Musicman20

I should have also added that ACG are another company I would personally look at....probably get 4 for the price of 1!

Just a thought, why can't you get one from Bass Gear now?

If the owner/purchaser wants to spend that sum of money, then they must believe it is worth that amount. There is definitely a level of hype and marketing behind the value of them, but that applies to many items we buy, including instruments, cars, houses in certain areas of the country, etc. I fall for it, but I tend to accept I know I've fallen for it! The only part I don't buy is the location/salary/healthcare. That is part of every business, and yes, it is great to see them treating their employees with such a positive approach, but that shouldn't really be part of any marketing or discussion with why they cost so much. Someone could equally turn round and say, well I can buy an NYC Sadowsky for less, is there any issue with how they treat employees? I seriously doubt it. Just an observation. I wouldn't buy one even if I figured it was a sound investment for myself, purely because they don't fit into my typical tastes, but they clearly (and rightly so) have stellar quality overall. If I had that cash 'spare', and wasn't saving for a house, then I'd invest it in a watch, and spent the rest on a nice Sadowsky/Overwater/Shuker or dream Fender (I have enough EBMM's for now!).

I had a MIJ P Bass which was basswood and was used on and off for a good 10+ years. No worries at all. It did get two dints in the front (hardly noticeable) but they could have happened just as easily to any wood. I have two Bongos - both sound superb. Apparently, Basswood is quite a good starting point for a neutral tone if you are interested in the whole tonewood discussion.

Probably way more versatile than a Thunderbird, but does it sound like one in any of the pickup selections?

Nice idea, but nope, not into that headstock. Needs something a little more traditional.

Time to enjoy European products?

Yep, and as soon as a middleman is involved, if they are a large distributor, the prices rocket. In 2016 I don't see the need for the extra cost of a distributor.

Singlecut Fanned-fret Anything overly pointy aimed at metal Headless LEDs Poor headstock design on high end Fender copies

I've noticed Roland/Boss pedals jump up (good job I bought a load of the decent ones before this) including the DD-500 by £20. A month ago I managed to get one for £50 less. To be fair Boss aren't expensive IMO, but it may put some people off. With those items, you can watch Amazon and get it delivered free, sealed, for cheaper than most stores if you watch the prices jump around. I've noticed Aguilar prices jump up to really high amounts over the past few years. Before they had a middleman dealer, and mainly sold through one store in the UK, a DB112 was about £370-400. Obviously inflation and natural price rises/exchange rate etc calls for price changes, but the two above prices (especially for the SL410) will put a LOT of potential buyers off.

I would personally keep the Bongo. They are absolutely unique. If they looked more like a metal bands type of bass, I wouldn't probably say that ( jus cannot gel with those types of instrument) but as it stands, I see it as a very unique and well designed bass. At least the headstock works with the design, unlike a lot of Fender copies by high end brands. Yes, it looks 'odd', but it looks sleek and modern, but still retaining some of the Ray DNA. I tend to just use the low mid and treble controls to go from a more aggressive punchy tone, to a more subdued and warm tone.

Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie. Stunning.

I think one complaint EBMM had was that dealers had too much choice as to what to order. Inevitably the customer wants a different spec to the bass they have in stock at the store, so the dealers stopped stocking as many (as far as I know). At on point there was a mind boggling amount of choice. They are also hitting the guitar side of the market HARD right now...with some amazing designs which I wish I could buy!

I do wish I liked the Darkglass 'take' on overdrive/tubes being pushed etc. I always revisit what they have coming out but everything seems to sound like modern metal, which isn't my thing. I still think the VT Bass and Sansamp BDDI are the best for that type of tone, IMO....but I like the Darkglass approach and innovation.

Dare I say it, perhaps more innovation on the 4003 (I realise they did it on other models) and some modern tweaks could make the 4003 an even bigger hit for Ric. I know its a tried and tested classic design, but I sometimes think if they just went all out and made a modern 4003 with bulletproof quality and tweaks to make it comfortable, they could do extremely well. I'm talking things like truss rod wheel at the end of the neck and just go for a normal truss rod, sort the pickup surround out, less fussy paint and binding, same pickups and elecs, same style but some contouring to let it fit to the body better even at the expense of some binding, offer a few new colours, hike the price, address the cramped string/neck feel, address the neck shape. Basically, make it sound exactly the same, look almost the same, but make it easier to use!

Ric 4003. Still want one, still love the style and tone, but just didn't feel right on the few occasions I tried one. I will get one, one day...and fight it until I like it haha.

I'd be interested to hear them. Their basses look great.

3 band EQ with MHS is probably around £1500 new now! Maybe a little less. I'd say even without the MHS £700 is more than fair if it is original with the case etc. Nothing sounds like a Ray. If you want it a little less snarling, whack some flats on it and lower the treble/boost the bass. THUMP!

I love anything from the simplicity of a P bass (need that tone control though) all the way to this: [url="https://reverb.com/item/442162-ernie-ball-musicman-big-al-sss-usa-2012-sky-blue/similar"]https://reverb.com/item/442162-ernie-ball-musicman-big-al-sss-usa-2012-sky-blue/similar[/url] 4 mini buttons, (activates pickup and puts it into active/passive), then volume, passive tone, stacked hi mid/low mid, stacked treble/bass.

Nope - piezo is about £150+ more, and no longer offered I don't think. It would have a huge 5 band EQ/vol/piezo knob section on the chrome control area if it is piezo. Matching headstocks aren't cheaper with EBMM - they produce some of the most stunning matching headstocks but they are at least £100+ extra. I'd love a piezo Ray!

They look fantastic! How do they manage it with the prices they charge?! Or is it that we are used to overinflated prices....

I use a Gig Skinz bag (think it is large or medium...can't remember). Sometimes they come up on ebay for half the retail price and brand new.

Stingray - 2 or 3 band, H, HS or HH, they are all fantastic. The Classic is like a premium model with (usually) a very figured neck, 2 band EQ, slab body, chrome battery compartment, mute bridge, classic 'serial on bridge', etc. If you want something super versatile, go for a HH or a HS, if you purely want a classic 2 eq tone, the Classic is VERY hard to beat despite its high price. I've played a lot of Musicman basses and my Classic 5 is the best bass guitar I've played/owned. Sterling - Like a slicker faster Stingray. More aggressive ceramic pickups, same 3 band EQ (although they used to make an unusual 2 EQ Sterling Classic), thinner jazz style neck on the 4 string (VERY fast to play). Nice basses. Bongo - super modern, super fast 24 fret neck, very modern and cool EQ. Looks 'odd' at first but in the flesh the design is a work of art. I was sold as soon as I played one. They make a 3 EQ H Bongo, but the usual Bongos are HH or HS 4 EQ. The pickups are neodymium, so the sound is ultra precise and quick. However it will mot definitely 'warm up' with the EQ. I have heard some extremely good back pickup playing making it sound like a bridge jazz pickup and the S or H at the neck provides good P bass foundations. Those are the main models. The 5 string variants are superb. They are NOT cheap, and personally I bought all of mine before price hikes. They also have new passive basses (not over here yet), the Gamechanger, 40th Anniversary Ray, etc etc. My Big Al is a great passive/active bass and I am gutted they stopped making them.