Music Man Purchase

[ricplayer]

I bought a M/M Stingray some time ago. Had a lot of "dead spots" on the neck/bass. Called customer service but they would not send me another neck. I checked intonation and all and got it playable, went so far as to bring it back to GC where I got it to exchange it for another M/M, but the ones they had were worse. Is this a common problem on M/M's now? I've owned them before and don't remember having this problem. I ended up selling the bass, and really miss it. I am now looking to get another M/M, but not if it has the same problem.

 

[koogie2k]

Welcome to the addiction ricplayer!

Sorry to hear you had problems with you previous MM. However, it is to my understanding that they (EBMM) will not send you a neck. You have to send in the guitar/bass and they will fix or replace as needed. I had a neck on one of my JP-6's break in half and had to send the whole axe in and it was replaced (the neck that is) and sent back to me. EBMM Customer Service is the best in the business and I would definitely recommend you scooping up a new one. I own several guitars and a bongo bass and they are flawless. Many others here will tell you the same.

Good luck and again, welcome.

 

[ricplayer]

Welcome to the addiction ricplayer!

Sorry to hear you had problems with you previous MM. However, it is to my understanding that they (EBMM) will not send you a neck. You have to send in the guitar/bass and they will fix or replace as needed. I had a neck on one of my JP-6's break in half and had to send the whole axe in and it was replaced (the neck that is) and sent back to me. EBMM Customer Service is the best in the business and I would definitely recommend you scooping up a new one. I own several guitars and a bongo bass and they are flawless. Many others here will tell you the same.

Good luck and again, welcome.

Thank you very much. Happy holidays and (Merry Christmas) to you!

 

[Mr Light]

Buying from the rack...

I bought a M/M Stingray some time ago. Had a lot of "dead spots" on the neck/bass. Called customer service but they would not send me another neck. I checked intonation and all and got it playable, went so far as to bring it back to GC where I got it to exchange it for another M/M, but the ones they had were worse. Is this a common problem on M/M's now? I've owned them before and don't remember having this problem. I ended up selling the bass, and really miss it. I am now looking to get another M/M, but not if it has the same problem.

Hi,

Don't dispair, it has been my experience---even before converting to the MusicMan faith---that I've only been satisfied with basses that I've special ordered. My story is similar with the ordering of my Stingray 5. I purchased a Black Stingray 5, brand new and from GC Hollywood's back stock (so it was untouched) and I still wasn't satisfied. It was neck-heavy, didn't sound well when I recorded with it and it just didn't feel like MY bass. So I returned it with the intention of special ordering one from them, and needless to say I felt treated like some random guy who buys things and returns them, so I took my business elsewhere.

GC Hollywood is more for tourists than actual business anyway!

Anyhow, my success is 100% (so far) when I find a smaller store that appreciates one's business and wants to make one happy.

Correct me if I'm wrong fellow forum members, but it seems that more attention is given to a unique order by a production company like EBMM than when GC orders its standard black w/black pickguard or natural w/ black pickguard. It's either that or smaller stores have better karma than the major ones.

P.S. I later contacted the store manager at Guitar Center Hollywood who told me that we can return basses as much as we want until we are happy, so don't let them bully you into taking a lemon. And in the end, you can always get your money back.

 

[Mr Light]

Oh, and by the way...

Welcome,

You are among friends!

Please make note of the correction in my last post "don't let them bully you..."

 

[Musicman Nut]

Dead Spots

I bought a M/M Stingray some time ago. Had a lot of "dead spots" on the neck/bass. Called customer service but they would not send me another neck. I checked intonation and all and got it playable, went so far as to bring it back to GC where I got it to exchange it for another M/M, but the ones they had were worse. Is this a common problem on M/M's now? I've owned them before and don't remember having this problem. I ended up selling the bass, and really miss it. I am now looking to get another M/M, but not if it has the same problem.

Well as a Owner of over 150 basses and 80 of them Music Man Basses my honest answer is this.
Wood will Be Wood, necks react with different woods, Anytime I buy a Bass I NEVER PLUG IT IN.
if it sounds good unpluged or i play it and don't feel as many dead spots or at least not in the area's I play in alot then I buy it.

No Matter what bass you buy Music Man or whatever the bass is there will always be dead spot ,no getting around it unless you use a Graphite neck.

The Bottom line is play the bass and see if their in a Place you can Live with.
Good Luck. Dave J

 

[Dargin]

Mr. Light,

We make EVERY bass the EXACT same way.

 

[ricplayer]

Well as a Owner of over 150 basses and 80 of them Music Man Basses my honest answer is this.
Wood will Be Wood, necks react with different woods, Anytime I buy a Bass I NEVER PLUG IT IN.
if it sounds good unpluged or i play it and don't feel as many dead spots or at least not in the area's I play in alot then I buy it.

No Matter what bass you buy Music Man or whatever the bass is there will always be dead spot ,no getting around it unless you use a Graphite neck.

The Bottom line is play the bass and see if their in a Place you can Live with.
Good Luck. Dave J

Cool...will do...hope my GC here has a natural...

 

[bassmonkeee]

Hi,

Don't dispair, it has been my experience---even before converting to the MusicMan faith---that I've only been satisfied with basses that I've special ordered. My story is similar with the ordering of my Stingray 5. I purchased a Black Stingray 5, brand new and from GC Hollywood's back stock (so it was untouched) and I still wasn't satisfied. It was neck-heavy, didn't sound well when I recorded with it and it just didn't feel like MY bass. So I returned it with the intention of special ordering one from them, and needless to say I felt treated like some random guy who buys things and returns them, so I took my business elsewhere.

