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Sterling S.U.B. Ray4 Bass guitars?

#41
REME7178 said:
Up until the S.U.B., I had never bought a bass online and to tell the truth it was a impulse buy partly because on the multiple positive threads on TB. I have never had a $210 bass NIB so I tried to keep an open mind and just compare it with the used basses for the same price that I could recollect taking the time to look at, but I could not recollect ever taking the the time to really look at one let alone play one. My first impression when was WOW, and then I held it close and really looked at it and the bass almost felt to me that I was holding a super nice toy. I own a Stingray and two Sterlings, I think initially that's why I had that first impression of the SUB. My initial excitement just turned in to an "Oh ok", but in no way disappointment. Right of the bat the differences were apparent right away. In NO way am I comparing the SUB Ray4 to the EBMM Stingray that would be like comparing oranges and banannas. In contrast though the S.U.B. is lighter, the fret dots and the logo I am guessing are thickly silk screened on the neck and head, the frets were a little rough and snaged my fingers when I ran them over and along the edge of the fret board, and I feel the SUB could of come with a substantially better nut. Not what I expected at first, but after thoughtful consideration of what I really should expect from a $210 NIB bass the S.U.B. exceeded my expectations.

BTW I have never owned a brand new bass, I've only ever owned used/pre loved basses, and I just picked up a 5 string Fender Deluxe for $300 I pick it up from lay away in 28 days. That bass blows the S.U.B. Ray4 away even with the huge dings and cracks in the paint.

Also I ordered two S.U.B.'s because of a photo shop I saw on one of the threads here on TB, and because it was less to order two. I swaped the maple neck from a black one with the rosewood neck from a walnut one, then I up graded the pickup and the 2 band pre amp (B/T/V) to a 3 band pre amp (B/M/T/V). Now I have a Walnut Satin S.U.B. with a Maple neck with the 1/4" jack mounted in the cornner instead of on the plate. I ended up trading the left over Black S.U.B. with the Rosewood neck and the left over stock electronics to the shop for the work, parts, and a new case for my new S.U.B. so I suppose the S.U.B. Ray4 I ended up with ended up costing me a little more.

BTW the pickup I used was the Basslines SMB-4A, the preamp I used was the Baselines STC-3M4, and a jack plate that the shop had laying around. I know there better pickup's and preamp's that I could of used, but I am happy and satisfied with the Basslines components so naysayers just be happy too. Total cost to me $411.82 and 7 days waiting on UPS plus 3 days waiting for the work to be done.
Click to expand...

Your welcome for my Photoshop ramblings. I am happy it inspired someone to do what I in visioned. Do you have a pic? I would love to see the real world version
 
#43
With flat EQ , pluck the E string a little hard, you will notice that. Raise the bass knob around 30%, overall output just make the bass cab driver sound fart.

The best way damn the hot output ,If your bass amp has active input or -15db button.
Steve Strang said:
Hey all
Going to check out a Sterling sub Ray4 tomorrow. How do I check if this one has a hot pre amp? What should I be looking for and how do I test it? Crank volume up?
Click to expand...
 
#44
Yahboy said:
With flat EQ , pluck the E string a little hard, you will notice that. Raise the bass knob around 30%, overall output just make the bass cab driver sound fart.

The best way damn the hot output ,If your bass amp has active input or -15db button.
Click to expand...
I don't know what amp he has (hoping he has one so I can test). It a two hr drive. So excuse my inexperience. So drop all the eq in amp and hit the e with a bit?
 
#46
Steve Strang said:
I don't know what amp he has (hoping he has one so I can test). It a two hr drive. So excuse my inexperience. So drop all the eq in amp and hit the e with a bit?
Click to expand...

Just set full volume, bass and treble set flat. and try raise the bass knobs and you will get in high output zone.
The hot ouput on Ray4 is sterling manufacturing standard.
 
#48
upload_2020-6-25_16-31-40.jpeg
 
#51
Steve Strang said:
I could be wrong but I thought some member said if it's got a Sub4 on the headstock it's an older model. Is this true
Click to expand...

It looks like you bought the bass?

To answer your question:-
If it's got that big SUB on it, it's an older model. The Indonesian ones (the earliest version) are the ones that may have a preamp issue (I owned 4 of these earliest models, none had the issue). Manufacturing was then moved to China, (still had the same headstock) and the preamp issue was addressed with those.
Headstock of the early SUBs (both Indonesian made & Chinese) looked like this.
bajo-sterling-by-musicman-sub-series-4-cuerdas-D_NQ_NP_251825-MLC25504361918_042017-O.jpg


The most recent generation of the SUBs are now known as the Sterling Ray4 SUB Series.
sterling_music_man_stingray_bass_headstock_front-compressor.jpg
 
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#53
Steve Strang said:
No I haven't bought it yet. It really is slim pickings for instruments at the moment in Australia both new and used. I think I've decided after trying a squire short scale and squire affinity that I want a long scale .
Click to expand...

Squier short scale, Squier Affy PJ and Sub Ray 4 all sound different.....

For me, I will get the Yamaha BB234 . This BB sound really really great and the white one are gorgeous.
 
#55
The SUB by Sterling basses are a good value. I have an H and an HH model. Both have the really hot preamp and are a little on the heavy side. If you have a hot one, simply crank the pickup down a bit for a quick fix. Mine set up nice, and pull off the Stingray tone quite well.

With a little bit of money, you can always swap out the electronics / pickups.
 
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