So I'm looking for a fretless Stingray and got offered this bass. It looks amazing, serial checks out as a 1987 white 'Ray, but I'm hesitating. The unlined fretless fingerboard has markers, but only on the upper register (12th fret and up). I've never seen that before. Do you guys know if this fingerboard might be non-original?
- Thread starter HiddeR
- Start date
Rod Trussbroken
Moderator
Hi and welcome to the Forum.
Enter the serial number of your Bass in the link below. It should give a description of the instrument it relates to.
http://forums.ernieball.com/ernie-ball-music-man-basses/69057-serial-search-tool.html
Enter the serial number of your Bass in the link below. It should give a description of the instrument it relates to.
http://forums.ernieball.com/ernie-ball-music-man-basses/69057-serial-search-tool.html
Rod Trussbroken
Moderator
I suppose the only thing you can do now is check if the neck is an original MM neck, period correct, and that the neck date close to the body date.
Do you have larger pics?
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Pineweasel
Active member
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- Jul 1, 2017
- Messages
- 27
If it's not specified as a fretless by the serial checker, that means it was originally built as a fretted. Also, I've never seen a fretless Stingray with those partial markings, so my money is on a replacement board.
Alright, that's good to know. In that case it's quite a bit too expensive
tbonesullivan
Well-known member
I would contact customer service. A 1987 bass is from quite a long time ago, and they may not have kept records of whether the guitar was a fretless or not.
That fretboard DOES have the side markers, which you can see if you look closely.
Furthermore, it is far FAR more common and cheaper to just pull the frets and fill in the slots than it is to put on a whole new fretboard.
That fretboard DOES have the side markers, which you can see if you look closely.
Furthermore, it is far FAR more common and cheaper to just pull the frets and fill in the slots than it is to put on a whole new fretboard.
drTStingray
Well-known member
Not necessarily - I have a 93 fretless - I bought it used and the original owner was kind enough to include a pack containing his original purchase receipt - saying its fretless - when I bought it I checked in the old serial number thread - it came back as pae ferro unlined fretless and (original) sunburst (which it is).
When I put it into the SN checker it comes up as rosewood (not fretless).......
The date for the bass is out of step with the DOB of basses with serial numbers around it, so I suspect they may have changed the neck to match an order before shipping to the uk. The seller said he had to wait a long time after ordering it.
Anyway it's a brilliant bass with a crazily figured birds eye and quilt maple neck - the only thing non standard is a bone nut plus I had to replace the G tuner after the bass got dropped on the floor (by me) at a jazz gig and the tuner rattled and was slightly bent after....... crazy cats those jazzers you know
- I think we may have been doing Under the Sea, or On the Street Where you Live or some other such crooner song (it fell off the strap with a bit of a crash)!!
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The side dots on this neck are where the fret markers are. It's the position they would be in on an unlined fretless. If the neck was originally fretted, that wouldn't be the case - they would be between the frets.
This is assuming that the side dots are original, of course. It's a bit hard to see on the pic but it looks like they sit on the line where the maple meets the rosewood which would be correct. It was only with the introduction of the 6-bolt necks in 1990 when they moved entirely within the rosewood.
Better pics of the entire neck would help.
I would also double-check with Customer Service. They are very helpful.
This is assuming that the side dots are original, of course. It's a bit hard to see on the pic but it looks like they sit on the line where the maple meets the rosewood which would be correct. It was only with the introduction of the 6-bolt necks in 1990 when they moved entirely within the rosewood.
Better pics of the entire neck would help.
I would also double-check with Customer Service. They are very helpful.
Got some better pics. I must say: it looks killer.
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Pineweasel
Active member
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Fair enough. I've only put a handful of serials into the checker and fretless ones always came back as fretless. But I can imagine the database isn't 100% consistent.
Pineweasel
Active member
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2017
- Messages
- 27
It does look good in those new pics. The original board with added partial markers seems most likely then. They've done a nice job on those lines.
tbonesullivan
Well-known member
Looks legit. Look at this example: the markers are at the joint of the fretboard, just like the one you have posted. It ALSO has a very nice birdseye neck.
Ernie Ball Music Man Stingray 4 Fretless Bass 1997 | | Reverb
Honestly I would say go for it if you like it. I am satisfied with what has been posted here that it isn't a replaced fretboard. Seriously that's a very expensive job to do right.
Ernie Ball Music Man Stingray 4 Fretless Bass 1997 | | Reverb
Honestly I would say go for it if you like it. I am satisfied with what has been posted here that it isn't a replaced fretboard. Seriously that's a very expensive job to do right.
What makes you say that? I can't see the exact position of the side dots on the photos in your link.
Anyway, on a 1997 they should be entirely within the rosewood and not at the joint. It changed in 1990 with the introduction of the 6-bolt necks.
drTStingray, can you confirm for your 1993?
drTStingray
Well-known member
Hi guys, offset towards the edge of the maple part of the neck on mine - i.e. small gap from the neck.
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Thanks, drT!
So the side dots are entirely inside the rosewood (or pao ferro) on yours, albeit closer to the maple than to the top of the fingerboard, is that correct? (Sorry, I haven't seen that many fretless basses!)
Do you have a pic?
