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The Pino Palladino Icon Series StingRay Bass is a meticulously crafted, exact replica of Pino’s legendary 1979 fretless StingRay, limited to just 15 pieces worldwide. Built using many period-correct parts and materials, this bass features a full nitrocellulose gloss finish and a broken-in feel, with every dent, ding, and scrape painstakingly replicated to capture the true character of this road-worn icon. The poplar body and slab rosewood fretboard capture the tone and character of Pino’s original, while the dark-tinted maple neck has the same unique asymmetrical carve that transitions from a V on the bass side to a C on the treble side, just like the bass he purchased in 1981.

This model includes genuine New Old Stock bridge plates from the late 70s, complete with serial numbers close to Pino’s original bass. It also features brass saddles, a GraphTech NuBone nut with meticulously sanded and softened shoulders, and a perfectly placed water decal on the headstock, matching the irregular position of Pino’s original. The string tree is precisely located between the D and G strings, as it was on his bass.

The pickup and preamp have been faithfully recreated to match the tone of Pino’s original electronics, using period-correct components and designs to capture the same warmth, clarity, and dynamic response that defined his early recordings. StingRay enthusiasts will appreciate the attention to detail, including the use of a 500k treble pot in place of the original 1 Meg, matching Pino’s bass.

To further capture the spirit of his instrument, each bass comes with a large replica Wales Rugby Bobblehead sticker on the back, a nod to Pino’s personal touch. The back of each headstock is hand-signed by Pino Palladino himself, making each piece truly one-of-a-kind. The bass comes in a premium G&G case with a black shell and gold fur lining, along with vintage-inspired case candy including a Certificate of Authenticity, Allen wrenches, and a yellow polish cloth.

This is more than a bass—it’s a piece of history, capturing the unmistakable tone and feel of a true icon

Only 15 available worldwide.

Pino Palladino Icon Series Logo

OPTIONS

Aged 79 Burst

Your Custom Options:

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Color:
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Build Code
000-00-00-00

Pino Palladino Icon Series Highlights

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Pino Palladino Icon Series Highlight
Rosewood Fretless Neck
Dark-tinted hard rock maple neck with a slab rosewood fretless fingerboard
Pino Palladino Icon Series Highlight
Custom Hand Shaped Nut
1.686" wide, the meticulously hand-shaped Graphtec Nubone nut duplicates Pino’s modification to enhance tone, volume, and harmonics.
Pino Palladino Icon Series Highlight
Active Micropowered Preamp
The 9-volt 2-eq preamp is a hand-soldered circuit board with period correct components and CTS Pots (500K treble pot rather than 1 meg, just like Pino's) voiced to replicate the tone of Pino's aged preamp.

"In 1981, I think, I was in NY on my first tour of America with my good friend Jools Holland. I walked into Sam Ash Music store and saw this fretless Music Man bass up on the wall. It looked so cool. They unlocked the bass so I could try it, and I plugged it in. I immediately felt like I could play it, and the intonation felt pretty good. I ran back to the hotel, found my tour manager, and told him that I needed $350 immediately. He wasn’t thrilled about it but came up with it eventually. I ran back to the store and bought the bass. I played it that night on the gig that we had. Since I bought that bass, it really changed my career. I became known as a fretless bass player… I used that bass exclusively on nearly all the recordings I did from 81 - 95/96."

- Pino Palladino

Vintage Style Alnico Pickup

Custom humbucking pickup with 5/8" tall alnico 5 magnets wound with original 42 gauge wire along with the custom 2EQ preamp, provides the same warmth, clarity, and dynamic response of the original bass.

String-Through Body Bridge

The Pino Palladino icon series basses utilize new old stock pre-Ernie Ball Music Man® chrome bridge plates, equipped with brass saddles and stainless steel spring mutes. These NOS original late 70s bridge plates have serial numbers within the range of Pino's original bass.

3-bolt neckplate with micro-tilt adjustment.

The 3-bolt chrome-plated neck plate uses the original Music Man logo stamp that was used on the original neck plates. These 3-bolt plates include a micro-tilt adjustment that allows for adjustments to the neck angle without needing shims. Firm neck and neck pocket tolerances ensure a tight fit with no shifting.

Bullet Truss Rod

The original pre-EB StingRay bullet truss rod adjustment ensures proper neck action.

Classic Original Music Man Logo

Period-appropriate antique gold Music Man waterslide decal is precisely positioned on the headstock, aligning with the unconventional placement of Pino’s original bass

Asymmetric Neck

The back profile toward the bass side of the neck has a strong “V” shape. It softens to a rounder “C” profile near the treble side of the neck for a more accurate custom playing experience under the fingertips.

A Faithful Recreation

Hand-selected one-piece poplar body blanks were chosen for their specific weight and appearance characteristics to match Pino's original bass. The “79 Burst” Sunburst bodies and fretless rosewood necks were then sprayed with nitrocellulose lacquer to replicate the period-correct finishing techniques.

The Difference Is In The Details

At Music Man, the arduous task at hand was capturing the entire essence of this instrument one hundred percent. Staying true to the original, every nick, paint chip, and blemish was painstakingly examined and recreated by our skilled team of artisans and master craftsmen.

