MM Sterling/Neck Question

[burgerdj]

Hey All - I'm new to the board and hope to be in the market to buy my first MM Sterling in a couple of months. Quick question - I understand from a couple of dealers/players that EB stopped using birdseye maple in the necks because of stability issues, but that they are still available as "custom" options. Has anyone had issues with their necks?

Cheers,
Dan

 

[burgerdj]

Follow Up

oh...and if anyone is thinking of selling a nice condition natural/rosewood sterling, please let me know.

 

[bovinehost]

Dan,

I don't think it was stability so much as it was availability and price. Blame the furniture makers for driving up the price and buying up the stocks!

Jack

PS: No, not available as a custom option.

 

[corrosiontrav]

As far as I know the stability of birdseye had nothing to do with it. I had two Musicman Axi guitars with heavy birdseye maple necks and there was never an issue.

I believe the reason for the change was the price of that wood shot up beyond what would be feasible to keep the insturments reasonable for all of us.

 

[davidwh2]

sterling owner

well i bought my sterling about 8 months ago, and i have the rosewood, and i think its better than the maple but thats just me.

 

[strummer]

because of stability issues,

Birdseye and flame are fine for neck wood, it is quilt wou want to stay away from because of stability (or lack thereof). The rest has already been said

 

[maddog]

When you say stability, do you mean the structural stability of the wood or the market stability?

 

[Musicman Nut]

Hey All - I'm new to the board and hope to be in the market to buy my first MM Sterling in a couple of months. Quick question - I understand from a couple of dealers/players that EB stopped using birdseye maple in the necks because of stability issues, but that they are still available as "custom" options. Has anyone had issues with their necks?

Cheers,
Dan

Dan I Have many of these Sterlings that look like this and they sound incredible. The wood is just getting Harder to get.

 

[strummer]

When you say stability, do you mean the structural stability of the wood or the market stability?

If you're asking me, the answer is structural.

Edit: Talking quilt, that is...

 

[Big Poppa]

neither its just really hard to get and i prefer to use it on artists guitars first and then random luck of the draw

 

[burgerdj]

Thanks for the follow-up everybody - that really helps. Hopefully I'll be in the position to seriously start my search soon. I'm slowly getting tired of my current bass (Warwick Thumb N/T) and have always loved the functionality and durability of the sterlings. Don't get me wrong, I do love my Thumb, it's just not the kind of bass I want to worry about at a bar gig.

If anyone hears of a natural/rosewood sterling (with a BE neck!) on the market, please let me know.

Cheers,
Dan

 

[dlb1001]

Have a Warwick Thumb 5 BO. Nice sound but I have numerous problems with the bridge saddles coming loose or some problem with the nut. Tried to fix the saddle myself but completely threw the neck out of adjustment so I had to take it to a shop to get fix.
So, I started looking around for something that better mechanical stability. Ended with a Sterling and haven't regretted it. Great sound and the truss rod wheel doesn't require take off the strings to make adjustments. Finally, the addition of the compensated nut keeps the intonation dead on...liked 'em so much that I bought SR5 HH!

 

[AnthonyD]

Ooh... Opportunity/possibility of that "random luck of a draw" birdseye neck in my future...

 

[azzy_wazzy]

I'm actually really glad my neck isn't birdseye... as sometimes I think the nature of the wood makes the neck look a bit... grubby?

I prefer the nice clean look of my Sterling

*ducks*

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

Neck on my 1989 is a combo of flame and birdseye maple.

Very stable neck. My favourite Bass to date

 

[Brim]

my '96 lined fretless Sterling has some rad birdseye......

 

[Brim]

Here's another angle.

 

[Brim]

meeoowww.......

 

[Padoolie]

I was curious if anyone has compared the size and girth of Sterling necks to their EBMM counterparts. For example, I understand the Luke is great because it has a small neck (I have small hands) and I'm wondering if specs are the same on the Sterling Lue. Thank you!