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Two basses- can only get one..

Which one?

  • USA Sterling SUB

    Votes: 42 15.9%

  • EBMM Caprice

    Votes: 137 51.9%

  • P bass with flats and carrot skin hard case

    Votes: 54 20.5%

  • Buy both and live in my car in the Walmart parking lot

    Votes: 31 11.7%
  • Total voters
    264
#41
This is a USA sterling SUB
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#43
I really like the USA Sub but it's...a Stingray. Originally it was a budget USA made Stingray. And Stingray are not rare and seems you're already covering that ground. Furthermore they're usually NOT light

The Caprice is something really unique, no you can't "make" one by putting together aftermarket pup.

So i'd say Caprice if you want to have a "fenderish" passive 4

(the only problem is that you WILL hunt down a Cutlass to complete the pair after a while...)
 
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#45
IMO a Caprice is worth MUCH more than $400 over a SUB. So either the SUB is overpriced, or the Caprice is a steal deal. I remember when the SUBs were out and selling new. There were a few things about them that turned me off and I considered them cheezy. I remember I could have bought (3) of them new on clearance at GC for $250 each. I passed. They were very unremarkable to me. There are those who claim they are as good as any USA EBMM Stingray. I don't agree. Truth told I would buy neither of these basses but if I had to choose one I would go with the Caprice - especially if it is being sold cheap as the situation suggests might be the case. Truth told if you are spending Caprice money there are better choices EBMM or otherwise.
 
#46
Benko said:
I really like the USA Sub but it's...a Stingray. Originally it was a budget USA made stingray...Furthermore they're usually NOT light
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first of all, thank you for taking the time to actually read the thread. Many don’t bother do that anymore before offering an opinion.
It’s a Sterling . But you are correct that it sounds like a stingray with the alnico rather than ceramic pickup
8.4 lbs
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I promise not to hunt down a cutlass
 
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#48
I had a Caprice for 6 months. Great tone, but the neck dive was killing me (tried light weight tuners) but the short horn, big headstock and light weight body wasn’t having it. I wasn’t all that impressed with the neck either. It felt silky smooth but needed a pretty thick shim placed just so in the pocket to get the upper register to play cleanly. I’d grab a sweet P with flats.
 
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#49
Lesfunk said:
first of all, thank you for taking the time to actually read the thread. Many don’t bother do that anymore before offering an opinion.
It’s a Sterling . But you are correct that it sounds like a stingray with the alnico rather than ceramic pickup
8.4 lbs
View attachment 4326059
I promise not to hunt down a cutlass
Click to expand...

ah yes my bad, I forgot those existed in Sterling model too (is it missing the switch?) It's a good weight, well, EBMM Sterling can still be had too

We'll be waiting for you in the Caprice/Cutlass club!
 
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#50
Benko said:
ah yes my bad, I forgot those existed in Sterling model too (is it missing the switch?) It's a good weight, well, EBMM Sterling can still be had too

We'll be waiting for you in the Caprice/Cutlass club!
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Yeah , the lack,of switching system is a trade off of the budget model. They have an alnico pickup and the three band pre from an early stingray 5
 
#51
lfmn16 said:
I had a Caprice it was very "meh" so I'd vote for the SUB. I've heard really good things about the made in US SUBS. I've had several Stingrays and they've ranged from great to not so great, so make sure there is a return policy.
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I love Musicman, my Shortscale Stingrays are all I've played for over 2 years now (and I own LOTS of basses) - and I have to agree with you. I had a Caprice and tried really hard to love it. It felt awesome, looked awesome, but then sounded to me was as you stated - meh. MM often (usually) knocks it out of park. Not with the Caprice though, at least not for me.
 
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#52
OH yeah, I should add...

I don't know what a USA Sterling SUB is. Is there even such a thing? But I know my Short Scale SBMM Stingray sounds just like my USA MM Stingray. I hear that's not the deal with all SBMMs, so I'd look into that a bit. If you have any desire to play a short scale I PROMISE you won't be disappointed with an SBMM SS Stingray. The price is nice too.
 
#53
Joe Nerve said:
OH yeah, I should add...

I don't know what a USA Sterling SUB is. Is there even such a thing? But I know my Short Scale SBMM Stingray sounds just like my USA MM Stingray. I hear that's not the deal with all SBMMs, so I'd look into that a bit. If you have any desire to play a short scale I PROMISE you won't be disappointed with an SBMM SS Stingray. The price is nice too.
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Yes I had one but I couldn’t get used to playing everything in the wrong position. I was always two frets off. ( muscle memory). It sounded fantastic.

See post #46 for a USA SUB

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#54
And my final note :) , as I just read the other responses...

I wonder if a mixed batch of Caprices went out. I'm really surprised by the mixed reviews. Its clear many people love(ed) the Caprice. Could be playing much different music, or have much different playing styles, amps, taste? I dunno :) . Again, it looked awesome and felt better in my hands than just about any bass I ever owned. My love ended there though.
 
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#57
USA subs are some of the best basses you can own, regardless of price.

I owned two. AMAZING instruments.

Why did I sell?
- I needed different tone, but the tone they had was AMAZING, and unable to be created by any other bass.
- They were too heavy
- They had slab bodies which eventually became annoying to me compared to more comfortable (and lighter) designs which also sounded amazing.

BUT, excellent excellent instruments, and the particular one you have access to is probably the very best of them.
 
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#59
Joe Nerve said:
OH yeah, I should add...

I don't know what a USA Sterling SUB is. Is there even such a thing? But I know my Short Scale SBMM Stingray sounds just like my USA MM Stingray. I hear that's not the deal with all SBMMs, so I'd look into that a bit. If you have any desire to play a short scale I PROMISE you won't be disappointed with an SBMM SS Stingray. The price is nice too.
Click to expand...
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The USA SUB Sterling has the small Sterling body and the three band preamp, instead of the two band, but no coil splitting switch.
 
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#60
commonplayer said:
I love EBMM, but man they have some really confusing branding overall.
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The whole Ernie Ball line confuses me. I almost bought a Stingray about 8 years ago but passed for a Lakland 5502. Wish I had bought the Stingray back then, but in general I really can't figure out which model is which. Some of the poorest marketing naming schemes I have ever seen for basses.
I see them pop up here for sale from time to time but I don't pursue them because the naming scheme is so wonky.
 

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