The Usual Questions and The Search Function

[bovinehost]

Gentlemen and any ladies that may or may not be present:

Some questions seem to be asked over and over and over and over and over again.

1. Should I buy a Sterling/Stingray/Bongo?

2. What kind of strings work on X bass?

3. Where can I get a pickguard?

4. What's so great about X bass?

5. What color blah blah blah.

Do yourself a favor. Before asking a question such as those above, USE THE SEARCH function. Many of the previous threads will have the information you seek and probably some you hadn't yet thought of.

Plus it keeps the clutter down.

Thanks!

Jack

[TNT]

. . .Plus it keeps the clutter down.. . .

You're welcome!! From here on out I will be officially "clutter" free. Now, if I can only do that in my garage at home?

[bovinehost]

If you're new to the forum, we first thank you for your participation and secondly, offer up this scalable Forum FAQ. Hopefully, this will cut down on the number of repetitious threads, such as "Bass X versus Bass Z" and where to get pickguards and whether your bass should go back to San Luis Obispo for a truss rod adjustment.

Here then are the question we most often see repeated - and some info that may help you to avoid repetition.

1. What's better, a Sterling or a Stingray?

A: The Sterling players will say the Sterling. The Stingray players will choose the Stingray. Meanwhile, the Bongo players will further confuse the issue. This is an opinion question, and everyone will have one. Play each bass. Try to play it in a non-wanker environment or even with your musical ensemble. Basses sound one way solo and another way in the mix. Only you really know what's right for you, right? Play it, feel it, listen to it, decide.

2. When should I consider sending my bass back to Ernie Ball?

A: If your bass is under warranty and has a serious problem that hasn't been caused by damage or abuse, you may want to consider this option. If the problem is minor and could be solved locally, you should first talk to Jon or one of the other EB reps and see if there is a faster fix available (ie, part mailed to you, local, trusted repair facility utilized). Yes, you will probably have to pay for the repair, but the cost will be less than shipping the bass back to the factory.

3. When should I consider having work done locally?

A: See above. If your bass simply needs adjustment, it is cost-prohibitive to ship it back to San Luis Obispo. Also, with shipping, there is also the risk that the bass could be lost or damaged in transit. Small repairs are probably best handled locally, but it's always okay to ask one of the experts here.

4. Should I buy a Warwick/Fender/Rickenbacker/Rogue/Wal?

A: Of course not.

5. Where can I get a replacement pickguard?

A: Ernie Ball sells pickguards. You can order them through your local dealer, which is the easiest way. There are aftermarket guards available and the forum regulars can point you in that direction if you need something "special".

6. How do I get replacement parts for my Ernie Ball bass?

A: Through customer service at Ernie Ball, of course. Small items such as screws, nuts, knobs, etc are available for a small charge. Ernie Ball does not sell necks, bodies, pickups or other large items. If you have a damaged or otherwise unsatisfactory body/neck/pickup/etc, you can contact Customer Service and, with the return of the damaged item, you may be able to purchase an replacement.


7. Can I exchange my fretted/fretless neck for a fretted/fretless neck?

A: No. All parts exchanges are one for one, and the items will be identical.

8. Why did Ernie Ball stop producing my favorite finish?

A: Because you were the only person who really, really loved it. Okay, not really, but if a finish is popular and sells well, it will remain as an option. If it doesn't sell well, it goes the way of the dinosaurs. Yes, I know how many of you love sparkle finishes, but they simply didn't sell well enough when they were current.

9. How do I learn to do my own setups?

A: Jon and Scott are currently revising the setup instructions and FAQ on the EB website. Meanwhile, there is plenty of good information here and elsewhere on the net. Use the search function first!

10. How can I find the DOB of my bass?

A: One of the sticky threads at the top of the forum contains a link to a fairly extensive collection of serial numbers which will help you date your bass. You can also post a thread here and one of the company reps will give you an exact DOB.

11. Can I put a For Sale ad here on the forum?

A: If you're a regular member and the item is an EB/MM product, and it doesn't get out of hand, it's okay. If it begins to become a problem or turn into a classified ad space, we'll revisit the issue.

12. Can we discuss discount prices on the forum?

A: No. EBMM does not allow dealers to post discount prices on the internet, and it subverts that policy if we post discount prices here on the forum.

13. Who is the best/most influential/most talented bassist?

A: In a recent poll, the answer that came up most frequently was "Danny Partridge", although Peter Tork was a very close second. What does this mean? That asking this question will almost certainly get your thread deleted!

14. Why was my thread/post deleted?

A: There are a number of reasons that posts end up gone. Numero uno is it's best to remember that this is the Ernie Ball Musicman forum, not the Ibanez or Fender or, God forbid, Gibson forum, so let's have a little respect for who pays the bills. Also, any insults regarding Danny Partridge or Peter Tork will result in immediate disqualification. Jon takes a dim view of anyone insulting guitar players, but that's mostly just him.


