Wanted - list of StingRay variants

[tauzero]

I'm baffled by all the variants of EBMM, SBMM, Sterling, SUB, etc Rays. I'm currently at the cheap end with a <checks headstock> SUB series Sterling, made in Indonesia and presumably a Ray5. I'm sure somebody listed the various ranges and models a while ago but I haven't been able to find it. Would anybody be able to produce a definitive list of Rays past and present, with maybe some information on things like neck profiles, virtues, and vices? Pictures would be nice, preferably showing the headstock so it's simple to know what you're looking at when you spot one in the wild.

[TommyK]

The simplified reply (cos it’s unnecessarily complicated)

 

EBMM = US of A made instruments. 
current guises of the Stingray: Stingray Special 4 & 5 (The newest incarnation)

Retro (more or less a copy of the original 70s Stingray)
Shortscale Stingray

 

check here for models and specs: https://www.music-man.com/instruments/basses

 

Sterling by Musicman = more affordable versions of the above…mainly, with a few tweaks here and there. Made in Indonesia 

 

check here for models and specs: https://intl.sterlingbymusicman.com/collections/basses

 

SUB = entry level versions of the above. 

models and specs are on the above link ^

If you want second hand and historical information you may need to sit down and take notes 😆

 

…..the waters are muddied by a well regarded series of basses produced in the USA to be more a bit more affordable in the (90s/00s?) before the advent of outsourcing production overseas…also called SUB… these are normally easily identified by their painted necks 

 

also.. also…. Another mythical series made in Japan… known as Musicman Ex. Similar sort of vintage… They look more or less identical to a USA stingray of the era but just don’t have made in USA written on them

 

Then of course we have the complication that one of Musicmans bass model names is: Sterling… so you can get a Sterling by Musicman Sterling… etc 🤯

 

we could go on… I think most of the info on the two websites makes it pretty simple for current models. Perhaps if you’re searching for secondhand and not sure ask on here with links for what you’re looking at

[Hellzero]

Just for the record, the S.U.B. is not the sub level of SBMM, but were originally made in San Luis Obispo, California, from 2003 to 2006, as an entry series for the original Stingray, then they were manufactured in China and now in Indonesia as the entry level of the SBMM.

 

Music Man stopped the contract with HHI/Davitt & Hanser, that started in the mid to late 90's to 2008, who were manufacturing the OLP basses in China and then in Indonesia.

 

Since 2008 the SBMM are manufactured by Praxis Musical Instruments.

[Bagman]

S.U.B. USA are 2 EQ and slab bodied 

 

I like them but def try before you buy 

[LeftyJ]

I'd like to add there briefly was a Stingray neck-through, and there were some wonderful limited editions and anniversary models that are hard to come by.

• 20th anniversary: The 4-string got a mahogany body, quilted maple top, red tort pickguard and no control plate. Quite sexy! 
• Stingray 5 20th anniversary (yes, specifically for the 5's birthday): this one really hit the ball out of the park in 2007 with a flamed or quilted maple top, natural maple faux-binding (just veneer-thin but enough to add a beautiful contrast). To me this is the sexiest Stingray ever built;
• 30th anniversary: like your regular Stingray 3EQ but with a mahogany body, and a gloss finished neck in matching colour (dark red);
• 35th anniversary: arguably the second-sexiest Stingray ever made, at least in my opinion! Based on the current Stingray Special, these have an ash body with a spalted maple top in sunburst, with a natural faux-binding, ebony fingerboard with "copper pearloid" block inlays and they look business;
• Stingray 5 30th anniversary: white, tort guard, roasted maple neck and fingerboard and white fingerboard bindings;
• The elusive 2001 NAMM 100th anniversary silver Stingray with Status Graphite neck, harking back to the pre-EB 1981 Cutlass 1 basses;
• Many, many very nice limited "colour of the year" limited editions, Premium Dealer Network exclusives and Vault-exclusive finishes that could only be ordered directly through EBMM's own webshop.