A very plausible explanation....but I wasn’t looking for a free gig bag, I wanted to buy one. You would think they would be willing to sell me one, for customer goodwill if for no other reason.Translation: Someone in the accounting department saw that the bass included a gig bag, went postal, and nearly had an aneurysm. So we decided to pull the bag. We didn't want to be responsible for the poor fella dying and all, ya know. Unfortunately, quite a number of basses had already shipped with the bag, so we had to go to the marketing department and ask them to come up with an excuse. Brilliantly, they replied with, "A limited amount of Short Scale Stingray basses were shipped with gig bags as part of an... unadvertised promotion. (wink wink)" So we rolled with that.
And now you know... the rest of the story.
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SBMM Stingray Short scale
- Thread starter dralionux
- Start date
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- short scale bass
They dug a hole then made it deeper.
The inside may look more like - they are outsourcing bags and other parts and needed to make order decisions long in advance to a launch date. This is a new product which means there's no guarantee the market will warm to it or the channel will stock it. Since it's a different size than previous offerings, the bags will not the sort of thing they can use elsewhere if the product flops, so they probably went a bit conservative on their initial order and went for a minimum quantity. As luck would have it there is a great deal of interest, and I presume sales, so they ran out of bags quicker than they thought requiring marketing to come up with a feel-good story about why they no longer ship with a free bag, and the "special promo" [that nobody heard about before now] was born.
Businesses are not that smart - they are running in crisis mode most of the time and making stuff up as they go.
Businesses are not that smart - they are running in crisis mode most of the time and making stuff up as they go.
If I were them, I’d be more worried about being stuck with unsold basses than unsold gig bags. They probably could have anticipated the bass would sell, based on the success of the US model. So, shouldn’t the plan have been to have an equal number of basses and gig bags?
Bottom line: I don’t understand how a major guitar manufacturer offers an instrument without also offering a branded case for that instrument.
Bottom line: I don’t understand how a major guitar manufacturer offers an instrument without also offering a branded case for that instrument.
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Would be nice but I don't think it tends to work like that. Bass components are made and assembled in batches according to demand, which was an unknown prior to launch, whereas bags are received as completed pieces if they are outsourced, which I'm guessing is the case. They would have flexibility with the number of completed guitars in inventory but not so much with the bags. Product launches are always unpredictable - it's a cool product and I wish them all the best with it.
I'm a firm believer every instruments deserves its own case.
Good point Joe! My short scale P-bass fits great in a guitar bag too.
Question for those who have both a traditionial 34" and the new 30" Stingray:
I have never played a MM bass and am feeling the need to add one to the stable. I also have the hankering for a 30" bass. Just not sure if I should keep these desires separate for now... Does the 30" loose anything "Stingray-ish" (if that makes any sense) vs the 34", if I am looking for that MM tone for fingerstyle funk type playing? My concern is the higher tension might be better for note definition on fast staccato lines, but am unable to compare in a store for myself...
I have never played a MM bass and am feeling the need to add one to the stable. I also have the hankering for a 30" bass. Just not sure if I should keep these desires separate for now... Does the 30" loose anything "Stingray-ish" (if that makes any sense) vs the 34", if I am looking for that MM tone for fingerstyle funk type playing? My concern is the higher tension might be better for note definition on fast staccato lines, but am unable to compare in a store for myself...
If this is posted someplace and I missed it I apologize I did search.
Does anyone have the USA model of this? My buddy played the ones at NAMM I posted a pick of it . He played this and loved it but is still buying usa one. But hearing from someone that owns one would be helpful. Or with this company I'm sure I'm getting a name wrong someplace.
Does anyone have the USA model of this? My buddy played the ones at NAMM I posted a pick of it . He played this and loved it but is still buying usa one. But hearing from someone that owns one would be helpful. Or with this company I'm sure I'm getting a name wrong someplace.
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
Yes, I own the American one also... but I don't know what your question is
.Both basses sound almost identical (I posted a clip a few pages back of each recorded), the American made one has a slimmer more boutique feeling neck, its lighter and the body contours are slightly different. It feels like a more expensive instrument (as it should), but there is NOTHING at all wrong with the SBMM version. Worth a lot more than the asking price as far as I'm concerned.
I just did a search for the Short scale stingray thread and couldn't find it either. Realized its because the poster put an exclamation point after Stingray! That makes it not show up in a search. There's a second thread on them too. Can't find that either. Anyhow Short scale Stingray!
Thank you for the info and link.
