The Greatest Stingray 5?
I was at university in 2007 when the 20th anniversary MusicMan Stingray 5 was released. I’d wanted a five string for a while but hadn’t come up with a good enough excuse to go out and buy one. I was also low on cash and so couldn’t realistically anyway. But I read and watched all the reviews the internet had to offer at the time and decided that, if I did suddenly come into money, the anniversary five string would be the one I’d get.
Three years later I finally had the both the funds and a good reason to go bass shopping. I’d been working a steady job long enough to have some savings and I had just been offered a contract to play for a South African artist around Europe. After listening to the first two songs from his first album and hearing one low C, this was enough for me to justify the purchase.
On my fifteenth birthday I was fortunate enough to have been bought a four string, 2 band EQ Stingray by my parents. I added to this a four string fretless Stingray a few years later and as I always enjoyed playing them, it made sense to start a quick search on eBay to see what five string Musicmans (Musicmen?) were around. To my surprise, a shop in Blackpool was selling a brand new 20th anniversary Stingray 5. My dream bass which I thought would have been sold out long ago was not only available, but also heavily discounted. I later learned that due to the popular limited edition Dargie Delight Musicman instruments that were released earlier in 2007, along with the following recession, collector’s funds were limited and so many 20th anniversary basses were left unsold in warehouses. All great news for me at the time.
The fretless four string Stingray. Completes nearly all tone options when paired with the 20th Anniversary.
There were actually three 20th anniversary basses in the Blackpool shop when I arrived there the next day. There were two single pickup offerings and a version with the added single coil, which is the one I ended up getting. The versatility of Stingrays in general is impressive but this particular model added even more useful options, particularly the ability to get a Jazz bass like tone by having the humbucker in single coil mode also.
All five string Stingrays have a great B string. It’s taught and has a really focused, powerful sound with good sustain. I’m not sure how much it’s down to the added mahogany “tone block” under the pickups of the 20th anniversary model, but there is noticeably more low end punch here. I often wonder if it’s more to do with a tweak to the preamp but either way it’s a welcome addition. For these reasons, since purchase in 2010 it has been my main bass.
Needless to say, nearly nine years of solid flying and gigging has left its fair share of marks and disfigurements on the instrument. Only last week it picked up a big scratch on the back of the neck around the 9th fret that I can feel with my thumb. But I’d rather see wear and tear happen through heavy use and enjoyment than it sitting in perfect condition under a bed or in a closet somewhere. I’ve never understood that part of collecting. What joy to people get from simply owning something rare or limited? Considering this bass is one of, if not the greatest sounding Stingray of all time, it needs to be played.
All in all, the bass has held up pretty well whilst also handling all musical situations with ease. There really isn’t a style of music for which you can’t find an appropriate tone. When paired with the fretless it makes for a really pleasing combination. The typical Stingray/active bass ability of cutting through any mix is also a big bonus when working with so many different sound technicians on a typical ship contract. There is however one slight oddity with this bass considering it’s a limited edition instrument and that’s the quality control. I’m not sure if any other owners of this model have ever experienced similar problems or it’s just my example. Or maybe no one has gigged one of these basses as much as I have?
The first problem was not so serious and easily fixed. The neck angle from the factory was off and so a shim needed to be fitted. I had the same problem with the fretless so this was not a big issue I suppose.
The second was that randomly the volume knob stopped working around four years ago. Maybe from overuse but still, I haven’t had any problems with my other basses so it was a little strange. I thought maybe the pot just needed cleaning but it turned out it was actually fully broken. It was replaced with a cheap non-original part which was meant to be a temporary fix but it’s still in there to this day. Apparently in the UK it’s hard to get Musicman to send out original replacement parts. Between that and the fact I’m out of the country a lot, I’ve not had the chance to get it properly fixed. Pretty annoying for a £2750 bass (although I got it for £1750 J). I’m sure when I can get my hands on a part it’ll be a straightforward repair though so again, not so serious.
