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Sterling by Music Man SUB Ray4 and Ray5

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#501
Is anyone else a bit disturbed/annoyed at the mention of SB4's, in this thread?

1) The thread title addresses Ray models, specifically,

2) The SBMM site does not show that the SBMM SUB SB4 exists (unless I am missing something; please point it out ON THE SBMM site; not GC, which DOES show that it exists).

Just had to get that off my chest.
 
#502
Honestly, I remain annoyed that EBMM named the import line "Sterling by Music Man" and devalued the brand of my genuine USA EBMM Sterlings.

Ford Mustang or Mustang by Ford?

I had to get that off my chest too.
 
#503
OK, I too have encountered the same preamp issue in my Sub4 as you others have. I am not excited about taking it back to GC for fixing. I am anticipating management trying to shrug or deflect it's responsibility. Is there anything posted by SBMM to assure the repair or is it simply a suggestion?
 
#504
martyonbass said:
OK, I too have encountered the same preamp issue in my Sub4 as you others have. I am not excited about taking it back to GC for fixing. I am anticipating management trying to shrug or deflect it's responsibility. Is there anything posted by SBMM to assure the repair or is it simply a suggestion?
Click to expand...
It's not a repair. And GC would not be responsible to do anything. Unless you do it yourself, you'll have to pay to have it done. You'll have to sift through this thread. SBMM posted a step by step mod which basically just gives better volume control over the preamp. It does not fix the issue. It's just a hot, high gain, preamp by design (or the pickup itself is hot). I've had the mod done to mine. And have done several gigs with the bass. In the end, I still plan to upgrade the preamp.

If the company continues it's run of these basses, I think they should redesign the preamp to include a gain trimpot or come up with a mod to add one. Even with the mod, all I need is to turn my volume knob a solid 1/4 turn and it's all the volume I need. It's still a tiny bit overdriven. Rock guys may actually dig it.
 
#505
Thanks Funkfather, I continue to enjoy the bass. It is a much simpler setup to my Stingray HH. Even having just a 2 band tends to make me wanna just leave it set and just play. I too will upgrade to a different preamp, one that will just do enough and not give me too many choices.
 
#513
I've been looking at this bass for a week or so and was going to buy it until I read about that pre amp, is it still worth getting even if I don't switch the pre amp out? I've always loved musicman basses but never been able to spend that much money on a bass but I don't want to spend 279 as low as it is for a bass just to be disappointed with one small feature
 
#514
JPginger said:
I've been looking at this bass for a week or so and was going to buy it until I read about that pre amp, is it still worth getting even if I don't switch the pre amp out? I've always loved musicman basses but never been able to spend that much money on a bass but I don't want to spend 279 as low as it is for a bass just to be disappointed with one small feature
Click to expand...
It's giggable as it is. I did a couple gigs before performing the mod and several gigs after the mod. Have gotten a ton of compliments on the sound. I can just imagine how it'll sound after I mod out the pre and pickup. Look at it this way, if you buy a Squier, you'll end up modding it anyway so think of it as just another bass to mod.

Also, I'm wondering now if it's the pickup that is uber hot and not the preamp. Either way, I'm swapping them both out.
 
#516
I have the walnut one. Regarding the "hot preamp issue" I haven't found the need to mod it. I found the following worked very well...
1) Lowered the pickup.
2) Changed the battery for a good one.
3) Use a compressor
4) Plug into active input/use pad button on bass amps.

Regarding the series/parallel different wiring--there is a definite difference in the sound. I actually like the sb4 sound a little better, and yes it does have more mids(or a different mid frequency). But I love the look of the walnut ray4 and if I need more mids... well that's what the eq on my amp does.
 
#519
DWBass said:
It's giggable as it is. I did a couple gigs before performing the mod and several gigs after the mod. Have gotten a ton of compliments on the sound. I can just imagine how it'll sound after I mod out the pre and pickup. Look at it this way, if you buy a Squier, you'll end up modding it anyway so think of it as just another bass to mod.

Also, I'm wondering now if it's the pickup that is uber hot and not the preamp. Either way, I'm swapping them both out.
Click to expand...

That is a very good point. Thanks a lot, definitely going to pick one of these up next chance I get. :hyper:
 
#520
plankspanker13 said:
Is anyone else a bit disturbed/annoyed at the mention of SB4's, in this thread?

1) The thread title addresses Ray models, specifically,

2) The SBMM site does not show that the SBMM SUB SB4 exists (unless I am missing something; please point it out ON THE SBMM site; not GC, which DOES show that it exists).

Just had to get that off my chest.
Click to expand...

Yes as to 1). The naming convention these guys choose borders on the comical, so encroaching on this thread with other confusingly-titled basses doesn't help matters.

(For what it's worth, I'm still jonesing for a Ray4 -- nothwithstanding the hour or so it took me to get model names right).
 
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