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oli@bass

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Jul 23, 2007
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Switzerland
Well, "Maheb" = Mahogany + Ebony, as in the Mahogany bodied, Ebony boarded SR4HH you want to sell me - the fretted one. (Is the Jedi mind-trick working?)

Complete fail! :D

Those StingRays will never go anywhere (except with me). That fretted Ebony SR4 HH is probably the best StingRay to have ever come of the SLO factory. It's a point of reference by which all my future basses will be judged. I took the Ebony and my lava pearl SR4 HS to the store to compare the 25th and Big Al against them. If I had to choose between the Ebony and the 25th, I'd take the Ebony. But... the 25th is a whole different animal!

For the last hour I was playing along to some 70's/80's/90's disco and funk stuff, and the 25th was so much fun to play!

  • "Let's Groove" [Earth, Wind & Fire] -- neck H series for the sounds of those deep growly synth doubled bass lines
  • "Ain't no stopping us now" [Mc Fadden & Whitehead] -- bridge H parallel (kinda 'Ray tone)
  • "Superstition" [Stevie Wonder] -- neck H series, passive for the bass line doubling the horns
  • "We are family" [Sister Sledge] -- Coils 2 & 3 in series
  • "Get it down" [Kool & The Gang] -- neck H series active (or coils 2 & 3 in series... which is a bit more intrusive)
  • "Beat it" [Michael Jackson] -- Coils 2 & 3 in series
  • "Billy Jean" [Michael Jackson] -- neck H parallel, passive, tone completely down
  • "I'm diggin' you" [Me'Shell] -- bridge H series

Fun! Fun! Fun! And that 25th neck feeling is to die for!!!
 

oli@bass

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Jul 23, 2007
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Switzerland
Getting a new EBMM bass and falling in love with it is a special thing.

Yes it is. Noodled around on it again. Unamplified this time. I'm falling in love more and more. The sustain and unamplified tone of the wood are incredible as well.

IMO this is the best production instrument you can currently buy from EBMM. If you have the opportunity, go and get one. At least try to find one for a test spin.

Don't walk. Run!
 

RobertB

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Dec 5, 2007
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Location
Denver area.
About the electronics: Although I've never had the opportunity to play a Bongo I am pretty sure that they are quite different. Except for the 4 Band EQ they vary in the following: The pickups are ceramic, there is no blend but PU/Coil selector switches, a switch for parallel/serial combination of the coils and an active/passive switch.

Right on all counts, of course, but I was referring specifically to two "fundamental" aspects of the preamp/eq that are the same, and which I knew you hadn't had a chance to play with yet: 4 band, and 18V. Isn't that just too much fun?
 

RobertB

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Manfloozy

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Mar 9, 2009
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Naples, FL
Yes it is. Noodled around on it again. Unamplified this time. I'm falling in love more and more. The sustain and unamplified tone of the wood are incredible as well.

IMO this is the best production instrument you can currently buy from EBMM. If you have the opportunity, go and get one. At least try to find one for a test spin.

Don't walk. Run!

Amen to that! Seriously... they rock. I love, Love, LOVE mine! I am over the awkward... "this thing is awesome, but I keep losing those -magic- settings" stage, and can now get exactly what I want from it anytime. I have my favorites and am actually discovering more favorites still.

I never thought I would EVER use the bridge PUP, but ya know what.... throw that baby in Series, EQ a bit... and BAM.... it does some amazing things.... I also really like it with the neck PUP.... punchy and full bottum.... it is just really hard to describe. Seriously go try one.... and buy three! :)
 

Kruse

Active member
Joined
May 28, 2008
Messages
28
Location
Switzerland
Oli, härzlechi Gratulation vomnä angere Schwizer MusicMan-Bässeler! :)
Very nice bass! Would make me jealous if it had enough strings... :p
Is it a well known store where you got it?

Now I can make you jealous. I was at GC Hollywood two days ago and took the attached crappy cell phone picture of less than 1/3 of the EBMM bass selection they had there. :D

Congrats again!
 

oli@bass

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Jul 23, 2007
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Location
Switzerland
Thanks again for all your kind words! I love this bass more by the day!


Right on all counts, of course, but I was referring specifically to two "fundamental" aspects of the preamp/eq that are the same, and which I knew you hadn't had a chance to play with yet: 4 band, and 18V. Isn't that just too much fun?

