Fascinating as usual Hypes! I always learn something about the instruments I own when I watch your videos. Btw, I love my 5 String Stingray. I need to play it more.
I see absolutely no good application or need for a 5-string bass. I'm not being a curmudgeon, I genuinely can't think of a single use for any bass with more than 4 strings.
Nice job. I remember when Flea got his first Sting Ray. I said at the time this was the best sounding electric bass I had ever heard. Recently picked up an inexpensive 4 string Sterling Sting Ray. Took it to a gig to show the bass player who plays a beautiful ‘65 Precision. He tried it on the 2nd song of the night. Went back to his bass. In the middle of the 4th song I heard a major improvement in the bass sound. I looked at the sound man who pointed at the bass player- he had switched back to the Sting Ray mid-song and played it the rest of the night. Offered me twice what I paid for it at the end of the night. These Sterlings are an incredible value.
The Sterling version of the Music Man Petruccis are frigging fantastic. So underrated. Quality, tone, etc. Music Man makes uniformly perfect instruments and have SO many features.
Two years ago, shortly before the pandemic began, I purchased a Sterling by MusicMan Sub Series Stingray 4. I needed an inexpensive bass that plays and sounds great for gigs at places where I don’t want to risk the unthinkable happening to my much pricier main instrument during a break or loading. I found the stock pickup to be too overwound and woolly, so I spent an additional $100 for a Seymour Duncan 70’s Alnico MM pickup. It now sounds exactly like a late 70’s Stingray! The frets are smooth and level, and the action is great. I played it for two years then decided that I never want to sell it. I spent just a little bit more ( about $80usd) to upgrade the tuners to Schallers. It now stays in tune as well as any of my much more pricey basses. Love it.
@@_baalshamin The Sterling Ray34 and Ray35's can be had for between $750-$1000 brand new (depending on options) and are absolutely fantastic instruments. You basically get an EBMM for half the price. ALNICO pickups, a great 9v 3-band EQ, etc. I have a Ray35 and to my ear it sounds better than my Spector Euro4LX and Dingwall Combustion.
My favorite Sting Ray story is when I picked up a new one at a local GC in the late 90's. They ordered a batch of odd colored orange-ish 5 strings and no one wanted them. I asked the salesman what kind of deal they could make and he came back with 50% off retail. Over 20 years later and it's still my main bass.
The stingray really opened my eyes as a bass player. Learning the instrument, I was always frustrated with the dull and flat tones that were held up as the golden standard by other players. Then one random session I was handed a stingray with fresh roundwounds and I knew that was my sound right there.
Steven Severin of Siouxsie and The Banshees mainly used a black stingray through the late 70's and mid 80's. The bass has a very characteristic sound, added to the effects he used, created a very unique sound for The Banshees. He even appears playing the stingray in the ''Israel'' and ''Happy House'' videos.
@@luryas626 Joe Dart has nowhere near the hands of Bernard Edwards, nor the style. Not to mention Bernard actually played on songs rather than hipster meme music.
Great presentation. I purchased my first Sting Ray new in 1977. It came with flat wound strings. Bought a Sting Ray Special in 2018 and a Sting Ray short scale in 2020. Still have the original (weighs a ton). They all play great and each has their own personality. Now at age 65 I really appreciate the lightness of the short scale.
I love all your Short Histories, but this one was super interesting. When I get another bass, I'll seriously consider a Stingray. They're pretty iconic.
You won't regret it....unless you buy an overpriced classic just for the look and credentials....get a Sterling for sure. I've owned 13 basses and my 400$ mint green 34" is the best sounding, best playing bass I've ever had. Even better than my mahogany Ibanez SR 500 with twin Bartolinis, and that's really saying something....
Another gem, Keith. I was elated to see that you had just finished the short history of the Sting Ray bass. I bought one in 2000 that is translucent orange with a matching headstock. At that time, every bass had a beautiful bird's-eye neck with no upcharge. But I also remember when gasoline was 25 cents a gal. I had no idea how many musicians used Sting Rays until I watched your video, and I certainly wasn't aware of all of the changes that have been made to it over the years, plus I finally found out what "OLP" means! As always, I enjoy how informative your videos are. Also interesting to see you playing a Parker at the beginning of the video.
Really amazing history. Watching this having just got my first bass, a 2022 Stingray Special. I am by no means a bassist, calling myself a guitarist would be a stretch, but the Stingray is the quality of instrument that makes you want to dig in and be better.
I was not looking for a new bass when I walked into the music store in 1986. The guys were raving about a used Stingray they just got in. Translucent Teal. It looked like a green toilet seat. But took it down to try anyway to see what all the hype was about. An hour later my wife said....."we bought that didn't we".....yep! My main bass at the time was an Alembic Destroyer. The Sting Ray quickly became my number one. The only bass I have today. My favorite out all guitars, basses, pianos etc that I have ever owned. I disagree that the sound is in the electronics. Mine has the depth and growl unplugged. It literally shakes my ribs.
Great video! Thank you for making it. One minor point - you included many well know (and a few not as well known) players who play Music Mans. I would have included at least one more - Joe Lally of Fugazi. He doesn't have a signature model. Fugazi was never on MTV and never played Lollapalooza or anything like that. But Fugazi is a legend in the punk/hardcore and independent music scenes. And Joe Lally is a fantastic bass player to boot.
I cant think of anyone more Stingray than Paul Denman of Sade fame. THAT to me is the prime example how Stingray sounds, and how incredibly it can drive it all... yeah, you need to listen to the bass - anyone remembers James Jamerson ? 😍 we all should
Great story. Especially the Tony Levin clips. It’s interesting how the first generation of musical instrument innovators were so closely associated. Thank you for bringing it to us!
I bought a Stingray 5 special in 2018. I’ve played over 300 gigs with it. It is a joy to play every time I pick it up. I emailed them to tell them how much I loved it and Scot Ball wrote me back. Great company!
Great job Keith. I love all the Music Man’s I’ve owned over the years but my favorite, currently own now, is my 2018 Stingray Special. Black with a roasted maple neck, single pickup 4 string featherlight bass. Well done.
You should've highlighted Louis Johnson more. He made the Stingray bass popular. He is also who it was developed for. R.I.P to him also a true bass legend.
I have been playing bass since 1969, always played Fenders and an Ovation Magnum but when I heard Paul Denman play, I took notice and went and checked out a Sting Ray. The pickup is a bit too close to the bridge for my style of playing, but man was it a sweet playing bass. Thanks Keith.
Over the years I have worked on so many StingRays I got to know them backwards along with the detailed history. Your overview of the company is very good and true. There are a few additions though; the original StingRay bass design was actually a pre-amped P-Bass split coil not a humbucker, there were 4 preamp designs before the final chosen design, The radio knob '76s are the most coveted with the longer pole pieces and the originals are called brownbursts. The reason for the fall out with CLF was twofold, poor paint jobs and the truss rods were installed flat so would provide no relief - Japanese dealers in fact returned them. The original StingRay NAMM100 anniversary model is actually the Flea bass that never went into production.
My intro to the MM Stingray - Louis J, Pino P and Bernard E. Still my favourite bass. Our guitarist had one of the MM amps from the 70's - talk about vertical hair factor, it was that loud. Thanks Keith, I always come to your corner when the world starts getting a bit much.
