Musicman "History Lesson" Please advise!

[king_biscuit]

Forgot to give the ultimate link for Pre EB Musicman
Link Removed

MM was sold to EB in 1984
In reality, these later year basses were assembled by Grover Jackson due to a variety of issues as noted here (really good history the pre EB IMO:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed])

Short version; Leo owned a company called CLF research that made the parts; Leo and others owned MM that QC'd the parts and assembled the instruments; there were problems between the companies; MM was nearly bankrupt and Jackson assembled some basses; EB bout them in March of 1984 and continued making the Stingray

Not 100% sure about this detail, but EB continued down this road for many years and introduced their first original design bass (Bongo) in 2004

You could be entriely correct about 2-band vs. 3.
I base my statement purely on reading threads on these instruments here and on the MM forum; and maybe just the diehard 2-band guys post the most?

OTOH, there was enough interest for them to start building the classic series which aren't very different than the standard Rays (no offset body and addition of string mutes); pretty sure you could have always ordered a single pup 2-band Ray although stores around me seem to stock the 3-band.
I think both are great, but given the choice I prefer the 2-band.

I've read all of the MM stuff before. I was responding to your comment that an 83 model was Leo era -- it's not. It may be pre-EB, but it is not a Leo era bass; he had been at G&L for a couple of years by 83.

With regard to the classic Rays, I don't think the initial reason to build them had anything to do with the two band preamp. Remember that that exact same two band preamp that is in the Classics has been available as an option on Stingrays all along. I think the idea for the Classics has more to do with the overall fashionability of retro instruments at the moment, and the Classic, being a reissue of sorts, takes advantage of that fashionability. Also, the Classic does offer some features that are not currently available on other Rays, like string through mute bridge, slab body, vintage radiused fingerboard, high gloss neck, silk screened vintage style logo, metal battery cover, and vintage style colors.

Again, the two band preamp is available on any garden variety four string single pickup Ray even today (at a reduced price from the three band model no less!)-- you don't have to buy a Classic to get it --and I don't remember many people going on about the two band preamp until recently.

 

[Corevalay]

Thanks for all the info guys!!

Right now I think my only question is whether I'm going to hold out and find a HH or grab a single H. Seems to be alot more singles out there then doubles. I'm ready to buy a single but I keep telling myself i know i want a double, to just be patient. Is there really a big difference? I would have to think there is.

 

[Margus Alviste]

Leo fender built Musicman basses from 1976 to late 1979. My statement that Leo quit building Musicmans in late 79 is absolutely correct. btw, the Leo Era was from 76-79. Everything after that is not the Leo era -- 80-84 may be pre-EB, but it is not Leo era.

Hey, sry, I passed the word "quit". Thought you wrote when did he started to build MMs. Sure you're right.

 

[Jerry J]

Thanks for all the info guys!!

Right now I think my only question is whether I'm going to hold out and find a HH or grab a single H. Seems to be alot more singles out there then doubles. I'm ready to buy a single but I keep telling myself i know i want a double, to just be patient. Is there really a big difference? I would have to think there is.

Many call the single H Rays a one-trick-pony. I myself prefer the single H for the simplicity and the look. I find that with a creative playing style, dynamics and plucking location that I can make my single H Rays have many sounds/tones. Everybody is different.

Just for topic of discussion...I find on my SR5 that having the slider to access the different pickup configurations has a multitude of tone changes. This bass is a beast too! I don't think that I've ever had a bass that has had that many tonal changes than this bass.

 

[T. Alan Smith]

I'm ready to buy a single but I keep telling myself i know i want a double, to just be patient. Is there really a big difference?

Actually, doesn't sound as though your ready to buy a single when you don't know what one sounds like.

Many call the single H Rays a one-trick-pony. I myself prefer the single H for the simplicity and the look. I find that with a creative playing style, dynamics and plucking location that I can make my single H Rays have many sounds/tones. Everybody is different...

I agree wholeheartedly with this.

...although, I played a H/S and that config allows for better slap performance(if that's a concern) than H/H, while still getting the benefits of a 2nd(neck) pickup.

 

[Jerry J]

Actually, doesn't sound as though your ready to buy a single when you don't know what one sounds like.




I agree wholeheartedly with this.

...although, I played a H/S and that config allows for better slap performance(if that's a concern) than H/H, while still getting the benefits of a 2nd(neck) pickup.

When I first really got the bug to get a StingRay it was from a Youtube video of Flea playing the Busta Rhymes song. But the one that really got me was LOUIS JOHNSON on this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CslkVhOoE2U&feature=related

Didn't someone say something about slapping a single Stingray?

 

[mikeswals]

Hey Jim, I think Leo Fender quit making Musicman basses in late 79.

Leo (CLF) always made the raw necks and bodies 76-83. From 76-80 CLF finished and assembled them. But when he bowed out about early '80, Grover Jackson received the raw necks and bodies from CLF then did the finish and assembly for MM.

 

[Jim C]

I've read all of the MM stuff before. I was responding to your comment that an 83 model was Leo era -- it's not. It may be pre-EB, but it is not a Leo era bass; he had been at G&L for a couple of years by 83.

... I think the idea for the Classics has more to do with the overall fashionability of retro instruments at the moment, and the Classic, being a reissue of sorts, takes advantage of that fashionability. Also, the Classic does offer some features that are not currently available on other Rays, like string through mute bridge, slab body, vintage radiused fingerboard, high gloss neck, silk screened vintage style logo, metal battery cover, and vintage style colors....

Fair enough; when you get down to it, I doubt Leo persoanly built any of them; does look like he might have had the same ownership of the company from 1976 to 1984 though; doesn't really much matter

Good observation about the Classic line and fashionability; were the early basses string though and does it offer much sonic difference?

 

[Jerry J]

Good observation about the Classic line and fashionability; were the early basses string though and does it offer much sonic difference?

All three of the Classics that I played were just about as sweet as can be. Just a great feel, tone and look. So they may be a fashion statement but I thought that they were darn fine basses. And it is nice to have the option of BEM and vintage tinting in a production bass. Even SR5 Classic was killer IMHO.

There has been a ton of debate on the string-through topic. I think that most say it's a fairly negligible improvement.

 

[king_biscuit]

Leo (CLF) always made the raw necks and bodies 76-83. From 76-80 CLF finished and assembled them. But when he bowed out about early '80, Grover Jackson received the raw necks and bodies from CLF then did the finish and assembly for MM.

Good information and thanks for the clarification Mike.

 

[king_biscuit]

were the early basses string though and does it offer much sonic difference?

Some people think it does, but I can not hear any difference. It makes it hard to put on strings without getting them twisted, though, so I'm not really a fan of string through body bridges.

 

[Kristopher]

Also, not sure if you knew this, but if you'd like a skinnier neck on a Stingray, there's the SLO neck option to look into.

I vote for the HH version, since it gives you four more tonal options with no drawbacks.

 

[KJung]

I gigged a MM that I bought in 1977 or so for years and years. When I switched to 5 string, I eventually purchased an EB MM 5 string (3 band EQ) and thought the quality, playability, and tone were identical. EB has done a magnificent job with these basses... as posted above, no bad ones, and in a mix on a gig, the difference in the 2 band and 3 band EQ is trivial IMO and IME.

The weight is the only negative... some just weigh a ton.

 

[Jerry J]

Here is a great place to check into often. Some really great stingrays show up here.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]