New Bass Day - Sterling 5 HS Edition!

Quick background story - My Fender AJDV got stolen out of my car two weeks again, a bass I've had for eight years. The upside is I actually have renters insurance, so I was able to get a payout to help with the replacement (which I otherwise wouldn't be able to afford because I have a wedding coming up at the end of the year). I figured I would have grabbed an Elite V (I still want one), but spending a few hours in Bass Central turned me on to a Sterling HS. I was never one for EBMMs (or at least, Stingrays), but the Sterling HS really blew me away! It was like my jazz, only it sounded WAY meaner!

I wanted a fiver (which Bass Central didn't have when I was there) so I found one on Reverb and got a good price.

So without further ado...









Excuse the messy background, we're in the process of moving.

I believe the finish is called Iced Blue Metallic. I don't feel like it's photographing well, because there's a sparkle in the finish, and its lighter in person. Matching headstock, maple fretboard. The seller had it strung with
Labella Deep Talking flats, which I was not expecting to like as much as I do, however I'm taking it in today to get some Loriders put on. Otherwise, this thing plays like butter!

I'll post more pictures when I'm not on my phone. Stay tuned!

 

Just got it back with a fresh set of Lo Riders, and now its perfect!

 

I'm actually really digging how narrow the spacing is! Although I can't say I'm used to having a satin finish on the back of the neck, but I'm acclimating pretty quickly. And don't worry about Pickles, he gets plenty of treats!

 

Sorry! It looked right on my phone, but I see on my computer everything is landscape. I'll try to fix that!

EDIT: Fixed!

Tell your daughter that that's a solid name for a guinea pig, and that Pickles McNugget has a brother in arms in Florida!

I had the same thought! I was never one for Stingrays, and I didn't think a Sterling would change my mind. But then, here we are! I like the HS more than the HH, because I can still set it up like a Jazz bass, although I wouldn't say they sound the exact same. It's just nice getting those sonic options.

 

That's unfortunate. My fiance actually worked at VSU, so I know just how humid it can get in Valdosta

 

Adding to that, my fiver feels similar to a jazz bass, although I would say it's actually slimmer in the neck and the body. Obviously its a different shape, but it still feels light and slim. The neck is definitely slimmer than a Stingray, which is why I've never seriously considered them.

The switch on the HS is a five way, and if we think of the single coil as 1, and the humbucker as 2 and 3, the options are: 1 and dummy coil, 1 and 2, 1 2 and 3, 3 and dummy coil, and 2 and 3, all in series. I think of it as along the lines as a jazz on steroids and REALLY mean.

I know there's a thread here where people were discussing why Sterlings aren't as popular as Stingrays. If you ever get a chance to A/B the two, you definitely should! They may look similar, but both play differently