EBMM is just killing it. Absolutely killing it. I really appreciate how they are managing and building their brand.
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New Ernie Ball Tim Commerford Models
- Thread starter LadyLoveStingRay5
- Start date
It is nearly impossible to have been alive in the 1970s and 80s and not heard Bernard Edwards and Paul Denman.
Nope !! My statement was all about the history of the bass and who played them and put them on the map. 2 of the players I mentioned are deceased.
I suspect that the people who haven’t heard of them by name have heard them play.
I first saw this on Reverb (never knew they had a "vault" there too, maybe they used this to introduce that on the verb..) - its just exspensive, just like the Darkglass Stingray it seems like something a collector would buy just to put up and say he/she has one. It's getting a bit like flavor of the month.
I would assume it would have, the bridge it comes with but make it black and tuners chrome, the string through is nice (why can't this be on the special?) a ramp? don't know what that is (can't see in pic that well) I thought he always added a thumb rest more close to the neck, I see the boost, passive is nice, but a more specifically tuned preamp, more of a special neck (which I get may not be TC but at this price some inlay, markers, wear, something), remove the pickguard all together, Natural ONLY, maybe even include a 4 or 5 inch strap for kicks, then I'll get my wallet out. But what do I know, I only grew up listening to his music...
At this price I'd rather have a BFR or new SLO, I've even seen people make Laklands that match his, those were nice -
"SHIPS WITHIN 4 MONTHS"<<<< is this normal for sig models? is this a pre order?
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Signature basses are a slippery slope. I'm a huge Timmy C. fan, so take my comment with a grain of salt.
Signature basses are usually run-of-the-mill basses with quirks built-in to accommodate the idiosyncrasy of the player in question. I faintly remember him starting on a Musicman and then moving over to Jazz basses for the majority of his career with RATM and Audioslave. Those basses had ramps and pickups bridges installed as well. So the question is -- do you want to pay the big $$ for an iconic bass with a few tricks made for the player? It may or may not work for you, and that's a big coin toss to find out.
I know that he had a shoulder injury, so I suspect that the short-scale basses were designed to accommodate his style...just like the wider Levy's strap that he uses. It would probably make a cool conversation or auction piece down the road but, it's probably better to buy a plain Jane MM and trick it out to your liking.
What would I prefer? That music companies stop marketing these signature models as the cure to all player ailments.
It's nothing special, it's probably been done before, and the limited numbers indicate MM wants a production return as fast as possible. The specs and blueprints will sit on a computer until the end of days.
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I love Ernie Ball but as stated before, I’d prefer a signature bass with the aesthetics and features like the model he’s most known for playing.
Natural finish, maple board, active 18volt electronics (2band or 3band), black hardware & pickguard. An HH and single H model would be preferable. Hell that right there is 4 models counting the pickup configs and preamps. Same number of basses they just released.
When the Stingray Special launched and Sterling Ball’s son (Casey?) who manages product development was posting here on talkbass I asked him when and if we could expect something like the above (specifically if we could order black hardware on any model new direct or through a dealer) and he replied “maybe someday, but not at this time”, even though Commerford had that exact setup with a natural finish at the time. Still waiting….
This is a little like if Fender released a signature Geddy Lee jazz bass with a scalloped fingerboard, active electronics and came in any color but black or red with a rosewood dotted fretboard. You may call it a “signature” but it’s not aesthetically or mechanically what Geddy plays or is known for.
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Countdown to Fender releasing a blonde SS Jazz?
Double reverse P á la Lee Sklar, MIM, and I’d be in for one.
Double reverse P á la Lee Sklar, MIM, and I’d be in for one.
To be fair, Flea hasn't played Ernie Ball in 25 years, and even when he did he seldom recorded with them.
Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
- 12,122
- 16,794
- Disclosures
- have been on nationally released albums, charting on the Billboard 200
That's a great example of raging against the machine. Yah, down with the corporations! Take the power back!
"Application of extruded celluloid plectrum", oh my sides, this is hilarious
Really? That's pretty funny and a bit delusional on Flea's part. Did he really expect them to get rid of the StingRay name?
