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Stingray Classic or Stingray Retro 70s
- Thread starter dustinymichaels
- Start date
I wouldn’t say one is better than the other . The obvious answer is which ever looks feels sounds and plays the best in your own hands. It doesn’t matter what the listener thinks or what we think . That’s a choice that only you can make.
If it ain’t broke , don’t fix it. Stay with what you have and you already feel is the best bass EB ever made. The grass isn’t always greener.
I don’t get rid off a bass unless I see something that I would rather have and I absolutely know I like it better.
If it ain’t broke , don’t fix it. Stay with what you have and you already feel is the best bass EB ever made. The grass isn’t always greener.
I don’t get rid off a bass unless I see something that I would rather have and I absolutely know I like it better.
I agree with everything you're saying. I'm posing the question as to why other people have a preference, if they do, one way or the other.
My preference isn’t there, but the Specials are my cup of tea these days. The Special 5H does it for me lock, stock, and barrel.
But I’ve owned other models, including 3-bands with Alnicos and Ceramics. Loved them all.
And I think I’ve managed to play just about all the variants. 2-bands, Classics, Retros, pre-EBs, even one HH, and a few others. This is just how I roll, but I could make my daily players out of any one of those Stingrays. They all hit the mark supremely for me. I actually thought of getting one of each of those models, but the last 10 years as seen me getting insanely practical in my old age, LOL. My Special fills my needs.
The short version of this to say that you are down to simply finding the model that suits you. With or without polls and pages of opinions.
Good luck with your search for your perfect ‘Ray. It will be an enjoyable experience, no doubt!
But I’ve owned other models, including 3-bands with Alnicos and Ceramics. Loved them all.
And I think I’ve managed to play just about all the variants. 2-bands, Classics, Retros, pre-EBs, even one HH, and a few others. This is just how I roll, but I could make my daily players out of any one of those Stingrays. They all hit the mark supremely for me. I actually thought of getting one of each of those models, but the last 10 years as seen me getting insanely practical in my old age, LOL. My Special fills my needs.
The short version of this to say that you are down to simply finding the model that suits you. With or without polls and pages of opinions.
Good luck with your search for your perfect ‘Ray. It will be an enjoyable experience, no doubt!
My preference isn’t there either but my vote goes to the Classic. It’s most of what the original ’rays were but with a better truss rod and neck joint. Sort of a win/win as far as I see it.
My favorite ‘rays are 2-band from the late ‘80s, personally. They have the original preamp and bridge but a contoured, lighter body and a neck profile which I love and which seems to have been unique to a fairly narrow time period; 1986-ish to 1989-ish. They are, to me, a perfect cross between the original and the modern Stingrays.
That’s not to say I hate other Stingrays…. Any ‘ray is a pretty good bass in my book.
My favorite ‘rays are 2-band from the late ‘80s, personally. They have the original preamp and bridge but a contoured, lighter body and a neck profile which I love and which seems to have been unique to a fairly narrow time period; 1986-ish to 1989-ish. They are, to me, a perfect cross between the original and the modern Stingrays.
That’s not to say I hate other Stingrays…. Any ‘ray is a pretty good bass in my book.
I don’t know that you would necessarily call one better, but there are some differences.
The stingray retro is just that: it is a re-issue of the 70s stingray down to every spec, including the bullet truss rod behind the nut and the three bolt Neck plate.
The classic takes a lot of of the old stingray recipe, including the neck profile and the classic two band preamp, slab body, strings through body stringing with muted bridge, etc. But it also incorporates what were various improvements made to the stingray over time, such as the six bolt neck and the so-called Flea Bridge, which is offset so that there’s no splaying of strings behind the bridge saddles. Also to set the classic apart as a premium model at the time they were released, each one featured either a flame, maple or birds, eye maple neck. Such figured wood necks were not standard, but were very common during the classic period of music man and it was something that the company chose to feature on the Classic model to make it stand out a bit.
If you want to think of them as similar but different, think of the classic as the retro 70s with a few slight functional improvements that were made to the model over the years without redesigning it altogether.
I hope this is helpful.
The stingray retro is just that: it is a re-issue of the 70s stingray down to every spec, including the bullet truss rod behind the nut and the three bolt Neck plate.
The classic takes a lot of of the old stingray recipe, including the neck profile and the classic two band preamp, slab body, strings through body stringing with muted bridge, etc. But it also incorporates what were various improvements made to the stingray over time, such as the six bolt neck and the so-called Flea Bridge, which is offset so that there’s no splaying of strings behind the bridge saddles. Also to set the classic apart as a premium model at the time they were released, each one featured either a flame, maple or birds, eye maple neck. Such figured wood necks were not standard, but were very common during the classic period of music man and it was something that the company chose to feature on the Classic model to make it stand out a bit.