Apparently Sterling Ball grew up in Newport Beach. One of his female friends was a shy redheaded girl named Susan Thomas who played flute in the HS orchestra. While visiting the Ball household, cluttered with instruments all through the living room, Sue gets this epiphany to pick up the bass guitar. She later joins two other girls, Joan Larkin and Sandy West under a sleazebag named Kim Fowley who form The (first) Runaways, Susan changing her name to Micki Steele, and Larkin to Joan Jett. Steele gets fired some months later, drifts around LA as a bar band bassists, and in '83 joins The Bangles as Michael Steele. Steele also played a Sabre briefly in The Bangles.
The bass was created for Louis Johnson for slapping. He helped create the sound in the R&D process. Thats why there is a space between the pickup and neck for his right hand
I can't thank you enough for this excellent history of Music Man. I was fascinated with the Stingray as a teenager in the 70's but couldn't afford one. I watched the company as they evolved, but the history of Fender, Ernie Ball, Sterling always was a mystery to me. Now I know the story. As an adult, my dream came true when I purchased the "Classic" Stingray in sunburst , with the single pickup and birdseye neck. Now I even know the cool story about the external truss rod adjustment nut! No more mysteries, thanks to you.
on the question of truefire, i started out with fenderplay when i bought my "i need something to get my mind off of covid" affinity, the sticker on it told me to. before i was even vaguely an advanced beginner, i felt i ran out of steam at fenderplay. not knowing what to do next, i took your advice and went to truefire. wow! there is no running out of steam at truefire! i bought a bunch of deeply discounted courses and now have enough material to carry me well into 2023 and maybe even 2024. i am thrilled!
Months ago I was really busy and missed a lot of your videos and now binging on them. My friend is a semi famous bassist and plays Music Man exclusively and its cool you have this video.I sent it to him and again nice you have a video no one else would do.
Great stuff Keith. Thanks. It was very interesting to hear the “who’s who” of Fender, Music Man and G&L. I learned from the recent Martin Kelly Rickenbacker book that Forest White worked there after leaving Fender but before joining Music Man. The guitar world in California was a small place in the early ‘70s!
To my mind, the two most beautiful bass designs are the StingRay and the Rickenbacker 4001/4003. Happy to see you've done videos on both now. I have a Ray34, and even though it's not the American model it sounds and feels amazing. I love the punchiness of the pickup. Just like the Rick, it's a tone you can't get anywhere else.
Hey thanx so much for the history on MusicMan. As a kid @ 14 I had been in love with the Sting Ray and was seriously wishing for one. My friend Todd had one and I was so in love with his bass, and I'll include jealous! He never really let me touch the bass, and then he up and sold it for a measly $300 to fund a radio controlled car he claimed to make good money from building & selling them. I was Pissed off to the highest level of pisstivity! That was 1978. In 1981 I traded my fretless Precission for his MusicMan finally giving me that bass. But it wasn't quite like my buddy Todd's MusicMan Bass. Eventually I traded it for a Fender Jazz in the mid 80s. It had a phase warp in the fretboard that later in the early 90s a great guitar builder named Jon Warden fixed it for me. Around 1992, '93 I saw my best friend Funky Ned playing a beautiful blue Ernie Ball 5. I was earning a lot of money in those days and I immediately went out the next day and brought one. Around 2000 or 2001 I traded it for a G&L 5 and I've regretted it ever since. However now once I finally get out of this nursing home and back to work I'm going to buy a 35th Anniversary Edition!
Back in the early 2000s, my great grandmother, who had been a lifelong guitar enthusiast, made a heartwarming promise to buy me a bass guitar. Her intention was to provide me with an instrument that would stay with me throughout my life. At that point, I already had about six years of experience playing the bass, and I had a clear vision of the sound I was after. I vividly recall the day when my mom and I visited the local guitar center, with the expectation that I would walk out with a Warwick bass. I sat down and played the Warwick, which provided me with a fantastic musical experience. However, it was during that same visit that I laid my hands on a Stingray 4. What struck me about the Stingray 4 was the incredible versatility it offered, thanks to its preamp. It felt like I had complete control over every aspect of the sound, allowing me to shape it to perfection. I made the decision to place an order for a black cherry burst Stingray 4, and since then, I haven't felt the need to own any other bass.
Great stuff Keith - a must-Watch, for any StingRay fan. As a guitar-player, I purchased a Sterling short-scale Stingray and I absolutely love it with my Fender Rumble 100 amp. I just hope someone eventually makes some Drop-in Replacement Upgraded Tuners ?
This story is amongst the greatest of all time and I thank you sincerely for the forthright clarification, historical truths and novel research and development inlightenment.
Great stuff once again Keith. Steve, who played in several bands with me in my hometown back in the '80s, had a beautiful Stingray which he loved and which sounded just great through practically any rig. We were in a Who tribute band for a time and it had the power for the job alright! We played a gig on the South coast (UK) which was in a really hot and sweaty club. Steve was a finger player apart from the solo to My Generation for which he used a pick - which he used to wedge in the top of the Stingray's scratch plate ready to grab when the time came. This particular night both he and the guitar were covered in sweat and he couldn't get a grip to pull the thing out. He tried frantically and repeatedly as the rest of us gave him the break. To the casual observer it must have looked like he was trying to play Entwistle's solo by missing the strings entirely time and time again. As a band we should have shown solidarity I know, but I'm afraid we were too busy rolling about laughing...
Thanks for this terrific video - informative and inspiring! I got my first Stingray in the 90s and, this week, my first Stingray USA short-scale will arrive. I can't wait for it - these superb basses are such a thrill to play and hear.
The first Stingray bass I'd ever noticed was the one the guy in the British band 'Racey' had played (Biggest hit 'Some Girls') in the late 70's, when I was 8 or 9; It had a natural finish and no pickguard. The bassist of The Teens (then being promoted as "Europe's youngest Rock band") also had one, also natural but with a black pickguard. I'm 52 now and just realised I've never ever tried one so far! 😆 Thank you for the video, Keith! And greetings from NZ! 👋 😀
my great uncle was a touring bassist and guitarist, and he swore by music man. he had a vintage sting ray and all his amps and cabs were music man that he got in the late 70,s and earlyy 80's. that was my introduction to music man and the fact he used all that gear for 40+ years on the road is why i will always attribute the brand with quality
The Music Man Stingray came out way back when I was in highschool. My first exposure to the Stingray was John Deacon of Queen, what a class act he was! Great video, thanks for posting!
