Music Man Frequently Asked Questions
Bass F.A.Q.
Q: Can you please tell me what type of strings are put on Music Man basses when they ship new from the factory?
A: The 4-string basses are all equipped with Ernie Ball Super Slinky Bass strings, item number 2834, when they leave the factory. The gauges are 45-65-80-100.The StingRay 5 and Bongo 5 use the same with an added 130. This set is our Regular Slinky Bass 5's, item #2836.
Q: Could you tell me Music Man's StingRay factory settings for relief, string height, and pickup height?
A: First of all - almost all of the adjustments to string height can be made with the truss rod. Turn clockwise to raise the fretboard (resulting in lower action), counter clockwise to lower it. The factory string height for our basses is 3/32" or 2.4mm between the bottom of the string to the top of the fret on both the E and G strings at the 12th fret. The G string can be slightly lower due to the fact that it is the smallest string. Of course, tightening or loosening the trussrod affects the bow of the neck, which is how desired action is generally best achieved.The factory specifications for the pickup height is 6/32" or 4.76mm from the top of the plastic between the pickup covers to the bottom of the G string. The angle of the pickup is set fairly level, so the larger strings are naturally a bit closer. If you haven't already adjusted the pickup or changed to a very heavy gauge string set, you shouldn't have to do any adjustments on the pickup.
On the new 2-pickup basses, the measurements are virtually the same on the bridge pickup and the neck pickup is further away, about 8/32" or 6.35mm from the string to the pickup.
Q: How do I maintain the neck on my new Music Man bass?
A: For everyday cleaning, use a small dose of high-grade lemon oil. For the fretboard, use Ernie Ball Wonder Wipes Fretboard Conditioner. If the neck is very dirty, give us a call or email us at musicman_customerservice@ernieball.com.Since the neck is finished only with gunstock oil and wax blend, it is more susceptible to humidity changes. An occasional truss rod adjustment will halp keep your bass playing factory-new. If you are getting fret buzz (plugged in only, of course) raise the action by turning the trussrod wheel counter-clockwise, to lower the action turn it clockwise.
An infrequent dose of gunstock oil will help to keep the neck maintained; we recommend and use Birchwood-Casey Tru-Oil, but any good quality gunstock oil will work. Clean neck first. Use a small amount of Tru-oil, leave it on for 5 minutes, then wipe it off with a paper towel. Then apply Birchwood-Casey Gunstock Wax. Be sure to douse the paper towel with water before disposing of it! Read the wax and oil manufacturer's instructions regarding disposal of these used paper towels.
Birchwood-Casey products are available at most sporting goods or gun stores, or direct. Their web address is http://www.birchwoodcasey.com.
Rosewood fingerboards should not be treated with gunstock oil; instead they should be treated with a high grade of lemon oil.
For cleaning, try using the same high grade of lemon oil to clean the entire neck, both maple and rosewood fretboards. Keep in mind that if the dirt or grease has been worked into the wood, it cannot be removed except by sanding it down, which we do not recommend unless exercised with extremely fine sandpaper (1200-1600 grit), and even then very sparingly. It is better to keep it clean in the first place. Washing your hands first helps!
Some discoloration after many hours of playing is normal on unfinished necks.
Be sure to follow all of the manufacturers recommended safety precautions when using any of these oils or waxes.
Q: How does the piezo bridge function on the basses?
A: The Music Man basses with the new piezo bridge option is in addition to the original pickups and electronics. The piezo may be used in conjunction with, or completely separate from, the standard configuration.The piezo/magnetic blend is controlled by a knob that has a center d?tente position. Turn the knob all the way clockwise and there is magnetic signal only. Turn the knob all the way counter-clockwise to obtain piezo signal only. With the knob in the center detente position, there is an exact 50/50 blend of piezo and magnetic signal, and any other setting will be blended according to where the knob is set.
The piezo bridges are not available as a retrofit for earlier Music Man basses.
Q: I have a Music Man fretless bass. What kind of strings should I use?
A: You may use any kind you like. It is true that stainless steel roundwounds are the hardest on the fingerboard, followed by nickelwound. Flatwound strings are the most forgiving.Q: I just bought a new Music Man bass, what is the recommended string height on the neck and over the pickup?
