The Last Bass Outpost

Gear Discussion Forums => Other Bass Brands => Topic started by: ilan on June 02, 2018, 10:51:54 PM

Title: NBD: MM
Post by: ilan on June 02, 2018, 10:51:54 PM
Bass #16...

My youngest son (15.5) was a jazz pianist until last year he switched to guitar and bass. He's self-taught, his background was more than sufficient for that, and he plays really well. He started on my short-scale '78 Fender Musicmaster, until he wanted to upgrade. He tried everything, and asked for a MM Stingray. I found this on eBay - bought for $818, and free shipping is significant (I'm located in Israel, shipping a bass is typically $150).

https://www.ebay.com/itm/273196946962

It arrived on Thursday. Really superb bass, fresh set of strings, Ishibashi had it perfectly set-up before shipping, ridiculously low action and still no fret buzz. The kid was ecstatic.

(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/g-MAAOSwufBa7sfM/s-l1600.jpg)(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/eN0AAOSw1Zpa7sfN/s-l1600.jpg)
(http://www.ibass.co.il/forum/uploads/monthly_2018_05/0CC4FAD7-5445-4626-9972-20D388E1E338.jpeg.c188ccca932da6922287a14c53d2778b.jpeg)
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: Highlander on June 02, 2018, 11:28:03 PM
 8) (should have placed his hands on your upright and told him learn before you earn... :mrgreen:)
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: amptech on June 03, 2018, 05:51:44 AM
Wow, nice. Always liked them, have not seen many of them up here. What vintage is it?
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: Dave W on June 03, 2018, 06:18:13 AM
Looks great, especially for its age. I'm guessing early 90s with the chrome top battery box.
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: 4stringer77 on June 05, 2018, 08:57:55 AM
Congrats. He can play AC/DC or Chic in style with that one.
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: ilan on June 05, 2018, 02:43:10 PM
Congrats. He can play AC/DC or Chic in style with that one.
For the Bernard Edwards sound he will need flatwounds and I can assure you that this will not happen :-) he likes his strings roundwound, new and clanky.
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: Rob on June 05, 2018, 04:02:04 PM
For the Bernard Edwards sound he will need flatwounds and I can assure you that this will not happen :-) he likes his strings roundwound, new and clanky.
Gee Ilan I really liked him until that secret was exposed  :-[
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: Dave W on June 05, 2018, 04:26:43 PM
Judging by the worship of flatwounds on bass forums, you could easily come to the conclusion that they are the preferred type of string. Definitely not so.
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: westen44 on June 06, 2018, 01:48:25 PM
Judging by the worship of flatwounds on bass forums, you could easily come to the conclusion that they are the preferred type of string. Definitely not so.

I couldn't agree more. 
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: Dave W on June 06, 2018, 09:33:34 PM
I couldn't agree more.

Case in point, a thread I just saw over at TDPRI. Guy who's only fooled around on bass before has been asked to sit in on bass at his church, so he lists four short scale basses which he intends to play with a pick, and asks for opinions on them. On the first page alone, five different posters tell him to get flatwounds even though he didn't ask anything about strings. Plus, some doofus asks "Bass with a pick? Are you playing old school Punk music at your church?"  :rolleyes:
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: ilan on June 06, 2018, 10:32:21 PM
Case in point, a thread I just saw over at TDPRI. Guy who's only fooled around on bass before has been asked to sit in on bass at his church, so he lists four short scale basses which he intends to play with a pick, and asks for opinions on them. On the first page alone, five different posters tell him to get flatwounds even though he didn't ask anything about strings. Plus, some doofus asks "Bass with a pick? Are you playing old school Punk music at your church?"  :rolleyes:
When friends buy a new Höfner I do the same. Not being asked about strings, I still suggest they try flats. With friends who buy old Rics I suggest bypassing the bass-cut capacitor - again, not being asked at all. Same thing when I see a vintage style Strat bridge set up to float.
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: Dave W on June 06, 2018, 10:52:34 PM
When friends buy a new Höfner I do the same. Not being asked about strings, I still suggest they try flats. With friends who buy old Rics I suggest bypassing the bass-cut capacitor - again, not being asked at all. Same thing when I see a vintage style Strat bridge set up to float.

That's not the same thing. In your examples, someone has already bought the Höfner, which is famously used with flats, or an old Ric, which has a bass cut cap a lot of people don't know about. Not the same as a post asking opinions on several basses and getting blanket recommendations for flats.

