Paging the Stingray experts

[chromium]

I'm faced with a bit of a challenge.  I would like to liberate a few pieces of lesser used gear to fund (read: payoff purchase of) gear that will in fact actually be used, and as hard as it is (I do get kind of attached to basses), I'm eyeballing a few that unfortunately do not see much action these days at the chromium ranch.

One bass that I've been hanging onto almost entirely for reasons of nostalgia is an old Stingray fretless.  I used to play this thing all the time, and now I never touch it.  I don't plan to touch it much in the foreseeable future as I just don't do fretless anymore (well aside from the upright), and my tastes have sort of gravitated away from the MM stuff in general.  Kind of a double whammy for me, although it would really be a fantastic player for someone who would appreciate it.






I bought this one in or around 1986 from the Drum, Keyboard, Guitar shop (catchy name  ) in Houston, TX.  Its a bit of an oddball in that the neck is badged as a "Saber" neck.  The s/n is B022141.  I know *zilch* about MMs, but I think that puts its build sometime around 82-83(?)

Even if I don't end up selling this, I'm still curious about what those more informed than I think about its possible lineage.  Is it a cobbed together mongrel?  Did the factory ever plant Saber necks on Stingrays?  Is there any useful info to look inside the bass to confirm (in the neck pocket, etc..)?  Also, any suggestions on what a fair price would be for something like this might help me too, in the event I do throw it to the wolves...

Thanks!!

[Aussie Mark]

If you unbolt the neck there should be date stamps in both the neck pocket and the end of the neck.  They don't need to be exactly the same, but at least within a few months.

I've never heard of a Sabre neck on a Stingray body from the factory.

[Aussie Mark]

Oh, and the best wolves to throw this to would be the guys at the official EBMM forum.  There is a For Sale sticky in the bass forum there.

[chromium]

If you unbolt the neck there should be date stamps in both the neck pocket and the end of the neck.  They don't need to be exactly the same, but at least within a few months.

I've never heard of a Sabre neck on a Stingray body from the factory.

Cheers, Mark.  I think that pretty much confirms it-




I was always curious what the deal was with this one.

Of course I had to play it in the process of pulling the neck .  Maybe I should find a fretted neck for it!  

Thanks

[uwe]

Why don't you play electric fretless anymore? I'm not the greatest fretless player on earth nor would I want to play only fretless, but I find it refreshing as an alternative to my busy fretted playing. The is something to the tone of even the most average fretless that makes it sound special in the company of fretted guitars. And I don't mean Wish Bass-type bad intonation.

I'm no MM fan - though the Stingray is no doubt an iconic classic -, but I always thought fretless Stingrays - Tony Levin! - cool. You don't see them around a lot.

Uwe 

[chromium]

Why don't you play electric fretless anymore? I'm not the greatest fretless player on earth nor would I want to play only fretless, but I find it refreshing as an alternative to my busy fretted playing. The is something to the tone of even the most average fretless that makes it sound special in the company of fretted guitars. And I don't mean Wish Bass-type bad intonation.

I'm no MM fan - though the Stingray is no doubt an iconic classic -, but I always thought fretless Stingrays - Tony Levin! - cool. You don't see them around a lot.

Uwe 

Yeah I don't know, I had stopped playing and just kinda drifted away from it.  The only fretless I've played in the last 8 years or so has been the upright.  You're right, though - change can bring new inspiration.  I should revisit it.

In any case, its good to know a little more about the bass after all this time.  If anyone out there has an '80 Sabre sporting a fretted '83 Stingray neck, you may have just found its long lost brother!

[Denis]

That's some beard you have there!

[Freuds_Cat]

I do believe you mean "Brudda"