If I worded anything in a way that made it sound like anything was wrong with the one I have. I love this bass... I have posted all over the place that this is the most comfortable bass I own....I'm just trying to learn as much as I can about the usa model because if this is what I get for so little money I'm wondering they can build for 2plus.
Thank you again for the speedy info. I hope can do the same someday and congrats on owning both...did get maple or rosewood ?
If I worded anything in a way that made it sound like anything was wrong with the one I have. I love this bass... I have posted all over the place that this is the most comfortable bass I own....I'm just trying to learn as much as I can about the usa model because if this is what I get for so little money I'm wondering they can build for 2plus.
Thank you again for the speedy info. I hope can do the same someday and congrats on owning both...did get maple or rosewood ?
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
I just didn't understand what you were asking
. And I still can't find the 2nd thread, lol...My Musicman is maple, my SBMM is rosewood. Maple is my preferred wood, and it does have a little more zing to it. That might also be the bass though.
Thanks for the congrats, and I'm sure you will do the same for someone one day. That's what we do here
.
would one of you who owns the short scale stingray please measure across the widest part of the lower bout and post how wide across it is?
bonus points - can someone please also measure and post the widest point of the lower bout for a full sized ray?
and does anyone have one heavier than 8 1/2 pounds? that's the heaviest i've seen so far, and frustratingly sweetwater doesn't sell the SBMM stingray.
i'm this close to ordering one. this info might be helpful.
bonus points - can someone please also measure and post the widest point of the lower bout for a full sized ray?
and does anyone have one heavier than 8 1/2 pounds? that's the heaviest i've seen so far, and frustratingly sweetwater doesn't sell the SBMM stingray.
i'm this close to ordering one. this info might be helpful.
I thought I saw this comparison online but just see the full size stingray specs now.
Model StingRay
Size 13-1/2" wide, 1-5/8" thick
IIRC the SS is just over an inch narrower, I remember that seeming odd.
Model StingRay
Size 13-1/2" wide, 1-5/8" thick
IIRC the SS is just over an inch narrower, I remember that seeming odd.
Found it
Model Short Scale StingRay Bass
Size 12-3/8" wide, 1-5/8" thick
Short Scale StingRay Bass | Basses | Ernie Ball Music Man
Model Short Scale StingRay Bass
Size 12-3/8" wide, 1-5/8" thick
Short Scale StingRay Bass | Basses | Ernie Ball Music Man
A SS is .882% the scale length of a full size and .916% as wide.
I got a lot of free time these days
I got a lot of free time these days
A SS is .882% the scale length of a full size and .916% as wide.
I got a lot of free time these days
thank you very much!
Oops, I pulled the trigger on buying one of these! I gave myself the condition that if I buy it I must sell my MIM PJ Mustang so my girlfriend doesn't kill me.. I hope I made a good decision for myself haha
Can anyone compare the PJ Mustang and this new Sterling SS Stingray? Is it a good tradeoff to switch to the SBMM? I have a Squier VM Mustang that I play much more than the Fender, so I was thinking it might be time to let go and try something new.
Can anyone compare the PJ Mustang and this new Sterling SS Stingray? Is it a good tradeoff to switch to the SBMM? I have a Squier VM Mustang that I play much more than the Fender, so I was thinking it might be time to let go and try something new.
Oops, I pulled the trigger on buying one of these! I gave myself the condition that if I buy it I must sell my MIM PJ Mustang so my girlfriend doesn't kill me.. I hope I made a good decision for myself haha
Can anyone compare the PJ Mustang and this new Sterling SS Stingray? Is it a good tradeoff to switch to the SBMM? I have a Squier VM Mustang that I play much more than the Fender, so I was thinking it might be time to let go and try something new.
a mustang and a stingray sound nothing alike. if you have a squier mustang you like, having more variety by adding the stingray seems like a plus to me.
Cool, thank you for the input on that. I was thinking they were much different based on the kinds of pickups and pickup positions but sometimes it’s surprising the tones that can be imitated across different kinds too. I’m excited to try a Stingray for the first time. I remember one of my first inspirations to start playing bass 17+ years ago was seeing Flea rock out on a Stingray. Monday can’t come soon enough
Omg! My white Stingray came today (a day earlier than expected) and straight out of the bag (yes, it came with one) it has vastly surpassed my expectations! I am absolutely in love with this little beast. I’m not really much into slap bass usually but this thing sounds amazing in that style and with regular finger style too. The attack is punchier than any other bass I’ve ever played. It’s unreal. This was the best decision I’ve made in awhile. I feel bad to sell off my MIM PJ ‘Stang but I feel like I’ve started a new chapter in my playing now.
