ras52 Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 OK, I I think I'm being drawn to the land of the Ray-lovers... I was thinking I needed something like a P/J, but recently saw a Ed Friedland demo video of a 2EQ single-pup Stingray and started to wonder if that might in fact be my holy grail of plenty of tonal variety with a minimum of controls to fiddle with. Anyway... it looks like a jungle out there (or that an aquarium?) with a bewildering range of instruments for sub-£1k to nearly £2k. There are USA Sterlings and there are far-eastern Sterlings... I'm confused. Somewhere there has to be a simple guide for newbs like me to find out what's what... doesn't there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 The Ernie Ball Music Man USA Sterling is a bass model whereas the Sterling By Music Man (SBMM) is a range of offshore copies of the EBMM range including a copy of the Sterling itself (the SB14) just to confuse the matter completely. When it comes to the Stingray you have the choice of: US built EBMM Stingray available in 4 string with a choice of p/up configs (although most are the classic 1 humbucker variety) with either 2 or 3 band EQ. US built EBMM Stingray available in 5 string with a choice of p/up configs (again mostly with just the one humbucker) with 3 band EQ and 3 position coil/wiring selector. SBMM Ray34 or 35, offshore built versions of the above. SUB a discontinued US built 'economy' version of the 'Ray with 2 band EQ. Great basses worth getting 2nd hand from the Basses for Sale forum. That's a real basic summing up and I'm sure that StingrayPete and McNach will be along shortly to flesh this out far more. Oh yeah then there's the discontinued OLP budget offshore range, but I'm not going to get into those Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Holy Grail you mentioned is a pre EB made before 1984 It's always a food fight this but it depends on how much you want to spend? I have lost loads of cash on both of mine as I bought them brand new if your wiser and more patient than me the general consensus is to get a second hand EBMM ray or sterling (sterling has a narrower nut). about £650 up gets something nice with a hard case worth £100 all day long add £50-100 more and you can choose the colour and save travelling too far to find one you might even bag a 5. Lots of people have been banging on about the sterlingray 34 and 35 only to appear a few months later in the fs section ( I think there's one or two there now) I have had mine 9 years this year and it's not for sale and nor are the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 MB1. "Hi i'm Ed Friedland the bass whisperer!" Check out his Musicman Classic 4/5 review! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted January 18, 2011 Author Share Posted January 18, 2011 [quote name='MB1' post='1094200' date='Jan 18 2011, 06:47 PM']MB1. "Hi i'm Ed Friedland the bass whisperer!" Check out his Musicman Classic 4/5 review! [/quote] Yep, this was the one that got me going: Thanks to ezbass and stingrayPete1977 for the clarification... every little helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el borracho Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 [quote name='ezbass' post='1094128' date='Jan 18 2011, 05:26 PM']When it comes to the Stingray you have the choice of: US built EBMM Stingray available in 4 string with a choice of p/up configs (although most are the classic 1 humbucker variety) with either 2 or 3 band EQ.[/quote] There's the discontinued Sabre as well!! A sort of early two pickup Stingray - but looks a bit different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Pulp bassist was a Sabre player, Quite cool and not much love for them from what I have seen round here? I wouldn't mind having a play on one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 [quote name='ezbass' post='1094128' date='Jan 18 2011, 05:26 PM']When it comes to the Stingray you have the choice of: US built EBMM Stingray available in 4 string with a choice of p/up configs (although most are the classic 1 humbucker variety) with either 2 or 3 band EQ. US built EBMM Stingray available in 5 string with a choice of p/up configs (again mostly with just the one humbucker) with 3 band EQ and 3 position coil/wiring selector.[/quote] It might be worth mentioning what the pickup options are: Stingray: Single H pickup, 2EQ Single H pickup, 3EQ Single H pickup, 3EQ + piezo (with blend control) Two H pickups, 3EQ H + S pickups, 3EQ Classic Stingray, which is a single H, 2EQ with 1970s styling Stingray5: All of the above apart from the 2EQ options. Early SR5s (pre 92) had alnico pickups, then they had ceramic pickups until 2008 when they switched back to alnico (the new Sterling 5 getting the ceramic pups) SUB4 passive H 2EQ active H 2EQ SUB5 passive H 2EQ active H 2EQ There's also the Stingray EX (mystery bass constructed in Japan a few years back) and the Sterling by MM thingies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 SUB for sale here [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=118775"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=118775[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 [quote name='ezbass' post='1094857' date='Jan 19 2011, 10:02 AM']SUB for sale here [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=118775"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=118775[/url][/quote] That's a good price. If I hadn't just bought an amp, I'd be all over that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted January 19, 2011 Author Share Posted January 19, 2011 [quote name='dlloyd' post='1094859' date='Jan 19 2011, 10:06 AM']That's a good price. If I hadn't just bought an amp, I'd be all over that.[/quote] Hey, I asked for clarification, not temptation. Though it would be money well spent if stopped me drooling over the Classic (gas logic). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Bassist with McFly uses Stingrays, you dont get a higher recommendation than that ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckman67 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 (edited) +1 on the SUB great basses, slab body & the same 2 band eq as the Classic 4H. Edited January 19, 2011 by luckman67 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnozzalee Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Whats so great about adding a status neck to a stingray?? Sorry for hijacking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 [quote name='Schnozzalee' post='1095035' date='Jan 19 2011, 12:35 PM']Whats so great about adding a status neck to a stingray?? Sorry for hijacking![/quote] I had one for a while, an unlined Status neck: They were originally developed collaboratively with EBMM for the NAMM 100th aniversary Stingray, which is an amazing looking beast. Very stable tuning on the open notes... I can't really blame it for the tuning issues elsewhere! Quite a bright tone... I liked it, but my lack of ability on fretless led to its untimely departure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1094608' date='Jan 18 2011, 10:53 PM']Pulp bassist was a Sabre player, Quite cool and not much love for them from what I have seen round here? I wouldn't mind having a play on one.[/quote] shame you're not in london, you could pop round for a brew and a go on mine ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matski Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Just buy the 4 string Classic and be done with it! Whether you want the neck roasted or not is up to you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matski Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 [quote name='Schnozzalee' post='1095035' date='Jan 19 2011, 01:35 PM']Whats so great about adding a status neck to a stingray?? Sorry for hijacking![/quote] They look farkin' cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted January 19, 2011 Author Share Posted January 19, 2011 [quote name='matski' post='1095112' date='Jan 19 2011, 01:31 PM']Just buy the 4 string Classic and be done with it![/quote] If only it were that simple! Maybe if I say my prayers tonight I'll wake up with the cash in my pocket tomorrow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Get a SBMM Ray34 classic and save £800 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 ahpook- yes it is thanks I will pm you if I'm that way you can try my pre. Dave_bass - No Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 [quote name='ras52' post='1094869' date='Jan 19 2011, 10:14 AM']Hey, I asked for clarification, not temptation. [/quote] This is Bass Chat, GAS is what we're all about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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