Music Man History

[Musicman Nut]

So many different Stories and Some of the main Players Have left us now, Like many I'm a Huge fan of the history of basses in general But Fender and Music Man BIG TIME.
As things can be very confusing as in who's right and who's wrong I do know for a fact on my end From Talking with Leo In 1977 or 78 before i ever knew who Sterling ever was, Leo had mentioned Sterling Ball, Louis Johnson amungest others he looked for their opinons.

All I know right now is that Ernie Ball/Music Man and the leadership of Sterling Ball Makes the best Damn Basses on this Planet.

Not to take away from all the Master builders here in this great country and other great countries. You all make Incredible Beautiful Instruments.

Speaking for myself and the 35 years of my career the Ernie Ball Music Man Basses are all I ever care too play. Nothing finer. Dave Jeffrey

 

[Mr Light]

Leo and the MusicMen

So many different Stories and Some of the main Players Have left us now, Like many I'm a Huge fan of the history of basses in general But Fender and Music Man BIG TIME.
As things can be very confusing as in who's right and who's wrong I do know for a fact on my end From Talking with Leo In 1977 or 78 before i ever knew who Sterling ever was, Leo had mentioned Sterling Ball, Louis Johnson amungest others he looked for their opinons.

All I know right now is that Ernie Ball/Music Man and the leadership of Sterling Ball Makes the best Damn Basses on this Planet.

Not to take away from all the Master builders here in this great country and other great countries. You all make Incredible Beautiful Instruments.

Speaking for myself and the 35 years of my career the Ernie Ball Music Man Basses are all I ever care too play. Nothing finer. Dave Jeffrey

Yes,

I'll have to agree totally with you Dave. I would've loved to ask Leo what inspired his design of MusicMan Stingray, making it distinctly different from his Fender creations.

 

[Aussie Mark]

Keep it up Dave. At this rate, BP might be inclined to present you with a free Stingray at the next open house

*searches for "brown nose" smiley*

 

[Steve Dude Barr]

Closest I got...

 

[strummer]

What IS that supposed to look like?

A light house upside down?

 

[Big Poppa]

Dave Thanks. I m glad to have somebody verify my connections to the development of the original Sting Ray bass....I was 19 when I started visiting Leos lab for just SR meetings

 

[strummer]

Dave Thanks. I m glad to have somebody verify my connections to the development of the original Sting Ray bass....I was 19 when I started visiting Leos lab for just SR meetings

Did Leo Fender appreciate input when it didn't line up with his own ideas, or did you have to fight him to get your suggestions into the design?

Looking at (especially) the early G&L stuff, it seems there were all these ideas coming from Leo fender, some that might have been good (like the bridge lock which I kind of like) and others that it seems no one but leo Fender himself really appreciated (like the 3-bolt neck w/tilt).

And whose idea was the "finger killer" mute assembly? Was that something bass players looked for in '76?

 

[Musicman Nut]

Dave Thanks. I m glad to have somebody verify my connections to the development of the original Sting Ray bass....I was 19 when I started visiting Leos lab for just SR meetings

Actully He Had a Lot of respect for you and Louis, And I remember when we we're talking, some Lady in the booth as you'd guess it was a busy booth everyone wanting to chat with Leo but This Lady not knowing who she was but I was asking her who Sterling Ball Was because I've heard of Louis Johnson at the time.

Her exact words we're those we're 2 Bass Players Leo Look up too for Opinions On what he was doing at Music Man.

And it wasn't til 1985 til i put together Ernie Ball/Sterling Ball Connection.

I had Just thought Sterling was some Hot Player in Town Like Louis that everyone called upon for R&D.

For Leo was Famous for doing that all thru the 50's and 60's. DJ

 

[Big Poppa]

You didnt go into the lab telling Leo how to do things. You told him how the stuff he was workng on performed. Even if you werre dead right, you had to fight your case. I won a few and lost the Sabre fronnt pickupargument. 16 huge magnets were way to strong and the magnetic pull woould affect the vibration of the string especially about the tenth fret and above.
The original basses were so hot that there wasnt an amp made that wouldnt have its input stage clipped.(won that one) the extra freet so you could play a high e on the g was my pals dennis kovarik but I had to fight for it. there were several other min discussions.

 

[Musicman Nut]

You didnt go into the lab telling Leo how to do things. You told him how the stuff he was workng on performed. Even if you werre dead right, you had to fight your case. I won a few and lost the Sabre fronnt pickupargument. 16 huge magnets were way to strong and the magnetic pull woould affect the vibration of the string especially about the tenth fret and above.
The original basses were so hot that there wasnt an amp made that wouldnt have its input stage clipped.(won that one) the extra freet so you could play a high e on the g was my pals dennis kovarik but I had to fight for it. there were several other min discussions.

Well there's no doubt what so ever, Your education and experience Back then is why your company today is one of the best electric Musical Instrument Manufactures around, and the choices you've made in the People you hire to work on your team are the finest.

One Big thing you have Over Leo Fender is. You we're a Player, he wasn't, so your instruments Leave your company ready to play out of the case.

I Have bought so many of the Stingrays from 1976 til 1978 and thought, man who ever is setting these up must not play at all.

 

[Steve Dude Barr]

What IS that supposed to look like?

A light house upside down?

Heck if I know...I "think" it's a "dickface" but not sure.

 

[strummer]

Heck if I know...I "think" it's a "dickface" but not sure.

I'm not yellow

 

[Musicman Nut]

Did Leo Fender appreciate input when it didn't line up with his own ideas, or did you have to fight him to get your suggestions into the design?

Looking at (especially) the early G&L stuff, it seems there were all these ideas coming from Leo fender, some that might have been good (like the bridge lock which I kind of like) and others that it seems no one but leo Fender himself really appreciated (like the 3-bolt neck w/tilt).

And whose idea was the "finger killer" mute assembly? Was that something bass players looked for in '76?

Yes Leo Took good advise, but he was very picky on who's advise he took, from my conversations with him that we're only 2, he had his certain People he looked up to with respect, Sterling Ball was one and Louis Johnson was another and I'm sure there we're others.

On another Note, Believe it or not but some of us older guys liked those mutes and we used them for a slight mute to give a flat wound tone with round wounds for a semi Upright sound on certain songs.

But as many times that I've used mine Never in my life have i ever cut my finger. Never. So not sure what you guys are doing to remove fingers with your mutes.

 

[strummer]

not sure what you guys are doing to remove fingers with your mutes.

In my younger days (about 20 years ago or so) I spent entire shows running, jumping, bouncing, bangin' and yes, I also played with a pick back then. So often the picking hand would bleed, and the bass suffered.
Nowadays my exquisite technique ( ) finds me unbleeding, but i still remember the pain. Never realized I cut myself 'til after a show, and always forgot before the next.