Pair of Balls

[Powman]

I now have a pair of balls! I picked up this Sterling by MM SB14 at a very good price because there was a flaw in the neck. With some sanding using two grits of sand paper, some Gunstock oil and then wax, the neck is good as new.

Not 100% sure if I am going to keep it or sell it because I still have my Bongo on the way.

But it sure is pretty! Take a look...

 

[five7]

Very nice looking. After the bongo shows up it will feel neglected.

 

[Powman]

Very nice looking. After the bongo shows up it will feel neglected.

I know...

Part of my motivation for getting this is as follows:

I do a "music appreciation" class for kids with hearing loss (like me). I usually bring my real-McCoy Sterling but I get nervous when the kids put their sticky fingers on it.

Now this bass isn't a cheap Squier...it is in a way different class than any other off-shore guitar I could totally do gigs with this bass! It sounds awesome and plays awesome. But it is almost a grand less than my real Sterling.

I tried playing some really cheap basses...and they felt, well, really cheap. I guess once you play a nice instrument, its hard to go backwards, even if it is for a little demo to a bunch of kids.

 

[five7]

Good point and a great choice. Very nice of you to provide a quality bass to teach kids with!

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

It looks almost identical to the original, with the exception of the longer tuners. It looks very nice and I like that blue. It looks like a cross between Blue Pearl and Electric Blue.

 

[sitonmybass]

I really like that bass. I think it's a "keeper" even though you have a Bongo on the way. Variety is the spice of bass.

 

[IvanHardy]

Never tried a sterling but the maple one looks amazing.

 

[Powman]

I really like that bass. I think it's a "keeper" even though you have a Bongo on the way. Variety is the spice of bass.

I used the Blue Sterling by MM at band practice today...loved it.

I think it is a keeper since I got such a good price on it. One thing that I love about the unfinished necks is how easy it is to correct flaws. This Blue one had some major scuffs on the neck. Thats why it has been sitting in the shop since last September. I pointed this out already back in September, but no one did anything about it. So I took it off their hands and fixed it myself.

All it took is about 30 minutes of sanding with fine and then ultra fine sandpaper. Then some oil and wax. It is totally fixed.

 

[Powman]

Never tried a sterling but the maple one looks amazing.

The maple one (red finish) is an American Sterling, while the blue one is the off-shore version. Is there a difference? Yes. The American one is sturdier, stays in tune longer, weighs less, and will likely be more rugged. But the off-shore one is very close and is excellent value.

 

[Powman]

It looks almost identical to the original, with the exception of the longer tuners. It looks very nice and I like that blue. It looks like a cross between Blue Pearl and Electric Blue.

The blue colour is nice, isn't it?

 

[Bassmedic14]

Nice set....one looks like it's a hanging a little lower then the other lol!

 

[Powman]

Nice set....one looks like it's a hanging a little lower then the other lol!

Yeah, the left one...thats pretty normal. don't you think?

 

[Bassmedic14]

yeap.......I glad somebody got that lol!

 

[keko]

Nice collection of Sterlings!
Well, one is genuine for sure!

I still think that Sterling is the best Music Man bass! (didn't try 25th & Big Al)

 

[TechJunky]

What kind of oil and wax did you use? I have a Ray34 and a Stingray, and much prefer the neck on the Stingray and would love to get the ray34's neck feeling more like the stingray's neck. Did you find a procedure on how to do this somewhere, or just wing it?

 

[Zenrad]

What kind of oil and wax did you use? I have a Ray34 and a Stingray, and much prefer the neck on the Stingray and would love to get the ray34's neck feeling more like the stingray's neck. Did you find a procedure on how to do this somewhere, or just wing it?

If the neck is finished with a glossy finish you could try #000 steel wool followed by #0000 steel wool to give more of a matt finish. There will still be finish on the neck but it will have a smoother feel. You could get more aggressive and hit it with 600 grit sandpaper first, followed by the #000 and #0000.

If you want to make a finished neck into an oil finished neck you'll need to remove the existing finish first. Start with 200 grit sandpaper, to remove the finish until you start seeing wood dust rather than finish coming off. Be careful not to change the contour of the neck. Then follow with 320, 400, 600 to remove scratches, always keeping an eye on the neck shape and contour.

For finishing necks I've used Birchwood-Casey Tru-Oil (it's a polymerized oil finish, meaning that it cures and hardens). When it's dry go over it with #0000 steel wool. Do at least 2 coats, the first one should soak in pretty well. Let it cure for at least 24 hours and then use the Birchwood-Casey Gunstock wax. It makes for a very nice feeling neck.

I've finished an entire acoustic guitar this way (rather then spraying lacquer) with great results that have held up well for a number of years. I don't like the smell of the stuff, it's not noxious or anything, it just annoys me...but once it's completely dry and the Gunstock wax goes on all is well.

 

[Chuck B]

nice looking pair of sterlings...

 

[Powman]

What kind of oil and wax did you use? I have a Ray34 and a Stingray, and much prefer the neck on the Stingray and would love to get the ray34's neck feeling more like the stingray's neck. Did you find a procedure on how to do this somewhere, or just wing it?

Sorry I couldn't answer earlier as I was "across the pond" on business.

The procedure Zenrad described is pretty much correct. I would disagree a bit on how long to leave the oil on. Personally, I now only use a small amount of oil then wipe off any excess within 5 minutes. Then I apply the wax.

Leaving it on longer will result in a different feeling of finish. Not quite a glossed neck, but a little more finished than what the Music Man necks come to you in their original condition. You might like either result. Personal preference.

 

[Zenrad]

Sorry I couldn't answer earlier as I was "across the pond" on business.

The procedure Zenrad described is pretty much correct. I would disagree a bit on how long to leave the oil on. Personally, I now only use a small amount of oil then wipe off any excess within 5 minutes. Then I apply the wax.

Leaving it on longer will result in a different feeling of finish. Not quite a glossed neck, but a little more finished than what the Music Man necks come to you in their original condition. You might like either result. Personal preference.

To clarify, I meant to let it *cure* for 24 hours before waxing, but even if you let a thick coat sit too long you can always knock it back down with the steel wool so it's not too glossy or thick.

The way I apply Tru-oil is the same as Powman - I use a thin coat and wipe it well into the wood. It will feel sticky for about 15 minutes though, and when it feels dry I go over it with steel wool to level it and remove the gloss. I'll then either apply another coat or let it sit.

Since Tru-Oil is a polymerized finish it isn't like a regular oil, it cures and hardens once the solvents evaporate, which takes a bit of time. 24 hours is a safe bet but you could wax it sooner and see how it reacts.

Of course, the best thing to do would be to get a piece of scrap maple and practice on it before touching a good instrument.

 

[Powman]

Thanks Zenrad. I see what you mean now. Cheers!