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New Mike Herrara Sterling bass
- Thread starter JohnnyChatter
- Start date
I had to look up what was unique about his signature bass. I can appreciate simplicity but I can't get behind any bass without a volume knob or at minimum a kill switch. Without it I am forced to get a pedal of some kind to handle the muting of the bass. Also I am not a fan of the large branding.
Really it only makes sense if they release it has a passive stingray. The pickguard would need to be replaced. I would probably hang that one on my wall being a fan but wouldn’t play it like that live.
That's the regular version, not the Sterling. Still outrageous, though.
I'd be genuinely curious how many of the US models they've sold. It's gotta be like less than 20, right?
Looking at their site, the volume knob works, even if the others don't. And it's passive like the US version. Certainly an instrument made for MxPx fans. I am a fan, but would have never bought the US one. For this price point I would actually consider it for the novelty.
Herrera
Born from decades on the road with legendary punk band MxPx, the Mike Herrera Artist Series StingRay strips a classic design down to its essentials. A single, passive humbucker delivers punchy tone and roadworthy reliability, while the control section features one functional volume knob and two...
sterlingbymusicman.com
I didn't know MxPx was still a thing. They were cool when I was 15 about 32yrs ago. I worked in the music dept. of a Christian bookstore and we had their CDs (and cassette tapes...) when they were on Tooth and Nail Records.
I don't know what kind of "money grab" this would be. Are there really that many MxPx fans out there looking for Mike Herrera signature basses?
I don't know what kind of "money grab" this would be. Are there really that many MxPx fans out there looking for Mike Herrera signature basses?
i feel ya, i think since the supposed Flea fallout, that ebmm is trying to throw a bone to their long-standing "famous" users.
Seeing flea have Fender essentially make a stingray is like having your new GF dress and act like your ex. Fender naming it the "flea active jazz bass" is even funnier. Anyways I've been saying for a long time Musicman and Flea should just kiss and make up already.
Can someone explain non functioning knobs? Why?
Seems to defy every design principle, maybe that's punkrock?
I'm not hating, just trying to understand. Passive single Sterlings with volume only can be great instruments (Dart).
Are they functional but not wired?
Seems to defy every design principle, maybe that's punkrock?
I'm not hating, just trying to understand. Passive single Sterlings with volume only can be great instruments (Dart).
Are they functional but not wired?
$449 for the sterling by mm
An Ernie Ball one has been for sale local to me for over $5000 for it seems like a couple of years.
An Ernie Ball one has been for sale local to me for over $5000 for it seems like a couple of years.
The Flea fallout that happened more than two decades ago that ended with him endorsing Modulus basses, or was there some more recent event I'm missing?
Very tempting, I've never played a Stingray, so would be a cool one to add to the collection, even if it's not my main player, and at $450, it's not quite an impulse buy but pretty close.
MXPX is still kicking, they tour regularly and release new music in addition to live sessions streamed from their recording studio, which seems to be a house. I'll admit, that while MXPX may not be as mainstream as Flea or others, but they do have a following, and making an affordable bass for punk rock makes a lot of sense. Matt Freeman of Rancid also had a Squier release, so not unheard of.
The US version doesn't make a lot of sense to me. You could get most of the way there with a Plek and setup AND have a working Volume knob!
Mike started wiring the pickups straight to the jack after he had some issues live early in his career and opted for simplicity and reliability by wiring straight to the output jack. I don't remember if the circuit failed on him or if he just would randomly move the knobs while he is jumping around on stage, he is a VERY active performer. For someone like him, in a band like his, he sets his tone on the amp, and it never changes the entire gig. I'm not saying all MXPX songs sound the same, but they are all punk rock songs. They don't switch from rock to funk to blues to jazz and back to rock.
The competition to this is the Joe Dart Stingray, which has a volume knob, but nothing else. At least the MXPX bass has a plate and knobs so it's upgradeable if you choose.
Here's a pic when I met Mike and Tom at Punk in the Park in Portland earlier this year. He was really nice and was cool with taking a picture with me and my son. I was so focused on getting the picture I didn't realize that he was giving the bird. I guess he's more punk than me!
Also don't forget the original Creamsicle bass was taken out of commission by Fletcher from Pennywise during their last song of the last ever performance of NOFX. Ernie Ball knows that Mike is a big proponent of Ernie Ball and has played them forever and replaced it.
Maybe next up is a Roger Lima of Less Than Jake bass!
MXPX is still kicking, they tour regularly and release new music in addition to live sessions streamed from their recording studio, which seems to be a house. I'll admit, that while MXPX may not be as mainstream as Flea or others, but they do have a following, and making an affordable bass for punk rock makes a lot of sense. Matt Freeman of Rancid also had a Squier release, so not unheard of.
The US version doesn't make a lot of sense to me. You could get most of the way there with a Plek and setup AND have a working Volume knob!
Mike started wiring the pickups straight to the jack after he had some issues live early in his career and opted for simplicity and reliability by wiring straight to the output jack. I don't remember if the circuit failed on him or if he just would randomly move the knobs while he is jumping around on stage, he is a VERY active performer. For someone like him, in a band like his, he sets his tone on the amp, and it never changes the entire gig. I'm not saying all MXPX songs sound the same, but they are all punk rock songs. They don't switch from rock to funk to blues to jazz and back to rock.
The competition to this is the Joe Dart Stingray, which has a volume knob, but nothing else. At least the MXPX bass has a plate and knobs so it's upgradeable if you choose.
Here's a pic when I met Mike and Tom at Punk in the Park in Portland earlier this year. He was really nice and was cool with taking a picture with me and my son. I was so focused on getting the picture I didn't realize that he was giving the bird. I guess he's more punk than me!
Also don't forget the original Creamsicle bass was taken out of commission by Fletcher from Pennywise during their last song of the last ever performance of NOFX. Ernie Ball knows that Mike is a big proponent of Ernie Ball and has played them forever and replaced it.
Maybe next up is a Roger Lima of Less Than Jake bass!
It is Artist version of how he uses his Bass; which have those knobs but;
"the control section features one functional volume knob and two nonfunctional “dummy” knobs—an adaptation of the wiring Mike has been using for years."
[From SBMM description on website]
i'm only speaking from hearsay, but it sounded like ebmm not giving him a sig model several times, and him getting modulus and fender to make him their version.
This is getting downright silly. Buy a Sterling Ray 2 for $300. If a "signature" bass has a unique feature set that appeals to me, maybe. But this one knob, no knob stuff mystifies me. Then again, I'm old, and I've done more than my share of coaxing great playability out of less than mediocre basses, AND making hot messes out of basses that would have been far better off never having had the misfortune of crossing my path! 
BUT - you do you (or emulate the guys whose signature basses you crave).
BBB
BUT - you do you (or emulate the guys whose signature basses you crave).BBB
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It seems (to me) that every artist EBMM bass made in recent memory has been an overwhelming success for the company with most selling out. This is likely due to limited production runs and them knowing their audience. This one, just like their others, won’t be for everyone but I’m sure it will sell well enough.
EBMM knows what they're doing with these releases, so I have no doubt they'll do well with.
I just didn't know MxPx was still known and popular enough to warrant a signature bass for Mike Herrera. But that says more about me than them, so I shouldn't be surprised.
I said the same thing when they did the Pete Wentz sig a few years ago. I can't recall if that was actually EBMM/Sterling or OLP, but regardless it felt similar.
