Mike Herrera’s New Sterling Signature Bass Has Two Knobs That Don’t Even Work — on Purpose
Back in 2020, MxPx frontman Mike Herrera teamed up with Ernie Ball Music Man to produce a signature StingRay bass. The model has now been reconfigured into the more affordable Sterling by Music Man lineup for a bass simply called the Herrera.
SBMM says the new model “strips a classic design down to its essentials.” That aspect is most notable in the electronics, as the single humbucker is controlled by one functional volume knob with two non-functional dummy knobs. The unusual configuration is an adaptation of the wiring Herrera has been using for years.
“Some people are probably going to be very confused when they get this and their knobs don’t work,” Herrera said when his original signature was released. “When I started out I was going crazy on stage. I [hit the] volume knob or the tone knob and wonder why everything sounded so weird. So that’s why I started doing this and I’ve been doing it my whole career.”
Other features include a jabon body, hard maple neck and fingerboard, and an Orange Creamsicle finish.
“Fitted with a matching headstock and a custom ‘Pokinatcha’ artist graphic pickguard, the Herrera is built to deliver no-nonsense reliability on stage, at home, and anywhere in between,” the company writes.
The Sterling by Music Man Herrera Bass is available now for $449.99.
Sterling by Music Man Herrera Bass Specs:
| Scale: | 34″ |
| Body: | Jabon |
| Neck: | Hard Maple |
| Fingerboard: | Hard Maple |
| Fingerboard Radius: | 9.5″ |
| Frets: | 21 Medium |
| Inlays: | Black Dot |
| Pickups: | H-1 Ceramic Humbucker |
| Electronics: | 1 Volume Knob, 2 Dummy Knobs |
| Bridge: | Fixed Bridge |
| Tuners: | Open Gear |
| Finish: | Orange Creamsicle |
| Other: | White Pearloid with Custom MxPx ”Pokinatcha” Artist Graphic |
| Orientation: | Right Handed Only |
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
Online retailers are gonna get so many returns for “defects”
Bruh… custom means do it your way. Why not delete the knobs then? I do t get it. Isn’t a signature model the opp to just build the bass you want? Dummy knobs was a young kids response to hitting the knobs on stage, I get it but for the signature, why even include potentiometers then?
Because it’d be too much like a Joe Dart signature I guess