- Thread starter madbassplaya
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Movielife
Well-known member
Agreed. The SR5 and Sterling 5 are absolutely BRILLIANT.
`
I play a variety, too many you might say, but the largest
"tribe" is my EBMMs, 2nd is the Warwicks. But I do have
3 booteeky axen: a Clement and a Wendler [you google
those easily enuf], plus a one-of-a-kind "MM type" made
by Bill Roberts [known as Fretless Bill of the Dudepit, you
might remember him]. None of these cost me more than
a used used SR4
..... but they LOOK like megabux
booteekers on stage. Unfortunately, a fancy-top EBMM
costs a lot more than that, so I gots not a one :-(
BTW, none of these was acquired just for its pretty face.
The Clement is mahogany, neck and body ... lurvs me my
hogwood axen [incl an SR30th]. The Wendler is a unique
design, look it up! The Bill Roberts is a sorta hollow body
SR4FL, something I can't buy from EBMM.
`
I play a variety, too many you might say, but the largest
"tribe" is my EBMMs, 2nd is the Warwicks. But I do have
3 booteeky axen: a Clement and a Wendler [you google
those easily enuf], plus a one-of-a-kind "MM type" made
by Bill Roberts [known as Fretless Bill of the Dudepit, you
might remember him]. None of these cost me more than
a used used SR4
..... but they LOOK like megabux booteekers on stage. Unfortunately, a fancy-top EBMM
costs a lot more than that, so I gots not a one :-(
BTW, none of these was acquired just for its pretty face.
The Clement is mahogany, neck and body ... lurvs me my
hogwood axen [incl an SR30th]. The Wendler is a unique
design, look it up! The Bill Roberts is a sorta hollow body
SR4FL, something I can't buy from EBMM.
`
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J Romano
Well-known member
Bottom like, every model is great. Each is unique in it's own right. So many flavors, so little cash!
Hi Guys,
My first post here, please be kind. I fell in love with the EB MM SR5 sound sometime around 2007. In my local music store there was a lovely SR5 (natural w maple board) selling for 5k. With the exchange rate it would work out to be the equivalent of US4.3k. It was a lot of money to lay down for a standard SR5. I found a luthier who could give me a fancy top, adjust the string spacing a little narrower and make it a 6 string bass and make the pickup based on a pre-EB pickup spec for a smidge over 3k. I also managed to find some fool who pulled the pre out of his SR5 and bought that off him too. I later found a great deal on a natural/maple SR5 and bought that too. You know what, they're both good. I ended up ordering the custom bass in 2009 and recieved it in 2010 and am still loving it - for me its the best of both worlds. Hope the pic works.
My first post here, please be kind. I fell in love with the EB MM SR5 sound sometime around 2007. In my local music store there was a lovely SR5 (natural w maple board) selling for 5k. With the exchange rate it would work out to be the equivalent of US4.3k. It was a lot of money to lay down for a standard SR5. I found a luthier who could give me a fancy top, adjust the string spacing a little narrower and make it a 6 string bass and make the pickup based on a pre-EB pickup spec for a smidge over 3k. I also managed to find some fool who pulled the pre out of his SR5 and bought that off him too. I later found a great deal on a natural/maple SR5 and bought that too. You know what, they're both good. I ended up ordering the custom bass in 2009 and recieved it in 2010 and am still loving it - for me its the best of both worlds. Hope the pic works.
fly
Well-known member
to me......the Sterling is the boutique of ALL basses..........I own others as well but damn........just can't seem to put the Sterling down
Smallmouth_Bass
Well-known member
Nice nlimon! You don't often see natural finish MM basses with white pickups.
Rano Bass
Well-known member
Hi Guys,
My first post here, please be kind. I fell in love with the EB MM SR5 sound sometime around 2007.I found a luthier who could give me a fancy top, adjust the string spacing a little narrower and make it a 6 string bass and make the pickup based on a pre-EB pickup spec for a smidge over 3k. I also managed to find some fool who pulled the pre out of his SR5 and bought that off him too. I later found a great deal on a natural/maple SR5 and bought that too. You know what, they're both good. I ended up ordering the custom bass in 2009 and recieved it in 2010 and am still loving it - for me its the best of both worlds.
