Music Man Serial Number Database

[Markorz]

Hi,

I read through the link with all the serial number info. Wow what a wealth of information, thanks for that stuff. I have a bit of confusion though. I have owned several pre-eb Stingrays, and unfortunately either traded or sold them, but I kept one very special post-eb model. It was a black StingRay5 with a beautiful 1 piece birdseye maple neck, configured with with a high C instead of a low B. I purchased it really cheap brand new from its only owner. I remember it being around the summer of 1989, and he said it took a few months to get it and he ordered directly from EB in San Luis Obispo.

Here is my confusion. I find a lot of reference to serial numbers starting in 2's and 3's in 1988-89, how can my serial number "50562" come from the same date range as those numbers? So I put the birth date at somewhere in the fall/winter of 88. I did find in the lowest part of that serial number list a group of serial numbers that had sporadic dates associated. I found these two in the range of mine.

50530...03/89. <--------This date is 32 basses away from mine
50606...DOB 3 Apl 1989. Dates on neck and body 13 Jun 1988 and 1 Jun 1988
Note: that the dates on the necks are older that the manufacturer date.

Can you give me any thoughts on the manufacturer date on my bass? Once again it is black with a solid one piece birdseye maple neck. Single pickup with 10 alnico magnets, kind of like the 10 pole custom Stingray that Leo Fender built.

I do not play professionally and found out I can get home owners insurance on my instruments. I am looking for a fair market appraisal and identifying its true age is a big step.

Thanks for any help,

Mark

[5Stringer]

Hi,

I read through the link with all the serial number info. Wow what a wealth of information, thanks for that stuff. I have a bit of confusion though. I have owned several pre-eb Stingrays, and unfortunately either traded or sold them, but I kept one very special post-eb model. It was a black StingRay5 with a beautiful 1 piece birdseye maple neck, configured with with a high C instead of a low B. I purchased it really cheap brand new from its only owner. I remember it being around the summer of 1989, and he said it took a few months to get it and he ordered directly from EB in San Luis Obispo.

Here is my confusion. I find a lot of reference to serial numbers starting in 2's and 3's in 1988-89, how can my serial number "50562" come from the same date range as those numbers? So I put the birth date at somewhere in the fall/winter of 88. I did find in the lowest part of that serial number list a group of serial numbers that had sporadic dates associated. I found these two in the range of mine.

50530...03/89. <--------This date is 32 basses away from mine
50606...DOB 3 Apl 1989. Dates on neck and body 13 Jun 1988 and 1 Jun 1988
Note: that the dates on the necks are older that the manufacturer date.

Can you give me any thoughts on the manufacturer date on my bass? Once again it is black with a solid one piece birdseye maple neck. Single pickup with 10 alnico magnets, kind of like the 10 pole custom Stingray that Leo Fender built.

I do not play professionally and found out I can get home owners insurance on my instruments. I am looking for a fair market appraisal and identifying its true age is a big step.

Thanks for any help,

Mark

Mark,

First of all, it might be prudent to explain our serial numbering system at the time your bass was made (we actually did have a system!):

The number 2 as the first digit pretty much meant that the StingRay had a 2-band EQ.
The number 3 as the first digit probably meant that the StingRay had a 3-band EQ.
The number 5 as the first digit most likely meant that the bass was a StingRay 5.

So, having stated that, I was able to look up the completion date of your bass, and it was in fact completed on 2/6/89 and it was originally sent to charter Music Man dealer House of Guitars in Rochester, New York.

This is good advice to anyone trying to figure out the date their instrument was "born" based on the serial number alone - don't. You will drive yourself crazy. Other than what I stated above as far as a "system", there was no rhyme or reason as far as the order of the numbers used. You might discover sequential numbers for instruments produced months or even over a year apart. This is true even with today's instruments. The ONLY way to truly verify the completion date of an instrument is to check with the source - that would be us. Gav (Rod Trussbroken) has a great website dedicated to the serial numbers and born dates, and that is a good reference especially for earlier models that are not in the system, but there are no exact dates of production that are not listed in our database. Our database is really the only source of accurate completion dates in existence.

Hope that helps!

Dan

[Jay]

Hi,

I was directed to this thread to ask for the D.O.B. of my S.U.B.5, SN X04865. Thanks,

Jay

[5Stringer]

Jay,

11/14/03 in your SUB 5's date of completion. Seems that you're a local chap, eh?

Smokin!

Dan

[Jay]

Thanks for the quick response. Local indeed!

