MusicMan Stingray Short Scale Electronics-Pickup Problem

[wmcran]

Reaching out to see if anyone has had a problem like this. In January I got a MusicMan short scale Stingray direct from MusicMan.
This has passive electronics with a 3 position switch.

1. Parallel
2. Neck portion of pickup
3. Series

There is an intermittent problem in the series position where there is no audio output and what seems as a grounding issue. If you touch any metal on the bass, you get a buzz. If I pull pluck a string hard, the high transient intermittently fixes the problem.
The bass would be fine for a day or two then the problem reappears.

I contacted MusicMan and it when back for repair. It came back 3 weeks later with the same problem. It was sent back again for repair and came back with the same problem again! I have troubleshooted with five different amps and cables, it’s a problem within the bass.

First time repaired they said they replaced the switch. Second time they said they replaced all electronics.
At this point, I asked for a refund. They are sending me a UPS tag and made this statement.

"We did replace all electronics when it was here, and it passed inspection before it shipped. The failure may be due to environmental factors that we cannot control outside the factory. We'll go ahead and issue a UPS call tag to send this one back with. Once it arrives here, we'll process a refund for the full purchase price, pending inspection.”

Since the bass never left my home, I find this comment uncalled for....The failure may be due to environmental factors that we cannot control outside the factory.

This is my first MusicMan bass and the neck-feel is excellent. I would love to keep it but it appears that they can't take some time to find the problem.

I found on another form someone who had the same problem in 2015. It was returned three times with no success.

 

[nebadon]

Sorry about your problem; seems perplexing and must be frustrating

They can't do much more than replacing all electronics
also if it hasn't left your home you cannot rule out environmental unless you have same problem in different location

Although it seems doubtful has anything changed in your home or nearby since it was fine at beginning?

Have you tried taking it to local shop and seeing if problem occurs for them

It obviously works fine for EBMM at their facility but not your home

 

[DrKev]

"We did replace all electronics when it was here, and it passed inspection before it shipped. The failure may be due to environmental factors that we cannot control outside the factory. We'll go ahead and issue a UPS call tag to send this one back with. Once it arrives here, we'll process a refund for the full purchase price, pending inspection.”

Environmental factors usually means anything between the factory shipping it and you receiving it. I've dealt with customer service and warranty repairs at a large music store and I know that there is nothing more frustrating for *everyone* than problems that reoccur after repair, or that can't be replicated by the factory or warranty people. Is it possible an issue can occur three times in a row? Yes, though the probability is extremely low. That means you are just super unlucky this time. Music Man are doing the right thing by you, as they should. What more can they do?

Here on the forum people often come asking advice if something goes wrong. I don't recall prior instance of the issues you report, so it's certainly not a widespread problem. Like most guitar companies, EBMM have a database of warranty return issues so they can quickly flag specific issues to be fixed. Anything that is a production snafu to be fixed are usually caught in the first production runs.

I found on another form someone who had the same problem in 2015. It was returned three times with no success.

The StingRay short scale initial release was announced September 2019. Hardly anyone had them in their hands before early 2020.

 

[wmcran]

Environmental factors usually means anything between the factory shipping it and you receiving it. I've dealt with customer service and warranty repairs at a large music store and I know that there is nothing more frustrating for *everyone* than problems that reoccur after repair, or that can't be replicated by the factory or warranty people. Is it possible an issue can occur three times in a row? Yes, though the probability is extremely low. That means you are just super unlucky this time. Music Man are doing the right thing by you, as they should. What more can they do?

Here on the forum people often come asking advice if something goes wrong. I don't recall prior instance of the issues you report, so it's certainly not a widespread problem. Like most guitar companies, EBMM have a database of warranty return issues so they can quickly flag specific issues to be fixed. Anything that is a production snafu to be fixed are usually caught in the first production runs.


The StingRay short scale initial release was announced September 2019. Hardly anyone had them in their hands before early 2020.

DrKev:

When I said "I found on another form someone who had the same problem in 2015. It was returned three times with no success." I didn't mean it was another short scale but the same scenario. It was a full scale Stingray with active electronics. He ended up replacing the pickup with a Nordstand and that solved his problem.

Thanks for clearing up what was ment by environmental factors as I couldn't understand what EBMM was getting at.

First repair EBMM replaced the switch, second repair they said they replaced all electronics and I guess that included the pickup. Who would think that a passive instrument could be so perplexing.