My SR5 weighs in at 9.5lbs
My T40 weighs in at 10.0lbs
Pretty close but, man, that T40 is fatter than anything.
Thanks for the info, I was just curious.
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Music Man pros/cons
- Thread starter bassanddrums
- Start date
Pretty close but, man, that T40 is fatter than anything.
Thanks for the info, I was just curious.
Personally I love the MM sound. However, I owned two Stingray 5's before selling them. Both had problems with lower output on the G string. A guitar tech buddy of mine proved it to me on a scope. Definately lower output. It had to do with the pre-amp design according to Ernie Ball. Earlier 2 band models did not have this issue as far as I know. Now with that said, I currently play a 5 string OLP single H and another OLP HH on it's way and love using them passive and wired with a series/perralel switch. Rich warm tone (mid scoop sound) in perallel and ballsie in your face mids when switched to series. I have used used everything from Nordstrand, Bartolini, SGD, EMG, Tesla to even Wilkenson pickups. All have different charector to them, but all sound great. The Tesla MM5 pickups only come in 18.5mm string spacing so a wider spaced bridge is needed.
Nex up on the drawing board is a 5 string Jazz style bass with a single MM5 tesla pickup.
What ever you decide to buy, definately try it before you buy it. Off the shelf stuff can vary dramatically so you need to pick the right one.
Good luck.
Nex up on the drawing board is a 5 string Jazz style bass with a single MM5 tesla pickup.
What ever you decide to buy, definately try it before you buy it. Off the shelf stuff can vary dramatically so you need to pick the right one.
Good luck.
My Big Al has the best P Bass from a non-P Bass tone I've ever heard. Also just got my first Stingray last week. A Stingray Classic, 2 band, mutes, awesome. Really different tone than the Bog Al. Both are maybe the best built basses I've ever owned. I do have 3 Fender Ps , a Jazz, Jaguar and a Sadowsky too and love all of them.
Big Al does a decent P (not as fat or organic as a real P, though), a pretty good Jazz Bass on the bridge pickup, and a decent Gibson/Ric on the neck pickup. It does not really do a Jazz with both pickups wide open at all.
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
I own a Stingray HS, a Bongo HH, a Sterling HS, and a Big Al 3S. Love them all, and pretty much agree with everything everyone here has said. Big Al has risen to the top of my list. I love everything about that bass, love the passive option, and feel I can get it to sound like any bass I or anyone I'm playing with wants. Stingray and Sterling have a funky quality to them that I don't think any other bass out there quite nails, and the Bongo has fallen a little out of grace with me. I initially loved the 18v preamp, but my playing style has changed a lot over the years (along with the types of music I've been playing) and I've lately been finding it a little hard to tame.
If you're looking for your bass to be able to imitate many others I recommed the Big Al. If not a Big Al, then I highly recommend getting either an HS or HH on whatever else you choose. The added pickup opens up a very big whole nuther world of sounds.
All the current MMs I own have been ordered. I think they have the best quality control of basses i've owned (and I've owned lots), and I think they have customer service that is second to none.
The woman looking over my shoulder at work wants me to insert this smiley so I have to in order to make her happy.
If you're looking for your bass to be able to imitate many others I recommed the Big Al. If not a Big Al, then I highly recommend getting either an HS or HH on whatever else you choose. The added pickup opens up a very big whole nuther world of sounds.
All the current MMs I own have been ordered. I think they have the best quality control of basses i've owned (and I've owned lots), and I think they have customer service that is second to none.
The woman looking over my shoulder at work wants me to insert this smiley so I have to in order to make her happy.
All single H four string Stingrays have it. You either haven't noticed it, or it doesn't bother you, which is fine
Here is Sterling Ball's response to the weak g string issue:"This trait has been around since the first day of the stingray. Its is NOT a byproduct of wood. It is due to the active preamp used on the bass. The output isnt actually lower the response is thinner sounding or not as fat. IT is one of the things you get used to with a Sting Ray or not. Believe it or not it was a complaint of mine in the beginning when I worked with Leo. The emerging slap and the old school country click players loved it. That thin snappin G sound helped the Sr taked off. You can try flats and it will help, but chances are that you will bet used to it by playing ... "
see: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
EBMM has fixed this a bit with the two pickup model Rays by flattening the pole pieces across the neck (no fretboard radius for the poles). This allow you to jack the pickup up under the g string with out getting the a string out of balance with the e string.