I have nothing at all against flats, I do have them on a couple of my basses, but it has almost become a cult on bass forums.
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: ilan on June 06, 2018, 11:38:40 PM
Yep. But if it hasn't, and if it wasn't for bass forums, I wouldn't know about flats - I mean about good flats, not those unplayable Guild-branded heavy-gauge 050 flats that was the only string set you could buy in 1975 where I lived, and all I used until my Dad came back from London with 040 Roto Swing Bass rounds.
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: westen44 on June 07, 2018, 09:03:50 AM
Case in point, a thread I just saw over at TDPRI. Guy who's only fooled around on bass before has been asked to sit in on bass at his church, so he lists four short scale basses which he intends to play with a pick, and asks for opinions on them. On the first page alone, five different posters tell him to get flatwounds even though he didn't ask anything about strings. Plus, some doofus asks "Bass with a pick? Are you playing old school Punk music at your church?"  :rolleyes:

Maybe preferences are changing but nobody is going to convince me to like flats more than rounds.  Flats are okay, but I'm puzzled at the current fascination with them, too.

As for playing with a pick, I guess that's what made Carol Kaye and Paul McCartney so punk rock. 
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: Dave W on June 07, 2018, 12:08:51 PM
Yep. But if it hasn't, and if it wasn't for bass forums, I wouldn't know about flats - I mean about good flats, not those unplayable Guild-branded heavy-gauge 050 flats that was the only string set you could buy in 1975 where I lived, and all I used until my Dad came back from London with 040 Roto Swing Bass rounds.

True. Good information on flats was hard to come by before bass forums, and the interest in flats and tapewounds has caused more companies to offer more choices. I'd say almost all of us are better off because of the knowledge shared on bass forums, whether it's about gear, players or whatever. But some of the cult-like behavior and bandwagon-jumping makes me shake my head.

Maybe preferences are changing but nobody is going to convince me to like flats more than rounds.  Flats are okay, but I'm puzzled at the current fascination with them, too.

As for playing with a pick, I guess that's what made Carol Kaye and Paul McCartney so punk rock. 

Joe Osborn, Rick Danko, Bill Wyman, Chas Chandler, Bruce Foxton, Chris Squire, Berry Oakley, Entwistle (in studio and sometimes live) and at least 30 more I could name without thinking about it too much... not a punk rocker among them.
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: westen44 on June 07, 2018, 01:47:19 PM
Scott Thunes, Bobby Vega, Felix Pappalardi.  I'm sure a complete list of pick players who aren't punk rockers could get fairly long. 
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: slinkp on June 07, 2018, 02:29:17 PM
Especially if you include players who can switch back and forth at times...  JPJ and Sting both come to mind.

Like me, of course ;-D
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: gearHed289 on June 08, 2018, 06:48:44 AM
John Wetton (post-Crimson), Tony Levin (sometimes), Michael Anthony (sometimes), Greg Lake...

I'm about 60/40 pick VS fingers.

I "discovered" flats in the early 2000s when I was recording at a studio owned by a session bass player/jingle guy. He saw my Ric and mentioned how much he loves the way they sound with flats. Gave it a try and loved it. Great for certain things, especially with a pick. I'll always be a round wound guy, but I currently have 2 of my basses strung with flats. Ironically, they're my Chris Squire Ric and Geddy Lee Jazz.  :o
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: Highlander on June 08, 2018, 12:06:54 PM
The PC has never had anything but Roto rounds and were on her when I got her... the Hohner Jack has the same, double-ball-end variant... but is in the planning to go fretless too...
The fretless RD and the fretless Jazz have Roto flats...
TI's are being tried on the 5 string fretless EAB, but as there is a neck defect that needs a block I need to make to resolve (ta for tip, Carlo) so is just not being used...
So many projects... so little time...  :o
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: ilan on June 13, 2018, 02:28:47 PM
First gig with the 'Ray for him

Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: Rob on June 13, 2018, 04:43:43 PM
First gig with the 'Ray for him

Nice!
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: Dave W on June 14, 2018, 11:19:03 AM
 :toast:
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: doombass on June 15, 2018, 06:05:53 AM
Great!
Title: Re: NBD: MM
Post by: ilan on June 17, 2018, 04:46:17 AM
I'm guessing early 90s with the chrome top battery box.
Bingo. 1991