Stingray 5 Refinish and Modernisation

[bloke_zero]

Would this work?

 

https://www.ampshopbassexchange.com/product/sterling-ray4-by-albridge-parts-bsmm420-mm-style-bass-4-string-bridge-for-sterling-ray4-sub-black-satin/

 

There are dimensions slide 2 but weirdly only a picture of the top here: https://www.ampshopbassexchange.com/accessories-3/?product-page=1 (4th one along)

[Hellzero]

1 hour ago, bloke_zero said:

Would this work?

 

https://www.ampshopbassexchange.com/product/sterling-ray4-by-albridge-parts-bsmm420-mm-style-bass-4-string-bridge-for-sterling-ray4-sub-black-satin/

 

There are dimensions slide 2 but weirdly only a picture of the top here: https://www.ampshopbassexchange.com/accessories-3/?product-page=1 (4th one along)

Nope, it's for 4 strings Musicman basses, not regular fivers. 😉

[Joe Nation]

17 hours ago, carlsim said:

they want the chrome one back as well

Why one earth would they want a used component back when you buy a new one? I know they're pretty sharp on protecting their copyrights, but that's going a bit far isn't it?

 

Have a look at a cerakote finish. Apparently this will go straight onto chrome and it's tough as balls. Not sure how much it'd cost though, you'll need to find someone to send it to.

[Hellzero]

1 hour ago, Joe Nation said:

Why one earth would they want a used component back when you buy a new one? I know they're pretty sharp on protecting their copyrights, but that's going a bit far isn't it?

This the way they have been protecting themselves from copies and fakers over the years, and it's working pretty well.

 

At least, when you buy an old Musicman you know you're buying the real deal ... most of the time, unlike Fender, for instance.

[SpondonBassed]

1 hour ago, Hellzero said:

when you buy an old Musicman you know you're buying the real deal

 

If you pay in full for something, what gives the manufacturer any right to demand it back?

 

They are also selling you something.  It is cheeky, at best.  I'd challenge that.  Unless I'd signed an agreement to such an "exchange", I'd ask them to make a straight swap new for old if they insisted on exchanging parts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 26 by SpondonBassed

[carlsim]

1 hour ago, SpondonBassed said:

 

If you pay in full for something, what gives the manufacturer any right to demand it back?

 

They are also selling you something.  It is cheeky, at best.  I'd challenge that.  Unless I'd signed an agreement to such an "exchange", I'd ask them to make a straight swap new for old if they insisted on exchanging parts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wouldn't mind an exchange, if it was an exchange price! £175 for a bridge is steep at the best of times...

[Hellzero]

My 1978 fretless Stingray looks ace in natural finish with full chrome hardware.

 

 

Just give the full chrome a try first and then decide to go full black afterwards should you still want it.

 

That said, in ancient times, Musicman used to do swaps ... maybe it could be worth really insisting on this point.

[carlsim]

27 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

My 1978 fretless Stingray looks ace in natural finish with full chrome hardware.

 

 

Just give the full chrome a try first and then decide to go full black afterwards should you still want it.

 

That said, in ancient times, Musicman used to do swaps ... maybe it could be worth really insisting on this point.

 

That is very, very nice... I think the chrome knobs and plate really work with the bridge to contrast the black... my SR5, because the scratch plate is black, knobs are black, to me it's crying out for some black hardware.

 

Plus i has SR5 special a while back and loved the look of the black hardware on that - especially the headstock... The question is whether a chrome bridge will look weird with black tuners...

 

Edited September 26 by carlsim

[Joe Nation]

The carpet should always match the drapes.

[SpondonBassed]

2 hours ago, carlsim said:

I wouldn't mind an exchange, if it was an exchange price! £175 for a bridge is steep at the best of times...

 

I agree.  Not great for their rep.

[carlsim]

So I bit the bullet today and stuck £180 into a new bridge from Ernie Ball. It pained me to do it but after traipsing round metal finishers in the local area to be told, “no”, “I don’t think so” or “that will cost you more than 200 quid”, then trialling vinyl wrapping with black vinyl I gave up and admitted defeat. 
I’m not sure how the return of the old bridge will happen (maybe they might forget!) but will cross that bridge when I come to it.

So it will have black hardware and will look cool when complete.

i have no idea how long the bridge will take to come from EB in the US… but I have a

couple of weeks wait for the tuners anyway so no hurry no worry as they say in Fiji. 
will update when items arrive!

[SpondonBassed]

18 minutes ago, carlsim said:

So I bit the bullet today and stuck £180 into a new bridge from Ernie Ball. It pained me to do it but after traipsing round metal finishers in the local area to be told, “no”, “I don’t think so” or “that will cost you more than 200 quid”, then trialling vinyl wrapping with black vinyl I gave up and admitted defeat. 
I’m not sure how the return of the old bridge will happen (maybe they might forget!) but will cross that bridge when I come to it.

So it will have black hardware and will look cool when complete.

i have no idea how long the bridge will take to come from EB in the US… but I have a

couple of weeks wait for the tuners anyway so no hurry no worry as they say in Fiji. 
will update when items arrive!

 

If they deliver, keep both.  Unless they've made you sign an agreement to return the original of course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[carlsim]

11 hours ago, SpondonBassed said:

 

If they deliver, keep both.  Unless they've made you sign an agreement to return the original of course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was thinking that - I haven't signed anything. Andertons have ordered from EB so will see how it plays out.

[Silky999]

Lovely looking bass. 

[Jacobh123]

On 30/08/2025 at 09:35, carlsim said:

Sanded back to the wood - that sealer coat was a b**** to sand through - I was instructed to do the sides by hand to avoid taking too much wood away. That took hours!

Damn, that’s a real nice piece of ash there…. I’d love to do this to mine as well, but the last bass I refinished with sandpaper gave me carpal tunnel… any way to remove it with heat or chemical?

Edited 16 hours ago by Jacobh123

[carlsim]

10 hours ago, Jacobh123 said:

Damn, that’s a real nice piece of ash there…. I’d love to do this to mine as well, but the last bass I refinished with sandpaper gave me carpal tunnel… any way to remove it with heat or chemical?

I used a water based paint stripper to get the top coat and stain off, then good old sanding to get the sealer coat off. That’s hard work, especially the corners and contours as you don’t want to go at those with a power sander as you can easily lose shapes and contours…. Anything flat you can power sand, anything contoured has to be done by hand. That’s what the luthier guy who did the refinish told me. 
This is nearly complete, I’m just waiting on the new bridge from EB  which shold be here mid November! I can then do a final assembly and string it up!