Help! Mystery Used Stingray - long...sorry

[Dusty Case]

Hey there. I just registered and this is my 1st post.
I need some help please. In my many years of playing bass, I have to say that I have never owned an MM bass. Everything else...but no MM (that I can remember).
So a local music store has a nice looking EB Music Man (I think it is a) Stingray. It's a 4 string, single pickup, sort of cherry burst, maple neck. There are a couple of what I believe are ODDITIES that I wonder if any of you MM expert users could shed any light on for me. Again, its's marked Ernie Ball Music Man, made in SLO, CA, USA. It has 4 knobs (3 eq) and foam mutes. There is no serial number on the neck heel plate. But the plate has the EB/MM logo stamped on it.
Stupidly, the only pic I took of it was of the bridge. The offset strings over the saddles were something I've never seen before.
Because I am a careful (paranoid) guitar buyer, I have looked at pics of at least 100 Music Man Stingray basses online and I just have not seen ONE single pickup, 4 string Stingray with 3 band eq AND foam mutes.
It has a playing issue too. Something that I "assume" is fixable with some truss/saddle adjustments.
The combo of these things make me paranoid to pull the trigger on this nice looking, nice sounding and reasonably priced bass though.
So IS there a sgl pickup Stingray model that has 4 knobs AND foam mutes? Any ideas would be much appreciated.

 

[Golem]

`

SERIALS SR4 - Musicmanbass.org, Music Man, Musicman, Music Man Bass, Musicman Bass, Music Man Guitar

Here are two that I found at the above
url. I do bleeb you have described what
is known as a "Flea Bridge", which IIRC
carries the s/n on the bridge. Very soon
we should be hearing from the experts,
but even what you see below should be
enuf to settle your nerves !

Entries as follows:

29188...Inspection date 7 Sept 1989.
Pre-amp dated July 1989.
Pots are dated 13th week of 1989.
Trans Red with Rosewood. White pg.
3 Band Eq. Pre-Flea bridge. 4 bolt neck.
New solid Black logo. Encircled "R" on
headstock logo in upper position.

42261...1994. Sunburst with Rosewood.
Black pg. Flea bridge. 3 Band EQ

========================

BTW you can also email the s/n to EBMM
customer service, assuming you can get
the s/n. Check the above site somewhat
more thoroughly. I just looked quickly.

 

[liverbird]

From your description, it sounds like an early nineties bass (ca. 1992 to 1994) with a "Flea" bridge. What's the serial number? (It should be on the bridge.)

Bridge info here:

http://www.musicmanbass.org/mycustompage0061.htm

 

[Paco Maraca]

The 3-band EQ was already introduced in 1987 while the muted bridge was still available until 1994. Dual-PU is an option since 2005. Is the neck attached with 6 or 4 bolts?

Gesendet von meinem SGP511 mit Tapatalk

 

[Dusty Case]

Here Is the pic of the Bridge

As I said, I am such a stoop that I ONLY took a pic of the bridge on Saturday. AND I thought I would remember the serial number. WRONG! I "think" it was 342XXX, 343XXXor 344XXX. Something around there. And of course, EB, 1 pup, 3eq.
And thank you 3 so much for the quick replies.
All of those posts contain A LOT of great info.

 

[Bert]

Looks like an early 90ties Bridge - no mystery here.

 

[five7]

real deal, buy it

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

.
I'd say the serial is 34042 which puts it around 1992. That's consistent with the bridge and other things you mention.

There was a choice of either a 2 Band EQ (Vol, Treble & Bass) or 3 Band EQ (Vol, Treble, Mid & Bass). The Bass you refer to is the 3EQ.

The colour is probably Ernie Ball's "Sunburst" finish which is not to be not to be confused with their three tone "Vintage Sunburst". "Sunburst" can look a little like a Cherryburst finish and latter evolved into "Honeyburst".

 

[Mu5icM@n]

That's definitely the real deal. That is not a "Flea" bridge though. The Flea bridge had offset slots so the strings would go straight over the barrels without having the bend in them that you see in the picture. My 1994 Stingray has the Flea bridge; earlier Stingrays from 1990-1992 or so look like the one in the picture.

 

[Dusty Case]

Rod Trussbroken - you were right. About the serial number and the finish. It is that "sunburst" finish.
This particular "sunburst's" red is certainly a strange color red.
And the orig owner had that grey pearloid guard on it. That makes it even stranger looking.
NOT that there's anything wrong with that. But i think another guard is in order. Maybe a clear one?
So I own the bass now, but I don't have it yet. They offered a "free" setup if I bought the set o' strings there.
They did not have my brand, so I went with......Ernie Ball Slinkys. Which is what I use on my elec guitars of course.
Isn't that nice of them to offer "free" setup....
God forbid they would do that BEFORE they sell it!
Hopefully I'll have it back tomorrow or Thurs.
Talk about karma though. Thought I would sort of sneak this one in on the wife. So I close the deal, pay up, leave and my car conks out in the parking lot! No turn over, no start. I hadda call a tow truck and have my wife come and get me at the car shop.
Where are you now? Uh....at the music store. You've been there ALL morning and part of the afternoon? Yeah....
D'OH!
Eh....It will all work out.
While i was in there I played a newer EB Stingray 5 fretless. What a beast. It sounded great, but i find playing a fretless like playing golf. If you don't do it a lot, you just aren't going to be any good at it.
I can barely handle basses WITH frets!
I will post a pic of the bass when I sneak it... I mean bring it home.
Thanks for all the helpful and correct info folks.

 

[Paco Maraca]

Looks almost like the bridge of my '89 2-band sunburst. It came with a clear pickguard. Killer tone and playability, you can't go wrong with yours, even the foams are still there

 

[jones4tone]

Talk about karma though. Thought I would sort of sneak this one in on the wife. So I close the deal, pay up, leave and my car conks out in the parking lot! No turn over, no start. I hadda call a tow truck and have my wife come and get me at the car shop.
Where are you now? Uh....at the music store. You've been there ALL morning and part of the afternoon? Yeah....
D'OH!
Eh....It will all work out.

Wow, now that's funny! I'm sure "funny" wasn't your first thought when the engine didn't turn over, though...