 77P with Chromes — it's the first bass I reach for.
 

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