Am I outta the loop? Hasn’t TC played Fenders since 1995? If that’s the case, why in the world is EBMM issuing a TC signature when he hasn’t played them in 26 years? Is he back with EBMM now?And, as mentioned before, a TC short-scale (or any short-scale IMO)? What a joke! There’s no way I’d ever drop that much on 90’s nostalgia that was only used on one RATM album.
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I think this signature model is based not on the historic Stingray of his past, but of the one(s) he's currently using whereas the Cliff Williams signature bass is based on the same one he's been using his whole career. In other words, the Tim Commerford signature model includes many tweaks and upgrades from the original model he used to play, but is not actually a replica of that one.
I love the look of the natural with the satin black hardware and ebony board, and the black and maple is a classic look - but the shorty versions don't come in those color combos; dangit. Ah well, I do already have one stingray and It Is Good. Amen.
alexclaber
Commercial User
Interesting to see the responses here! Tim started using StingRays again at the same time he started using Barefaced cabs, so we've talked about them a lot. He's barely played a standard StingRay over these past five years, they may have looked stock but he had the 18V electronics before the Special came out, then he had the old school mute bridge on the Special, obviously he had his DIY ramp thumbrest he makes and fits. So yes, it's not the StingRay you heard on Rage's debut album (there's plenty of old ones out there if you want to buy one!) but these are the StingRays he wants now. Rather like how his rig now is very different to his rig back then!
Despite the appearance of the battery cover, the active ones are 18V, he just prefers the metal plate to the plastic battery box on the Specials. He loves the shortscales, he's been raving about them at me for the last 18 months - note that for years my main bass was a 36" scale, the acoustic I play the most (at home) is a 35" and my main electric now is a 34". He's been playing the shortscale with Wakrat (and now in the new group), and he was debating taking some shortscales on the now postponed RATM tour. I'd like to try one for sure. The finish choices are his own, he wanted some classic looks and variations on them. The "ramp" is a copy of the ones he fits - except their design guys worked out how to make it part of the pickguard and fully adjustable in height, which he was blown away with.
It's worth watching the whole video about them, it's only 10 minutes long - it's a very honest representation of what Tim wanted with these basses and how he feels about the end result (I've basically heard the same over the phone over the past year or two as the project has progressed). We're super pleased with the launch video because you can hear our contributions loud and clear!
Despite the appearance of the battery cover, the active ones are 18V, he just prefers the metal plate to the plastic battery box on the Specials. He loves the shortscales, he's been raving about them at me for the last 18 months - note that for years my main bass was a 36" scale, the acoustic I play the most (at home) is a 35" and my main electric now is a 34". He's been playing the shortscale with Wakrat (and now in the new group), and he was debating taking some shortscales on the now postponed RATM tour. I'd like to try one for sure. The finish choices are his own, he wanted some classic looks and variations on them. The "ramp" is a copy of the ones he fits - except their design guys worked out how to make it part of the pickguard and fully adjustable in height, which he was blown away with.
It's worth watching the whole video about them, it's only 10 minutes long - it's a very honest representation of what Tim wanted with these basses and how he feels about the end result (I've basically heard the same over the phone over the past year or two as the project has progressed). We're super pleased with the launch video because you can hear our contributions loud and clear!
I wonder, is a shortscale passive model with the mutes available without the signature?
Thanks for the insight, great post.
alexclaber
Commercial User
These are the only StingRays currently available with the mutes, whether full or shortscale.
alexclaber
Commercial User
Oh yes, about the HH - I asked him about that when I was deciding what StingRay Special to get a few years ago, and he said although he tried the other settings, he always ended up back on the standard bridge pickup StingRay sound.
Agreed on all counts. Plus, uh.... as much as this might be a cool line of stingrays. Doesn't a signature model kind of seem at odds with the public persona of a dude like Tim Commerford? This dude just doesn't strike me as a signature model kind of guy. I mean, he rides a bicycle to his concerts sometimes. who else (on his level) does that?
