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JOEinCA

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Mar 12, 2013
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Fresno, CA USA
As a consumer and long time admirer of EBMM basses it sad to see the lack of selection these days when it comes to shopping for a SR4H bolt-on. I can find more variety of ol' smoothies though and that's a bit strange. It was disappointing to see the bongo's availability start to fade years ago but that was somewhat understandable given the drastic departure it made from the common designs. The SR4's decline in availability however is hard to understand. Today my choices for the most part are limited to firemist gold or purple w/black hw..wtf!? Are you trying to kill this thing? Like the people who found the bongo a turnoff I'm now looking (aesthetically speaking) at the SR4's and thinking the same. Only difference is this is being done TO the SR4 after many many years of great variety and success...where the bongo was different from the start. I can buy a Fender AM P or J all day long and have choices and availability. The SR4 like those basses is iconic, classic and timeless but like the Bongo is fading (at least in availability). How or why this is happening maybe only one guy can answer but whatever the reason, intentional or not, its a sad thing.
 
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Golem

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`

Smoothies, Classics, etc etc ARE SR4H basses.

If they were listed as option packs to the SR4,
rather than bearing separate model names, I
doubt you would feel as you do. IOW IMNSHO
it's all in one's personal reading of the catalog.
 
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JOEinCA

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Mar 12, 2013
Messages
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Fresno, CA USA
`

Smoothies, Classics, etc etc ARE SR4H basses.

If they were listed as option packs to the SR4,
rather than bearing separate model names, I
doubt you would feel as you do. IOW IMNSHO
it's all in one's personal reading of the catalog.

Oh..you're talking about the $2400 cousins. They are however different basses. I don't want either of them. SR4H NT would be closest thing but again not what I'm looking for and limited availability and option only slightly less sucky.
 

danny-79

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Feb 6, 2009
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England U.K
I think I’m right in saying that it’s every quarter that something new is issued in the EBMM catalogue.
Sometimes you see something not quite to your taste, next quarter there’s something so great you just got to have it. The SR4 is timeless with the possibilities of variation endless
 

clmjlg

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Oct 6, 2008
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Lake Charles, La
If you are not a fan of the options available why not branch out and try something different. I did that exact same thing when I saw the sterling did not fit what I wanted right now and tried the Bongo. Now its the only bass I play and am trying to trade my Big Al 5 sss for another Bongo 5. Everything Music Man puts out is amazing, just try something new and you might be surprised how much it surpasses your expectations.
 

JOEinCA

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Mar 12, 2013
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Fresno, CA USA
Online and local stores dont reflect the 7 colors. Not even an option given to special order one. . Its same 2or3 colors with all of them. Called one of the major online retailers yesterday asking about this and he had no explanation why firemist was my only option.
 

JOEinCA

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Mar 12, 2013
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Fresno, CA USA
I think I’m right in saying that it’s every quarter that something new is issued in the EBMM catalogue.
Sometimes you see something not quite to your taste, next quarter there’s something so great you just got to have it. The SR4 is timeless with the possibilities of variation endless

Endless variation is not the case...they are extremely limited compared to just few years ago. New bass players to the market won't buy what's not there so perhaps the issue only compounds....hope not.
 

JOEinCA

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Fresno, CA USA
If you are not a fan of the options available why not branch out and try something different. I did that exact same thing when I saw the sterling did not fit what I wanted right now and tried the Bongo. Now its the only bass I play and am trying to trade my Big Al 5 sss for another Bongo 5. Everything Music Man puts out is amazing, just try something new and you might be surprised how much it surpasses your expectations.

I have a bongo so it's not a matter of me branching out. I like the new stuff too.
 

tbonesullivan

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Aug 24, 2012
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New Jersey
Man, some people have no patience. EBMM is busy going through a pretty big re-vamping of the lineup, so of course there are not going to be the full line of colors available at present. NAMM wasn't that long ago, and the biggest season for guitar/bass sales is and will most likely remain the holiday season. If you're going to revamp, this is the time.

The "new" stingrays have not yet hit the suppliers yet. There should be plenty of colors available once that happens.
 

Edmang

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Mar 13, 2016
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Online and local stores dont reflect the 7 colors. Not even an option given to special order one. . Its same 2or3 colors with all of them. Called one of the major online retailers yesterday asking about this and he had no explanation why firemist was my only option.

You can order whatever options are available from Bass Central, Music Store Live or Sweetwater. Have placed special orders for Musicman basses with those retailers. There are other retailers as well. Have to call them. Not an option listed on their website.
 

Big Poppa

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Coachella & SLO, California
Try the website......Its pretty clear the seven colors....or you could call us pathetic...we are trying to survive....seriously. The us guitar makers are all very challenged.....I cant offer 30 colors of everything...just cant do it...
 

JOEinCA

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Mar 12, 2013
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Fresno, CA USA
You can order whatever options are available from Bass Central, Music Store Live or Sweetwater. Have placed special orders for Musicman basses with those retailers. There are other retailers as well. Have to call them. Not an option listed on their website.

