MM 'Ray models

[Al Heeley]

Looking thru the recent catalogue from Absolute Music, they have a number of different EBMM basses listed:

Stingray 133 series (£999)
Sterling Ray34 (£595)
Classic stingray(£1629)

I see there is also a standard stingray and a classic one, a standard sterling and a classic one. What's the main difference between these models that would cause the wide price difference, and where do the 133 series fit into this?

Do they no longer do my stingray model, with piezo bridge pickup blend and matching headstock?

[stingrayPete1977]

Oh no can of worms just been opened, Get a secondhand SUB bass!

I will leave this to MM20 and ou7shined as their knowledge is vaster than mine especially on the new models. But the Classic is a kind of recreation of the pre EB with a slab body,strung thru,Muted bridge,2 band EQ,Glossy neck etc. They play and sound real nice but I would rather have my original one which cost about the same although the introduction of a classic 5 could interest me at a later date because obviously there was never a pre EB 5.

The whole thing is a bit of a minefield someone summed it up before like-

Sterling Ray 34/35 are sort of like a Squier indonesian made
Sub now finished are sort of like Mexican Fenders
OLP also finished were sort of where the new Sterling fits in
EBMM is the normal USA fender
Classic and Roasted necks etc are like Deluxe Fenders

It was something like that its bound to end with a food fight though so I will get in first and say the pre EB is still the best of the bunch the others would get worried if I didnt! Over to the experts.....

Just to add the confusion really starts with the Sterling model and the Sterling series basses especially a Sterling-Sterling if they ever make one Edited December 19, 2010 by stingrayPete1977

[Darkstrike]

The 133's are a special run the UK importer arranged to save money, recession buster and all that.

Limited options, red, blue, or black, maple or rosewood, and 4 string only.
2-Band pre-amp.
No hardshell.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='1063407' date='Dec 19 2010, 12:02 PM']Do they no longer do my stingray model, with piezo bridge pickup blend and matching headstock?[/quote]

Thats right about the 133 its ok if you want those colours and why not but a case is £130 unless you got for a none EB one but its still £70 plus, Im sure a good haggle would bring a wider choice of colours and a hard case in a standard model to not much more.

I think you can still get piezo's and colour matched headstocks are definitley still available if you either come across one or order direct, Use to be about £100 anyone know?

Edited December 19, 2010 by stingrayPete1977

[ThomBassmonkey]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1063448' date='Dec 19 2010, 12:36 PM']Just to add the confusion really starts with the Sterling model and the Sterling series basses especially a Sterling-Sterling if they ever make one [/quote]

Isn't that what the SB 14 is?

[stingrayPete1977]

I dont know I only have the proper ones! Its a right confusing setup now IMO. I tried a Sterling 34 yesterday just as an AB against a Lakland to see how close we could get the MM sound from it. It was OK but its quite different in body shape and profile which leaves me wondering about the people who said they used to have a Ray, Sold it then later replaced it with a Sterling and there is no difference. Its a good enough bass but I think they are trying to convince themselves more than anyone else.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='1063652' date='Dec 19 2010, 04:06 PM']Isn't that what the SB 14 is? [/quote]

Its a bit like BMW missing that if they called the 4x4 an X5 (Which obviously they did) it meant they couldnt make a hot one as it would be an M-X5! I guess its stuff like this the marketing people should think harder about? When you think about by their own method the Stingray copy has become the Sterling Ray taking half the name with Sterling in front so the Sterling copy should be a SterlingLing? confudled

[Grand Wazoo]

And as for the S.U.B. I don't thinks it's accurate to compare them with MIM Fender, after all the SUBs were all being built in the Sain Louis Obispo factory, without fancy lacquering and trimmings, same pickups and EBMM preamps.

To this date no one knows what goes into a MIM Fender, so it's incorrect to compare SUBs to MIM.

[stingrayPete1977]

See what I mean? Worms everywhere......
Its partly for this reason its easier just to buy a standard one and have done with it at least you know what you are getting, Probably part of the reason they make all the other versions.

[garethfriend]

not heard of the 133s before. apart from the limited colours and eq is there any difference between these and the normal rays? As it happens I was after a blue one with a maple board and a 2 band eq. could be just the ticket at £400 quid less than the SR4 assumin everything else is the same.

[Darkstrike]

[quote name='garethfriend' post='1063911' date='Dec 19 2010, 07:48 PM']not heard of the 133s before. apart from the limited colours and eq is there any difference between these and the normal rays? As it happens I was after a blue one with a maple board and a 2 band eq. could be just the ticket at £400 quid less than the SR4 assumin everything else is the same.[/quote]

Just the lack of a hardshell case.

I'm heavily tempted by the red/maple one myself, almost exactly what I want in one(I'd prefer a gloss neck), and would only be delighted to not have another hardshell case taking up space when I don't use 'em.

I have a custom bass on order at the moment and have to be a good boy, it's hard.....

[jamiesonk666]

After owning a 88 stinger I have to say they are better than the new ones. I dont know the ins and outs of the £1600 models but my ray wets all over the new ones in feel and neck finish. I worked in a Music shop 5 yrs ago and all the bass boys wet their nickers over the new stingers , so I took mine in and let em loose with it (dead strings and all) they loved it. Productions values today are no where near as good as they used to be. Same can be said in pretty everything these days.

[dub_junkie]

[quote name='garethfriend' post='1063911' date='Dec 19 2010, 07:48 PM']not heard of the 133s before. apart from the limited colours and eq is there any difference between these and the normal rays? As it happens I was after a blue one with a maple board and a 2 band eq. could be just the ticket at £400 quid less than the SR4 assumin everything else is the same.[/quote]


these are just like any other 2EQ Stingray but you can only get them in black,candy red or pearl blue.I think you can get maple or rosewood board but no other options and they come with a MM gigbag instead of a case

133 is just the first part of strings and things order code iirc

Edited December 21, 2010 by dub_junkie

[Prime_BASS]

OLP stingrays - cheap licensed copies, basswood quality issues. Discontinued. Made in the far east

Sterling Ray 34/35 - cheapish, far eastern built licensed reproduction models, same spec as standard Stingray, I think they use the same electronics. They are shipped over to the US for final check and setup.

SUB bass - Originally retailed for £700+ but now second hand very cheap. Made in California with the same materials as standard stingrays, except uses a slab basswood body. Can be found active or passive, usually with 2 band EQ.

Standard Ray - UKdealer provides these with case and limited choice, but you can usually ring up and order any colour with any pickup configuration, and either 2 or 3 band. I think you can choose pickup magnets aswell.

Classic - designed to look like Pre-EB rays. Slab bodied, Vintage colours, old style logo, string through, 2 band and Birdseye maple neck, mute pad equipped bridge.

There are also Sterling Bass iterations of each series ( except OLP I think ) sterling bass comes with ceramic pickup, split coil switching, 3 band. The body is also smaller, with the neck being slimmer.

Opinions don't mean much. I hope that this helps, I could have included other models, Hutu have work lol.
If you do want my opinion- I never really rated the OLPs much, I had a guitar with the electronics disintegrated. I do like the cheapness of the Sub basses and how they are US made, but in the end I brought the real deal. My favorite period of stingray production is the early to mid 90s as the came with either the mute bridge or trans bridge, and mostly came with birdseye maple neck.