S.U.B. Club

[mcnach]

Sorry,mcnach,not gotten around to checking if my 2003 SUB,was wired parallel,or series. Got caught up in sanding the black paint,off the back of the neck. Not dinged,but lot of scratches,so got the paint sanded off,and left the original black on front of head stock,with original decal on front,and the serial number was moved from back of head stock,down to the battery box cover? Has a nice smooth satin finish now. A ding right by the E string tuner,shows,but not in natural part of the wood.View attachment 2932241 View attachment 2932242 View attachment 2932243 Thought I would share how it looks. First time ever tried doing something like this. Lot of sanding,and anxious moments!LOL

Looking good!

 

[Laurie Bass]

$600 seems like a lot for a SUB. maybe they’ll get there someday (I could see SUBs being the next T-40) but right now I couldn’t imagine paying more than $500 with a hard shell case.

Interesting... Im sure that if it was a USA Precision or Jazz bass of the same year..$600.00 would be a steal. Im perplexed that a USA made MusicMan bass at $600 is considered to expensive. I guess I have alot to lean on USA SUB values.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

$600 seems like a lot for a SUB. maybe they’ll get there someday (I could see SUBs being the next T-40) but right now I couldn’t imagine paying more than $500 with a hard shell case.

Don’t be afraid to make them an offer. If it’s been there a while they will take it.
I’ve never paid full asking price for anything used from them. After so long they will drop the price anyway. Helps to talk to a manager that can actually make that decision. And keep checking back .

 

[A-Step-Towards]

Interesting... Im sure that if it was a USA Precision or Jazz bass of the same year..$600.00 would be a steal. Im perplexed that a USA made MusicMan bass at $600 is considered to expensive. I guess I have alot to lean on USA SUB values.

I sold 2 USA active subs on reverb for $699+free shipping both very clean shape, Black with nice gig bags. Maybe I got lucky twice ? Idk but they both sold pretty fast

 

[Maxdusty]

I got up enough nerve to sand the paint off my 2003SUB,left the front of the head stock black with the decal on the front,and moved the serial number off the back,down to the battery box. Back of the neck,not dinged but scratched up alot.Not too bad for the first time, I ever tried something like that!

What did you use to sand the back? The black paint is slowly wearing out on mine - not flaking off in my hand or anything to be troublesome but I can see more of what's underneath. Looks like a satin finish underneath?

Edit: just saw your pictures above, great job!

 

[Chrome Dome]

What did you use to sand the back? The black paint is slowly wearing out on mine - not flaking off in my hand or anything to be troublesome but I can see more of what's underneath. Looks like a satin finish underneath?

Edit: just saw your pictures above, great job!

Thanks,I was little nervous,to be honest with you. I taped the area off with the blue painter's tape, around the head stock to retain the black on the front,then along the fret board,on each side. Started out with 150grit,then 220grit,then finished off with 320grit. Used the 0000steel wool,to smooth to satin finish. Used Minwax Natural Stain,to get the natural look,to bring out the wood grain. I removed the neck from the body,and removed the tuners. First time ever tried this.

 

[pudgychef]

Interesting... Im sure that if it was a USA Precision or Jazz bass of the same year..$600.00 would be a steal. Im perplexed that a USA made MusicMan bass at $600 is considered to expensive. I guess I have alot to lean on USA SUB values.

I typically equate SUBs to the Highway One/Hwy 1 USA Fenders (or the later American Special series) Yes made in USA, both excellent in my opinion, but a step down cost wise from their respective 'standard' cousins. (I love SUBs and have a Highway One - love it too)

 

[Maxdusty]

Interesting... Im sure that if it was a USA Precision or Jazz bass of the same year..$600.00 would be a steal. Im perplexed that a USA made MusicMan bass at $600 is considered to expensive. I guess I have alot to lean on USA SUB values.

