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Musicman Stingray lowdowns

#21
OK hese's a slightly different spin.

I used worked the the Australian importer/distributor of MM for about 3 months. Do you want to know how many MM Basses and guitars that came back for warranty repairs while I was there?

ZERO! ZIP! Not a single unit. None of the other brands we imported could even come close to making that claim.

My Ray 5 is over a year old now and it has displayed none of the faults you listed.

The ONLY downside to a stingray is also their upside. The sound. It's certainly distinctive and I love it! The traditionalists don't seem to like it but that's OK.
 
#22
Originally posted by Petebass
OK hese's a slightly different spin.

I used worked the the Australian importer/distributor of MM for about 3 months. Do you want to know how many MM Basses and guitars that came back for warranty repairs while I was there?

ZERO! ZIP! Not a single unit. None of the other brands we imported could even come close to making that claim.

My Ray 5 is over a year old now and it has displayed none of the faults you listed.

The ONLY downside to a stingray is also their upside. The sound. It's certainly distinctive and I love it! The traditionalists don't seem to like it but that's OK.
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A buddy of mine runs the repair department in a major local shop that sells MM. He's got nothing bad to say. He says that MM has really consistent QC and excellent construction/fit and finish.
I love my SR5 and I doubt I'll ever sell it.:D
 
#23
I really liked the 5 string 'ray I had. It was a late 80s or early 90s model, it didn't have the wax finish on the neck. I got rid of it because it was a musical match for the music I was playing at the time. My only complaints about that bass were the weight, which was a little more than 10 pounds, and the fact that it was too easy to pull the G string off the fingerboard. That being said, I'd definitely consider one in the future if the price was right.
 
#24
I got mine last summer. The neck for me took some getting used to because i started on a short scale mustang bass and also on a fender jazz. it was a real problem at first but i've grown used to it and now its a ok. i really love the feel of it and the thing is built like a tank. sounds AWESOME too, i would never ever change anything about this bass because it is just so perfect for me. I had another one at one point, and now i regret selling it.

My ray weighs 9 pounds on the money...which is good enough for me. I would want my next one to be lighter though (i hate heavy basses)...do they use swamp ash? I guess i'd have to ask EB to use it when i order it.
 
#25
-the maple neck on the Stingray is not really stable maybe due to the lack of finish on the back of neck
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Not true, mine's naked as Flea's ass on stage. However, it's the stiffest thing I've ever played. It's my travelling bass because it never moves, while my other basses bend like Pretzels in other climates.
-solid colours made of cheaper woods
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First of all, I like to think of them as COLORS...not colours :p and well, I couldn't care less what the wood is, it sounds amazing, feels great, and well, it's how they've always done it I'm sure. Fender does the same thing.
-does not stay in tune very well
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Are you kidding?! This thing is a rock! Unless I'm bumping it around in a gigbag, it stays at home for weeks in tune!
-preamp compoents are cheap
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Never had a problem with my preamp. I'm looking to do a little tweaking with a Push/Pull volume knob to bypass the preamp, but so far nobody can figure out how to successfully. Anyway, I've never had a problem with my bass at all!

I love my Stingray, and if this is what you got from your friend, he's either playing an OLP or got a real lemon! Stingray lovers love their basses for a reason, and IMO they're the most durable thing I've ever played.
 
#27
i heard that the neck issues had to do with when EB was using birdseye maple necks. this is probably why they stopped using it. i emailed EB before i knew that b/c i loved the look of the birdseye and they said,

"Erik, Most of our birds-eye maple ends up on our guitar necks now. The bass necks do better with a nice solid straight grain. Unfortunately it is not an upgrade, but is just luck of the draw on premium neck woods.
Thanks
Evan"

i just recently got rid of my 93 sunburst ray. i could never get the right sound out of it (3 band) and my neck always buzzed no matter what adjustments were made. go figure.

erik
 
#28
Iv'e been using my SR5 since June 92 when I purchased it new. it has a Birdseye maple neck and fingerboard and I have never had a problem with it's neck.and I had it out in chicago's cold just this Sat. and Sun. no problems.The MMSR is a well put together Bass,and In all Honesty I must say The MMSUB gets high points in my book as well.
 
#29
Originally posted by tplyons
I like to think of them as COLORS...not colours :p
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Damn American yokels think you can change spelling any way you please! ;)

Anyways, the real point of my post is about the neck. Yes, it's going to be less stable then finished necks, but not incredibly so. Like any other bass, it will need to be adjusted when drastic changes in tempature, and more importantly, humidity, occur. Luckily I live in a place with only seasonal changes in humidity, but others might find that the lack of a finish on the neck really makes the amount of neck adjustments they must make not worth the cost. However, I would like to finish with one small point; even if you have to adjust the neck twice as much as with a Fender, you will still spend less time doing it. You don't have to take the neck off, or even the strings! The trusswheel allows an easy (but careful!) neck adjustment in a matter of minutes.
 
