NBD Is it a Stingray.

[Bunion]

NBD… sort of.

I got hold of this bass during the week and although I have picked it up to play  I haven’t managed to really dig in and put it through its paces until today. 

The bass was dropped off to me by Paul (thank you) 

Paul has gigged it hard for 30 years and I feel very lucky he decided to move it on after converting to 5’ers

 

The bass is a hybrid of top names.

The neck is a modulus graphite non truss rod model from 1988 and is arrow straight with a smooth silky feel that’s just lovely to grasp. 

 

The body hardware is Music Man as is the pickup and 3 band EQ with pots dating 1982-1985.

The body is a Roger Giffin who is a top luthier building for many top players.

 

 

He was asked to make a body with a fancier top than was the norm for music man and he certainly did.

I stripped the bass down this morning to give it a good service and set up to my liking. 

The strings were a bit dead and not a brand or gauge I use so a quick trip to Bass Direct and it’s now sporting a set of DR 45 - 105 fat-beams.

It’s a string through model the first I’ve owned and I’m not sure if it’s that or the modulus neck or a mixture of both, when it’s on a strap the open strings just resonate through the shoulder more than I’ve felt before.

I resisted putting it through the amp until I’d tuned it up and let the strings settle and tuned it some more, checked the intonation,  still spot on and then pressed the tuner off… 

In the signal went through an empress compressor with a HPF in the side chain into an Ampeg SVT IIP preamp and a Bag End 212, what came out was pure bliss. 

With the bass and treble up full on the 3 eq, the mid pot set to centre ident a soft plucking Produced a deep rich bass but with highs clear and beyond piano like, almost harpsichord like. Rolling off the mids completely took the metallic crispness off but still sounded sweet and good.

Digging in with some flesh muffled the bell tones and gave a punchy but articulate sound and with the treble rolled off it gave a full juicy thump. 
Is it a Stingray? Yes, yes it is, it looks like a Stingray, can sound exactly like a Stingray but there’s more, much more to offer with the graphite neck. 
Am I gushing? 

I am going to to get a luthier to shim the neck with a properly shaved piece of wood  (no business cards here!) the saddles are almost bottomed out and I’d like the action a little lower but the neck is still super fast.

It’s not light at 10lb but what the hell, it’s not diving with a 4” strap and I use all tube amps with cabs from the 80’s and 90’s so I must be pretty Hench 😂🤣

Dare I say it…

I think I’ve found ‘The One.’

Edited September 4, 2021 by Bunion

[Guest]

Thank you for the nice long write up

[Reggaebass]

That fingerboard is so nice ,and I like the wear to the back of the body 👍

[Eldon Tyrell]

Wow. This looks killer 🤩. A proper "best of " bass. Enjoy 👍