You can identify a StingRay bass _immediately_ upon hearing it, sight unseen. Whether that's while listening to music on your stereo or hearing someone play one from beyond your line of sight. The same way you would a Strat, Les Paul, Telecaster, a 100 watt Marshall or Rhodes and Mellotron pianos. To me that's one of, if not _the_ highest compliment that can be attributed to any model of a particular instrument. Funny - of that list of iconic, eminently identifiable instrument models (including the StingRay), four out of the seven were either wholly or partially designed or (like the Rhodes piano) brought to market by Leo Fender. Even the original model of the iconic Marshall was simply a direct recreation of Leo Fender's 5F6-A circuit model, tweed era Fender Bassman amp of 1958 to early 1960. Simply using the British tubes and transformers available to them. Furthermore, the remaining item on the list; the Les Paul, although it wasn't designed or manufactured _with_ Mr. Fender or a nearly identical copy _of_ any of his designs, it may never have come to fruition were it not _because_ of Leo Fender. Or more accurately the need to keep up before his design prowess took over the electric instrument market *completely.* Les Paul (the man, not the guitar) was a huge star in the 1940's and 50's. Some time in 1947 he sat in his living room with a couple friends, colleagues and acquaintances. One of whom being Mr. Leo Fender himself. Les discussed what he rightly saw as the need for a solid body electric guitar to combat the feedback issues of the hollow body guitars used at the time (venues and therefore _amps_ we're getting bigger and feedback was becoming an increasing issue). Some say it was at least partially the reason Leo Fender designed the Telecaster. Les Paul played (and loved) Gibson hollow body guitars but was playing Fender's "Super" amp. In the late 1940's Les Paul approached Gibson with an early idea for a solid body guitar called the "log" that Gibson turned down. By early 1951 Leo Fender was doing everything he could to get Les Paul to use and endorse the Telecaster. Les wasn't crazy about the Telecaster and viewed it as a more simplistic, rudimentary "working man's" instrument. He wanted something he saw as more in line with his stature (some say he was a bit of a narcissist, who knows for sure) Instead, Les went _back_ to Gibson and _insisted_ they build him a solid body guitar based on but "better appointed" than the Telecaster or "this Leo Fender is going to take over the world and you all will be left to the shit heap of history." Gotta give it to Leo.
I kinda love how all the guys who ended up being the most important figures in the creation of the solid body electric guitar as we know it knew each other. Doc Kauffman and Paul Bigsby were also in that group of acquaintances, because of course they were.
I’ve owned a lot of basses and still have a handful but after getting my ebmm stingray classic I pretty much only play that now. It’s a fantastic instrument and it’s the sturdiest bass I’ve ever played. Everything on it feels substantial and I love the feel. The sound speaks for itself. The neck is my favorite part. It’s birdseye maple with a super thick rosewood fretboard.
You should do a deep dive on the Fender Showman and how Dick Dale needed a louder amp and Leo decided to change the game and make An amp with like 3 times the wattage than any previous amp. its a good story and the showman got lost to history even though it was one of the most important steps in the progression of guitar amplification. Great videos man keep it up!
The Music Man was my first bass. It was a 4-string. Later on, after moving to LA to become a big-time bassist (so I thought), I bought a 5-string. When I saw that maroon 5-string it reminded me of my very first 6-string guitar, which was red. I knew 5-string would be popular the moment I saw it hanging there on the store wall in Hollywood back in the mid-90s. I hadn't planned on buying a bass that day, but I'm glad I bought it. I got it for $1300 brand new. I consider the sound an upgrade to the fender bass sound. It's punchy, clean, sounds awesome to slap, and the low B is solid, due to the weight of the bass and the maple neck. Other than the string height, I've never had to do any adjustments to either of my basses. All I need is some nickel-wound D'Addario strings to get a sound that's just right. There's no way I would ever sell my Music Man basses.
A great expose of an iconic bass that shook the music world!!!! The monstrous, growly, and punchy tone is a fit for multiple genres and never gets lost in the mix!!! I love my Sterling by Music Man Ray 35!!!
One of my favourite EBMM players is Jim Glennie of the band James, who has favoured a Sterling since they came out in the 90s. He has a way of doing lead bass in a subtle, tasteful way - driving songs without overpowering them.
Hey Keith! As always, nice mini-documentary on this fabulous instrument. You can see in my profile photo, I'm playing a Transluscent Blue Sting Ray (made in Obispo), with three band active EQ and a unique birdseye maple neck,+ maple body. I believe it was an 'End of production', one of a kind instrument. I was told this were instruments that were made last in the year's serie and were exceptional. Sadly, it was stolen at a concert in Spain. Thanks again for your efforts in bringging this stories and, once again, sorry for my bad English! Take care!
A few more StingRay artists of note are Charles Meeks who performed with Chuck Mangione, Paul Spencer Denman of Sade, and Ross Valory of Journey during Arnel Pineda's early years with the group.
Hi Keith. Another brilliant video, thanks very much for sharing. I made a Stingray copy for my daughter’s 21st birthday this year. It’s been great to hear the full story of these basses, such a cool and influential guitar. Great job as always.
You're videos are incredible. The Music Man for me is truly the P-Bass v 3.0. With the G&L L-1000 being the Final Form. I have accepted that my MD is getting too advanced for me to play any of these safely anymore. They are all way to big. I've gone short scale and headless. But my love for Fender's designs and style are truly my first loves.
Simon Gallup rocked a Stingray in the mid to late eighties. Checkout the video on the Cure in Orange. He preferred it in the studio and felt it was a little bit too ringy for live.
Great vidéo. Thank you very much. I'm a proud owner and user of a stingray since 1992 and stingray 5 since 1993. I've used a lot of basses in my life, but the only ones I've never been able to blame are my two Stingrays. Long Live Stingray.
What a great vid! When I'm typing this I was thinking about a good book about Music Man - it doesn't excist - and there you say it! You know I'm editor of a bass magazine and this video is just perfect! Thanks!
Thank you for not forgetting us OLP players, my OLP Stingray 5 with replacement pickups made for me by Corey Nordstrand is a unique instrument I always have nearby and love.
At 21:14 you mention the Sterling by Music Man (SMM) line but show the Ernie Ball Music Man (EBMM) Sterling model, which is actually an Ernie Ball Music Man model made in USA that features a slimmer body and uses ceramic magnets rather than Alnico or Neodymium. They're VERY confusing with their naming scheme. Sterling by Music Man makes the more budget lines of various EBMM models, and EBMM makes the Sterling, which is sort of a Stingray-Lite. Super confusing.
I shouldn't have watched this video ... I'm not so young and I've always heard such great things about the Stingray Basses and I do appreciate their punchy and deep sound. Now I once again look at my 'stable' and wonder if I can justify adding to it, or even selling something to justify a purchase ! The other thing I will note is that there is something appealing about the aesthetics of the Stingray design just to look at plus the 3 plus 1 headstock makes a lot of sense as well.
What's really fascinating about the new 2019 StingRay is that it took a lot of its updates from Fender's now defuncted Dimension Bass. That's right Ernie Ball, I said it!!!! 18 volt preamp, lightweight tuners, cutaway to reach higher frets, 5 bolt neck, and a neck that feels like it's roasted but is not roasted. And the bass is lightweight. Mine weighs a little over 8LBs.
Fender was actually already doing all that on their Am Deluxe Jazz bass for a few years before the dimension bass was released. The dimension line was definitely more of a stingray copy than the other way around. But I’m inclined to agree that Musicman finally decided to use all those modern features after they saw Fender (who was also kinda late to the game) also decide to do all that Ultimately though the most important innovation on modern active basses is the easy access flip open battery door (and no I’m not joking)
@@kingdeedee All good points. I did fail to mention that the Dimension Bass was Fender's try at making a StingRay. So they did copy StingRay first. I'm glad the two 9V batteries last awhile. BTW, did you see that Fender is reusing the Dimension Bass pickups in the Player Plus Series?
