New Musicman SR5 HH owner!

[DJBenzBass]

As of last Friday, Nov 24th, I am a part of the Musicman bass family! I purchased a new Musicman SR5 HH, Black, Maple board, matching headstock, black PG. One of the meanest looking basses around! I was always a Jazz bass player until my drummer walked into band practice 2 weeks ago with a Stingray 4 and plugged it into my amp. When I heard the first note, I knew I had to have one! I am a 5 string player, so that was an easy option. One of the brothers on this board, MoonDog, had been telling me for months to try a MM SR5 HS (because of the added J pickup) but for some reason I was stubborn. After I heard my drummer's bass, the closest I could find with a maple board was a local store that had an SR5 HH with matching headstock (thanks to the vendor and inventory features on the Ernie Ball website). I raced there and bought it immediately!

I like this bass so much, my Fender Marcus Miller Jazz V was just placed on ebay today, and the SR5 has taken the #1 spot in my bass chain!!! Even over my now 2nd favorite Fender American Jazz Deluxe V (with the active preamp removed because it sounded very stale and dry). While I’m on the active preamp subject, I must state that the SR5 active preamp sounds fantastic! Very alive! I am also blown away by the “wood feel” of the back of the neck too. It makes me wash my hands before I play every time, but that’s no big deal. I’ll get over that soon enough. I can’t wait to play the next show with my new SR5!

This bass is just what I needed! I am so impressed with it, that as soon as I can find the similar SR5 with the HS pickup configuration, I’m buying that too!! Excellent job Ernie Ball/Musicman!

P.S. The guitarist in my band has 2 Ernie Ball Musicman John Petrucci guitars! He plays those exclusively!

My gear to amplify my new MM SR5 HH Beast:
Bergantino HT322 cabinet
Ampeg SVP-CL preamp
Crest CA9 poweramp
Shure ULXP4 wireless

 

[soniq]

I share your love for the SR5HH . Welcome to the club!

 

[MingusBASS]

1.Nice bass
2.Bergs rule

 

[azzy_wazzy]

Welcome to the forum and the EB family

 

[Gary Raymond]

Hello & welcome. I recently got a SR5 HH myself & love it. It has also replaced my Fender American Deluxe Jazz V FMT as first choice. I'm still undecided on an upgraded Amp though.

 

[Big Poppa]

great news!

 

[Rano Bass]

Welcome, nice bass.
Report back when you use it live.

 

[Dr Stankface]

Welcome to the forum mi amigo!! HH SR5s rock.

 

[j rug]

Wow. That's a good looking family got there.

 

[DanielOnBass]

Very nice setup you have there... Even with that other bass in the shot... Congrats on the new baby!

 

[Alma]

That is one killer rig! Sweet SR5, congrats!

 

[LowDownDave]

Nice score! I definitely see 5 strings in my future, but I think I'll wait to find out what is going on with LE's, Sterling 5's and the 20th SR5 next year. But I love the different sounds I can get out of my SR4 HH so much, I think I would generally be happy with an SR5 HH. Bring on the wedding bass!

 

[Bill]

Welcome, and sweet bass!

 

[DJBenzBass]

That is one killer rig! Sweet SR5, congrats!

Thank you, and thank you all for the nice welcome! I apologize for the "other" bass in the photo. That won't happen again.

The first show with the SR5 HH will be this Saturday night in New Jersey. The bar is actually having "Midget Tossing" that night as well. Should be quite an interesting show. I've certainly never played a show like that before!

 

[stretch80]

Welcome! I had the same story with a chance encounter with a SR5 that let me know it was THE bass I had to have. I've got a single H but am saving for a SR5 HS or HH. Still waiting for one to make it up here to the NE so I can play one.

I totally agree with you on SR vs. Jazz and the preamp. There's a clarity and punch and "full range" feel to the SR that kills the J imho.

 

[artisan]

welcome & nice SR5 you've got there.
i suspect that Fe*der will just sit & collect dust from now on

 

[Moondog]

Welcome aboard Don (NervX5)!!!

