Original Stingray Prototype

[Kirby]

Awesome info! One of the most enjoyable threads I have ever read here. Thanks for sharing.

 

[drTStingray]

Awesome info! One of the most enjoyable threads I have ever read here. Thanks for sharing.

+ 1. Also I'm probably thinking too quickly on this but I've always been curious about the inca silver colour which appears to be quite rare (was it generally available or a short term special). It would be great to eventually understand the background to that and if more than the one mentioned above were resprays of rejects.

I also recall the finish on my sunburst pre EB grew a slight haze to the finish on the flat parts of the body, and the black edge wore through to reveal white/cream in one or two areas within two or three years. I didn't really think anything of it at the time but perhaps the info in this thread points to the reasoning.

 

[BrockLee]

CLFR just referred to them as "Silver"..but there are some entries for "Silver #2" or "Silver II". Broken Truss Rod theorized it may explain some of the slight color differences in the silvers.

I have logged 153 silver basses that were built between 1976-1978 (call it the B00 period). That does not include ones that may have had colors changed in repair to silver. A quick look and I see none that had been changed to another color. One of the dilemmas I have with this project is how I have info compiled. Right now it is the original color and build info with changes noted in another generic field. The changes can range from a simple setup to a whole new instrument built around a neckplate.

Due to that, it is hard to compile an absolutely accurate count of things like colors.

I see their production peppered through. They did seem to be made in small runs, like 6-12 silver basses and guitars run through the paint booth at one time. Remember, these were done side by side with guitars. But that is how they ALL were done. They did batches of colors to fill Music man's orders. There are many days where they will do 40 basses, all the same color. Then another color the next day. Very, very few one off colors were ordered and built. Usually it was for someone special or for promotion. 99% of the instruments built in this era were bulk ordered in a monthly production schedule that ordered hundreds at a time and broke down particular color quantities Music Man wanted. CLFR would then fill the order. Sometimes when CLFR fell behind they would be working off multiple orders. One daily invoice could sometimes have instruments filling 3 bulk orders. They would list which were for what. That is another item I have started incorporating into the database.

 

[BrockLee]

Okay, eye candy. Here is an example of an early purchase order. As you can imagine, as time went on and production increased, the way orders were placed and the paperwork itself changed over time. This is how they were done in the early days. A purchase order would cover many months. By 1978 they started having new ones every month and included very detailed breakdowns. As you can see, this particular PO had over 100 silver basses on it. If they actually filled that order, this order covers the majority of B00 silver basses.

 

[MrMusashi]

it must be very satisfying to dig through everything and then suddenly finding something interesting

MrM

 

[scottbass71]

Hi Brocklee thanks for sharing all this information with us knuckleheads it really is a great insight to what happened at musicman

thanks

Scott

 

[Vintage7]

CLFR just referred to them as "Silver"..but there are some entries for "Silver #2" or "Silver II". Broken Truss Rod theorized it may explain some of the slight color differences in the silvers.

I have logged 153 silver basses that were built between 1976-1978 (call it the B00 period). That does not include ones that may have had colors changed in repair to silver. A quick look and I see none that had been changed to another color. One of the dilemmas I have with this project is how I have info compiled. Right now it is the original color and build info with changes noted in another generic field. The changes can range from a simple setup to a whole new instrument built around a neckplate.

Due to that, it is hard to compile an absolutely accurate count of things like colors.

I see their production peppered through. They did seem to be made in small runs, like 6-12 silver basses and guitars run through the paint booth at one time. Remember, these were done side by side with guitars. But that is how they ALL were done. They did batches of colors to fill Music man's orders. There are many days where they will do 40 basses, all the same color. Then another color the next day. Very, very few one off colors were ordered and built. Usually it was for someone special or for promotion. 99% of the instruments built in this era were bulk ordered in a monthly production schedule that ordered hundreds at a time and broke down particular color quantities Music Man wanted. CLFR would then fill the order. Sometimes when CLFR fell behind they would be working off multiple orders. One daily invoice could sometimes have instruments filling 3 bulk orders. They would list which were for what. That is another item I have started incorporating into the database.

Regarding the silver 2 and silver Ii reference, I wonder if that would explain the color change to green on some of the production inca silver basses.
Mine never changed to green luckily.
I love seeing the invoice order with all the info hand written in.
Makes me wonder which batch mine came from.

 

[BrockLee]

That very well could be. And it very well may have been internal or experimental thing. Straight aluminum flakes can look somewhat harsh, but do not oxidize. They may have attempted to warm the color up by getting a shade that uses copper, bronze, or brass mixed in. Those alloys green out terribly.

From what I see, CLFR did not indulge in one off paint jobs. They focused on a pallet, made some experimental finishes and a couple one offs for high level people. The basic pallet was not auto paints. They bought pigments and flakes and from their lacquer suppliers. Kind of like Fender's old Candy Apple Red was all inhouse, metal flake powder, trans red pigment, white primer.. That is what all of the standard paints were at CLFR.

When i get this all pulled together, I will be able to tell you exactly what batch yours is from.

 

[Kong]

Wow, nice read.

We sure do need a "like"-button for threads like that.