Pino Palladino Signature Stingray

[Misdee]

I've been having a good hard look at these basses since last night trying to make my mind up about them.

 

At first I thought, mmm, not for me. However, the more I think about it the standard one at three and a half grand looks a pretty good proposition in the current market. If a Stingray Special is retailing at 3K then a specialised 'Ray for £500 more is not an exorbitant premium. I'm actually a bit surprised they aren't more expensive. £3500 is an awful lot of money even nowadays, but these are luxury items made to a high standard. What price do people realistically expect EBMM to charge? If you can't afford it no one is going to force you to buy one, except yourself of course.

 

I love Pino Palladino as a musician, but I wouldn't buy a bass just because he was associated with it.  Regardless of the Pino connection,these new basses will be made to a very high standard, will play better and be more reliable than a genuine vintage example and would do very nicely for someone looking for a vintage-style Stingray. Providing you like sunburst with a rosewood board.

 

Without wishing to committ heresy, I actually prefer the sound (and weight) of a Stingray Special to any vintage version, and when it comes to Music Man basses I enjoy the Bongo most of all. But if I was  looking for an old-syle 'Ray to put flats on the fretted PIno version would be ideal.

 

 That said, it would be very interesting to do a comparison of a fretted EBMM  PIno and a Sire Z3. In terms of vintage Stingray tone I bet the Sire in all it's cheap and cheerful glory would run the MM very close. It's great that such good budget alternatives exist nowadays, just like it's entirely beneficial the new Pino signature bass is now an available option.

Edited yesterday at 11:14 by Misdee

[Lozz196]

37 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Contrast with the Flea Jazz. Potentially big market... Fender make it in Mexico, keep construction cost down and  the markup to 2-300 on a standard version. They make vastly more than MM because of sales volume.

 

Same with the JMJ Mustang bass, made in Mexico, relatively affordable and a great bass. I didn’t buy mine because of JMJ but because of the spec, meets everything I need.

[tegs07]

8 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Same with the JMJ Mustang bass, made in Mexico, relatively affordable and a great bass. I didn’t buy mine because of JMJ but because of the spec, meets everything I need.

I would add the Nate Mendel P bass to this list of relatively low cost, good quality instruments that would serve the needs of a bedroom player right up to a headline stadium band. The biggest factor being labour costs and volume of production.

Edited yesterday at 11:23 by tegs07

[Kev]

32 minutes ago, Misdee said:

Without wishing to committ heresy, I actually prefer the sound (and weight) of a Stingray Special to any vintage version

 

Not even a special (though has many of the features), but my 2016 PDN is in a completely different league to any older StingRay I've tried, and the 2018 Special I owned was much of the same.  Admittedly I've never played anything pre 1990 odd I don't think, but I can imagine my feelings would be the same.  But that's a whole other convo/argument 😅

[Lozz196]

39 minutes ago, tegs07 said:

I would add the Nate Mendel P bass to this list of relatively low cost, good quality instruments that would serve the needs of a bedroom player right up to a headline stadium band. The biggest factor being labour costs and volume of production.

Definitely. I’ve not played one myself but never read a bad word about them, JJ, the bassist in The Last Resort/Cockney Rejects uses these and plays some pretty big gigs with them.

[Mrbigstuff]

53 minutes ago, tegs07 said:

Basschat sometimes cracks me up. Generally folks aren’t interested in the cause of inflation but are very concerned about prices. Generally people want higher wages and better living conditions and environmental standards but are shocked when there are annual price increases, whether this is the price of a pint or a bass. We want jobs but when even relatively benign companies like EBMM position themselves in a market place to make sure that they turn a profit and keep their staff in work we shout corporate shills and greedy capitalists.

 

FWIW yes MusicMan basses are expensive but for relatively low production run, quality instruments made in the USA IMO the price point is what I would expect.

Agreed, If it was possible to significantly undercut the competition with a US manufactured bass someone would have done it. And if nobody saw the value in paying that much for a US manufactured bass, these companies would go out of business. 

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, Lozz196 said:

Same with the JMJ Mustang bass, made in Mexico, relatively affordable and a great bass. I didn’t buy mine because of JMJ but because of the spec, meets everything I need.

