I just saw a new SR5 at my local dealer, and MAN, it was extremely LIGHT, and the body actually appears smaller from G to B string. Is this now the case in NEWER models? Here's a pic I shot with my phone. AMAZING grain on this baby too!
I haven't noticed any size change. I was just at guitar center a few days ago A/B'ing my SR5 from 2007 with a new HH model. didn't notice any difference in body size/shape.
Maybe it was just an optical illusion. The weight was very light, and the action superb. If I had the coin, I would have left with that bass. Beautiful work.
Supposedly, all SR5's are now swamp ash? I don't know, but that is what someone stated in my NBD post from the other day. If that is indeed true, that could explain a lot as far as the weight goes. Swamp ash is generally a good bit lighter than northern/hard ash, poplar, or alder, which I THINK were the body woods previously used for Stingray 5's (dependent upon color or year). In fact, I don't know that swamp ash had EVER been used previously in Stingrays, but I could be wrong. I just bought a brand new SR5 and it is lighter than the 2000 model I owned previously for sure. My '79 pre-EB 'Ray is northern ash and probably weighs 13 pounds or more.