Music Man Anniversary StingRay 5

Body: Ash with Maple table - Mahogany block at the "sweet spot" mics - California Sunset Painting

Neck: Bolt-on maple with rosewood fingerboard - 22 frets

Pickups: 2 Alnico Humbuckings

5-way switch: - neck pickup in parallel - splitted central microphones in parallel - handle pickups and bridge parallel - external microphones splitted in parallel - pickup in parallel

Electronics: Active with controlled bass, Mediums, Treble and Volume

Weight: 4.54 kg

Manufacturer: California USA

UTILIZATION

The first time I took to play, I felt that it had been years since I had it. The handle is very comfortable and round, that's what I prefer.

For the grip, it is very simple and fast. We choose the configuration of micro (pickup in parallel to punk game, metal, neck and bridge pickups in parallel to slap; splitted central microphones in parallel for his round of Hard Rock etc ...), it refines the bass, midrange , acute and voila.

SOUNDS

I waited 10 years for my Musicman! And I do not regret having waited! After that, you should know that it is special. Besides the mahogany block added in the microphones must have acoustic qualities, the preamp was "Boosted" we will say. Of deep bass and punchy while retaining clarity and an impressive dynamism.

I tried a pair of Musicman Sterling, Stingray, SUB, 4-string, 5-string. None sound the same in all cases but that the works on the preamp makes its evidence and it sounds really punchy.

My preference leans towards the already config HH parallel that offers a huge range of sound with the combination of 5-way switch and its modeling as équalizateur.

The sound is amazing and incredible for a low standard Musicman. Even without direct connection to a console preamp, the sound is good.

She turned in a Marshall amp MB450H is a medium range. She was able to exploit the limits of this amp with a very good result. It will soon pass into Gallien Krueger Fusion 550. There will be a mustache uncurled in my opinion!

OVERALL OPINION

I would, however, raise some minor defects. There is a lack of space to move your fingers under the strings for slap but it takes the hit when we work the game cleanliness She has power and you must not concentrate for "caress" the strings in calmer songs. The shield is also moderately effective. There are a lot of sizzle if you approach within a meter of his amp.

Also, the nut head is quite low which makes the strings can curl vacuum where 2 on the first 3 frets for strings SI and MI. For that, you need a truss rod to the hair and I also opted for a slightly larger drawing. Which is also top is simple access for adjusting the truss rod. It is at the base of the handle by inserting a screwdriver into a wheel then use the screwdriver as a lever to rotate it.

After turning on a Squier P-Bass Spector Legend and Korea, there is no denying it's a different world. I may have screwed up my first real pay but well worth it. After trying a lot of higher end basses (Fender, Gibson, Hofner, Warwick, Yamaha, Peavy, Ibanez, Cort ...), it should be already 3 years that I have and I've still not found one that dethrones my little MusicMan Stingray 5 HH 20th anniversary.