👕 Get New Ernie Ball Merch Now!
  • Ernie Ball
  • Music Man
  • Sterling by Music Man
Axis 30th Anniversary

Help! Is my MM Stingray 1976 legit or fake?

N

Night Prowler

Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2017
Messages
6
Seven years ago I bought a MM Stingray 1976. It has been in it´s case under my bed the whole time so I thought I was going to sell it now. A potential buyer asked me about date stamps so I looked it up and realised it didn´t have any so I thought it was a fake and I had been ripped off 7 years ago.

Now I´m not so sure about that. Here are some pictures and I wonder if you can help me to determine if it´s real or fake.

IMG_1636.jpgIMG_1632.jpgIMG_1628.jpgIMG_1626.jpgIMG_1631.jpg
 
What is the serial number on the neck plate?

I can see red and white in the neck pocket. Also red in the preamp cavity and plate cover screw holes. That would indicate the body has been refinished at some point. The String nut is not original. The headstock logo doesn't look right for 1976. "Music Man" shouldn't be as thick and should be followed by "TM" rather than the encircled "R" (which in itself doesn't look right). I can't remember ever seeing a walnut plug on the front of the headstock to the right of the D tuner.
 
Last edited:
The serial number is B001019. Number on pot is 1377617 LM 2776 25K A.

IMG_1636.jpgIMG_1637.jpgIMG_1638.jpgIMG_1648.jpg

After I posted this thread I have had some information giving to me. A long time ago someone painted the whole bass in red, almost all the metal too. Some 10 years ago a custom shop stripped the whole bass and tried to restored it. Unfortunately the original logo couldn't be restored so they put a water logo on the headstock.

So the nut is also not original.
 
Last edited:
Could be an alder body. Ash has more open grain.
Stingray starts with B001000, so B001019 is really low.
The mute kit is missing (if it bothers someone).
 
Last edited:
Given what's happened to it along the way, it won't have as much value to a collector - but a player, maybe, if it sounds good and feels good.
 
I had it for sale for 13 000 SEK = 1 500 USD. The most interested buyer was very strictly with the date stamps.
 
Welcome to the forum.
Iam with Jack on this even though it is a early issue Stingray 4 it has been modified and collectors wouldn't touch it or wouldn't pay top dollar for it.
Still a nice bass but its more a players Bass.
Good luck with the sale Check reverb to give you an Idea on what they go for.
 
For 500 USD it should have been sold in one day ... it's crazy
cheap for a quality vintage non-museum-grade wunderbass !
 
`

five7 said:
golem, 1500 is what he posted.
Click to expand...


" sek = 1 500 usd. "

OK. Now I see it. I read the " 500 usd" and
fully understood that, but the "sek = 1" did
not register properly with me ... just looked
kinda cryptic and not related. But since you
point it out, I re-read it and now see how it
all fits together. My "duh" :rolleyes:

Yeah ... for 500 usd, I buy 3 or 4 of those !
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Baritone Ukulele Strings
Back
Top