The 5th Sting ray
～ The NAMM anniversary model that celebrated its "100th anniversary"! ～Sting ray ~ "100th anniversary" NAMM anniversary model!
Hello, this is Caribe.
We received warm words from a customer who read our last feature article "KAWAI "Moonsault" - Enchanted by the Romance of the Universe".
Once again, thank you very much for reading it. m(__)m! We receive many instruments every day, and among them...I would like to introduce a bass that I (selfishly) like! This time, I would like to introduce a classic bass model along with Jazz Bass and Precision Bass....
Music Man "StingRay" !
What is Music Man...?
MUSICMAN was founded in 1972 by Fender's founder, Leo Fender, in order to realize his "engineer's spirit" to devote himself purely to the development of new products as an engineer and developer, with Tom Walker, who was designing amplifiers, Forrest White, who was vice president of Fender at the time, and Derrell Hyatt, who was in a key sales position at the time. Forrest White, who was then vice president of Fender, and Derrell Hyatt, who was then in a key position in the company's sales department, launched a new brand of guitars and basses that incorporated groundbreaking ideas for the time.
The Stingray Guitar and Stingray Bass, released in 1976, were equipped with active circuitry, and their innovative design and advanced sound immediately attracted attention. Leo Fender sold the rights to the Music Man to Ernie Ball in 1984, but continued to introduce various models incorporating new ideas, continuing the tradition of the original Music Man.
Edward Van Halen (EVH), Free (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Cliff Williams (AC/DC), Steve Lukather (TOTO), Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones)... The Music Man has been used by a wide variety of artists from its birth to the present, and has become a standard and representative model of guitar/bass.
The model introduced here was produced to commemorate the 100th anniversary of "NAMM," the world's largest musical instrument show where instruments and equipment from all over the world gather.
MUSIC MAN Sting ray - "100th NAMM Limited Edition
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Let's take a look at the whole picture.
Neck
The graphite neck made by Status is the main feature of this model,
The head has a "100th NAMM" medal embedded in it.
Body
The unique one pickup layout has remained unchanged since its introduction,
The 3-band active preamp gives the bass guitar an intense, clear tone that combines the heavy sound of a precision bass with the versatility of an active.
The joint part uses a strong 6-point bolt joint.
The bridge is a back-through construction with a mute sponge attached.
The Stingray has a rugged image with only one pickup, but it shows various aspects depending on how it is played and the 3-band equalizer, making it a versatile instrument that can firmly support the bottom of the band even with only one bass! ♪
Since it would be boring to just describe the product, let's take a look at the unique neck of this model.
What is synthetic resin material?
The parts that have a great influence on the sound include the body and pickups, and the list goes on and on...
In addition to maple and mahogany, which are well-known materials for necks, we will focus on carbon fiber necks and graphite necks, which are made of synthetic resin!
What do you think of when you hear the word "synthetic resin material" such as carbon fiber? They are now used in various fields such as airplanes, rockets, automobiles, motorcycles, bicycle parts, computer parts, golf equipment, fishing tackle, watch parts, and so on....
The main synthetic resin material used for guitars and basses is carbon fiber, and brands such as STEINBERGER, ZON, Modulus, Moses, Status, Parker... The main synthetic resin material is carbon fiber.
The names "carbon fiber" and "graphite" seem to vary depending on the material used, the ratio of the mixture, and other factors. ♡
Merit / Demerit of each material
Let's compare with typical materials such as maple and mahogany.♪
◎Maple (hard maple)
-Merits
Commonly used as a neck material. High strength and clear sound with good sound transmission. Also used as fingerboard material.
-Disadvantages
Relatively heavy, and beautifully grained woods such as tiger, quilt, bird's eye, etc. are expensive.
◎Mahogany
-Advantages
It has long been used as a neck material, etc., and is characterized by a softer and warmer mid-low range than maple.
-Disadvantages
The hardness of the wood is soft, making it susceptible to breakage.
◎Graphite
-Merit-.
Compared to wood, graphite is more sturdy and less susceptible to climate change, and has fewer dead points.
-Disadvantages
Expensive. Hardness makes the sound relatively tight. Hard to warp, so if it warps, it is difficult to repair.
Pattern of the back of the neck of each maker
Carbon and graphite come in a wide variety. Let's take a look at the backside of the neck for each manufacturer.♪
◎STEINBERGER
Pitch black! ... It's painted (lol)
◎Modulus
The pattern is angular! It is a characteristic of Modulus.♪
Status
This pattern is just like "Carbon".
Extra♡】
There are more! Neck material of musical instruments!
Wenge
Ovangkor
Rosewood
Sapelli
Aluminum
In addition to theseLaminated structures that combine wood with each other are also available.♪
The strength and sound of the neck varies depending on the lamination of the various woods.♪
Postscript
When I was making this feature, I thought, "What is a bass that is a little different from the norm? I came up with a variety of models...
I was listening to my favorite band, and I thought "Graphite! I decided to feature it. m(__)m However, when I looked into the concept of "synthetic resin neck", it was not a straightforward project.
The name of graphite and other synthetic resin materials vary depending on the manufacturer, material ratio, and other factors, and the more we looked into them, the more we lost track of what they were.
Please try our instruments made of graphite.♪
This is a short section, but we will update it as soon as we have any unusual or interesting basses!♪
... Until next time, we'll be back with more interesting and rare basses...