Music Man StingRay is an

electric bass The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...

by Music Man, introduced in 1976.

History

In 1971, Fender employees Forrest White and Tom Walker, unhappy with the way CBS was managing the company, left their positions with Fender to start their own venture. First known as Tri-Sonix, Inc (often incorrectly referred to as "Tri-Sonic") and then later Musitek, Inc., the new company eventually settled on the name of MusicMan, Inc. by 1974. The company began producing a hybrid tube-solid state amplifier co-designed by Tom Walker and

Leo Fender Clarence Leonidas Fender (August 10, 1909 – March 21, 1991) was an American inventor known for designing the Fender Stratocaster. He also founded the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. In January 1965, he sold Fender to CBS, and later foun ...

, who was participating as a silent partner to the firm due to a "no compete" clause in the sales contract Fender had signed when he sold his original company to CBS in 1965. After the clause expired in 1975, he was made president of MusicMan, Inc., and by 1976 his consulting firm CLF Research had begun producing instruments bearing the MusicMan name. Designed by Fender, Walker and Sterling Ball (Ball was a beta tester for the instrument), the StingRay bass appeared in 1976 and, though physically similar to a

Fender Precision Bass The Fender Precision Bass (often shortened to "P-Bass") is a model of electric bass guitar manufactured by Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. In its standard, post-1957 configuration, the Precision Bass is a solid body, four-stringed instru ...

, was a highly innovative instrument. It employed a

Humbucking Mains hum, electric hum, cycle hum, or power line hum is a sound associated with alternating current which is twice the frequency of the mains electricity. The fundamental frequency of this sound is usually double that of fundamental 50/60 Hz ...

pickup (the shape and configuration of which has become known as an "'MM'-style pickup", the "MM" meaning "Music Man") and an active pre-amp powered by a 9-volt battery. The early iterations of this preamp came with a 2-band EQ (bass and treble); this range was later augmented by the optional addition of a third band (bass, midrange, and treble) model. Piezo pickups located in the bridge saddles became an option with the 3-band version. The StingRay's 3-band equalization system made it possible to boost midrange, as well as low and high, frequencies. Along with its electronic improvements, the StingRay had physical attributes that set it apart from other Fender-inspired designs, such as a heavy satin finish on the back of the neck to allow players' hands to slide effortlessly up and down during play, an oval pickguard and separate chromed control plate, and its distinctive "3+1" headstock (on which three tuning machines are situated on the top and one on the bottom) made it an instantly recognizable and distinguishable instrument. Early models have through-body stringing at the bridge, which is fitted with adjustable string mutes. Later models omit both features, except for the 30th Anniversary model of 2006, which uses the string-through-body design and features a solid

mahogany Mahogany is a straight- grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus '' Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Un ...

body finished in a Crimson Red Transparent finish. Later advancements on the StingRay included a 5-string version (the StingRay 5), which has a 3-way blade switch that allows the player to split the humbucking pickup's coils, and a unique truss-rod neck adjustment system that incorporated a

Teflon Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene that has numerous applications. It is one of the best-known and widely applied PFAS. The commonly known brand name of PTFE-based composition is Teflon by Chem ...

washer which made it highly resistant to rust and corrosion and made adjusting the neck of a StingRay relatively easy. In the early 2000s a budget version of the StingRay known as the S.U.B. was produced, featuring a textured body finish and

diamond plate Tread plate, also known as checker plate and diamond plate, is a type of metal stock with a regular pattern or lines on one side for slip resistance. The most common alloy used for aluminum tread plate is 6061, although 5086-H34 and 3003-H231 are ...

pickguard. This model was discontinued in 2007 due to rising production costs. In 2005, two-pickup versions of the StingRay (known as "HH" and "HS") were introduced, following the success of the Bongo Bass, one of

Ernie Ball Ernie Ball (born Roland Sherwood Ball; August 30, 1930 – September 9, 2004) was an American entrepreneur and musician who developed guitar-related products. Ball began as a club and local television musician and entrepreneur, building an int ...

's latest bass designs, designed by Sterling Ball, Ernie's son and now CEO of Ernie Ball. This dual-pickup version includes a 5-way switch, allowing the user to select different combinations of pickup coils and thus greatly increasing the diversity of available tones. The dual-pickup configuration was also adopted on the StingRay 5 and the Sterling that same year. After the discontinuation of the S.U.B, more marketing emphasis was placed on licensed OLP budget versions of the StingRay 4, StingRay 5, StingRay 4 HH, and StingRay 5 HH. However, as of 2009 the entire OLP brand has been retired. Since then, the Ernie Ball produced Sterling by Music Man range of mid-priced basses and guitars have been introduced (not to be confused with the Music Man Sterling bass guitar). The Ray 34 (four string), and Ray 35 (five string), are offered at nearly half the price of their Music Man counterparts. StingRays are generally known for their punchy sound, making them very suitable for rock/funk applications and excellent for

slapping Slap or slapping may refer to: * Slapping (strike), a method of striking with the palm of the hand * Slapping (music), a musical technique used with stringed instruments * Slap tonguing, a musical technique used on wind instruments * ''Slap'' ( ...

