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pre-ernie ball stingray with no output

kdsi44

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 10, 2004
Messages
252
hey guys, i just picked up a 1977 stingray, all original, serial #0027**....i plugged it into my amp, and nothing, no sound, zip,zero, nothing...someone please help...thnks :cool:
 
a 1977 stingray, all original

Can't be all original then, because I've had a few of those and they all came with built in bass noises. Just pluck the strings.........


.........sorry.

First things first, change the battery.
 
Just Went And Bought A New Battery And Nothing....no Sound At All...its Dead
 
Well, before we get into this long-distance investigation, give me the details.

Did it have output before?

Did you buy it from a dealer, a friend, a guy on the corner?

How long have you had it?

That sort of thing.
 
I Just Got It In From Ups About An Hour Ago.....i Bought It From A Guy In Colorado, He Was The Original Owner....he Said That The Electronics Worked, But Were Scratchy, And May Need To Be Re-worked.....he Said He Bought It New In 1977 And It Was All Original.....
 
Can It Be Fixed? What Could Be Wrong With It If There Is No Output???
 
About a million little things COULD be wrong with it......

...battery lead off somewhere.

----preamp burned and without hope.

....output jack.

So soldering a loose lead somewhere, hey, it could be cheap and easy and no big deal. Or you might need a new preamp, which is a bigger deal altogether.

But the guy sold you a dead bass. I wouldn't fool around with it. I'd make him take it back.
 
If you are good with a soldering Iron check the connections to the jack and from the pick up etc. and see if any have connections have come off.
the only thing is you would have to pull the bass apart a bit.

If the Pre-amp is stuffed you can get a replacement from EB but you have to send them the old one.

hope that helps
 
Sounds like there was already a problem there. It may be a loose wire or a faulty/intermittent vol, treble or bass control.

If you don't know anything about electronics, I suggest you take it around to your local guitar tech.

The pics below should help you or your guitar tech.

In the event it turns out to be the actual pre-amp circuit board itself, then they can be replaced by Ernie Ball. Part number "M0-5400".

The pre-amp is located under the crescent moon control plate. A 77 Bass has a pre-amp sealed in black epoxy and looks like this:

31089516-011f-0190012C-.jpg



Here's the wiring diagram for a 77:

29616200-a638-02000142-.jpg



This is a view of the electronics under the control plate. This pre-amp board
on this one is NOT a black epoxy but but from a latter model Bass. Lead out wire colouring from the pre-amp boards change depending on model but the layout is basically the same:

39390076-7937-020000E4-.jpg


P.S. I have other diagrams and pics on my web page (link is below with my sign off). Go into "Technical Data" and then into "Wiring".

.
 
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I see you've put it up on eBay! You could've given it a chance, no? Some people swear by the pre-EB basses! :p
 
kdsi44....

Matter for you but I'd hang onto the Bass.

The pre-amp is quite easy to fix....childs play, in fact.

(Trust me, I'm a lawyer ;) )

P.S. I was in contact with the original owner earlier this year. It was only gigged for 4 years. Since then, it's remained indoors as a studio Bass!!!!!
 
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Well, I Decided To Put It Up On Ebay And See What Will Happen....i Guess I Was Just Discouraged That The Guy Lied To Me....anyway, I Really Dont Have A Good Guitar Tech In My Area That I Can Trust...i Live Near Houston, Tx...anyone Know Of A Good Vintage Guitar Tech?
 
Can you take a high res pic (looking straight down) of the pre-amp and post it here. It may be something quite obvious. The 8 star-headed screws will have to be removed. The whole unit will lift out. Just flip it over for the pic.

Although it could be the circuit board itself, I suspect some of the wiring may have been just hanging there and finally come adrift during transit.

Because you're living in the US, the parts will be relatively cheap should anything need replacing.

.
 
hey guys, i will take a pic if the insides tomorrow and post it on here...maybe it will be an easy fix....
 
Pre%2Damp%5FB002786%5F1%2EJPG

Pre%2Damp%5FB002786%5F3%2EJPG

Pre%2Damp%5FB002786%5F4%2EJPG

Can't really see much with all the yellow tape. Some one's already been in there. They don't come out of the factory like that. My guess is that several leads haven't even been soldered at all and the tape has been used to hold wires in place at their connecting points...especially the vol pot (far left). The tape appears to serve no other purpose. The soldering on the input jack (far right) looks like it could be short-circuiting.

Better email or phone "skabassist" seeing you both live close. All the tape should be pulled out and all leads resoldered.

I can be on line (via email) at the nominated operation time to assist skabassist if he needs it.

.
 
You could always send your Bass over to me. I'll pay for the transit, of course, and I promise I'll send it back when I get around to doin' the fix (heeeheeheeheeeheeeeheeeeeee).

.
 
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