Music Man Serial Number Database

**Rod Trussbroken** · 01-21-2005, 05:23 PM

I'm not sure what the first serial number was, but your SR5 is a very early one.

Can you confirm a couple of things for me?

*That the neck plate has no markings on it i.e. no mention of "Music Man" nor "Ernie Ball" (a faceless plate).

*Likewise with the tuners...no mention of MM (no brand stamping).

Thanks.

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**fotobass** · 01-21-2005, 09:23 PM

Originally Posted by Rod Trussbroken

I'm not sure what the first serial number was, but your SR5 is a very early one.

Can you confirm a couple of things for me?

*That the neck plate has no markings on it i.e. no mention of "Music Man" nor "Ernie Ball" (a faceless plate).

*Likewise with the tuners...no mention of MM (no brand stamping).

Thanks.

.

Nothing on the neck plate.

Tuners have brand stamping.

I do know it was the second one to arive in Columbus, Ohio.

**Rod Trussbroken** · 01-25-2005, 12:40 AM

OK...thanks

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**basscat** · 01-31-2005, 02:37 PM

Cheers
Just got myself a used unlined fretless stingray 5, honey burst (I think) with white pickguard. It's supposed to be a 97 but with s/n E04021 your database tells me it should be August 1998 or so. Does that seem reliabe to you s/n expterts? Anyhow it's great fretless. It's in very good condition, I got a good deal and, most importnatly, it sings like Pavarotti!

**Tom F** · 01-31-2005, 03:39 PM

I just popped the neck on my SR as I was changing strings...

Body Date is March 2003 (no day shown)
Neck Date is April 2, 2003

Serial # is E36586

I'll get the Bongo when I change its strings.

**Rod Trussbroken** · 01-31-2005, 11:36 PM

Thanks Guys...another two nice Basses

**radiotrib** · 02-07-2005, 03:02 AM

I only found out about this site today .. so I don't have my serial number to hand yet, but ...

I have a Left-Handed, ebony necked, natural/blonde, bodied StingRay 4 string (black scratchplate). It has thru the body stringing,2-band EQ (3 chrome knobs) and the serial number is on the bridge. I can't remember if it's a 3 or 4 bolt neck, but I think it's 4. Everything on it is original .. the chrome is getting flakey due to being played with sweaty handd in the tropics and a long period of non-use over the past 10 years.

It must be a "lost" one - because I've owned it for 22+ years.

Most indications point to it being a between '80 and '84 model, but ...

What puzzles me is that I looked at the 1980 catalogue and the price for the standard 4 fretless was over 600 USD in the USA .. and I bought mine from a music store in Bingley, UK in 1982, for 250 PDS .. so it MUST have already been second hand then ..

Anyway .. I guess the serial number and final specs will tell me what I need to know. I hope you're interested in registering it.

Rgards,

Kevin Salt

**radiotrib** · 02-07-2005, 03:13 AM

OK .. I came back ... Serial number for my leftie fretless is B016394, the neck fixing is 3 bolt, serial number on the bridge, encircled R in the logo, and the machine heads have Musicman logo and name stamped into the backplates. It looks like the bridge is the later thru-body one with the offset string holes, but it's hard to tell with superwounds and a leftie setup.

I'll get a couple of photos of the details when I fit new strings in a weeks time. In the meantime these are the best I can do with my telephone ...

Can anyone tell me where the body/neck dates are ?? and if I have to separate them .. is there anything I should be careful about when I do ??

Thanks again ...

Kevin

**Rod Trussbroken** · 02-07-2005, 01:17 PM

Thanks Kevin.

It could be a 1981 but more likely to be a 1980. It could have sat in the store as new, for some time, but as you pointed out, the price was lower. So it probably is 2nd hand.

Thanks for the info.

.

**radiotrib** · 02-09-2005, 02:16 AM

Incidentally .. that bald patch towards the rear of the body (looks a bit like normal wear) is as a result of playing for 4 years in the tropics (Brunei). With constant exposure to sweaty arm and hand, the varnish actually became soft and sort of waxy and eventually scraped off.

I don't know if it is somewthing specific to the older finishes, or more generic, but I thought it It might save someone else's old SR from defacement to know about it ... wear a sleeved shirt, or keep a towel handy ....

K

PS .. if anyone is interested I just saw this on e-bay ...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...sPageName=WD2V

Seemingly a '77 SR forsale

**LinoM** · 02-10-2005, 12:19 PM

Hi, I'm very new to MusicMan Basses. I only got mine last Monday 07/02/05 and it's awesome.

The serial No is E20238 I'll post some pics when I get a chance.

Cheers

LinoM

**Rod Trussbroken** · 02-11-2005, 01:30 AM

Hi LinoM,

Thanks and welcome to the Forum.

I presume it's a SR4.

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**Rod Trussbroken** · 02-11-2005, 01:56 AM

Hey Kevin,

Sorry, didn't read the remainder of your post ( too interested in the pic

).

>>>the varnish actually became soft and sort of waxy and eventually scraped off.

The owner of a 1988 Bass was telling me the same thing...I don't know the actual cause.

>>>Can anyone tell me where the body/neck dates are ?? and if I have to separate them .. is there anything I should be careful about when I do ??

The dates are located on the back of the neck at the heel and in the body pocket where the neck fits. The neck has to be removed to view them.

If the neck is a tight fit, don't move the neck from side to side as you remove it. You could chip the finish and damage some of the body wood. With the Bass turned upside down on your lap, the neck should virtually drop away from the body when the neck bolts are taken out.

Here's some other pointers:

When removing and replacing the bolts, place a rag around the bottom of the driver’s shaft and, at the same time, grab hold of the bottom of the shaft with your other hand. That prevents the driver from slipping and scratching the body finish.

The holes in the neck are not threaded…only the holes in the body. When replacing the neck (on your lap as above), position it back on the body and push the bolts down through the neck holes till they meet the body holes. To avoid stripping the threads in the holes, rotate the bolts a ¼ turn (or so) anti-clockwise with very slight pressure on the driver. You'll hear a little popping noise when they drop into the existing thread.

When you retune, you may find that the strings are not fully centred over the neck and/or pickup magnets. Detune and loosen the bolts enough so that you can move the neck a little, slightly sideways to compensate, and retighten before retuning.

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