NBD + six days. For the last 11 years, I've played nothing but passive basses (My 2011 American Standard P and two fretless Js {Sold my 2001 American Standard J back in 2016}). So, with the green light from the Missus, I pulled the chain on this Sterling by Music Man StingRay in Blue Sparkle with the roasted maple neck. I wasn't too thrilled with the cheap import tuners, so they got changed out with a set of Schaller BMs. This is my first active bass since 2011 and will get some more playtime as I break it in, but this is a nice addition to my toolbox since I will use all three. Now, why would a bassist of 41 years' want a second tier import instead of the US EBMM? Simple, I'm not too thrilled with the current offerings Ernie Ball has with the StingRay and they've jumped into the "Boutique Bass" category in terms of price. This Ray34 is just as well built, great classic sound with the 3 band active EQ, and aside from the tuning machines, which I replaced, a roasted maple neck that is to die for, and my first maple board ever, having played nothing but "dark" wood fingerboards most of my career. Plus this bass is a third of what an EBMM costs, so there's that. Got it through Zzounds already set up with proper neck relief and string height, since whenever I get a new axe, check setup myself.
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