It's not that SX stopped making them, they still do.
It's that Rondo Music was sued, and can't import them anymore. Outside of the US, they're still fair game, just like Rickenbacker knockoffs.
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Musicman clones
- Thread starter Crystalman85
- Start date
It's not that SX stopped making them, they still do.
It's that Rondo Music was sued, and can't import them anymore. Outside of the US, they're still fair game, just like Rickenbacker knockoffs.
There is an austin at my pawn shop, its 140$ and looks low grade to me, a really bad burst on it . I have owned austins before and they should be 50$ new.
yep discoed in 2003 and I had one for many years. Ash capped maple bodied heavy great sounding and fit and finish perfect--:
I got it used naturally for around 300 in 2005. The only weak part was the pickup..replaced that and never was happier.
I also had a Dillion Tbird and BeatleBass..all perfect copies that were built equally as good.
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Dillion makes some pretty decent knock-offs. My buddy had one of their PRS copies a while back, and that was actually a really great playing and sounding guitar. I was looking for one for a while too, but ended up getting a PRS SE instead.
As for Stingray knockoffs, I've had two OLP's and three SBMM. The OLP MM3 (5-string) was my first 5 string, and actually played really well. The electronics left much to be desired, however, but for being one of my first basses, I didn't mind. I gave that away for free to a budding bassist. I also had an MM2 (4 string). The previous owner installed a Seymour Duncan Basslines pickup, and it sounded decent. This one didn't play nearly as well as the MM3 though, and it was around this time I realized I didn't want knockoffs anymore (had knockoff P's and a Dean Warwick-thumb copy, wasn't happy with any of them). After that I got into the Sterling by Musicman (not really a knockoff), which are great basses and I like them a lot, but in the end, I just like the real deal too much, and I'm currently on my second Stingray.
There are obviously some high quality clones available with P's and J's and various others, but they aren't always easy to find. Sadly, it seems like there are far less choices when it comes to stingrays, and even fewer decent models.
As for Stingray knockoffs, I've had two OLP's and three SBMM. The OLP MM3 (5-string) was my first 5 string, and actually played really well. The electronics left much to be desired, however, but for being one of my first basses, I didn't mind. I gave that away for free to a budding bassist. I also had an MM2 (4 string). The previous owner installed a Seymour Duncan Basslines pickup, and it sounded decent. This one didn't play nearly as well as the MM3 though, and it was around this time I realized I didn't want knockoffs anymore (had knockoff P's and a Dean Warwick-thumb copy, wasn't happy with any of them). After that I got into the Sterling by Musicman (not really a knockoff), which are great basses and I like them a lot, but in the end, I just like the real deal too much, and I'm currently on my second Stingray.
There are obviously some high quality clones available with P's and J's and various others, but they aren't always easy to find. Sadly, it seems like there are far less choices when it comes to stingrays, and even fewer decent models.
I had an OLP Tony Levin signature and it was quite nice, IMO. The only beef I had was that it ate batteries. I don't know exactly how close it was to a Stingray but I liked it quite a bit. In fact, I liked it better than the one Stingray I was able to check out in a shop. It was in fact a little warmer or darker sounding, I don't know if it could possibly be in part due to the basswood body or maybe because the real Ray was a 4 string with brand new strings? What I gather is that the Tony Levin's were the best ones OLP made and even they were sort of hit and miss in the quality control department.
I'd go for the Sterling by Music Man at this point if I were in the market. I don't know why they used the name Sterling for the budget line when they already(and still do) had a model by that name. Seems like confusing marketing to me.
I'd go for the Sterling by Music Man at this point if I were in the market. I don't know why they used the name Sterling for the budget line when they already(and still do) had a model by that name. Seems like confusing marketing to me.
Ric5
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- Jan 29, 2008
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Yeah true...arbor, stagg, and jay turser makes musicman clones that aren't actual musicman basses, but really who cares. if they sound cool, that's all it matters. and yes, sterling by musicman is totally worth owning. but if you think about it, these companies make musicman clones for those who wants a musicman-styled bass guitar but are on a tight budget. and that's the one thing I admire about these companies. that they make musicman-styled bass guitars at affordable prices. I mean sure they may not real musicman basses, but at least they're close enough. if I do plan to purchase an actual musicman bass, I definitely would go with sterling by musicman.
I hav an SX mm clone ... or SX-ray. The neck was s-curved and the preamp was noisy. So I put a different neck on and put in a 3 band Seymour Duncan stingray preamp. Now it is a nice bass. It nails the musicman tone at 1/4 the price.
Nice...it looks just a stagg musicman clone, but with an actual musicman-styled pick-up. the stagg musicman clone has a pole-exposed soapbar humbucker which strangely sounded like a musicman-styled pick-up. anywho, that's a nice looking bass. I'll bet it sounded pretty cool.
I've heard about dillion basses. I've seen their musicman clones. they look pretty cool. that dean bass you've mentioned is a dean sledgehammer. it does resemble a warwick thumb, only this bass has a musicman-styled pick-up rather than a set of jazz pick-ups.
Really...they're that good, huh. I saw fame musicman clones on a european online music store. they look pretty cool. I don't know if there are american online music stores that carries them. if they did, that would be something.
People are always going to find things to hate about lesser dollar version of high dollar basses... no way around it.
However, if you're a tinkerer, the OLP and other MM clone type basses are good starting point for a fun project. You can do a lot to them that you'd be very hesitant to do to a $1200 true Musicman, IMHO. And if someone needs and insists on a true Musicman, then they should just buy one... and there's also nothing wrong with having real ones and your own tribute version you create yourself. IMHO.
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However, if you're a tinkerer, the OLP and other MM clone type basses are good starting point for a fun project. You can do a lot to them that you'd be very hesitant to do to a $1200 true Musicman, IMHO. And if someone needs and insists on a true Musicman, then they should just buy one... and there's also nothing wrong with having real ones and your own tribute version you create yourself. IMHO.
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Yeah true...there's nothing really wrong with owning the real deal if you like musicman-styled bass guitars. there's nothing wrong with owning musicman clones either. some companies makes musicman clones for those who wants a musicman-styled bass guitar at affordable prices. sure they may not be real musicman basses, but at least they're close enough. and yes, owning musicman clones is a good starting point of starting a fun project. also if musicman clones sound cool to some people, that's all it matters.
I see it as no different than getting a cheap Jazz or P, and hot rodding it, like guys do to Squiers and MIMs.
I know what you mean, darkstrike. rather if people buy clones of certain basses or buying the real deal, it's all about personal taste in sound quality. some people did how they are. and some people do nifty modifications to make the bass sound more improved.
I understand what you're saying, bamba22. I would consider purchasing a sterling by musicman if I was going to purchase the real deal. a friend of mine plays musicman sterling basses and they sounded pretty cool. I definitely would go with a musicman sterling if I was going to buy the real deal.
You know...I've been wondering about jay turser musicman clones. so those basses don't have a lot of punch. the arbor musicman clone I bought seem to have a lot of punch for a passive musicman clone. especially after I equipped the bass with a set of stainless steel strings.
That's cool. the Ibanez atk is modeled after a musicman stingray. I own an Ibanez soundgear bass and it sounded pretty cool. it's no Ibanez atk, but I do like how it sound. I totally dig Ibanez soundgear basses.
