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SBMM SUBs..yes, it's about to become even more confusing

#202
ubnomnar said:
Buy two SUB Ray 4 basses... "black n' maple" + "white n' rosewood." Then swap necks and keep the white n' maple and sell the black n' rosewood offspring.

Musicians Friend has them 15% off.

I owned a Ray 35 which I really liked. I also owned a Ray 34 which I sold because it was too heavy for me at well over 10 pounds.
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That's a pretty good idea. I might just go one than the other. Black first (because I like maple).
 
#204
majortoby said:
Once (NOT if) I get my walnut ray4, I will perform the neck swap as suggested. :) However, one mod I'd like to make would be a series/parallel switch. Would this be especially tricky to execute?
Click to expand...

Series/Parallel wiring will only be possible if the stock pickup is wired to allow access to each bank of coils... highly doubtful in this price range... but you never know.

Who will be the first to pull their pickup and take a look?
 
#206
majortoby said:
Once (NOT if) I get my walnut ray4, I will perform the neck swap as suggested. :) However, one mod I'd like to make would be a series/parallel switch. Would this be especially tricky to execute?
Click to expand...

ubnomnar said:
Series/Parallel wiring will only be possible if the stock pickup is wired to allow access to each bank of coils... highly doubtful in this price range... but you never know.

Who will be the first to pull their pickup and take a look?
Click to expand...

I took a look at the heart of the little beast today and here's what I found.

The stock pickup has only 2-conductor wiring and cannot be wired for a series/parallel option.

The pickup and preamp are well shielded.

It will be interesting to discover if the SUB Ray4 and SUB SB4 use the same pickup.

_IGP6414.png

_IGP6418.png

_IGP6422.png

_IGP6423.png
 
#207
ubnomnar said:
I took a look at the heart of the little beast today and here's what I found.

The stock pickup has only 2-conductor wiring and cannot be wired for a series/parallel option.

The pickup and preamp are well shielded.

It will be interesting to discover if the SUB Ray4 and SUB SB4 use the same pickup.
Click to expand...

I did not think these basses had a rear cavity cover? I have been looking at the 5 string and maybe they don't? All I remember seeing is the battery access box.
 
#208
Gabriel51 said:
I did not think these basses had a rear cavity cover? I have been looking at the 5 string and maybe they don't? All I remember seeing is the battery access box.
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My bass is a SUB SB4... the "Sterling" variant that has rear-loaded controls and does not use the typical chrome top-loaded "Stingray" style chrome control plate. It has lots of room for an aftermarket preamp and additional knobs and switches.

The SB4 could be a great modding platform.

Someone will have to post a pic of the back of their SUB Ray4.
 
#209
ubnomnar said:
You are looking at a SUB SB4... the "Sterling" variant that has rear-loaded controls and does not use the typical chrome top-loaded "Stingray" style chrome control plate. It has lots of room for an aftermarket preamp and additional knobs and switches.

The SB4 could be a great modding platform.

Someone will have to post a pic of the back of their SUB Ray4.
Click to expand...

I'm looking at a Sterling by Music Man S.U.B. Ray5

919ray5ws034.gif


Here is the Sterling by Music Man Ray34;

DV016_Jpg_Large_580995.010._natural_back.jpg
 
#210
Can someone tell if these things balance well? A problem with light basses is that they're usually awkward to play sitting down. If you rest it nicely on your right leg and lifted your hands off, does it stay at about a 30 degree angle?
 
#213
Tupac said:
Can someone tell if these things balance well? A problem with light basses is that they're usually awkward to play sitting down. If you rest it nicely on your right leg and lifted your hands off, does it stay at about a 30 degree angle?
Click to expand...

With the SUB SB4... not a chance. It hangs about 15 degrees above horizontal on a strap. It balances great resting between your legs on the left thigh.

I don't own any basses that will hold a 30 degree angle while resting on my right thigh with both hands off the bass and no right forearm assistance.
 
#214
ubnomnar said:
With the SUB SB4... not a chance. It hangs about 15 degrees above horizontal on a strap. It balances great resting between your legs on the left thigh.

I don't own any basses that will hold a 30 degree angle while resting on my right thigh with both hands off the bass and no right forearm assistance.
Click to expand...

I need some clarity;
Is this thread about the basses I posted pictures of (Sterling by Music Man S.U.B.) or is it about another bass entirely?
 
#216
ubnomnar said:
This thread is definitely about the new SBMM S.U.B. basses... all three models..

1) SUB Ray4 (Stingray variant)
2) SUB Ray5 (SR5 variant)
3) SUB SB4 (Sterling variant)
Click to expand...

What is the one you have, is it part of the same release?

edit; These are the only ones I see listed with this series;
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I found it, it's more of a slab sided variant of just the Sterling?
Invalid Link Removed
 
#217
I think I finally have it straight, I did not know these were copies of other different basses.
I have been thinking about getting one of these 5 strings but until just now I would have had to have an interpreter.
Thanks for the help, what a Cluster #$%^.

sub-bass-header.jpg
 
#218
I still maintain that no one does cheap basses better than ESP, though under $300 even for what is effectively a bad Musicanman copy (I know it's now actually a copy but certainly isn't the "read deal") isn't bad at all. The only reason I'm at odds with this is because I don't believe in cheapening the already cheapened instrument market with instruments that cost under $500. I think peope should make more of a commitment to music, but again, that is my opinion.

That said, it will be very interesting to see how these compare to Squires, given what Musicaman have allegedly "learned" from what is basically producing "good" quality instruments with cheap, sweatshop-style labour. Their Indonesian-made stuff is pretty decent, and Ibanezes being made there are getting good to, so maybe Indonesia is becoming the new Korea.
 
#219
Gabriel51 said:
What is the one you have, is it part of the same release?

edit; These are the only ones I see listed with this series;
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I found it, it's more of a slab sided variant of just the Sterling?
Invalid Link Removed
Click to expand...

SBMM kind of "boo-boo'd" the release by having the SUB SB4 for sale before it's even listed on their website.

I own the SBMM SUB SB4 which is the New SBMM SUB variant of the SBMM SB14 which is a variant of the original EBMM Sterling and EBMM Sterling SUB.

See... it's so simple, it's almost crystal :confused:

The New SUB SB4 is fully contoured with both a forearm and a tummy cut... as opposed to the original EBMM SUB series which was truly slab sided.

The only reason I can easily keep it all straight is because I've owned at least 15 different EBMM and SBMM basses in all price ranges.
 

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