#30
Originally posted by Masamax
However, I would like to finish with one small point; even if you have to adjust the neck twice as much as with a Fender, you will still spend less time doing it. You don't have to take the neck off, or even the strings! The trusswheel allows an easy (but careful!) neck adjustment in a matter of minutes.
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This was my experience with the '92 ash/rosewood SR4 I had--the neck required occasional adjustments but it was incredibly quick/easy to do so. I hate basses where you need to take off the neck or strings to tweak the truss--it's hard to make the right adjustment unless your strings are at full tension.

I loved the look, feel, and rock-solid build quality of the bass, but I never really liked the tone. Plus, mine had a really weak G string. I replaced the stock pickup with a Bartolini MMC which evened out string balance and beefed up the midrange, but I found that I didn't like the sound of the preamp. Rather than spend more money on the bass I decided to sell it. I actually prefer the sound of the poplar/2-band EQ S.U.B. and I'd definitely consider picking up a used one someday.
 
#31
Originally posted by Masamax
Damn American yokels think you can change spelling any way you please! ;)

Anyways, the real point of my post is about the neck. Yes, it's going to be less stable then finished necks, but not incredibly so. Like any other bass, it will need to be adjusted when drastic changes in tempature, and more importantly, humidity, occur.
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Like I said in my earlier post, my experience is that the MM necks aren't unstable at all. I probably live in one of the most climatically wacky places on the planet and I don't need to adjust my SR5's neck very often at all. I actually have to adjust my Jazz bass more often...
It's certainly not enough of an issue to avoid buying a Musicman for, especially because (as you said) it's so easy to adjust them.

I'm with you on the 'colours' thing too...:p
 
#32
I have a black stingray with an ash body. The folks at EB will tell you the body wood if you give them the serial number. Nice bass but it isnt working for me. Great construction on the instrument. The neck buzzes though and its not just fret buzz. It sounds like springs buzzing on it somewhere. I sent it to EB to have them check it out a few weeks ago and I had it back in a week!!! They dressed the frets and replaced the saddles. Thumbs up for EB customer service. I couldnt believe how fast they worked on my bass. The problem is that it didnt fix anything. :hmm: The buzz is still there. Im picky so it bothers me but I know some wouldnt even notice.

Edit: The neck on it is very stable.
 
#33
It (SR5)just didn't have the tone I was looking for especially for the types of music that I play however if it fell off the guitar stand(which it did numerous of times)it still stayed in tuned.I finally got rid of it to help pay for another bass but with that being said it is a bass that you ither like it or you hate it.
 
#34
Stingray lowdown:

Stays in tune PERFECT, awsome neck (for slapping and aggressive playing) btw!

Sounds GREAT and cuts through just perfect!

...i sold my Stingray (4-string) after 6 years...and since I grew "out" of the sound...I don´t regret it.
 
#35
Well, I have tried out Stingrays Many times, and disliked them every time, I really tried to like 'em but I just couldnt... When I try out a bass I use it for over an hour and seriously think about every aspect of the bass.

Dislike:

String spacing
Neck Construction
Body Shape
Body Feel
Balance
Electronics
Sound
Poor Construction
Doesnt Stay in tune
Uncomfortable

So bassically I hated every aspect of the bass. I do love the Sound Dave La Rue and others achive out of stingrays, but I wont touch them.
 
#36
Funkize you said:
Well, I have tried out Stingrays Many times, and disliked them every time, I really tried to like 'em but I just couldnt... When I try out a bass I use it for over an hour and seriously think about every aspect of the bass.

Dislike:

String spacing
Neck Construction
Body Shape
Body Feel
Balance
Electronics
Sound
Poor Construction
Doesnt Stay in tune
Uncomfortable

So bassically I hated every aspect of the bass. I do love the Sound Dave La Rue and others achive out of stingrays, but I wont touch them.[/QUOTE

You comment nothing but negatives about a bass in a old thread and feel anyone will care what you think?

tk
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#37
Funkize you said:
Well, I have tried out Stingrays Many times, and disliked them every time, I really tried to like 'em but I just couldnt... When I try out a bass I use it for over an hour and seriously think about every aspect of the bass.

Dislike:

String spacing
Neck Construction
Body Shape
Body Feel
Balance
Electronics
Sound
Poor Construction
Doesnt Stay in tune
Uncomfortable

So bassically I hated every aspect of the bass. I do love the Sound Dave La Rue and others achive out of stingrays, but I wont touch them.
Click to expand...

Funkize you,
Your list of dislikes is all your opinion... except for poor construction. I find it almost impossible to believe that if you've tried a number of Stingray's, that they've all had poor construction. Stingrays are famous for their quality and construction. And as far a staying in tune, I've never had a problem with that whatsoever. My Stingray is built as well as any bass i've owned, and that includes my Sadowsky Metro and the MTD I once owned. You must have some bad luck or something :rolleyes: .
 
#39
rayzak said:
Funkize you,
I find it almost impossible to believe that if you've tried a number of Stingray's, that they've all had poor construction. Stingrays are famous for their quality and construction. You must have some bad luck or something :rolleyes: .
Click to expand...

Thinking the same thing. They're consistently some of the most rock solid basses I've seen produced.
 

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