Music Man Stingray SR4 2EQ- any good?

What's Hot
Dave_McDave_Mc Frets: 2328
Hi everyone,

I've come across what I think is a decent price on one of these- I think it's USA-made and all, but only comes with a gig-bag rather than the more usual hard case, and has the 2-band EQ rather than the 3-band on the dearer ones. Is it made to the same quality etc. as the more expensive USA Musicmans? I think I've read on here that the 2-band actually sounds better than the 3, but I haven't tried it myself.

Thanks for your help in advance. :)
0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom

Comments

  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23942
    Photo please.

    There are USA built SUB models, then there are the far east Sterling branded ones, then there are the far east SUBs then there are the proper USA ones.

    The USA SUBs and the full USA ones are excellent. The rest are ok, but you could find a used USA SUB for less than the price of a new Sterling by EBMM model
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • Dave_McDave_Mc Frets: 2328
    edited January 2015
    Yeah, I'm aware (like most bigger manufacturers) it's often quite hard to determine exactly what it is. I think this is one of the USA ones i.e. it's being sold by a shop (new) in a sale, described as musicman, and I've seen several shops selling the same thing with the same description (and at roughly the same price for the RRP).

    I can't get the photo to copy and paste unfortunately. And I don't really want to post the link in case someone else sneaks in and gets it. :))

    http://www.knightonmusiccentre.com/bass-guitars/musicman/musicman-stingray-2eq-made-in-usa-pearl-blue/prod_1032.html But that's the same bass on a different shop's website (except for a rosewood fretboard instead of maple).


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23942
    If it's the same as that apart from the board then it looks right.

    You can PM me if you like. I promise I won't buy it! I just got a 5 string version!
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Dave_McDave_Mc Frets: 2328
    Will do, thanks :D

    For anyone else (and you as well) I found it on the MusicMan UK website- http://www.musicmanuk.co.uk/stockists.htm
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • mike257mike257 Frets: 374
    They're bloody great basses. I have an '04 Stingray 3EQ in natural/maple and used to have the buttercream '05 Ltd Edition too. There's quite a big consensus in online forums that the 2EQ is "the" classic sounding Stingray, although I've never found my 3EQ lacking. If it's a good price then dive in, you'll probably love it.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23942
    Did you buy it then?
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Dave_McDave_Mc Frets: 2328
    edited January 2015
    ^^ Thanks mike :)

    ^ I don't want to jinx it. :)) But yeah- I figured it was at a price where if I didn't I'd likely regret it in the future. I've chickened out on a few guitar purchases in my time and normally figure I regret it more if I don't go for it than if I do. But that's just me (and that all changes if something goes wrong :)) ).

    Not here yet though, which is why I don't want to jinx it. :))
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • DrBobDrBob Frets: 2998
    If memory serves there was a run of 'proper' USA Ernie Ball Music Man Stingray Basses that were sold with a padded gig bag as opposed to the usual hard case and were limited to just the 2band EQ and a small choice of colours with the point being that they sold for under £1000.

    They were different to the first run of USA made SUB basses in that they were full fat Stingrays with a gloss (as opposed to the weird textured finish on the first run of USA SUB's) and a clear lacquer (as opposed to Matt Black) finish on the neck.
    In fact, I think with the exception of the gig bag it was entirely possible to go and spec a USA 2EQ Stingray to on eof these and pay more for the privilege.



    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • DrBobDrBob Frets: 2998
    Errr, yeah, having just read the ad that was linked to what I was clearly banging on about was the 'Limited Run 133 series'.

    Duh..
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Dave_McDave_Mc Frets: 2328
    ^ LOL

    Thanks :)

    I did some digging online yesterday and I think I found a thread on talkbass to that effect- that they're basically "proper" USA 2EQ Stingrays (for the UK market only maybe?), except they kept the price down, as you said, by limiting the available colours and having a gigbag instead of hard case.

    Fingers crossed that's what they are, anyway. :))
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • I bought a black/rosewood 2EQ 133 series Stingrays a couple of months back from Hartnoll guitars. It has proved an inspired purchase taking me back to my first top end bass 25 years ago which was..yes...A black 2EQ Stingray.
    I'm extremely happy with the price I paid for what is a top drawer USA bass guitar. If my Stingray had been a 2EQ in a colour other than black, candy red or blue pearl and had come with a musicman case and not a gig bag it would have been £300 - £400 more.
    The neck is the same regular oil and wax finish offered throughout the MM range. The bag (which is a very nice deluxe job) is the only difference

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Dave_McDave_Mc Frets: 2328
    ^ Thanks. The soft case is actually a bonus for me in some ways, in that it takes up less room to store. :))

    Not here yet, I thought it might come today. Oh well. :))
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • DrBobDrBob Frets: 2998
    From what I know of @honkytonk and his experience of bass guitars if he thinks it's a good bass then you've bought a peach !
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Dave_McDave_Mc Frets: 2328
    ^ Excellent :D Still not here yet :))
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23942
    Well????
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Dave_McDave_Mc Frets: 2328
    It turned up about half an hour after I posted that but I didn't get round to coming back here till now :))

    Seems very nice. :D The blue colour is a little greener than it looks in the pics, but it still looks nice. (Haven't got round to taking any pics yet.)

    Didn't come with the gig bag, though. I emailed the shop but haven't heard back yet. I actually emailed the shop before buying it to check it was indeed new at that price, and they said it was- they didn't mention the missing bag. Hmmm. Not the end of the world as it was still a good price, but I thought I was getting the bag when I bought it- and while it turned up ok I reckon it'd have been safer coming in a gigbag than not, too (although packaged pretty well it was a pretty tight fit in the box, for the headtock and tuners especially which were tight against the cardboard IIRC).
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Does the box still have the product code labels on it? If so it should start 133....and you should be getting the musicman gig bag included. There was a small time period around 1999-2001 or so when the musicman instruments prices weren't quoted including case but I very much doubt yours would be New Old Stock from then. The only other solid colour I can think of looking a bit greener than the stock blue pearl pic you linked would be teal pearl which ran for a few years around '05 -' 08. That colour was before the 133 series Stingrays so if you have a NOS 2EQ teal pearl it should have come with a MM hard case. Either way something is not right.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Dave_McDave_Mc Frets: 2328
    edited January 2015
    Thanks for the info, that's very helpful :)

    It probably is blue- just when lights shine on it it takes on a bit of a more teal colour. It's probably "blue with a hint of teal" rather than out-and-out teal to be fair. (Tried to take pics yesterday but the battery died before I could get any... might charge it tonight if I remember.)

    I don't think the box they sent it in was the Musicman box, so I don't think that's going to help. :)) Can you date the thing from the serial number? (EDIT: There's a thread on the MM forum but it seems you have to post the serial number out in the open, there doesn't seem to be any kind of cipher/key to work it out yourself... not too keen on that (plus I'd have to register too).) As you said, I'd be surprised it's from that long ago (the plastic is still on the pickguard etc. and it seems to be in "new" condition ok), but you never know.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.