Some questions about Stingrays

[Cartmanr0cks]

Hi,
I'm from the Netherlands, and in October, I'll be flying to the states for a week. I'm going to get a Stingray 4 HH Slo Special (in Cherry Burst, don't know if I'm getting maple or rosewood yet). I'm flying with KLM, and apparently, you can take your instrument with you into the cabin if you make a reservation beforehand (don't mean getting an extra chair). All they ask is that you make the reservation at least a week beforehand, and that you provide the dimensions and the weight of the object. I already e-mailed guitar center, and they said that the bass comes with a case, and I was wondering if somebody either knew, or could check how much a Stingray 4 in a case would weigh? And does anybody know the dimensions of the case? I couldn't find them on the website.

Oh, and if anybody happens to have side by side pictures of maple and rosewood stingrays with matching headstock lying around, I would appreciate it if they'd post it

 

[njhammer]

And does anybody know the dimensions of the case? I couldn't find them on the website.

MM hardcase measures approximately 51" x 18" x 4.5".

 

[guenter]

Hi,
I'm from the Netherlands, and in October, I'll be flying to the states for a week. I'm going to get a Stingray 4 HH Slo Special (in Cherry Burst, don't know if I'm getting maple or rosewood yet). I'm flying with KLM, and apparently, you can take your instrument with you into the cabin if you make a reservation beforehand (don't mean getting an extra chair). All they ask is that you make the reservation at least a week beforehand, and that you provide the dimensions and the weight of the object.

Smart move to make a reservation for the case - you would not make any friends on that flight w/o reservation. I was kind of surprised when i flew amsterdam<->toronto several years ago (KLM, 747). It's really tight in the plane... see attached picture.

 

[Caca de Kick]

I'm going to get a Stingray 4 HH Slo Special (in Cherry Burst, don't know if I'm getting maple or rosewood yet)

Since you have already decided on an HH SLO cherryburst, and you are already dealing with Guitar Center, you should check to see if they have any GC anniversay SR4HH SLO remaining...they are cherry burst and have ebony boards that play and sound even sweeter.

Shipping weight Ray+case is 26-28 lbs.

 

[Cartmanr0cks]

Thanks for the replies everyone, you guys are really helpful.

Tight planes are never a problem for me, I'm not that tall

Oh, and Caca de Kick, I actually stumbled upon that version on the forums somewhere, but I couldn't find it on the GC website. I might e-mail them just to make sure. Are those more expensive than the normal ones? Because I don't think I can go much higher than I already have. I was originally going to get a normal SR4, in honeyburst with a maple fretboard. I wanted black cherry burst, but it was too expensive... But then I found out about the SLO specials, and I just had to get one of those instead. And as those don't come in honey burst, I could just as well pay 70 bucks more for a cherry burst, instead of a plain black one .
Now all I have to do is decide what looks better, rosewood or maple, with a matching headstock ( I know I shouldn't be going for looks, but I highly doubt I'd hear the difference between a maple and a rosewood fretboard , especially with the whole EQ and this being my first Stingray). I think rosewood matches the dark finish a little better, and maple has more "pop", though it might detract attention from the awesome finish

 

[Caca de Kick]

I actually stumbled upon that version on the forums somewhere, but I couldn't find it on the GC website. I might e-mail them just to make sure.

GC hardly ever advertises any of the limited run or anniversary basses they get. Sounds weird, I know. But most of the time we discover them only when walking into a store. The anniv that was here in Seattle was priced the same.

 

[Cartmanr0cks]

I'll keep my fingers crossed then , but I don't think it'll happen. I'll have to order the bass before I get to the states, because it won't be on time any other way, and they won't have it delivered to a store unless you've already paid for it. So if the Springfield, NJ store happens to have it hanging on the wall, I could ask for a refund on the other Stingray, but I think they might have a restocking fee and whatnot . Maybe the manhattan store has one, I might visit that one anyway, but again, I doubt I'll get that lucky
Is there anything I should look at when I try the stingray out in the store? I mean, these are really high end basses, so I don't expect any imperfections, but still, you never know... Or is an Ernie Ball forum the wrong place to ask such a thing ?

And what's everybody's opinion, maple or rosewood fretboard? Oh, that reminds me of another question (they just keep on coming...). I happened to notice that GC doesn't have a picture of the maple neck Black cherry burst SLO stingray, only the rosewood one, and bass central had a few SLO maple necks, which didn't have the matching headstock. Does GC purposefully not provide a picture of the maple Version, because it doesn't have a matching headstock? I just sounded totally paranoid didn't I...

 

[DTG]

How are you going to pay for it before you go I diddnt think they would take an over seas Credit card for a ebmm ?
Also what are the customs law like there will you have to pay some sort of vat levy when you try to bring it back in to your country.

