Help me choose, please: Tony Levin OLP vs S.U.B. Ray 5

Elephant talk!

 

I owned a SBMM SUB Ray4 briefly. It was a good bass with a decent pre-amp. I've never owned an OLP, but I've played a few, and the SUB felt, looked and played like a higher quality instrument, IMO.

Also, OLPs are passive. I would go for the SUB just for the pre & eq.

 

The SUB Ray5 is a very decent quality instrument for the price. I've owned one since December. Little niggles like sharp fret edges but otherwise a nicely finished bass. Good sounding too - good preamp, doesn't really sound like a Stingray, but it's a good modern sound nonetheless.

 

Oh... My bad. I've never seen the Tony Levin model.

Ok, I just went and Googled it, and hold the presses! That thing looks niiiiiice!

You're right. It is a tough call. I'm leaning more toward the TL sig OLP now myself.

 

This is the one I was talking about, with the quilted maple top:

 

Is this the one you're thinking of buying?



Not my choice of finish, but my gut says go for this one. This looks a bit of a step up from a regular OLP. And I like a 3-band rather than a 2-band EQ. What I don't like is the price. Have you tried haggling with the seller?

 

I think you might be out of luck. That reverb listing ended two years ago and there aren't any other OLP basses listed at the moment (signature or otherwise).

 

That's really strange... I did a couple variations on 'OLP Tony Levin signature bass' and the search came up with nothing.

Anyway, yeah... I'd be more interested in that one. Looks like that bass sold for $350 when it was new (about 12 years ago). I think you have a little bit of wiggle room in the price. I did a completed listing search on ebay to see what these typically sell for. There was only one listed, and it sold for $299. Another one sold here in the classifieds this past Feb for $350.

These basses seem to be rare, and so maybe the seller thinks it has a little more cache because of it. I'd offer $350 shipped and see what he says. It's been listed for two months, so he might be motivated to move it.

 

My non Levin OLP had some of the worst hardware and frets I've ever seen. I've since replaced both and love it but it was not made well. The $400 price tag is reaching. I'd go for the sterling sub by sterling sterling sub sterling ray sterling.

 

I had a Tony Levin OLP in "Barbie Flesh" and it was quite nice.
Got to compare it head on for an hour with a MM Stingray 5
and I have to say it did not come off looking so shabby.
The MM had the obviously better pickup/electronics but as to feel and playability
(cut of the neck) they were not all that far apart.
Considering $399 I paid for the OLP vs (what? $1200 )for a used MM Ray 5 string?
Get the OLP just for the color!

 

@harborcoat, I just happened to see that bass on Reverb earlier today. The linked review below might help you decide. The asking price on Reverb is higher than the retail price was before a discount. Although, it is a discontinued piece:

OLP Tony Levin Signature Five String Bass_Guitars

 

That's a no-brainer - go check out the SUB - if you can play it, AND it's nice - then why even consider the risk of the other bass?

 

So why have you not purchased this already???

 

now you need these

 

BTW, those things are in the 10#+ weight range in case you care.

 

I think TL only uses those on his 3-string MM bass if I'm not mistaken. Can't imagine trying those on a bass with 17mm string spacing.