I was saving up money for a jazz bass cause all the cats were using them. The day i was going in to guitar center to buy my very first bass, i saw a stingray in between two jazz basses. I picked it up and it felt warm and smooth. It felt so easy to play on and i bought it right away.

Nothing else sounds like them, the mid range always punches through

Love it "Real World" from an Australian Beginner at 62

The power of the shada ka ka at 4:35 dropped a leaf 😂

Love your videos Johnny. You bring love, light and music to the world with your music and wonderful personality.. Peace my brother.. John..

My first attempt to get a Stingray sound was putting two EMG active jazz bass pickups in the "correct position" on a Fender P bass. A pickup sweet spot can be reproduced faithfully on any scale length of instrument if you match pickup placement with the pitches of harmonics on every string over the pickups. On a Musicman Stingray, (looking down at it from the playing view) harmonics on the G string, either side of each pole piece magnet (represented |● ●| ) gives you a high G>●●

I have 1976 STINGRAY bass - it says so on the inner neck joint (july 1976) - its tobacco sunburst, maple neck with an ebony fretboard - beautiful old instrument Ive had for many many years

Love the sound of a Musicman Stingray. Tidbit: Leo Fender was deaf in one ear and could only hear highs . The sound of the bass comes from the preamp and the alnico magnets in the pickup. Thank you Johnny for giving positive bass content.

Great video man! Louis (Thunder Thumbs) Johnson was a force to be reckoned with and one of my favorite bassist. However, I bought my Stingray Classic as a result of listening to Bernard Edwards, another great bassist of the same era. Those guys were phenomenal and contributed so much to the music scene in the 70's and 80's. Thanks!

I came upon your channel by accident and stayed because its great!

Bass absolutely sounds amazing.

I really appreciate you making this video.. The old 2 band Stingray bass is the best there ever has been in my opinion... jazz,funk,rock,R&B,soul,country, spiritual/inspirational,contemporary Christian,southern gospel.. it does a superior job at all styles of music..the very best 👍

I bought one in April of 1978, a late '77 model, natural with a maple neck and black pick guard and a 005000 serial number. I paid $477.00 for it, a load of money back then, especially when I was only making $2.35/hr as a twenty year old kid. I've played it all these years, yet it's still in about 95% condition, and in fact, only got it's first ding about four years ago. It sounds and plays like butter. A definite keeper!

This video right here is what youtube was invented for. Great content and nice playing too! One day I'll be able to afford a Musicman Stingray but for now Sterling Ray here I come.

Great insightful video about my favorite bass guitar! Thank you! Very nice playing too

Actually 1976 is the year when this "Milestone" of electric bass guitars came to life and changed the history of playing style & recording, as it happened in 1951 with the P-Bass and 1960 with the J-Bass...and behind all this was the one & only man that we all know and will be devoted & thankful forever! Love you Leo!!!

There's magic in those pickups. Great video

The greatest bass ever invented. I played Fender Precision, Jazz, Alembics both passive and active and nothing is like a Stingray. It will always be my main bass. I made my own preamp for it and run it at 32 volts

Keep coming back to this video just to hear Mr. Johnny Lee Long again express the depths of his singular appreciation for his MM Stingray. My own heavily modified Sterling Stingray may well be my favoritest and the best sounding bass in my small collection.

I recently bought a sterling ray 5 as my second bass. I LOVE IT! It sounds so good, and it is really versatile. You can use it for anything from funk to heavy metal.

There's something magical about the Music Man tone. I've played one for the last 15 years but for my current project I've been using a Jazz and PJ bass. They sound good but not magical. I abandoned those when our sound guy said " your tone is great, but when you pick up that orange bass (my MM)... That thing cuts through the mix and sounds so good." Back to my trusty Music Man it is then haha. Love your chops man. So good n' tasty.

Stingray & Markbass, a match made in heaven.

That rig is On Time! Everything sounds great.

Great demo and awesome playing!

Best investment I made,.. 1990 stingray pre-amp maple on maple! Thanks for the video!

Fantastic video. Seriously. I was looking for exactly that about the Ray. And, dude can play. Kudos.

I am blessed to be playin for a really talented country duo and they want me to get a 5 to play live with them, so I am about to pull the trigger on a Stingray Special 5 HH. When I bought my first bass, an american fender p, the only other bass I played that day that I liked just as much if not more was the stingray, but I couldn't afford it. my time has come lol. I am on the preorder list on my sweetwater for it and I could not be more excited for my first 5 after playing that p bass for the last decade!

Awesome video! Just bought today my first Music man bass. Ernie Ball Music Man BFR StingRay 4 HH Dargie Delight!