@@jmasno5 yeah I saw they were using a similar pickup on that new meteora bass but I wasn’t quite sure what it was. Frankly I was shocked the dimension bass didn’t last long at all in the lineup because they actually played quite nice from my experience. Of course I shouldn’t be shocked though since anything that’s not a Jazz, P, tele or strat never lasts long with them
Excellent video. Thank you. Love Peter Gabriel too. I’m a TrueFire All Access student who decided recently I wanted to learn bass after listening to a Music Man Dark Ray 5 and purchased one. Stu Hamm (Stu U) has a great program for beginners. I’m working through Bass Basics which teaches tab as well musical notation besides the bass. Love Tim Commerford too and RATM and Audioslave.
I had no idea the new headstock shape was to help remove dead spots. I always just assumed it was to reduce the neck dive compared to a fender. Stingrays always felt more balanced in my hands. The bass community thanks you, Keith.
Been a while Keith, glad you are still making high quality informative vids. I have played with the same bass player and drummer for many years now and while it has been said a band is "only as good as its drummer" when I am improvising I am always riding on that magic carpet that is the bassline.
I'm a guitarist, but some years ago I got a gig playing bass as a hired gun for a local rock band. I didn't own any basses at the time and wasn't sure what to get, so I bought a P-Bass, a Jazz Bass, a StingRay Special, and a G&L LB100. I ended up playing the StingRay on stage, kept the P-Bass as my back-up, and sold the Jazz Bass and the G&L. The P-Bass sounded the best to my ear, but the StingRay was just so much more comfortable to play, and it was able to cut through the mix a bit better. Great bass guitar, for sure.
For decades I've been a Fender man, and I'm retired from playing shows and sessions now, but I'm sorely tempted to get one of those short scale lightweight models you describe towards the end of the video. They really look like fun and a source of needed inspiration. ;)
I recently got my first Stingray, an EBMM Stingray Bombshell model which is one from the Ernie Ball Reserve. Sounds and feels fantastic. They also just announced 5 new short scale models just released. They are worth the money.
I needed a pro level bass late last year and bought a Stingray Special 5h on reputation alone. I wanted a white one and there just happened to be one on reverb for a killer price at the time. It's now one of my favorite instruments. Glad I was able to pick one up then, the used prices have since spiked 40-50% in the last few months and I don't doubt this video will continue the upwards trend
I've been playing guitar for 39 years, and I just bought my very first bass guitar on the weekend; a Sterling Sting Ray bass. Having lots of fun playing and learning bass so far. It certainly is a different beast compared to the guitar, lol. And I have The Real Book as well, from my guitar college days back in the 1980's.
I dont even play bass but as usual I am drawn in by the great production value and well researched information in your videos. Thank you for everything you do Keith! I have also been focusing on the bass when listening to some of my old favorites and it definitely changes the way you hear the music.
I have 2 types of Musicman Stingray bass not mentioned in your excellent video. 1. The Stingray Classic, which has a retro style 2-band EQ and the old-style bridge with the string mutes. I have roundwounds on this one. 2. A Stingray EX, which was an official Musicman Stingray briefly manufactured in Japan using US-made Musciman parts. It has the vintage-style bridge with mutes but the 3-band EQ. I’ve since swapped the preamp with one based on the old 2-band EQ. I have flatwounds on this one. It has that other classic Stingray sound!
Thanks for the story! Bought my Stingray5 natural in ‘99 until it was stolen last year but just replaced with the stunning BFR 35th 5. Wow. Maybe a BFR history review would be a great follow up? 23:28
I bought 2 new Stingray 5's in 2002 from Beaver Felton at Bass Central in Orlando. One was Blue Dawn and the other Autumn Burst. Great basses i still have today but one thing I learned was they didn't like fresh strings. With my fingerstyle they were "clicky". After a couple of weeks they sounded just right though. I used DR Highbeams.
This just melted my brain. Music Man wasn't big around here and I had never seen or even heard of them until about 2016, so I guess I just assumed they were a newer company. I also had no idea Leo Fender had ANYTHING to do with it. I love these videos so much
Brilliant Information thank you!!! Music shop Circa 1980 I took two Basses into the Booth to try ,I was set to by the Kramer, when I turned up to our practice room with my 76 Stingray our lead guitar player went crazy as though I'd scored a winning goal for England world cup ,I still have the Bass. I later met a bass player that actually bought a Kramer and he complained about the neck dive ,and coldness of the aluminium neck.
I have a MM Cutlass 1 with the Modulus neck. Toured with it across Canada with my punk band in the 90s not knowing its rarity: I bought it for $350 a a pawn shop ( hot? probably!). I still use it daily at home and occasionally gig locally with it. Tone and sustain for days but I'm now wary of bringing it out live knowing of its provenance. I've got a late 80s Mosrite Ventures for that, LOL. I should really pick up a Squier PJ for gigging!
Fascinating as usual Hypes! I always learn something about the instruments I own when I watch your videos. Btw, I love my 5 String Stingray. I need to play it more.
If anyone in the world needs to hear "More music; less gear", it's you, Rick!
love ya Beato!
@@dougrobinson8602 - you know that's just a green screen, right?
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
(Joking! Totally joking!!)
Yeah you should! When you hit a few notes on one of those, it makes you want to funk out and walk a groove for a mile or two! (
I see absolutely no good application or need for a 5-string bass. I'm not being a curmudgeon, I genuinely can't think of a single use for any bass with more than 4 strings.
Nice job. I remember when Flea got his first Sting Ray. I said at the time this was the best sounding electric bass I had ever heard. Recently picked up an inexpensive 4 string Sterling Sting Ray. Took it to a gig to show the bass player who plays a beautiful ‘65 Precision. He tried it on the 2nd song of the night. Went back to his bass. In the middle of the 4th song I heard a major improvement in the bass sound. I looked at the sound man who pointed at the bass player- he had switched back to the Sting Ray mid-song and played it the rest of the night. Offered me twice what I paid for it at the end of the night. These Sterlings are an incredible value.
The Sterling version of the Music Man Petruccis are frigging fantastic. So underrated. Quality, tone, etc. Music Man makes uniformly perfect instruments and have SO many features.
Can you specify what model of Sterling are we talking about here, sir? haha Would love to buy one of these!
Two years ago, shortly before the pandemic began, I purchased a Sterling by MusicMan Sub Series Stingray 4. I needed an inexpensive bass that plays and sounds great for gigs at places where I don’t want to risk the unthinkable happening to my much pricier main instrument during a break or loading. I found the stock pickup to be too overwound and woolly, so I spent an additional $100 for a Seymour Duncan 70’s Alnico MM pickup. It now sounds exactly like a late 70’s Stingray! The frets are smooth and level, and the action is great. I played it for two years then decided that I never want to sell it. I spent just a little bit more ( about $80usd) to upgrade the tuners to Schallers. It now stays in tune as well as any of my much more pricey basses. Love it.
@@_baalshamin The Sterling Ray34 and Ray35's can be had for between $750-$1000 brand new (depending on options) and are absolutely fantastic instruments. You basically get an EBMM for half the price. ALNICO pickups, a great 9v 3-band EQ, etc. I have a Ray35 and to my ear it sounds better than my Spector Euro4LX and Dingwall Combustion.
I think the Wal he used on a few recording also sounded very good.
