Music Man Sub

Being once the owner of a fairly average Fender Mex Jazz, I always lusted after Musicman Stingrays. So Imagine my delight to see a Musicman bass hanging new in my local guitar shop for £600!($1092) I bought it on the spot and traded in my Jazz for it.

The tone here is fantastic. Having never played an actual Stingray, I have no basis for comparison, but the tone rocks. It cover just about every music genre, but in Funk it excels. Anything from a sharp pop to fat warm bottom end. Harmonics sound better onthis bass than any other I've heard. Oh, and the black gloss neck is smart.

This is an unforgiving bass. it has no sloping edge on the top of the body, so this can hurt your arm after long periods of time. Lose control when playing here, and it'll sound awful. Its very easy to accidentally get dead notes. the Strings are spaced way far apart, this can make playing tricky, if you're doing fast runs.
One major problem: The body finish sucks. it looks like its been covered in tippex. Cardboard scratchplate? No thanks. I think all the budget for this guitar went into the hardware, which I suppose is a good thing...

Built to last (The finsh is inpenetrable - it took me weeks to sand it off). Only two problems I've had is with the cardboard scratchplate ripping (Buy a proper one for it) and the socket came loose, thats probably my fault. Oh, and if you register it online, you get free strings! thats cool.

Fantastic Value bass, stingray on half the budget. Wickedly versatile tone, but ugly as hell.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

* Poplar body
* Custom MusicMan textured finish
* Standard MusicMan-style string-thru-body bridge of chromeplated steel with bent stainless steel saddles
* Diamond-plate aluminum pickguard
* 25-1/2" scale
* 10" radius
* 22 frets, high profile, medium width
* 1-5/8" width at nut, 2-1/4" at last fret
* Rosewood fretboard
* Black painted maple neck and headstock
* Chromeplated, enclosed, non-locking tuners
* Adjustable truss rod
* 5-bolt attachment
* Volume and tone controls
* 2 custom humbuckers pickups
* 3-way toggle pickup selector
* Weight 6 lbs. 5 oz. varies slightly

This is an american made silhouette, called the SUB 1. Which is basically a stripped down version of their silhouette to offers it more at a way more affordable price point. Mine was the HH version with all satin black and a black pickguard, it was sexy as hell!!

UTILIZATION

Great guitar! Very plain in reality but such a great guitar! The body's perfectly sized, very very comfortable, and the neck is the most important part. All musicman guitars have gained fame for their super 10" radius necks! This is no different! So comfortable, easy to play and setup well from the beginning also.

The switching is easy to do as well, 2 humbuckers with a 3 way and 1 vol and 1 tone, can't get any easier than that!

SOUNDS

Sounds quite good actually. Although this is probably where they slacked the most to cut costs, the pickups still sounded decent for medium gain, clean stuff.

I wouldn't say they're the greatest, they had some sterile moments, especially the distortion. It was generally raspy and a bit fizzy. Couldn't do high gain well either, it just seemed to be way too much for the pickups to handle.

Otherwise, for a more versatile set of sounds, one would probably need to upgrade the pickups.

OVERALL OPINION

This is a great guitar at an affordable price. The look is great too! Some of them come with a variety of different pickguards, mainly the chrome one or cool satin finishes in different colors. The neck is always tried and true and feels great. The hardware seems fine as well, and the frets of course are nothing to complain about since it's an american made guitar! It's near perfect for those wanting a silhouette on the cheap!

- Made In United States
- 22 frets, 2 humbucker Custom Musicman.
- Bridge type Stratocaster vibrato. Mechanical oil bath and locking system (not very practical in this model is a screwdriver.)
- 1 volume, 1 tone, 1 3-position selector.
- Wood handle ... No just kidding! Affects large and thick profile without a log.

Configuration actually quite simple and classic, but damn effective.

