Passive Music Man Basses Update

[bovinehost]

So I know there has been speculation and rumors and so on about whether or nthe Caprice and the Cutlass are going to be part of the mix in the future. Let's clear the air here: those two models are being discontinued.

I had a very short conversation with Scott B, who may or may not weigh in on the reasons - reasons that I did not ask about - but I think you're all adults and can figure out most of the big picture.

Sad news, really. Like the Big Al before them, they were/are excellent basses but didn't find a big enough place in the market.

FTR, I'm keeping mine.

Jack

 

[Stevorebob]

I guess I can stop holding my breath waiting for a Caprice 5.

 

[bovinehost]

I was hot for a Caprice 5er, too.

 

[scuzzy]

As a huge big Al fan, it pains me to admit their cold-hearted nature towards the unique models is likely just great business sense. If they sold in large numbers, they would stick around. It's wise to cut out a model not performing up to snuff, regardless of it's awesomeness. Shed a tear and move along.

 

[Inara]

Glad I got my Caprice. I got it before they jacked up the price by $500, which I was happy about. Now I can be happy I got one before they discontinued them, I guess. Really special instruments, and I'm sorry they didn't find enough of a market. Mine is the best fretted bass I've ever played or owned.

 

[Briton]

Yet another fail by Ernie Ball!

 

[bovinehost]

Yet another fail by Ernie Ball!

Or a failure on our parts to move beyond "Precision or Jazz?" This is nothing new, of course, nor am I particularly interested in having that tired old argument, but - well, but nothing else.

I'm glad I have a Caprice and a Cutlass...from a strictly personal point of view.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Sadly I saw this coming. Scott Ball confirmed earlier this year no Caprice 5. I was very disappointed but it did lead me to getting my Stingray Special 5HH which is the best 5 string I’ve ever encountered .
Im so glad that I listened to that small voice that said buy it now and purchased my Caprice before the increase . Best 4 string I’ve ever owned.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Yet another fail by Ernie Ball!

I certainly don’t see it that way at all.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Or a failure on our parts to move beyond "Precision or Jazz?" This is nothing new, of course, nor am I particularly interested in having that tired old argument, but - well, but nothing else.

I'm glad I have a Caprice and a Cutlass...from a strictly personal point of view.

Well said. Ill also let it be known that after getting my Caprice , I sold my 4 string P and J basses.
And I returned my new Fender Elite Jazz 5 after spending an afternoon auditioning the new Stingray Specials . I was immediately smitten and ordered my color of choice .

Price increase pretty much killed this bass off I suspect .

 

[two fingers]

Yet another fail by Ernie Ball!

Can you please explain to me how discontinuing a bass that didn't sell is a "fail". All they can do is build instruments and run them by the market. If they don't catch on, that's nobody's "fail".

 

[Rib 13]

SUBs are flying off the shelves for the past year or so in my area....not sure if this is representative of the rest of the market.......It stands to reason that when a company offers a quality budget version of a time-tested traditional model is kinda shooting yourself in the foot for pushing newer more expensive models

 

[LBS-bass]

SUBs are flying off the shelves for the past year or so in my area....not sure if this is representative of the rest of the market.......It stands to reason that when a company offers a quality budget version of a time-tested traditional model is kinda shooting yourself in the foot for pushing newer more expensive models

I would agree with this. The Sterling by Music Man BS has effectively killed the actual Sterling and ruined the resale value of the instrument. But the market for higher-end instruments has never been huge, volume sales in three figures is where the bulk of the market is. So what is the answer? How do they satisfy market demand and stay in business?

 

[Rib 13]

I would agree with this. The Sterling by Music Man BS has effectively killed the actual Sterling and ruined the resale value of the instrument. But the market for higher-end instruments has never been huge, volume sales in three figures is where the bulk of the market is. So what is the answer? How do they satisfy market demand and stay in business?

I would almost wager that there would be renewed interest in the Culass and Caprice if they were both offered as import SUBs

 

[Stevorebob]

Yet another fail by Ernie Ball!

Really?

 

[sawzalot]

There's a lot of factors. Instruments made soup-to-nuts in the USA are expensive--a current production bass like the Stringray will set you back as much as I paid for a boutique bass 20 years ago. The only way most manufacturers keep instruments affordable to new players is to make them overseas. EBMM has the strings/accessories business to fall back on, so they can keep the prices of the USA models a little lower, but there's no free lunch. I suspect they operate on pretty thin margins in the USA-made instruments. So if a particular model isn't doing it for them, they have to stop making it to keep the business alive. I happily let the discontinued models go in order to keep the others around.

 

[BobKos]

Too bad. I applaud EB for offering different products in a pretty much stale market. I have (5) reflexes of various configuration and really think they are top shelf instruments. Of course they have pretty much been shelved too. I hope these episodes do not make EB gun-shy towards bringing out innovative and fresh products.

 

[AngelCrusher]

I read this thinking there were new passive music mans coming and was intrigued.

 

[Slater]

Yet another fail by Ernie Ball!

If you’re not failing, you’re not trying. Sometimes things just don’t catch on.

 

[mcnach]

I had a very short conversation with Scott B, who may or may not weigh in on the reasons - reasons that I did not ask about - but I think you're all adults and can figure out most of the big picture.

How mysterious...