My favorite Sting Ray story is when I picked up a new one at a local GC in the late 90's. They ordered a batch of odd colored orange-ish 5 strings and no one wanted them. I asked the salesman what kind of deal they could make and he came back with 50% off retail. Over 20 years later and it's still my main bass.
Good loard! What a story! I tip my hat 😎
The stingray really opened my eyes as a bass player. Learning the instrument, I was always frustrated with the dull and flat tones that were held up as the golden standard by other players. Then one random session I was handed a stingray with fresh roundwounds and I knew that was my sound right there.
Bernard Edwards 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿
One of my favorite Electric Bass Players.
Greetings from Uganda 🇺🇬👊🏿🖤
Steven Severin of Siouxsie and The Banshees mainly used a black stingray through the late 70's and mid 80's. The bass has a very characteristic sound, added to the effects he used, created a very unique sound for The Banshees. He even appears playing the stingray in the ''Israel'' and ''Happy House'' videos.
The ultimate Stingray man is Bernard Edwards. He may well be the pinnacle of all electric bass playing.
I believe Joe Dart does Bernard better than Bernard, and hes a stingray fella as well.
@@kimmorgan379 preach brother
@@luryas626 no, Bernard had way better tunes
The stingray was developed for the slapmaster Louis johnson of the brothers johnson.💥
@@luryas626 Joe Dart has nowhere near the hands of Bernard Edwards, nor the style. Not to mention Bernard actually played on songs rather than hipster meme music.
Great presentation. I purchased my first Sting Ray new in 1977. It came with flat wound strings. Bought a Sting Ray Special in 2018 and a Sting Ray short scale in 2020. Still have the original (weighs a ton). They all play great and each has their own personality. Now at age 65 I really appreciate the lightness of the short scale.
I love all your Short Histories, but this one was super interesting.
When I get another bass, I'll seriously consider a Stingray. They're pretty iconic.
You won't regret it....unless you buy an overpriced classic just for the look and credentials....get a Sterling for sure. I've owned 13 basses and my 400$ mint green 34" is the best sounding, best playing bass I've ever had. Even better than my mahogany Ibanez SR 500 with twin Bartolinis, and that's really saying something....
Another gem, Keith. I was elated to see that you had just finished the short history of the Sting Ray bass. I bought one in 2000 that is translucent orange with a matching headstock. At that time, every bass had a beautiful bird's-eye neck with no upcharge. But I also remember when gasoline was 25 cents a gal.
I had no idea how many musicians used Sting Rays until I watched your video, and I certainly wasn't aware of all of the changes that have been made to it over the years, plus I finally found out what "OLP" means! As always, I enjoy how informative your videos are.
Also interesting to see you playing a Parker at the beginning of the video.
Hey I got the same bass in translucent orange which I bought in 2003!!!
@@fleamail4 Hey fleamail4, It's too bad that you can't get most of the colors that were available back then; seems like there were at least 20
Really amazing history. Watching this having just got my first bass, a 2022 Stingray Special. I am by no means a bassist, calling myself a guitarist would be a stretch, but the Stingray is the quality of instrument that makes you want to dig in and be better.
i started on my stingray, spent 10 years working with her, went astray, and i’ve been back for three years. absolutely my favorite bass
I was not looking for a new bass when I walked into the music store in 1986. The guys were raving about a used Stingray they just got in. Translucent Teal. It looked like a green toilet seat. But took it down to try anyway to see what all the hype was about. An hour later my wife said....."we bought that didn't we".....yep! My main bass at the time was an Alembic Destroyer. The Sting Ray quickly became my number one. The only bass I have today. My favorite out all guitars, basses, pianos etc that I have ever owned.
I disagree that the sound is in the electronics. Mine has the depth and growl unplugged. It literally shakes my ribs.
My favorite part of the story is me finally getting a StingRay Special last year. Roasted maple neck, 18v preamp, beautiful finish.....Awesome!
Great video! Thank you for making it. One minor point - you included many well know (and a few not as well known) players who play Music Mans. I would have included at least one more - Joe Lally of Fugazi. He doesn't have a signature model. Fugazi was never on MTV and never played Lollapalooza or anything like that. But Fugazi is a legend in the punk/hardcore and independent music scenes. And Joe Lally is a fantastic bass player to boot.
I cant think of anyone more Stingray than Paul Denman of Sade fame. THAT to me is the prime example how Stingray sounds, and how incredibly it can drive it all... yeah, you need to listen to the bass - anyone remembers James Jamerson ? 😍 we all should
Great story. Especially the Tony Levin clips. It’s interesting how the first generation of musical instrument innovators were so closely associated. Thank you for bringing it to us!
I managed to make mine sound gnarly as hell with a fuzz pedal and a fender rumble amp, but I can’t deny how clean these basses sound. I love it.
I’m looking for a new bass amp, which Rumble are you using? How many watts a which cabinet are you using also what’s your favorite fuzz pedal?
Joe Darts first signature model is actually a Sterling body shape, but the Joe Dart Jr is based on a Shortscale Stingray.
I bought a Stingray 5 special in 2018. I’ve played over 300 gigs with it. It is a joy to play every time I pick it up. I emailed them to tell them how much I loved it and Scot Ball wrote me back. Great company!
Great job Keith. I love all the Music Man’s I’ve owned over the years but my favorite, currently own now, is my 2018 Stingray Special. Black with a roasted maple neck, single pickup 4 string featherlight bass.
Well done.
You should've highlighted Louis Johnson more. He made the Stingray bass popular. He is also who it was developed for. R.I.P to him also a true bass legend.
I have yet to see Sterling Ball make a stingray with Louis Johnson’s name on it, to tribute the style of Louis Johnson slap style.
Of course they won't do that because he's Black
@@shawnlewis220 It's because he's Black. Welcome to America
@@stevejames5357 Sterling Ball isn't black😅
I have been playing bass since 1969, always played Fenders and an Ovation Magnum but when I heard Paul Denman play, I took notice and went and checked out a Sting Ray. The pickup is a bit too close to the bridge for my style of playing, but man was it a sweet playing bass. Thanks Keith.
Over the years I have worked on so many StingRays I got to know them backwards along with the detailed history. Your overview of the company is very good and true. There are a few additions though; the original StingRay bass design was actually a pre-amped P-Bass split coil not a humbucker, there were 4 preamp designs before the final chosen design, The radio knob '76s are the most coveted with the longer pole pieces and the originals are called brownbursts. The reason for the fall out with CLF was twofold, poor paint jobs and the truss rods were installed flat so would provide no relief - Japanese dealers in fact returned them. The original StingRay NAMM100 anniversary model is actually the Flea bass that never went into production.
Thanks for the knowledge. Respect 👊
Did you work for Musicman?
@@IRevealTheMagic No, but I specialise in repair and rebuilds of pre EB StingRays so know many of the employees etc.
@@slapitman Thats awesome
You keep showing us that Parker Fly! I’m beginning to think we need a short history!
Ken Parker is featured in a video with his prototype. I think it’s even cooler.
My intro to the MM Stingray - Louis J, Pino P and Bernard E. Still my favourite bass. Our guitarist had one of the MM amps from the 70's - talk about vertical hair factor, it was that loud. Thanks Keith, I always come to your corner when the world starts getting a bit much.
As a new bass player, this was a very informative video. So much intertwined history between these companies. Thanks for sharing.
