Stingray or MAGIC Ray 34?

[slopeshoulder]

I recently "get" the Stingray thing. Big time.

People I respect have told me that while the quality is always high, the wood varies and you do you have to search for the right one for you.
The other day for a laugh I picked up the Sterling series Ray34 and it was the best SR I've played! It was light as a feather, sustained forever, resonant as hell, played like butta and had all the growl and grind I could want, with minimal clank. I compared it to my promo J and several other American SR's and still loved it.
I know, use what you love and trust your ears, but am I missing something? Is there a reason I shouldn't get it? Are the pickup, pre, hardware, workmanship, finish sub par? Will I regret it? I always get top gear, after regretting buying facsimiles in the past, but this little cheapo was amazing.

Please get me off the fence.
Am I nuts?

[TheBasicBassist]

You're nuts for not having that bass in your possession right now; I'll tell you that. :-P

[Jim C]

The Ray34 is a great bass and light weight examples are not all the prevelant.
The few that I tried were as heavy as the real deal in spite of being made of swamp ash.
Other than weight, the only other item is that you can buy a used SR for between $650-750 on the low end and it will not depreciate; the Ray 34 (at about $650) will depreciate some although not much
(IMO/IME)

[steamthief]

Every Ray34 I've picked up is really heavy. Unless you care about what's written on the headstock, what's not to like?

[Staccato]

You said it was "light as a feather." Wish I could demo that one!

[TechJunky]

I've had both a Ray34 and a real Stingray. Both are great basses. The Musicman Stingray does have slightly better quality parts/hardware, and feels better built, but that's not to say the Ray34 feels cheap. It's also a very well built bass, and feels/sounds so very close to the real Stingray that I don't think you can go wrong. As mentioned previously, a used Stingray can get close in price to a new SBMM Ray34, but you'll have to search. Most used Stingrays I've seen tend to go for $850-900 typically for an older model, closer to $1000-1100 for a newer model year. At the low end, that's still $200 more than a new SBMM Ray34, which to some is a lot of money and it may not be easy to make up the difference, so the Ray34 is a fantastic option. Plus, if you look around, you can get a good deal. Wait for one of those 15-20% discounts from a store or check Amazon...I've seen them drop down to $450-550 on occassion (though it's rare and unpredictable).

I've got a SBMM Ray35 on the way btw...I loved the Ray34 so much, and don't have the money for a Stingray 5, and I don't feel I'm getting a "lesser" bass by any means. By the own merit, they are great basses.

[infamusblkdeath]

maybe something is wrong with me, but both stingrays and ray34's don't seem all that heavy to me just lifting the bass alone. of course i don't own one though, so i have no right to justify beyond that, cause i've never played one around my shoulder

[jmattbassplaya]

I own both. Had the Ray34 model been around before I got my US Ray I might never of gotten a US StingRay - it's that good. That said, I love my US Ray and I'll never get rid of it, but I wouldn't feel insecure rocking a Ray34.