The third problem is, in my opinion, a big one and fairly unforgivable for a limited edition bass at this level. One day I noticed that the paint on the rear had started to lift from the surface in two lines, about an inch in length. It definitely wasn’t from my belt because of how I wear my bass and the fact it didn’t look like any buckle wear I’d ever seen. The paint continued to gradually peel away and the lines extended until large chunks of the black finish just cracked off.
After every gig I’d notice flakes of paint all over the floor where I’d been standing. Eventually there was one big bare patch straight down to the ash underneath. The edges of the remaining paint were so sharp they’d rip holes in shirts and so to stop this, as well as further deterioration, I taped around the perimeter. Today, it looks like an absolute state but at least it’s only on the back. I can only presume it’s a heat/sweat thing. Or maybe the way they applied the finish means it adheres better to the quilted maple top on the front than the ash body?
The guy who fixed the volume pot at the time told me that he’d seen other Musicman instruments with similar problems and that it was down to a new method they had for finishing them. But having looked online numerous times the only paint peeling I see looks very different. Almost like some sort of chemical reaction, whereas mine has just clean lifted from the wood. A guy in a music shop in Helsinki declared it an utter disgrace on Musicman’s part when he saw it, so I know it’s not a normal occurrence for other brands.
When I compare the 20th anniversary finish to my other two older Stingrays, there is a clear difference. The four strings have a thick clear gloss on top, where small micro scratches can be seen above the surface of the paint or wood, even casting a shadow.
Whereas the five string seems to have nothing on the back at least. It’s straight to the paint. Maybe this is just how they did it on this specific bass or perhaps all guitars around this time? This site is still very knew and so this post may not get seen by anyone! But if it does and you have had a similar experience, or know someone with a Musicman instrument, share this with them and let me know. I’d love to get to the bottom of this as I’ve never got an answer.
I often wonder, when looking at the state the instrument is in, what the opinion of bass enthusiasts/collectors would be. Is it right to gig a limited run instrument so hard? Or should they be kept clean and safe, only coming out for special occasions? My thinking is that if the only thing that makes it limited is a cosmetic difference then sure, buy it and look after it. But if it’s a sound thing on top of that which could also make a useful difference to your life as a professional, then why not take advantage of it? I do however sometimes cringe and worry about losing it on a flight for example. Especially now that they are near impossible to find for sale. A quick check on eBay for limited edition Stingrays brings up plenty of results. The 20th anniversary four string seems to always be available. I’ve seen a few of the graphite necked, through body strung NAMM models. Even the new 30th anniversary Stingray 5 is in plentiful supply. But the 20th anniversary Stingray 5 seems to be long gone from the second hand market, with bass players keen to keep hold of them. And with good reason. It really is a classic that initially went under the radar.
I did originally toy with the idea of getting my bass repainted. But I have kind of grown to enjoy its weathered looks and so will probably leave it alone as an example of Musicman’s shoddy paint jobs of the late 2000’s. The longer I have the bass though the more I think of buying a new, standard five string with the same pickup configuration. Just to protect it from baggage handlers or drunken stage invaders. Plus, the newest Stingrays introduced last year are way lighter and my back is only just now starting to need it perhaps. Six sets a night, seven days a week on two month contracts is something a bass this heavy is maybe not meant for. But it’s an idea I’m having mainly because I haven’t purchased a new bass since this one in 2010 and so I think I’m due the excitement of going into a music shop to buy something other than lemon oil.
My one piece of advice to any bass players looking for a new five string, of any brand, would be that if you are fortunate to stumble upon one of these for sale, buy it immediately. You for sure won’t be disappointed. Twelve years after release, it still offers something different from nearly anything else out there. Just try not to sweat on it.
If any of the above was helpful in anyway, feel free to repay me by visiting my Clickasnap page here! Look at as many of my photos as possible as I get a very, very small cut of the ad revenue per view that’s longer than 5 seconds. Then maybe I can get some repairs done. Since writing this, the mid control knob has fallen off!