 

That does look gorgeous. Wish I hadn't looked it up.

[Mrbigstuff]

4 hours ago, Musicman20 said:

I can hear a Stingray Fretless here; I presume it is the same one....

 

A much more exciting use of it.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXBiYFoHsOg&list=RDCXBiYFoHsOg&start_radio=1

At least we know it’s good for metal……

[Bass Direct]

2 hours ago, BigRedX said:

 

I suspect that most of these things don't really matter to most bass players. To me "nitro finish" just says it will wear away simply by looking at it, and if I'm buying a new bass I want it to look new - I'll add my own "mojo" simply by using it and no doubt the wear patterns I add will be completely different to Pino's.

 

TBH I'm not in the market for this, and if I wanted one, as other have said, there are actual made in 1979 Stingrays available for less than half the price EBMM are asking

Each to their own  :), have a good one

[Bass Direct]

2 hours ago, NancyJohnson said:

I can't actually grasp why this money-grab has irritated me so much.  (Well, I can, but...)

 

Anyhow: Musicman Stingray basses:

1979 (£2.3K)
https://reverb.com/uk/item/88807689-musicman-stingray-sunburst-r-1979-sn-b013725-04-07

 

1978 (£3.6K):
https://reverb.com/uk/item/85274423-ernie-ball-music-man-stingray-pre-ernie-ball-1978-sunburst or

 

£3.9K

https://reverb.com/uk/item/90415351-music-man-stingray-with-maple-fretboard-1978-made-in-usa

 

Just buy old.

Any fretless?

 

[Linus27]

As a fretless player, Pino and then later on John Giblin were my hero's when I was learning bass and I've even had punters say my playing is similar or they can tell the influence. I've had fretted and fretless Stingray's in the past and I really struggle to get on with them. The fretless worked the best for me and despite sounding great, played great with incredible build quality, when I pick up a fretless Jazz, it just sings more and suits me better. I am simply more comfortable and creative with a fretless jazz. I still wouldn't say no to one of the cheaper fretless Pino Stingrays as they are going to be wonderful basses but its not something I am willing to spend £3.5k on. The fact EBMM have released these bases, despite being between 20-40 years too late is a huge positive as they will be out in the field and available second hand which is when I may go for one.

[Musicman20]

Buying directly from Musicman's store for the same bass gets you at roughly the UK prices.

 

You could custom order a fretless...

 

https://design.music-man.com/SR4

[Bass Direct]

16 minutes ago, Musicman20 said:

Buying directly from Musicman's store for the same bass gets you at roughly the UK prices.

 

You could custom order a fretless...

 

https://design.music-man.com/SR4

And if people keep doing this then more guitar shops cease to exist, just saying...

[Sibob]

31 minutes ago, Musicman20 said:

Buying directly from Musicman's store for the same bass gets you at roughly the UK prices.

 

You could custom order a fretless...

 

https://design.music-man.com/SR4

Sure….but look at it…it’s hateful 🙃

 

 

Horrible burst, only maple f/b available. And I know it’s only a render….but what else am I basing this blind purchase on. Gimme a Pino Artist from a retailer any day! (Not that I’m in the market lol).
 

Si

[Bass Direct]

9 minutes ago, Sibob said:

Sure….but look at it…it’s hateful 🙃

 

 

Horrible burst, only maple f/b available. And I know it’s only a render….but what else am I basing this blind purchase on. Gimme a Pino Artist from a retailer any day! (Not that I’m in the market lol).
 

Si

Cheers Si! I totally agree by the way

[Musicman20]

1 hour ago, Bass Direct said:

And if people keep doing this then more guitar shops cease to exist, just saying...

...on the contrary, I was saying the cost to import a PP Sig model is roughly the same for an individual as it would be buying from a store like yours in the UK. Which is a good thing as it causes less issues. 

 

If however you don't want the Pino version, you can custom order a different one/spec.  Via UK store or from USA - no idea what the prices are.

 

I think the issue with shops ceasing to exist is not the fault of the customer, it's the fault of changes in world economy and the general landscape of buying products, in a vast amount of industries.

