mcnach

[quote name='CMR Bass' timestamp='1383952057' post='2271319'] The problem with the neck bolts loosening off must be a common problem. [/quote] Is it??? Never had that issue on basses or guitars. I find it quite odd, in fact.

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1384175890' post='2273522'] You tap it and rings out loudly because of it's dense [b]mass (not weight)[/b]. [/quote] are you building basses in another (smaller) planet now?

I would ask no questions... until the bass were safely in my hands. Then I'd ask a LOT of questions.

[quote name='stoo' timestamp='1384427727' post='2276507'] Just spotted this [url="http://forums.ernieball.com/music-man-basses/56819-sbmm-sub-ray4-green-when-europe-pat.html"]http://forums.ernieb...europe-pat.html[/url] Looks like the green SBMM SUB will be available to European distributors early next year...... [/quote] ... I'm only human. There are temptations I cannot resist.

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1384425257' post='2276479'] Crikey, even I quite like that! [/quote] what??? quick, go to the Royal Infirmary!!! You may be suffering a stroke!!!

[quote name='stoo' timestamp='1384376405' post='2276008'] Ooops - I stand corrected! I presume that must be an exclusive colour for Musicians friend as it's not listed on the SBMM page for the SUB models, USA/Canada or the International one? It's almost like they've intentionally made it tricky to work out what's what with all the model variations and naming overlaps.... Argh! [/quote] Indeed... you can almost imagine the meeting they had: "things are confusing, but not confusing enough... is there anything we can do to make it even harder for people to know what's what?" I'm glad the green one is not normally available here... it would be too hard for me to resist! I do have a friend in the US who will be visiting in February... hmmm

[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1384378427' post='2276061'] So you like VM's as long as the neck and pups are replaced??? [/quote]

That's awesome! ... and I really must post my orange fretless Jazz!

[quote name='stoo' timestamp='1384361146' post='2275705'] The green one isn't an [url="http://www.sterlingbymusicman.com/sub-bass"]SBMM SUB[/url], that's a [url="http://www.sterlingbymusicman.com/ray34ca"]SBMM Ray34ca. [/url] It's a bit confusing as the Ray34ca looks very similar to the SUB Ray4 - they're both 38mm nut and 2 band EQ, compared to the Ray34 which is 43mm and 3 band. I believe the Ray34 and Ray34ca are meant to have pickups and preamps based on the proper Musicman designs, but the ones in the SUB Ray 4 aren't - I've seen a pic somewhere of a preamp claimed to be from a SUB Ray 4, which had a label on it saying "Spector Bass". The SUB Ray 4 I played also had centre detente clicks on the EQ knobs, whereas the Ray34ca had no centre click, just like the genuine EBMM 2EQ basses.... [/quote] There may be regional variations in availability. In the US at least it seems you can get a green SBMM SUB: [url="http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/sterling-by-music-man-s.u.b.-ray4-bass-guitar/h82042000004000"]http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/sterling-by-music-man-s.u.b.-ray4-bass-guitar/h82042000004000[/url] That's the bass I was talking about. The pickups and preamps on SBMM basses (RayXX and SUB lines) are different from those used by EBMM. There is a thread over there at TalkBass about SBMM basses, and their head guy has contributed a few very interesting posts, worth checking. He said that the electronics are not like the EBMM instruments. They're probably not terribly far off, 'though. They may not sound like the real thing, exactly, but they certainly have the "vibe". Some of the clips I heard on Youtube (granted, not the best place to compare stuff) sound unmisteakably Stingray-like. The preamps on the SBMM SUBs seem different from those on the RayXX, if only by the fact that SUB owners often complain about how hot the output is and that the SBMM head guy (I forget his name) admitted it and actually posted a "fix" for those who could not live with it.

[quote name='rodma' timestamp='1384154721' post='2273207'] I take it that is a pretty simple mod To carry out? Just a wee bit of rewiring/soldering? Thanks for all the infos. [/quote] It's not terribly complicated. It involves a certain amount of risk but if you're careful it should work out ok. I just noticed you're in Edinburgh. I have two SUB (4-string) basses, one in parallel and another in series, both stock. If you want to come round and check the difference you're welcome. You may decide that the difference is not worth it, or that you *really* want it. edit: I just noticed also that you got a great deal with this... lucky man! Now I officially hate you

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1384119025' post='2273038'] That sounds familiar from an old thread now Jose, did we ever work out where they took the pickup from or did we decide it was made just for the SUB? So confusing! What do you think about a series parallel switch? [/quote] no idea, it seems weird they'd make this pickup just for the SUB, when the purpose of the SUB line was to reduce cost... so it'd make sense to just use something they already made. But there were no other basses at the time using this kind of pickup, so... it is confusing indeed! I like the series option a lot. One SUB 4-string that I have has the pickup wired in series. I think the extra oomph in the mids works really well with the 2-band EQ. I like it as it is. In contrast, both my other SUB (parallel, 2EQ) and my Stingray (parallel of course, and 2EQ) I felt I never really liked the 2-band preamp there, so one already has the John East 3-band and the other one soon will too. Personally, I'd probably just wire it in series, if I wanted a simple mod and keep everything else as it is.

[quote name='rodma' timestamp='1384101737' post='2272753'] all i know is that the indonesian one has cut and boost on both the treble and the bass, since there is a little midpoint "notch" that the pots click into. other than than that i am just getting confused, but that's nothing new [/quote] The SBMM guy has stated that the preamp and pickups are different in their instruments to those made by EBMM. Having a centre detent knob does not automatically mean it is cut/boost, and if it is, it does not mean the centre detent is where the flat point is...

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1384100534' post='2272735'] Im going to have a stab in the dark here and say the usa will have a ceramic pickup like a standard usa Ray of the same era where the indonesian one probably has an alnico one previously only possible by buying either an early ray five (80's and early 90's) or like my blue 2010 one with the alnico coming in around 2007 even though my black 2007 is a last of the line ceramic version but with the newer switch/battery box position etc. So to get the full pre eb sound from the usa sub you should put the indonesian pickup in it although its probably not the same as a usa pickup,confused yet? Lol [/quote] My EBMM SUB5 had an alnico pickup, wired in parallel.