Ernie Ball Music Man Unveils 40th Anniversary “Old Smoothie” StingRay Bass
Ernie Ball Music Man kicked off the NAMM Show this year with a press conference to reveal new products, including the 40th Anniversary “Old Smoothie” StingRay Bass. The bass is modeled after a 1976 prototype featuring a 10 pole piece pickup design that gives it a smooth tone.
“Since its introduction in 1976, the Music Man StingRay bass has been embraced as one of the world’s classic electric bass designs, and Old Smoothie was an interesting – and great-sounding – variation given to me by Leo Fender during the time I spent testing and developing the original prototypes back in the 70’s,” Ernie Ball CEO Sterling Ball explained. “We recently revisited the bass and were knocked out by its rich, deep, beautifully sweet tone. We knew we had to make it available to today’s bass players and celebrate one of the most iconic instruments of our time.”
The new bass carries on the original’s other design features with a 34-inch scale maple neck, a classic mute bridge with original stainless steel saddles, and a rear-mounted truss rod with walnut skunk stripe.
The Ernie Ball Music Man 40th Anniversary “Old Smoothie” StingRay Bass will be available starting in April with a street price of $1,999.
Ernie Ball Music Man 40th Anniversary “Old Smoothie” StingRay Bass Specs:
Weight: | 9 lbs, 8 oz. (4.31 kg) – varies slightly |
Body Wood: | Alder |
Body Finish: | High gloss polyester |
Body Colors: | Chocolate Burst |
Bridge: | Music Man chrome plated, hardened steel bridge plate with vintage stainless steel saddles and adjustable mute pads |
Pickguard: | White |
Scale Length: | 34″ (86.4 cm) |
Neck Radius: | 7.5″ (19.1 cm) |
Headstock Size: | Only 8-3/4″ (22.2 cm) long |
Frets: | 21 – Low profile, narrow width |
Neck Width: | 1-5/8″ (41.3 mm) at nut 2-1/2″ (63.5 mm) at last fret |
Neck Wood: | Select maple neck |
Fingerboard: | Select maple |
Fret Markers: | 5/16″ Black dots (no 21st marker) |
Neck Finish: | High gloss polyester |
Neck Colors: | Natural aged light yellow finish |
Tuning Machines: | Schaller BM, with tapered string posts |
Truss Rod: | Rear mounted adjustable – no component or string removal |
Neck Attachment: | 6 bolts – perfect alignment with no shifting |
Electronic Shielding: | Chrome plated brass control cover |
Controls: | Custom “Old Smoothie” 2-band active preamp; vol, treble, bass |
Pickups: | Custom “Old Smoothie” humbucking with 10 elongated Alnico magnets and split cover |
Left Handed: | No |
For more information:
Ernie Ball Music Man
Nice!! I have the same same kind of Music Man that looks just like the one the Late, Great Louis Johnson played.