Musicman Stingray (1977) (pre-owned)

This is one of those basses that’s clearly been out there doing the job. A proper workhorse, in the best sense of the word.

Plug it in and it gives you exactly what you’re hoping for—early StingRay, pre-Ernie Ball era. Think 1977. It’s got that punch in the low end, that slightly aggressive mid character, and a top that cuts without ever getting harsh. It doesn’t try to be polite. It just sounds right.

It’s the original epoxy preamp, original pots—this is where a big part of that sound lives, and it’s all still there.

The frets have just been gone over and are in excellent shape, so it plays clean and easy all the way up the neck.

Now, somewhere along the line, someone without a soul had the questionable idea of turning this into a 5-string. That didn’t last, but it did leave its marks. As you can see the is repaired hole at the headstock and repaired the bridge.

The back plate has been replaced, and the battery plate isn’t original either. A few of the bridge screws have also been swapped out along the way.

This isn’t a museum piece—and that’s exactly the point. It’s a player’s StingRay with the sound you’re actually looking for.