, and for being of extremely high build quality. The 6-bolt neckplate is an example of this. The neck is also quite wide, especially compared to that of

Fender Jazz Bass The Fender Jazz Bass (often shortened to ''J-Bass'') is the second model of electric bass created by Leo Fender. It is distinct from the Precision Bass in that its tone is brighter and richer in the midrange and treble with less emphasis on th ...

-type models (although a neck with a narrower nut was optional in the 70s and is again as of 2010 called the StingRay SLO Special), as well as having the above-mentioned truss-rod adjustment mechanism that allows players to adjust the truss-rod without removing the neck. Some users have also noticed an audible difference in volume between the lower three strings (E, A, D) and the highest G string, with the G string suffering from a lack of volume - conversely many users do not experience this, and recordings demonstrate an even volume across the strings, suggesting EQ choice in a live setting may be responsible. This problem has not been observed in 5-string StingRays. The Music Man StingRay comes in 4 & 5 string versions with the choice of bolt-on and

neck-through Neck-through-body (commonly neck-thru or neck-through) is a method of electric guitar construction that combines the instrument's neck and core of its body into a single unit. This may be made of a solid piece of wood, or two or more laminated ...

construction (as of 2015). In July 2018 the StingRay Special was introduced with an 18-volt three band EQ, five- bolt neckplate, "roasted" maple neck, sculpted heel, lightweight hardware and a neodymium pickup.

Notable users

Tony Levin Anthony Frederick Levin (born June 6, 1946) is an American musician and composer, specializing in electric bass, Chapman Stick and upright bass. He also sings and plays synthesizer. Levin is best known for his work with King Crimson (since ...

has been a long time user of both four- and five-string StingRays during his time with

Peter Gabriel Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and activist. He rose to fame as the original lead singer of the progressive rock band Genesis. After leaving Genesis in 1975, he launched ...

and

King Crimson King Crimson are a progressive rock band formed in 1968 in London, England. The band draws inspiration from a wide variety of music, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, industrial, electronic, experime ...

, playing the StingRay with particular prevalence on So and on tracks such as Sledgehammer, and also commissioned Music Man to build him a custom 3-string version. The StingRay has been a favorite of several influential bassists, some of them renowned for their slapping technique, such as Louis Johnson,

Flea Flea, the common name for the order Siphonaptera, includes 2,500 species of small flightless insects that live as external parasites of mammals and birds. Fleas live by ingesting the blood of their hosts. Adult fleas grow to about long, a ...

Bernard Edwards Bernard Edwards (October 31, 1952 – April 18, 1996) was an American bass player and record producer, known primarily for his work in disco music with guitarist Nile Rodgers, with whom he co-founded Chic. In 2017, Edwards was selected as the ...

and Guy Pratt. In its fretless form the StingRay helped define

Pino Palladino Giuseppe Henry "Pino" Palladino (born 17 October 1957) is a Welsh musician, songwriter, and record producer. A prolific session bassist, he has played bass for acts such as The Who, the John Mayer Trio, Nine Inch Nails, Gary Numan, Jeff Beck ...

's sound with

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from 1982 onwards and subsequently as session bassist. The pre-Ernie Ball MusicMan StingRay is the main instrument of Paul S. Denman of the

Sade Sade may refer to: People * Marquis de Sade (1740–1814), French aristocrat, writer, and libertine * Sade (singer) (born 1959, Helen Folasade Adu), British Nigerian musician and lead singer of the eponymous band * Sade Baderinwa (born 1969), WA ...

band and it has been featured on all of their albums and live recordings.

Benjamin Orr Benjamin Orzechowski (September 8, 1947 – October 3, 2000), known professionally as Benjamin Orr, was an American musician best known as the bassist, co-lead vocalist, and co-founder of the rock band The Cars. He sang lead vocals on sever ...

, bassist, co-vocalist and founding member of

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, is well known amongst fans to have played a circa 1977 Inca Silver Music Man StingRay with maple neck/fretboard and black pickguard. This bass was lost in a fire that swept through Orr's Boston apartment in the early 1980s, along with a cherry red 1967 Vox Constellation bass with an unusual black headstock. Mark Evans and

Cliff Williams Clifford Williams (born 14 December 1949) is an English musician, best known as the bassist and backing vocalist of the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. He started his professional music career in 1967 and had previously been in the English ...

