Stingray Pickup Cover Swapout

[D Bopp]

I've always loved the white on white scheme with basses. I recently picked up this killer 2011 Stingray here in the classifieds. I bought one just like it back in 2004-5 ish but stupidly sold it like most of my previous awesome gear.

Anyways, I've been looking around for a white pickup cover to swap out the black one. Had a hard time locating one until someone pointed me in the direction of just emailing Ernie Ball directly. I didn't think they sold accessories like this so that's why I didn't reach out to them first. But low and behold they do!
I ordered two and received them today.

I didn't want the cover to be shiny white. Always loved that aged cream color of the old Ray's. So after looking at a few Youtube videos of how to age the cover, I came to the conclusion that the easiest way was with coffee and hot water.

I left it in the bowl for about 20 minutes. Came out just like I wanted! Not too brown or yellow. But just enough cream to not disappear inside the white pickguard.

Thanks for reading!

 

[5StringBlues]

slick

 

[jd56hawk]

Cool, I bet it smells better than if you used the tobacco-aging process, too!

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I've always loved the white on white scheme with basses. I recently picked up this killer 2011 Stingray here in the classifieds. I bought one just like it back in 2004-5 ish but stupidly sold it like most of my previous awesome gear.

View attachment 4596304

View attachment 4596305



Anyways, I've been looking around for a white pickup cover to swap out the black one. Had a hard time locating one until someone pointed me in the direction of just emailing Ernie Ball directly. I didn't think they sold accessories like this so that's why I didn't reach out to them first. But low and behold they do!
I ordered two and received them today.

I didn't want the cover to be shiny white. Always loved that aged cream color of the old Ray's. So after looking at a few Youtube videos of how to age the cover, I came to the conclusion that the easiest way was with coffee and hot water.

View attachment 4596301

View attachment 4596300


I left it in the bowl for about 20 minutes. Came out just like I wanted! Not too brown or yellow. But just enough cream to not disappear inside the white pickguard.

Thanks for reading!



View attachment 4596296 View attachment 4596297 View attachment 4596298 View attachment 4596299

Beautiful!!

 

[D Bopp]

I got the white on white bug again after seeing @IanAllison rocking that new Serek Lincoln.

 

[sears]

well done.

 

[SleepyShark]

I've always loved the white on white scheme with basses. I recently picked up this killer 2011 Stingray here in the classifieds. I bought one just like it back in 2004-5 ish but stupidly sold it like most of my previous awesome gear.

View attachment 4596304

View attachment 4596305



Anyways, I've been looking around for a white pickup cover to swap out the black one. Had a hard time locating one until someone pointed me in the direction of just emailing Ernie Ball directly. I didn't think they sold accessories like this so that's why I didn't reach out to them first. But low and behold they do!
I ordered two and received them today.

I didn't want the cover to be shiny white. Always loved that aged cream color of the old Ray's. So after looking at a few Youtube videos of how to age the cover, I came to the conclusion that the easiest way was with coffee and hot water.

View attachment 4596301

View attachment 4596300


I left it in the bowl for about 20 minutes. Came out just like I wanted! Not too brown or yellow. But just enough cream to not disappear inside the white pickguard.

Thanks for reading!



View attachment 4596296 View attachment 4596297 View attachment 4596298 View attachment 4596299

Whoa, that looks so much better than it did stock. Well done!

I was nervous when I saw the coffee and water, but you couldn't have asked for a better result. Damn, EBMM should color match pickup covers to the primary color of the body like that.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

Bad assed!

 

[digmeout]

Well done, big difference!

 

[Jim C]

Brilliant work OP. I was expecting an amateur outcome like most.
It will be interesting to see how deep you were able to etch, or how durable the top is.
Ironic about black coffee. I've used it to "age" grout and was taught by painters doing high end touch up.

 

[Surely_Bassy]

Looks like it was made specifically for your bass! Nice!

 

[bordinco90]

I've always loved the white on white scheme with basses. I recently picked up this killer 2011 Stingray here in the classifieds. I bought one just like it back in 2004-5 ish but stupidly sold it like most of my previous awesome gear.

View attachment 4596304

View attachment 4596305



Anyways, I've been looking around for a white pickup cover to swap out the black one. Had a hard time locating one until someone pointed me in the direction of just emailing Ernie Ball directly. I didn't think they sold accessories like this so that's why I didn't reach out to them first. But low and behold they do!
I ordered two and received them today.

I didn't want the cover to be shiny white. Always loved that aged cream color of the old Ray's. So after looking at a few Youtube videos of how to age the cover, I came to the conclusion that the easiest way was with coffee and hot water.

View attachment 4596301

View attachment 4596300


I left it in the bowl for about 20 minutes. Came out just like I wanted! Not too brown or yellow. But just enough cream to not disappear inside the white pickguard.

Thanks for reading!



View attachment 4596296 View attachment 4596297 View attachment 4596298 View attachment 4596299

Looks great. I love cream pickup covers.

 

[halcyo]

Wish companies made more pickup covers in many different colors- black, and even white, get played out and don’t compliment many otherwise beautifully artistic looking instruments.

 

[skyline_01]

Very nicely done! It looks as if it were made for that bass!

I also bought a white cover from EB a couple years ago for my 'Ray (neck) SUB (body) fretless. I just called their main number and asked for parts. I spoke to Billy Imperial directly and he hooked it up. It was a cinch to install on my Nordstrand pickup - no adhesive needed, just the pressure from the mounting screws was enough to keep it tight.

I'm mostly a 5 player and I've noticed that there's basically zero market for white 5'er replacement covers, even in standard sizes like Jazz or Precision. There could be a business opportunity there...

 

[bassdude51]

Genius!

 

[Drucifer]

Looks great! I had a similar experience contacting Ernie Ball direct, they sent me a part at no charge.

 

[wazzel]

Looks much better than the black one.

 

[lowendrachel]

Been wanting a white pick guard too. I should message Ernie Ball. Thanks for this post.

 

[D Bopp]

Been wanting a white pick guard too. I should message Ernie Ball. Thanks for this post.

Yeah, they are $7 plus $4.99 shipping. Shipping was the same if you got more than one cover.

 

[landrybass]

I remember when Flea would play his white Stingray, it always looked so good. Noice bass