Apparently Sterling Ball grew up in Newport Beach. One of his female friends was a shy redheaded girl named Susan Thomas who played flute in the HS orchestra. While visiting the Ball household, cluttered with instruments all through the living room, Sue gets this epiphany to pick up the bass guitar.
She later joins two other girls, Joan Larkin and Sandy West under a sleazebag named Kim Fowley who form The (first) Runaways, Susan changing her name to Micki Steele, and Larkin to Joan Jett.
Steele gets fired some months later, drifts around LA as a bar band bassists, and in '83 joins The Bangles as Michael Steele.
Steele also played a Sabre briefly in The Bangles.
HELL YEAH DUDE!!! I VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS VIDEO FOR A WHILE!
BIG LUV
The bass was created for Louis Johnson for slapping. He helped create the sound in the R&D process. Thats why there is a space between the pickup and neck for his right hand
I can't thank you enough for this excellent history of Music Man. I was fascinated with the Stingray as a teenager in the 70's but couldn't afford one. I watched the company as they evolved, but the history of Fender, Ernie Ball, Sterling always was a mystery to me. Now I know the story. As an adult, my dream came true when I purchased the "Classic" Stingray in sunburst , with the single pickup and birdseye neck. Now I even know the cool story about the external truss rod adjustment nut! No more mysteries, thanks to you.
on the question of truefire, i started out with fenderplay when i bought my "i need something to get my mind off of covid" affinity, the sticker on it told me to. before i was even vaguely an advanced beginner, i felt i ran out of steam at fenderplay. not knowing what to do next, i took your advice and went to truefire. wow! there is no running out of steam at truefire! i bought a bunch of deeply discounted courses and now have enough material to carry me well into 2023 and maybe even 2024. i am thrilled!
Months ago I was really busy and missed a lot of your videos and now binging on them. My friend is a semi famous bassist and plays Music Man exclusively and its cool you have this video.I sent it to him and again nice you have a video no one else would do.
Thank you for a great video! Glad you throw in occasional episodes featuring a bass. Keep up the good work!
Great stuff Keith. Thanks. It was very interesting to hear the “who’s who” of Fender, Music Man and G&L. I learned from the recent Martin Kelly Rickenbacker book that Forest White worked there after leaving Fender but before joining Music Man. The guitar world in California was a small place in the early ‘70s!
To my mind, the two most beautiful bass designs are the StingRay and the Rickenbacker 4001/4003. Happy to see you've done videos on both now. I have a Ray34, and even though it's not the American model it sounds and feels amazing. I love the punchiness of the pickup. Just like the Rick, it's a tone you can't get anywhere else.
Hey thanx so much for the history on MusicMan. As a kid @ 14 I had been in love with the Sting Ray and was seriously wishing for one. My friend Todd had one and I was so in love with his bass, and I'll include jealous! He never really let me touch the bass, and then he up and sold it for a measly $300 to fund a radio controlled car he claimed to make good money from building & selling them. I was Pissed off to the highest level of pisstivity! That was 1978. In 1981 I traded my fretless Precission for his MusicMan finally giving me that bass. But it wasn't quite like my buddy Todd's MusicMan Bass. Eventually I traded it for a Fender Jazz in the mid 80s. It had a phase warp in the fretboard that later in the early 90s a great guitar builder named Jon Warden fixed it for me. Around 1992, '93 I saw my best friend Funky Ned playing a beautiful blue Ernie Ball 5. I was earning a lot of money in those days and I immediately went out the next day and brought one. Around 2000 or 2001 I traded it for a G&L 5 and I've regretted it ever since.
However now once I finally get out of this nursing home and back to work I'm going to buy a 35th Anniversary Edition!
Back in the early 2000s, my great grandmother, who had been a lifelong guitar enthusiast, made a heartwarming promise to buy me a bass guitar. Her intention was to provide me with an instrument that would stay with me throughout my life. At that point, I already had about six years of experience playing the bass, and I had a clear vision of the sound I was after.
I vividly recall the day when my mom and I visited the local guitar center, with the expectation that I would walk out with a Warwick bass. I sat down and played the Warwick, which provided me with a fantastic musical experience. However, it was during that same visit that I laid my hands on a Stingray 4.
What struck me about the Stingray 4 was the incredible versatility it offered, thanks to its preamp. It felt like I had complete control over every aspect of the sound, allowing me to shape it to perfection. I made the decision to place an order for a black cherry burst Stingray 4, and since then, I haven't felt the need to own any other bass.
Great stuff Keith - a must-Watch, for any StingRay fan. As a guitar-player, I purchased a Sterling short-scale Stingray and I absolutely love it with my Fender Rumble 100 amp. I just hope someone eventually makes some Drop-in Replacement Upgraded Tuners ?
This story is amongst the greatest of all time and I thank you sincerely for the forthright clarification, historical truths and novel research and development inlightenment.
Great stuff once again Keith. Steve, who played in several bands with me in my hometown back in the '80s, had a beautiful Stingray which he loved and which sounded just great through practically any rig. We were in a Who tribute band for a time and it had the power for the job alright! We played a gig on the South coast (UK) which was in a really hot and sweaty club. Steve was a finger player apart from the solo to My Generation for which he used a pick - which he used to wedge in the top of the Stingray's scratch plate ready to grab when the time came. This particular night both he and the guitar were covered in sweat and he couldn't get a grip to pull the thing out. He tried frantically and repeatedly as the rest of us gave him the break. To the casual observer it must have looked like he was trying to play Entwistle's solo by missing the strings entirely time and time again. As a band we should have shown solidarity I know, but I'm afraid we were too busy rolling about laughing...
Thank you so much! Nice to see you finally making this vid! Stingrays have always been my favourite bass to use for their banging sound!
Thanks for this terrific video - informative and inspiring!
I got my first Stingray in the 90s and, this week, my first Stingray USA short-scale will arrive. I can't wait for it - these superb basses are such a thrill to play and hear.
The first Stingray bass I'd ever noticed was the one the guy in the British band 'Racey' had played (Biggest hit 'Some Girls') in the late 70's, when I was 8 or 9; It had a natural finish and no pickguard. The bassist of The Teens (then being promoted as "Europe's youngest Rock band") also had one, also natural but with a black pickguard. I'm 52 now and just realised I've never ever tried one so far! 😆 Thank you for the video, Keith! And greetings from NZ! 👋 😀
my great uncle was a touring bassist and guitarist, and he swore by music man. he had a vintage sting ray and all his amps and cabs were music man that he got in the late 70,s and earlyy 80's. that was my introduction to music man and the fact he used all that gear for 40+ years on the road is why i will always attribute the brand with quality
The Music Man Stingray came out way back when I was in highschool. My first exposure to the Stingray was John Deacon of Queen, what a class act he was!
Great video, thanks for posting!
John Deacon is so underrated but he just complements the songs so well .
You can identify a StingRay bass _immediately_ upon hearing it, sight unseen. Whether that's while listening to music on your stereo or hearing someone play one from beyond your line of sight. The same way you would a Strat, Les Paul, Telecaster, a 100 watt Marshall or Rhodes and Mellotron pianos. To me that's one of, if not _the_ highest compliment that can be attributed to any model of a particular instrument.
