About Sterling Basses...

[Sceptical1]

Hey guys, I've been saving forever for a new bass from Sterling (the company owned by musicman). The basses are very nice and I've tried a few at guitar center. They're made in Indonesia and assembled in America; hence the great quality but lower price. Up until recently, I've had my heart set on the ray34 in white, which is the sterling version of the Stingray. However, recently Sterling announced the ray34ca, which is like the sterling version of the Stingray classic. I'm torn between these two and I'm wondering which you think I should get. I really like the maple neck of the 34ca but at the same time I like the distinctive look of the black on white ray34. I also have to consider that the ray34ca is 2 band while the ray34 is 3 band. What's the difference there and which do you like? Besides the aesthetics and difference of the electronics, what else might be different? Which would you choose? Thanks!

Oh and I forgot to put links to the two lol:
http://www.sterlingbymusicman.com/ray34 - Ray34 in white with rosewood board
http://www.sterlingbymusicman.com/ray34ca - ray34 ca in sunburst with maple board

[Double Agent]

I haven't played the Ray34ca, but have played the MM Stingray Classic, which the ca is supposed to be based on. The 2-band pre on the Classic gives a more old-school Stingray tone, punchy and smooth. The 3-band is a little more aggressive and grindy to my ears, more of a modern tone. The simple answer is to play both, or at least play the Musicman versions of each one, and see which is more to your liking.

[Sceptical1]

hmmm, well I've played a music man classic and a ray 34, and i liked the classic better. But then again, that may be a quality difference so I think I'll compare a music man stingray to a music man classic so I'll have a more balanced opinion. I do happen to like simplicity and maple necks... maybe the 34 ca is better for me? At the same time I really like the white and black lol.

[Sifl]

If it were me, the CA would be my choice. 1.5" width at the nut and that mint green is awesome.

[Sceptical1]

Originally Posted by Sifl

If it were me, the CA would be my choice. 1.5" width at the nut and that mint green is awesome.

I definitely know what you mean, i love mint green. However I already have a mint green danelectro . But yeah, is the 1.5 width like a jazz bass width sorta?

Oh I see, the 1.5" width on the classic is a jbass width, and on the regular there's a p bass width. I prefer jbass necks, my mind may be made up.

[Down_Low]

Originally Posted by Sceptical1

Hey guys, I've been saving forever for a new bass from Sterling (the company owned by musicman).

Sterling By Music Man are not owned by EBMM, just licensed by them.

Like someone said, try both. I'm very tempted by the new CA version myself tho!

[Sceptical1]

Originally Posted by Down_Low

Sterling By Music Man are not owned by EBMM, just licensed by them.

Like someone said, try both. I'm very tempted by the new CA version myself tho!

Oh like OLP. Hopefully sterling doesn't shut down like them then . Yeah, the CA looks really nice.

[bassplayer1494]

i own a Ray34 in honeyburst and i love the neck on it. sounds good too although i prefer the 2 band over the 3 band. if the ca had the same neck profile as the standard ray34's id be all over it

[Red Lobsta]

i really had my heart set on buying a sterling until i tried one out and came to the realization that prefer playing by the neck more often than the bridge, but the regular ray 34 did have a good tone and i was still considering buying one but bought an amp instead

[Duke21]

My step son have a EBMM ray34. While we've been to the London bass show he tried a Sterling Ray34. He said that it felt like a EBMM ray34 and sounded like a EBMM ray34.

[Aspidites]

I say buy a used US made EBMM instead of an import which by the way are not assembled in the US.

[Sceptical1]

Hmm, I didn't really think about it, but i guess some of the used are the same price as the sterlings...