Prices seem to be climbing on these, I remember seeing some of them on the GC used site for around $400-500 or so for the active ones. Passive ones I've seen a few go for the high $300s - this was a couple of years ago though. Seems harder to find them at these prices unless one pops up in your local CL.
I'd still want to get my hands on one of the actives later on down the road to complete the set, I do have one of the passive versions and there's enough difference to warrant getting both if you can- the MM SUB Ray passive is the only true EBMM passive model they made, so there's that too especially if you're a collector.
If I had to describe the passive, it's a lovechild of a MM Ray and a P Bass- it's got that MM punch to it, but mellow - like being hit by a rock padded inside 3 layers of socks as opposed to the rock all by itself. It'll hit you equally as hard, but feel it in a different way.

 

[mouthmw]

I became somewhat curious about the series/parallel thing, as it made little sense to me (I can't think of any MM bass of the era that used an alnico pickup wired in series, and the point of the SUB was to make a cheaper Stingray, so I'd use stock parts, not make new ones... although wiring series/parallel is not exactly adding cost but that's an extra part to have, dunno)... and every 'early' 4-string SUB I've managed to check was wired in series (2003 and some in 2004), while later examples were always in parallel).
So just wondering if you could verify whether your 2003 is series too.

I had a 2003 (October 08) and it was parallel.

 

[pudgychef]

Prices seem to be climbing up on these, I remember seeing some of them on the GC used site for around $400-500 or so for the active ones. Passive ones I've seen a few go for the high $300s - this was a couple of years ago though. Seems harder to find them at these prices unless one pops up in your local CL.
I'd still want to get my hands on one of the actives later on down the road to complete the set, I do have one of the passive versions and there's enough difference to warrant getting both if you can- the MM SUB Ray passive is the only true EBMM passive model they made, so there's that too especially if you're a collector.
If I had to describe the passive, it's a lovechild of a MM Ray and a P Bass- it's got that MM punch to it, but mellow - like being hit by a rock padded inside 3 layers of socks as opposed to the rock all by itself. It'll hit you equally as hard, but in a different way.

And they sit great in a live mix imho/ime

 

[mcnach]

I had a 2003 (October 08) and it was parallel.

interesting! how did you establish that?
did you check the resistance, did you look at the wiring...
Was yours passive or active?

THIS is the FIRST report I have of a parallel SUB so early in production... if it's confirmed it would mean that they must have mixed pickups during the early days... and perhaps the explanation is simply that they used the SUB to get rid off a bunch of series-wired pickups they had already made (for whatever reason, perhaps a new model that never was released, I don't know).
The thing with the series pickups is that it never made sense to me: why would you wire pickups especially for this bass that was supposed to be an exercise in reducing costs? If there was a stock of unused alnico series pickups... it would make sense to take advantage of that...
Hmmm... just thinking out loud. I bet most people don't even care!

 

[mouthmw]

interesting! how did you establish that?
did you check the resistance, did you look at the wiring...
Was yours passive or active?

THIS is the FIRST report I have of a parallel SUB so early in production... if it's confirmed it would mean that they must have mixed pickups during the early days... and perhaps the explanation is simply that they used the SUB to get rid off a bunch of series-wired pickups they had already made (for whatever reason, perhaps a new model that never was released, I don't know).
The thing with the series pickups is that it never made sense to me: why would you wire pickups especially for this bass that was supposed to be an exercise in reducing costs? If there was a stock of unused alnico series pickups... it would make sense to take advantage of that...
Hmmm... just thinking out loud. I bet most people don't even care!

I replaced the pup for Aguilar AG-4M and saw the wiring on the original. Plus, it sounded like your typical 2 band Stingray. Yeah, mine was active.

I still have the photo of the original SUB pickup:

I now have a 3 band Stingray and am contemplating on putting a 2 band replica preamp (John East 4 knob version looks very very interesting to me) to get that classic 2 band tone back. But at the same time, I like the 3 bander as well. Decisions, decisions.. xD

 

[mcnach]

I replaced the pup for Aguilar AG-4M and saw the wiring on the original. Plus, it sounded like your typical 2 band Stingray. Yeah, mine was active.

