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Why register? Thanks for choosing Ernie Ball Music Man. By registering your instrument within the initial 12 month warranty period you are entitled to an additional 3 months of warranty coverage. That is 15 total months of factory warranty protection from the initial purchase date. Registering your instrument, whether or not it is covered under warranty, also provides a record that you owned that particular instrument.
In the unfortunate instance that the instrument is lost, stolen or destroyed we can provide you with the serial number if needed. Ernie Ball, Inc. (hereafter 'EB') warrants for one (1) year from date of purchase by the initial retail purchaser that this product shall be free from defects in material and workmanship. Any material or workmanship determined defective by EB within the one (1) year term shall be repaired or replaced by without charge for parts and labor provided the unit is returned, transportation costs prepaid, to Ernie Ball, Inc., 4117 Earthwood Lane, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, or to such facility authorized by EB. EB will pay shipping costs to return the unit to it's owner. This warranty does not cover damage caused by accident, misuse, abuse, neglect, unauthorized or improperly performed repairs, alterations, and/or wear and tear occasioned by use of the product, and does not include any expense for inconvenience or loss of use while the product is being repaired or replaced.
EB expressly disclaims any liability for consequential damaged arising from the sale, use, or inability to use the product. Any warranty implied by law, including any warranty of merchantability or fitness, is expressly limited to the one (1) year warranty term. The foregoing statements of warranty are exclusive and in lieu of all other remedies.
When Ernie Ball acquired the Music Man Company in 1984, the decision was made at the time not to manufacture the amplifiers. We did get a limited number of parts, (which we have since sold to Mojo Musical Supply, (800) 927-6656) and most of the circuit schematics for them, many of which are available on our web site:. There are no authorized service centers.
For repair purposes, it would be best to find a qualified amp repair technician, preferably one familiar with these amplifiers. First check relief in the neck by holding the lowest string down on the 2nd fret with your fretting (left) hand.
Then, hold the same string down on the 12th fret with your plucking thumb and tap on the string in the middle to see how straight the neck is. There should be no more than the thickness of a business card between the string and the frets. If there is no relief in the neck, a little pressure in the middle of the neck (after adjusting the trussrod wheel) should help.
The standard string gauge is.45.100 with a.130 on the low 'B' for the 5 string at 440 tuning. If you decide to tune down, typically you would increase the gauge for every 1/2 step downward that you tune. This will keep most of the measurements close by having more tension on the neck. Factory String heights for a 4 string bass are: Bass side 3/32' to 7/64' Treble side: 5/64' to 7/64' from the top of the 12th fret to the bottom of the string.
The rest of the strings should have the radius of the fretboard when looking at the top of the string, (with the A string hidden from view by the E string, etc.), rotating the bass at the same time. The 'right' string height is, of course, ultimately determined by your playing style. The same holds true for 5 string basses except the low B is set to 7/64'. For the Bongo 6 set the C string to 2/32'. If you have a single pickup bass set the pickup height to 6/32' from the plastic pickup cover to the bottom of the G string.
Adjust the bass side of the pickup to be parallel with the pickguard. If you have a dual pickup bass set the bridge pickup to the specs above.
Follow the same procedure for the neck pickup except set that to 8/32'. For triple pickup basses you'll set the bridge and neck pickups to the specs above. The middle pickup is set to 7/32'.
If fret buzz occurs from the open to the fifth fret, the neck needs more relief. If it buzzes between the 5th fret and the 12th fret, the neck needs to be straighter (turn the wheel slightly clockwise). If it occurs all over the neck, the string height need to increase (by turning the trussrod wheel slightly counter-clockwise).
For intonation: Compare the harmonic to the fretted note at the twelfth fret. If the fretted note is sharp, you need to make the string longer by turning the saddle screw clockwise, and vice versa. Make sure that the strings are coming off of the saddle straight and not in an arch. All measurements must be rechecked after each adjustment.
The StingRay is more of a traditional bass with active electronics that gives players a great all-around feel and sound. It is great for any style of music. The Sterling is a sleeker, lighter bass than the StingRay. It has a thinner neck and smaller body. The 3-way switch offers more tonal varieties, and the phantom coil offers a single-coil sound without noise. Now both are available in dual-pickup versions.
On those models, the 5-way switch functions are the same, but the main properties of each bass, including the electronics, remain different from each other. Some of our instruments have necks that are finished with a glossy or matte polyester finish.
These necks can be cleaned and maintained with a polish cloth similar to the body of the instrument. However, many of our necks are not finished that way. They are finished with tru-oil and gunstock wax for a smooth natural feel. For routine conditioning and cleaning of these necks we recommend Ernie Ball Wonder Wipes Fretboard Conditioner.
If the Wonder Wipes are not available try using a high grade of lemon oil. It will work both on maple, rosewood and ebony. If the neck is very dirty, you can use a small amount of Murphy's Oil Soap, diluted 3:1 with water, to clean it. Keep in mind that if the dirt has gotten into the wood, it cannot be removed except by sanding it down, which we do not recommend a lot of. It is better to keep it clean in the first place.
Washing your hands first helps! On an maple neck, some discoloration after many hours of playing is normal. An annual (or so) dose of tru oil and gunstockwax will help to keep the neck maintained; we use and recommend Birchwood-Casey Tru-oil, but any good quality gunstock oil will work.
Birchwood-Casey products are available at most sporting goods or gun stores, or now you can order them direct. Their web address is Be sure to follow all of the manufacturers recommended safety precautions when using any oils or waxes. Average alkaline battery life is 6 months.
We recommend Duracell batteries as replacements mostly due to size inconsistencies between battery manufacturers. Do not leave your bass plugged in when you have finished playing, as this will drain your battery faster. Battery life of course depends on how often and how long you play. When the sound of your bass becomes distorted, it's ready for a new battery. We do not recommend rechargeable batteries for replacement in Music Man instruments for 2 reasons: 1. They do not put out enough voltage (at least 8.4 volts) to properly run the instruments. NiCad and NiMh '9-volt' batteries, even when fully charged, put out a maximum of 7.2 volts.
Even if they did work, rechargeable batteries only hold a charge for 1-3 months. Alkaline batteries, when fresh, can go 6 months or longer. We recommend Duracell for a good fit. We do not recommend lithium batteries for the opposite reason, they tend to have a slightly higher voltage. The Silhouette bass is probably best described as a hybrid bass and guitar. It has a 29 5/8' scale which is almost halfway between a guitar and bass scale length.
It is tuned E-E a full octave lower than a guitar and uses all wound strings from.20 to.90 gauge. In some applications, it could not be used the same way as a long scale 6-string bass, but with the 10 different switching configurations it does have a very wide range of tonal characteristics from a nice bass tone to a great higher-pitched tone such as lower notes on a guitar. It is even suitable for playing some chords.
It is tuned like a guitar, only an octave lower. It is also available strung as a baritone guitar, tuned from A-A. The new nut is called a Compensated Nut. We have a patent on this design.
The purpose of this new nut design is to improve note accuracy all over the fretboard. This is most apparent at the lower frets. There is no special tuner, setup, or intonation required. This nut is standard on all Music Man guitars and basses - even SUBs. The Compensated Nut has been engineered to improve your Music Man instrument's potential to play perfectly in tune up an down the fretboard.
Each string has an individual intonation pocket that slightly changes the effective string length, causing notes that traditionally play sharp to be more in tune. The design has been optimized for standard string gauges and tunings, but will be of benefit when used with alternate tunings, string gauges, and playing styles. It's not a good idea to subject your instrument to extreme or sudden changes in temperature or humidity for many reasons. It can cause structural and cosmetic problems, so take every precaution to avoid it. We go to great lengths to build a very SOLID instrument, but wood is wood, it warps under sudden heating/cooling and tension, and heat is very bad for glue joints. The hotter it gets, and the longer it stays that way, the more likely you will have problems. If you do happen to leave the instrument in a very hot, cold, dry or humid environment you'll want to allow it to acclimate to a normal temperature/humidity slowly.
Leave the instrument in its case while it acclimates. Don't put it in front of an air conditioner or heater, etc.
Do not make any radical adjustments to the instrument until it cools down. Once it has normalized, check it over. If there are no signs of apparent damage you are probably fine and there is no need to worry. If there are problems please contact customer service.
