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Are Sterling Stingrays worth buying??

#44
I would say they are in pretty much line with their price, but not great on an absolute level. Spend $100 to $150 on fret work and a nut (or do it yourself if you can), and they're a lot better. If you can get them on blowout/sale, you're better off. The savings will cover the fret and nut work.
 
#46
I bought a SBMM SUB4 as an entry drug into MM Stingray territory. LOVED the sound. I had thought a J was "my sound" but found out the MM Stingray is really what I had been striving for. Anyway, I upgraded the SBMM to a Warmoth build using well Nordstrand PU and East preamp. I added the series/parallel switch.

The Warmoth did not sound the same as the SBMM. SBMM was a thick midrange focus. Very in bass-in-your-face. The Warmoth build is mellower. Less midrange in your face, more balance. More highs and maybe even more deep lows. Tough to tell. In series the two sound a bit more similar but I find I play it in parallel more. I've never owned or played a real Stringray so I can only guess based on what I have.

The neck on the SUB4 is narrow, especially as you move toward the body. Also not all that deep. It is really a small neck overall. FYI.

nbd-1.jpg
 
#48
Danny E said:
Hi all

Are Sterling Stingray sub4 basses worth buying?? I have recently became interested in stingrays as my friend has one (a Musicman) and he let me play on it, and....I loved it. Im just wondering if Sterling sub4s are worth it, or if im better off saving up more to buy a Musicman?? From stuff i've watched, read and heard, ive heard there pretty good for for the price.

Daniel
Click to expand...

Sure, sub ray4 has great build quality like discontinued china Squier CV bass. Repeat again “ China Squier CV bass ”, not current Indonesia CV ！

The weak point is crazy output and uncontrollable stock preamp.

Once you own one and play great, you brain will ask you to upgrade the electronic especially if you like bump the bass knod on every song you play.

So, in this case, you have 2 option.
Preamp+pickup upgrade or go with Ray4 with roasted maple neck.

Hopehelp
 
#50
They fixed the too high output. I got mine about a year and a half ago and I have no problems with the onboard electronics. I boost the mids and treble with an EQ or preamp pedal to give me a little more headroom on the high end and boost the bass EQ a little on the bass itself. I use the Sub 5 instead of my EBMM SR5 when there is a good chance of rain even thought we are always undercover here in Florida for the outdoor shows.
20190909_190135.jpg
 
#51
Hey all... I just asked for a Sterling Stingray 24 for Christmas. I played the Sub 4 and it was pretty cool. Never played a Sterling Ray 24 but did a lot of research and I'm convinced that it will suffice. I wanted the Toluca Lake Blue initially, then the Butterscotch Blonde grew on me. And I just saw that GC has the Ray 24 knocked down $120 and is sitting at $379.00 through November 25th! I think it would be foolish NOT to jump on this deal. Hope the wifey "pulls the trigger"... she keeps telling me that I don't need another bass! (I have 3 at the moment). Sure hope she's messing with me!
 
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#52
Kipp Harrington said:
Hey all... I just asked for a Sterling Stingray 24 for Christmas. I played the Sub 4 and it was pretty cool. Never played a Sterling Ray 24 but did a lot of research and I'm convinced that it will suffice. I wanted the Toluca Lake Blue initially, then the Butterscotch Blonde grew on me. And I just saw that GC has the Ray 24 knocked down $120 and is sitting at $379.00 through November 25th! I think it would be foolish NOT to jump on this deal. Hope the wifey "pulls the trigger"... she keeps telling me that I don't need another bass! (I have 3 at the moment). Sure hope she's messing with me!
Click to expand...
Excellent choice, Kipp. My current no.1 is a Ray24, displaced my MIA and higher end MIM Fenders (Fender fanboy here). I quickly realized the StingRay sound is the sound in my head.
I’m currently modding mine and got a Nordstrand MM4.2 (I got it only because it was 20% off) and will get a John East 2-band preamp. Then that’s that.

Of course I’m eventually going to own a US EBMM (because there is always GAS) but I’m dang sure my Ray24 will always be a staple.
 
#53
P Cheen said:
Excellent choice, Kipp. My current no.1 is a Ray24, displaced my MIA and higher end MIM Fenders (Fender fanboy here). I quickly realized the StingRay sound is the sound in my head.
I’m currently modding mine and got a Nordstrand MM4.2 (I got it only because it was 20% off) and will get a John East 2-band preamp. Then that’s that.

Of course I’m eventually going to own a US EBMM (because there is always GAS) but I’m dang sure my Ray24 will always be a staple.
Click to expand...
Nice to hear, _jaxon! I don't think I'll be doing any mods to it anytime soon. I have a Tech 21 VT Deluxe preamp that does a pretty good job of sculpting sounds that I'm looking for. Hope the wife oredered the Stingray! Thanks again for your inpur!
 
#54
I'm mostly playing a SBMM ray24ca since last march, actually got the bass the day the stores closed for 2 months... awesome bass in playability, quality and sound. I'm mostly a Fender Jazz player and the transition was quite easy. These days, I'm eyeballing stuff in the house I can sell to help pay for a MM Stingray Special.... would love to get one of those.

Sterling by MusicMan Ray24ca.JPG
 
#55
Are SBMM basses worth buying? Absolutely, especially if you find one that isn’t terribly heavy. I personally own a 2001 EBMM StingRay 5H and a 2001 EBMM Sterling 4H, both of which I bought used, but the SBMM basses come very close to the US versions in quality of construction and sound. If you try one and like it, by all means, snatch it up.
 
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#56
Kipp Harrington said:
Nice to hear, _jaxon! I don't think I'll be doing any mods to it anytime soon. I have a Tech 21 VT Deluxe preamp that does a pretty good job of sculpting sounds that I'm looking for. Hope the wife oredered the Stingray! Thanks again for your inpur!
Click to expand...
Truth be told, I actually really like the stock ceramic pickup on the Ray24. It’s an absolute upgrade over the Ray4 (SUB) ceramic pickup. The only reason I got the Nordy was to try alnico and because it was on sale.

A little tidbit of information though, for some odd reason the Ray24 pickup is wired in series. Kinda like a traditional US Sterling with a ceramic pickup and wired in series. When I installed the Nordy I wired it in parallel. No issues with either, I just think it’s weird that it’s supposed to be an import Stingray Classic.
 
#57
P Cheen said:
Truth be told, I actually really like the stock ceramic pickup on the Ray24. It’s an absolute upgrade over the Ray4 (SUB) ceramic pickup. The only reason I got the Nordy was to try alnico and because it was on sale.

A little tidbit of information though, for some odd reason the Ray24 pickup is wired in series. Kinda like a traditional US Sterling with a ceramic pickup and wired in series. When I installed the Nordy I wired it in parallel. No issues with either, I just think it’s weird that it’s supposed to be an import Stingray Classic.
Click to expand...
That's good to hear (regarding the pickups). However, the Ray24 does come stock with Alnico magnets :thumbsup:
 
#60
My buddy from high school had a Sub. I can’t speak for the new ones, but 16 years ago it was a bit of a dud. I personally have owned a SBMM Ray34 and that was a nice instrument. Slimmer neck and not as full sounding of electronics but still a really nice instrument. These days, I still play an US EBMM StingRay. They are one of the best mass produced basses on the market.
 

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