I still have the photo of the original SUB pickup:
View attachment 2932757

I now have a 3 band Stingray and am contemplating on putting a 2 band replica preamp (John East 4 knob version looks very very interesting to me) to get that classic 2 band tone back. But at the same time, I like the 3 bander as well. Decisions, decisions.. xD

That looks like a parallel wired pickup alright! Thank you!
They clearly mixed and matched things up then. Until today, every single bass I managed to verify was series (from that period). You don't happen to remember the serial number, do you? (Geek Town! )

The Stingray on my avatar was originally a 2-band. I ended up putting a John East 3-band in it. I don't think there's anything wrong with the EBMM 3-band EQ, but I *love* the John East with its mid-sweep control. If you leave the mids in the centre detent, it's essentially a classic 2-band preamp (John East used his '76 to model his preamp on, although it's not an exact replica), and the mids module allows you to cut or boost at specific frequency centre. I find that mids module very very useful. It would not be like your 3-band, but it's a very cool way to get a Stingray sounding like a Stingray... with a very interesting and useful twist.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I replaced the pup for Aguilar AG-4M and saw the wiring on the original. Plus, it sounded like your typical 2 band Stingray. Yeah, mine was active.

I still have the photo of the original SUB pickup:
View attachment 2932757

I now have a 3 band Stingray and am contemplating on putting a 2 band replica preamp (John East 4 knob version looks very very interesting to me) to get that classic 2 band tone back. But at the same time, I like the 3 bander as well. Decisions, decisions.. xD

Maybe just pickup a used active USA SUB. Then you’ll have both.

 

[mouthmw]

That looks like a parallel wired pickup alright! Thank you!
They clearly mixed and matched things up then. Until today, every single bass I managed to verify was series (from that period). You don't happen to remember the serial number, do you? (Geek Town! )

The Stingray on my avatar was originally a 2-band. I ended up putting a John East 3-band in it. I don't think there's anything wrong with the EBMM 3-band EQ, but I *love* the John East with its mid-sweep control. If you leave the mids in the centre detent, it's essentially a classic 2-band preamp (John East used his '76 to model his preamp on, although it's not an exact replica), and the mids module allows you to cut or boost at specific frequency centre. I find that mids module very very useful. It would not be like your 3-band, but it's a very cool way to get a Stingray sounding like a Stingray... with a very interesting and useful twist.

Unfortunately, I got the bass used, and there was no serial number sticker on the back of the headstock anymore. Seller didn't have it either. I got the date from the neck pocket stamp. I guess it could have been an older body, but my headstock had the "S.U.B." written on it and not "SUB. Bass" as they were introduced in 2004. Still, could have been older body and neck I guess. I'll never know the true DOB of that bass I suppose.

I'm really gassing for the East preamp, the mid control is something that makes it even more attractive to me. Do you use your mid frequency at 100 Hz - 1 kHz or 200 Hz - 2 kHz? Did you keep the original pickup? I really loved the old school 2 band tone, so I'm 99% sure that I'll be picking up the East preamp. How close is the preamp to the original 2 band tone wise, when you have the mid knob centered? From the clips I've heard, it's damn close, if not even a bit better (tighter).

 

[mouthmw]

Maybe just pickup a used active USA SUB. Then you’ll have both.

Yeah I thought of that too, but I'm pretty sure one of the basses would take a back seat play wise if I do that I think with the John East preamp, I'd get the best of both worlds because of the mid knob. Sure, not the same as 3 band preamp, but a 2 band preamp with additional mid control? Hell yes.

 

[mouthmw]

Aaaand I've just ordered the 4 knob 3 band preamp from John East xD I've been waiting for a couple of days for it to get back in stock and what do you know, it's back in stock today

 

[Laurie Bass]

I typically equate SUBs to the Highway One/Hwy 1 USA Fenders (or the later American Special series) Yes made in USA, both excellent in my opinion, but a step down cost wise from their respective 'standard' cousins. (I love SUBs and have a Highway One - love it too)

Funny... I have an American Special and now a SUB...lol We could be twins..!!!!

 

[pudgychef]

Aaaand I've just ordered the 4 knob 3 band preamp from John East xD I've been waiting for a couple of days for it to get back in stock and what do you know, it's back in stock today

I would really like to hear your impressions/review please.

 

[mouthmw]

I would really like to hear your impressions/review please.

Absolutely will do. I'll try to touch on the home, studio and live use.