If you’re a bassist who lives for deep pocket grooves, you already know the name Pino Palladino. Now, Ernie Ball Music Man is celebrating this bass legend with something truly special – the Pino Palladino StingRay Bass Collection. Whether you’re chasing that iconic fretless warmth or looking for a fretted workhorse with heritage baked in, this drop is for you.
This collection features two Artist Series StingRay models (fretted and fretless) and one ultra-limited masterpiece – the Pino Palladino Icon Series StingRay Bass, a spot-on recreation of his original 1979 fretless StingRay. Only 15 of these Icon Series basses will be made for the entire world. Yeah, you read that right. Fifteen.
The Artist Series StingRays are more than signature models, they’re tone machines designed to reflect Pino’s legendary sound, feel, and playability. Both fretted and fretless versions are crafted with:
- Poplar body in a ’79 Burst finish—pure vintage vibes
- Dark-tinted hard rock maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard
- A custom asymmetrical neck carve for a smooth, broken-in feel
- A vintage-style Alnico humbucker and hand-wired 2-band preamp, voiced with a 500k treble pot just like Pino’s original—this is where the magic happens
And it doesn’t stop there. Music Man went full detail mode:
- Brass saddles on a string-through-body bridge, plus adjustable mute pads
- Bullet truss rod and 3-bolt neck plate with micro-tilt
- GraphTech NuBone nut for rock-solid tuning
- Fretted model comes loaded with Pino Signature Flatwound Strings
- Fretless version ships with custom Slinky Nickel Wounds: .036, .055, .065, .090
- Both models arrive in a premium MONO gig case with a custom Artist Series neck plate
The Icon Series: Collector-Level Craftsmanship
Now, let’s talk about the Icon Series—this one is a museum piece that wants to be played. It’s a painstaking recreation of Pino’s personal ’79 fretless StingRay, from tone circuit to battle scars. Think:
- Original vintage tooling
- Hand-applied nitro lacquer finish
- Media tumbling, oxidation, and relic distressing for that road-worn mojo
- Hand-voiced electronics and insane attention to detail at every step
From wood selection to final setup, this is custom shop-level artistry aimed straight at players who want both feel and collectability. It’s the kind of bass you keep for life.
Avalability
The Artist Series StingRay Basses (fretted and fretless) are available now through authorized Ernie Ball Music Man dealers.
The Icon Series is limited to just 15 pieces worldwide and can be found through select dealers and the Ernie Ball Music Man Vault.
Learn More
Want to dive deeper into specs, availability, or just stare at these beauties a little longer? Head over to www.music-man.com.