Funny - of that list of iconic, eminently identifiable instrument models (including the StingRay), four out of the seven were either wholly or partially designed or (like the Rhodes piano) brought to market by Leo Fender. Even the original model of the iconic Marshall was simply a direct recreation of Leo Fender's 5F6-A circuit model, tweed era Fender Bassman amp of 1958 to early 1960. Simply using the British tubes and transformers available to them.
Furthermore, the remaining item on the list; the Les Paul, although it wasn't designed or manufactured _with_ Mr. Fender or a nearly identical copy _of_ any of his designs, it may never have come to fruition were it not _because_ of Leo Fender. Or more accurately the need to keep up before his design prowess took over the electric instrument market *completely.*
Les Paul (the man, not the guitar) was a huge star in the 1940's and 50's. Some time in 1947 he sat in his living room with a couple friends, colleagues and acquaintances. One of whom being Mr. Leo Fender himself. Les discussed what he rightly saw as the need for a solid body electric guitar to combat the feedback issues of the hollow body guitars used at the time (venues and therefore _amps_ we're getting bigger and feedback was becoming an increasing issue). Some say it was at least partially the reason Leo Fender designed the Telecaster.
Les Paul played (and loved) Gibson hollow body guitars but was playing Fender's "Super" amp. In the late 1940's Les Paul approached Gibson with an early idea for a solid body guitar called the "log" that Gibson turned down. By early 1951 Leo Fender was doing everything he could to get Les Paul to use and endorse the Telecaster. Les wasn't crazy about the Telecaster and viewed it as a more simplistic, rudimentary "working man's" instrument. He wanted something he saw as more in line with his stature (some say he was a bit of a narcissist, who knows for sure) Instead, Les went _back_ to Gibson and _insisted_ they build him a solid body guitar based on but "better appointed" than the Telecaster or "this Leo Fender is going to take over the world and you all will be left to the shit heap of history."
Gotta give it to Leo.
Agreed!
I kinda love how all the guys who ended up being the most important figures in the creation of the solid body electric guitar as we know it knew each other. Doc Kauffman and Paul Bigsby were also in that group of acquaintances, because of course they were.
I’ve owned a lot of basses and still have a handful but after getting my ebmm stingray classic I pretty much only play that now. It’s a fantastic instrument and it’s the sturdiest bass I’ve ever played. Everything on it feels substantial and I love the feel. The sound speaks for itself. The neck is my favorite part. It’s birdseye maple with a super thick rosewood fretboard.
I’m a guitarist now, but bass was my first and lasting love. Finally got a Stingray a year ago and love it.
You should do a deep dive on the Fender Showman and how Dick Dale needed a louder amp and Leo decided to change the game and make An amp with like 3 times the wattage than any previous amp. its a good story and the showman got lost to history even though it was one of the most important steps in the progression of guitar amplification. Great videos man keep it up!
GREAT job on this history! I like how you thank everyone, too. Thank YOU!
The Music Man was my first bass. It was a 4-string. Later on, after moving to LA to become a big-time bassist (so I thought), I bought a 5-string. When I saw that maroon 5-string it reminded me of my very first 6-string guitar, which was red. I knew 5-string would be popular the moment I saw it hanging there on the store wall in Hollywood back in the mid-90s. I hadn't planned on buying a bass that day, but I'm glad I bought it. I got it for $1300 brand new. I consider the sound an upgrade to the fender bass sound. It's punchy, clean, sounds awesome to slap, and the low B is solid, due to the weight of the bass and the maple neck. Other than the string height, I've never had to do any adjustments to either of my basses. All I need is some nickel-wound D'Addario strings to get a sound that's just right. There's no way I would ever sell my Music Man basses.
Awesome history of these bass guitars... Thank you :)
Bernard Edwards made me fall in love with the Music Man Stingray ❤
I've had both a Music Man StingRay 5 and a Sterling StingRay 5 both are very capable instruments. Very distinctive in their tone and playability.
A great expose of an iconic bass that shook the music world!!!! The monstrous, growly, and punchy tone is a fit for multiple genres and never gets lost in the mix!!! I love my Sterling by Music Man Ray 35!!!
Finally, I waited so long for this one :)
Totally worth the wait.
One of my favourite EBMM players is Jim Glennie of the band James, who has favoured a Sterling since they came out in the 90s. He has a way of doing lead bass in a subtle, tasteful way - driving songs without overpowering them.
Fascinating !!! Beyond what i expected. Well played !
Great video. My first, and primary, bass is a Stingray and I love it.
Hey Keith! As always, nice mini-documentary on this fabulous instrument. You can see in my profile photo, I'm playing a Transluscent Blue Sting Ray (made in Obispo), with three band active EQ and a unique birdseye maple neck,+ maple body. I believe it was an 'End of production', one of a kind instrument. I was told this were instruments that were made last in the year's serie and were exceptional. Sadly, it was stolen at a concert in Spain. Thanks again for your efforts in bringging this stories and, once again, sorry for my bad English! Take care!
A few more StingRay artists of note are Charles Meeks who performed with Chuck Mangione, Paul Spencer Denman of Sade, and Ross Valory of Journey during Arnel Pineda's early years with the group.
Hi Keith. Another brilliant video, thanks very much for sharing. I made a Stingray copy for my daughter’s 21st birthday this year. It’s been great to hear the full story of these basses, such a cool and influential guitar. Great job as always.
You're videos are incredible. The Music Man for me is truly the P-Bass v 3.0.
With the G&L L-1000 being the Final Form.
I have accepted that my MD is getting too advanced for me to play any of these safely anymore. They are all way to big.
I've gone short scale and headless.
But my love for Fender's designs and style are truly my first loves.
Simon Gallup rocked a Stingray in the mid to late eighties. Checkout the video on the Cure in Orange. He preferred it in the studio and felt it was a little bit too ringy for live.
Great vidéo.
Thank you very much.
I'm a proud owner and user of a stingray since 1992 and stingray 5 since 1993.
I've used a lot of basses in my life, but the only ones I've never been able to blame are my two Stingrays.
Long Live Stingray.
Got my first Stingray 5 a few weeks ago and I’m absolutely in love. It might usurp my Precision as my #1. Omg the tones on this thing are a monster.
What a great vid! When I'm typing this I was thinking about a good book about Music Man - it doesn't excist - and there you say it! You know I'm editor of a bass magazine and this video is just perfect! Thanks!
Great job as always, Keith. Your smooth voice matched the story of the StingRay perfectly. Keep up the great work!
Great Video and Historical Analysis of the Stingray!!!
Thank you for not forgetting us OLP players, my OLP Stingray 5 with replacement pickups made for me by Corey Nordstrand is a unique instrument I always have nearby and love.
Hi Keith I'm not sure how I missed this yesterday.. catching up this morning.. great way to start my straturday..ty man
At 21:14 you mention the Sterling by Music Man (SMM) line but show the Ernie Ball Music Man (EBMM) Sterling model, which is actually an Ernie Ball Music Man model made in USA that features a slimmer body and uses ceramic magnets rather than Alnico or Neodymium. They're VERY confusing with their naming scheme. Sterling by Music Man makes the more budget lines of various EBMM models, and EBMM makes the Sterling, which is sort of a Stingray-Lite. Super confusing.