Floating Locking Tremolo (Morse Y2D) 1. String the guitar a. Cut the ball end off each string, insert the cut end into its respective saddle, and clamp the string in place with the lock screw. Remove the clamping blocks/screws from the nut and set aside. String the guitar normally.
Adjust the fine tuners on the bridge to sit in the center of their overall travel. Completely loosen one tuner, and completely tighten the next. Set a third tuner in the center of these two, and adjust the others to match the centered one. Set the bridge plate height a.
Tune up the inner 4 (or 5) strings until some amount of tension is placed on the trem system. This will help keep the bridge from “jumping” on the pivot screws and in its natural resting place while performing the setup.
Full string tension, tuned to exact pitch, is not necessary. Tension is only placed on the inner 4 (or 5) strings as to not permanently nick the outer strings while adjusting the pivot screws. Raise or lower the bridge using the pivot screws until the plate is level and flush with the top of the pickguard. This is only a starting point; the final height will be determined by the action as measured off the 12th fret.
Move the trem through its full range of motion. If the front edge of the plate contacts the recess (usually at the end of the dive bomb motion), raise the bridge until it moves unimpeded. Block the tremolo a. Place an object to block the bridge between the bridge plate and body.
You can use anything that will support the bridge under tension and not mar the finish. A folded piece of cardboard wrapped in masking tape works well. Maneuver the bridge and block to where the bridge plate sits level with the body/pickguard, supported by the block and held in place by the tension on the springs. Tune to pitch. If the bridge plate begins to lift out of the recess, more spring tension is needed. An extra spring (up to five) can be added to the rear trem cavity if necessary.
Check that the trem springs are engaged through the entire range of motion. If they disengage from the claw when the bridge is pulled back, remove a spring and readjust the claw. Generally, 9-42 string sets will use two springs. 10-46, 11-48, and 10-52 will use three. Heavier gauges in standard tuning can use four or even five springs, but drop tuning will usually lessen the tension to only require three or four.
Adjust truss rod – This step is critical; all other adjustments will be affected to some extent when the amount of neck relief is altered. Hold down the low “E” string at the first and last frets.
You will effectively be using the string as a straight edge to see the amount of relief in the neck. Visually gauge the space between the bottom of the string and top of the 7th fret wire, if there is any. If there is no gap, loosen the truss rod adjustment wheel until one appears. Tighten the truss rod until the neck is flat, then loosen slightly so there is a small amount of space between the string and 7th fret.
You can check the amount of relief by tapping on the string while fretting, and viewing its movement in relation to the frets. Perform the same visual check and adjustment on the high “e” string to ensure there is some amount of bow on both sides of the neck.
Set the string height/action. The action is set at 4/64” (1.6mm) across all open strings. Using a 6” ruler, measure from the top of the 12th fret wire to the bottom of each string. Adjust the bridge pivot screws using a 4mm hex wrench until all strings sit just above the 4/64” line of the ruler. There is no individual saddle height adjustment on the locking bridge. There is no exact specification on the bridge height in relation to the body or pickguard; the setting is based solely on the string height measured from the neck.
The bridge may not be perfectly level from the bass to treble side. Float the bridge a. With the tremolo still blocked, check that the plate is still level with the body. Readjust if necessary. Tune to pitch. Stretch the strings and re-tune.
Loosen the trem claw screws until the bridge block pulls out easily. Remove the block. Pluck the G string, and observe its pitch on a tuner. It will likely be out of tune. Adjust the trem claw to bring the open G back in tune.
When the string reaches the correct pitch, the bridge should return to where it was originally set when blocked. If the bridge is not floating correctly, tighten the trem claw/springs, re-block the bridge, and repeat steps a-d. Set the intonation. Tune any string to pitch using the 12th fret harmonic. Check the pitch of the same note at the 12th fret, but fretted. If the fretted note is sharper than the harmonic, the string length is too short and the saddle needs to be moved back in the direction of the endpin. If the fretted note is flat, move the saddle forward in the direction of the neck.
The locking tremolo's saddles are held in place by 2.5mm hex drive screws at the front of the saddle. To adjust a saddle's location, loosen the screw, and the saddle will move freely. Move the saddle to the desired location and re-tighten the screw.
Check the note again and re-adjust saddles as necessary. If adjusting the intonation, it's recommended to use full-size hex drivers, preferably with a T-handle. It's easiest to set the intonation using one 2.5mm driver to loosen/tighten the intonation screw, while simultaneously using a second driver to move the saddle with some amount of string tension still on the saddle. Stretch the strings. Install the clamping blocks/screws onto the nut and tighten fully. Move the tremolo through it's range of motion and adjust the tuning with the fine tuners on the bridge.
If necessary, unlock the nut, re-tune with the standard tuners, and repeat. Double-check the setup and enjoy!! If experiencing fret buzz on the first few frets (14), the truss rod needs to be loosened.
If experiencing buzz in the middle of the neck (frets 610) the truss rod needs to be tightened. If experiencing fret buzz across the entire neck, the bridge saddles need to be raised. If making adjustments to the setup after the bridge has been floated, it may be necessary to re-block and re-float the bridge.
Music Man Vintage Style Tremolo 1. String the guitar 2. Set the bridge plate a. Tune up the inner 4 strings (A,D,G,B) until some amount of string tension is placed on the trem system. Having both spring and string tension will help keep the bridge from “jumping” on the pivot screws and closer to its natural resting place while performing the setup.
Full string tension, tuned to exact pitch, is not necessary. Tension is only placed on the inner 4 strings as to not permanently nick the outer strings while adjusting the pivot screws. Adjust the bass side of the bridge plate using the bass side pivot screw (4mm hex drive) until there is a small gap between the bridge plate and body at the front of the plate (front is nearest the pivot screw). You should be able to slide a Post-It note between the plate (near the pivot screw) and body without it pinching.
Repeat step b on the treble side. Adjust the pivot screws to allow both back corners (nearest the intonation screws) of the bridge plate to rest on the body. Continue adjusting the treble side pivot screw and observe the corners of the plate. When the treble side screw is tightened into the body, it will reach a point where it levers the bass side corner upward.
When the screw is raised out of the body, it will lift the treble side corner. Adjust the treble screw to where both corners of the plate rest firmly on the body. Re-check the bass side screw to ensure there is still a gap between the plate and body, and re-adjust if necessary. Move the trem through its full range of motion. If the front edge of the plate contacts the face of the body near the pivot screws, raise the bridge slightly until it moves unimpeded. Ensure the tremolo springs have enough tension so that when tuned to pitch, the bridge plate doesn't lift off the body.
If the plate lifts, tighten the tremolo claw screws too add appropriate spring tension. Follow the instructions for a hardtail guitar setup.
Set the tremolo spring claw a. From the factory, the tremolo is set to remain flat on the body if a note is bent a full step or less.
Bend the G note at the 12th fret to an A, and check if the bridge is lifting. Adjust the spring claw so the bridge begins to lift when this note is bent beyond an A. Double check the setup and enjoy!! If experiencing fret buzz on the first few frets (14), the truss rod needs to be loosened. If experiencing buzz in the middle of the neck (frets 610) the truss rod needs to be tightened. If experiencing fret buzz across the entire neck, the bridge saddles need to be raised. Floating Petrucci Tremolo (including Majesty) 1.
String the guitar 2. Set the bridge plate height a. Tune up the inner 4 (or 5) strings until some amount of tension is placed on the trem system.
This will help keep the bridge from “jumping” on the pivot screws and in its natural resting place while performing the setup. Full string tension, tuned to exact pitch, is not necessary. Tension is only placed on the inner 4 (or 5) strings as to not permanently nick the outer strings while adjusting the pivot screws.
Raise or lower the bridge using the pivot screws until the plate is level and flush with the top of the body. Ensure the bass and treble sides are even by sighting from the back of the bridge. Move the trem through its full range of motion.
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If the front edge of the plate contacts the recess (usually at the end of the dive bomb motion), raise the bridge until it moves unimpeded. Block the tremolo a. Place an object to block the bridge between the bridge plate and body.
You can use anything that will support the bridge under tension and not mar the finish. A folded piece of cardboard wrapped in masking tape works well. Maneuver the bridge and block to where the bridge plate sits level with the body, supported by the block and held in place by the tension on the springs.