I have owned a late 90s stingray 5 I wish I still had
A 20th Anv Stingray 5 great bass but to heavy for my liking and a Fretless stingray 4 2 band
They are a well made machine w 1st class customer support
A 20th Anv Stingray 5 great bass but to heavy for my liking and a Fretless stingray 4 2 band
They are a well made machine w 1st class customer support
IMHO, A P is a P, and a Stingray...................
2 completely different basses, play them both, as only you can determine what's right.
Had a '91 Ray for a bit, but just couldn't bond with the tone.
Can't help it, i'm a Fender P fanboy.
Pros: Great build, great company, IMHO the best looking bass out there (retro/classic looking vibe), will resale well
Cons (my purely subjective cons): If you get a single pickup Ray and play resting your thumb on the pickup, you tend to encounter a bit higher string tension than a P, due to the lower position....if you float your thumb than it's a nonissue
The sound, while sexy, punchy, and often versatile, sometimes wears on me. When I play a P with a band, it always sits right, feels right, and encompasses the universal bass tone. Some gigs with a Ray I get kinda meh with it, depends on you and the music. The tone is great and not one dimensional, but it is....specific.
I always recommend trying a bass WITH a band. The Pbass sounds like crap by itself but transforms into some magical weapon of doom with a band. The Ray will sound amazing alone, but on some rare occasions doesn't cut it live.
Cons (my purely subjective cons): If you get a single pickup Ray and play resting your thumb on the pickup, you tend to encounter a bit higher string tension than a P, due to the lower position....if you float your thumb than it's a nonissue
The sound, while sexy, punchy, and often versatile, sometimes wears on me. When I play a P with a band, it always sits right, feels right, and encompasses the universal bass tone. Some gigs with a Ray I get kinda meh with it, depends on you and the music. The tone is great and not one dimensional, but it is....specific.
I always recommend trying a bass WITH a band. The Pbass sounds like crap by itself but transforms into some magical weapon of doom with a band. The Ray will sound amazing alone, but on some rare occasions doesn't cut it live.
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Hi Syco. Here Andrew, from Udine Italy, I Have the same problem for my hand made Sting Ray with Tesla VR - MM5 and 19,mm String spacing. I've crafted by myself the bridge
I was tired of looking for a bridge like the Musicman and I built it alone. Now I'm waiting for me to give it chrome but I'm sure it will be a success. If you need it I can send the file.cad with the measurements. It cost me two bottles of good Friuli wine to make me the birch vines and I used a 2mm steel sheet. I send you a couple of photos. I can not wait to be ready and I'm sure it will work. I have checked the measurements several times with expertise.
I wanted to ask you if you have a pattern to make the Pickup Paralleo series and if there are rotary switches to do this. Hello
Attachments
Wow, Andrew, that is a great looking bridge. Unfortunately I'm not building many basses lately. Too busy with my "real job"..... I still build one here an there, but not as many as I used to.
I hope the bridge works out for you. Some day, I plan to build another MM bass. I'm probably going to have Moses build me a neck out of graphite, and I'm probably going to build the bass on a 5 string "P" bass platform. I'm not really fond of the 19mm spacing, but I do like the standard American Made Jazz bass 5 string spacing. I think it's 18 or 18.5mm spacing. I have an new company making my pickups for me here in the US. You can find them at Mojotone.com They will build any configuration and specification I give them, So, it won't have any of the issues that the stingray had. Plus, I'll locate the pickup in the "sweet" spot, which is about 1 inch closer to the neck so that it has a much warmer tone. Not as nasally as the MM basses sound.
Good luck
Rob.
Hi Syco, I just read your message today, here's the final work. Bridge Spacing 19.2 mm. Pickups are 18.5 like the Lakkland. The job came perfect and sounds very good. Now I'm indecisive of completing with a parallel switch series for Pickup. However, a well built bridge makes the difference on the instrument.