GC Hollywood is more for tourists than actual business anyway!

Anyhow, my success is 100% (so far) when I find a smaller store that appreciates one's business and wants to make one happy.

Correct me if I'm wrong fellow forum members, but it seems that more attention is given to a unique order by a production company like EBMM than when GC orders its standard black w/black pickguard or natural w/ black pickguard. It's either that or smaller stores have better karma than the major ones.

P.S. I later contacted the store manager at Guitar Center Hollywood who told me that we can return basses as much as we want until we are happy, so don't let them bully you into taking a lemon. And in the end, you can always get your money back.

I don't think you could be more wrong, honestly. I've bought every Bongo I've owned from GC. To think that EB would care more when someone special orders an instrument from a small store is ridiculous at the least and insulting, to boot.

 

[Mr Light]

Bass Making Theory

Mr. Light,

We make EVERY bass the EXACT same way.

Hmmm... Thanks for telling me...

Then it must be what MusicMan Nut noted, "wood will be wood."

Thanks again Dargin, it is very reassuring to know that every bass is given the same amount of attention; unlike the other company we all know of.

 

[bovinehost]

We make EVERY bass the EXACT same way.

True. A bunch of us have seen it being done.

And that's a very GOOD thing, that they're all the exact same way.

Don't you think?

Jack

 

[Wasabi]

In general, a MusicMan bass is the only production bass I'd be comfortable buying sight unseen. The two I have owned have been wonderful. I had an incredible SR5 from the late 90s, trans teal with rosewood, with a birdseye neck, and I stupidly sold it. I purchased a replacement in 2003...a blue dawn with rosewood, and it plays even better than the first. Both had their own personalities (the original one had more of a roar for some reason), but I love the blue dawn. Yes, wood will be wood, but the quality of the MusicMan stuff is the best production stuff out there.

 

[Steve Dude Barr]

I'm very much a "small fry" dealer as compared to GC and every one of the basses I've ordered have been flawless.

When we all did the factory tour there were no parts anywhere during the construction phase with any intended dealer markings on them.

If you had been there for the tour or even looked at any of the photo galleries linked above in "Special Events" you will quite clearly see this would not be possible.

As Dargin said above...every instrument is built exactly the same, no question at all.

 

[bovinehost]

Well...except mine.

 

[Mr Light]

Wood.

In general, a MusicMan bass is the only production bass I'd be comfortable buying sight unseen. The two I have owned have been wonderful. I had an incredible SR5 from the late 90s, trans teal with rosewood, with a birdseye neck, and I stupidly sold it. I purchased a replacement in 2003...a blue dawn with rosewood, and it plays even better than the first. Both had their own personalities (the original one had more of a roar for some reason), but I love the blue dawn. Yes, wood will be wood, but the quality of the MusicMan stuff is the best production stuff out there.

...I agree...

The other good point MusicMan Nut made was to try your bass acoustically when buying one. I tend to do a lot of my practicing unplugged, as I don't want to overtire my ears, and yes; if it sounds great unplugged, odds are it will sound great plugged.

 

[tkarter]

Since I don't know very many EB basses all I can say is Thank You EB. Mine doesn't have a deadspot.

Sure it is wood? It looks like wood?

the dreaded

Plays like buttah


tk

 

[Jazzbassman23]

Fortunately, my ear's not good enough to hear dead spots or else I don't have any on the four MM's I own. I'm sure it's me, but I still don't get the "play it unplugged" approach since it's an electric instrument.

 

[Mobay45]

I've owned 5 different EB basses over the last 2 years or so (of which I still have 3) and I only played one of those before I bought it.

The first EB bass I bought was a black Stingray. I played it in the store and it followed me home. I regret selling that bass but I now have another Stingray.

The only other EB bass I've bought and sold was a SUB 5 that just didn't work for me. I just didn't like the slab body of the SUB.

All of them have been great playing and sounding basses from the start.

 

[Musicman Nut]

Fortunately, my ear's not good enough to hear dead spots or else I don't have any on the four MM's I own. I'm sure it's me, but I still don't get the "play it unplugged" approach since it's an electric instrument.

Well If you don't know the difference then it really doesn't matter. Electric or not any instrument has a ring too it, some are better then others, so too me if it rings very well unplugged then plugged in will sound awesome in 99.9% of cases.

One thing i will give too the boutique bass builders is this. If you ever noticed their finishes. High end Bass builders will use an oil or very thin laquer and they do that for a reason.

The less finish the better the wood breathe's and it allows the wood to vibrate better.
But the down fall is with Laquer is some states can't use it and second the finish isn't as durable as a Poly finish is.

Poly finishes is a no brainer, spray it 2 feet thick throw it on the buffing wheel go get lunch come back and you have a great looking instrument.

Does it choke the wood you ask, absolutely. But it's just the way the times have changed and 95% of all companies do it this way now. DJ

 

[ricplayer]

In general, a MusicMan bass is the only production bass I'd be comfortable buying sight unseen. The two I have owned have been wonderful. I had an incredible SR5 from the late 90s, trans teal with rosewood, with a birdseye neck, and I stupidly sold it. I purchased a replacement in 2003...a blue dawn with rosewood, and it plays even better than the first. Both had their own personalities (the original one had more of a roar for some reason), but I love the blue dawn. Yes, wood will be wood, but the quality of the MusicMan stuff is the best production stuff out there.

Now wait a minute. I have owned M/M and Rickenbacker. Both are quality basses, but i'd put the edge to Ric. Never had a Ric with a chip in the finish (at the neck to body) as I did with my last M/M. Never had any serious "dead spots" with the Ric's either.