Tune to pitch. If the bridge plate begins to lift out of the recess, more spring tension is needed. An extra spring (up to five) can be added to the rear trem cavity if necessary. Check that the trem springs are engaged through the entire range of motion.
If they disengage from the claw when the bridge is pulled back, remove a spring and readjust the claw. Generally, 9-42 string sets will use two springs. 10-46, 11-48, and 10-52 will use three. Heavier gauges in standard tuning can use four or even five springs, but drop tuning will usually lessen the tension to only require three or four.
Follow setup instructions for a hardtail guitar: First, check relief in the neck by holding the lowest (bass) string down on the second fret with your fretting hand, then hold it down on the 12th fret with your right thumb and tap on the string in the middle to show how straight the string is. It should be no more than the thickness of a thick business card. If there is no relief in the neck, applying a little pressure in the middle of the neck (downward) after adjusting the truss rod wheel should take care of it.
If not, please contact us as it may be necessary to send the instrument to the factory. Factory string setting for standard tuning starts at the bass side 2/32' (1.59 mm) to 5/64' (1.98 mm) and the treble side is 3/64' (1.19 mm) to 2/32' (1.59 mm) measured from the 12th fret to the bottom of the strings. The top of the strings should have the radius of the fretboard when you are looking at the strings in the playing position and by rotating the instrument while at the same time bringing strings into view one at a time. Remember, string height is ultimately determined by your preference and playing style. Now, you are ready to play your guitar.
If a string buzzes on an open string to the 5th fret and no higher, more relief is needed. If there is more buzz from the 5th to the 12th fret, the neck needs to be straighter. You should check the string height after every adjustment. If the buzzing happens throughout the neck, the string height needs to be increased. Experiment a little to get the exact action you want. Float the bridge a.
With the tremolo still blocked, tune to pitch. Stretch the strings and re-tune.
Loosen the trem claw screws until the bridge block pulls out easily. Remove the block. Pluck the G string, and observe its pitch on a tuner. It will likely be out of tune.
Adjust the trem claw to bring the open G back in tune. When the string reaches the correct pitch, the bridge should return to where it was originally set when blocked. If the bridge is not floating correctly, tighten the trem claw/springs, re-block the bridge, and repeat steps a-d. Double-check the setup and enjoy!! If experiencing fret buzz on the first few frets (14), the truss rod needs to be loosened. If experiencing buzz in the middle of the neck (frets 610) the truss rod needs to be tightened.
If experiencing fret buzz across the entire neck, the bridge saddles need to be raised. If making adjustments to the setup after the bridge has been floated, it may be necessary to re-block and re-float the bridge. Some of our instruments have necks that are finished with a glossy or matte polyester finish. These necks can be cleaned and maintained with a polish cloth similar to the body of the instrument. However, many of our necks are not finished that way. Repair vinyl siding. They are finished with tru-oil and gunstock wax for a smooth natural feel. For routine conditioning and cleaning of these necks we recommend Ernie Ball Wonder Wipes Fretboard Conditioner.
If the Wonder Wipes are not available try using a high grade of lemon oil. It will work both on maple, rosewood and ebony. If the neck is very dirty, you can use a small amount of Murphy's Oil Soap, diluted 3:1 with water, to clean it. Keep in mind that if the dirt has gotten into the wood, it cannot be removed except by sanding it down, which we do not recommend a lot of. It is better to keep it clean in the first place.
Washing your hands first helps! On an maple neck, some discoloration after many hours of playing is normal. An annual (or so) dose of tru oil and gunstockwax will help to keep the neck maintained; we use and recommend Birchwood-Casey Tru-oil, but any good quality gunstock oil will work. Birchwood-Casey products are available at most sporting goods or gun stores, or now you can order them direct. Their web address is Be sure to follow all of the manufacturers recommended safety precautions when using any oils or waxes. The nut is called a Compensated Nut. We have a patent on this design.
The purpose of this new nut design is to improve note accuracy all over the fretboard. This is most apparent at the lower frets. There is no special tuner, setup, or intonation required. This nut is standard on all Music Man guitars and basses (of course except guitars equipped with Floyd Rose tremolo systems). The Compensated Nut has been engineered to improve your Music Man instrument's potential to play perfectly in tune up an down the fretboard. Each string has an individual intonation pocket that slightly changes the effective string length, causing notes that traditionally play sharp to be more in tune.
The design has been optimized for standard string gauges and tunings, but will be of benefit when used with alternate tunings, string gauges, and playing styles. FOR SCHALLER LOCKING TUNERS: After removing the old string, loosen the thumbwheel screw in the back of the tuner of the string you are going to change. Run the string through the bridge and all the way up to the correct tuner. Re-tighten the thumbwheel screw to secure the string in the tuner post. With a good pair of wire cutters, cut the excess string.
Tune the string to pitch. It is ideal to have less than one full wrap of the string around the tuner post when tuned to pitch. FOR DOUBLE LOCKING TREMOLOS: When replacing a string on a guitar with a double locking tremolo, it is very important that the bridge should sit parallel to the body so as not to damage the finish.
It is recommended to change strings one or two at a time; certainly leave tension on one string while changing the rest. Place a soft towel or cloth under the back of the bridge to protect the finish. Care must be taken not to over-tighten the saddle clamps. Push new strings through the saddle first with the ball end toward the nut so that you may fish the ball end under the string retainer to avoid damaging the finish. Strings should come off of the retainer toward the nut to assure that the string is touching the entire surface of the nut in order to keep the string from changing pitch when installing the nut clamp. You are now ready to tighten the strings at each end.
Nitrocellulose finishes are really the rare breed today. Because of the environmental hazards of spraying this material it is becoming regulated or outlawed in more and more areas, beginning with California. We all like the way it looks on vintage instruments, but it does shrink, crack and scratch much worse than either polyester or polyurethane finishes. These are qualities that many people used to live with, but now feel are unacceptable. Most guitar companies now use either polyester or polyurethane finishes, as do cars.
They are tougher, and do not shrink, chip, crack or scratch nearly as easy as nitrocellulose. They are also much more expensive than nitrocellulose. There is really not that much difference between guitar and auto finishes, except that the products made for autos must withstand cold temperatures, not fade with constant exposure to sunlight, rain, etc.- things you would never want to expose a guitar to. Polyester is the hardest of all the topcoat materials. It is quite resistant to yellowing and cracking.
It will protect your guitar better than anything else. Axis/Non-Floating Locking Tremolo Notes: The Axis guitar is designed for the tremolo to sit flat on the body, and only allow movement in the dive-bomb direction. Because the bridge is limited in its adjustability via the pivot screws, the string height is primarily adjusted by adding or removing shims from the neck pocket. If you are not comfortable with removing the neck from your guitar, do not attempt to re-shim the neck. Instead, take your guitar to a qualified tech or contact Music Man Customer Service to arrange for your guitar to be sent to the factory for a setup. If adjusting the intonation, it's recommended to use full-size hex drivers, preferably with a T-handle. It's easiest to set the intonation using one 2.5mm driver to loosen/tighten the intonation screw, while simultaneously using a second driver to move the saddle with some amount of string tension still on the saddle.
Keep in mind that the entire Axis setup mainly amounts to the truss rod adjustment and the shim in the neck pocket. This guide may seem overly extensive, but it is intended to explicitly describe the processes needed to take the neck on and off, work with the mechanics of a locking tremolo, etc. The bulk of this guide is intended to check all the metaphorical boxes of settings that should already be correct on most guitars and not require any adjustment. String the guitar a.
Cut the ball end off each string, insert the cut end into its respective saddle, and clamp the string in place with the lock screw. Remove the clamping blocks/screws from the nut and set aside. String the guitar normally. Adjust the fine tuners on the bridge to sit in the center of their overall travel. Completely loosen one tuner, and completely tighten the next.
Set a third tuner in the center of these two, and adjust the others to match the centered one. Set the bridge plate a. Tune up the inner 4 strings (A,D,G,B) until some amount of string tension is placed on the trem system.
Having both spring and string tension will help keep the bridge from “jumping” on the pivot screws and closer to its natural resting place while performing the setup. Full string tension, tuned to exact pitch, is not necessary. Tension is only placed on the inner 4 strings as to not permanently nick the outer strings while adjusting the pivot screws.
