Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Special Basses Now Shipping

Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Special Bass Front

Earlier this year, Ernie Ball Music Man announced they were revamping their flagship Stingray bass. Now the Stingray Special is shipping.

The model, which was originally released in 1976, has been reimagined with a host of new features while retaining its identity. The body has been contoured and the neck joint has been sculpted for improved access to the upper register, which has an extra fret now thanks to a five-bolt neck. Its hardware has been reengineered to be more lightweight, while the electronics have gotten some love, too.

“The new and improved StingRay electronics feature powerful neodymium magnets, bringing you more output and a wider range of sounds,” EBMM writes. “A newly designed 18-volt 3-Band preamp for extra clean headroom lets you dial in everything from modern punch to classic, vintage tones.”

Hear Sterling Ball talk about the new Specials with a second video of Tony Levin demoing them:

The Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Special Bass is available now in four and five-string versions with prices ranging from $1,999 to $2,199.

Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay Special Bass Specs:

Body Wood:Ash
Body Finish:High gloss polyester
Bridge:Vintage Music Man top loaded chrome plated, steel bridge plate with vintage nickel plated steel saddles
Scale Length:34″ (86.4 cm)
Neck Radius:11″ (27.9 cm)
Headstock Size:Only 8-3/4″ (22.2 cm) long
Frets:22 - High profile, wide, Stainless Steel
Neck Width:1-5/8″ (41.3 mm) at nut 2-1/2″ (63.5 mm) at last fret
Neck Wood:Select roasted maple neck
Fingerboard:Fretted - Maple, Rosewood, or Ebony (dependent on body color)
Neck Finish:Gunstock oil and hand-rubbed special wax blend
Neck Colors:Standard – Natural with finished headstock
Tuning Machines:Custom Music Man, lightweight with tapered string posts and ergonomic clover design
Truss Rod:Adjustable - no component or string removal
Neck Attachment:5 bolts - perfect alignment with no shifting; Sculpted neck joint allows smooth access to higher frets
Electronic Shielding:Chrome or black plated aluminum control cover (dependent on body color)
Controls:3-band active preamp with 18 volts of headroom; vol, treble, mid, bass
Switching:Single Pickup - N/A; Dual Pickup - 5-way lever pickup selector
Pickups:Standard - Single Humbucking with Neodymium magnets; Optional - Dual Humbucking with Neodymium magnets
Weight:8 lbs, 8 oz (3.86 kg) - varies slightly
Left Handed:No
Strings:45w-65w-80w-100w (Super Slinky Bass #2834)

Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay5 Special Bass Specs:

Body Wood:Ash
Body Finish:High gloss polyester
Bridge:Vintage Music Man top loaded chrome plated, steel bridge plate with vintage nickel plated steel saddles
Pickguard:Black, White, Mint, or White Pearloid (dependent on body color)
Scale Length:34″ (86.4 cm)
Neck Radius:11″ (27.9 cm)
Headstock Size:Only 9″ (22.9 cm) long
Frets:22 - High profile, wide, Stainless Steel
Neck Width:1-3/4″ (44.5 mm) at nut 2-3/4″ (69.9 mm) at last fret
Neck Wood:Select roasted maple neck
Fingerboard:Fretted - Maple, Rosewood, or Ebony (dependent on body color)
Neck Finish:Gunstock oil and hand-rubbed special wax blend
Neck Colors:Standard – Natural with finished headstock
Tuning Machines:Custom Music Man, lightweight with tapered string posts and ergonomic clover design
Truss Rod:Adjustable - no component or string removal
Neck Attachment:5 bolts - perfect alignment with no shifting; Sculpted neck joint allows smooth access to higher frets
Electronic Shielding:Graphite acrylic resin coated body cavity and aluminum lined pickguard
Controls:3-band active preamp with 18 volts of headroom; vol, treble, mid, bass
Switching:Single Pickup - 3-way lever pickup selector; Dual Pickup - 5-way lever pickup selector
Pickups:Standard - Single Humbucking with Neodymium magnets; Optional - Dual Humbucking with Neodymium magnets
Weight:9 lbs, 2 oz (4.16 kg) - varies slightly
Left Handed:No
Strings:45w-65w-80w-100w-130w (Regular Slinky Bass #2836)

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