It really feels great to bring someone new into the MusicMan family.
And I'm delighted to hear how much you enjoy this SR5HH, and it looks AWESOME!

Months ago, I BIN'd a Bergantino IP310 on ebay for a great price. Don was
the seller. I later come to find out he's local and we actually went to high
school together . . . and played football/bowled together . . . small world!
We're both gearwhores, having almost daily discussion on what's next.
At the moment seems we both like the Ray/SVP/Berg combo!

Stick around Don, you'll have fun here . . . but your GAS will get worse.

 

[brewer]

Bergs

1.Nice bass
2.Bergs rule

Please tell me more about your experience with the bergantino cab's

 

[DJBenzBass]

Please tell me more about your experience with the bergantino cab's

I've had 2 of them. An IP310 (sold to Moondog), and an HT322 (still have).
Here's my honest opinion on each:

IP310: It's a powered cabinet that costs about twice as much as the HT322. It can't be used with a bass head, unless you can set up your head as a preamp only. At the time I sold it to Moondog, I was just nuts for Trace Elliot AH-1000 heads, so it didn't fit my needs. It's power amp even has the ability to add it's own great tone if you choose! You can connect almost any preamp to it, and blast away at 1000 watts @ 4 ohms! Even though it's a 3x10, it handles low B strings without any problem at all! It's so easy, that you could roll that into a gig, plug a Dunlop MXR Bass D.I. preamp pedal into it, and sound outstanding! I'm using that pedal as an example of verstility and ease of use. I love that pedal! It's in my case as a backup at every gig. If something happens to my gear, I'm going to the board through that! I've tried most preamp/DI pedals, and that one is clearly the best to my ears. "Clear, beefy tone".

HT322: Because I was always a Trace Elliot head nut, the HT322 cabinet was my next choice. It's a 2x10 + 1x12. It is outstanding as well. Very tight and punchy, especially if you use a Jim Bergantino recommended power amp such as the Crest CA9. Do some research on speaker "damping" from power amps and you'll see why. I also started with Bergantino cabs because I was tired of dragging my Mesa Boogie cabinets to gigs! Either a 4x10 + 2x10, or 4x10 + 1x15. All that was not necessary, and the HT322 is pretty close to those volume wise. 800 watts @ 4 ohms, as long as you have enough power to push the speakers like they should be pushed.

Ever show up at a gig with a giant bass stack then find out they are running you direct? How about stage volume only, but the rest of the band is mic'd through the PA? The Bergantinos can get be about as soft or as loud and clear as you need. (within reason, of course)

I hope that helped, and if you have any more questions, go to the Bergantino website and send an email or call. I'll bet if you call, Jim Bergantino himself will answer and do his best to answer all your questions. He is a true professional who really cares about his cabinets and customers.

Best of luck!

 

[DJBenzBass]

Welcome aboard Don (NervX5)!!!

It really feels great to bring someone new into the MusicMan family.
And I'm delighted to hear how much you enjoy this SR5HH, and it looks AWESOME!

Months ago, I BIN'd a Bergantino IP310 on ebay for a great price. Don was
the seller. I later come to find out he's local and we actually went to high
school together . . . and played football/bowled together . . . small world!
We're both gearwhores, having almost daily discussion on what's next.
At the moment seems we both like the Ray/SVP/Berg combo!

Stick around Don, you'll have fun here . . . but your GAS will get worse.

Thank you again Ken!!!
See what ebay did! We met up again after all these years because of bass gear, and you turned me onto the SR5 HH !!! It's like the perfect fit and feel of a Warrior Armed Soldier bass neck with tone that cuts and destroys!!! (Yes, I bought, then sold, one of those basses as well before getting the SR5 HH).
You also get credit for the Ampeg SVP-CL preamp too! Great unit. I like it a lot better then the Aguilar, Demeter, Trace Elliot, Blue Tube, Ashly, ADA MB-1, Sansamp RBI, and ART preamps I've owned in the past (not all at once, of course).

Keep that bass collection growing Ken!!!