Adjust the pivot screws until the bridge sits flat and level on the face of the body. There is a small retainer plate on the underside of the main bridge plate. This plate is what contacts the face of the body.
The bridge should sit flat across the back edge of this plate. By raising and lowering the pivot screws, the back corners of the plate will either: 1. Lift straight off the body by raising the pivot screw on the same side 2. Lift by being levered off the body by raising the opposite pivot screw iii. The only points the bridge should contact are the two pivot screws, and the back edge of the small retainer plate. Move the trem through its full range of motion and check that it moves smoothly and unimpeded.
Tune to pitch. Ensure the tremolo springs have enough tension so at full tension, the bridge plate doesn't lift off the body.
If the plate lifts, tighten the tremolo claw screws to add appropriate spring tension. Adjust truss rod – This step is critical; all other adjustments will be affected to some extent when the amount of neck relief is altered. Hold down the low “E” string at the first and last frets. You will effectively be using the string as a straight edge to see the amount of relief in the neck. Visually gauge the space between the bottom of the string and top of the 7th fret wire, if there is any. If there is no gap, loosen the truss rod adjustment wheel until one appears. Tighten the truss rod until the neck is flat, then loosen slightly so there is a small amount of space between the string and 7th fret.
You can check the amount of relief by tapping on the string while fretting, and viewing its movement in relation to the frets. Perform the same visual check and adjustment on the high “e” string to ensure there is some amount of bow on both sides of the neck. Check the string height at the nut. The locking nut height is set using metal shims under the nut.
It's unlikely the height will need to be adjusted, but it's not unwise to confirm the height is correct. Press down any string between the 2nd and 3rd frets to effectively fret the string at the 2nd fret from the nut side.
Tap on the same string over the 1st fret wire and observe the gap between the string and fret. This gap should be as small as possible without the string actually touching the 1st fret, while the 2nd fret is being held down. The nut can be set higher to prevent open string buzz, especially on the bass side. If necessary, un-screw the nut from the neck and add or remove shims from underneath the nut to achieve the correct height. The factory shims are either brass (Used with 1st and 2nd generation Axis/EVH models with Gotoh tremolos), or stainless steel (current generation, used with OEM Music Man tremolos).
The thicknesses used are.1mm and.3mm (.004” and.012”, respectively). While factory shims are recommended, any material of the same shape and thickness can work. Set the string height/action.
The action is set at 4/64” (1.6mm) across all open strings, measured at the 12th fret. Using a 6” (150mm) ruler, measure from the top of the 12th fret wire to the bottom of each string. The 4/64” line should be just visible under each string. If the action is high, a thicker shim is needed in the neck pocket.
If low, a thinner shim is needed. Minor height adjustments (less than 1/64”/.4mm) can be made using the bridge pivot screws. The bridge can be raised slightly off-level to tilt back toward the end pin, but it cannot be lowered to tilt toward the pickups.
(When the bridge is set too low, it can wedge between the pivot screws and body. This can cause the bridge to bind and not return to the correct pitch after using the tremolo.) ii. The factory shims are plastic strips placed between the neck screws closest to the pickups, color-coded to the following thicknesses: 1. Brown -.010” 2. Pink -.015” 3. Yellow -.020” 4.
Black -.030” iii. Moving one size up or down will generally adjust the action slightly more than 1/64”, and slightly less than 2/64”. E.g., If the action is measured to be 5/64” with a pink shim, a yellow shim will usually put the action slightly under 4/64”.
Install the yellow shim and adjust the bridge pivot screws slightly higher to get to 4/64”. While it's recommended to use factory shims, any material of the same shape and thickness can be used to shim the neck. To remove the neck: 1. Place a folded piece of cardboard between the bridge's string lock screws and body. The cardboard should fit snugly; it's purpose is to keep the bridge from popping off the saddles when the string tension is removed.
De-tune all strings. Optionally, a small amount of tension can be left on the strings to hold the neck and body in place when the neck screws are removed. Remove all five neck screws and the neck plate. Lay the guitar down flat, facing up.
Gently lift the neck out of the pocket, taking care to not delaminate or chip the finish off the body around the pocket. Remove the installed shim and replace with one of an adequate thickness. To replace the neck: 1. Gently lower the neck back into the pocket (with the correct size shim installed) 2.
Holding the entire neck joint firmly together, flip the guitar over onto its face. The neck should be placed onto an elevated surface or neck rest/caul.
Elevating the neck causes the heel to lever into the body pocket, especially with some amount of tension left on the strings. Replace the neck plate and insert the neck screws back into the body. Grasp the neck, body and plate firmly in one hand and hold the guitar on end, balanced on the end pin.
Fully drive the neck screws back in. Start with the center screw on the flat side of the neck plate, followed by the opposite screw on the contoured edge, and finish with the outside three. (This order minimizes the risk of cracking the finish at the corners of the plate.) ii.
Ensure the neck screws do not thread in the body. This can prevent the neck from seating properly. I.e., When removing the screws with a powered screwdriver or drill, the screws should thread out of the neck, but spin in the body.
If the screws are threading, the holes through the body can be reamed out to a #19 wire gauge drill size diameter (.166” or 4.25mm). Set the tremolo spring claw a. From the factory, the tremolo is set to remain flat on the body if a note is bent a full step or less. Bend the G note at the 12th fret to an A, and check if the bridge is lifting.
Adjust the spring claw so the bridge begins to lift when this note is bent beyond an A. Set the intonation. Tune string to pitch using the 12th fret harmonic. Check the pitch of the same note at the 12th fret, but fretted.
If the fretted note is sharper than the harmonic, the string length is too short and the saddle needs to be moved back in the direction of the endpin. If the fretted note is flat, move the saddle forward in the direction of the neck.
The locking tremolo's saddles are held in place by 2.5mm hex drive screws at the front of the saddle. To adjust a saddle's location, loosen the screw, and the saddle will move freely. Move the saddle to the desired location and re-tighten the screw. Check the note again and re-adjust saddles as necessary.
Stretch the strings. Install the clamping blocks/screws onto the nut and tighten fully. Move the tremolo through it's range of motion and adjust the tuning with the fine tuners on the bridge. If necessary, unlock the nut, re-tune with the standard tuners, and repeat. Double check the setup and enjoy!!
If experiencing fret buzz on the first few frets (14), the truss rod needs to be loosened. If experiencing buzz in the middle of the neck (frets 610) the truss rod needs to be tightened.
If experiencing fret buzz across the entire neck, the overall string height needs to be raised. Luke Tremolo Setup NOTES: The Luke tremolo is set floating at an angle off the body. This angle is set to bend the open G string exactly 1.5 steps to an A# note when the bridge is pulled back. This tremolo does not necessarily have to be set floating. If you do not require the bridge to float, follow instructions for the Music Man vintage style tremolo. If setting the bridge flat on the body per the vintage style instructions, the shim in the neck pocket of your Luke may need to be removed or changed to a different thickness.
This setup only works with 9-42 gauge strings. Using a different string gauge can cause the bridge to sit too high or too low to perform well at this specification. If a floating bridge is desired using a different string gauge, you can still follow the instructions for setting a rough angle and floating the bridge (through step 6-e), but it will not be set up to bend to a specific interval. It will also require more than the two springs described below.
String the guitar 2. Install 2 springs in the back cavity, arranged in a “V” shape. On the springs, the bridge side hooks will use the outer two mounting holes on the bridge block, and the claw side loops will use tabs 2 and 4 on the spring claw.
Set the bridge plate a. Tune up the inner 4 strings (A,D,G,B) until some amount of tension is placed on the trem system. Having both spring and string tension will help keep the bridge from “jumping” on the pivot screws and closer to its natural resting place while performing the setup. Full string tension is not necessary. Tension is only placed on the inner 4 strings as to not permanently nick the outer strings while adjusting the pivot screws.
Raise or lower the bass side of the bridge plate using the bass pivot screw (4mm hex drive) until there is a small gap between the bridge plate and body at the front of the plate (front is nearest the pivot screw). You should be able to slide a Post-It note between the plate (near the pivot screw) and body without it pinching. Repeat step b on the treble side.
