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S.U.B. Club

#241
Question for fellow SUBers: I've got some new DR strings that I'll be putting on my Charcoal Black SUB-5 in time for the local NAMM show - but I will be playing it as well... What's your preference in color (this is a multiple choice question):
a) DR Neon Green
b) DR Black Beauties
c) Carrots -er... DR Neon Orange

Looking forward to your responses!
 
#242
sj_bass said:
Question for fellow SUBers: I've got some new DR strings that I'll be putting on my Charcoal Black SUB-5 in time for the local NAMM show - but I will be playing it as well... What's your preference in color (this is a multiple choice question):
a) DR Neon Green
b) DR Black Beauties
c) Carrots -er... DR Neon Orange

Looking forward to your responses!
Click to expand...

Green.

Because black strings on a black bass is pretty black, and I'm not into blackout guitars and basses.

And orange is...you said it best, carrots.
 
#243
Just got my first Music Man. Always loved em but never found them in my price range & they were all active for so long. Then I ran into this. I love the range of tone in that PUP. Two fingers to thumb to pop & slap sounds great. Then I grabeed a pick for a little nostalgia & wow that sounded great to. Had to get rid of that pickguard & sand the crappy paint off the neck. Very happy with everything so far.
SUBbody.jpg

SUBback.jpg

SUBhead3.jpg

SUBheadtop.jpg

& a custom thumbrest gives me lots o positions & sounds!
My new # 1
 
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#244
Dostradamas said:
Just got my first Music Man. Always loved em but never found them in my price range & they were all active for so long. Then I ran into this. I love the range of tone in that PUP. Two fingers to thumb to pop & slap sounds great. Then I grabeed a pick for a little nostalgia & wow that sounded great to. Had to get rid of that pickguard & sand the crappy paint off the neck. Very happy with everything so far.

& a custom thumbrest gives me lots o positions & sounds!
My new # 1
Click to expand...

Well, your new #1 makes you #35 -
Excellent job on both the thumbrest and the neck!
 
#245
greetings SUB team,
can you please explain me in a nutshell what makes a SUB a SUB. I know these were US-made basses, 2-band EQ with no center detent pots,limited color/pickguard options. What else? Why were they discontinued?
thanks,

Denis
 
#246
denchiq said:
greetings SUB team,
can you please explain me in a nutshell what makes a SUB a SUB. I know these were US-made basses, 2-band EQ with no center detent pots,limited color/pickguard options. What else? Why were they discontinued?
thanks,

Denis
Click to expand...

Well, there's about 25 pages here of love for the SUB - feel free to peruse at your leisure. Here's the nutshell version...

SUB stands for "sport utility bass", a no-frills concept by Sterling Ball... Rhino-coat slab body designed to be super durable, a painted neck, and that unmistakable diamond plate pickguard. Sterling priced these basses at half of the stingrays to try and capture some of the market that Fender.was getting from their hwy 1 series.

Problem: these basses became a popular alternative to MM's own basses that they were cutting into the 'ray's market share. So, in late 2006, Sterling Ball decided (or was convinced) to cease production.

Bottom line: the SUB's rock like Elvis. I just finished tonight's gig with my SUB-5, leaving my Lakland on the gig stand most of the night. I love my SUB-5 even more than my old SR-5 that I played for over 10 years...

Maybe I'm biased, but so what?!? Look on the lists; someone is sure to sell one. Buy it, play it, and if I'm wrong, sell it. But I'm almost certain that if you play it, you'll love it.

That's it... In a nutshell.
 
#247
sj_bass said:
Well, there's about 25 pages here of love for the SUB - feel free to peruse at your leisure. Here's the nutshell version...

SUB stands for "sport utility bass", a no-frills concept by Sterling Ball... Rhino-coat slab body designed to be super durable, a painted neck, and that unmistakable diamond plate pickguard. Sterling priced these basses at half of the stingrays to try and capture some of the market that Fender.was getting from their hwy 1 series.

Problem: these basses became a popular alternative to MM's own basses that they were cutting into the 'ray's market share. So, in late 2006, Sterling Ball decided (or was convinced) to cease production.

Bottom line: the SUB's rock like Elvis. I just finished tonight's gig with my SUB-5, leaving my Lakland on the gig stand most of the night. I love my SUB-5 even more than my old SR-5 that I played for over 10 years...

Maybe I'm biased, but so what?!? Look on the lists; someone is sure to sell one. Buy it, play it, and if I'm wrong, sell it. But I'm almost certain that if you play it, you'll love it.

That's it... In a nutshell.
Click to expand...

fwiw - on the EBMM forums Sterling explained that they simply became too expensive to manufacture. I believe his line was I might was well have tucked a $100 bill into each bass as it left the factory..
 
#248
yellofury said:
All I know is you will be walking away with a made in the USA Musicman
nuff said
Click to expand...

Amen. If you start missing the low B you can always mod with a detuner. Certainly not the same thing, but if you are finding yourself more attracted to the MusicMan sound/vibe than that of the Attitude, you'll be plenty happy. The SUBs are just great basses that went under-appreciated for some reason when they were being produced. If they were out now, they'd be flying out of stores.
 
#252
denchiq said:
can you please explain me in a nutshell what makes a SUB a SUB. I know these were US-made basses, 2-band EQ with no center detent pots,limited color/pickguard options. What else?
Click to expand...
There were numerous changes...active...passive...different features, etc.

What they all had in common was a slab body, bulletproof coating (in many gruesome colors), diamond-plate Formica pickguard and a painted neck.

You see one fitting that description, you have a S.U.B. ;)

I think even the Sterling S.U.B. had a slab body (has there been one of those here yet?).
 
#253
Count me way in. I have owned about a dozen. Now down to an active 4, active 5, sterling and a passive 4. If i could find an unlined fretless 4 I would be very happy.

Great basses on their own but for the money they cannot be beaten.
 
#255
rogerbmiller said:
Count me way in. I have owned about a dozen. Now down to an active 4, active 5, sterling and a passive 4. If i could find an unlined fretless 4 I would be very happy.

Great basses on their own but for the money they cannot be beaten.
Click to expand...

Sounds great - I'd love to see some Sterling SUBs... #36 is for you!!!

sprintbass said:
hey alll id love to join this club. I have 2 sterling subs, one is fretless and has a very odd paint job that changes color's the other is burgandy...i have a musicman sterling with a maple neck also, and my last bass is an aria pro II sb 1000 bass in light oak. I am damian and i live in lakewood ohio..
D
Click to expand...


Sounds great - Like I said above, I'd love to see some Sterling SUBs... #37 is for you!!!
 
#259
@Denjchiq your question here in Aus is what we call a "Dorothy Dixer".

SJ Bass is correct. The original SUB was made between 2003 and 2006 in the same USA plant as the Stingray. The matte paint V oil wax finish gets a lot of attention but otherwise very similar. Also correct the (original?) Fender Highway One was made between 2002 and 2006.

The SUB is just a good versatile bass ......maybe like an SUV!
 
#260
I,ve had my SUB since mid 2003 and it was built in april 2003.
I,ve always liked the look of the SUB even the dreaded scratchplate.
Over the years I,ve grown very attached to this bass.
I might be wrong but to me it,s the most versitile bass I,ve come across.A bit of tweaking on the bdi21 and it can do most things well or very well.
Great bass for recording and gigging,bullet proof finish and build
Mind you we all know this.
 

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