4 Band EQ: I hardly ever use the EQ on any instrument but rather use the pickup coil selection and plucking position to get the sound I'm looking for. Most of the time when I do use the EQ, I just roll back the treble. Hence, I like the passive mode because of its simplicity and enormous dynamic range.

18V Preamp: comparing the 25th to my Ebony 'Ray I can't tell whether the difference in dynamics and tone are coming just from the pickups and tone woods or from the preamp, or maybe the whole construction. In other words, the 18V preamp isn't a feature that stands out so much that I'd want to have as retrofit in the StingRay. But I would be interested in the passive mode.


[I'm digging you] Like an old soul record?

Yes, that one. Very gnarly bass sound. Perfect to get with the bridge H in series.

Of course it does, man; it's the Bongo cut!

I'm aware of that! But you know what I think of "painted" necks ;)

Oli, härzlechi Gratulation vomnä angere Schwizer MusicMan-Bässeler! :)

Merci villmol! :)

Very nice bass! Would make me jealous if it had enough strings... :p
Is it a well known store where you got it?

There's ONE 5 string available in Switzerland as well (and I already thought of ordering that too :rolleyes:)

I ordered mine to Ark Guitars, Wetzikon. Great store, and Andy is a great luthier and hell of a nice guy. That's at least my side of the story :)

Now I can make you jealous. I was at GC Hollywood two days ago and took the attached crappy cell phone picture of less than 1/3 of the EBMM bass selection they had there

:eek::eek::eek: you should have taken at least one with you! Look at those prices!!


Magnificant bass mate! Is there perhaps any chance that you're gonna use your excellent photograph skills on this baby?

This will most probably be the case when I have more time and good light available. There's quite a couple of basses that need good portraits taken. But, my photographic skills aren't that good. There are many much more artistic pictures to be found on this forum.
 
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Kruse

Active member
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May 28, 2008
Messages
28
Location
Switzerland
I ordered mine to Ark Guitars, Wetzikon. Great store, and Andy is a great luthier and hell of a nice guy. That's at least my side of the story :)
Wetzikon? Too bad it's not quite around the corner. Would be a 2hr drive from my village (Langnau i.E.)...


:eek::eek::eek: you should have taken at least one with you! Look at those prices!!
I know, I know. Here's the story why I won't get one of these:
My guitarist and I came to Hollywood to attend one quarter at Musicians Institute. And we came here without any instruments, already knowing that EBMM stuff is much cheaper over here. So we had to buy our instruments before school started. And back then (end of June) they only had a 4 string 25th at GC Hollywood. And I wanted another 5er. So I bought a True Gold SR5 HH. Then like two or three weeks later they had the 25th 5 string in stock... :rolleyes:
But I ordered a Dargie Delight II SR5 HH in Switzerland (I really have to get one of these!). And three new basses within three months seems to be a little overkill. :D
Besides that I still like the SR5 neck shape better than the 25th. Hope this isn't blasphemy! :D

Enjoy your new baby!
 

lowliferumble

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Apr 3, 2006
Messages
242
Location
Vancouver,Wa
Do you know Ken Stieger? He is a guitar instructor at M.I.. We grew up ( I use that term very loosely) together. He is a phenomenal player!!! And a great teacher as well .Enjoy LA
 

Kruse

Active member
Joined
May 28, 2008
Messages
28
Location
Switzerland
Do you know Ken Stieger? He is a guitar instructor at M.I.. We grew up ( I use that term very loosely) together. He is a phenomenal player!!! And a great teacher as well .Enjoy LA

Yes, I know Ken Steiger. Everyone at MI knows Steiger. He's so friggin loud you just can't get around him. ;)
Well, I don't really know him. Just his name and that he's the metal guitar instructor and we say "hi" if we cross at the hallway.

Thanks, I really enjoy LA. Too bad its almost over. :(

@oli: Sorry to hijack your thread!
 

lowliferumble

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Apr 3, 2006
Messages
242
Location
Vancouver,Wa
Sorry Oli!! I am very very very jealous of your score ! The 25th and the Big Al are the two objects of all of my G.A.S. lust !!! I appreciate your thoughts on both of those amazing basses and am very glad you took the time to share with us all.......Now how about some of your way above average (I really mean awsome) pictures ?
 
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