15. Do the moderators work for Ernie Ball?

A: Yes and no. We don't get paid, as far as I know, but have been entrusted to ensure that things here stay on topic and within certain limits. Some of the mods and admins actually DO get paid (Jon, Derek, Dargin, and others) but not for doing THIS. We're fortunate to have those guys around to answer questions, and please keep in mind that the company reps here do have real jobs and do the forum thing out of a sense of obligation to us.

16. Will Jon hunt me down and kill me if I send him an instrument packed in foam peanuts?

A: Yes he will.

17. I ordered a bass! Who do I ask about the status of my bass?

A: Your retailer. The factory is making basses as fast as possible. Please understand that the forum is not for checking where in the build process your bass is. The proper way to ask is THROUGH YOUR DEALER. Not to be mean or anything, but threads about "Where's my bass, dude?" will be deleted.

18. Will heat hurt my bass?

A: (From Dudley G) It's not a good idea to allow your instrument to get hot for a lot of reasons. It can cause structural and cosmetic problems, so take every precaution to avoid it. We go to great lengths to build a very SOLID instrument, but wood is wood, it warps under heat and tension, and heat is very bad for glue joints. The hotter it gets, and the longer it stays that way, the more likely you will have problems.

What if it gets hot?

Get the instrument into a normal temperature environment, and allow it to cool off. Don't put it in front of an air conditioner, or anywhere that will cause a drastic temperature or humidity change. DO NOT make any radical adjustments to the instrument until it cools down!!

Once it has normalized, check it over. If there is no apparent damage, you're probably fine, and there is no need to worry.

Truss rods and humidity;
All wood necks move with changes in temperature, and especially humidity, so they require adjustment. The beauty of the Music Man truss rod design is that it is so easy to access, and simple to adust. You can tweak the rod for optimum bow in the neck in a matter of seconds. Learning to adjust the truss rod, and having a tool dedicated to the job with your guitar can make your playing experience much more enjoyable.

Desiccant packs are very good for humid conditions, but should be avoided where conditions are extremely dry. Solid body guitars are far less prone to serious damage than acoustic instuments, but can be adversely affected by too much, or too little moisture. Just be aware of the conditions your guitar lives in, and take common sense precautions to avoid exteremes.

Intonation;
Changes in the action height due to bow in the neck will affect intonation. Intonation is set to compensate for the strings moving a certain distance when notes are fretted. The more this distance changes, the more intonation changes. The solution is to keep the neck adjusted to consistent action height, and the intonation will follow.

19. Hey! Big Poppa is actually Sterling Ball! Can I send him PMs about my volume knobs?

A. No. We're fortunate, mostly, to have BP posting regularly on the forum, answering questions about history of the company and his odd gang of pals, but he is frequently overloaded with private messages that should be directed to Customer Service or posted on the open forum. Unless you are actually me, don't PM the old man, please.



__________________________________________________ ____________

We'll be adding to this as things come up but hopefully this will help.

Thanks!

[bovinehost]

If you have questions about nearly anything to do with your EBMM instrument, here is a good place to start:

music-man-basses | faq

[bass cowboy]

I wanted to say thanks for posting the FAQ. It is helpful in many areas.

[2ndBassGuitar]

You're welcome!! From here on out I will be officially "clutter" free. Now, if I can only do that in my garage at home?

2853 posts and NOW you are going to keep the clutter down? ;-) just saying..... I am trying really hard not to have fun at the Mod's expense

[TNT]

Well, actually I had a garage sale recently!!! Not sure if it helped that much!

[T28]

If you have questions about nearly anything to do with your EBMM instrument, here is a good place to start:

music-man-basses | faq

Are the facts down? I get a "404 - Resource not found" message when I click on the link.

Thanks

[keko]

4. Should I buy a Warwick/Fender/Rickenbacker/Rogue/Wal?[/B]

A: Of course not.

+1

Amen to that!

[DrKev]

Tool sizes required for Music Man instruments...

StingRay saddles 1/16” or 1.5 mm
Chrome/Black knobs 5/64”
Bass Bridge Bolts 1/8”

Floyd Rose Saddle hold down screw 2.5mm
Floyd Rose collar set screw 1.5mm
Floyd Rose locking nut 3 mm
Guitar Saddle Height Screws 1.5mm
Tremolo Bar adj (drag screw) 1.5mm
Trem pivots 4mm

[gangway]

I ask for help. You need an electric and a wiring scheme for the guitar bass of the Music Man saber of the Ernie Ball period. Thanks in advance for the answer.

[gangway]

I ask for help. You need an electric and a wiring scheme for the guitar bass of the Music Man saber of the Ernie Ball period. Thanks in advance for the answer.

[bovinehost]

Call Customer Service and they may be able to help you with the wiring schematics for the Sabre.