report from the field

[skabassist13]

ok, so i finnally went to guitar center. bout damn time. walk in the door, and the first thing i go for is a mm stingray. i found a nice orange one with a maple neck and a 3 eq. man oh man. i fell in love with that neck. it was so smooth.the fret spacing took only a second to get used to and i was gone. i was playing through a SVT-Cl and an SVT-810 and took me only a few minutes to get a vague hint of where i wanted it to go tonally. my only real gripes were that it was kinda dusty, but it lives on the show floor of gc so you cant expect to much from that, that the action ws extremely horribly low(does anyone know if they have it set up like that from the factory?), it buzzed all the way up and down the neck, that was incredibly annoying, but im sure i could fix that myself, and that a guy i asked to raise the action for me said "its a $1300 bass, and theyre kinda touchy about set up from the factory". these were the only things i could find that i didnt like, but they were easily remedied, well except gc's ****ty service. but i think im hooked. i would buy one easily of they are all like that, raise the action and spend a lil time with my amp and get it all nice and set up and ill never need my squier again. while i was there i played a bongo and a sterling as well. unfortunatly they only had a bongo 5 and i cant really play 5's, but i gave it a shot. that was nice. that thing has some huge bottom end. gimme a four and ill take one of those to. the sterling was nice, set up with really low action as well, but a bit small for my tastes. all in all, im no longer a mm virgin, im very pleased with mm's products, and i wish to join the family of mm bassists very soon.

 

[bovinehost]

"its a $1300 bass, and theyre kinda touchy about set up from the factory"

You mean someone from the factory comes around and makes sure no one fools with the action? Man, there's the job for me!

What he clearly meant to say was, "Dude, I have no freakin' idea how to do such a thing, and this bass costs too much to screw up."

Don't worry about the action, Ska. We can help you fix that right up. Just find the bass you want. BTW, the dual humbucker Bongo 4 string basses are RIPPIN' hot.

 

[skabassist13]

thanks for the words bovine. im thinking your right. im sure action would be no problem. i was just dissapointed he wouldnt help me out, or at least get someone to try and help me out. and if the 4 string bongers are anything like the 5 i would certainly agree they are rippin.

 

[uvapete]

"Dude, I have no freakin' idea how to do such a thing, and this bass costs too much to screw up."

this is exactly right.

I had the same experience when I picked up my first stingray. that neck just feels so awesome.

and it smells like vanilla. Not sure why.

1300 $ is way too much to spend though. You should be able to get one that is hardly used on ebay for 800$. Or even new for less than 1200. Check out Sam Ash. Com. there is a natural ray in the "guitar collectors corner" that has been sitting there for a while. I bet you could get it for 1100-- there is a guy you can talk to. Also, there are lots of people who buy stingrays and then don't play them. I got one that was basically new (paid 980 for it but it had the natural finish which is usually a little more expensive).

Your obsession will not end until you get one now!

Pete

 

[midopa]

Or for a brand spankin' new MM SR, you should PM our resident MM dealer, Bassplyr. Whatta guy! He's setting me up the Bongo for a great price~

 

[bovinehost]

I keep trying to tell people this, but it's like I'm moving my lips and no sound comes out.

*tap tap*

Hello? Is this thing on?

 

[Juanguitarez]

I know you're out there I can hear you breathing....Hello?

 

[bovinehost]

Hay-Zeuss, Juan, I thought I was all alone in here.

Man, I wish you were closer. I'm trying to get all the art and posters and what-not hung in the studio and it's driving me insane, perhaps because I'm completely sober.

Hmm, lemme fix that.

 

[Juanguitarez]

Its Happy hour somewhere Jack...get to it!

 

[skabassist13]

so you guys know, ive been talking to doug to see what he can do for me so ha!

 

[skabassist13]

this is exactly right.

I had the same experience when I picked up my first stingray. that neck just feels so awesome.

and it smells like vanilla. Not sure why.

1300 $ is way too much to spend though. You should be able to get one that is hardly used on ebay for 800$. Or even new for less than 1200. Check out Sam Ash. Com. there is a natural ray in the "guitar collectors corner" that has been sitting there for a while. I bet you could get it for 1100-- there is a guy you can talk to. Also, there are lots of people who buy stingrays and then don't play them. I got one that was basically new (paid 980 for it but it had the natural finish which is usually a little more expensive).

Your obsession will not end until you get one now!

Pete

have no fear. i do not plan one buying one from guitar center. i was merely trying them out. i didnt notice the vanilla smell but then again i didnt smell the neck. the neck is amazing. i swear its the smoothest thing ive felt in a while. soon i shall join my mm brothers.

 

[uvapete]

is there something wrong with me that I smell the neck of my bass?

I thought everyone did that.....

 

[midopa]

I sniff silica packs... We're practically brothers!

 

[bovinehost]

New basses DO smell a certain way, sort of a mix of chocolate and vanilla and some kind of car wax, maybe.

It wears off after a while, although if you keep the case closed and in a closet, it will hang for a long time.

So no, you're not the only one.

Sick puppies, ain't we?

 

[midopa]

Neeehehehehe... SNIFF SNIFF HAHAHAHAHA!!! SNIFF SNIFF

 

[uvapete]

Music Man Basses are the Krispy Kremes of the Bassworld

New basses DO smell a certain way, sort of a mix of chocolate and vanilla and some kind of car wax, maybe.

yes, sick indeed.

I'm going to go snort some neck now.

SSSSSSSSSSSNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRT

ahhhh. Stingray Neck. Good Stuff. Ernie Ball's got the best stuff, man....

There is some sort of mojo in it that can't be described... like Krispy Kreme doughnuts. I mean, Dunkin' Dog's Nuts got nuthin on KK. I feel bad for the people of Krispy Kreme in that they went global just about 10 years too late- you know? All this atkins/south beach stuff and "HOT DOUGHNUTS NOW" just doesn't bring em in like it used to.

They get a fresh shipment in at 4 am here in the hospital every night, and I sample the goods almost nightly now. It is a ritual.

Ernie Ball Music Man Basses are the Krispy Kremes of the bassworld.

And to reiterate. Every time I bring out my 'ray to play it for the 10 minutes a day I get to play it, my wife looks at it and says, "That's my favorite".

Mine too.

YUM!

Pete

 

[Jean-Frédéric]

mine were both Car wax smell ... and I do keep them in the casse ..closed ! too keep the smell of victory !

 

[uvapete]

you are getting close to the classic Apocalypse Now line....

"I love the smell of napalm in the morning.... smells like victory."

P

 

[crazybass888]

I have to say, my sparkly ray still smells like the day it was new and its been owned for almost two years. MY wife finds me crazy for hovering over my cases when I open 'em just for the scent of fresh MM...

 

[Jean-Frédéric]

MY wife finds me crazy for hovering over my cases when I open 'em just for the scent of fresh MM...

Well either I'm crazy too , or they just dont they are not open minded