I shouldn't have watched this video ... I'm not so young and I've always heard such great things about the Stingray Basses and I do appreciate their punchy and deep sound. Now I once again look at my 'stable' and wonder if I can justify adding to it, or even selling something to justify a purchase !
The other thing I will note is that there is something appealing about the aesthetics of the Stingray design just to look at plus the 3 plus 1 headstock makes a lot of sense as well.
Great video! I've been a Stingray player since 1990 and currently have a 1979 Stingray and a 2018 Stingray V Special HH!
What's really fascinating about the new 2019 StingRay is that it took a lot of its updates from Fender's now defuncted Dimension Bass. That's right Ernie Ball, I said it!!!! 18 volt preamp, lightweight tuners, cutaway to reach higher frets, 5 bolt neck, and a neck that feels like it's roasted but is not roasted. And the bass is lightweight. Mine weighs a little over 8LBs.
Fender was actually already doing all that on their Am Deluxe Jazz bass for a few years before the dimension bass was released. The dimension line was definitely more of a stingray copy than the other way around. But I’m inclined to agree that Musicman finally decided to use all those modern features after they saw Fender (who was also kinda late to the game) also decide to do all that
Ultimately though the most important innovation on modern active basses is the easy access flip open battery door (and no I’m not joking)
@@kingdeedee All good points. I did fail to mention that the Dimension Bass was Fender's try at making a StingRay. So they did copy StingRay first. I'm glad the two 9V batteries last awhile.
BTW, did you see that Fender is reusing the Dimension Bass pickups in the Player Plus Series?
@@jmasno5 yeah I saw they were using a similar pickup on that new meteora bass but I wasn’t quite sure what it was. Frankly I was shocked the dimension bass didn’t last long at all in the lineup because they actually played quite nice from my experience. Of course I shouldn’t be shocked though since anything that’s not a Jazz, P, tele or strat never lasts long with them
Excellent video. Thank you. Love Peter Gabriel too. I’m a TrueFire All Access student who decided recently I wanted to learn bass after listening to a Music Man Dark Ray 5 and purchased one. Stu Hamm (Stu U) has a great program for beginners. I’m working through Bass Basics which teaches tab as well musical notation besides the bass. Love Tim Commerford too and RATM and Audioslave.
I had no idea the new headstock shape was to help remove dead spots. I always just assumed it was to reduce the neck dive compared to a fender. Stingrays always felt more balanced in my hands. The bass community thanks you, Keith.
Fantastic video, both in production and sheer volume of information. Great job!
Been a while Keith, glad you are still making high quality informative vids. I have played with the same bass player and drummer for many years now and while it has been said a band is "only as good as its drummer" when I am improvising I am always riding on that magic carpet that is the bassline.
I'm a guitarist, but some years ago I got a gig playing bass as a hired gun for a local rock band. I didn't own any basses at the time and wasn't sure what to get, so I bought a P-Bass, a Jazz Bass, a StingRay Special, and a G&L LB100. I ended up playing the StingRay on stage, kept the P-Bass as my back-up, and sold the Jazz Bass and the G&L. The P-Bass sounded the best to my ear, but the StingRay was just so much more comfortable to play, and it was able to cut through the mix a bit better. Great bass guitar, for sure.
For decades I've been a Fender man, and I'm retired from playing shows and sessions now, but I'm sorely tempted to get one of those short scale lightweight models you describe towards the end of the video. They really look like fun and a source of needed inspiration. ;)
I recently got my first Stingray, an EBMM Stingray Bombshell model which is one from the Ernie Ball Reserve. Sounds and feels fantastic. They also just announced 5 new short scale models just released. They are worth the money.
@@melissaerliech9148 Fantastic! Now I have to take a look at them. :-)
I needed a pro level bass late last year and bought a Stingray Special 5h on reputation alone. I wanted a white one and there just happened to be one on reverb for a killer price at the time. It's now one of my favorite instruments. Glad I was able to pick one up then, the used prices have since spiked 40-50% in the last few months and I don't doubt this video will continue the upwards trend
Thank you for giving Louis Johnson credit for using Musicman basses Louis seem to be always overlooked for his contribution for playing these basses.
Always sharing quality content
I've been playing guitar for 39 years, and I just bought my very first bass guitar on the weekend; a Sterling Sting Ray bass. Having lots of fun playing and learning bass so far. It certainly is a different beast compared to the guitar, lol. And I have The Real Book as well, from my guitar college days back in the 1980's.
I dont even play bass but as usual I am drawn in by the great production value and well researched information in your videos. Thank you for everything you do Keith!
I have also been focusing on the bass when listening to some of my old favorites and it definitely changes the way you hear the music.
Great job! I hadn’t payed attention to Music Man. It was great to learn more. Fender roots are everywhere!
I have 2 types of Musicman Stingray bass not mentioned in your excellent video.
1. The Stingray Classic, which has a retro style 2-band EQ and the old-style bridge with the string mutes. I have roundwounds on this one.
2. A Stingray EX, which was an official Musicman Stingray briefly manufactured in Japan using US-made Musciman parts. It has the vintage-style bridge with mutes but the 3-band EQ. I’ve since swapped the preamp with one based on the old 2-band EQ. I have flatwounds on this one. It has that other classic Stingray sound!
Thanks for the history lesson! Very informative. I have a Sterling MM 34CA. Enjoyed seeing.
Thanks for the story! Bought my Stingray5 natural in ‘99 until it was stolen last year but just replaced with the stunning BFR 35th 5. Wow. Maybe a BFR history review would be a great follow up? 23:28
oh boy a new 5 Watt; something to watch while the wife watches Entertainment Tonight
Grand video, very informative. Had a Musicman bass back in the late 80's, sold it for £100 when I was skint, regretted it ever since, ce la vie.
Thanks so much for these history lessons.
I am a big fan of the G&L line of basses and would love to see you cover those.😉👍
I bought 2 new Stingray 5's in 2002 from Beaver Felton at Bass Central in Orlando. One was Blue Dawn and the other Autumn Burst. Great basses i still have today but one thing I learned was they didn't like fresh strings. With my fingerstyle they were "clicky". After a couple of weeks they sounded just right though. I used DR Highbeams.
This just melted my brain. Music Man wasn't big around here and I had never seen or even heard of them until about 2016, so I guess I just assumed they were a newer company. I also had no idea Leo Fender had ANYTHING to do with it. I love these videos so much
It’s been a long time, I’ve been waiting for this to be uploaded. Finally!
Brilliant Information thank you!!! Music shop Circa 1980 I took two Basses into the Booth to try ,I was set to by the Kramer, when I turned up to our practice room with my 76 Stingray our lead guitar player went crazy as though I'd scored a winning goal for England world cup ,I still have the Bass. I later met a bass player that actually bought a Kramer and he complained about the neck dive ,and coldness of the aluminium neck.
The bass is the motor of the jam... dropping knowledge on em today buddy... lol those are such words of wisdom
I have a MM Cutlass 1 with the Modulus neck. Toured with it across Canada with my punk band in the 90s not knowing its rarity: I bought it for $350 a a pawn shop ( hot? probably!). I still use it daily at home and occasionally gig locally with it. Tone and sustain for days but I'm now wary of bringing it out live knowing of its provenance. I've got a late 80s Mosrite Ventures for that, LOL. I should really pick up a Squier PJ for gigging!