A: If your truss rod is adjusted properly, the string height above the 12th fret should be 3/32 from the bottom of the string to the top of the fret. 6/32" or 4.8mm from the bottom of the string to the top of the pole piece on your pickup.Q: If my fretless fingerboard became grooved and worn out can it be replaned or should it be replaced?
A: It can be resurfaced by sanding, and could be replaced by a professional luthier. Resurfacing the board should only be done when the wear is sufficient to cause the sound or playability of the instrument to suffer. Resurfacing too frequently will greatly reduce the useable life of the fingerboard. Usually, replacement is only necessary after several resurfacings and years of heavy use.Q: I'm planning to buy a black Music Man Stingray, but I'm unsure which fingerboard to choose. I'm concerned about the difference in sound. Could you explain the difference?
A: The general consensus regarding this question is that maple gives you a snappier, slightly brighter tone with more attack while a rosewood board gives you a darker, smoother tone with more warmth. Often the difference is subjective and subject to personal opinion. There are also other factors to consider such as playing style, what type of strings you use, tone settings, and amplifiers to consider. Try both maple and rosewood to form your own opinion.Q: Is there any coating that can be applied to protect the wood such as polyurethane, and how would this affect the sound? Supposedly Jaco Pastorious used boat epoxy on his fretless bass.
A: Yes, but Jaco used a maple fretboard bass most of the time.Various epoxy and Cyanoacrylate (super glue) finishes have been used on fretless fingerboards. This tends to yield a brighter tone and may wear longer than bare wood, depending on the material used. Some such finishes do not adhere well to oily woods such as rosewood or pau ferro. Our recommendation: Don't try this at home!
Q: The Silhouette Bass: Is this bass a true 6 string bass or is it a Baritone guitar?
A: 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.
Q: What are the differences between the StingRay and the Sterling?
A: 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.
Q: What are the pros and cons of using flatwound strings on a fretless bass? Do roundwounds wear the fretboard more? Are roundwounds used more even on fretless basses?
A: Flatwound strings will not wear the fingerboard like roundwound, but the roundwound strings are much brighter and preferred by most players.Q: What type of wood is used on the fingerboard of your fretless basses?
A: Pau ferro, a very dense exotic wood.Q: What is used in our cases during shipping to control humidity?
A: Desiccant. Placed in a small bag it is used as a static dehumidifier.Q: What size Allen wrench does the Silhouette bass require for bridge adjustment?
A: It requires a 1/16" size Allen wrench, the same as for all our basses.Q: Will fretboard conditioner help any on a fretless bass to preserve the wood and protect the fingerboard?
A: It is good for preserving the wood, but it will not significantly change the wear to the fingerboard.Q: Can I use rechargeable 9-volt batteries for my Music Man bass?
A: 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.
2. 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.
Q: How long does the battery last, and how do you know when it needs to be replaced?
A: Average 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.Q: Do I need a truss rod tool for my bass?
A: The truss rod wheel design was designed so any musician can easily make minor adjustments to the neck. Any tool such as an allen wrench, nail, small screw driver, etc. that will fit into the wheel hole will work. Turn the wheel a quarter turn at a time then check by playing your bass. Clockwise will raise the fingerboard.Q: What is the frequency range of the 3 band EQ?
A: Our 3 band basses use a standard baxandall circuit centered appx. 500hz. Frequency slope is 6 db per octave. With bass control in max position, max output will occur at 40hz and drop at 6db per octave above 40hz. Maximum treble response drops at 6 db per octave at frequencies below appx.12 khz. Mid range is centered appx.500 hz. Control settings are interactive, therefore 6 db per octave slope only occurs when one control is in maximum position and the two remaining controls are set to minimum.Q: What woods does Music Man use for the body of a Stingray?
A: In the past we used equal amounts of poplar or ash, and a small amount alder, we are using almost all ash now. We always use ash on translucent finishes.Q: What is the string spacing on the Music Man basses?
A: All distances are measured from string center to the next string center.Stingray 4, Bongo 4, SUB 4 - 3/4"
Sterling, StingRay 5, Bongo 5, SUB Sterling - 11/16"
Q: Can I add a piezo bridge to my Music Man bass?