 

[MadMatt]

I purchased my 25th in the Las Vegas GC with an Overseas credit card. I dont think its a problem. I thing only the small dealers have problems with overseas cards. When I was in the LV GC purchasing the 25th there was more German, Italian, Dutch and Spanish being spoken than English

-M@

 

[Lonnystingray]

I am not sure how Guitar Center will react, I assume that they will be happy to sell a SLO to anyone, as long as they pay.. And you will probably use a 'common' credit crad, like Visa or Mastercard, so there should be no issues there..

Just make sure you know what to do when you arrive back at Schiphol airport, the changes that the Customs guys want to check with you, carrying the big flight case are big, and if you didn't declare the bass, you are fined for the importing duties and VAT, which can rise up to € 170,- or so, excluding fine.. I have bought a Stingray from Caca de Kick some years ago, and the friends at the Dutch authorities provided me with an additional invoice for the VAT and importinging duties.. Always a nice surprise..

 

[MadMatt]

...

 

[Cartmanr0cks]

I'm gonna order it online with my credit card, the billing adress can be international, and then have it shipped to a store. I'll go pick it up in person, try it out there, and if I don't like it, I get a refund. It is correct that I'd have to pay VAT if I declare the thing, which in total is about 22 % over the price I payed for it.
Does anybody have a picture of the 4 string 45th anniversary SR? I want to see if it has a matching headstock. I only found pictures of 5 strings, and those don't happen to have a matching headstock.

 

[Caca de Kick]

No matching headstock on the 4 string either.

 

[DTG]

Why not just support you local dealer yeah you re going to pay a bit more but at peat you can go back to him should you ever need to and you don't have to
A) lie to customs, who really are not stupid and have seen all the sticker tricks
B) might just help keep your local store open

And no I don't own a store I just believe in good kharma
Dave

 

[Cartmanr0cks]

They don't even have the SLO special over here, but the regular HH special 4 string costs like 2100 euro's (not dollars!) over here, in a boring color. Getting a more expensive colour would probably be 100 extra, and I don't think you can even get a SLO special, and if they can, it would probably be a 150 extra. That's the biggest store in town, I know a smaller store, but it would be just as expensive. I'm sorry, but I don't wanna support the big store anyway, because they don't let you try out basses unless you want to buy 'em.

 

[Lonnystingray]

... it is a fact that the more 'exclusive' basses, like SLO specials, but also Dargie's are very, very, very rare outside the USA.. Also, in Europe it is less common to order something, and not be obliged to actually buy it when it arrives.. So the whole 'I'll try before I buy' concept doesn't really work here..

I would advice, if this really is the bass you want to have, order it, fly to NY, try it, enjoy it, buy it, return back home with an enormous smile, pay the VAT and importing duties, and show it to all of us!

 

[DTG]

Yup that price is still cheaper than buying one here in Ireland and trust me dude i may be 20 years older than you but i still have to work for my new basses too

I am not trying to bust your balls and i am chuffed to see you really want a stingray but everytime someone goes stateside it means less chance of the price coming down here in Europe for the next guy ! and that next guy could be me (lusting after a Big Al 4H )

Best of luck dude getting your bass and when you do get it,stick around and post some pic's for us all

Dave

 

[Cartmanr0cks]

No problem, I was gonna post some pics anyway . Apparently, the store can order the anniversary model for me, but I don't know if I want one. The Ebony fretboard looks great, but I don't like the fact that it doesn't have a matching headstock. The black of the fretboard goes very well with the finish, but the headstock's just kinda anti-climactic. (Yes I know I shouldn't be focussed on looks so much, but hell, that's partly the reason I got my Geddy Lee bass, those awesome inlays)
How does an ebony fretboard affect the sound overall? And does the anniversary bass have anything else going for it?

 

[cellkirk74]

Have you ever played a Sterling and a Stingray so you can compare the necks? The SLO special is a Sterling sized neck on a Stingray.

After reading your posts I believe you should get a regular Stingray with rosewood board an matching headstock.

Ebony is said to have a little more attack than rosewood.

 

[Cartmanr0cks]

How did you get that from my post? Am I missing something here? I like thinner necks, but I do want a stingray, so I'm opting for a SLO special. I think a matching headstock looks real slick, so if I had the choice, I'd obviously go for a matching headstock.
I just got e-mailed back by GC. Apparently, they can get the anniversary model for me, but it's 1994 dollars. That's an extra 200 excluding the tax (I think), so that's not gonna happen. Furthermore, I finally found a picture of the four string, and it doesn't have a matching headstock, even though the GC guy said he "thought" it did.
So I'm back to either a rosewood or a maple fretboard . I wish EBMM had ebony fretboards as an option on all their basses, they look incredible