Adjust the pivot screws to allow both back corners (nearest the intonation screws) of the bridge plate to rest on the body. Continue adjusting the treble side pivot screw and observe the corners of the plate. When the treble side screw is tightened into the body, it will reach a point where it levers the bass side corner upward. When the screw is raised out of the body, it will begin to lift the treble side corner. Adjust the treble screw to where both corners of the plate rest firmly on the body. Re-check the bass side screw to ensure there is still a gap between the plate and body, and re-adjust if necessary.
Move the trem through its full range of motion. If the front edge of the plate contacts the face of the body near the pivot screws, raise the bridge slightly until it moves unimpeded. Block the bridge. Dive the tremolo forward and wedge an object under the back of the bridge plate so the bridge is angled upward. The bridge will be resting on this object throughout the setup, held in place by the spring tension. Use something that won't damage the finish (a folded piece of cardboard wrapped in masking tape works well).
The bottom of the bridge plate should sit 4/32” (3.18mm) off the body, measured at the 90 degree bend near the intonation screws. This measurement is not an exact specification, just a starting point.
The final angle will vary based on the results of the setup on your particular guitar. When tuned to pitch, the bridge should be resting on the block.
If the block falls out or is easily removed, tighten the spring claw to provide sufficient tension to keep the block in place. Follow the instructions for a hardtail guitar setup 6. Float the bridge a.
With the tremolo still blocked, tune to pitch. Stretch the strings and retune. Loosen the trem claw screws until the bridge block pulls out easily. Pluck the G string, and observe its pitch on a tuner.
It will likely be out of tune. Adjust the trem claw to bring the G note back to the correct pitch. When the G is back in tune, the bridge should be back to where it was originally set when blocked. Again, pluck the open G string and pull the trem all the way back until it meets the body. Observe the pitch of the G string with the trem pulled back.
It should be near an A#. Adjust the spring/string tension until the open G yields a perfect A# with the bridge pulled back. Make sure all the strings are at the correct pitch before observing the G-to-A# bend. If the A# note is flat, the bridge plate needs to be higher/more angled off the body. Loosen the spring claw slightly and re-tune. If the A# note is sharp, the bridge plate needs to be lower/less angled off the body.
Tighten the spring claw slightly and re-tune. It will likely take several attempts to get the bridge at the correct angle to achieve a perfect 1.5 step bend. It is a fine balance between the string and spring tension, and adjusting either one will cause the other to go out of adjustment. Moving the bridge in small, methodical, observable increments is easier in the long run than attempting to make large adjustments. If the adjustment seems to be getting too far off one way or another, tighten the spring claw, re-block the bridge, and reset the angle from the initial base measurement of 4/32” off the body.Factory string setting for standard tuning starts at the bass side 2/32' (1.59 mm) to 5/64' (1.98 mm) and the treble side is 3/64' (1.19 mm) to 2/32' (1.59 mm) measured from the 12th fret to the bottom of the strings.
The top of the strings should have the radius of the fretboard when you are looking at the strings in the playing position and by rotating the instrument while at the same time bringing strings into view one at a time. String height is determined by your preference and playing style. If a string buzzes on the open note to the 5th fret and no higher, more relief is needed in the neck. If there is more buzz from the 5th fret to the 12th fret, the neck needs to be straighter (less relief).
Check the string height at every adjustment. If buzzing is present throughout the neck, the string height needs to increase.
After every adjustment it is necessary to re-tune the guitar. The standard float height is measured at 1 1/2 steps on the G-string. If you set this first at 440 tuning, it may make it easier to keep the bridge close to the same angle while making all of the other adjustments. You may want a different amount of float - many players prefer 1/2 or only 1 step of float. After each adjustment, return to step one, and start again. First, check relief in the neck by holding the lowest (bass) string down on the second fret with your fretting hand, then hold it down on the 12th fret with your right thumb and tap on the string in the middle to show how straight the string is.
It should be no more than the thickness of a thick business card. If there is no relief in the neck, applying a little pressure in the middle of the neck (downward) after adjusting the truss rod wheel should take care of it.
If not, please contact us as it may be necessary to send the instrument to the factory. Factory string setting for standard tuning starts at the bass side 2/32' (1.59 mm) to 5/64' (1.98 mm) and the treble side is 3/64' (1.19 mm) to 2/32' (1.59 mm) measured from the 12th fret to the bottom of the strings. The top of the strings should have the radius of the fretboard when you are looking at the strings in the playing position and by rotating the instrument while at the same time bringing strings into view one at a time. Remember, string height is ultimately determined by your preference and playing style. Now, you are ready to play your guitar. If a string buzzes on an open string to the 5th fret and no higher, more relief is needed.
If there is more buzz from the 5th to the 12th fret, the neck needs to be straighter. You should check the string height after every adjustment.
If the buzzing happens throughout the neck, the string height needs to be increased. Experiment a little to get the exact action you want. Many of our guitars come with a battery, but not all are necessarily 'active'. The only guitars we make with active pickups are the Luke and BFR Luke, which are made to Steve Lukather's exact specifications including the EMG pickups.
The Luke 3, JP13, JP15 and Majesty all have active preamps with gain boosts that are powered by a battery. Game Changers all have circuits that are powered by a battery. The Albert Lee and Silhouette Special are equipped with the Silent Circuit™, which will allow single-coil pickups to be heard without the 60 cycle hum. The batteries in those guitars power that silent circuit but the guitars will function without a battery. Petrucci guitars with the piezo option require a battery to power the piezo. Have a qualified technician make the nut slots slightly wider.
Not doing this will cause extra pressure on the nut, which can cause the nut to crack, particularly on the lower strings. If you plan on attempting this yourself be sure to use the proper files. Also be sure not to widen the slots too much or make them any deeper. If your guitar is equipped with a tremolo you may need to add tension to the tremolo springs by tightening the trem claw and/or adding an additional spring.
You should also check the intonation, which will probably need to be adjusted. That is covered in another FAQ.
The Music Man models with piezo are designed to run out to two separate systems. That's what we consider the best option - the magnetic pickups are routed to a dedicated electric guitar rig and the piezo output is routed to a dedicated acoustic rig or perhaps the pa. To do this, you can either use both outputs at once with mono cables or you can run a single stereo cable out of the 'magnetic/stereo' output and use a stereo-to-mono splitter box. Then, you take each respective lead where it is to go. Or, instead of running the piezo signal through the house mains, you could use an acoustic amplifier first and then run it to the house mains - or not.
Of course, you can always utilze the 'piezo/mono' output jack with a mono cable out to your normal guitar amp by itself - but to get the full potential of the piezo bridge, we recommend running it through separate systems as described above. For the Majesty: To select mono or stereo output on the Majesty, press and hold the Piezo volume knob, the signal will mute and return, and the output will alternate between mono and stereo. When the signal returns, the LED on the battery box will pulse blue once for Mono or twice blue for Stereo. (This 'pulsing' also happens every time the instrument is plugged in, so the user knows the output setting upon startup, first amber then blue). The trick here is to keep holding the knob. The length time from initial press, to mute, to signal again is about 7-10 seconds, and is this long to ensure during live play, the function is not accidentally activated.
If at any time the knob is released before the signal returns, the instrument will exit the function with no changes made to the output. In Mono mode you are able to access both the piezo and magnetic cables through one mono cable to one amp. Once in stereo mode you are able to use a TRS or stereo cable from the Majesty to another device that will allow you to split the signal to two mono cables, one for piezo and one for magnetic.
The serials for early mm stingrays are all over the place. I've tried to date mine and went to the mm 'guru' site. 'Unfortunately, and as incredible as it may seem, records for Pre-EB instruments were never made. My website is to give a general idea of age of an instrument. To accurately date your Bass, the neck would have to be removed to observe the date stamps on both the neck heel and in the body pocket. This can be done by a luthier for a small fee.
Other than that, the only advice I can give is to do a comparison with other serial numbers on my website list. But, as you can see, by comparing your serial with others on the list your Bass can have been made in either 1977 or 1978. In addition to not keeping a data base, Music Man made no attempt to keep serial numbers in strict chronological order. As neck plates (with engraved serial numbers) became low on the process line, the containers were merely topped up. As a result, earlier Basses could end up with a serial indicating a latter year.' I'm sick of dismantling my basses for the sake of date accuracy. The serial on mine is on the neck plate (three hole, tilt).
Post a piccy of your bass please.
