drTStingray

Great picture. Jet had another Precision (sunburst) for a while before that (as seen on the first album cover, along with casual jumpers...) - bought after his Framus was damaged in a dressing room. The Strat is not the first one in the Uk (as used by Hank originally but that has a maple board - an early commentator on the importance of neck wood to tone - Hank preferred the mellow quality of a rosewood board). The FR Precision featured with Jet's replacement, Brian Locking also - presumably owned by the band or management until they went all white instruments - amazingly, considering everyone associates Cliff Richard and the Shadows with it the all FR look only lasted about 2 yrs - Mo Foster's book refers to Hank Marvin's original Strat suffering from rattly strings at the nut/headstock - and he used to pack it with paper to try and stop it!! The Shadows were a relatively rare famous user of the Fender Precision in those 60s days in the UK.

Not true when it comes to the 3 band only Stingray Special - the 18 v electronics with Neo magnet pick ups, result in a bass EQ with much more bass potential than the 2 band - more reminiscent at the upper end of the Bongo bass or low mid EQ controls. The pre 2018 3 band has a HPF. I suspect the new one does and is a component of the clever revoicing of the Stingray. Nice playing on that video - my favourites - Stingray, Fodera, CS Precision and did I miss it - Where was the Rickenbacker. 😯

Great stuff - and great to see he quotes his main influences as Jet Harris (The Shadows) and none other than Paul McCartney - definitely well crafted but as with much of the similarly well crafted output of the Wrecking Crew, no self respecting rock, R and B or jazz funk fan of the 70s would give it living room space!! Now McCartney even then had crossed lots of genres gaining national treasure status (quite rightly - and his bass parts were pretty nice as well). 👍

Absolutely - Amen to that. Not a single one of them rock bassists really - as a who's who of bassists who influenced ongoing R and B in the 60s and 70s maybe - to a lesser extent pop and rock. Pop and rock were surely influenced much more by the British Invasion type bands (several with their Epiphone Rivoli basses). However I'd rate a lot of R and B bassists of the late 70s as better - the likes of Nate Watts, Bernard Edwards, Louis Johnson, Norman Watt Roy and Pino Palladino were developments of the earlier R and B bassists but picking up other crossover influences of the time such as Jaco, Stanley Clark etc. I saw an interesting intrview with Mickey Dolenz who said Peter Tork turned up at the studio with his bass guitar - he obviously hadn't been given the script and thought he'd be playing it like the Beatles did with their instruments - it would be a while in the US before most groups played on their own records........ relying on studio orchestras - rather like Mantovani and James Last records in the 70s - who were the bass players on those?!!?

Also called Squier II outside of Europe (at least some of them). Half decent basses by all accounts. Seriously the first looks ok the second looks hacked about and not as good even allowing for that. Is there not a difference in model or something? £300 does sound a bit steep but then again so do some Squiers. I agree regarding Warwicks - especially when you consider the cost of other basses, which are entry standard and very basic in comparison. Daft times eh?!

From where I'm standing - first one looks half decent, second one looks like a dogs dinner - is that part of the reason for the price differential? Rather like a refin pre CBS compared to one with more originality (incorporating .... aherm - mojo)?

There's no special reggae bass however there's reggae feel - and the bass sound needs to have enough definition to hear the pitch of the notes - not boomy blubber - otherwise you might as well have a second bass drum booming playing the bass guitar beats. In the 70s, the guy in Steel Pulse used a very smart natural Stingray. Family Man used an Acoustic 370/301 stack in the 70s. I use Stingrays through a Markbass LM3 and combinations of MB 2 X 10 speakers. Plenty dubby enough played over the neck joint. The HH Stingray 5 Special with neck pick up only engaged is very dubby but still defined enough. The Stingray has ample bass booty both from the construction and from the EQ - even more so the Special with it's 18 v preamp. IMHO feel, bass response and note definition are the key ingredients.

Not so - the Sterling by Musicman Ray 34 and 35 can be had with roasted maple necks, figured tops and HH pick ups with single coil settings. As for the Sire basses, I recently saw the 360 Band (Hamish Stewart, Mollie Duncan and Steve Ferrone of AWB plus sessions players) and Steve Pearce played a Sire (V7 MM I think) all night and it sounded excellent - well almost all night as Hamish Stewart played a Fender Mustang on one song. Good recommendation for these basses - he's a top sessions bassist.

Yeah I remember you saying that was your plan and going ahead with it. I wouldn't accept anything less than a fully serviceable neck of the same model or equivalent. And no the bodies and necks are done separately - I can't imagine them attaching a fully painted and finished body to a blank neck and then fitting the nut and frets etc - these are mass production instruments!! You could argue they want to fit your tuners but if they're that cheapskate that they can't afford to send you a fully finished neck then I'd be amazed. Car dealers have been known to take unobtainium parts from new showroom cars to deal with existing customer's cars promptly - then get the replacements for the showroom cars as there's less hurry. It sounds like they're not trying very hard (and I'm sure if HQ Fender customer services knew, they'd sort it out much quicker).

Afraid I'm the exact opposite. Active circuit provides a fatness not available in a passive bass. I see it as Jamerson sound v Bernard Edwards sound - I always preferred the latter, especially in a band setting - possibly because I developed as a bass player through the 70s and 80s alongside the development of bass sounds during the same period. This describes the point very clearly (it's not Bernard Edwards) - the end has excellent bass. http://youtu.be/ZzZOef9tolQ Anyone turning up with a pastel shade Fender was considered, along with late 50s and early/mid 60s music, herendously unhip and dated. Even though some bands of that 60s era were still playing in cabaret settings to OAPs..... I think they still are!!! I also, where possible, don't stand too close to my speakers, or right next to the drummer. If the drummer is one of those very loud ones, you'll never hear very well.