I still have my Louis Johnson instructional video from "Starlicks". Excellent post for the Stingray. I will have one soon. Thank you Johnny ! Tucson, Arizona

Even at $2399.00 she is worth every penny. You will find nothing else like it in your arsenal and you will also have a best friend for life. My Stingray is 30 years old and still outperforms and sounds better then everything and anything I have ever owned.

4:37 That was a real sign of truth! Haha.. Thanks for your great infrormational videos ❤️✊🏻 I'm gonna have that Bass some day!

My favorite, of all your basses.

At 4:36 my man goes "shattakaka" and casts a magic spell on a leaf and it falls from the tree. What a legend

I own the Sterling Ray 24 and love it! One day I will own a MM Stingray, but for now, the Ray 24 is so much fun to play.

Nice video man. You're clearly insane in the best posible way. I love the agression of the Stingray, I play heavy metal so very different to you but it just slices through two heavily distorted guitars so easily. It works with distortion so nicely as well whether it's just a driven amp or a full on nasty fuzz. I never slap but I use a pick about 50% of the time and it works so well with the Stingray.

Very nice thank you, love your vibe !

Pumping tone! Love it Johnny!

Besides being a killer Bass Player and very knowledgeable about music in general person, you are hilarious I could be in the worst mood and I turn on one of your videos and you just make me laugh thank you. Many Blessings to you and yours.

My first memory of hearing and noticing a Stingray was Stomp by Brothers Johnson. I was at my high school prom on the dance floor with my date and the DJ played Stomp. It wasn't just the way Louis played but the tone of his bass I noticed and loved. I didn't know it was a Stingray then, I didn't play bass then and knew nothing about basses until years later. After the prom for years everyone once in a while I'd notice that same bass tone on songs. Square Biz by Teena Marie. Or from the 80s (like Sade). Always loved the unique sound but still didn't know what it was. Finally one day in the 2000's I found out that it was a Stingray that sounded like that. I was hooked. I knew I had to have one some day. Eventually in about 2003 or so I visited a Sam Ash and they had a used Ernie Ball Sterling. It looked a lot like a Stingray so I played it. BINGO! Same tone as a Stingray. I bought it right then and there. Only diff is Sterling is thinner neck and lighter and has 3 way pickup switch and 3 band EQ. Other than that it's the same tone. When I took it home and plugged in and played it was a sound from heaven. Something about that tone, that bottom. Eargasm.

Woooo shanakakan.. Great video!!, Great slap!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🇵🇷

Love that Stingray sound. Incredible bass sound used by: (some of my favorite players) Pino Palladino, Bernard Edwards & Paul Denman (Sade band). I just bought the SS-4 = exceeded my expectations. oNe LovE from NYC

I have always been a Jazz bass fan. I built my own with quality parts. Warmoth body ,mim fender neck, EMG active pickups,schaller tuners, and it was my go to bass. Then I bought a sterling sub bass, on sale at G.C. $229 on sale . Great frets, great straight neck, decent pickup, jazz thin neck(comfortable).New strings are a must. Took a little time to set it up. Now its my new go to bass. I might upgrade the pickup down the road.

Heck yes there is something about a Music Man! And till I get one I'll play my Sterling SUB! Good video my friend!

Have mercy! That bass is kickin!

Hey Maestro JLL, The emblem on the headstock of the vintage MMSR in your video does represent George and Louis Johnson. Leo Fender along with the Ball Bros' redesigned that particular bass (the Stingray) particularly for Louis because he had adopted the playing style of Larry Graham (who to this day calls it "Thumping and Plucking") but Louis padded more FLARE to it . LF beefed up the magnets and the preamp in the bass (takes LJ to really describe what happened) and moved that GREAT BIG Humbucker down closer to the bridge to get it out of the way of LJ's right hand. The emblem signifies The Brothers Johnson's picture on the cover of their 1st album entitled "Look Out For #1". Google it and then compare them and you'll see what's up!😉😎🤟🏿👍🏾💪🏿❤️🔥🔥

4:36 Jonny is a wizard, look at the right side of the screen.

Mmmmm that setup sounds awesome ! 👌

Super! I got my Stingray 5 string darkray days ago and I don't trade it or will sell EVER! And I will go for those passive one but now they come with neodymium pick ups!

Just got a sterling ray34 yesterday and it booted my j bass to the stand lol love it ✌🇨🇦❤

I'm getting one soon, so excited!!!

Damn! Hootie has the best seat in the house! Just bought one of these. Hope to get even half way to what you do.

That "beginner" sound is hot enough! I settled for a 2004 SUB, because it was under a G, and affordable. A complete funk machine!