Music Man EVH New site now live. All content has moved. This site is no longer updated This site is for Wolfgangs but after much consideration I have decided to add a section on the Music Man EVH because the fact is that the Wolfgang owes its heritage to this fantastic guitar. The Custom Shop Wolfgangs are now even more collectable due to the fact there were far fewer produced and the variety in the custom shop offerings far surpasses anything that Music Man ever did with their EVH guitar.
However, there are too many production model Wolfgangs produced for them to become highly collectable (except for the first year quilt top), in my humble opinion - of course! The quality of the tops on the Music Man EVH guitars are fantastic making them some of the most beautiful guitars ever produced for this type of guitar. Based on my extensive experience with both I don't think the quality of the overall guitar is nearly as good as the Wolfgang. They don't hold up nearly as well. The quality of the tops was very consistent throughout the production life of this guitar and there the EVH Music Man is far superior. There are also quite a few beautiful colors to choose from.
The guitar itself is very similar to the Wolfgang in many ways but to me has a little higher pitched tone and a slightly brighter sound that corresponds more to the earlier EVH sound, while the Wolfgang has a 'warmer' tone. This makes sense when you consider the evolution of the VH sound. I am open to other descriptions but this is the best way I can think of to state the difference. The neck on the Music Man is slightly smaller being 1-9/16' at the nut and the Wolfgang 1-5/8'. So as far as which guitar is better when it comes to tone.
I would think that totally depends on which tone you like. I can't really see liking one and hating the other. They are just too similar. I can see liking one just a little better. I like them both.
After all, why decide on just one when you can have them both? My favorite though is the Wolfgang. And overall I go for the warmer Wolfgang tone.
I also find the Wolfgang much more comfortable to play, which is surprising considering how similar the guitars are. And again, in my opinion the overall quality of the Wolfgangs is much better. They hold up better. Production Figures - According to someone who should know at Music Man, they produced approximately 6000 of these guitars from approximately January of 1990 to September of 1995 when the last one rolled out the door. The estimate was about 1,200 per year although that would put the number closer to 7,000.
This is a recently provided number. They don't give out an exact number. I personally believe it is a little higher than this when you look at the serial number run but that is nothing more than my guess.
How Rare is the Color? The most common colors are red, gold (amber), blue and purple with about 1400 of each. This includes the stop tails as approximately 200 of the red, purple and amber were stop tails (about 600 total of these). There are about 600 trans black and 600 sunburst.
I am not sure on the Natural but I would say 400 is a good guess. They only made about 200 pink. Green is said to be the third rarest color with 96 total pieces produced. The rarest color is solid black at 16 pieces, followed by solid gold at 26 pieces. These figures come from a very knowledgeable collector who got them from Music Man years ago and from another collector who for the most part had the same figures. I can't say for sure that they are correct but I think they are at least close. Serial Number Surprise - The serial numbers on the Music Man guitars are NOT consecutive.
You can't tell the day, month and year the guitar was produced by looking at the serial number. The reason is that MM had the serial number plates produced all at once and they came back from the supplier out of order and MM didn't think it was worthwhile to put them in order.
So they just used them somewhat randomly. Also, some serial number plates that had quality problems or got scratched were never used. The only way to positively identify the production date is to ask MM. They can type the serial number into their computer and get the date of production.
I have these for my guitars below. You can see that although my serial numbers are in different ranges, all the guitars turned out to be from 1995 with the Natural and Sunburst models being two of the last ones built at the end of September 1995 when they ceased production.
It makes sense that the ones that are like new would be from 1995 as once people realized they were going away they started collecting them. Peavey puts the Wolfgang serial numbers in the headstock as they produce them so they would not have this problem with serial numbers out of order.
Dye (color) Issues - Ever wondered why you will see the same color EVH MM but the colors look very different. According to a tech at Ernie Ball who works on these guitars Music Man used a dye for a long time that was subject to extreme fading and it could happen very quickly. In as little as 6 to 12 months an amber (gold) guitar could completely loose its pigment and look like a Natural. He said he has seen cases where it is impossible to tell the original color was gold.
He says the resulting natural look is very cool and really shows off the wood but it is very different. The only way to know the guitar was originally gold is to look it up in the computer and see what it was built as. The 'aqua' color is a result of ageing on a trans-blue. Now I like the aqua color in many cases but the bottom line is that they didn't make this color.
Ever seen a red one advertised as a unique color such as 'dusky rose'. This the same effect. The Ernie Ball tech said he just had a purple one in that looked like a trans black. Even after they switched to a different dye he said the guitars will still fade based on their exposure to UV although not as badly as the earlier ones. I have yet to see a purple one that hasn't faded except a new old stock guitar that was left in its case.
Peavey developed a UV blocker they put in their paint that keeps this from happening on the Wolfgangs. It isn't in the first year Wolfgangs though, although I have not seen anywhere near the kind of fading in these as the MM's. Is it Really Green, Solid Gold or Solid Black? - Before paying a lot of money for a 'rare' color EVH Music Man I would check with Ernie Ball to see what the serial number shows it was originally built as. Ernie Ball has been approached by people looking to re-paint their EVH MM Green, Solid Gold, or Solid Black. Ernie Ball will refuse to do it but that doesn't mean it can't be done someplace else! Don't take those strings all the way off!
- When changing the strings always leave one string with tension. Ernie Ball says you can very easily ruin the neck and your guitar by releasing the string tension without loosening the truss rod. It is a very bad idea to ship the guitar with loose strings or without strings unless you had adjusted the truss rod.
The tech I spoke with this about at EB says he has seen guitars where the neck and/or body are badly damaged because of this. How does the cheaper Ernie Ball Axis compare to it's predecessor the Music Man EVH? - That is what I asked Rollie Delgado who was head guitar tech at Ernie Ball from 1991 to 2000 and worked on most of these guitars. Here is what he said: ' The only differences between the Axis and the EVH signature are: The pickup switch was moved from the horn to down next to the volume knob; The axis also has a body bevel on the back, which the EVH does not; The neck width above the twelfth fret is also slightly wider on the AXIS. Pickups are the same as the EVH.
Finally, The electronics routing on the AXIS is also a little different. If you look on the back of both and compare, the cavities are different.
Other than that they are the same, same tone and feel. And the AXIS is much cheaper!' If you have a Music Man EVH guitar that is a little different from anything shown here (especially a different color), I would love to get some good pictures and feature it on this site. I am also looking for a green one for my personal collection that is a little roughed up and thus not so expensive (i.e. I am looking for a great deal on a piece that has some scars). The rest of my MM EVH's are in collectors condition so I can deal with one with a few blemishes!
I would also like to get the serial number on anything you send me. 87952 Amber Quilt This is an absolutely gorgeous amber quilt that belongs to Brent Henderson 80797 Blue Flame This was the first EVH Music Man purchased by a Music Man employee and is owned by Rollie Delgado who was Music Man's head guitar tech from 1991 to 2000. Rollie built and set-up thousands of Music Man and EVH guitars. This one has survived 12 years of gigging without a scratch until Rollie retired it in 2004 in favor of a maroon Wolfgang special EXP that Rollie says after some tweaking sounds and plays just as well. Most of all he doesn't have to worry about damaging it, at least not as much!
See Rollie's comments above if you are interested in how the Ernie Ball Axis compares to the MM EVH. This is an early one. This guitar has seen a lot of playing before a collector put it away in about 2000. I sent this back to Ernie Ball to be refurbished. They said it was the last one they were going to do as they didn't have time and they were turning out to be too much work. This guitar is essentially new and is now owned by Adam Barrett.
If this guitar has been played there is no sign of it. Most of the guitars that are unplayed or are like new are very late serial numbers.
![]() Ernie Ball Music Man Axis Serial Numbers
These people knew when they got their guitars that they were not being made anymore so I think this is why there are quite a few in like new condition as they were more likely to put them away. You rarely see an early serial number that is unplayed or like new. (Production date: 8/10/95). This guitar is unplayed with the tags still on it and the plastic on all three covers on the back is perfect like the day it was shipped from the factory. Imagine walking into a guitar store and finding a brand new, beautiful Music Man EVH for sale. I need to take another picture of this guitar though. This picture was taken by the person I bought this from.
This picture is not a true representation of the color. The colors are not as bright as this but it actually looks classier than this. Lighting is everything when taking pictures of these tops.
