With the Music Man StingRay 5 MN Pacific Blue Burst, the bass company from San Luis Obispo in California presents a particularly chic interpretation of the popular 5-string electric bass. The ash body, for example, has a transparent finish that keeps the intensive grain visible, while the maple neck is particularly comfortable to hold thanks to the treatment with wax and oil. On the amplifier, the combination of Music Man humbucker and active electronics promises versatile bass sounds.
For the construction of the StingRay 5, first introduced in 1987, Music Man uses classical ingredients that ensure a fat bass tone with precise sound reproduction across all five strings. The body is made of ash, while the maple neck is fastened particularly securely with six screws. With its hand-applied wax/oil finish, the neck offers a particularly velvety feel which, together with the pleasantly proportioned neck profile, offers a high level of playing comfort.
The Music Man StingRay 5 uses the typical Music Man Humbucker with open pole pieces, which promises a fat bass tone with enormous assertiveness. With the 3-way blade switch, the coils for increased sound variability can be called up not only in serial and parallel connection, but also with a filter that delivers a single coil-like sound. In addition, an active 3-band tone control is available for precise fine tuning of the sound image.
High-quality hardware completes the Music Man StingRay 5, including the proven Music Man Bass bridge on the body, which promotes the response and sustain of the five-string through its solid construction with a base plate made of hardened steel and string riders made of stainless steel. From here, the strings are guided with the classic 34" Longscale scale (864 mm) towards the headpiece, where they first meet the compensated saddle, which ensures a clean intonation in the first layers. Schaller BM bass tuners also ensure precise and stable tuning.