With the Music Man StingRay 40th Anniversary "Old Smoothie" BFR Translucent Cream, the company from San Luis Obispo, California, presents a very special interpretation of the popular anniversary model. Based on a detailed reproduction of the StingRay prototype number 26, the Ball Family Reserve (BFR) four-string has an alder body in an elegant translucent cream finish and a screwed roasted birdseye maple neck with rosewood fretboard trim. Of course, the striking 10 pole piece humbucker with active 2-band tone control is also on board to reproduce the typical sound.
The construction of the StingRay 40th Anniversary "Old Smoothie" BFR Translucent Cream follows the specifications of the original "Old Smoothie" from the 1970s, but relies on a refined choice of wood. Accordingly, the elegant Translucent Cream Finish conceals an alder body with the exact contours of the legendary prototype. An absolute highlight is the sixfold screwed neck made of Roasted Birdseye Maple, whose intensive grain is emphasized by the thermal treatment. At the same time, the neck is insensitive to climatic fluctuations. Thanks to the authentic profile, the Music Man Old BFR Old Smoothie also lies perfectly in the hand, so that every note can be heard comfortably on the precious rosewood fingerboard.
The pickup on the Music Man StingRay 40th Anniversary "Old Smoothie" BFR is of course the detailed reproduction of the "Old Smoothie" pickup, which immediately catches the eye due to its unusual design and significantly shapes the sound of the bass. The 10 Pole Piece Humbucker has ten Alnico rod magnets arranged in pairs, between which the strings are guided along. In this way, the electric bass on the amplifier delivers the typical Vintage StingRay sound, whose smooth tonal articulation and rich bass foundation bring every note to life. In addition, there is an active 2-band tone control for adjusting the bass sound, whose voicing is perfectly tuned to "Old Smoothie".
In addition, the Music Man StingRay 40th Anniversary "Old Smoothie" BFR is equipped with hardware that is based on the prototype. The classic stainless steel Music Man bridge sits on the body, but the strings are guided through the body to exert more pressure on the string riders. In addition, the bridge has four mute pads that dampen string vibrations when needed. On the headstock, the shape of which has been exactly modelled on the original, indestructible Schaller BM tuners ensure a precise and reliable tuning. An authentic reminiscence of the original "Old Smoothie" bass is the Humbucker's two-piece cap, which is held together by a strip of black adhesive tape.