Nice basses, and welcome to the boards.
J Romano
Well-known member
Love the wood on both, is that a burl on the 6'er????
Thanks for the positive comments. The wood was sold to me as spalt maple, but I'd never seen spalt maple look quite like that. I must have looked at hundreds possible over a thousand samples of different wood, this one spoke ot me. The pic doesn't hsow it but even the reddy/brown section has some lovey figuring through it. I actually purchased the wood and then sent it to the luthier, it was particularly difficult wood to work with, the lighter stuff had to be hardened to make is useful. But he did a great job.
J Romano
Well-known member
That is awesome! Makes sense that the luthier had to harden the wood, spalting is actually fungus in the wood that lightens it and takes strength away. In some cases it is considered rotting. But oh the beautiful colors and patterns it produces are unbelievable! Great find on the wood and the look!
Oh, I didn't realise it was a fungus that did it. It was explained to me as simply 'rotting' for want of a better word. I'll remember that little bit of information, thanks. Btw just re-read through my last post - sorry for the "dyslexiaisms", I think I used mostly the correct spelling but put some letters in the wrong spot.
drTStingray
Well-known member
On the basis of this thread, JMarotta's post about the old SR5 and nlimon's pic I took my SR5 out to a jam session this week (BTW nlimon - gorgeous SR5 and boutique bass).
This reminded me the SR5 is the best 5 string bass on the planet IMHO - Big Poppa is right the STerling and SR5 don't get the kudos they should. I did notice in this month's Bass Guitar Magazine (UK magazine) there's an article about a guy who uses those basses made by a guy from NY called Roger - after waxing lyrical about these he goes on to say he always uses a Musicman SR5 for recording 'because of the piano like sound of the B - not available on any other bass' - so big kudos I thought!
On the question of Wal, I always liked these although thought of them as being like a hand made Sabre with exotic wood in essence - Percy Jones and Alan Spenner used them and I loved their playing - in the UK I think Wal do any repairs needed - I understand for you guys in US that might not be v helpful as you'd have to ship them, but it's just the same for us overseas guys when somone on this forum says 'oh contact Customer Services' etc etc - to be fair CS have replied very helpfully to odd email questions I've posed them - not sure about getting a bass sent back though (not that it's ever happened with a Musicman). Basically, the same thing applies for any instrument manufactured overseas - I know someone in UK who had a real problem with a Martin - now resolved satisfactorily in UK but whenever something goes wrong, if the manufacturer is a zillion miles and oceans away you're going to feel a bit remote - thank god for good distributors like Strings and Things who deal with Musicman distribution in UK.
I'm more comfortable with my fleet of Musicmans than any boutique bass I've played - but I'm a die hard fan so totally biased.
This reminded me the SR5 is the best 5 string bass on the planet IMHO - Big Poppa is right the STerling and SR5 don't get the kudos they should. I did notice in this month's Bass Guitar Magazine (UK magazine) there's an article about a guy who uses those basses made by a guy from NY called Roger - after waxing lyrical about these he goes on to say he always uses a Musicman SR5 for recording 'because of the piano like sound of the B - not available on any other bass' - so big kudos I thought!
On the question of Wal, I always liked these although thought of them as being like a hand made Sabre with exotic wood in essence - Percy Jones and Alan Spenner used them and I loved their playing - in the UK I think Wal do any repairs needed - I understand for you guys in US that might not be v helpful as you'd have to ship them, but it's just the same for us overseas guys when somone on this forum says 'oh contact Customer Services' etc etc - to be fair CS have replied very helpfully to odd email questions I've posed them - not sure about getting a bass sent back though (not that it's ever happened with a Musicman). Basically, the same thing applies for any instrument manufactured overseas - I know someone in UK who had a real problem with a Martin - now resolved satisfactorily in UK but whenever something goes wrong, if the manufacturer is a zillion miles and oceans away you're going to feel a bit remote - thank god for good distributors like Strings and Things who deal with Musicman distribution in UK.
