1978 Music Man Stingray 1 Natural
Description
No sales tax for customers outside California.
This 1978 Music Man Stingray I is a super cool example of Leo Fender’s innovative post-Fender-era craftsmanship—built during his partnership with Tom Walker and Forrest White at Music Man.
The Stingray I was the solidbody sibling to the Stingray Bass, offering players a powerful humbucker-driven tone, active electronics, and exceptional build quality years ahead of its time.
Featuring a contoured ash body, maple neck, and the distinctive 3+3 headstock, the Stingray I combines vintage feel with forward-thinking design. Its preamp-equipped dual humbuckers deliver massive tone—bright, articulate, and loaded with punch—while the active EQ system provides impressive tonal flexibility for both clean and driven sounds. The high-mass bridge and Schaller tuners contribute to rock-solid sustain and tuning stability.
This example has a cool, aged look to it. It has seen some play, which gives it rad vintage character. A pro refret was performed at some point and a new nut installed. The work was nicely done and the guitar plays great as a result. The action is low, and there is room in the truss rod for future neck relief adjustments.
The pickup leads have been cut, then spliced. The tone selector switch was replaced with a regular potentiometer. The master volume knob was changed out with one that is slightly larger, so it looks like someone widened out the control cavity a couch to accommodate the larger pot. The wiring is off on this one - it doesn't seem to work like a stock one. Be prepared to re-wire it if you want it stock, or just go bananas and customize the electronics how you see fit.
Sold as-is since there are mods.
At Mahar’s Vintage Guitars, every guitar is inspected, photographed accurately, and professionally set up.
Color: Natural
Weight: 8lbs 9oz
Body: Ash
Neck: Maple
Fretboard: Maple
Inlays: Black Dot
Frets: Replaced
Fret Count: 22
Nut: Replaced
Nut width: 1-5/8"
Radius: 12"
Scale: 25.5"
Neck thickness at 1st fret: .83"
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret: .93"
Action 1st String at 12th Fret: 2/32"
Action 6th String at 12th Fret: 2/32"
Overall Length: 41"
Lower Bout: 14"
Waist: 9"
Upper Bout: 11"
Body depth/thickness outside edge: 1-5/8"
String gauge: 10-46
Hardware Color: Chrome, Nickel
Bridge Pickup/Brand: Music Man Humbucker
Original?: Yes
Neck Pickup/Brand: Music Man Humbucker
Original?: Yes
Pickguard: Original
Bridge: Music Man
Tuners: Original Music Man
Knobs: Original
Pots/Codes: Original
Case: None
Notes:
Shipping policy:
There are multiple shipping cost options for purchases made on our site. Select Ground, 3 Day, 2 Day, or Next Day Air Saver. For Reverb purchases, there is one cost option for these Eastern states and shipment will be made by UPS three-day-air. Shipments will require signature on delivery, no exceptions. If there is damage, the buyer must retain all packing materials intact and picture them immediately and send them to . Less than 1% of our shipments are damaged in transit, and we are committed to making sure your item arrives safely, but we are taking these additional measures to make sure you are happy with your purchase.
This 1978 Music Man Stingray I is a super cool example of Leo Fender’s innovative post-Fender-era craftsmanship—built during his partnership with Tom Walker and Forrest White at Music Man.
The Stingray I was the solidbody sibling to the Stingray Bass, offering players a powerful humbucker-driven tone, active electronics, and exceptional build quality years ahead of its time.
Featuring a contoured ash body, maple neck, and the distinctive 3+3 headstock, the Stingray I combines vintage feel with forward-thinking design. Its preamp-equipped dual humbuckers deliver massive tone—bright, articulate, and loaded with punch—while the active EQ system provides impressive tonal flexibility for both clean and driven sounds. The high-mass bridge and Schaller tuners contribute to rock-solid sustain and tuning stability.
This example has a cool, aged look to it. It has seen some play, which gives it rad vintage character. A pro refret was performed at some point and a new nut installed. The work was nicely done and the guitar plays great as a result. The action is low, and there is room in the truss rod for future neck relief adjustments.
The pickup leads have been cut, then spliced. The tone selector switch was replaced with a regular potentiometer. The master volume knob was changed out with one that is slightly larger, so it looks like someone widened out the control cavity a couch to accommodate the larger pot. The wiring is off on this one - it doesn't seem to work like a stock one. Be prepared to re-wire it if you want it stock, or just go bananas and customize the electronics how you see fit.
Sold as-is since there are mods.
At Mahar’s Vintage Guitars, every guitar is inspected, photographed accurately, and professionally set up.
Color: Natural
Weight: 8lbs 9oz
Body: Ash
Neck: Maple
Fretboard: Maple
Inlays: Black Dot
Frets: Replaced
Fret Count: 22
Nut: Replaced
Nut width: 1-5/8"
Radius: 12"
Scale: 25.5"
Neck thickness at 1st fret: .83"
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret: .93"
Action 1st String at 12th Fret: 2/32"
Action 6th String at 12th Fret: 2/32"
Overall Length: 41"
Lower Bout: 14"
Waist: 9"
Upper Bout: 11"
Body depth/thickness outside edge: 1-5/8"
String gauge: 10-46
Hardware Color: Chrome, Nickel
Bridge Pickup/Brand: Music Man Humbucker
Original?: Yes
Neck Pickup/Brand: Music Man Humbucker
Original?: Yes
Pickguard: Original
Bridge: Music Man
Tuners: Original Music Man
Knobs: Original
Pots/Codes: Original
Case: None
Notes:
Shipping policy:
There are multiple shipping cost options for purchases made on our site. Select Ground, 3 Day, 2 Day, or Next Day Air Saver. For Reverb purchases, there is one cost option for these Eastern states and shipment will be made by UPS three-day-air. Shipments will require signature on delivery, no exceptions. If there is damage, the buyer must retain all packing materials intact and picture them immediately and send them to . Less than 1% of our shipments are damaged in transit, and we are committed to making sure your item arrives safely, but we are taking these additional measures to make sure you are happy with your purchase.