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Upgrading Sterling SUB Ray4...any recommendations? Pickups or preamp or something else first?

I

ivandaho

Guest
Jan 2, 2014
12
0
#1
I'm looking to upgrade my bass. It's one of the relatively recent 200+ USD Sterling by MusicMan "clones". Its a really great bass for the price, but there's always this electronic, slightly processed sound that the bass produces that I cant get away from.

I've tried an Eden WTDI and a SansAmp BDDI, both of which are great, but they don't "remove" the electronic tone, and instead add on to it. I'm probably going to sell one of these once I play more with them since they work well enough individually. Since the sound probably lies in the pickup/preamp, I'm thinking to potentially upgrade either one of those next.

I've heard a friend's '92 Jazz Bass, with stock pickups and an Aguilar OBP-3 installed, and it sounds really great. It has the..growl. Not at the moment you touch it, but right after the note sounds, then the growl starts to form and resonate. My SUB has a growl too, but its a different kind of sound. Mine seems more synthetic. My friend's Jazz's is more natural and the note it produces moves smoothly into the growl (if that makes sense).

So, how do I get my MM to sound more...organic/flexible? (Sorry, I'm not sure if I used the correct terms) I was thinking of the OBP-3 like he did, but then even if the upgrade worked well for him, it might not for me. Do I change the pickup? Preamp? Maybe try another preamp pedal? A compressor pedal? Or am I limited to how the MM sounds now, because it's a single humbucker pickup? Should I just save up and get a better bass?
 
#2
Similar thing with my RAY. I found The hot pre-amp added an unwanted "Colour" to any effect I was using. I took the pick ups off and took the foam and springs out from underneath them, lowered the pick ups down to the wood and now it sounds what I want it to sound like. A very easy and cheap solution for me. Only took ten minutes to do.
 
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#3
I just tried it, 2 of the 3 screws seem to get stuck. I wasn't careful and now the screws' sockets are less of a cross and more of a circle...not sure what to do now. I did realize the pickups were already at it's lowest point possible (without removing anything underneath). I also tried a higher pickup position just because, which made the bass really hot...definitely not what I was looking for.


EDIT: I managed to get the springs (but not the foam) underneath the pickups out, and put the pickup back into a decent position. However I snapped my A string in the process (somehow it got stuck in the retainer slot thing, and as I was tuning it back, it snapped.) I've only ever unscrewed/adjusted a Squier Jazz's pickups other than this one, and I certainly didn't expect the pickup screws to be this soft.

I tried the sound of my bass after the adjustment. Somehow it feels a bit better, but now I'm missing a string. You can still hear the limitations though, even after the slight adjustment.
 
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#5
The problem with those basses is they wire the preamp directly to the output jack

pickup ---> volume pot---> preamp---> jack

So you're getting the full gain of the preamp which is not good. You have to switch the wires and put the volume pot after the preamp. You'll get a better sound that is less hot

pickup---> preamp---> volume pot---> jack
 
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#9
Bit late to the party on this topic... I also have a Sterling Sub with some sound issues, but it's nice enough to play on. I gave some consideration to replacing the pick up & electronics etc, however, the cost to do so probably exceeds the price of the original bass. With that in mind am I better off just buying a better quality bass (G&L tribute, TMB600 or similar ilk) or will decent upgrades to the Sterling Sub leave me with a bass of similar quality to those (for half the cost of buying a new bass)?
 
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#10
Battlebass2015 said:
Bit late to the party on this topic... I also have a Sterling Sub with some sound issues, but it's nice enough to play on. I gave some consideration to replacing the pick up & electronics etc, however, the cost to do so probably exceeds the price of the original bass. With that in mind am I better off just buying a better quality bass (G&L tribute, TMB600 or similar ilk) or will decent upgrades to the Sterling Sub leave me with a bass of similar quality to those (for half the cost of buying a new bass)?
Click to expand...

Aggree that sub ray 4 neck has better playing feel than my Squier CV60P and VMJ. My ray 4 are latest version which use same preamp as Ray24, but still has distorted high output ceramic pickup.

Before I decide either swap pickup or preamp, I read and hear about ray4 has classic warmer voice and tone character like 2 band eq classic stingray instead bright sounding 3 band stingray and Ray34.

So, I try swap pickup first. But I don't want spend on expensive Nordy or Delano pup. GFS mm Alnico pup is cheapest choice which has lot positive feedback from TB member.

I am Flatwound fans , Ti flat or EB cobalt flat mix with the GFS mm pup present too warm and blurry tone even in parralle wiring. From the disappointed result, I decide modified and put P bass pickup on it like earlier Leo prototype Musicman.

But I found a cheap china make Mm pup via Aliexpress. After chat with them I bought one.

This china pup sing pretty well with stock preamp and Ti flat. She has much better tone definition than GFS and stock pup. Well balance string to string output and no hot output issue at all. Happy with the result.

Worth to try.

Aliexpress search “ Free Shipping Music man style bass pickups Alnico 5 rod 4 string bass pickup ”, from seller name Donlis music.


Off topic.
The very playable ray 4 make me decide to get the ray 5 . Will get the after market ceramic pup with 4 wire, wire in series and match with modern tone 3 band preamp plus side output jack modifications.
 
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#11
Hi all, I just want to share with you, today bought a Sterling Sub Ray 4 in greenmint color I found it on Craiglist for 160 box with maple fretboard and just have the good surprise when I open electronics to find upgraded Preamp :), is the one as half moon pcb board shape, it has the pots over the pcb board and it says MC466W Rev B. It sounds great.
 
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