I'm more comfortable with my fleet of Musicmans than any boutique bass I've played - but I'm a die hard fan so totally biased.
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b-unit
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2006
- Messages
- 528
I can appreciate a nice flame top or birds eye but just cant get into the moldy cheese look of some of the coffee table basses out there.
For me, a Music Man bass is like a 60's muscle car with modern day refinements. It has the look, feel, playability and tone that I always dreamed about. I seem to just keep buying more of them as nothing else out there holds my interest.
Plus, chicks dig Stingrays!
For me, a Music Man bass is like a 60's muscle car with modern day refinements. It has the look, feel, playability and tone that I always dreamed about. I seem to just keep buying more of them as nothing else out there holds my interest.
Plus, chicks dig Stingrays!
zortation
Member
+1. While I did state above that my Clement has a 'hog body
and neck, it too has a spalted top. Clement soaks spalt wood
in liquid epoxy to harden it, so it works same as regualr wood.
He epoxied the FL FB as well ... so I guess he digs epoxy
`
zortation
Member
+1. While I did state above that my Clement has a 'hog body
and neck, it too has a spalted top. Clement soaks spalt wood
in liquid epoxy to harden it, so it works same as regualr wood.
He epoxied the FL FB as well ... so I guess he digs epoxy
`
I hear epoxy is good for toan.
Well, found this thread and I´ve my own opinion about, that is... my case:
I started learning bass with a cheap Ibanez while my teacher had a lovely SR, so the SR was always a reference bass on my mind. After a year of intensive classes I found an Alembic Essence that have been my only instrument during 15 years. It really rocks, Alembic are appart of other "boutique" companys because they build everything in the instrument: wood work, electronics, hardware, etc. Also, it costs me used less than any used SR in Barcelona during these days.
Some years after I needed a change in my performance, musically and fisically so I start to look for an alternative, and then I found my EBMM SR 4HS for less than 900$ new... Since then, the SR is my main bass on stage, while the Alembic is the spare there also the recording bass (still unmatchable on studio).
Well, I do love them both, very different instruments, different sounds and possibilities, different playing position and one conclusion: my sound it´s the same as I didn´t change my playing style, nor my fingers.
About the tone, SR has a well known world standard one, as the Alembic has his own, only recognisable by the Alembic owners.
I started learning bass with a cheap Ibanez while my teacher had a lovely SR, so the SR was always a reference bass on my mind. After a year of intensive classes I found an Alembic Essence that have been my only instrument during 15 years. It really rocks, Alembic are appart of other "boutique" companys because they build everything in the instrument: wood work, electronics, hardware, etc. Also, it costs me used less than any used SR in Barcelona during these days.
Some years after I needed a change in my performance, musically and fisically so I start to look for an alternative, and then I found my EBMM SR 4HS for less than 900$ new... Since then, the SR is my main bass on stage, while the Alembic is the spare there also the recording bass (still unmatchable on studio).
Well, I do love them both, very different instruments, different sounds and possibilities, different playing position and one conclusion: my sound it´s the same as I didn´t change my playing style, nor my fingers.
About the tone, SR has a well known world standard one, as the Alembic has his own, only recognisable by the Alembic owners.
vates
Well-known member
From my very personal experience.
2 things that all MM basses have (can't say so about all basses from some very famous and respected boutique (i.e. non-production line) builders):
- the neck that feels great (they say "at home");
- the right tone that is instantly there.
2 things that all MM basses have (can't say so about all basses from some very famous and respected boutique (i.e. non-production line) builders):
- the neck that feels great (they say "at home");
- the right tone that is instantly there.
Tim Brosnan
Member
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2010
- Messages
- 11
Music Man Stingrays are beautiful instruments-they play good, sound good, and look fantastic, not to mention they're solidly built.
