Stingrays that don't look like Stingrays

[ilan]

From Ishibashi...

P style



LP style

[Hornisse]

A few years ago I had local builder Chris Forshage route a MIM P bass and put a Nordstrand pickup paired up with an old Hi-A pickup and a Bart NTBT preamp.  I could get the best of both worlds with the bass.  I didn't care for the combined tone but it was Chris' favorite setting!

[exiledarchangel]

I have heard that Ibanez ATK's nail somehow that stinkray sound, they have fat necks too (not the usual skinny ibanez thingies).

[dadagoboi]

...my 1976 Sting Ray with pup, electronics, bridge and neck as Leo Fender intended.  When Ernie Ball bought Music Man they changed all of that.  And not for the better IMO.  Accept No Substitutes!

[eb2]

The StingRay Classic is a subtle nod to those who disagree with their "modifications" to the original.  I played one and it was very nice.  I dig the old vibe myself. 

[Dave W]

Leo's contribution to the original Stingray is overstated, IMO. In any case the company would be non-existent if it weren't for Ernie Ball.

I never liked the early ones. No finesse at all. Kept me from even trying the EBMMs for years. YMMV of course.

[jumbodbassman]

i have a few early mm's.  good for what they are and had a real place for the 'in" sound of electric bass when they came out. First popular mass produced active bass that was affordable.     I always thought the sabre sounded better and IMHO the precision special was a better playing instrument though, hard to believe, even heavier than the mm.....northern ash body....but i am a p man





1983 precision special.  j pup added before i got it.  ability to switch from passive to active is a nice option.  having played pbasses since 1972 it is "the" sweet spot for me. 



i always thought the mm spot was back too far which is probably why i liked the sabre better.  only draw back to  sabre is toggle switch versus separate volume controls.  I also have a stock p bass special ( no pics) also in CAR.  I have GAS for one of the walnut ones but.....

[eb2]

I think Leo's design of the StingRay is pretty secure - it is a long scale Mustang with active electronics!

I have an Elite, the Special's peculiar cousin.  I go hot and cold on the active.  But I like StingRays.  To be really particular, I like the earliest Ernie Balls, when they moved the string holder and that was about it.  I played an 86 that I wish I had snagged. Played great, sounded great. Beat to hell, and looked like crap.

[godofthunder]

From Ishibashi...

P style



LP style

Those are nice............................ but the pickup is in the wrong spot

[Hornisse]

My old '76 had the original white pickguard and radio knobs.  Note how the bridge is further back.  They fixed this fairly quickly in the run.  I had a tough time getting the G string to intonate properly!

[Basvarken]

The big black humbucker with eight wide polepieces has become a totally generic pickup these days.
Are all basses featuring that pickup Stingrays in disguise? No I think they are not.

I used to really dig the MM Stingray sound. I played the shit out of my Stingray in the nineties. But I guess I got overfed on that sound.



Some more cool MM pickup applications:

[gearHed289]

The Ric clone is cool!

[Pilgrim]

I like the Jag clone, too.

[Pekka]

How about this:

[gweimer]

I'm surprised that nobody has thought of the G&L L1500 yet.