This guitar also looks like it was produced near the very end of the EVH - MM deal. (production date: 9/27/95).
Ernie Ball Music Man Stingray
One of the last few produced. 82402 - Gold Top This is a rare Gold Top submitted by Tim Joyce. The '0' could be a 6 in the serial number. It was hard to read in the photo. The guitar looks like it is in almost new condition.
Tim hit the eBay jackpot on this one. Super nice Sunburst from 1992. Almost perfect. The guitar is in very nice condition and is now owned by Adam Barrett. The plastic is still on the back.
However, it does have one tiny ding (not through the paint) between the pick-ups which must have really upset the person who did it because other than that it looks like a collectors piece, which it now is. (production date: 6/8/95). Super nice red quilt that has been back to Ernie Ball for the once over recently. This guitar is pretty much flawless and a great collector's piece.
One of my favorite necks on any Ernie Ball. This is one of the best quilts I have. It is very unique. I like the natural finish much better than I thought I would and it seems like this color is somewhat scarce as you don't see too many.
The neck is a little darker from oiling but there is no staining. The top is like new. The quilt on this color shows more in less light than the other colors, probably due to the lighter color.
(production date: 9/26/95). One of the last few produced. Another really nice natural. I like this finish as it shows off the wood. This one is in near mint condition. This guitar has a beautiful color. I have a close up photograph in the bright sun on the linked page to show you how different this color can look based on lighting.
The true color is in the other pictures. The blue guitars generally age to more of an aqua color. This was not a color they originally offered.
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They were all trans-blue as I believe Music Man only offered one color of blue. This guitar has a PERFECT top and the frets have all been dressed as well.
The plastic is still on all the covers on the back. The only thing this guitar needs to make it perfect is the fretboard lightly sanded, but it has been cleaned and sealed.
(production date: 4/26/95) Trans-Blue Quilt (NOS) Here is what the trans blue looked like originally. The one above has faded to the aqua color.
Both are beautiful but this original blue color is hard to find. This guitar was stored and not displayed as it is new old stock. Here is another transblue with a very nice quilt pattern. The guitar is in near mint condition with a perfect top with the exception of a pin head size 'depression' on the top right above the bridge pick-up that close-up shots did not pick-up as you can see on the linked page. The guitar is in superb original condition. 80899 This is an NOS purple Quilt from 1991.
It has been its case its entire life so the purple has not faded at all. It is gorgeous. You would be hard pressed to find a nicer purple MM EVH. Nice Purple flame, although I am not even sure it isn't a quilt. It is somewhere in between. It is in near mint condition, vibrant color with no fading. Pink Quilt Not one of my favorite colors for a guitar, but definitely unique.
Another pink one. Has a few minor blems, but overall in nice shape.
Green Quilt (NOS) This is a New Old Stock (NOS) green quilt. One of only 96 and how many can there be in this condition? Natural Quilt - 83197 This guitar was submitted by Jeff Walz. He is the original owner and purchased it on 3/26/93. It has a very interesting Quilt pattern. Sunburst Stop tail The rare of the rare. Only two Sunburst stop tails were ever made.
The word is that Ed has the other. They decided not to sell this color, along with one brown prototype. Another color they decided not to sell.
This guitar went for big bucks! No, it isn't an EVH model, but it is an Ernie Ball, Music Man and from the only Rock guitar player that is worthy to share the same stage with EVH.
Click on the Mr. Horsepower link to get all the details on the guitar and more pictures. Music Man EVH This site was last updated 02/07/06.
Music Man Axis Review
The first pic above features an encircled 'R' which has also been confirmed by the owner. This now appears in the same position previously occupied by the 'TM'. The second logo pic, although from a 1982 Bass, is included to give a clear visual example of the encircled 'R'.
The encircled 'R' feature appears to have been introduced in 1977 (perhaps the second half of that year). An example is B00577x ('x' for last digit unknown).
Neck date August 1977 and Body date December 1977 (advised by owner but no pic available at this time). Circa second half of 1978 to end of MM period in 1984 A circa 1982 Logo.
The encircled 'R' appears to be featured exclusively. Decals are not included on rear of necks during the Pre-EB period. Circa late 1979 (early 1980) Comparison of 1978 logo with circa 1982 logo. From circa late 1979 (or early 1980) the logo changes position in that the left hand side drops lower towards the edge of the headstock.
EB BASSES (1984 - Current) STING RAY (1984 - current) Early 1984-1985 Trans Logos Type 1 Typical Pre-EB headstock logo for comparison. 1980 “oldbluebassman”. Ernie Ball Bass Serial B022355. Neck and Body both dated May 1985. EB aquired Music Man in 1984 and continued production in the same year. Note the absence of any reference to 'Ernie Ball' on the logo. Also note the string tree located on the A an D strings which is an EB feature (Pre-EB Basses have it located on the D and G strings). This instrument also has a contoured body (Pre-EB 'Rays were slab).
Finally, 'Made in USA' is deleted from the 4 bolt neck plate (which was previously stamped on the Pre-EB Basses). However, note that some very early EB Basses may still have the Pre-EB neck plate. Another early 1985 logo. Serial number unknown.
Exactly the same as the comparison 1980 pic above. Type 2 Same as Type 1 but the Encircled 'R' after 'Music Man' moves to the mid position. There is still no mention of 'Ernie Ball'. 'Music Man' retains gold lettering.
Picture to follow. Circa 1985 to circa 1988 (“Trans Logo”) The transitional logo (“Trans Logo”) period can be subdivided into two further periods: Trans Logo 1985 to circa 1987. Front and rear view of Bass serial 26511.
Date of birth 19 Nov 1987 'Andreas'. Same as for Early 1984-1985 but: 1) The words “Music Man” are now lowered and the encircled “R” following “Music Man” moves to the mid position. 2) The words “Music Man” are now clear (as opposed to gold lettering on the Pre-EB and Early 1985 Trans Logos).
3) The words “Ernie Ball” appear above “Music Man” and an encircled “R” follows also in the mid position. The 'R' is smaller than the 'R' following 'Music Man'. 4) Decals are NOT included on rear of headstocks. This is the case for both prefixed and un-prefixed serial-numbered Basses during this period. 5) Little man on right has the polo-neck deleted from his jumper.
Trans Logo circa 1987 to circa 1988. Closer view of headstock logo. Bass serial 28664. The headstock logo now becomes completely revised: 1) Encircled “R” after “Ernie Ball” moves to the lower position and becomes the same size as the other 'R's on the logo. 2) Little men are shown from waist up only and are now positioned after the words “Ernie Ball”. 3) Little man on left now raises his head (as opposed to the head being slanted previously). 4) The words “Music Man” are now solid black.
5) The word “Bass” is now deleted from the previous “Sting Ray Bass”. 6) “Sting Ray” is followed by an encircled “R” in the lower position.
7) The encircled “R” following “Music Man” is in the upper position. “Aussie Mark”. Same as for Circa late 1987 to circa early 1992 but: Encircled 'R' after 'Music Man' now moved to lower position. Aswell as the older logo, this newer logo can also be found on 4 bolt necks from circa 1990 (logo introduction date) up to 1991 (when the 4 bolt neck last appeared). As the 6 bolt neck was introduced during the 2nd half of 1990, this logo can also be found on 6 bolt necks from the 2nd half of 1990.
After the last appearance of the older logo in early 1992, the present logo has appeared exclusive on 6 bolt Sting Ray necks to current date. 4 bolt neck from a 1990 Bass. 6 bolt neck from a 1990 Bass. “todd 4ta”. 2000 - current Matching headstock finished in Sunburst. The matching headstock option was officially implemented at the Jan 2000 NAMM Show.
However, several examples can be found in the leadup to this date. The option was announced in 1999.
July 2009 - current 'SLO Special' neck for Sting Rays. Has the slimmer Sterling neck profile but retains the standard Sting Ray headstock size. Japanese 'EX' Series Sting Ray Bass (production periods unknown) Headstock logo from a Japanese 'EX' series SR4 (serial E29086). Comparison Logos: upper: 2003 Japanese 'EX' series SR4 serial number E26730 (courtesy 'Ede' Brazil) compared with lower: Ernie Ball (USA) SR4. 'EX' series SR4s were produced in Japan but exact dates are unknown.
