Retro '70s StingRay Bass: MusicMan's Nostalgic Ode to a Classic
Ernie Ball Music Man has taken a captivating journey back to the 1970s with the introduction of the Retro '70s StingRay bass.
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Ernie Ball Music Man
Forrest White and Tom Walker founded Music Man in Fullerton, California, in 1974, with Leo Fender himself involved as a silent partner. The StingRay bass, launched not long after, was one of the first production basses with active electronics — onboard EQ that could boost specific frequency bands rather than just cutting tone — and it's stayed in continuous production since. Ernie Ball bought the company in 1984, and it now builds premium electrics and basses from San Luis Obispo, California, including long-running signature lines for John Petrucci and others. StingRay reissues, new signature drops and the odd Sterling by Music Man budget model all pass through GuitarBomb. Here's what we've covered.
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Founded1962
Based inSan Luis Obispo, California, USA
FounderErnie Ball
Articles here21
Makes
- Electric guitars
- Bass guitars
- Guitar strings
- Accessories
Known for
- StingRay
- Slinky strings
- Majesty
- JP series
- Cutlass
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Ernie Ball Music Man FAQ4 questions
What is the relationship between Ernie Ball and Music Man?
Ernie Ball is the parent. Ernie Ball started the string company in 1962 in California, and it later acquired Music Man — the instrument brand founded in 1974 in Fullerton by Forrest White, Tom Walker and Leo Fender. Guitars and basses are sold as Ernie Ball Music Man; strings and accessories carry the Ernie Ball name alone.
What is a Music Man StingRay?
The bass that made the brand — a bolt-on with a large humbucking pickup at the bridge and active onboard EQ, in production since the mid 1970s. Its midrange-forward, aggressive voice is distinct enough that it is treated as its own category rather than a variation on a Precision or Jazz.
Are Ernie Ball Music Man instruments made in the USA?
The Music Man line is built in San Luis Obispo, California. Sterling by Music Man is the separate, overseas-built range that offers the same shapes at lower prices — if a StingRay costs a few hundred rather than a few thousand, it is a Sterling.
What are Slinky strings?
Ernie Ball's string range and the company's original product, sold in colour-coded packets by gauge — Regular Slinky, Super Slinky, Power Slinky and so on. They are among the most widely used electric guitar strings in the world, which is why the brand is familiar even to players who have never touched a Music Man guitar.