The emperor hasn't had any clothes in this regard for a long time. All anybody has to do is A/B an EBMM offering with a FCS offering. It's not possible in every city, but it can be done. In a completely objective environment, the EBMM will evidence itself as the better build.
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New Stingray Special or New Flea Bass?
- Thread starter Mantis Tobaggan
- Start date
The emperor hasn't had any clothes in this regard for a long time. All anybody has to do is A/B an EBMM offering with a FCS offering. It's not possible in every city, but it can be done. In a completely objective environment, the EBMM will evidence itself as the better build.
I don't need experience to not find the argument convincing. Someone who says it's true needs to have experience.
Also, claims of better quality is entirely subjective.
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All the talk about comparing QC between Fender and Music Man is really BS. I have played some custom and high end production basses that were absolutely beautiful, even had great fretwork and setups, but they were either dogs or just didn't do anything for me as a player... conversely I have played $500 production basses that played and sounded awesome even though not every finish detail was perfect.
Besides that the quality of any Music Man bass is absolutely not that significantly better than a comparably priced Fender. You guys just are plain biased if you are gonna try and stand on that ground for a basis of decision making.
Besides that the quality of any Music Man bass is absolutely not that significantly better than a comparably priced Fender. You guys just are plain biased if you are gonna try and stand on that ground for a basis of decision making.
It has nothing to do with that. It isn't about Fender vs. EBMM. It's about a production instrument having better quality than an instrument that was given individual attention.
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And it's my slavish devotion to EBMM that drives me to make those claims. I apologize for sharing my experience and knowledge that I have no reason to falsify.
- May 20, 2000
- 3,200
- 1,917
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Aguilar Amplification, Spector, Dingwall, Tech 21 NYC, Darkglass
I voted Fender because I didn't care for the new EBMM SR and while I haven't tried the new Fender Flea, I have a better sense of it's tone, knowing I like the preamp and suspecting I'll like the pickup.
Stingray, without any doubt. Better preamp, great roasted maple neck, better pickup, better built.
You shouldn't state your subjective opinion as if it were indisputable fact... that's where you stir up arguments over this kind of stuff.
I like everything about that Ray.. except the roasted neck. It wouldn't stop me from buying one, though.
I’ve owned 2 SR5s and loved them more than the one Fender I owned. Would pick up another one, but I’m in the market for an amp at the moment.
- May 20, 2000
- 3,200
- 1,917
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Aguilar Amplification, Spector, Dingwall, Tech 21 NYC, Darkglass
Reading the comments, most of us have not played both of these specific models. If you're looking for people that have you may want to ask those who have to chime in specifically acknowledging that.
You've tried the Fender but not the Musicman, right?
Wow, where do you guys come up with this stuff? It's like you live in your own little universe that goes exactly how you want it to go and ignore reality.
Correct. It feels like a very nicely built, modern Fender with a Musicman-style pickup. I like the smaller size headstock. I enjoyed playing it!
Stingray because I don’t buy signature models. I feel like it’s not a blank slate for me to work with
Not a single bass on the market is a blank slate for you to work with. But hey, whatever works for you...
I’ve owned 5 different EBMM basses, one 4 string and four 5 strings, in various pickup configurations.
I’ve also owned several Fenders, and currently my main bass is an Am Elite J 5.
Can someone please point me in the right direction as to how the EBMM basses are so vastly superior in quality to Fenders? I’ve owned American Standards, American Deluxes, and American Elites. The Fenders I’ve owned have had every bit the quality that the EBMM’s have had.
I won’t say one is “better” than the other. I happen to get my sound from Fenders better than I do with Stingrays. I prefer the Fender 5 string spacing over the 17mm of the Ray 5’s. But that’s *my* preference. Might not be yours.
Maybe I’ve been lucky I guess. But I sure as heck haven’t found one to be so superior over the other, other than in personal preference.
I’ve also owned several Fenders, and currently my main bass is an Am Elite J 5.
Can someone please point me in the right direction as to how the EBMM basses are so vastly superior in quality to Fenders? I’ve owned American Standards, American Deluxes, and American Elites. The Fenders I’ve owned have had every bit the quality that the EBMM’s have had.
I won’t say one is “better” than the other. I happen to get my sound from Fenders better than I do with Stingrays. I prefer the Fender 5 string spacing over the 17mm of the Ray 5’s. But that’s *my* preference. Might not be yours.
Maybe I’ve been lucky I guess. But I sure as heck haven’t found one to be so superior over the other, other than in personal preference.
Maybe that’s not the right way to say it. I don’t want to think about things and see if they work or not. I want to know that it works and if something’s wrong 1st check that the gear is ok (from the battery on an active bass to the strings being out of tune) but once that’s delt with I just want to blame my playing.
I know fender jazz and p basses are standard. I know music mans are standard. Other than personal taste they are proven reliable.
Fleas bass just came out. I wouldn’t want to risk any issues from the weird long scale mentioned on the first page, to quality control etc. I would get in my own head too much.
And to add to that, since when has owning the "latest and greatest in MI technology" ever been important? And since when are active pickups the latest and greatest when they've been around for over 40 years?
- May 20, 2000
- 3,200
- 1,917
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Aguilar Amplification, Spector, Dingwall, Tech 21 NYC, Darkglass
I'd want to test drive the stingray too, just in case it turns out to be more appealing to you. But it's a plus that you liked the Fender, you know already at least one of the two basses works for you.
Does anyone know what the story on the pickup in the Flea bass is? Is it Fender's version of a Lane Poor?