 

A customer should have one price, wherever, but if it is vastly cheaper elsewhere, they can then spend more on further gear/life/food/holidays. 

 

The problem is, almost all major guitar stores are a fair drive for most people (might take a full day!) so the fun of test driving gear isn't really what it used to be, so they buy online, save time, and yep, they'll vote with their wallet.

 

If you ask me, no need for dealers (as in the distributor middlemen/women/people, not the stores)  in 2025. Adding costs for no reason. 

Edited 23 hours ago by Musicman20

[Musicman20]

1 hour ago, Sibob said:

Sure….but look at it…it’s hateful 🙃

 

 

Horrible burst, only maple f/b available. And I know it’s only a render….but what else am I basing this blind purchase on. Gimme a Pino Artist from a retailer any day! (Not that I’m in the market lol).
 

Si

It 100% wouldn't look anything like that, and the fretboard would be Pau Ferro, which is what Musicman have been using for fretless for a LONG time.  You can also choose a nice figured neck if you wanted. 

 

I have a few Musicman sunburst/tobacco burst basses, and they are exceptionally good bursts. 

 

2014 spec:

 

https://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/en-gb/products/music-man-stingray-4-h-fretless-wpiezo-sunburst-2014-1407409

Edited 23 hours ago by Musicman20

[ezbass]

1 hour ago, Linus27 said:

The fact EBMM have released these bases, despite being between 20-40 years too late

Despite EBMM having a whole slew of signature guitars, they’ve never been as quick/as generous with signature basses. Other than the OLP Tony Levin, there’s not an EBMM Levin ‘Ray, despite him playing them for decades, without a break. 

[Linus27]

4 minutes ago, ezbass said:

Despite EBMM having a whole slew of signature guitars, they’ve never been as quick/as generous with signature basses. Other than the OLP Tony Levin, there’s not an EBMM Levin ‘Ray, despite him playing them for decades, without a break. 

 

Yeah, that's actually a good point, they don't really go in for the signature models as much.

[Kev]

37 minutes ago, Musicman20 said:

...on the contrary, I was saying the cost to import a PP Sig model is roughly the same for an individual as it would be buying from a store like yours in the UK. Which is a good thing as it causes less issues. 

 

If however you don't want the Pino version, you can custom order a different one/spec.  Via UK store or from USA - no idea what the prices are.

 

I think the issue with shops ceasing to exist is not the fault of the customer, it's the fault of changes in world economy and the general landscape of buying products, in a vast amount of industries.

 

A customer should have one price, wherever, but if it is vastly cheaper elsewhere, they can then spend more on further gear/life/food/holidays. 

 

The problem is, almost all major guitar stores are a fair drive for most people (might take a full day!) so the fun of test driving gear isn't really what it used to be, so they buy online, save time, and yep, they'll vote with their wallet.

 

If you ask me, no need for dealers in 2025. Adding costs for no reason. 

 

Quite a bold statement, no need for dealers?  Everyone buys blind?

 

No thanks  

[Musicman20]

10 minutes ago, Kev said:

 

Quite a bold statement, no need for dealers?  Everyone buys blind?

 

No thanks  

Dealer as in the distributor, not the shops. It adds another layer of profit.

[Steve Browning]

Surely the dealer buys blnd?

[ezbass]

3 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

That does look gorgeous. Wish I hadn't looked it up.

They are exceptional basses, if you don’t mind the relic finish (I don’t mind at all). Great playability and stunning tone from the SD custom pickup. 

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

7 hours ago, Bass Direct said:

£3499 here FYI

Hey guys. Genuine question (and I may be misunderstanding something somewhere)….everywhere else seems to be selling the standard version at £3799. How can you undercut by £300. That’s quite a chunk on a bass that has just been released.

[Bass Direct]

11 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Hey guys. Genuine question (and I may be misunderstanding something somewhere)….everywhere else seems to be selling the standard version at £3799. How can you undercut by £300. That’s quite a chunk on a bass that has just been released.

No idea, thats working on a standard rate and quoting the prices we have been given by Musicman