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Post subject: Sting bass serial number identification help?
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 7:51 pm
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I thought at one time there was a serial # web page that was posted here. I couldn't find it-- any way I'm trying to date a Sting bass # P 092291- if any one can tell me the year of this bass ?? thanks. :)


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Post subject: Re: Sting bass serial number identification help?
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 10:59 pm
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P+6 is 1993-94


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Post subject: Re: Sting bass serial number identification help?
Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 8:22 am
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Sorry I forgot to mention that the guitar is "Crafted in Japan" not "Made in Japan". I think they changed to "Crafted" in 01 or 02 -- not sure exactly. Thanks for the response.

By the amount of grease on the tuners and overall condition -- I'm going to guess that it's 2008 or newer-- I'm curious to see how my guess turns out.

The Sting bass had the sharp fret ends. I just got done filing them and polishing.
They weren't real bad. That was my first time I filed fret ends on every fret. With care and patience and the right files the job is not all that hard to do. I know how easy it would be to mess things up doing it. If you are in doubt - don't do it. The only thing I maybe could do I think would be to seal up around the ends. Anyone know what I'm talking about? I was thinking a very small drop of clear on them?? Then follow that with a little clean up? I may just let that go though.

Next job: copper shielding and grounding. I have copper tape that I'll use but I wanted to get some opinions. I've had a repair guy tell me that if I overlap the tape enough that I don't need to solder. I've actually done it both ways. I'm just wondering though what the knowledge base in the audience thinks.. ??

Another question is--- will a HMV bridge (string thru body) fit the Sting bass?
I don't think I'm crazy about the 2 saddle bridge.

Okay everybody skate!!!! :D


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Post subject: Re: Sting bass serial number identification help?
Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 10:37 am
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A couple of things-

You can shield a Sting bass to a point, but the pickup is still a single coil and it is above any shielding in the bass cavities. I don't think oyou are going to be able to quiet down a Sting bass in a buzzy environment.

Overlapping copper tape is perfectly fine when shielding anything.

I use aluminum tape, because its cheap, with great results.

The two- piece bridge is part of the sound of a Sting bass, since it is a copy of a 1954 Precision, you may want to maintain its unique sound.

I can get mine intonated fairly close by slanting the bridge saddles.

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Post subject: Re: Sting bass serial number identification help?
Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 1:15 pm
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I understand the shielding thing. I've already lined the PU route and am working on the electronics cavity. I guess I'll go ahead and finish and run grounds. It can't hurt I guess.

I was wondering about the bridge. I'm going to start out by keeping it on the guitar. I did notice the "woody" tone of the bass. It had flat wounds on it. I'll be putting rotos on it. I noticed a pronounce angle of the saddles.

The frets are pretty soft. They seem like nickel.
I have taken the guitar apart- all but the tuners- no need to do that.
I used McGuiers swirl mark and scratch remover for dark finishes on it after I rubbed out some scratches with the white rubbing compound. That combo works really well.
The Sting is my project of the day for awhile here. It's the most fun part of getting a used bass--making it the best looking and playing that I can. I still need to pin down the year of the bass.


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Post subject: Re: Sting bass serial number identification help?
Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 10:21 am
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I found out the year of my bass is listed as 99- 02----- so since The Sting came out in 01 it may be safe to think that my Sting is an 01 or an 02.( My smartness level is top shape today.) NOW I'm not knowing which year is the real deal. I kind of think the fact of having a first year Sting bass in pretty nice shape is cool. I'm just like that about first year guitars. I kind of hope it isn't though because I want to hack a bunch of holes into it for a phonelic guard (black) that I've never used. Black looks better on the bass to me.
I'm just mulling the thought around of drilling holes in a first year (possible) Sting and my head hurts. Any opinions?


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Post subject: Re: Sting bass serial number identification help?
Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 12:56 pm
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I'm leaning that way. I'm actually thinking of just leaving the guard off all together. It's a big guard.

I just strung it up with extra long 45-105 stainless Rotosounds. I put a 22k cap in it (from Fender noiseless Strat PU set). When I played it at the store it had about as much tone as a piece of meat. It had old flatwounds on it and that made me a bit hesitant but I'm glad I got it. It has a strong sound with the Rotos. Not the best sustaining bass I have but it makes up for it in that it has the good gut tone I like. Now I'm going to set the intonation and that usually makes them sound even better.

I'm wondering now if I should file slots in the saddles to keep the string spacing good. I can see that with the 2 saddle bridge that I'll have to jack up the inside (A and D strings) of the saddles. The flatwounds did not hold their place on the saddles. They slid down towards the low side. The round wound rotos have some grip though. I'm waiting to see what they do when I set it up.

All in all - I like the Sting bass so far. A nice addition to the group of cool basses I already have. The list in my sig below is just my Fender equiptment.


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Post subject: Re: Sting bass serial number identification help?
Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 1:10 pm
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I wouldn't file the saddles. Smooth bridge saddles will help you adjust the intonation b/c the strings sill have to pass over at an angle as you tilt the bridge saddles to get the intonation close.

It is not going to be exact intonation with this bridge.

Taking off the pickguard etc. is up to you. I think the bass looks better with the pg on because you will notice a wiring route under the pickguard that is visible with it off and if you are going to shield the bass, you should put copper tape in this route which will make it pretty ugly when its exposed.

I was also going to say that i thought these basses were a post-2000 model, so your research just confirmed my suspicions.

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Post subject: Re: Sting bass serial number identification help?
Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 3:30 pm
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There is no need for me to slot the saddles as the strings do not move when I play it. There is enough tension on the rotos to hold them in place. They are pretty stiff strings to begin with. The intonation is as close as I can get it but not perfect. That's okay-- only someone with super perfect pitch would notice the slight shift in tune. They would say" look at that guy playing that piece of junk!!" HA!!- I doubt that will happen. The bass sounds very nice with the stock pickup and the red/maroon 22k cap I put on it.

note**** from"Guitar Electronics For Musicians" by Donald Brosnac c 1983 Wise Publications ---PAGE 54 "The value of a capacitor determines the amount of treble cut of a common tone control. A high value capacitor can produce a bassier tone , i.e. less treble than a lower value (capacitor).....


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Post subject: Re: Sting bass serial number identification help?
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 5:43 pm
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I have an early Sting p-bass too! I put covers on it cause I thought it looked better that way. I also took the original bridge off of it and put one on with the same hole pattern as the original. This way I can put the original one back on if needed in the future. I wanted to be able to intonate every string exactly. Since I have covers on the PU and Bridge, you can't tell I changed it.

I find my Sting p-bass to be very quiet. I use planet wave cables.

This bass is very growly, and I just love its tone and sound! It's all original electronics sound great to me.

I would recomend that you change the bridge to be able to better intonate your bass. You can always put it back if you don't like it!

Anyways, that's my 2 cents worth!

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Post subject: Re: Sting bass serial number identification help?
Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 7:57 pm
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Please tell me which bridge you put on your Sting-- someone said a HMV would fit it with the same screw holes. Is that the one you have?? I think I may want to do that.


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Post subject: Re: Sting bass serial number identification help?
Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 8:03 am
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stroker vance wrote:
Please tell me which bridge you put on your Sting-- someone said a HMV would fit it with the same screw holes. Is that the one you have?? I think I may want to do that.


I'll look it up and get back to you on it. I do remember that it was a gold colored one!

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