[DKWilkins]

Hey Dan,
Can you advise the born on date for my new-to-me Sterling HS? Black, maple fretboard, tort pickguard, HS pickups... serial# F06944

Thanks-

[5Stringer]

Hey Dan,
Can you advise the born on date for my new-to-me Sterling HS? Black, maple fretboard, tort pickguard, HS pickups... serial# F06944

Thanks-

3/3/06 is the date your bass was completed. It was shipped to Bass Central. An HS Black Sterling...

Someone's loss, your gain!

Dan

[DKWilkins]

Thanks so much Dan; it's turning out to be a great bass- I just got back from rehearsal and it really shined

[muggsy]

Here are my serial #s to add to the database:

F00092: Sterling, honeyburst w/lined fretless pau ferro board. I'm assuming from the serial # database that it's a 98, but I'm the fourth owner so I don't know for sure.

E55150: 30th Anniversary Stingray, fretted, received July 2006.

F13516: stealth Bongo 4 HH, received @ May 2005.

[Rod Trussbroken]

Guys, my site is not an Ernie Ball (nor Pre-EB) serial data base.

Many of the serials are a reproduction of information previously provided by Ernie Ball. Other serial information has been provided by the owner of the instrument him/herself.

The purpose of my site is to help identify the approximate age of an instrument (Pre-EB and EB) in the event that the exact age is unknown. This can be done by comparing a serial with other serials on the list. The design of headstock logos, bridges and neck plates can also be a partial aid to identification.

In most cases, an EB instrument can be narrowed down to a particular year and sometimes within a few months of that year.
However, the exact age of an EB instrument can only be provided by Ernie Ball. As Dan has pointed out above, the Ernie Ball...."database is really the only source of accurate completion dates in existence."

With respect to Pre-EB instruments, I believe Ernie Ball has no records and that no data base exists.

P.S. Because of this, a D.O.B. can't be given. In such a case, the neck would have to be removed to inspect the dates on the neck heel and in the body pocket.

Ta

[arrak]

Hi all,
Indeed a nice collection of information on the stingrays.
I figured a could make a small contribution by adding the serial: B003111

Its a Stingray 4-string ,old model, original light wood finish (maple?). Its not exactly in mint condition, quite worn, but it sort of adds to its charm i think. I have owned it for about 10-15 years now and even though I don't play it that much anymore I doubt I will ever sell it...
By looking at the The Original Comprehensive Music Man Bass Website and comparing my serial to the ones here i come to the conclusion that its from around 1977-78. Could that be correct?
How ever it would be fun to know the exact date of birth. Can anyone here help me find out?

Alas, some previous owner has removed the pick guard...
I feel it would be nice to have one but since its such an old bass im kind of hesitant to make any changes to it...
What do you think, should i try to find a new pick guard or just leave it the way it is?


well, thanks in advance

[Rod Trussbroken]

Hi all,
Indeed a nice collection of information on the stingrays.
I figured a could make a small contribution by adding the serial: B003111

Its a Stingray 4-string ,old model, original light wood finish (maple?). Its not exactly in mint condition, quite worn, but it sort of adds to its charm i think. I have owned it for about 10-15 years now and even though I don't play it that much anymore I doubt I will ever sell it...
By looking at the The Original Comprehensive Music Man Bass Website and comparing my serial to the ones here i come to the conclusion that its from around 1977-78. Could that be correct?
How ever it would be fun to know the exact date of birth. Can anyone here help me find out?

Alas, some previous owner has removed the pick guard...
I feel it would be nice to have one but since its such an old bass im kind of hesitant to make any changes to it...
What do you think, should i try to find a new pick guard or just leave it the way it is?


well, thanks in advance

Hi and welcome.

Highly likely to be a 1977. There is no serial data base. The only way to tell is by viewing the dates in the body pocket and on the neck heel. But the neck has to be removed to do so. A luthier can do that for a nominal fee.

The body will be Ash. The neck is Maple.

You can keep an eye on the Ebay auctions for an original pickguard. You can also get one made. If you need details lemme known.

[IkaruShizzlemah]

Can you tell me the date of birth for my Stingray 4 fretless?

The serial number is E41650

Thanks,

Ikaru

[r&s]

New to the forum here. I'm thinking of buying my first Ernie Ball bass. It's a Sterling and the color is Vintage Sunburst with matching headstock and a clear pickguard. The neck/fretboard is maple. The Serial number is F02667.

Well I didn't get the one I asked for, but I did buy my first Ernie Ball Bass! It's a Stingray, Graphite Pearl with a black pickguard. The Serial Number is E43059.

Any idea when she was born? I am guessing around late 2004/early 2005.

Thanks,

[cliff78]

can i get the birth date of my limited edition stingray 5 hs. E53579. and exactly how many of these were made