If you want to think of them as similar but different, think of the classic as the retro 70s with a few slight functional improvements that were made to the model over the years without redesigning it altogether.
I hope this is helpful.
I would choose a regular stingray over both those. I don't like gloss necks or the neck radius on the classic.
Ok. Makes sense. Now I understand your question better. This will be an interesting thread for sure. I do enjoy StingRay discussions .
Those are great, but they're also heavy as hell. My preference would be a Stingray Special HH. I have a fretted and fretless 5HH and they're perfect.
I vote Retro. It's my #1 at the moment and only 8.5 Pounds. I suppose I'd be equally happy with a Light weight Classic. As long as I have the 2 band pre, I'm happy.
No doubt.
I haven't heard anyone bring up the classic being skinnier at the nut, 1 5/8", as opposed to the 1 11/16" on the retro AND the special.
I already have my mind made up on which I prefer but I still think about getting the retro just for the hell of it.
I can offer to those participating in this survey that my classics are 10 and 10.2 pounds and it seems you can get the retros a lot lighter.
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Nothing better than having 2 Stingrays that you like than having 3. Different strings , flats, rounds, tunings, ect. Or just because you want to and can.
I have 5 of them . Plus a kinda sorta not really / one of these things is not like the other bass. Go for it!!
Let us see what you've got. and what you are considering .
I've got a small army of rays. Can't show 'em from where I'm sitting. I just bought the second Classic two weeks ago and it is nearly mint. I spent probably a year weighing between another classic or a retro and settled on a 2nd classic.
- Oct 22, 2015
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I’ve had a classic ray and it was a superbly built instrument. With a proper setup and some flatwounds, I was able to get absolutely 0 buzzing or dead spots on the neck which is like insane for a factory built instrument. Pretty darn huge sound, too.
The retro 70’s is actually more of what I wanted out of the classic, that same EBMM build quality but more vintage appropriate features. Out of the two I’d probably go Retro 70s in black unless I got a crazy deal on a classic.
The retro 70’s is actually more of what I wanted out of the classic, that same EBMM build quality but more vintage appropriate features. Out of the two I’d probably go Retro 70s in black unless I got a crazy deal on a classic.
I have a Classic, and have played the Retro at a store, and for the price difference? I'd say the Classic. You can grab a Classic used around $1800 - 2000, or pay more than $1000 more for basically the same thing with the Retro.
I love the idea of the Retro but the Classic was much more in my price range, so that's what I ended up with. Maybe once I'm rolling in dough I'll be lucky enough to have both.
I'm on the hunt for a Retro but trying to find one under 9 lbs. is tough
I owned a Classic and a Retro at the same time. They do sound slightly different. The Retro was slightly punchier and warmer but that is really listening close and in a live setting you probably wouldn't notice.
If you want to get as close as possible to a pre EB get the Retro. If you want the modern trussrod wheel, get the Classic.
Currently I only own the Retro because I want that pre EB vibe.
If you want to get as close as possible to a pre EB get the Retro. If you want the modern trussrod wheel, get the Classic.
Currently I only own the Retro because I want that pre EB vibe.
It's worth the hunt for a lightweight Retro(or Classic) but many people love the Specials. I just bonded more with 2 band pre-amp. There's no right or wrong there, just personal preference.
I got lucky with a series of trades and got a perfect Retro. It was barely played (if at all) but technically 2nd hand.
There's also complaints with the 3 Bolt neck attachment. It is a valid concern however, there's a simple fix. I use this fix for 3, 4 and 6 bolt neck attachments. Just simply flip over your bass on a soft surface and grab the body and neck at the heel. Hold it very secure and loosen the attachment bolts(screws) just a tiny bit. This will allow the string tension to pull the neck heel tightly into the pocket. It will not move ever again. My Retro would move a tiny bit until I did the fix.
I got lucky with a series of trades and got a perfect Retro. It was barely played (if at all) but technically 2nd hand.
There's also complaints with the 3 Bolt neck attachment. It is a valid concern however, there's a simple fix. I use this fix for 3, 4 and 6 bolt neck attachments. Just simply flip over your bass on a soft surface and grab the body and neck at the heel. Hold it very secure and loosen the attachment bolts(screws) just a tiny bit. This will allow the string tension to pull the neck heel tightly into the pocket. It will not move ever again. My Retro would move a tiny bit until I did the fix.
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