mattbass6 Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 I am thinking of buying a Musicman 5 string bass but I'm not sure what the difference is between the Sterling and the Stingray. Can anyone shed some light on this for me please? Are they like the Precision and Jazz basses of the Fender world? Any help would be appreciated please? In your opinion, which is the better bass all round? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 For me they really overlap, I have a 2007 Ray 5 which is the very last of the ceramic pickup Ray 5s before they went back to Alnico like the very early ones, its got all of the latest updates other than the pickup ie striaght selector knob, battery box up near the horn rather than towards the bridge,new ramp style pickup cover and would of had the new compensated nut but I have a 2004 fretted neck on it as it was a fretless when new! I also have a 2010 Ray which I bought new that has the all the latest spec including the Alnico pickup which in paralel mode (again just having a switch on the 5s and not the 4s makes them a bit more sterling like) gives you the obvious Stingray sound that the ceramic ones lacked. So sound wise It will depend on what year you go for but the pre 2007 ones will sound more like each other than ones made later due to the shared ceramic pickup, im not sure what the sterling preamp is like or if its different at all? Body wise Sterlings are a bit smaller/lighter and on four string models the nut width is more Jazz where a Ray is more P but again with the extra girth of a 5 thats less obvious so they blur together again using what looks like the same neck! So in the 4 string world they are totally different, in the 5 string world the body is a different shape! Stingray 5 specs [url="http://www.music-man.com/instruments/basses/stingray-5.html"]http://www.music-man.com/instruments/basses/stingray-5.html[/url] Sterling 5 specs [url="http://www.music-man.com/instruments/basses/sterling-5.html"]http://www.music-man.com/instruments/basses/sterling-5.html[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 I have a Stingray 5 HS and a Sterling 5 HS. The below applies to new Stingray 5 and Sterling 5 basses, not the older Stingray 5's. Firstly, the Sterling is a smaller bass, sometimes lighter, but this depends. The Sterling doesn't have the chrome banana contol plate like a Stingray 4. The Sterling has ceramic pickups, and seems a little bit 'hotter'. The Stingray 5 has alnico pickups. Alnico tends to sound smoother and more traditional, whereas ceramic has a bite and 'mid-bump' to it. The Sterling 5 has three types of configurations, H, HS or HH. The same with the Stingray 5. Difference is that, without going into too much detail, the Sterling is MAINLY wired in series. Series = louder more aggressive output. The Stingray 5 is MAINLY wired in parallel. Parallel = smoother, warmer. I think, from experience, that the Sterling pre-amp is different. It seems to have more range. This might be wrong though. It sounds very very similar. The Sterling 5 also has a really nice neck joint.... The 5 string versions of both have the same neck. 17.5mm string spacing. Personally, I am very happy with BOTH of them. The Ray is smoother and more of a tradtional Ray tone (obviously) whereas the Sterling snarls a little more and cuts the mix a little more. Both can be made, roughly, to sound similar to the other. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattbass6 Posted December 3, 2012 Author Share Posted December 3, 2012 Hi StingrayPete1977 and Musicman20. Thank you so much for that comprehensive breakdown, I really do appreciate it. I am looking for more of that attack / bite and it seems that the Sterling may be the way to go therefore. The string spacing is quite important to me and 17.5mm is the minimum I would use so, all good there. I think the obvious thing to do is go and try some but finding them around Cardiff is harder than you think. I've seen so many great examples here on BC and other sites. Is there a particular era of MM to avoid and of course, one era that is better in your opinion. Thanks again, a huge help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Coffee Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 I have played both and I think for the previously posted already reasons they are both excellent basses. It's a personal choice when to comes to picking one over the other; but if I had to pick one I would go for the Stingray. To me it just felt more comfortable to play, and I just have always liked the look of stingray basses. Best thing is to go and play both of them ideally one after the other through the amp you would use and decide yourself. If you can find one of the earlier MM SUB5 basses second hand (they don't make these any more), it would go a long way towards saving a few pounds and they sound just as angry as a stingray. I owned a 5 string of one of these in blue finish with the metal pickguard and upgraded to a SR5 only because I got an offer I couldn't refuse for a second hander. Have some fun playing them before you buy and let us know what you think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Sterling 5 basses are VERY rare. I've seen about 3 in total on this forum over the past few years. Stingray 5 basses are much easier to get hold of, but not that many around in multi pup format. What spec are you after? Colour? Pup configuration? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 PS - Pre-2008 (ish) Stingray 5's have the electronics that are now in the Sterling. When it comes to best era's, as they are both modern (especially the Sterling) I woulnd't worry...buying new will get you the latest spec though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 (edited) [quote name='mattbass6' timestamp='1354536525' post='1887011'] Hi StingrayPete1977 and Musicman20. Thank you so much for that comprehensive breakdown, I really do appreciate it. I am looking for more of that attack / bite and it seems that the Sterling may be the way to go therefore. The string spacing is quite important to me and 17.5mm is the minimum I would use so, all good there. I think the obvious thing to do is go and try some but finding them around Cardiff is harder than you think. I've seen so many great examples here on BC and other sites. Is there a particular era of MM to avoid and of course, one era that is better in your opinion. Thanks again, a huge help [/quote] Nothing to avoid but like I said if you can find a second hand one, pre 07 it will have the ceramic pickup that gives the same bite as the sterling so you can have your cake and eat it if you find that you like the Stingray more to look at or play but prefer the sound of the Sterling. Also if it's being sold as new make sure it is unless there is a big discount off it, you don't want to settle for a new alnico model only to find it's been hanging in the shop for 5 years! Easiest way to tell is the battery box up by the horn and the switch is horizontal when playing not sloping down, there are a few hybrids like mine that fall between the two with the new bits and old pickup though probably 05-07 era Edited December 3, 2012 by stingrayPete1977 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 If you buy secondhand, they started in 1987 and up to about 1992 had alnico pick up poles. From about 92 to 07 ceramic, and as said above, up to date with alnico. The late 80s/early 90s basses often have birds eye maple necks and look very cool indeed. If you buy a bass from the 80s/90s, solid colours and trans blueburst may well have a poplar body, other trans colours (except red) an ash body, trans red an alder body. All sound quite similar but there are differences. There is another model which you may find new in the shops, the Stingray Classic 5 string. The neck is similar to a regular MM 5 string except they have highly figured wood with a lacquered finish. These have 2 band EQs (as did the original USA made Sub), but in all other respects are a premium range bass (all other MM 5 strings have 3 band with a mid range control). A single pick up MM 5 string with 3 band EQ will have a selector switch enabling choice between series and parallel, plus a single coil setting. Multipick up basses have a selector switch to select combinations of coils in operation. You can see the specs and colours for the current basses on the Musicman web site, and the difference in appearence. You could also look out Ed Friedland's demos on You Tube - some of these basses or the four string equivalents are featured. Best of luck with finding one. These are very solid basses and not much generally goes wrong with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattbass6 Posted December 3, 2012 Author Share Posted December 3, 2012 Wow! Thanks so much, that is just awesome information and allows me to go in fully armed and ready to make an informed decision. I really, really appreciate all your help and bassman34, I was looking at the Sterling range as well plus the old Sub basses - thanks for that info, appreciated. I will let you know how my search goes. Take care guys, you are brilliant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 [size=1]Bongo 5 HH....[/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CANADA PETE Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 (edited) Interloper here! I found this thread via Google. I just picked up a MM, 5 string, Sterling with a sunburst ,Tobacco colour, pattern. The battery pack is near the bottom of the bass, not near the horn. Indonesia is stamped on the back of the head. Three knobs and no toggle switch. What model do I have, and what are the PUP specs....? Not that it really matters, the bass is a beast and I really like it. Just curious. A new set of headphones are going to be required unless I develop a liking for the overdrive the cones are experiencing. Many thanks! Edited December 11, 2019 by CANADA PETE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted December 13, 2019 Share Posted December 13, 2019 Hi, that's a Sterling by MusicMan built in Indonesia rather than a MusicMan Sterling built in California, confusing I know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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