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.