As i mentioned earlier i called them yesterday. It was one of the 3 you listed. I didnt ask about a special order and he didnt offer that option. I proeeded to search around others and came up empty.
 

drTStingray

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Aug 25, 2007
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Kent, United Kingdom
Try the website......Its pretty clear the seven colors....or you could call us pathetic...we are trying to survive....seriously. The us guitar makers are all very challenged.....I cant offer 30 colors of everything...just cant do it...
I'm astonished what a wide selection of colours are available on the 2018 Stingray basses - in fact I've just ordered via Andertons a Cruz teal SR5HH and Aqua sparkle SR4HH - won't be seeing them till August but these are stunning colours in my opinion - these are special order but the distributor and dealer are working together to include these in their orders. I'm really happy that I could get these in the UK.

It's true that compared to some companies there aren't a lot of MM basses in stock - but there again shops you go in mostly have guitars rather than basses in stock these days anyway. I have always taken the view if you want one of the more unusual colours or offerings you have to place an order (eg Blue Dawn LE Stingray; coral red Classic etc etc).
 
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JOEinCA

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Mar 12, 2013
Messages
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Fresno, CA USA
Try the website......Its pretty clear the seven colors....or you could call us pathetic...we are trying to survive....seriously. The us guitar makers are all very challenged.....I cant offer 30 colors of everything...just cant do it...

I'm not talking about how many colors are in your catalog. I'm talking about the available stock in brick/mortars and online stores. Check out their websites...its pretty clear you'll see not 7 colors. 7 colors in your virtual catalog is great!... so where are they? Not built yet? Special order? Last time I asked about a special ordering an EBMM bass I was told 3 or more months minimum.
 

JOEinCA

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Mar 12, 2013
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Fresno, CA USA
I'm astonished what a wide selection of colours are available on the 2018 Stingray basses - in fact I've just ordered via Andertons a Cruz teal SR5HH and Aqua sparkle SR4HH - won't be seeing them till August but these are stunning colours in my opinion - these are special order but the distributor and dealer are working together to include these in their orders. I'm really happy that I could get these in the UK.

It's true that compared to some companies there aren't a lot of MM basses in stock - but there again shops you go in mostly have guitars rather than basses in stock these days anyway. I have always taken the view if you want one of the more unusual colours or offerings you have to place an order (eg Blue Dawn LE Stingray; coral red Classic etc etc).

Congrats on finding your bass. I remember a few years ago all the stores had stingrays in all available colors. Several bursts, transparents, rw/maple varieties available for purchase...was great.
 

liverbird

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Nov 4, 2006
Messages
341
Don't really see where the problem is. There are plenty of colours available. If a dealer doesn't have your desired finish in stock, you can always order it.

Plus the finish options for the revamped StingRay line-up are fantastic! Everything from solid colours to sparkles to natural - what more do you want?
 

JayDawg

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Feb 21, 2010
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Sterling, Colorado
With doing business in California, I can understand the companies struggles. What I don’t understand is why not then add the option to have any guitar or bass able to be ordered in any color that Music Man makes. For example, let’s say I wanted to order a Cutlass bass in the finish Trans Buttermilk that the Valentine Guitar comes in. Heck, even if it was an up charge option that way EBMM gets more money from a sale. The paint is a finish already kept in stock so I don’t see why it couldn’t be done. Or the ability to order a Bongo with an unfinished neck. I hate painted necks and that is the only reason why I never bought additional Bongo’s.

Both guitar companies I have worked for and 1 that I still do, is much smaller than EBMM but we are able to do custom shop stuff or on standard models, simply offer finishes across the board on any guitar or bass we make. Both companies have done that from day 1 and both have been profitable from doing so. And since Music Man raised their prices for instruments across the board to now approaching custom shop pricing anyway, for those people unhappy with the price increases and now saying for the new pricing they would just pay a little more or equal to Music Mans new pricing and go custom shop, it would possibly keep those customers and maybe even in turn, cause them to order something new. I guarantee if the option was available, and I could order a Bongo with a natural or roasted unfinished neck and in mystic dream, I would do so when my next bonus check comes in sometime in July or August.

I’m not trying to sound critical but simply offer options to hopefully help EBMM grow. And I’ve never understood if both of the guitar companies I have worked for and 1 that I still work for can do that and be profitable, why can’t EBMM, who is much larger?

I believe the claims BP has made about EBMM struggling in California but I can’t see how drastic price increases across the board will bring in more sales. If anything, you would think it would bring in less. Like the Cutlass bass for example. In 2017 and prior, it sold for $1,599.99 or $1,649.99. Now it sells for either $2,199.99 or 2,299.99 depending on the finish. The used market for the same bass is max, $1,200.00 or less. There were no changes made to this bass yet it saw a price increase of $600.00. Why would anyone buy a new one when used, they can get one for $1,000.00 less and in some cases, save even more than that. Or why wouldn’t they just buy some other Made in America P bass brand and pay at the most, no more than $1,800.00, still saving them at least $400.00 and then get better selection of finishes.

I’m not saying all of these things to beat up EBMM or be an ass but instead, I would love to see EBMM succeed and because with the new price increases I feel, making that success more difficult, I wanted to inquire about my suggestion and see why it couldn’t be done.
 

bassmonkeee

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Decatur, GA
I'm not talking about how many colors are in your catalog. I'm talking about the available stock in brick/mortars and online stores. Check out their websites...its pretty clear you'll see not 7 colors. 7 colors in your virtual catalog is great!... so where are they? Not built yet? Special order? Last time I asked about a special ordering an EBMM bass I was told 3 or more months minimum.

So, your problem is with what the stores are ordering for stock and not with EBMM in any way. They don't stock what Musicman makes. Musicman makes what they order.
 
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