Yeah, they also went bankrupt and are now effectively out of the bass market.
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Passive Music Man Basses Update
- Thread starter bovinehost
- Start date
Yeah, they also went bankrupt and are now effectively out of the bass market.
- Dec 5, 2002
- 4,165
- 2,254
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Ernie Ball Music Man/Sterling By Music Man
Gibson was never IN the bass market.
Gibson had bigger problems than that EB line. Also, how are they out of the bass guitar market when they are still producing T-Birds, RD's, SGs and EB's (the latter currently listing at just over $1000 for a USA made bass)? Gibson were never heavy weights in the bass guitar market to begin with, and I'd bet that whatever diminished sales they have in bass guitars correlates to their overall drop in sales.
I bought 6 of these things, EBMM did not fail, maybe I did lol. They were kind of like the station wagons of 2018. The critics think everyone should own one, but no one buys them. They go for the popular crossover/SUVs instead. It's tough being the more unique option. The stingray specials are a nice mellow-ish option though, and even the boutique makers aren't trying to make those because they can't. Get roasted!
I'd like a passive stingray!
...one that doesn't weigh a ton, please.
...one that doesn't weigh a ton, please.
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I wasnt talking about the original ones 'flying off shelves' in my area: that was 15-or-so years ago and irrelevent to the conversation about the survival of two new 2018 paradigm shift models while having a budget-version of a time-tested model on the shelves
between you, me, and the fencepost, i really think it comes down to pricetag: no matter how fine-sounding those instruments might be, a bolt-on passive P or P/J isnt a complicated instrument to justify its retail pricepoint to the average consumer for a company whose reputation is (for the most part) "quality-utilitarian" as opposed to "boutique"....I know MM has "boutique" versions of models, but it seems that as soon as a company starts making budget imports, the reputation changes (like Tobias)....I hope Sadowsky is reading this post
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I’m a Fender fan, and have a 66 P Bass which I love, but given the value of those I often wonder if I’ll ever have to sell it when I next move home, to contribute to the costs etc.
So that gets me thinking about what I’d replace it with...
I had a 2015 Jazz for a while.. great bass but the newer US Fenders don’t feel that special to me. I’ve had plenty of Custom Shop over the years, but at today’s prices, not for me. I fully respect the Mexican 50’s P’s, but I’d want rosewood.
Therefore, it’d probably be a Cutless or Caprice, given that I love the MM consistency and quality. Shame to see them go, but they were always up against it sadly, our loss.
So that gets me thinking about what I’d replace it with...
I had a 2015 Jazz for a while.. great bass but the newer US Fenders don’t feel that special to me. I’ve had plenty of Custom Shop over the years, but at today’s prices, not for me. I fully respect the Mexican 50’s P’s, but I’d want rosewood.
Therefore, it’d probably be a Cutless or Caprice, given that I love the MM consistency and quality. Shame to see them go, but they were always up against it sadly, our loss.
I'd like a passive bass with the luthierie of the new stingray special too... (weight, roasted maple neck with SS frets etc...)
My Caprice is within a few ounces of the 4HH Special.
As I have stated here before - my point-of-view as a customer is absolutely valid. Once I saw and played a Caprice, I was ready to buy one (I still am). But I wasn't going to pay quite a bit more money for a good yet bare bones bass.
I refuse to believe that MusicMan's huge price increase at the same time the Caprice and Cutlass were starting to gain some momentum in the market was anything more than the company trying to make more margin and thinking they could get away with it.
If you look at the basses coldly and objectively, there is no preamp and fewer controls than a Stingray - why should a Caprice sell for the same -- or in some cases a bit more than a Stingray?
People vote what they think of products with their wallets. If the reason they discontinued the Caprice and Cutlass is because they didn't sell, then I think they should look what happens when you raise the price significantly on something that people want and are ready to buy at a reasonable price.
+1.......i pretty much said the same thing a few posts above this one
Don’t forget, the price increases hit the entire line up, not just the Cutlass and Caprice. I’m itching for a Bongo 5HH. On one hand, $2,399 is not a bad price for the quality and features but on the other, I’m having a hard time paying $2,399 for something that was $1,799 just about a year ago.
Now a lot has changed in that year. Cost of materials is up. Cost of labor is up. Equipment prices are up. Health insurance costs are up and regardless of what you hear on tv, there are lots of uncertainties in the global markets. So I don’t believe EBMM is trying to inflate its bottom line or margins but $2,399 puts a lot of other options on the table.
Now a lot has changed in that year. Cost of materials is up. Cost of labor is up. Equipment prices are up. Health insurance costs are up and regardless of what you hear on tv, there are lots of uncertainties in the global markets. So I don’t believe EBMM is trying to inflate its bottom line or margins but $2,399 puts a lot of other options on the table.
They could build a production facility somewhere where the labor and governmental costs aren't through the roof, like anywhere in the southern United States. Peavey may have some space they could let them have in Mississippi. That could cut the cost of an instrument by a third.
There are downsides to this plan. Remember, EBMM is mostly a guitar company now. I believe bass account for less than 30 percent of sales now.
I don't follow your reasoning. Cutting overhead would affect all instruments or am I missing something?
There are some ridiculous statements in this thread, but congratulations for having the MOST ridiculous of them all!
A bit of a sad news (specially for the 5 strings). Interesting that my 3 EBMM are a Big Al, a Caprice and a Cutlass, their rare breed is what I like.
I believe the Cutlass and Caprice should have moved as more affordable offshore version under the SBMM (Sterling by MusicMan) brand, there at 700 or 800 price point they would make much more sense (well, got my MIA Cutlass at clearance price of 950 so NOT complaining)
I believe the Cutlass and Caprice should have moved as more affordable offshore version under the SBMM (Sterling by MusicMan) brand, there at 700 or 800 price point they would make much more sense (well, got my MIA Cutlass at clearance price of 950 so NOT complaining)
I thought they were mostly a strings company
