Music Man StingRay

The Music Man StingRay is an electric bass guitar introduced in 1976, co-designed by Leo Fender after his departure from Fender Musical Instruments. It was the first production bass to feature an active onboard preamp, which gave it a punchy, aggressive midrange presence that cuts through dense mixes with unusual clarity. The StingRay's single humbucker pickup and active electronics produce a distinctive snap and growl that made it a favorite of funk and rock bassists. John Taylor of Duran Duran played a Music Man StingRay as his primary bass throughout the band's classic period, and its tone is central to the driving rhythm section on records like Rio and Seven and the Ragged Tiger.