Music Man Stingray Signature Pino Palladino Signature Fretless

A Modern Tribute to a Legendary Fretless StingRay

Designed as a faithful recreation of Pino Palladino's flagship instrument, this fretless StingRay captures the spirit of a 1979 bass while adapting to modern demands: consistent manufacturing, stability, and immediate response. It sits at the heart of the StingRay Bass series with a deliberately straightforward approach: an efficient solid body construction paired with meticulously "voiced" electronics to recapture the warmth and authority that have defined countless recordings.

An Expressive Fretless for Stage and Studio

This bass is primarily aimed at intermediate to expert bassists and anyone seeking the expressiveness of a fretless without visual markers on the fingerboard. It excels in soul, R&B, pop, rock, and groove-oriented music where slides need to sing and the midrange must remain clear in the mix. The long 34-inch scale provides a solid low-end foundation, ideal for precise lines and strong note placement.

The Sound

The combination of a poplar body and maple neck delivers a sharp attack and quick response, while the unlined fretless rosewood fingerboard promotes a rounder, vocal, and nuanced tone with that typical "mwah" when manipulating right-hand pressure and position. The late 70s style bridge pickup, paired with the 9 V active 2-band preamp, offers thick lows, silky highs, and a singing midrange: perfect for transitioning from a muted sound to a more cutting presence without losing fretless musicality. Hardware details (pre-EB style bridge, brass nuts, and stainless steel spring mutes) contribute to a more substantial attack and fine sustain control.

Recommended Compatible Accessories

For daily use, you can choose a 4-string long scale bass string set (34-inch scale) with gauges close to the original, as well as a quality 6.35 mm mono instrument jack cable to preserve the active electronics signal. A comfortable strap is also a reliable choice for stage and long sessions.

Technical specifications

Left handed	No	Nbr of strings	4
Strings	Steel	Nbrs of frets	0

Instrument	solid body electric bass	Radius	7.5" / 190.5 mm
Series	StingRay Bass	Inlays	white dots 5/16" / 7.94 mm
Country of origin	USA	Side markers	black dots under fingerboard at fret positions
Construction	solid	Frets	unlined fretless
Wood	poplar	Scale length	34" / 863.6 mm
Color	"79 Burst"	Nut	Graphtec NuBone, width 1.686" / 42.82 mm, meticulously hand-shaped
Finish	polyester	Type	active preamp, passive pickup
Pickguard	3-ply black/white/black	Preamp	9 V, 2-band, CTS potentiometers (500K treble pot instead of 1 M), voicing replicating Pino's aged preamp character
Neck tint	Dark Orange Tint	Bridge pickup	late 70s StingRay recipe (shorter poles, flush with cover)
Joint	3 screws, Pino Palladino signature neck plate	Controls	"Volume, Treble, Bass" (knob lock screws oriented toward player at these settings: Volume 100%, Treble 50%, Bass 50%)
Profile	unique asymmetrical carve (V on low end to C on high end)	Output	mono
Thickness at 1st fret	0.820" / 20.83 mm	Bridge	pre-EB style geometry, chrome steel plate, brass nuts and stainless steel spring mutes
Thickness at 12th fret	0.970" / 24.64 mm	Knobs	knurled brass, chrome finish, flat top
Truss rod	traditional bullet nut at headstock, walnut "skunk stripe" on back	Tuners	Schaller Bass
Neck finish	polyester	Original strings	36w 55w 65w 90w Ernie Ball Slinky Nickel Wound, custom gauge
Headstock color/finish	Dark Maple Tint	Original tuning	E A D G
Material	rosewood	Case	Mono Soft Case