Your thoughts wanted on used bass's pickup mismatch

[uOpt]

I received a used Stingray. It turns out it has a Seymour Duncan pickup, the ceramic one in it, and that wasn't disclosed and not visible in the pictures. The seller is fine with me doing some investigation and figuring out something to proceed. The problem obviously is that I cannot buy the original MM pickup and that the SD goes for ~$45 on Ebay, the MM if traded at all for what $150?

Questions:

• Based on the second picture, is that preamp the MM preamp or is it the SD? It's fixed to the bottom, I don't want to lift it.
• Assuming we want to do some value adjustment, how much do you think he should refund? I payed a bit more than what SR4s go at a minimum because I liked it, I don't think I was squeezing the buyer on the original price. But of course then the bass should be a-OK.

There also is buzz that shouldn't be there and it isn't the obvious reason, the shield in the pickup wire is connected. So it isn't a 2-minute fix either.


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Click for 5616x3744

 

[bdgotoh]

Ouch! That's definitely not the MM preamp. I have some original MM Stingray pickups laying around if you can find an original preamp. It looks like all the guts are different, the pots don't look like MM pots either.

 

[uOpt]

Yeah I noticed the small pots you usually find in Asian guitars. Since the buzz isn't from an obvious missing ground it is likely that this preamp has a problem.

I think this deal is a bit south of expectations

 

[bdgotoh]

Check this site for pics and descriptions of the original parts:

PRE-AMPS AND PUPS - Musicmanbass.org, Music Man, Musicman, Music Man Bass, Musicman Bass, Music Man Guitar

 

[uOpt]

Assuming the seller wants to compensate, how much do you think would be appropriate? Preamps are expensive even if you don't get original MM. This preamp thing is probably garbage between the buzz and the pots.

Wood-wise I like this one. Decisions, decisions.

 

[tbonesullivan]

are there any markings on the preamp? usually on the PCB there would be information on who the manufacturer is. You might want to post the pictures over at talkbass or another forum as they most likely have people there who would recognize it on sight.

 

[Tollywood]

Assuming the seller wants to compensate, how much do you think would be appropriate? Preamps are expensive even if you don't get original MM. This preamp thing is probably garbage between the buzz and the pots.

Wood-wise I like this one. Decisions, decisions.

Good morning, neighbor. Well, since you love the wood you should keep it and replace the electronics. I don't know about preamp prices, so I searched a little and found that prices vary greatly. Boy, some of these internal preamps are pricey...maybe you could agree upon a price for an average priced one, then chip in some of your own loot to get one of the fancy ones? I found michael pope designs, but they are $300+.

I'm thinking that fair compensation would be for him to cover replacement parts costs while you pay for the labor (if you can do it yourself, that's a bonus).

Good luck...

 

[solderjunkie]

That looks to be a Duncan preamp to match the Duncan pickup. Maybe it is buzzing from an incorrect hookup job?

It's a good preamp, but I prefer East's take on MM preamps.

 

[uOpt]

are there any markings on the preamp? usually on the PCB there would be information on who the manufacturer is. You might want to post the pictures over at talkbass or another forum as they most likely have people there who would recognize it on sight.

It is glued to the bottom so I can't easily inspect it fully.

The thing that makes me concerned is the cheap pots.

The buzz isn't caused by anything obvious, all the grounds seem OK.

 

[five7]

Do you want a musicman or a modded musicman. If you want a musicman, ask for all of your money back and look for another one. If you wanted a modded one, pick the preamp and pickup of your choice and ask for a refund for that amount. Then return what is in there now.

 

[sanderhermans]

Do you want a musicman or a modded musicman. If you want a musicman, ask for all of your money back and look for another one. If you wanted a modded one, pick the preamp and pickup of your choice and ask for a refund for that amount. Then return what is in there now.

I would do that!

 

[uOpt]

I would do that!

Well those are my options that I came in with Just trying to make sure I am right about what I think this is and that I'm not unnecessarily hard on the seller. Having said that, I would swap the electric and pickup with my teal Stingray if I decide these ones fit the rosewood board instrument better.

It's not that I hate anything about this bass (except the buzz which I still didn't manage to kill). But I don't want to be screwed on the resell value either.

So, as a simple question, how much less would you pay for a stingray 4h that you like wood and finish wise but that doesn't have the original pickups and electronics? $50? $100? $150? The original set sells for $150 - when it's available.