, both of AC/DC, have commonly used the StingRay. Chi Cheng of

Deftones Deftones is an American alternative metal band formed in Sacramento, California in 1988. They were formed by Chino Moreno (vocals, guitar), Stephen Carpenter (guitar), Abe Cunningham (drums), and Dominic Garcia (bass). During their first f ...

used the StingRay in the ''

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'' era. Rex Brown of

Pantera Pantera () is an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas formed in 1981, and currently comprised of vocalist Phil Anselmo, bassist Rex Brown, and touring musicians Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante. The group's best-known lineup consist ...

used the StingRay mostly in the '' Vulgar Display of Power'' era. Steve "Fuzz" Kmak, former bassist of Disturbed primarily used 5-string StingRay models.

Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...

John Deacon John Richard Deacon (born 19 August 1951) is an English retired musician, best known for being the bass guitarist for the rock band Queen. He wrote several songs for the group, including Top 10 hits " You're My Best Friend", " Another One Bit ...

was often seen playing a StingRay (his is on display at the

Hard Rock Cafe Hard Rock Cafe, Inc. is a British-based multinational chain of theme restaurants, memorabilia shops, casinos and museums founded in 1971 by Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton in London. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and ...

in Cleveland, Ohio.), as was Rick Wills of Foreigner.

Tim Commerford Tim Commerford (born February 26, 1968) is an American musician, best known as the bassist and backing vocalist for rock band Rage Against the Machine, and supergroups Audioslave and Prophets of Rage. Since 2013 and 2015, he has also been the ...

(AKA Timmy C) of

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played the StingRay almost exclusively until around 1995. Ross Valory of Journey has used a StingRay in recent years, while

Randy Jackson Randall Darius Jackson (born June 23, 1956) is an American record executive and television presenter, perhaps best known as a judge on ''American Idol'' from 2002 to 2013. Jackson began his career in the 1980s as a session musician playing bas ...

used a custom purple/white polka dot StingRay on Journey's '' Raised on Radio'' tour.

Chic Chic (; ), meaning "stylish" or "smart", is an element of fashion. It was originally a French word. Pronounced Chick. Etymology '' Chic'' is a French word, established in English since at least the 1870s. Early references in English dictionar ...

used the StingRay bass almost exclusively. After his death in 1996, his bass was inherited by

John Taylor John Taylor, Johnny Taylor or similar may refer to: Academics *John Taylor (Oxford), Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, 1486–1487 *John Taylor (classical scholar) (1704–1766), English classical scholar *John Taylor (English publisher) (178 ...

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. John Bentley of Squeeze uses early 2 EQ StingRays. Eric Wilson of Sublime played a StingRay on most of the band's early recordings. Other StingRay players include: * John Rees of

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* Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith * session player

Bob Birch Robert Wayne "Bob" Birch (July 14, 1956 – August 15, 2012) was an American musician. He was primarily a session musician and sideman to a variety of notable artists. Early life At an early age, Birch was inspired to pursue music by his fath ...

* Jamie Stewart of

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Simon Gallup Simon Jonathon Gallup (born 1 June 1960) is an English musician and bassist with the alternative rock band The Cure. He is the second longest-serving member of the band after lead vocalist/guitarist Robert Smith. Early years Born in Duxhurst, ...

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* Joe Bouchard of

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* Wayne Thomas of

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* Boz Burrell of

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(1977–1982) * John Glascock of Jethro Tull * Max Green of

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* Alex James of Blur *

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of Pulp *

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* Colin Greenwood of Radiohead *

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* Martyn Walsh of

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(occasionally during live performances) * Jesse F. Keeler of

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* Justin Chancellor of

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* Rick Johnson of

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* Matt Wong (formerly of

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) * Rahul Ram of

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of moe. * Roger Manganelli of

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John Moyer John Moyer (born November 30, 1973) is an American musician, best known as the bassist and backing vocalist for the heavy metal band Disturbed. Taking over in 2004 after Steve "Fuzz" Kmak was fired, Moyer has played bass guitar with the group ...

and Steve Kmak of Disturbed *

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* Jesse Buglione of

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* Johnny Christ of

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* Nikola Sarcevic of

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* Mark King of

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* Marc McKnight of

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* Jonathan Kogan of Area 11 * Mark Mendoza of

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* Justin Hills of Sleeping with Sirens * Niall Hone of

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* Louie Talan of

Razorback The feral pig is a domestic pig which has gone feral, meaning it lives in the wild. They are found mostly in the Americas and Australia. Razorback and wild hog are Americanisms applied to feral pigs or boar-pig hybrids. Definition A feral p ...

