Stingray Special & SBMM Sterling: Comparison

[Dr. Cheese]

My favorite store got these in over the weekend. The Stingray Special is special indeed, but the SBMM Sterling is no slouch at 1/3 the Stingray price and passive. In fact, I think a good passive bass is better than an active bass with a budget preamp. I played both through an Aguilar 350w amp and an Aguilar 1x10 cab. I used the 10+db boost to equalize output between both basses.

 

[tindrum]

Both seriously sounded great. In a mix I don’t know how much you could tell a difference.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Both seriously sounded great. In a mix I don’t know how much you could tell a difference.

You probably couldn’t tell. The main difference is that the Special is a bit lighter, has a thinner neck, and onboard tone shaping ability.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

The passive has a lot more mids. For me it’s just a bit too mid heavy. I always like the bounce that the preamp brings to StingRays.

I use my passive StingRay when I want that specific feel and tone. To me it shines pickstyle with palm muting .
Different uses for basses within the same family . But that’s what makes it fun to have the variety .
I’m sure you were not referring to the Special Preamp as being cheap. EBMM preamps are excellent.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

The passive has a lot more mids. For me it’s just a bit too mid heavy. I always like the bounce that the preamp brings to StingRays.

I use my passive StingRay when I want that specific feel and tone. To me it shines pickstyle with palm muting .
Different uses for basses within the same family . But that’s what makes it fun to have the variety .
I’m sure you were not referring to the Special Preamp as being cheap. EBMM preamps are excellent.

Heavens no! I am referring to the SBMM preamp. The Special preamp is wonderful. I like the mids on the passive Sterling. It makes me think of Bernard Edwards, who sometimes sounded like he was playing a super thick Jazz Bass bridge pickup.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

@LadyLoveStingRay5, you have such a good ear for frequencies! You are really good at hearing tonal details.

 

[PrimitiveMan]

For the money, if you want a Stingray then the SBMM are pretty amazing. Still I owned a couple SBMM (both the Ray5 and Ray35s) before getting my Stingray Special and they just can't compete with the real deal. The Special is just a magical bass for me, feels and sounds so good!

But for the price the SBMM come very close and no one in the audience is going to know the difference.

SBMM also have great B strings on their 5ers. Even their cheapest Ray5 models had a better B string than some very expensive 5 strings I've played.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

For the money, if you want a Stingray then the SBMM are pretty amazing. Still I owned a couple SBMM (both the Ray5 and Ray35s) before getting my Stingray Special and they just can't compete with the real deal. The Special is just a magical bass for me, feels and sounds so good!

But for the price the SBMM come very close and no one in the audience is going to know the difference.

SBMM also have great B strings on their 5ers. Even their cheapest Ray5 models had a better B string than some very expensive 5 strings I've played.

My wife gave me a SBMM SR5HH, and it is certainly a gig worthy bass.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

My wife gave me a SBMM SR5HH, and it is certainly a gig worthy bass.

I bought a Ray4 in 2019 for this rough gig/open mic we play/host to leave my nice bass at home. I was lucky and got a good one. Now I play it at most all my gigs! No one has asked me is that a $300 bass. I get compliments on its sound all the time. I was looking at a USA SUB. I am afraid it won’t be any better than my Ray4. Plus I can’t dig the painted neck. May be covering up a train wreck grain pattern or knots.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I bought a Ray4 in 2019 for this rough gig/open mic we play/host to leave my nice bass at home. I was lucky and got a good one. Now I play it at most all my gigs! No one has asked me is that a $300 bass. I get compliments on its sound all the time. I was looking at a USA SUB. I am afraid it won’t be any better than my Ray4. Plus I can’t dig the painted neck. May be covering up a train wreck grain pattern or knots.

A USA SUB is much better, in my opinion. They were simply American Stingrays with cheap finishes.

 

[osonu]

Well, I feel like the lone ranger, but I really liked the sound of the Special better. Deeper, thicker, more fundamentals? Don't really know the terminology, but that's the tone I like. Different strokes I guess.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Well, I feel like the lone ranger, but I really liked the sound of the Special better. Deeper, thicker, more fundamentals? Don't really know the terminology, but that's the tone I like. Different strokes I guess.

I think the Special sounds great too.

 

[Snert]

The Special is definitely the darker of the two.

 

[Kijuer]

Both seriously sounded great. In a mix I don’t know how much you could tell a difference.

'Tis the reason why I sold my Special.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Well, I feel like the lone ranger, but I really liked the sound of the Special better. Deeper, thicker, more fundamentals? Don't really know the terminology, but that's the tone I like. Different strokes I guess.

You are not alone . I do too. I think the Sterling Sterling would be one that I would pick up to wear flats and use palm muted pick style . All that midrange would not be ideal for me as my main player. But it really depends what you are after. I could definitely get me useful tones out of the Special .

 

[Fat Bottom Kyle]

I love my Sterling Sterling. Can’t put her down.

 

[Bass Viking]

The gap between budget and pricey gear is shrinking.

 

[Altitude]

The passive has a lot more mids. For me it’s just a bit too mid heavy. I always like the bounce that the preamp brings to StingRays.

I use my passive StingRay when I want that specific feel and tone. To me it shines pickstyle with palm muting .
Different uses for basses within the same family . But that’s what makes it fun to have the variety .
I’m sure you were not referring to the Special Preamp as being cheap. EBMM preamps are excellent.

I had a MasterEffects Manta pedal for a minute. Claims to mimic the EBMM preamp, probably in the same way the John East and Nordstrand onboard MM-style preamps do.

It sort of sounded like a mid cut to me. Not bad really, but I couldn’t peg it as a useful needed tool versus a novelty so I didn’t keep it. Granted I was not using it with a passive MM bass, which really would have been the use case. I think I bought it to try it with my Skjold 5-string, which is passive and has pickups roughly in the sweet spot.

If someone finds themselves with a passive MM bass, one of these pedals might be just the ticket.

 

[DrThumpenstein]

Just curious, Doc, which one is your favorite store?

PM me if you're still working on the endorsement deal!

 

[Geri O]

Well, I feel like the lone ranger, but I really liked the sound of the Special better. Deeper, thicker, more fundamentals? Don't really know the terminology, but that's the tone I like. Different strokes I guess.

I could give a d@mn what anyone thinks of the Special’s tone. I love it and I love mine.