*New to community* need help with SUB 4 fake, or difference spotting.

[TheOriginalName]

Cool man, thanks. I just don't want to get screwed out of 330$. So I'd assume the "SUB 4" would be the newer version from sterling, and "sting Ray" would be an older model...

The "made in orange ca" stickers are simply saying that they are assembled there before shipment. My SUB Ray4 had one that I removed. By the way, these basses are monsters. You certainly chose well. The new ones are made in Indonesia. I recommend a new one because the sub logo isn't so massive.

 

[TheReceder]

Because I've always only air guitared, half ass played, and am left handed

Being a bassist requires both hands so to refer to a bass as "lefty" isn't the best way to look at it. You're basically choosing to learn on a backwards bass. Huge mistake. Do you look for cars that have the steering wheel on the wrong side because you're left handed? Go into any guitar store and look for a left handed bass, look on CL. I just did.... there are 2 left handed basses for sale in all of the united states.

I play pool lefty, but am right handed... the big difference... I can use any pool cue.

Not saying this to demean you, I just hate to see someone start off by choosing to put up huge obstacles.

 

[mcnach]

The "made in orange ca" stickers are simply saying that they are assembled there before shipment. My SUB Ray4 had one that I removed. By the way, these basses are monsters. You certainly chose well. The new ones are made in Indonesia. I recommend a new one because the sub logo isn't so massive.

assembled?
more like 'inspected' or 'set up and inspected' or something like that

 

[Remoman]

The SBMM Sub series Ray 4 and Ray 5's along the SBMM Ray 24 and Ray 25's (SBMM's version of a Music Man Stingray Classic) are made in China. The SBMM Ray 34 and Ray 35's (SBMM's version of a standard Music Man Stingray) are now made in Indonesia but up until last year, were made in Korea...

I'm afraid that's incorrect. My 2015 Ray34 was made in Indonesia. Also this is what I've been told by @SBMM and the people at Praxis: some of the SUB series Ray4 & Ray5s are made in China and some in Indonesia. The Ray24 and Ray25's are made in Indonesia. The Ray34 and Ray35s are made in Indonesia and have been for many years, except for the 2017 Specialty wood models - the Quilted Maple and Koa models were made in Korea. The Korea plant closed at the end of 2017 and production of those models is moving to Indonesia.


Sterling StingRay Classic RAY24CA - Butterscotch - Free Shipping

 

[mcnach]

Being a bassist requires both hands so to refer to a bass as "lefty" isn't the best way to look at it. You're basically choosing to learn on a backwards bass. Huge mistake. Do you look for cars that have the steering wheel on the wrong side because you're left handed? Go into any guitar store and look for a left handed bass, look on CL. I just did.... there are 2 left handed basses for sale in all of the united states.

I play pool lefty, but am right handed... the big difference... I can use any pool cue.

Not saying this to demean you, I just hate to see someone start of by choosing to put up huge obstacles.

When I started playing guitar, 'righty' felt more natural to me, and I tried both ways. I think being right-handed made playing things in time easier for me... I don't remember exactly.

Then again, my brother is 'mostly' lefthanded (he's a funny one) but plays guitar right-handed. I don't know if that's because being 7 years younger than me, he started in whatever was around, which was right-handed instruments. I never asked him. Hmmm.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

I'm afraid that's incorrect. My 2015 Ray34 was made in Indonesia. Also this is what I've been told by @SBMM and the people at Praxis: some of the SUB series Ray4 & Ray5s are made in China and some in Indonesia. The Ray24 and Ray25's are made in Indonesia. The Ray34 and Ray35s are made in Indonesia and have been for many years, except for the 2017 Specialty wood models - the Quilted Maple and Koa models were made in Korea. The Korea plant closed at the end of 2017 and production of those models is moving to Indonesia.


Sterling StingRay Classic RAY24CA - Butterscotch - Free Shipping

Good post! I can confirm that my 2018 Ray4 is made in Indonesia so like you say, they are clearly not all made in China.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

What models would you guys suggest around the 300-350 price range?

I would consider Squier.

Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass.
Squier Classic Vibe Precision.
Squier Vintage Modified Precision

My personal favourite out of those would be the Classic Vibe Precision but the Jazz is closer to a Ray if that's the kinda sound you are looking for. I'm not saying that a J-bass will sound like a Ray though, just closer than a P-bass.

EDIT: If you end up with one of those new Ray4s anyway, at least do one thing: Lower the pickup! It was set WAY too high (at least on mine) so the E string distorted like CRAZY. And not in a nice way, like when you're digging into a P or a J. My guess is it was overloading the active circuitry. Really nasty sound. After lowering the pickup it was at least not completely useless, but still rather poor sounding IMO. The mids are just not there, completely washed out in the context of a mix.

Very poor setup and QC on these cheap Ray4s. Neck, action, pickup height. All very poor. Strangely the intonation was absolutely spot on right out of the box! I really don't understand how they can deliver an instrument with perfect intonation and such a poor setup in every other way...??? I mean, it seems highly unlikely that the instrument had perfect intonation by accident? Which means it must have been setup by a living and breathing person. I find it very strange that everything else could be so completely messed up if it was inspected by an actual person (it even had the name of the person inspecting it on a label on the back of the headstock). And it was definitely a factory setup, I got it in a factory sealed box.

 

[Rebopmass]

Then you have a franken sub. Custom pup and passive. Different but cool in its own way. Wired VVT. Also shaved neck

 

[_One//Man//Mutiny_]

Yes...EBMM/Sterling SUBs are confusing to newcomers - not to mention there is yet another SUB model, it's a US made SUB and is closer to being a true Musicman Ray than any Sterling Ray model. These "SUBs" (now discontinued) were budget models of the US made Rays but higher in quality than those made by Sterling. Confusing....but if you find one of these Made in the US SUBs for cheap, it would be the one to buy.

View attachment 3094640

Had one of these, for $500 which is what I bought mine for a couple of years back, these are pretty much ebmm classic stingrays with a painted neck and textured paint job, absolutely hands down the way to go if you can find one, best SUB ever. The new iteration is really good as well, but still not as good as that one. I only got rid of mine because I got a ebmm Sterling not to be confused with a sterling by musicman sterling, or a Ernie by musicman man sub ray or a series by Ernie man music ball.... If you look at a listing of all the models musicman and sterling by musicman have at once. That's the exact feeling I imagine a stroke would feel like.

 

[TheOriginalName]

assembled?
more like 'inspected' or 'set up and inspected' or something like that

Yeah. Something like that. I forget what the sticker said.

 

[Bassist Jay]

I'm afraid that's incorrect. My 2015 Ray34 was made in Indonesia. Also this is what I've been told by @SBMM and the people at Praxis: some of the SUB series Ray4 & Ray5s are made in China and some in Indonesia. The Ray24 and Ray25's are made in Indonesia. The Ray34 and Ray35s are made in Indonesia and have been for many years, except for the 2017 Specialty wood models - the Quilted Maple and Koa models were made in Korea. The Korea plant closed at the end of 2017 and production of those models is moving to Indonesia.


Sterling StingRay Classic RAY24CA - Butterscotch - Free Shipping

Good post! I can confirm that my 2018 Ray4 is made in Indonesia so like you say, they are clearly not all made in China.

I stand corrected then. I was told directly from SBMM the information that I shared. I was going to open a local music store and signed a contract with SBMM and bought a few pieces from them. In our conversations, to gain better product knowledge, that's when they told me the info that I shared.

I know that I would much rather have a guitar or bass built in Indonesia than in China.