Terry M.

Yes mate I'm more than aware you're here and didn't write anything I wouldn't want you to read.I thought on a public forum it's only natural that the OP will be referenced whether directly or indirectly? I'm just saying it's a journey of self discovery and I hope you either eventually bond with it or find something that works for you. My 5 string Sterling was awesome but unlike you my hands are big so it didn't work out in the end. Good luck in your quest.

They're selling a Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass V but calling it a Classic Vibe 70s. I messaged them on Reverb to point out the difference but no reply and nothing has changed in the description since.

I genuinely believe the OP bought the Sterling for the wrong reason. No offence intended 🙏 Work on your craft and step on fresh snow and tell YOUR story. I mean that in good spirits.

I'm now curious how tall you are? 😊

B-G even?

I'll be the first to ask: How's the B string? 😊

My take on this is some folks aren't interested in the best bass tone,they just chase the tone that featured on their favourite albums and expect to hear that regardless of tonal developments made since.

I personally have no problem being honest about what tone I like or dislike. We just like different things so I can like a tone that you don't and we're both right for example. There's a reason I stay away from flatwound strings but others swear by them as another example.

I agree with all of this 100%

Ok but £5.5k really stood out. Surely it's a £1.5k bass at best.

If you think he's expensive there's a used Fender American Professional Jazz Bass V currently on Reverb from a UK based seller. The seller is taking offers but the asking price is £5,500.00 with £250 delivery costs. I messaged him and he confirmed the £5.5k wasn't a typo.

The Telecaster/Mondeo analogy is the same insofar as extracting extraordinary things from seemingly ordinary objects. Maybe don't take the Squier/Fodera anology so literal but instead look at the principle. Regardless of bass used the album will still win the Grammy. We also don't know how cheap or expensive some instruments were that appeared on award winning albums do we really?

Exactly what I'm trying to say. Driver not the car. We know for example Lewis Hamilton won't win an F1 race in a Mondeo (as long as the others aren't also driving Mondeos) but a Grammy award winning album produced using bass parts recorded with a £35k Fodera would still have won that same award if the bass was a £200 Squier Affinity.

That's his bass 👍

I'm sure you can see my basic point. Good tone is subjective anyway and with pickup and preamp swaps there can be nothing to separate "lower" end and "higher" end gear tonally. And it's not about Lewis Hamilton losing in a Mondeo to another F1 driver in a Ferrari but more about Lewis driving that Mondeo and transforming it way beyond it's perceived capabilities. That's like suggesting Victor Wooten with his Fodera would wipe the floor with Marcus Miller and his cheap Sire. I'm enjoying this conversation so I hope you're taking it in good spirits 😊

I've heard what some players can do with "mediocre" gear is what I'm getting at. It's the driver not the car.

Are there really mediocre basses or mediocre bass players? If a "mediocre" bass inspires the user and makes them raise their game then isn't that what really matters? OP could get a heap of change from £1.5k if the right bass comes along. Don't think you HAVE to spend the full budget.

Oh we've all done that. As I alluded to earlier though getting a bass because a bassist you admire has one is quite a risk. I admire James Jamerson but a 4 string P bass with sky high action and strung with flats is not on my wishlist personally.

He's probably just not found the right bass to cater to his tastes. The aforementioned switch offers series/single coil/parallel options and is not a Ray but the smaller bodied Sterling with a ceramic pickup. Based on his reason for getting the bass he's better off moving it on I feel.

OP has an American Ernie Ball Sterling with the 3 way switch. You have an Indonesian import model. They are very different.

Separate and apart from my previous post the MM Sterling uses ceramic pickups which definitely aren't everyone's cup of tea. They tend to sound more aggressive than say an alnico equipped Stingray. Whether that's good or bad is subjective however. I had a 5 string version and loved the sound but not the narrow string spacing so it eventually it had to go. Having said that I went to a gig just before Christmas and the bassist had a bass like yours and I didn't enjoy the tone. Whether that was the bass or bad sound engineering I'll never know.

Saw one today in The Bass Gallery. It looks ok but wouldn't be my first choice.

I honestly think this right here might be the issue.

I would say the bolt on has a slightly more punchy sound. As said previously it's a very subtle difference that may well even out in a live mix.

The Thumbs are basses you have to get to know. Interestingly though that even an ageing sick Jack Bruce never gave up on them (to my knowledge at least). They either work for you or they don't. And yes about the 34" scale comment. Despite plenty of evidence to support this the 35" scale argument still stays with us.