I want a Musicman Stingray Headless Bass

**muggsy** · 11-12-2020, 09:31 AM

I get the appeal of fanned frets much more than headless, but the bottom line is no manufacturer can be all things to all people. If you want a headless bass, there are options in the marketplace. Fanned frets, same thing. But I don't see EBMM doing either one. I mean, they are all about pushing the design envelope (Bongo, Big Al, Reflex/Game Changer, etc.) but stuff that doesn't sell gets discontinued. I love my Big Al, and there's nothing else like it, but the market spoke and they listened. I'm quite sure the market for headless and fanned frets is miniscule as a percentage of all basses sold.

**danny-79** · 11-12-2020, 05:55 PM

I’ve only ever seen one company that offers both on the same bass. Might be more but it’s not something that interests me so not looked too hard.
But regardless. I can’t see EBMM offering either anytime soon (I hope

)

**MarcMurder** · 11-12-2020, 08:57 PM

I'd been thinking of getting a fretless unlined and having it refretted for multiscale, having the nut reslotted, and swapping the bridge for solo rails to accommodate. the only thing stopping me is that the longest scale would be 34.

**mmbassplayer** · 11-16-2020, 04:45 PM

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. I remember doing a headless Bongo PS back in the day and posting it on here also (I think there is also a Singlecut Bongo). JOSH

I want a Musicman Stingray Headless Bass-stingray-mod-jpg

**MarcMurder** · 11-16-2020, 06:25 PM

Wouldn't headless. I don't need the weight or balance change. Just fanned fret.

**brash47** · 11-21-2020, 10:49 AM

I made the first No reply.
I personally like a few of the headless and even fanned fret offerings currently out there.

For me, EBMM has a formula that works. There is a tradition and look that is EBMM, even the radical Bongo design (of which i have 3 now) is still definitely EBMM.

Alot of thought goes into a brand and making that brand universally known. Even if they did do this, I would hope they would partner with someone (as they did on the Bongo) to make it a sensible item for EBMM to produce and sell. With a long term look ahead.

But in the end, I do not think it would have the same "ICONIC" feel, look, or sound that is synonymous with EBMM.

There are plenty of musical instrument brands out there doing this. EBMM is a niche offering, but an amazing niche offering that is "iconic".

But with its "icon" status is its classic instrument status. I haven't seen people asking or clamoring for a headless Fender Jazz, Fender Precision and such EBMM is at this status. You go to EBMM looking for those particular products...Stingray, Sterling, Bongo. I just do not think it would sell. And in the end....that is the big picture. Don't produce something that isn't going to sell.

Brash

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**MarcMurder** · 11-21-2020, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by brash47

I made the first No reply.
I personally like a few of the headless and even fanned fret offerings currently out there.

For me, EBMM has a formula that works. There is a tradition and look that is EBMM, even the radical Bongo design (of which i have 3 now) is still definitely EBMM.

Alot of thought goes into a brand and making that brand universally known. Even if they did do this, I would hope they would partner with someone (as they did on the Bongo) to make it a sensible item for EBMM to produce and sell. With a long term look ahead.

But in the end, I do not think it would have the same "ICONIC" feel, look, or sound that is synonymous with EBMM.

There are plenty of musical instrument brands out there doing this. EBMM is a niche offering, but an amazing niche offering that is "iconic".

But with its "icon" status is its classic instrument status. I haven't seen people asking or clamoring for a headless Fender Jazz, Fender Precision and such EBMM is at this status. You go to EBMM looking for those particular products...Stingray, Sterling, Bongo. I just do not think it would sell. And in the end....that is the big picture. Don't produce something that isn't going to sell.

Brash

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Fwiw I assume people don't clamor about a fanned p or j because they exist

**brash47** · 11-23-2020, 09:45 AM

Getting into fanned is a different thing. I was purely referring to the headless bass. I have enjoyed fanned fret basses and wouldn't mind one. But again, selling them is a different thing.

But I don't believe the basses in your pics are produced by Fender?

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**MarcMurder** · 11-23-2020, 04:23 PM

No, they aren't, we both know fender doesn't make them.
But nobody is asking for a fanned p or j because they exist and can be purchased.
The closest we have to an ebmm is a Samuel Martyn from Brazil.

**MarcMurder** · 12-23-2020, 02:25 PM

I would like to ammend my statement about headless instruments when saying that I couldn't see any benefits other than weight and balance distribution. I got to work with a buddy who lives for headless instruments like I do for multislace. We got to talking about the instruments themselves and I was complaining that I love my 37 scale but I hate buying strings for it & I love Cobalts too much.

For those who don't know EB string won't work on some multi scale because length

Anyway he had a 37 headless and I brought a few packs of Cobalts. Since there was no Peg to wind around it fit.

Tl;dr
I support headless basses and am now on the train for a multi scale/ multi scale & headless as long as I can use these Cobalts. And I mean this in a serious functional way, not in a 80s flair way, even though the first color I'd get would be pink

**DoublebassTim** · 01-06-2021, 09:30 PM

The funny thing was for a period of time the Stingray was thought of as the ugly bass by some (not me). People could not get pass the P or Jazz bass look. That later change as it became popular in the 90s again. Then the bongo bass came along and was very weird looking a some people (again not me). If any company can make a bass and push boundary's its EB. I have always admired that big Poppa has tried to push those boundary's. I heard an interview where they tried a wheat board material ( which I would love to hear). What ever type of bass they make it always has a Musicman sound. I think that this would be true for a multi scale, headless. Not everybody likes a headless and that is ok. I would love a headless Stingray with the old school logo of the two Musician with the stripe pants on the teardrop pick guard or smaller on the side of the upper horn.