Greetings! (and a question or two)

[TheOtherEric]

Greetings,

I started looking on the Internet for some people to talk to about basses and I found this forum, which seems appropriate because I have two Music Man basses.

My name is Eric and I just recently started playing bass again after a 27 year lay off. My neighbor has a classic rock cover band and lost his bass player and I told him I used to play bass in college so he had me audition and I got the gig (played my first one in 27 years at a corporate Christmas party on Dec. 13th). Anyway, when I was in college in the late seventies I was playing a beautiful mahogony Gibson EB3 but although its tone was fine for rock it was too muddy for the college jazz orchestra. The other bass player, who was playing a J-bass, recommended that I try the new MusicMan Stingray. It took me about two months but I found a music store that had one in stock and I traded in my Gibson for it. This was late winter of 1979, I think the beginning of March of '79.

I played that bass in jazz orchestra for 4 months until I graduated, then played two paying gigs that summer and put it away to start my career as a computer geek. A buddy of mine heard I was going to play bass again and gave me a newish EBMM Stingray (with two pickups, is that the HH?) in lieu of money he owed me for work I did for him and I played that during the rehersals prior to the party. At the party I pulled out my old Music Man Stingray and the band was blown away by the sound (I used the old one for the last set).

They want me to continue playing the old one but I am not sure. It is in almost pristine condition (the closeups show finger prints that the flash picked up that you can't see in person, they aren't scratches, just prints that I'll wipe off later) and it still stays in tune (when I pulled it out of the case the old Rotosound Swing 66's still sounded good).

What is the value on a bass of this age in this condition? Is it a risk to it's value to play with it or is it's value not worth bothering with and I should just enjoy playing it?

I also have a question about the vintage strings. They still sound great but not as bright as the new ones I've just put on. My drummer says he knows bass players that clean their strings with alchohol and keep using them. There isn't any corrosion I can see on them, can I clean them and reuse them?

I'm attempting to attach some pictures of the old bass I took this morning. I may have to put them in more than one post because of the file size limit.

Thanks for looking.
Eric (the other one)

[bovinehost]

Eric, that looks to be a 1978 Stingray. A precise value is hard to come up with as it generally depends on the market, but certainly it's worth 2500 or more. It's in great shape and has no replacement parts (does it?) which ups its value even more.

You'll get different opinions about selling it, playing it, keeping it under the bed and all that. Me? I'd say play it. It's what they're made for. (As someone said, it's like having a beautiful girlfriend and never having a go at her. What good is THAT?)

Of course, you also have a great NEW Stingray. (Pictures would be nice.) Nothing wrong with having two good basses just for variety.

Strings have come a long way in the last thirty years, but if the Rotos sound and feel good and will intonate properly, the only reason to change them would be to try something different. That of course depends on your ears.

Jack

[paranoid70]

Greetings from yet another Eric.

Here is my take. If you plan to sell it, don't play it and keep it new. If you plan to keep it, definitely play it and enjoy it! (I would perfer the latter option - guitars are made to be played!)

Glad to see you playing again. It's only too late when we are 6' under.

[oli@bass]

If you decide to sell it (I wouldn't), please announce it here since somebody might want to buy it (I would)

About the new StingRay HH: I love those. IMO the best option on a StingRay. So, I want to see pics!

About strings: I clean my strings putting them in a jar filled with alcool. Leave them in there for a day then take them out and wipe try with a towel. That procedure removes all dirt and grease and they'll sound almost like new. You can even repeat that until the strings show wear and will not intonate properly anymore.

[TheOtherEric]

Eric, that looks to be a 1978 Stingray.

That sounds about right since I bought it in early '79 and it was probably on the wall in the music store for a couple of months.

A precise value is hard to come up with as it generally depends on the market, but certainly it's worth 2500 or more. It's in great shape and has no replacement parts (does it?) which ups its value even more.

I only played it for about 6 months before putting it away. The only changes to it were that I replaced the original half-wound strings that came on it from the store with Rotosound round wound Swing Bass 66's and I took the nine volt battery out of it. I disposed of the battery because it was dead, but I still have the original strings inside the case, in the compartment. Even the little rubber tabs on the bridge are original. The dollar value, though greater than the $400 plus my EB3 in trade, has increased, it doesn't seem too dear where I need to closet it anymore. I think I'll play it, since I don't have intentions of selling.

You'll get different opinions about selling it, playing it, keeping it under the bed and all that. Me? I'd say play it. It's what they're made for. (As someone said, it's like having a beautiful girlfriend and never having a go at her. What good is THAT?)

Of course, you also have a great NEW Stingray. (Pictures would be nice.) Nothing wrong with having two good basses just for variety.

I wanted to put pictures up of the new one too but I ran into a file limit. I'll post some URL's to them. The only problem with URL's is that if I change ISP's then this thread will have no pictures!

Strings have come a long way in the last thirty years, but if the Rotos sound and feel good and will intonate properly, the only reason to change them would be to try something different. That of course depends on your ears.

I bought some new Rotosounds and they are much brighter than the old ones. I am going to clean the old ones in some alcohol and see if they brighten up a bit. They sound great as is but I know they have oxidized a bit since 1979.

Thanks for the information, and I'm glad to meet you (cyberly speaking )

Eric (the other one)

[TheOtherEric]

Greetings from yet another Eric.

Here is my take. If you plan to sell it, don't play it and keep it new. If you plan to keep it, definitely play it and enjoy it! (I would perfer the latter option - guitars are made to be played!)

Glad to see you playing again. It's only too late when we are 6' under.

Thanks, it is nice to be playing again. I didn't even really know that I missed playing until I picked it up again. But then again, I sold my last motorcycle in 1985 and when I bought a beautiful 1982 Suzuki GS650G in April I forgot how much I riding a bike was part of my life. I don't plan to sell the bass. I agree guitars are made to play. Thanks for the advice, and glad to meet you.

Eric

[TheOtherEric]

If you decide to sell it (I wouldn't), please announce it here since somebody might want to buy it (I would)

About the new StingRay HH: I love those. IMO the best option on a StingRay. So, I want to see pics!

I posted some url's to pictures in a previous reply. It is sparkly black with fake abalone pickguard. Here is one of them again:

About strings: I clean my strings putting them in a jar filled with alcool. Leave them in there for a day then take them out and wipe try with a towel. That procedure removes all dirt and grease and they'll sound almost like new. You can even repeat that until the strings show wear and will not intonate properly anymore.

Thanks, that sounds like what the drummer said to try. Glad to meet you, too.

Eric

[oli@bass]

I posted some url's to pictures in a previous reply.

Sorry, must have missed them... beautiful bass!

Thanks, that sounds like what the drummer said to try. Glad to meet you, too.

Glad you found your way here. Have fun, and enjoy playing your basses!

[Rano Bass]

Play both basses, and welcome to the forum.

[koogie2k]

Welcome to the Addiction!

Play it or sell it...do what you think is best. I would keep it personally....but...that is me.

[Spot]

my advice will be to keep it if you like it, we should NEVER sell an instrument that we like.

Each instrument is different even if it is the same model. I usually hate Ibanez bass but maybe 10 years ago, i was in a music store and they had some ibanez basses (dont remember the model) and i tried them all....and hate them all except one. It was the exact same model as the others, same woods, electronics etc... but the sound was completely different, so i buyed it. I sold it 3 years ago and i regret it.

[Rod Trussbroken]

Hi Eric...keep it and play it