 

[sanderhermans]

150 then...

 

[five7]

Well those are my options that I came in with Just trying to make sure I am right about what I think this is and that I'm not unnecessarily hard on the seller. Having said that, I would swap the electric and pickup with my teal Stingray if I decide these ones fit the rosewood board instrument better.

It's not that I hate anything about this bass (except the buzz which I still didn't manage to kill). But I don't want to be screwed on the resell value either.

So, as a simple question, how much less would you pay for a stingray 4h that you like wood and finish wise but that doesn't have the original pickups and electronics? $50? $100? $150? The original set sells for $150 - when it's available.

original set for 150, hard to believe! where?

 

[uOpt]

original set for 150, hard to believe! where?

I'm asking you. Right now I don't see the MM set for sale anywhere. Last time it was $150.

 

[bdgotoh]

$150 is a deal for an original pickup and preamp. I'd guess it's $200 + S&H from the factory and you'd have to trade in non-functional originals to get them.

Personally I wouldn't bother with an MM that was missing original parts unless it was really cheap or I had the parts laying around. Too much chance I'd lose money if I couldn't find the parts.

 

[Golem]

`

That looks like the SD pre in my mongrel SR4,
which has an SD ceramic PU and SD 3-band.

The trim pots, IIRC, are bass and gain. I know
it's sacrilege around here but it's a really great
tone chain, definitely NOT a direct replacement
but something very cool. Since I have a flock
of EBMMs I enjoy having a variant, but if you
were shopping for your principal EBMM, then I
must say 'Thaz not it !'

BTW, I owned mine for years before I found
out about the push-pull switch on the volume
control If the bass in question has such a
switch it's truly like getting two basses in one,
neither of which is actually a full MM, so even
as a two-fer it ought to be priced accordingly.

---------------------------------------------------

Around here we have, understandably, purist
zealots. This club is not the whole world. If I
were the seller, I would refund your complete
purchase to save my reputation, and also for
reputation's sake I'd make sure my 'for sale'
post specifies clearly that this is a hot rodded
bass and the removed original parts are not
provided with the package. There's a whole
world of players who care only about results,
and the results with the SD package are very
desirable ... altho obviously the best possible
situation is when all the original parts remain
with the package. Acoarst, THAT would cost
more than the stock EBMM without the mods.

BTW, the last set of SR4 guts I saw for sale
was a few months ago, and was a 2-band at
$250. It sold fairly quickly [forum, not ebay].

 

[Mu5icM@n]

I've seen a 4-string MM pickup + preamp advertised at $275 in another forum. They show up infrequently but you do see them now and then. You'll just have to wait for one to show up, and at the same time post "wanted to buy" ads in the right forums/places.


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[uOpt]

The seller is stiffening up. He only sent me the schematics for the preamp so that I can rewire it to fix the buzz. Right. Hopefully this doesn't end in a fight.

 

[BobKos]

I personally do not like the MM H with 3 band. Just my preference. Aside from the buzz which needs repaired, do you like the way this bass sounds? No doubt it is worlds different from a MM H 3 band. Whether that is good or bad is personal preference. You may well fix the buzz and have a bass you are quite happy with. I probably would be happier with the configuration you currently own than the original MM H 3 band. Again, it's a preference thing.

Many people get caught up in the original parts only aspect of instrument ownership. If your primary concern is collectibility and resale value, you will never be happy with this instrument. Even if you got all the parts together, date codes will be wrong, etc and it will always be a cobbled together MM SR4. Get your money back and buy the instrument you want. If you need MM parts to get the true MM SR4 sound, get your money back and buy the bass you want. If you want a MM SR4 that you like playing and like the sound of as it is currently configured, you might have a winner.

Not knowing what you paid for the instrument, it is difficult to ascertain what the seller is willing to adjust on the price. How much did you pay for it? I personally would not give you more than $200 to comp for the unoriginal parts. I occasionally see complete original Stingrays selling sub $700 now, so there's no reason to subsidize a $400 electronics package to satisfy this deal. This bass does not look like anything really special (BFR, 1970's, etc,) so I wouldn't worry too much about having genuine MM parts in it.

If you're worried about the chimpy pots, buy a set of good pots. They're pretty inexpensive.