New Ernie Ball Tim Commerford Models

[FenderOli]

 

[SirMjac28]

Man those are sweet

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I didn't think Tim had ever played a short scale, but it's good that they are making them for smaller men. It does seem like a bit of a weird signature model though, as it doesn't really resemble the Stingray that Tim is most often associated with.

There are four models in total.

 

[kmd88]

I’m digging the old school string thru bridge with mutes. Nice and solid. Definitely the most enticing feature to this model IMO. To me the weak point of the regular special is the bridge. I could not get those saddles to stay put so off it went. I’ve never had this issue with my 90s or 30th anniversary Ray.

 

[nonohmic]

Man, really digging the all black on ash long scale passive, and I am not a fan of the Stingray whatsoever.

 

[J_Bass]

I didn't think Tim had ever played a short scale, but it's good that they are making them for smaller men. It does seem like a bit of a weird signature model though, as it doesn't really resemble the Stingray that Tim is most often associated with.

Has nothing to do with him.

 

[drTSTingray]

I’ve ordered a long scale passive one (natural ash/black hardware/ebony board). They sound great in the videos (particularly the passive with mutes on). Tim Commerford looks and sounds really happy with these basses.

There are 50 of each variant being produced.

 

[Drzejzi]

It's kind of weird, when a "celebrity" bass player endorses something that is not exactly a piece of gear that the celebrity is known for. Just as Claypool endorsing a P pickup in a gold cover.

It seems to be a fine bass, but does it say "oh, it's Tim C's model"? I wouldn't say that.

 

[drTSTingray]

It's kind of weird, when a "celebrity" bass player endorses something that is not exactly a piece of gear that the celebrity is known for. Just as Claypool endorsing a P pickup in a gold cover.

It seems to be a fine bass, but does it say "oh, it's Tim C's model"? I wouldn't say that.

I’ve seen him pictured playing a natural, black hardware Stingray. I’ve gone for the passive because I’ve got plenty of active Stingrays and the passive electronics package sounds great. Pretty excited by this! Add that to the mute style string through bridge on a Stingray Special body, it’s really quite a hybrid instrument.

 

[TheDayMan]

As a huge RATM and Timmy C. (picked up the bass because of him) fan, I rushed through the link and almost bought one. But it doesn't seem to be anything special or thought through, unlike the Yamaha Peter Hook I bought recently, for example. That is a real signature bass.

And it's quite expensive, for a stock bass with a ramp.

It's clearly aimed at guys like me, who were teenagers in the 90s and now have the means and nostalgy to buy a bass with a neck plate signature.

I would love one, but I won't buy it.

Because:

Tim has almost always played a natural wood bass, the Stingray with a maple neck and this one has a dark board. Doesn't make sense.
Never seen him with a black one.

Short scale? Tim would laugh heavily at that.


That's no signature model. Very disappointing.

I didn’t even know he went back to stingray basses, maybe they’re just trying to make sure he sticks with them or something.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

I still remember sending my old Bongo back to EBMM because the frets were coming loose making notes double, and the guy on the phone having no idea what my ramp was and blaming the issue on the ramp

 

[SleepyShark]

I think a lot of people will skip the video and miss this cool detail - the ramp can be lowered in order to be flush with the pickguard using a screwdriver.

That is pretty damn cool.

 

[simongpaez]

Cool bass no question I just can’t justify the price difference vs a “regula” SR special. The ramp and the bridge are nice additions but not worth the difference to me

 

[SleepyShark]

Here's Ernie Ball's official video with Tim demoing the instrument:

 

[dalkowski]

I don't have a dog in this fight, and I really only know TC by name. But man this would have checked a lot of boxes for the younger me (who wouldn't have been able to afford even the case for it).

 

[Killing Floor]

Something about bassists and guitarists.
Change the finish and it’s a different model. At least EBMM doesn’t have anniversary editions every year. By “editions” I mean color.

I’m patiently waiting for a Sabre comeback. That’s one I’d pre-order.

 

[Wood and Wire]

Sterling was adamant that a Stingray is a Stingray and it will never change.

That was almost 30 years ago.

Times change, and businesses have to adapt.

Back then, Music Man business model was about 92% Bass / 8% Guitar.

Now it's probably 70% Guitar / 30% Bass.



As far as I recall, Flea didn't want a StingRay signature bass ; he wanted the StingRay to be re-branded as "The Flea Bass", because it was his input that got the bridge redesigned, so that the strings no longer met the saddles at an angle.

 

[IronLung1986]

They're doing something a bit like Gibson's Slash Collection. I actually predicted they'd take a page out of Gibsons book on how to handle different lines of an iconic product, and it seems like that's what they've done. Rather than leaning entirely on unclear terminology like "Custom" or "Ultra" to differentiate from the standard line, this way of doing it is clearer to customers because it allows us to associate the face of a famous person with each variant line. It's really smart. I personally would never want a signature bass, but it's still smart marketing. Now they just need to drop the Special moniker from what is now obviously the standard Stingray.

 

[Wood and Wire]

Ernie Ball is really hitting it out of the park right now with their new models .

The 2 Short Scales really have my interest. Mutes, finger ramps…..yes!!



Glad to see these signature models but it makes me ask ….. Why haven’t we seen a Louis Johnson, Bernard Edwards, Gail Ann Dorsey , or Paul S Denman model?

These are great additions to the StingRay family.

I have to admit though, that I primarily associate Tim with a StingRay that has been completely stripped back to the wood, and had a Badass bridge.

Somehow, I can't see EBMM going for that, nor their customers willing to pay a premium for it.

 

[Wood and Wire]

I didn’t even know he went back to stingray basses, maybe they’re just trying to make sure he sticks with them or something.

When the Special was released (2018) there was a lengthy video of Tim running through his new StingRays.

I remember he had a gold HH, and I think he even had a ramp on that.