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of Serú Girán * Jaime Preciado of Pierce the Veil *

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of R5 * Tim Foreman of

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* Jia "Pie" O'Connor of

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Ross Valory Ross Lamont Valory (born February 2, 1949) is an American musician who is best known as the original bass player for the rock band Journey from 1973 to 1985 and again from 1995 to 2020. Valory was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as ...

of Journey * Connor Ball of The Vamps * Kelen Capener of The Story So Far *

Calum Hood Calum Thomas Hood (born 25 January 1996) is an Australian musician, known for being the bassist and the backup vocalist of the pop rock band 5 Seconds of Summer. Since 2014, 5 Seconds of Summer have sold more than 10 million albums, sold over t ...

of Five Seconds of Summer * Stefan Lessard of

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formerly of

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* Josh Woodard of

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* Sam Bettley of

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* Javier Portero of Goutucucha * Michael McKeegan of

Therapy? Therapy? are a Northern Irish rock band from Larne, formed in 1989 by guitarist-vocalist Andy Cairns and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing. Therapy? recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar. To complete the lineup, the band r ...

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Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American Country music, country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later s ...

* Charles Meeks of

Chuck Mangione Charles Frank Mangione ( ; born November 29, 1940) is an American flugelhorn player, voice actor, trumpeter and composer. He came to prominence as a member of Art Blakey's band in the 1960s, and later co-led the Jazz Brothers with his brother, ...

Dougie Thomson Douglas 'Doogie' Campbell Thomson (born 24 March 1951) is a Scottish musician, born in Glasgow and raised in the Rutherglen area of the city. He was the bass guitarist of progressive rock band Supertramp during much of the seventies and ...

Supertramp Supertramp were an English rock band that formed in London in 1969. Marked by the individual songwriting of founders Roger Hodgson (vocals, keyboards, and guitars) and Rick Davies (vocals and keyboards), they are distinguished for blending ...

Fin A fin is a thin component or appendage attached to a larger body or structure. Fins typically function as foils that produce lift or thrust, or provide the ability to steer or stabilize motion while traveling in water, air, or other fluids. Fin ...

of Hell is for Heroes * Davie504 Dougie Poynter of

McFly McFly are an English pop rock music, pop rock band formed in London in 2003. The band took their name from the ''Back to the Future (franchise), Back to the Future'' character Marty McFly. The band consists of Tom Fletcher (lead vocals, guita ...

, having played a variety of basses throughout his career, currently plays a StingRay HH 4 string.

Gail Ann Dorsey Gail Ann Dorsey (born November 20, 1962) is an American musician. With a long career as a session musician mainly on bass guitar, she is perhaps best known for her lengthy residency in David Bowie's band, from 1995 to Bowie's death in 2016. Asid ...

, top session bassist and vocalist (bassist for David Bowie, Lenny Kravitz, and Bryan Ferry, among others), Steve McKinley

assist for Led Zeppelified, Joel Kosche (Collective Soul) Assist or ASSIST may refer to: Sports Several sports have a statistic known as an "assist", generally relating to action by a player leading to a score by another player on their team: *Assist (basketball), a pass by a player that facilitates a ba ...

The StingRay also found itself especially popular with

shoegazing Shoegaze (originally called shoegazing and sometimes conflated with " dream pop") is a subgenre of indie and alternative rock characterized by its ethereal mixture of obscured vocals, guitar distortion and effects, feedback, and overwhelming vol ...

artists of the early 90s, likely because its tone was so effective at cutting through the multilayered distortion characteristic of the genre. Steve Queralt of Ride, Nick Chaplin of

Slowdive Slowdive is a British rock band that formed in Reading, Berkshire, in 1989. The band consists of Rachel Goswell on vocals and guitar, Neil Halstead on vocals and guitar, Christian Savill on guitar, Nick Chaplin on bass and Simon Scott on d ...

, Russell Barrett of

Chapterhouse A chapter house or chapterhouse is a building or room that is part of a cathedral, monastery or collegiate church in which meetings are held. When attached to a cathedral, the cathedral chapter meets there. In monasteries, the whole commun ...

, and Dean Garcia of

Curve In mathematics, a curve (also called a curved line in older texts) is an object similar to a line, but that does not have to be straight. Intuitively, a curve may be thought of as the trace left by a moving point. This is the definition that ...

, among others, all found their sound in the StingRay.

External links

Official MusicMan website

Example of vintage Stingray

References

{{reflist Music Man electric bass guitars