UTILIZATION

-The handle thick enough in its broad profile and key offers great playing comfort
We tend to believe that race does not favor the acrobatics and other stunts digital shreddiennes of all kinds, but it is sticking your finger in the eye to the elbow (not easy like that to play the guitar .. .). While not as fast as a race of Ibanez or Jackson you find yourself playing fast, very fast. You still have to get used to specify that the texture of the varnish on the back of the neck (black).
-Access to acute is total, the cut joining the lower body at the 20th fret.
Moreover, despite the cheap price (relatively cheap, eh !...), junction sleeve / body is the same as the top-models like the Silhouette line, that is an attachment to the using the plate with three screws, so ergonomic.
Musicman-have tried to minimize manufacturing costs for this model, there is no chamfer at the right forearm (for right-handed, of course), or any muzzle anywhere at all in fact but it is not at all a problem ... It bothers you that story chamfer? Think about 2 seconds! Is a Gibson Les Paul has a chamfer ??... But no problem in any case the distance between the top edge of the body and the bridge is short so you do not really need to muzzle ..
weight is very reasonable and is easily tolerated around the neck during a show or a rehearsal.
Yes, we get easily a good sound ... if you take 2 minutes to set his amp, his multi-effects pedals .. (Stupid question I think ...)

SOUNDS

Before answering these questions I want to say that I quickly upgraded. Laying DiMarzio, a split and different settings, all this was done by a luthier. But if the comments below are valid also for the guitar home with just a little flat.

-I am more rock / metal and this guitar is carved in the rock garden. There is no downside, valid also for the scratching of origin.
Plugged-in my Peavey 5150 combo, it feels faster than the asks only scratches roar. The saturation is full of punch and are very accurate. We feel nevertheless that the sounds are rather medium or medium-high ... it is not necessarily an advantage. But three rounds of two knob amp and now!
-J-loves his saturated sound and light are not left out, especially in micro splitter (I am not speaking here of the original scratch) ... The splitted offer clear mic sounds great for crystalline cocottes, the funky rhythm ...

OVERALL OPINION

-I since early 2005.
-The characteristic I like most: The aesthetic simplicity of the instrument (no frills, no flashy details ...). Mine is black, because I wanted the body color matches the color of the head, which is invariably black, even if the body is green, blue, red (beurk. ..). Matt paint, no gritty dirty, no big fat fingerprints.
-The characteristic I like least: The mechanical locking system offers a very impractical, use a screwdriver and in addition to be very careful because if you rip, you damaging the mechanical head ... allouette. Nevertheless, this scraper is good agreement and the mechanics are clear.
-I think we have a good quality / price ratio, nothing more. Paid € 1100, it is not worth less but no more, but worth it to be upgraded.
With experience, yes, I would do this choice. With money, I would buy a Silhouette or a Petrucci.
It's a good guitar.

US version first prize, two HH
Bridge House GENIAL!!

UTILIZATION

Well it's simple, the guitars I know, tried, and cheeks of tonnes and is one of the 6 or 7 spares that I do not.

Advantages: weight, taken in hand thanks to the small size, comfort of the handle, the vibrato exceptionally reliable if not the most reliable of all (provided they are not floating rgl hard enough ) and ... of course the price ri-di-cu-le-ment below. Incredible but vr!
Excellent also the texture that does not traces of wood, it is right thing!

Dsavantage: the micro kit, very correct for the basic rock, a demand for sound customization strat
Same for the black painted handle the rear but I do not like it's personal.

SOUNDS

Well my bf prdcesseur has said everything, it is also like guys!
For those have not bl what there is a version 3 microphones in China brand PLO which is remarkably good for a price of joke! except the vibrato is ach ..

OVERALL OPINION

I had for 5 years and I did not know because its blue cowboy m'nervait a bit.
You get used to, especially in the sticky taping with various cars and fun.
Well I'm sick of these questions last. Pisque I tell you she is well, hell:

And just like oualla guitars which I do not ever spares in addition to the:
PRS CU 22 (the best of the best), Fender Stratocaster Eric Johnson, Tlcaster US Deluxe, an old Squier Japan gnial the handle, a Godin G4000 awful but so cool, a Clayton Core ES175 style jazz ( found) and my old Gibson LP Deluxe 74 that I keep just remember ... unless I sold it to buy a Silhouette!