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Started with G&L ended up with Sterling MM

B

BREAKDANCEFIGHT

Feb 14, 2011
13
0
#1
I was going to buy the JB-2, but after seeing and playing the Sterling MM Ray34 I was swayed. The JB-2 sounded weak and overall flat, but the Ray deep bass and bright highs. It was about 30-40% louder, too. I tried out a Lakland 44-01, L-2000, SB-2 and a Stu Hamm Washburn (dreaming). The sterling won out though.
 
#3
I tried the SB-2 against the JB-2 it was still 30% louder passive, too. The L-2000 has an active/passive toggle which when switched off blew away the JB-2. I am sure it is the MFD pups, but the Sterling beat out the L-2000, just barely due to the neck playing better and the body size. To give you an idea I am 6'5" and about 250 lbs, so most instrument look like ukulele's.
 
#5
You probably heard more bass and more highs because it was louder...
That's the first thing you should take care of when comparing different basses, leveling the volume between them...

With that being said, I did almost the same comparison a while ago and the EBMM StingRay sounded too flat for me after I tested the L2500. IMO, YMMV, etc.
 
#6
If you like the neck feel of the Sterling over the L2000, fine. But you can't legitimately say one "blows away" another just because one bass has more output than another. Of course the JB-2 isn't as loud. It has passive alnico pickups. The Ray 34 and L-2000 have onboard preamps. The L2000 and SB-2 have ceramic magnets and G&L's patented MFD design which quadruples the output. Alnico pickups (as in the JB-2) are universally known to have lower output, but a more buttery tone and subtler delivery of nuance and dynamics.
 
#7
"Blows Away" is simply my way of saying I was impressed with the increased level of output from said basses. I have been a Fender man my entire life. I never felt like my American Jazz (passive) was quiet or without tone variety. I have been using a friends L-2000 for the last month as my main bass, but simply liked the neck on the Sterling from a comfort level and the added heft of the slightly larger body.
 
#8
BREAKDANCEFIGHT said:
"Blows Away" is simply my way of saying I was impressed with the increased level of output from said basses. I have been a Fender man my entire life. I never felt like my American Jazz (passive) was quiet or without tone variety. I have been using a friends L-2000 for the last month as my main bass, but simply liked the neck on the Sterling from a comfort level and the added heft of the slightly larger body.
Click to expand...

I nearly bought a Sterling (fretless) about a year ago, but the neck dive was the only dealbreaker (the Stingray has the same problem). The Sterling/Stingray both sound really good but the balance of the design is awful.

I'm also surprised you found the MM output/hotness more than the L2000? The MFD pickups are the hottest PU's on the market that I've been able to find, hotter even than the big humbuckers in the MM.

If hot is what you need, there's nothing else on the market that exceeds the MFD equipped L2000....

LS
 

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