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Ray35 users! Post your opinions here please?

madbassplaya

madbassplaya

Supporting Member
Dec 28, 2007
8,397
142
#1
Greetings all.

I've been trying to read up on the Sterling by MM Ray35 basses. I just traded my 4 string Stingray for a 5 string and am thinking about picking up one of these as a backup.

What are your likes and dislikes? How close is this bass to the real Stingray?

Thanks guys!
 
#2
I recently purchased a (USA) EBMM Stingray 5 and have played a couple Ray35's at local shops (read: Guitar Center). I picked up my Stingray a couple months after playing the Ray35's, so take my opinion with a grain of salt I guess. I wasn't exactly looking for a direct comparison at the time, I just wanted to give the Rays a try because I'd heard good things.

I definitely dug the Ray35(s). It felt/played solid and sounded good. For being a less expensive overseas version of the venerable Stingray, I came away quite impressed! Despite a questionable action (as with any bass at most GC's :rollno:), it played pretty well and felt like a Stingray. It also sounded good (I was playing through a Markbass 2x10 combo) and IMO, it was pretty darn close to the characteristically trebley Stingray tone that we all love our Stingrays for.

I would equate any small sound/playability/construction differences to the slight differences in a MIM Jazz bass vs. a USA Jazz bass (of which I also own one of each). For anyone that thinks the price of a USA Stingray is prohibitive, the Rays are a great way to go. For you in particular, I think a Ray35 would be a great way to go for a backup.

Hope that helps...

5sg.
 
#3
For the record, there`s already a few threads that have discussed this in a lot of depth (I should know, I`ve contributed to most of them XD). But for convenience sake, I`ll just say that I like my Ray34 (sorry, not a 35) as much as I love my US Ray. They both sound and play very similarly and if you`re looking for a very high quality backup to your US model or simply can`t afford one, then these basses are definitely the way to go. I`m just mad I got mine before they released the silverburst models lol.
 
#4
I found several threads about them.

I wanted to see if there had been any new or fresh reviews of them, or even worse something negative that someone had discovered about them.

Thanks for the comments.
 
#7
I've got two now, a newer black and an older (relatively) natural. The tone and neck on both (at least to me) just like an SR5.

The black one weighs 10lbs and the natural, 12.5lbs (i'm having some mass removed to get the weight more manageable). I've got slinkys on the black one, and TIs on the natural. I think with a few minor tweaks they will do a terrific job for you.

I've also got a wiring diagram if anyone needs it.

Bob
 
#8
Just picked up the Ray35, and really liking it so far. The B-strings on these (incl. the Stingray or MM family in general) seem much better than the Fender stuff at any Fender price/product point, which was my main reason in buying one. I would like to do a very small modification, and put some nice MM chrome knobs on the controls to break up the sea of black. Also would like to figure out how to eliminate the 60-cycle hum (or whatever cycle it is) from the pickup selector positions 1 and 3. Not sure if it is simply a result of not having the hum-cancelling pickup in the bass, or whether the bass somehow needs to be shielded more, internally. Otherwise, pretty nice. I don't hear a heck of a lot of variety in the tones in those 1 and 3 positions, but that's ok. Maybe I need to play it a little more, or spend time with it. That middle position/2 though, is some slap goodness. I am happy with the weight, in the sense that this bass feels really solid and substantial. And unlike Warwick 5 string basses, it does not neck dive.

Now if they had some interesting colors aside from what's currently offered. I got a black one. It's all that was available at the time. A pretty classy instrument, I think, though.
 
#10
alangoldstein said:
i was gonna ask if these compare to the olp's
Click to expand...

No. I have an OLP 5-string, a Ray34, and a US Stingray 4. The OLP looks like a Stingray, but that's where it ends. Passive electronics lend a very different sound, the quality is not there (mine is decent quality and has help up great over the years, but it's far from top quality), and the necks have a gloss finish versus the satin finish on Ray34/35 and tru-oil on the US 'rays. The Ray34/35 is very close to a real stingray. Electronics built to the same specifications (not exactly perfect, but very close), higher quality parts, and in the end it feels, plays, and sounds almost like a Stingray.
 
#12
TechJunky said:
No. I have an OLP 5-string, a Ray34, and a US Stingray 4. The OLP looks like a Stingray, but that's where it ends. Passive electronics lend a very different sound, the quality is not there (mine is decent quality and has help up great over the years, but it's far from top quality), and the necks have a gloss finish versus the satin finish on Ray34/35 and tru-oil on the US 'rays. The Ray34/35 is very close to a real stingray. Electronics built to the same specifications (not exactly perfect, but very close), higher quality parts, and in the end it feels, plays, and sounds almost like a Stingray.
Click to expand...
+1
I bought my OLP 5 years ago to learn how to play a 5iver, and it was fine for that, but now that I've got an SR, man, there's no comparison - the SR is a monster! I ripped the frets out of the OLP and filled the holes a bit, and now with the passive electronics, it sounds great as a fretless. :)
 
#13
I really love my Ray35 and I actually prefer the playability to the one I have over several EBMM SR5s. (Thats not a knock to EBMM they produce great basses).

I have more then a few high end basses that cost several time the prices of a Ray35 and currently my Ray35 is getting more time out at gigs and rehearsal. I really love it!
 
#14
Update and I just put a Nordstrand 5.2 in a Ray35 and it absolutely just kills...I love it.

I A/B-ed it to my buddies 78 Stingray and there really was no differance at all (except for the B string and the new strings on the Ray35) the tone was really the same.

What a great mod to a fantastic playing bass.
 
#17
mathewcanhaz said:
I have had my 34 for about a month and a half and I love it sounded better than any of the USA rays at my local gc. The only thing I dont like is the color but Marty bell will be taking care of that this week. Get it!!!!!
Click to expand...

Marty Bell kicks B00ty...

What did you get and what are you have Marty do?
 

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