When looking at classic bass tones you have your Fenders (P and J), the Rickenbacker sound, and, the subject of today’s article, the Music Man Bass sound. 

In this article, we’ll be referring to the pickups as the 'MM' pickups, as that is how it’s most commonly referred to in the pickup industry. 

The MM bass pickup introduced in the Stingray bass became the first choice for bass legends like Louis Johnson, Flea, John Deacon, and Tony Levin.

The MM gave these players something that they weren’t able to get before. 

It could be brighter and punchier than most of the other options available at the time. This made it particularly attractive to players who favored a more percussive playing style.

But the MM pickup could do a lot more than slap, thanks to the 2 band preamp in the Stingray, they turned out to be able to cover a wide tonal range. And the rest, as they say, is history. 

In this article, we’ll learn a bit more of the history of the MM bass to uncover what’s made it so special and help you decide if it’s the right pickup for you. 

A Brief History of the Music Man Bass

The Music Man StingRay bass is an iconic instrument that emerged in the mid-70s, revolutionizing the bass guitar landscape. In 1976, Leo Fender, Tom Walker, and Forrest White came together to form Music Man, aiming to create innovative instruments that pushed boundaries.

Yes, Leo Fender, the creator of the P Bass and J Bass, was also there at the beginning of Music Man. 

Turns out that after selling Fender Musical Instruments to CBS in the mid-60s, he was under a non-compete clause. By the early 70s, Leo was ready to rock’n roll again, and that’s how he got involved with Music Man. 

The StingRay bass debuted in 1976, marking a departure from Leo’s traditional bass designs. It boasted a bold, sleek appearance with its distinctive oval pickguard and a single large humbucking pickup with an internal preamp powered by a 9v battery. 

The bass was a hit among musicians across genres due to its exceptional playability and tonal range. Its active electronics, equipped with a powerful preamp, allowed for a wide spectrum of tones, from punchy and aggressive to warm and mellow.

Over the years, the StingRay bass underwent subtle modifications, including neck variations, pickup configurations, and aesthetic updates. Despite these changes, its fundamental design and tonal characteristics remained more or less consistent, solidifying its status as a go-to instrument for bass players everywhere.

It's all about the punch

The StingRay’s tone was in large part due to the design and placement of its single humbucking pickup with large pole pieces. 

This design helped the instrument have a unique voice compared to Leo’s previous inventions. Originally, the P and J Bass had the design intent to be an easier-to-play and amplified version of an acoustic bass. 

With the StingRay, over 20 years of music had gone by, and bass players were finding new and innovative ways of playing the instrument. 

And this is the world in which Leo designed his new instrument. It was meant to be more responsive to how it was played. 

This is also why one of the defining characteristics of the MM pickup is its punch. In more technical terms, the transient attack of the MM pickups was faster when compared to a P or J Bass, which gave it a different feel when playing. 

The original MM pickup

The original MM pickup was a humbucking design with an alnico-5 magnet and 8 pole pieces that were much larger than what was used on Fender basses. 

When used without a preamp, an MM pickup with vintage specifications can be described as clear, and punchy, with a slight scoop in the mids, and higher output than what you would get from other vintage voiced pickups. 

It doesn’t have an extended range, and it doesn’t have super high highs or low lows. Rather its tone is focused in the mids. This is one of the reasons why it worked so well in the context of a mix. 

And when paired with its onboard preamp, it made for a very flexible combo. By boosting the highs you can get some extra sparkle without sounding harsh, and add a beefier bottom end that doesn’t get too muddy. 

The modern-day MM pickup

As you might imagine, a lot has happened since the mid 1970s, and even though the original tone of the Stingray is still sought after, MusicMan and many other pickup builders have taken the original design and taken it in several different directions. 

Music Man still makes some pickups that are close to the originals for their Classic series, but they also developed some pickups with different types of magnets that have some different characteristics. 

To give you a general idea, here are some of the variations in pickups from MusicMan in the last 47 years.

Alnico MM pickups are the ones closest to the original design. They have the punch and smoothness of the 70s Stingray bass. 