FROM THE FACTORY FLOOR

WOODWORKING

The manufacturing methods for this unique bass took careful consideration in order to properly match the aesthetic, feel, and performance of Pino Palladino’s beloved fretless StingRay. The one-piece Poplar bodies were thoroughly graded and weighed to ensure a match of the original, while the neck woods were hand picked to match the grain structure and color hues necessary. Ensuring the accuracy of the final product required a master skillset.

PAINT

Nitrocellulose lacquer is a challenging material to handle, apply, and distress properly. The history of this paint and its chemical composition is fascinating. It is heavily sought after in the guitar world because of its truly living and breathing qualities which help support the resonance and natural frequencies of the instrument. This is also what makes it so volatile and prone to its beautiful ageing properties. After extensive testing and research, we ensured the paint was as true to the original as possible.

FABRICATION

Utilizing the same tooling that was used when the original bass was made is a privilege and a testament to the legacy of Music Man instruments. Recreating a vintage piece to pay homage to a legendary instrument is no small task. Every detail matters.

ELECTRONICS

The tonal match of the instrument was of the utmost importance, and the pickup and preamp are at the heart of this machine. Through extensive iterations and research into this specific vintage electronics recipe, we left no stone unturned to gain Pino’s stamp of approval.

TUMBLING

Careful use of our media tumbler helps bring out the character of a select few parts involved in the relic process. This is the first step before further oxidation, degradation, and dings by hand are placed in the correct spots of each component.

DISTRESSING

The hand work necessary for each part to come alive is extensive. Nitro lacquer, nickel plating, chrome plating, raw brass, and stainless steel all decay in a different fashion. When all of these pieces are combined, it creates a beautiful vintage aesthetic that helps to tell the story of a well loved and heavily played instrument.

FINAL TOUCHES

The Music Man team was honored to work on such an incredible project that highlights our company’s history and legacy. Our hope is that the love and effort that we have put into these exclusive pieces can be felt and heard by those lucky enough to play one with their own hands.

Specifications, Schematics & More

Specifications Pino Palladino Icon Series
Model Pino Palladino Icon Series
Body Wood One Piece Poplar
Body Finish Nitrocellulose - artificially aged to replicate Pino's exact bass
Body Colors 79 Burst, Aged to replicate Pino's original
Bridge N.O.S. Pre-Ernie Ball Music Man® Chrome Plated, Steel Bridge Plate with Brass Saddles and Stainless Steel Spring Mutes
Pickguard "Aged" 3 ply Black/White/Black
Scale Length 34"
Neck Radius 7.5"
Frets Unlined Fretless
Neck Width 1.686" at Nut; 2.458" at Heel
Neck Wood Maple
Fingerboard Rosewood
Neck Finish "Aged" Nitrocellulose
Neck Colors Dark Orange Tint
Tuning Machines "Aged" Schaller Bass
Truss Rod Traditional Bullet Nut at Headstock, Walnut Skunk Stripe on back of neck
Neck Attachment 3-Bolt period correct, old Music Man stamp
Controls 2-band active preamp, 25k Volume; 500k Treble and 100k Bass
Pickups Late 70s StingRay Voiced (Shorter "Aged" Pole Pieces, flush with cover) with "Aged" Cover
Strings 36w-55w-65w-90w Custom Gauge Ernie Ball Slinky Nickel Wound

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Specifications Pino Palladino Icon Series
Model Pino Palladino Icon Series
Order 0
Size
Body Wood One Piece Poplar
Body Finish Nitrocellulose - artificially aged to replicate Pino's exact bass
Body Colors 79 Burst, Aged to replicate Pino's original
Body Bindings
Bridge N.O.S. Pre-Ernie Ball Music Man® Chrome Plated, Steel Bridge Plate with Brass Saddles and Stainless Steel Spring Mutes
Pickguard "Aged" 3 ply Black/White/Black
Scale Length 34"
Neck Radius 7.5"
Headstock Size
Frets Unlined Fretless
Neck Width 1.686" at Nut; 2.458" at Heel
Neck Wood Maple
Fingerboard Rosewood
Fret Markers
Neck Finish "Aged" Nitrocellulose
Neck Colors Dark Orange Tint
Neck Binding
Tuning Machines "Aged" Schaller Bass
Truss Rod Traditional Bullet Nut at Headstock, Walnut Skunk Stripe on back of neck
Neck Attachment 3-Bolt period correct, old Music Man stamp
Electronic Shielding
Controls 2-band active preamp, 25k Volume; 500k Treble and 100k Bass
Switching
Pickups Late 70s StingRay Voiced (Shorter "Aged" Pole Pieces, flush with cover) with "Aged" Cover
Left Handed
Strings 36w-55w-65w-90w Custom Gauge Ernie Ball Slinky Nickel Wound

Register your Instrument

Why register?

Thanks for choosing Ernie Ball Music Man. By registering your instrument within the initial 12 month warranty period you are entitled to an additional 3 months of warranty coverage. That is 15 total months of factory warranty protection from the initial purchase date.


Registering your instrument, whether or not it is covered under warranty, also provides a record that you owned that particular instrument. In the unfortunate instance that the instrument is lost, stolen or destroyed we can provide you with the serial number if needed.

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Since 1984, Ernie Ball Music Man has been crafting instruments in San Luis Obispo, California.

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