A: No, we are not able to add a piezo sytem to an existing Music Man instrument.Q: What size hex (Allen-type) wrench will fit into my truss rod wheel?
A: It doesn't have to be any particular tool - in fact we purposefully made it to where you can use almost anything to adjust it, such as a small screwdriver, hex wrench, or even a nail. At the factory, we typically use 3mm size hex wrenches.Q: On fretless basses without lines, are there markers on the side of the neck?
A: On a Music Man unlined fretless neck, there are dots on every other fret, where the frets would normally be.Q: Your specifications tell us that you use selected hardwoods for your bass bodies. What woods do you use?
A: We used even amounts of poplar and ash and sometimes alder, we are currently using ash these days. We always use ash on translucent finishes.Q: What does the 3 way switch do on the Stingray 5 and the Sterling?
A: With the switch in the 'closest to neck' position, the pickup's flow of voltage follows a snake like pattern around the poles, this is called the Series position, creating an out of phase slightly brighter humbucker tone. The second position is the Single Coil position, only the coil closest to the bridge is used creating a thin, bright sound for soloing, a phantom coil is added to reduce single coil noise. The last position is the Parallel position, use this for the traditional thick bottom end bass sound made famous by the Stingray 4.Q: do I need to loosen all of the strings before making a neck relief adjustment?
A: You should make all adjustments with the strings where you would normally play them. Do not loosen the strings to adjust the truss rod.Q: I have rust on the pole pieces of my StingRay. What to do?
A: Although it is not common, we do see cases where some players' sweat will cause the nickel content on the pole pieces to rust. To get rid of the rust already on the pole piece, try using a scrub pad. Do not scrub more than necessary to remove the rust. To keep it from coming back, use (believe it or not) nail polish clearcoat. It will not affect the tone of the bass.Q: How do I set up my Music Man bass?
A: 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 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 pickup should be 4/32" to 5/32" on the bass side and slightly closer (4/32" to 5/32" on the treble side. This is determined by tuning and volume of strings measured by the top of the pole piece to the bottom of the strings. If the G string needs more volume, adjust it slightly more toward the pickup. Again, if you tune down, more distance is needed here, as well; but in any case, no lower than 4/32".
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: Check the harmonics to the fretted note on the 12th note on the twelfth fret if you don't play much above that fret. If you do, also check the harmonics at the 19th fret after the 12th fret is set. If the fretted note is sharp, you need to make the string longer by turning the saddle screw counterclockwise, and vice versa. Make sure that the string are coming off of the saddle straight and not in an arch. All measurements must be rechecked after each adjustment.
Q: What is the factory setting for the neck relief gap for Musicman basses?
A: 3/32" between the bottom of the string and the top of the 12th fret.Q: How does the 3-Band EQ function on your basses?
A: It's pretty complicated, but here goes ..The 3-Band Bass EQ uses a standard bandaxal circuit centered approximately 500 Hz. The frequency slope is 6 db per octave.
With the bass control in max position, the maximum output will occur at 40 Hz and drop at 6 db per octave above 40 hz. Maximum treble response drops at 6 db per octave at frequencies below approximately 12 kHz. Midrange is centered approximately 500 Hz.
Control settings are interactive, therefore 6 db per octave only occurs when one control is in the maximum position and the two remaining controls are set to minimum.
For a slope diagram, click here
Q: Should excessive heat be avoided?
A: It's not a good idea to allow your instrument to get hot for a lot of 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 heat 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.Q: What happens if my instrument gets too hot, like if I forget to take it out of the car on a hot day?
A: Get the instrument into a normal temperature environment, and allow it to cool off. Don't put it in front of an air conditioner, or anywhere that will cause a drastic temperature or humidity change. DO NOT make any radical adjustments to the instrument until it cools down!Once it has normalized, check it over. If there is no apparent damage, you're probably fine, and there is no need to worry. Just don't let it happen again.
If there are problems - perhaps it would be a good idea to contact us.
Q: I see that your basses have been shipping out with a different kind of nut. What is it and what is its purpose?
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.