Up for sale is an absolute powerhouse of a bass with unmatched mojo;

- an authentic late 1978 Pre-Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay !!

If you are looking for a pristine museum piece to put under glass, this isn’t it. But if you want a structurally rock-solid, incredibly reliable vintage road warrior that delivers the exact record-making tone of the late '70s, this is your bass.

The Electronics & Date Codes (The Holy Grail):
This bass still features the highly coveted, original black epoxy-covered 2-band active preamp paired with the original humbucker pickup. The electronics work flawlessly—it is dead quiet, punchy, and provides that legendary, aggressive StingRay growl that made these basses famous.

• Potentiometer Codes: The original pots are correct and date to 1978, reading 13778XX.
• Solder Joints: The solder joints appear to be original and untouched.

Authentication & Date Stamps:
To verify its authenticity, the neck and body have been carefully checked.

• Neck Heel Stamp: Features a November 14, 1978 factory date stamp
• Body Pocket Stamp: Features the matching 1978 factory pocket stamp (day and month hard to read)

Recent Professional Repairs (Read Carefully):
Like many late-'70s StingRays, the original truss rod eventually seized. To make this bass a reliable tool for the next few decades, it was sent to a professional luthier for a truss rod repair.

• During the repair, a common pressure crack running from the truss rod bullet opening, underneath the nut, and into the first fret fingerboard field was attended, glued and fully stabilized. Please see a detail picture of the current appearance.
• It is almost impossible to detect that a repair was performed, the back of the neck and the skunk stripe where finished to match the overall vintage appearance. The neck is now structurally bulletproof, the truss rod turns perfectly in both directions, and the bass sets up with beautifully low, buzz-free action. The repair is solid and does not affect playability or comfort when moving past the nut.
• To permanently eliminate the notorious "neck shift" common to vintage 3-bolt Music Man designs, two additional screw holes were cleanly drilled by a previous owner through the neck plate, body, and neck heel. The bass is now securely mounted via a rock-solid 5-screw setup. The joint is incredibly tight, drastically improving tuning stability, sustain, and structural rigidity.

Condition & Wear:
This bass has plenty of genuine, honest player wear. It features finish checking, dings, scuffs, and natural aging across the body and neck from years of real stage use. Please study the numerous pictures posted. The Frets have plenty of life left on them, and all hardware functions exactly as it should.

Case:
Ships in its era-correct, unbranded rectangular black Tolex hard-shell case with a black plush interior. The case shows exterior wear but all latches work great and it protects the bass perfectly.

Priced according to condition, which may not be good enough for the collection, but certainly will satisfy any real bass player.