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Sterling SUB ray4 changes

#101
Flamingo21 said:
+1
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I'm going to politely disagree with you here from this perspective. The huge "SUB" logo makes the instrument look cheap. It might as well have a sticker on the headstock that says "CHEAP" :) You don't see the Ernie Ball Music man basses or Fender or Squier do that. Their logos are more elegant.

Honestly what probably bothers me the most about the SUB lettering is the SUB itself. If it was not as bold, used the Music Man font and simply said "Stingray" I'd have liked it better. I guess that's technically what they did. Also from a marketing perspective, the "Sterling" name is now the larger lettering. So when someone says "hey, what are you playing on? Never heard of a SUB." they can now read the brand name better.

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Different strokes.....for different folks.....:thumbsup:

Not sure why I typed all of this. Probably just counting the seconds until I leave work for the weekend. :hyper:
 
#104
I don’t like the new logo, and was against it.
Way too Fender, ala Squire and all of the smoke and mirrors that follows with it.
Sorry, I’m far too transparent and honest. Always been.

For Branding, to me, the clothes do not make the man, even when you dress to the nines. Own what you are, and be the best while you’re at it.

Look at the original Made in USA “SUB”. That was the model for the logo, and the identity path. Separate, not equal, yet Brand identifiable. Now, rushing to play “Fender games”, it gets more blurred.
 
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#105
Flamingo21 said:
I see your point. But then they should OWN it. Print the Sterling name really large, and no fuss of other texts in other fonts:
View attachment 3006668
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I think it is kind of sneaky/deceptive to put "StingRay" on these new head stocks...I have the large SUB logo....don't really care what logo it is, it plays awesome, it is loud & powerful, smooth neck etc etc
I have D'addario black tapes on it (black body w/ maple neck and I put on a black pearl pickguard..)
 
#106
edencab said:
I think it is kind of sneaky/deceptive to put "StingRay" on these new head stocks.
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DISCLAIMER: I am not trying to start an argument, but just offering another perspective. :)

If calling a SUB series bass a "StingRay" is sneaky and deceptive, then is it sneaky and deceptive to call this a jazz bass? Both are import models of the American original. Both basses clearly have the import brand labeled on it in similar font as the American counter part. Just food for thought.

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#107
tubatodd said:
DISCLAIMER: I am not trying to start an argument, but just offering another perspective. :)

If calling a SUB series bass a "StingRay" is sneaky and deceptive, then is it sneaky and deceptive to call this a jazz bass? Both are import models of the American original. Both basses clearly have the import brand labeled on it in similar font as the American counter part. Just food for thought.

View attachment 3051423
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true enough, good point
 
#116
I've just played a China made one and it had a hot pre issue. This was a China made large SUB font version. The new headstock decal ones might be different. But the old large SUB China models avoid them too if indeed you want to avoid the hot pre issue.
Which I actually think is a hot pickup issue, its overloading the pre rather than the pre overdriving the amp. But I digress.
 
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#117
mrjim123 said:
This is probably a long shot but I though I'd ask anyways. Up until about a week ago I was seeing a "Satin Black" Stringray SUB on one of the major online sites; I can't remember if it was GC, Musician's Friend, Sweetwater, etc. I also can't remember if it was the Ray4 model or not.

This wasn't the gloss black model currently available; it actually looked more like a stain because the wood beneath was partly visible. I was planning on checking it out and now it is gone. An online search turns up nothing. Does anybody know where these might still be available? Also, I've tried in vain to find information regarding the SUB series but I couldn't find much if anything; its almost as if Sterling doesn't support this series. Is there a site I'm unaware of?
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I have one that I just picked up at GC, in the Satin Black. Its really a sharp color, and its a dark stain, that the
Grain of the wood shows through. (please disregard the mess in the background, its my test station at work!)
IMG_2304.jpg
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IMG_2307.jpg
 
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#118
Just picked up a Sterling Ray4 (small SUB lettering on headstock). I had the previous one for a week (large lettering) and thought it felt cheap so sold it. This one still feels cheap compared to a Sire bass which only costs a little more.

Anyway I bought it as I wanted a cheap Stingray that I can mod. It's well made but the neck feels unfinished IMHO. All the frets are good and truss work fine but the wood could do with a rub down with fine wire wool and a bit of a waxing. I think it will feel great then.

The pickup and preamp seem ok and you get a deep but slightly muddy bass but not that Stingray top end sizzle even with the treble all the way up. I had to turn the treble on my amp all the way to get some sizzle.

The tuners work well and bridge seems fine. I had to tighten all the screws on the bridge and neck. Apart from that it seems well put together. The neck relief and intonation were good straight out of the box. I had to lower the strings but couldn't get the G string lower than 2mm at fret 12 without buzzing. The neck is straight not sure if this means there maybe an uneven fret somewhere. Anyway it was a minor issue and 2mm is fine.

Overall it's growing on me but probably needs at least a preamp upgrade and possibly pickup upgrade which was always my intention when buying the bass. It does play well and the preamp should bring it to life.
 
#120
I owned a USA EBMM Stingray (1993 model) a few years ago which was a beautiful bass in translucent wine with a birdseye maple neck and 2 band EQ. It was soooo trebley i couldn't use it. Just couldn't dial out the treble. Maybe at the time I didn't appreciate what a Stingray should sound like coming from Jazz basses. So I sold it. I actually prefer the sound of the Ray4 to that EBMM as I could live with the Ray4 sound without modding (at least for a while!).
 

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