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Smallmouth_Bass

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Joined
Sep 25, 2007
Messages
1,761
Location
Montreal, Canada
Do you remember your first EBMM bass and any of the events surrounding it (if any)?

I bought my first EBMM, a StingRay5, in 1993. I had decided I wanted this bass and obsessed about it for a year. I read all the reviews I could get my hands on. I had pictures cut out and up on my wall and I would stare at it every day. Not a day went by without me mentioning it to my now wife.

I finally made the decision that I would get one. I knew the repair tech for the local EBMM dealer and requested that he notify me the next shipment they received. I specifically wanted one with a maple fingerboard. As it turns out, they received a shipment later that week. So I get a call and I head down there immediately. There was one maple board bass and it had a transparent white finish. I was hoping for a blue burst or natural, but I liked it enough and it sounded and felt great. So, I put a deposit on it and had it in my hands about two weeks later. It never saw the store showroom. :)

I still remember waking up in the middle of the night the first night I had it home and turning on the light and just staring at it for 15 minutes. And to this day, I love the strong glue smell that the new case had. It reminds me of that time.

In retrospect, I wasn't totally impressed about the colour at the time, but now I am glad I did get that one because it is so nice (and discontinued!). I still love them in natural too. :D To this day, I love everything about the look of the SR5. I know some don't like the big pickguard, but to me it adds to the charm. 15 years later and this bass is still one of the best 5-strings on the market!
 
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daangroen

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Joined
Aug 28, 2007
Messages
136
Oh yes i do remember the time when i bought my first Musicman

i was going to the states and planning to buy a bass there, since the dollar makes it way cheaper. so i called guitarcenter whether they could get an ibanez...900? for me. they said ye np well have that here in a week. so i called a day before iwas going to america to check up on it. and they were like ah the bass didn't arrive yet...so i was like ****.......BUT we do have a used Musicman sterling. i was like thinking for cople minutes but after that...way better deal than an ibanez....and it was. the sound, it is just so more 'alive' than an ibanez imo.

go go EBMM!
 

StingRayzor

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Joined
Mar 5, 2005
Messages
108
The year was 1989 or 1990. I bought it at Master Musicians in Annapolis, MD. It was a 2 band, natural finish with a rosewood board. The killer thing about it was the awesome birdseye on the neck. Literally, I have never seen another one that came close. The other really cool thing about it was the body: two-piece bookmatched swamp ash. It was stunning.
 

SterlingFan

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Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
102
Location
Maryland
Purchased my first Stingray in 1991. White, white pg, birdseye maple neck and fret board. 2 band eq.
 

Psycho Ward

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Joined
Feb 28, 2005
Messages
5,053
Location
Elk Creek, VA and Murrells Inlet, SC
This was my first EBMM, I should have never sold it, I really miss her...






































100_0259.jpg
 

bovinehost

Administrator
Joined
Jan 16, 2003
Messages
18,200
Location
Dall-Ass, TX
I remember the first Stingray I bought in the latter part of the 70s, but - I have to admit it - I don't remember the first one after EB took over.

Hell, I don't remember some of them I had last year.

Jack

:D
 

oli@bass

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Joined
Jul 23, 2007
Messages
4,272
Location
Switzerland
1994, new Sterling black with rosewood fretboard. I do remember the surrounding events, which where unfortunate and the bass went back to the store.

However, during the following months, I found a used Sterling black with birdseye maple neck. And in 1995 I bought a new Sterling honeyburst/maple from Hollywood GC during a vacation in California.
 

Jason Hebert

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Joined
Jul 24, 2006
Messages
254
Location
Louisiana
I had my first EB before I had my first good digital camera, as evidence by the picture below.. This thing was a beast. Must have weighed 11-12 pounds, but boy was it mean sounding..

MM2.jpg
 

nashman

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Joined
Oct 30, 2005
Messages
441
Location
Toronto, Canada
My current Ray IS my first EBMM. I look forward to playing it every day. Prior to that, I had a Yamaha - for about 18 years and that was my first ever bass.
 

ImABassPlayer

Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
24
Location
New York-Connecticut Border
My first EBMM was the S.U.B. I bought recently.

But I remember wanting to buy a either a Sting Ray or a Sabre for the longest time back in the late '70s. They were my dream basses, but I couldn't afford them. I think the Sting Ray retailed for about $800 in those days, but being a teenager, I didn't have much money and that was a huge amount to spend. I never did buy either then. I'm making up for lost time.
 

midopa

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Jan 24, 2004
Messages
3,850
Location
*
A Stratus Blue Sparkle SR, rosewood fretboard, matching headstock. It's gone now.

<-- dummy
 

MMTODD

Active member
Joined
Mar 7, 2007
Messages
36
Location
Chicago
My first MM was, and is, a 1991 Stingray (Black/Maple). I got it from a guy at work who bought it new in 91 then a few months later wanted to sell it to relace it with a 2 band EQ version because that was the config that the Cure bass player used. I got a killer bass for a silly price. I still love it and will never sell it. These days, I spend more time with my Bongo5 and my new favorite guitar - a spanking new Rosewood Axis.

I have lots of gear but I honestly only feel connected with my Ernie Ball Music Man basses/guitars - like you all. This place rules and thanks to the friendly reminder that I got today [Hello MMTODD it appears that you have not posted on our forums in several weeks, why not take a few moments to ask a question, help provide a solution or just engage in a conversation with another member in any one of our forums?]. I tend to be a lurker here (just about daily). Thanks for the kick in the butt to jump in.
 

slucas

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Joined
Apr 10, 2006
Messages
500
Location
IL
Hey Todd long time no hear. Glad to know your enjoying the Bongo 5. I See you put an abalone guard on it too. If you got any pics of it now send me one if you can. My first Ball was a Bongo 4HH which I still have. Actually I just put it down for the night :cool:
 

CW Zing

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Joined
May 5, 2004
Messages
121
Location
Lake Forest Park, WA
to this day, I love the strong glue smell that the new case had. It reminds me of that time.

+1. My case still has that smell after 11 years. Amazing how strongly the sense of smell is linked to memory. I took my white SR5 home after trying out a natural SR5 (snatched up by another dude) and a G&L L2005 through an Eden Metro combo amp. Just amazing (how about that for an un-tiresome adjective?). But seriously, I had a high tech bass that didn't really rock and a sweet acoustic bass and needed a fiver to round out the arsenal. Sold my Alembicized Jazz bass to finance it.

I left American Music in Fremont with a brand spankin' new Musicman that fateful spring day in 1996... got in my van and went in the back, took it out of its case and was just so durn happy that I had to say "Hee hee heeeee--FINALLY Craig!" I've used it on all the cd's we've put out over the years and can never part with it. My wife even calls it "Ernie." So I guess it makes it a 'he' huh?
 

DTG

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Joined
Jan 13, 2007
Messages
1,759
Location
Ireland
yeah yeah,i know I never shut up about this but this was my first ray,the very first bass i fell in love with.birdseye neck,2 band,everything was perfect.
i even tried to call the guy to buy it back but his number is gone.
Never sell a bass on a whim,in fact NEVER sell your bass!! (unless it is to me)

NEVER SHOULD HAVE SOLD IT,MISS IT EVERYDAY IAM A GOBSH1TE

sr42.jpg


http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z172/DTG77/sr4.jpg
 
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