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S.U.B. Club

Why not, there's a club for just about everything else.

SUB.gif
 
I passed on these things when they came out. Recently I played on of those GC Stingray Classics. Although the body took some getting used to, the 2 band EQ I liked.
Different basses in deed.
Re-educate me on the SUBs. Active 2 band ? body wood ? etc. I remember that finish was a little uncomfortable.

I'm looking a few different SUBs right no and wondering they're worth it.

I just got one and its my first EBMM
I have played the Sterling, Stingray and Bongo and loved them all
but cant afford them to say the least (not in the current economy anyway)

Active 2 band (Bass and treble boost)
6 bolt neck
9V active preamp
actually let me cut and past from EBMM:
Size 4-String 13-1/2" wide, 1-5/8" thick, 44-7/8" long
5-String 13-1/2" wide, 1-5/8" thick, 45-1/2" long
Weight 4-String 9 pounds 5 ounces
5-String 10 pounds 1 ounce
(varies slightly)


Wood Selected Poplar
Finish Custom Music Man Textured Finish
Colors Textured Colors Only - White, Black, Teal, Red, Graphite, Blue
Bridge Music Man® chrome-plated, steel bridge plate with stainless saddles
Pickguards Diamond Plate (Aluminum)


Scale 34"
Radius 11"
Headstock 4-String 8-3/4" long
5-String 9" long
Frets 21 - High profile, wide
Width 4-String 1-5/8" at nut, 2-1/2" at last fret
5-String 1-3/4" at nut, 2-3/4" at last fret
Wood Rosewood Fretboard with Black Painted Maple Neck and Headstock
Fingerboard Fretted - Rosewood
Fretless - Pau Ferro without inlaid fretlines.
Finish Black Satin Finish
Tuners Custom Music Man Tuners
Truss rod Adjustable - no component or string removal
Attachment 6 bolts - perfect alignment with no shifting


Controls Passive - volume, treble, and bass
Optional 2-Band Active Preamp - volume, treble, and bass
Pickups MusicMan® Humbucking


Copyright © 2003 Ernie Ball, Inc.
San Luis Obispo, California USA. All rights reserved.

I think mine is a 2006 or 2007 because it has a compensated nut
I cant tell because the serial number sticker was removed by the previous owner.

If the P bass was the Sherman Tank of bassdom
then the Stingray is an M1 Abrams with the SUB
being a Russian T-80 (solid!!)
 
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hiho,I have a SUB in teal,4 string,2 band active,hipshot d-tuner,had it since 03.
I don,t want to big it up too much cause people might want one and drive the prices up .
Some people don,t like the looks of the Sub but I prefer it,s comestics.
Gig wise, it,s just the ticket-great sound,indestructable finish and a complete steal.
Get a bargain-stingray sounds,made in USA for a lot less than the new sterling range.
Do you have to think about it.
 
hiho,great idea but things are very quiet,has there only been a handful ever been built.
Totally underated and a joy to play plus the smirk factor of killer sound at non killer price..
I think they look better than the grandads coffee table ones.
 
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I guess most SUB owners are shy.

This is great bass. It's got a different tone from a ceramic pickup 3-band Stingray or Sterling 5: less midrange, deeper lows, more sizzling highs. If you look at the new Classic Stingray 5 bass, it's the same thing as a SUB 5: slab body, alnico pickup, 2-band, oval pickguard. They just have a nicer finish. So you are paying triple the money (compared to a used SUB) for the finish. I'll keep my SUB and enjoy it, rough finish and all.

SUB2.jpg
 
Bought one today! Black SUB 4 - passive Serial #X15757, with the chinzy looking diamond plate pickguard (that's the first thing to go). I am aready thinking up a name for it. Thus far, "Line-X" is in the running for now. Having no luck finding replacement SUB pickguards, anyone have any advice for me there? Find a few Stingray ones on Ebay, but they all say they won't fit the SUB. Next up might be a new bridge, but I don't mind the stock bridge. When/if I get the time, I'll post a pic. This SUB was in very good shape, and I love the tone so far, even with limited tweaking ability. Its got the Stingray tone I was after, for a whole lot less than the real deal. Makes a nice addition to the family (Squier VM Jazz and Ibanez SRX5) Happy camper thus far.
 
Having no luck finding replacement SUB pickguards, anyone have any advice for me there? Find a few Stingray ones on Ebay, but they all say they won't fit the SUB.

An EB/MM Factory Replacement White Pearloid fit my SUB Sterling like a glove, an I've heard the same about SR4 pickguards - the only problem is the "SUB Oval" five-string models, which are completely different (and IMO far nicer) than the "teardrop" standard StingRay 5... although now that the "Classic" SR5 has the Oval shape as well, perhaps Factory replacement versions for those will fit SUB 5s as well?

My Better Half found a fantastic deal on a near-mint SUB Sterling and bought it as a gift for two reasons: She knew I wanted a 'Ray or Sterling sound in my collection but knew it wasn't my "full-time sound" and wouldn't pay a lot for one, and that it was an awesome color, a Rust Red/Green/Gold "flip-flop" color named "Cinnamon" (which in talking to EB/MM about the D/O/B of my bass informed me that only 100 SUB Guitars and Basses were sprayed that before production was shut down, and quite possibly only 6 SUB Sterlings, so it's a rare bird as well). Once I dialed in the setup the playability and tone have certainly grown on me (although it's still not "My Sound") and it's BR FAR the easiest bass for a non-slapper like me to "slap" on. ;) The shifting of the color is extremely hard to catch in photos but shines in Natural or Stage lighting, but you can try and get the idea from these...

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One day I'd love to pick up a SUB SR5 - for the price I think it's a much better deal (and bass) than the "Sterling by..." line having been built right next to the $1500+ models in SLO.
 
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That's a sweet color, Ian, kind of reminds me of quartzite.

By the way, probably been covered before in other threads, but what does SUB stand for, anyways? or is it one of those make up your own definition? I kind of like Stingray Under Budget, but that's just me.
 
That's a sweet color, Ian, kind of reminds me of quartzite.

Thanks - I truly dig the finish - I have a *thing* for "flip-flops" and would have given a kidney to be able to purchase a Dargie Delight II Bongo 5-string with it's Ebony 'board, Paua/Abalone Inlays, and especially the "Invalid Link Removed" green-to-caramel Iridescent finish. Eh, there's always the used market... and the Lottery. :bawl:

By the way, probably been covered before in other threads, but what does SUB stand for, anyways? or is it one of those make up your own definition? I kind of like Stingray Under Budget, but that's just me.

I've seen it used in literature and online as "Sports Utility Bass" which really makes absolutely no sense when you think about it, but quite honestly I believe that Sterling Ball came up with a good, fitting name for the line with "SUB", and retrofitted an acronym to fit it. IMO, that's why sometimes it's "SUB" and other times it's "S.U.B." - the acronym version came later, and so did the periods ;)
 
Ian, did yours come without the control plate over the pots, or did you remove it?

Sports utility bass makes about as much sense as "Dargie Delight" or SLO Special.:rollno:

Of course, I have heard others say SUBs are so named because they are "substitutes" for the real basses. We don't like people like that, do we?:hmm:
 

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