Need Something New

[Vintage7]

In 1977, after playing a P-Bass for 4 years I wanted something that sounded completely different.

My guitar player also worked at the my favorite music store, & he said to try a StingRay.
I did & instantly fell in love with That Sound.

I picked up this Inca Silver one (with narrow frets).

Now, 30 years later, I still love playing my Stingray, but, I'm thinking of buying a new EBMM & I'm curious as to the sound of a 77 MM compared to a 4HH, 4HS & a Bongo. Not to mention the 2 verses 3-band Eq.

Any comments on the sound comparisons?

 

[adouglas]

Holy creeping cruddies.

That thing's beautiful.

Now, down to business:

Go find a Bongo.

The built-in mind control ray generator will do the rest.

 

[tkarter]

There is nothing lost in a new SR IMHO.

There is nothing better than a bongo IMHO

It is all progress. Getting better all along.
tk

 

[Slim]

Are you selling this 77 Stingray?

 

[Vintage7]

adouglas & tkarter:

Thanks for the thumbs up!

It's going to be either a 2 pup SR4 or Bongo.
I want the extra sound combinations & I like the way they wired these from the factory.

They just give you too many choices...LOL!

It comes down to finding a store that has a good selection of both.

Thanks.

 

[Vintage7]

Slim:

No, I'm keeping it.

Thanks.

 

[adouglas]

Are you selling this 77 Stingray?

Welcome to the forum!

 

[EBMM7181]

Vintage7 - Welcome to the forum. Thats a beautiful bass you got.

Good luck finding a new bass, they are all great.

 

[Dr Stankface]

My vote goes toward a HH SR4.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[tiffles]

bongo all the way.

 

[hankSRay]

The good thing here is that you cant go wrong with what you decide on as long as its a EBMM. Welcome to the forum!

 

[58super]

Nice looking bass!

Check out a Stingray with a piezo. The other folks posting here are right, any EB bass is great and the best part is each bass brings something different to the table but still sounds like an EBMM at heart.

 

[Vintage7]

Thanks to all for the welcome & all the positive comments.

Unfortunately, from the positive comments on ALL the EBMM basses, it leads me to believe that I'm going to like EVERY combination of Bongo & Stingray LOL!

This could get expensive!

Now, if they only made a 12-String Bass....hmmm...

 

[hankSRay]

I just noticed you're in tarrytown. I know the guitar center over in larchmont on palmer ave. has a HH ray and a HH Bongo in stock. I fondled both just last week. Get over there and try them out.

 

[Caca de Kick]

Yum, Inca Silver...I'm mopping my drool now.

You're gonna have to try a bunch and see what you like the sounds of. Also try a 30th anniv Ray.

 

[mobis.fr]

i saw a stingray like this on the germany 'bay... perfect conditions
someone bought it before the auction ends i never will know how hight it gets

 

[tombboy]

There's one for sale, ebay uk at the mo.... £1250.00 Thats about $2300.00!!!
1978.
eBay.co.uk: Musicman Stingray Four String Bass Guitar (1978) (item 140099659108 end time 01-Apr-07 10:55:16 BST)

 

[kompressaur]

Bongo or sterling HS.you already got a Ray

Komp

 

[Vintage7]

hankSRay: I'll check the G.C. in Larchmont, thanks for the info. I'll stop in & try them.

Caca: thanks, I forgot (Doh!) about the 30th.
I have one bass in Mahogany & it just resonates. There's so many combos of pups for each bass, it's going to take some time.

mobis & tombboy:
I haven't seen one yet on e-bay in Inca silver.
Thanks for the link.

When I bought it in '77 I first tried one @ the music store. It was brown I think, & had the normal sized frets. (Mine has narrow & short frets).

I liked the sound but not the color.
I wanted something that sounded AND looked different.

So the salesman said "I have something that I think you'll like.
But he wouldn't tell me the color.
He did say that if I didn't like it, he'd give me my deposit back.
Kept me in suspense until I showed up to buy it.

kompressaur1:
It may wind up being a Bongo.
The Bongo is very unique in looks and if it sounds different enough from a StingRay, then that'll be the one.

But I will try these: Stingray4 HH & HS, Bongo HH, & 30th. And then there's the piezo option...this IS going to take awhile.

Thanks again.

 

[bovinehost]

Welcome!

I had a 70s Stingray or two along the way myself. Looks like you got yourself a mighty good one there.

I think the 30th Anniversary Stingray 4 is the best, absolutely THE BEST Stingray I've ever played, and I guess I'll have to admit that I've owned a metric boatload of Stingrays. It's very old school, which you might appreciate, owning what you own, or you actually might find it redundant if you're looking for something to expand your tonal palette.

The 20th Anniversary Stingray 5 is an amazing beast if you're thinking you might like to have a fiver. Yes, I do have one on order. I played one a few months back and even though I've had....well, a metric boatload of SR5s, I think this one is (again) the best Stingray 5 the company has ever built.

Apparently, they're doing some good stuff these days!

Both of these Anniversary models are tremendous. EBMM has done a great job with giving a nod to the past while still updating these basses with some modern (tone enhancing) features. The all mahogany body of the SR4, the mahogany tone-block of the SR5....they're amazing instruments.

I'm just this month having my first real experience with a dual pickup Stingray, which in this case is a (green!) Stingray 5. I've played a few but I haven't lived with one, and I'm happy to report that the 5 way switch really opens up the basic killer instinct of the Stingray 5. I've had limited experience with the dual pickup Stingray 4s but was suitably impressed with the options there, too.

Now, the Bongo.

You may notice my title over there on the left - "Lord Bongo". It's sort of a joke, but it's also, on some level, serious. I'm an old guy, but when I hit the door, the default bass is a Bongo. I've been playing them since late 2003 and I still can't quite believe how well the bass fits me. Yes, they're interesting looking beasts and there was the hue and cry when they first were released, but I don't care.

Hell, I play rockabilly, mostly, at least in public, and the Bongo hardly fits the whole "vibe" but my band are now True Believers in the power of the Bongo.

In the not-too-distant past, I may have had as many as six Bongos at once.

I'm all better now, though! I'm down to a quite managable five.

So of course I'm going to flog the Bongo. This forum has turned quite a few skeptics into believers. I'm continually amazed (and pleased) at how many of these guys are multiple Bongo owners.

Plus, it makes me feel not quite so.....odd.

Let me know if there are any questions I can answer for you. I'll be glad to have a go.

Again, welcome.

Jack