Big fan of Lewis Johnson R.I.P. that is bass is a biG WHOA in my opinion its not for a rookie. I love it the way it sounds. That is a dream instrument and you running it through the Mark enhances it so much😎⭐

Very cool, give me that one. Can't mistake that sound. Cheers

I got a Musicman Caprice (no battery) oh holy wow! It’s really nice still a very distinctive sound😊 thank you Mr. Johnny

I love how you play

Now that's a great combination; a sweet Stingray run through a Mark Bass. 👽👍

What a great video for us beginners , thank you very much for your efforts. What is the story behind you getting your favorite bass?

Great idea

I say for a beginner this is a fantastic bass. If you're learning the bass it's just a mater of time until you discover disco, funk, and R&B and when that happens you'll be ready. I have the Sterling Ray24 and it's crazy how nice these imports have gotten.

6 Days ago I got my olympic white all original 78' Stingray and o'boy! It sounds good! it was worth the wait!

thanks, Johnny. You're such a nice guy too.

Totally Awesome

Thanks, I have never tried one. 👍🏼

That is one good looking stingray bass

I enjoy telling the story of how I stumbled onto Stingray basses. Knowing nothing of the rich history of this bass, I only bought it because it matched my Cutlass in firemist silver. Only afterwards did I realize how good of a deal and choice I'd actually made.The roasted maple necks and fretboards are outstanding features that add to the overall comfort these guitars are already known for. Very happy with both of them and certainly won't be parting with them anytime soon.

I'm hoping to make a stingray purchase very soon!!!

I think i'm gonna save to get a MusicMan. I originally wanted a Fender Jazz Bass but that bass just makes me want to play.

I've got 6 Fender basses which they're great for Punk, why I got them.....but I'll agree Music Man is perfect for Funk- Slap and why I gotta get one now getting into Parliment, Funk. Just subscribed- great playing- love the owl man! My Country Uncle got the same 🦉

I bought one took it home plugged it in and then sound was so Amazing that I fell backwards onto my bed and teared up. A Must have Bass Guitar. Peace…

Leo made them in '75, and introduced them in '76. I have a '77 that I bought used YEARS ago, and it remains my fave. I have people still tell me to this DAY that nothing sounds like it.

Impressive😮

💪🎸😎❤️Thank you

That SLAP is so....... EPIC!!!

It is the bass that speaks, it has a voice.

Johnny would u do a video on what u went through to get this MM? Would love to hear the story behind her!!

EBMM Stingrays are incredible. But, in truth, the SBMM Stingrays are also incredibly well made, and fantastic sounding basses, as well.

great sharing

I own two stingrays and they're spectacular

Nate Watts used a music man on Stevie Wonder's "do I do". I always knew it was a music man just from listening to it. But Nate confirmed on a video that it was infact a music man sting ray. You can hear the difference between the Sting rays and Jazz basses and precision's. Very distinct.

I have a 2004 single pup and I love it Johnny. Got it for 600 bucks

I love the musicman logo with the 2 musicians, would be cool if they were 2 actual players

When I want to hear a killer stingray bass, I come to this video

My opinion is that Musicman is the very best bass for slap style, they just have the best sound when you pluck and when you thump and they have that beautiful growl.

but SHADAKHAKA and the leaf falls xD I CANNOT

I just bought a Sterling Ray5. How do you have your bass EQ and volume set? I’ve read that MM bass with pre-amp should be set at 1/2 volume. Also I how do you EQ your amp for the MM? Thank you sir!

Love it!!. That bass is so beautiful!!. Great sound, open, bright, tight and fat.That amp to!. Perfect match. 15 inch fat bottom. You got it!.

Man I love your energy and your tones brother. That Stingray is an absolute thing of pure beauty. What finish was that? It looks like it was a white colour and has faded to tobacco yellow from bar gigs. I would crawl across broken glass for an original Pre Ernie Ball Stingray, but for now my 2005 OLP Stingray will have to do. Cheers from Australia!

Damn! I have to sell my soul for one of those! Was eyeing one here locally since there are few in my country, and unfortunately it got sold;( They sound insane!

Your videos make me want to keep buying more basses though!

Hey , is that the original pickup? I bought a 1979 white stingray new and it came with a black pickup. Always been my favorite. Came with a leather Musicman strap and case, all for $500. Those were the days.

Wooohooo you kick ass sir

You blew the neighborhood away!

The man can play!!

ohhh my amp! too bad I never got the matching speaker, it looks awesome!

Me spending 3minutes tryna figure out if the owl is real

Is that were the style came from for "The Model 32 Flebass" i wonder ?

So true

Hey Johnny Lee... for that nasteeeee, if you had to choose between the Sterling Musicman Ray34 ('bout $800) and the Schecter Stiletto Studio 4 ('bout $800) which would you grab and why?

He was playing an Alembic series 1 bass.