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Musicman clones

Crystalman85

Crystalman85

Nov 30, 2008
6,452
1,817
Chicago, Il.
www.soundclick.com
#1
I've been noticing for the past few weeks there's been a lot of talk about musicman basses. I was wondering has anyone here own a musicman clone? OLP would be an obvious choice, but I'm talking about musicman-styled bass guitars made by companies like arbor, stagg, jay turser, and sx(they did made musicman clones at one point). I've owned an arbor musicman clone and it's actually pretty good sounding bass. and it does sound totally awesome when I put on a set of dunlop stainless steel strings on the bass. anyways, I was wondering has anyone here ever owned a musicman clone?
 
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#8
So you guys had OLP basses, huh. okay. a friend of mine who plays musicman strerling basses warned me about OLP basses. he told me that these basses are not real musicman basses. I don't plan on buying an OLP bass, but at least he gave me the heads up about them. If I was going to purchase an actual musicman bass, I would go with a musicman sterling. it's a shame that not many bass guitar companies make musicman clones. the only companies I know that makes musicman clones are arbor, stagg, and jay turser.
 
#9
Crystalman85 said:
So you guys had OLP basses, huh. okay. a friend of mine who plays musicman strerling basses warned me about OLP basses. he told me that these basses are not real musicman basses. I don't plan on buying an OLP bass, but at least he gave me the heads up about them. If I was going to purchase an actual musicman bass, I would go with a musicman sterling. it's a shame that not many bass guitar companies make musicman clones. the only companies I know that makes musicman clones are arbor, stagg, and jay turser.
Click to expand...

Yeah, OLPs aren't real MMs, but they were the only company making licensed MM clones (OLP stands for Officially Licensed Product). They're no longer in production but they were really nice playing, inexpensive MMs, especially for the less financially solvent among us ;)

As for my clone, it's an AXL Player Deluxe in with a nice 3 color burst that I bought for $30 in a parking lot a few years back. It's clearly from before they started making unique instruments like the Badwaters, and it has this interesting pickup - EMG-size soapbar but with MM style large pole pieces.

I took out the pots and replaced them with just a kill switch and a jack, and I'm thinking of replacing the neck with a GFS and moving the bridge back a bit so I can have a rosewood board, and so the shorter length of that neck will move the pickup closer to the middle of the scale for a bit of a deeper sound. As is, it sounds nothing like an MM - and it weighs like a boat anchor, but it's still one of my favorites.
 
#11
Crystalman85 said:
a friend of mine who plays musicman strerling basses warned me about OLP basses. he told me that these basses are not real musicman basses. the only companies I know that makes musicman clones are arbor, stagg, and jay turser.
Click to expand...
Okay...
OLPs weren't "real" Musicmans, they were OLPs.
At least they were licensed copies, which means that they were good enough that Musicman approved of them.


Arbors, Staggs and Jay Tursers are cheap look-alikes, so they aren't "real" Musicmans either, not by a long shot.
They aren't clones, which implies being identical in every way.
And they aren't even licensed copies.

All three of those brands are known for making cheap instruments for beginners, usually copies of popular designs.

Sterling is the only MM-style worth considering, since they are as close to the real thing as possible.
 
#12
I own a Fame MM400, a clone of a Stingray. Surprisingly good instrument, sweet neck and plays wonderfully. The sound nails the typical Stingray sound quite well. And it costs less than a quarter of the original one. I A/Bed it against an original MM Stingray, and a Sterling Ray 34. It wasn't quite like the real one, but I really thought it was better than the Sterling in many ways.
 
#15
The SUB series is nice. They are dirt cheap, US made, and sound and feel like the real thing... because they are. I see the prices climbing on these, though, because they are better than the Sterling by MM and cheaper, domestic made, etc. If you find one, buy it. (Or tell me and I'll buy it)

OLPs are what they are... super cheap, KIND OF similar to a MM (look close and you'll see they are essentially SX or Turser copies). They don't sound a thing like real deal MM basses, but are slightly better than the Arbor, SX, etc.

I can't speak as much specifically on the Turser, Arbor, SX, etc MM versions... never had one. But I did have an SX J bass and it was a turd. I'd take the OLP long before the SX that I had.
 
#16
I owened an OLP a few years back just co's a guy I knew was selling it uber cheap, I didn't have it long as the action was so high you needed a bionic hand to hold the strings down. Even when I got it as low as possible you could drive a bus under the dam strings lol. It sounded ok to take jamming but I wouldn't gig with it. I know its been sold on at least twice now so I bet the bloody thing still doing the rounds on ebay.
 
#18
I have an OLP and a 83' Stingray
The neck on the OLP is actually better than the real deal (although the last of the Fender MM's were known to have some less than perfect necks)
I replaced the OLP pup with a used Nordy and the tone was improved; without the pre the OLP has a voice more like a SR than any of my Fenders; but without the pre it is not a SR

If you want the SR tone, buy a used SR or SUB / Ray34
 
#20
Keep your eyes open for a Dillion VMB400 or VMB500 if you're looking for a nice SR clone. These were made in Korea, only available with Maple necks/fretboard and a single Humbucker.

They're well made, and incorporate quality hardware. Much nicer than the OLP offering.

You can visit the Dillion website to see photos and specs. But you will only find them used, because they were discontinued around 2003.

TD
 

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