Calling all owners of a '89(ish) StingRay with a Rosewood board

[liverbird]

Hi guys

I've just bought a Blueburst '89 StingRay. Posted the serial number in the Database thread, and Dan kindly replied confirming the finish. However, according to the records at Ernie Ball, the bass should have a solid Maple neck - but it has a Rosewood board.

Body date stamped Sep 26 1989, neck date stamped Oct 16 1989 (also penciled mark RD.10.15.89). Dan gives a completion date of November 3 1989.

My first thought was maybe necks were switched at some point - and indeed, Dan says it was semi-common that distributors in those days switched necks.

But my other (not so nice) thought was - maybe a previous owner had it reboarded?

When comparing it to my '92 Stingray (which I bought from new) that also has a Rosewood board, I noticed a difference in the positioning of the side dots. On the '92, they're entirely in the Rosewood. On the '89, they're sitting centered on the line where the Rosewood meets the Maple.

Of course, the '92 is a 6-bolt with the truss wheel whereas the '89 is a 4-bolt with the truss adjustment at the nut. So I'm wondering whether other specs like the positioning of the side dots might have changed during those years as well.

It would be great if you let me know where they are on your '89s (or thereabouts) - thanks!

[liverbird]

Forgot to add that the board on the '92 is also a little thicker than on the '89 - by about 1mm throughout the neck.

[liverbird]

No takers?

Apologies if my post was a little confusing...

Basically I'm trying to find out whether the rosewood fingerboard on my '89 Blueburst is original. (The serial number indicates a solid maple neck on the EB database.)

It could be a switched neck, of course, but I noticed a different positioning of the side dots on the '89 as opposed to where they are on my '92.

Like this on the '89 (4-bolt) - on the line where the rosewood meets the maple:



And like this on the '92 (6-bolt) - entirely inside the rosewood:



The '92 is original as I bought it from new.

Your help would be much appreciated!

[Eggman]

Well - if it was a reboard it looks like a good job. I have seen other basses with the side dots half centered. Not sure how EFMM did it back then. Sorry - not much help here.

[bdgotoh]

I sold off my '91 and '89 Stingrays years ago, and I don't remember what the dots were like!

[barginkov]

i have 2 , 89's with maple, and the dots are further back from the ftretboard just like your pics ; on my 90, 92's and 93's the dots are closer to the fretboard, so if the maple necks are that way, im am sure the rosewood boards would be the same spacing, hope that helps

[HornetAMX]

My June 1989 SR5 bass has the side dots on the rosewood. Hope this helps.

[Rod Trussbroken]

IMO...all's ok. Above is a 1987 neck. These are the earlier bullet truss necks and not the necks with the capstan wheel truss adjustment.

[LowDownDave]

I think you're alright. I have an '89 and I believe it looks like your top photo with regards the side dots. I remember this because I also have a late model Ray with a maple board, and when I first brought the '89 to a gig which turned out to be on a pretty dark stage, the side markers were a LOT tougher to see/use for reference. Probably more a comment on my lack of skill than on the design of the '89 ray, but oh well.

Hope that helps!

[chilix]

that is a correct neck, looks just like my '88 and my '89 with rosewood and pau ferro boards respectively, all my late 80s stingrays have the side dots about halfway into the maple part of the neck. Even the maple boards have the dots in the same place from that period. That neck may not be original to that bass but it is definitely a period correct neck.

[Stevepenlan]

Yep. My '88 neck is exactly the same as yours.