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Musicman Stingray old vs. new
- Thread starter kondensator
- Start date
+1 on that.
I've played several late 70s pre-EBs. I have an 83 pre-EB, and I had a more recent EBMM HH Stingray (as well as a Musicman Sterling and a 50th anniversary).
Stingrays are pretty much universally awesome. The quality issue in the early 80s is on some units who have a bad truss rod so as long as you check that your truss rod is good - they are fine basses.
Frankly, I find the new Stingray classics hard to beat - but I admit that they don't have the raw "mojo" of a pre-EB. But are they lesser basses? Personally I don't think so.
Not until you played a pre-eb stingray..
I've owned both but Imma say the '78 SR I used to own have the fastest neck and punchy as hell.. I have no words for it but you must try it out first you'll hear and feel a difference.. 
The only difference (as far as I could tell), having owned a '77, '82 & an '83 5er, was in the EQ. My preference has been and always will be the 2 band.. but that's a preference not a review.
svtb15
Inactive
- Mar 22, 2004
- 13,004
- 4,741
- Disclosures
- I play it all. Whatever works for the gig. Q+
Yes I prefer the 2 band EQ too.
I have a 77 and a 97.. The 97 feels way better in my hands and is lighter. But nothing comes close to the 77 with that 2 Band pre for my gigs...
I have a 77 and a 97.. The 97 feels way better in my hands and is lighter. But nothing comes close to the 77 with that 2 Band pre for my gigs...
Love my 83; neck is decent (not great), tone is to die for
Played a classic as well as Ray 34 and thought they were both very nice although I can't make an absolute judgement based only on store tryouts
Don't care for the thin necked models and prefer 2-band EQ
Build quality and set up have been excellent on the new models I've played
The only issue I have with the new SR's is the weight; they can very from right at 8lbs to well over 10; The Perfect Bass lists the actual weights on their site
We put a man on the moon 40 years ago yet EB can only hold weight tolerances to 25%; unaccpetable for instruments that cost over $1,500 if weight is important to you
Played a classic as well as Ray 34 and thought they were both very nice although I can't make an absolute judgement based only on store tryouts
Don't care for the thin necked models and prefer 2-band EQ
Build quality and set up have been excellent on the new models I've played
The only issue I have with the new SR's is the weight; they can very from right at 8lbs to well over 10; The Perfect Bass lists the actual weights on their site
We put a man on the moon 40 years ago yet EB can only hold weight tolerances to 25%; unaccpetable for instruments that cost over $1,500 if weight is important to you
svtb15
Inactive
- Mar 22, 2004
- 13,004
- 4,741
- Disclosures
- I play it all. Whatever works for the gig. Q+
Yeah if i could find a Light weight SR Classic5 i would snatch it in a second.. The ones that i have played all felt heavy to me
Apparently the new Classics are very much the same as the old models. I tried a classic recently and in comparing it to my 1990 5 string (Alnico) and my 1991 5 string (ceramic), the main differences I noticed were :-
- the 2 band pre instead of 3 band.
- The neck finish is different. It's kinda glossy on the classics.
- The classics have a flat body on the front. The newer ones have a bit of wood carved away where your forearn would normally rest.
- The colour schemes.
Which is better. Well I'm going to recommend my bass and the person after me is going to recommend theirs They're both awesome!
- the 2 band pre instead of 3 band.
- The neck finish is different. It's kinda glossy on the classics.
- The classics have a flat body on the front. The newer ones have a bit of wood carved away where your forearn would normally rest.
- The colour schemes.
Which is better. Well I'm going to recommend my bass and the person after me is going to recommend theirs
They're both awesome!
Conclusion: New classic series are better then any stingray 5 period?
I hope I will get one soon.
I hope I will get one soon.