I suppose you need to think about what would happen if you wanted to sell the bass. I think I would insist on them sending a replacement Flea Jazz neck from the factory. At least then you can reassemble the bass and sell it as original with factory replaced corrected neck if you ever want to. I'd certainly want to keep that Status neck. If they insist on you sending them the broken neck I'd copiously photograph it and send it them - but only on condition it's replaced with a factory OE serviceable one (needs to be Flea spec including relic job). Just my ten penworth - you wouldn't expect Ford to replace your broken Focus RS engine on warranty (there have been loads of recalls) with a partially complete different version? So why Fender. Frankly it'll cost them virtually nothing except shipping, if the UK distributor/retailer can be asked to get their fingers out. Its called aftermarket customer services - something most firms (Lakland was mentioned) do well. You get the feeling Fender is just not geared up for this. I have heard of broken truss rods on CS basses - it appears to be the vintage spec that sometimes causes them an issue. Thank goodness this wasn't an original 61 Jazz..........

The four over one is a classic layout in my view and results in a well balanced bass - and fits the logo perfectly 😏 This is my latest. It's light and the notes really jump off that ebony board with roasted maple neck and stainless steel frets. I tend to vary how I use my five strings, ranging from using the full two octaves across 5 frets ability (useful for some lines - such as jazzy walking lines) to playing as a four with some lower notes (if you want to use open strings as per a four string and getting the timbre of a four string this is useful), and the occassional use of lower notes than E is as effective as using occassional high notes at times. An example is using a low note for the last note after a coda. In reality I probably use a combination of approaches dependent on the song. Back to the headstock/bass balance. One of my favourite basses I own is an early 2000s Musicman 5H in natural with a maple neck and ceramic pick up. It's quite heavy - possibly 2 lbs heavier than the one pictured above, but it balances perfectly on a strap and sounds fantastic. The body is massively resonant. I use five strings quite often and really like them - but they are all MM basses (SR5H, SR5HHs, Bongo 5HHp, US Sub 5).

This is awful. It appears that Fender's customer services, rather like the design of its iconic instruments, live somewhere far in the past. Many companies (which have a far better reputation for their customer focus) would have dealt with this issue when it arose. It speaks volumes for Fender unfortunately - but I have heard other people describe their resolution of issues as dreadful. What a bunch of tw**s. Have you thought of starting a civil action to get the bass replaced? I would have thought the goods could be deemed as not fit for purpose.

Sorry, I'm no lover of this signature Bass but if you think that sounded like mud you need either a new sound system or a different aural focus. I think they were joking that many bassists moan about instrument versatility when it is generally them that lack the versatility!! I've found this often to be true as well. In fact the better the bass and its sound quality, the more technique limitations are magnified. A bit like a racing car in the hands of an average car driver.

Have a heart - this is the first ever Musicman signature bass...... Im sure Joe Dart's fans think there should be one. The main thing is the first lot sold in an hour or two. I'm guessing the demographic of this forum (and Talkbass) is miles off beam with the demographic of the fans of Vulfpeck - however some of us here think they're great - they're actually a great live act. I've never heard any crowd sing along to the bass line of a predominantly Bass orientated track before them (even Jaco or Mark King)!! 👍😏

Yeah Cobalt Flatwounds (or Slinky Flatwounds as they're packaged). Whats wrong with white pick up covers then? It's been a Musicman feature for decades on some models!

I generally agree with the point - but for instance an HH Stingray Special does a pretty good EB0 vibe with the bridge H selected - but it is not boomy and remains articulate. It's just the general tone that's similar. Joe Dart has used this bass exclusively on recent tours. It does the bridge pick up Jazz thing just fine - which is not surprising as it has a bridge H. Its a bit reminiscent of Tim C's natural Stingray from the 90s - natural is about the most iconic Musicman Bass colour - but presumably Joe has picked the spec - the figured maple neck is a nice touch. Doesn't the Mark Hoppus Precision have only a volume knob? Its good to see EBMM doing a signature bass - something they've not really done before.

Or even sound like a bass drum (with pillows stuffed in front of it!) 🤔😬

Indeed - my 4HHs turned up three months quicker so I had something to be going on with!!

A fun video and some v nice sounds there!! Apparently ships with Slinky Flatwounds (ie Cobalt Flats). So the first 50 had special neck plates - guessing you can still order them in March. Nice flame maple on that neck. Looks great in the pictures here. http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2019/03/01/ernie-ball-music-man-and-vulfpeck-announce-joe-dart-signature-bass/

They seem to have been selling a lot of guitars and more recently Stingray Special basses - hence me having to wait 7 months for my 5HHs!

This song predated the 'Precision is obligatory for pro musicians' era (summer 96).

They sold out in about an hour so not much chance!! Have they got a figured neck as well? I think they're available just in March. No doubt the limited edition passive short scale Stingray will be available on a very limited basis as well in due course. Good idea to sell these through the Vulf site.

Hilarious 😂

Blimey what's this got to do with erotica and famous items of 1957 origin (not Madonna - Precision basses)?.... That 'All Your Base Are Belong To Us' also seems to have been written by the same chap that wrote the last scam email claiming to be from my bank asking for personal details I received. Maybe im not seeing the link clearly enough. 🤔