Production has now ceased. Note that the 'EX' series Japanese logo is slightly different to the USA logo in that the letters 'n' and 'g' in the word 'Sting' sit higher. Also the spacing between 'Sting' and 'Ray' is narrower. The 'EX' Series has no rear decal. SPECIAL EDITION ERNIE BALL STING RAYS 20th Anniversary (1996 only) Front and rear.
NAMM 100th Anniversary (2001 only) Front and rear. Notice the deletion of 'Sting Ray' after 'Music Man'. 30th Anniversary (2006 only) Front of 30th Anniversary headstock. (Vintage Bass Trading Co.) SABRE (1984 - 1991) Early 1984-1985 Trans Logos Type 1 Circa 1979 Pre-EB Sabre logo for comparison. This Bass was purchased new between July-Sept 1985. Serial C005856. Note absence of words 'Ernie Ball' on logo.
Also note that the string tree is relocated to the A and D strings (an EB feature) as opposed to the Dand G strings (a Pre-EB feature). As this instrument retains the Pre-EB horse shoe type bridge, some Pre-EB 'C00xxxx' serials extend into the EB period. Same as the comparison pic above except the patent numbers beneath 'Music Man' are now deleted. Type 2 Note absence of words 'Ernie Ball' on logo.
Also note that the string tree is relocated to the A and D strings (an EB feature) as opposed to the Dand G strings (a Pre-EB feature). Same as Type 1 but the 'TM' is now replaced with an Encircled 'R' after 'Music Man' in the mid position. There is still no mention of 'Ernie Ball'. 'Music Man' retains gold lettering. Circa 1985 to circa 1988 (“Trans Logo”) The transitional logo (“Trans Logo”) period can be subdivided into two further periods: Trans Logo 1985 to circa 1987.
Front B025472 (1987). No decal appears on rear of headstock. 'bass1969'. Same as for Early 1984- 1985 but: 1) The words “Music Man” are now moved to lower position.
2) The words “Music Man” are now clear (as opposed to gold lettering on the Pre-EB and Early 1985 Trans Logos). 3) The words “Ernie Ball” appear above “Music Man”. 4) An encircled “R” follows both “Ernie Ball” and “Music Man” in the mid position.
The 'R' following 'Ernie Ball' is smaller than the 'R' following 'Music Man'. The use of 'TM' (Trade Mark) disappears. 5) Decals are NOT included on rear of headstocks. This is the case for both prefixed and un-prefixed serial-numbered Basses during this period. 6) Little man on right has the polo-neck deleted from his jumper. Trans Logo circa 1987 to circa 1988 Pics to follow.
Same as for the Trans Logo circa 1985 to circa 1987 but decals are now included on rear of headstock. From 1976 to this point in time, it would appear that decals have been excluded from the rear of headstocks (except for the Cutlass Basses during the Pre-EB period). Circa 1988 to circa 1991 (production ceases in 1991) Front and rear B027245 (1988). Purchased new in 1991.
Also note the Bullet truss nut at the headstock. May 1991 Bass. This neck has the Capstan Wheel truss nut at the heel. The headstock logo now becomes completely revised: 1) Encircled “R” after “Ernie Ball” moves to the lower position and becomes the same size as the other 'R's on the logo.
2) Little men are shown from waist up only and are now positioned after the words “Ernie Ball”. 3) Little man on left now raises his head (as opposed to the head being slanted previously). 4) The words “Music Man” are now solid black with an encircled “R” following in the lower position. 5) The word “Bass” is now deleted from below the word 'Sabre'.
6) An encircled “R” now appears under the word 'Sabre'. (Note that this period logo applied to both bullet and capstan wheel truss necks.the latter of which was introduced circa late 1988 to early 1989.) Circa 1991 May 1991 Sabre.
Same as above except that the encircled 'R' under the word 'Sabre' is relocated at the end of the word 'Sabre'. It would seem that this logo appeared at the very end of the Sabre Bass production period. STERLING (1993 - current) 1993 Built as a pre-series for the European market. Note that the word 'Sterling' is not included and the encircled 'R' is in lower position. Bass was also built minus a pickguard.
Serial 37125 (1993). 1993 to circa mid 2000 June 1993 Bass. F03028 Sept 2000. 1) Encircled 'R' (registered) follows words 'Ernie Ball' in lower position.
2) Encircled 'R' folloes 'Music Man' in mid position. 3) 'TM' (Trade Mark) follows the word 'Sterling' and appears in the lower position.
Circa mid 2000 - current Year 2000. Same as for 1993 to circa mid 2000 but 'TM' at end of 'Sterling' now moves to upper position. Matching headstock Bass. SPECIAL EDITION STERLING Black Onyx (2002 only) Bass is totally black including tuners and all hardware. SR5 (1987 - Current) 1987 to circa 1991 1989 SR5.
The encircled 'R' following 'Music Man' is located in the upper position. Note that SR5 Basses during this early period had: A) Plain unstamped neck plates. B) Alnico pole piece magnets without a dummy coil. Ceramic pole pieces and dummy coil were introduced circa 1992 along with a newly designed pre-amp.
Circa 1990 - current Circa early 1990. Same as for 1987 to circa 1991 but: 1) The encircled 'R' following 'Music Man' moves to the lower position. 2) The encircled 'R' following 'Sting Ray' moves completely inside the '5'. Note that there's an over lapping period with the new and old logo.
Although the new logo was introduced circa 1990, the older extends into 1991. 2004 SR5 Ltd Ed. Black headstock with gold lettering. Circa early 2002 - current Rear decal from Feb 2002 Bass ('Davtran'). Rear decal from May 2002 Bass. Up to 2002 the rear decal has a forward slope (1st pic). As from early 2002 the rear decal (2nd pic) is now on the same axis as the neck.
20th Anniversary (2007 only) Front of SR5 20th Anniversary headstock. SILHOUETTE (1992 - current) Front. As there's insufficent pics for comparison at this time, it is unknown whether there's been changes to the logo. The date of the Bass depicted in the above pics is unknown. SUB 4 (2003 - current) 2003 to Jan 2004 2003 SUB 4 front and rear. Serial located in front of the D tuner.
Tuners are not stamped with Music Man. SUB Basses appear to be the only instruments with their serials located on the headstock.
A sticker label is used rather than a permanent serial stamping. Jan 2004 - current 2004 SUB 4 front. Serial location is the same as for the 2003 SUB 4 Bass. Tuners are not stamped with Music Man. SUB Basses appear to be the only instruments with their serials located on the headstock. A sticker label is used rather than a permanent serial stamping. Same as for 2003 to Jan 2004 but: 1) The full stops after 'S' 'U' and 'B' are deleted ('S.U.B.'
Now becomes a complete word 'SUB'). 2) The word 'BASS' is now included beneath the word 'SUB'.
SUB 5 (2003 - current) 2003 to Jan 2004 2003 SUB 5 front. Tuners are not stamped with Music Man. SUB Basses appear to be the only instruments with their serials located on the headstock. A sticker label is used rather than a permanent serial stamping. See pics below for serial location. Similar in design to the 2003 SUB 4 but note the inclusion of a '5' to denote a 5 string Bass.
The SUB 4 doesn't include a '4' to denote a 4 string Bass. Jan 2004 - current 2004 SUB 5 front and rear.
Serial located to the right of the G tuner (as is the case with the 2003model). Tuners are not stamped with Music Man. SUB Basses appear to be the only instruments with their serials located on the headstock.
A sticker label is used rather than a permanent serial stamping. Same as for 2003 to Jan 2004 but: 1) The full stops after 'S' 'U' and 'B' are deleted ('S.U.B.' Now becomes a complete word 'SUB'). 2) The word 'BASS' is now included beneath the word 'SUB 5'. SUB STERLING (2004 - current) 2004 SUB Sterling front and rear. Serial in same location as the SUB 4 but turned sideways. Tuners are not stamped with Music Man.
SUB Basses appear to be the only instruments with their serials located on the headstock. Note the inclusion of 'Bass' on the logo which is in keeping with the 2004 SUB 4 and 2004 SUB 5 designs rather than the 2003 SUB designs. BONGO 4 (2003 - current) Bongo 4 front and rear (Year unknown). To date, there appears to be no changes in logo design since its introduction. BONGO 5 (2003 - current) 2004 Bongo 5. To date, there appears to be no changes in logo design since its introduction.
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