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Possible NBD... today!

Kipp Harrington

Kipp Harrington

Feb 8, 2018
6,138
8,979
62
Wauseon, Ohio
#1
Hey guys/gals... I will be heading to a local music store after work today to check out a Sterling Ray 34 PB (Neptune Blue Satin). I got an e-mail from this store informing me of 48 month, interest free financing and I saw this bass. WOW! What a looker! If I like it, I'm going to be leaving the store with it. Pretty jazzed right now and chomping at the bit!

I viewed a few available videos (they're weren't many) and was really intrigued. I'm hoping the neck isn't too fat. I've got small hands and short fingers. But I guess if you like something enough, you get acclimated to it. I prefer a "modern" C Precision bass neck over a J neck... so maybe it won't be that drastic.

Anyone have any experience with this particular bass? I know I will find out first hand in a few hours, just curious to hear other people's thoughts.

P.S. If any of you recall, I told the wife I would like a Ray 34 for Christmas last year and it arrived with a mangled tuning machine. When I returned it to Guitar Center, there weren't any others in the store. I ended up going to Sweetwater and purchased a G&L Tribute JB2. Fantastic bass! I just want to add that Stingray sound/tone to my arsenal!
 
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#2
Hard to pass up something that looks this good.
Photo-Collage-20211012-135224830.jpg

You already know it sounds good, right?
 
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#4
CallMeAl said:
The one I tried was killer. I prefer J necks myself; and I found the Ray 34 to be extremely comfortable and playable. I’m not nuts about stingray pickups either; but I found that one to be very versatile and sounded really good.

But you’ll find out soon enough, hope today is a NBD! :D
Click to expand...
If you're not crazy about the pickups, I'm guessing you mean with roundwounds, you might want to try GHS or D'Addario black tapewounds.
 
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#9
Kipp Harrington said:
Hey guys/gals... I will be heading to a local music store after work today to check out a Sterling Ray 34 PB (Neptune Blue Satin). I got an e-mail from this store informing me of 48 month, interest free financing and I saw this bass. WOW! What a looker! If I like it, I'm going to be leaving the store with it. Pretty jazzed right now and chomping at the bit!

I viewed a few available videos (they're weren't many) and was really intrigued. I'm hoping the neck isn't too fat. I've got small hands and short fingers. But I guess if you like something enough, you get acclimated to it. I prefer a "modern" C Precision bass neck over a J neck... so maybe it won't be that drastic.

Anyone have any experience with this particular bass? I know I will find out first hand in a few hours, just curious to hear other people's thoughts.

P.S. If any of you recall, I told the wife I would like a Ray 34 for Christmas last year and it arrived with a mangled tuning machine. When I returned it to Guitar Center, there weren't any others in the store. I ended up going to Sweetwater and purchased a G&L Tribute JB2. Fantastic bass! I just want to add that Stingray sound/tone to my arsenal!
Click to expand...

Here’s.hoping you come home with the bass of your dreams!
 
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#10
Kipp Harrington said:
Hey guys/gals... I will be heading to a local music store after work today to check out a Sterling Ray 34 PB (Neptune Blue Satin). I got an e-mail from this store informing me of 48 month, interest free financing and I saw this bass. WOW! What a looker! If I like it, I'm going to be leaving the store with it. Pretty jazzed right now and chomping at the bit!

I viewed a few available videos (they're weren't many) and was really intrigued. I'm hoping the neck isn't too fat. I've got small hands and short fingers. But I guess if you like something enough, you get acclimated to it. I prefer a "modern" C Precision bass neck over a J neck... so maybe it won't be that drastic.

Anyone have any experience with this particular bass? I know I will find out first hand in a few hours, just curious to hear other people's thoughts.

P.S. If any of you recall, I told the wife I would like a Ray 34 for Christmas last year and it arrived with a mangled tuning machine. When I returned it to Guitar Center, there weren't any others in the store. I ended up going to Sweetwater and purchased a G&L Tribute JB2. Fantastic bass! I just want to add that Stingray sound/tone to my arsenal!
Click to expand...

If they are offering interest free financing you might see if they’d drop a couple hundred if you pay it all up front, often times that can be the case with interest free financing.
 
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#14
TheDavis504 said:
If they are offering interest free financing you might see if they’d drop a couple hundred if you pay it all up front, often times that can be the case with interest free financing.
Click to expand...

Not true! They offer zero interest financing with the hopes you will miss the payoff date. Once that happens, the price of the instrument goes WAY up due to the retroactive double digit interest rate they will charge. Having cash does not give you leverage in a zero interest finance situation.
 
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#15
They are great basses and totally nail the stingray tone, I’d grab it if I was looking for a stingray. I had a RAy34 years back and it was an outstanding instrument. I am more of a sterling guy and that’s the reason I sold it and now have an Sterling by Musicman SB14. Hope it works out for you !
 
#17
jd56hawk said:
I know Musicman basses have some nice finishes, but it seems to me Sterling has some finishes I'm surprised aren't reserved for their big brothers.
View attachment 4436155
Almost as nice as the Neptune Blue Satin.
Click to expand...
I agree. I truly love mine. I'd love to get that flat Neptune, sunburst and the black and maple like yours. But how many Ray 34s does one guy need lol
2566C4AD-1D0D-49F4-B9F6-E5F0B24C3BA9.jpeg

20201115_213749.jpg
 
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#18
Hevy T said:
I agree. I truly love mine. I'd love to get that flat Neptune, sunburst and the black and maple like yours. But how many Ray 34s does one guy need lolView attachment 4436216
View attachment 4436217
Click to expand...
Not mine, I haven't owned a Ray 34 since 2016, but there's a used Ash Black one on Reverb right now for a bargain price and it's hard to resist.
Good thing I'm in a selling phase instead of a buying phase.
 

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