Ceramic MM pickups were brought in sometime in the 80s, and they tend to have higher output and more bite in the high end. 

Neo-MM pickups are an option in the modern production StingRay. They use a neodymium magnet which is much stronger than alnico or ceramic magnets. These pickups have an even higher output and tend to have an extended frequency range, which means more presence in both the higher and lower end of the frequency spectrum. 

Keep in mind that this is a general categorization as there have been changes in the construction of MM pickups that go beyond just the change in magnet type. Also, how these pickups sound in the StingRay and other MM-equipped basses have changed due to the design of its onboard preamps which have also seen several revisions. 

The MM Pickup is an expansive tonal platform

Just like the P and J pickup designs that have been adopted and used by other bass manufacturers, so has the MM pickup. 

Lakland, Warwick, and even Fender have used the MM pickup as a foundation for some of their basses. Of course, since they are used in a different position on the body of the bass, they inevitably sound different than on a StingRay. 

The MM pickup can sound amazing in a host of different scenarios. Some manufacturers have used it to great success in an MM/P, MM/J, and MM/MM configuration to find new tonal combinations. 

Also, different manufacturers have used the same casing as the original MM, but designed pickups that deviate significantly from the original design to create totally different-sounding pickups. 

Great sounding Music Man Bass pickup options

As mentioned in the previous section, many manufacturers have used the MM design as a starting point and taken the design in entirely different directions. Here is a sample of some MM pickups to give you an idea of where you can go tonally with them.

NORDSTRAND BIG BLADEMAN 4: a legendary Tool of choice

The Big Blademan has a cool backstory. It was designed by Carey Nordstrand to fit a custom bass that he was building for Justin Chancellor from the band Tool. 

Chancellor is famous for using Wal basses. Wal’s have a unique multi-coil pickup configuration combined with a filter-type preamp which gives them their unique sound. 

The Big Blademan was designed to offer a bit of the flavor of the Wal pickup, but also combine it with a more traditional type of construction for added punch and warmth. 

The result was a pickup that combines some of the best elements of a Wal, StingRay, and a clarity that is unique to the Nordstrand design. 

DELANO JAY-RAY 4: The best of both worlds

Are you one of those bass players who love their MM bass AND their J Bass?

Well, Delano created the perfect pickup for you. 

The Jay-Ray is essentially a J Bass pickup and half of a traditional MM pickup fitted into the chassis of an MM pickup. 

With its flexible wiring configuration, you can use the J side, the MM side, and both coils together in series or parallel. 

So if you want your J and your MM tones on the same bass, this pickup is a great way to get them. 

BARTOLINI MM42CBJD3: The OG MM upgrade pickup

These are the pickups that were originally designed by Bartolini to be fitted into Lakland basses.

They ceramic bar magnet pickups are a different design than a traditional MM pickup. Their main feature is that they allow you to use either of the sides of the pickup, while still being completely silent since it is a 4 coil design. 

These pickups are versatile, and if you add a couple of switches, you’ll find that you might be able to get LOTS of tones.

SEYMOUR DUNCAN SMB-4A: The vintage voiced option

This pickup is a great option if you’re going after the traditional StingRay tone. It’s been used by many players as a replacement for OLP basses and other basses equipped with MM pickups on the more affordable end of the price spectrum. 

The SMB-4A uses an alnico magnet and it’s humbucking design is close to the design of the original StingRay pickup. If you’re after the classic MM tone, the SMB4-a should be in your short list of pickups to try. 

Conclusion

The MM pickup has made it’s mark in the world of electric bass as we know it. Not only due to the innovative and awesome sounding tones of the original pickups on the Stingray, but also as a platform that has inspired many pickup designers to explore the possibilities of the instrument to improve on the original. 

Understandably, it can be a bit of a challenge to choose the pickup that will be right for your bass project. That’s why you can always give us a call to talk to a real human, or shoot us an email with all of your questions. There are many things to consider when choosing your MM pickup, so reach out and we’ll be happy to help you find the right parts for you to reach your tone goals. We carry 14 different 4 String Music Man Pickups and 16 different 5 String Music Man Pickups.