I absolutely love my Sterling 5 HH. So much versatility in tone. I use mine for jazz, fusion, metal, punk, rock you name it. All I have to do is adjust the eq and pickups to get the perfect tone. And I always do.
Thanks for the good word! I'm not using a specific preamp, I plug all the basses directly into a Genz-Benz GBE 1200 head. (The amp has it's own built in preamp that acts as the front end of it's power amp. That is a standard amp design.) The cabinet is a Genz-Benz NeoXT 212, with 2-12" speakers, and a tweeter. The speakers use neodymium drivers. In my most recent videos, I've been recording a direct line, as well as miking the amp, so you're hearing a blend of those two signals.
Fantastic videos/reviews, awesome quality films... thanks a lot for that. I exactly needed to hear about the Sterling 5, and will get quality information about other basses as well, thanks to you.
How is it that Leo Fender designed the most influential basses, practically inventing the instrument itself as we know it for so many musicians and listeners - the Precision, the Jazz, and the Stingray - and couldn't play a note himself? It's really just amazing to think about.
If you want to hear an entire rock 'n' roll album recently recorded with a Music Man Sterling (USA) bass, go to iTunes and search for The Steel Chops. The album is called Paint Me a Picture and a Sterling was played on all 10 tracks.
@fernbassyahoo - Yes, the MM is definitely better than a SUB. The Stingray uses Alnico magnets, the Sterling uses Ceramic, it's a little edgier tone. The Sterling 5 and Ray 5 have pretty much the same neck, but the Ray has a larger body.
Yes, the HS has the 5 way switch, from bridge to neck it gives you: coils 1&2, coil 1, coils 1,2 &3, coils 2&3, and coil 3. I haven't seen any addition switches added to MM basses.
To answer your question - I review the instruments that Guitar World Magazine sends me to review. I can sometimes make suggestions, but basically, I'm a paid reviewer that gets assignments from my employer. I don't do this for fun (even though it IS fun), it's a gig.
@loober123 - Sure, that works, as long as you buy stuff that sounds good in the first place. There is something to be said for using gear that was designed to work together, but for example, Bergantino makes awesome cabinets, but no amp heads, so if you buy one of their un-powered boxes, you have to use another company's head.
That's an absolutely KILLER tone you've got running the GBE 1200 & NeoXT 212. I run a clean/dirty dual signal setup with my clean bass through an Avatar Neo 2x12" cabinet: Solid, tight low-mids that allow my affliction with effects to run through a Neo 2x10" without losing the straight "bass" aspect of my tone. ...simply put, I love that 12"-equipped cabs have made such an impact on the market. Almost all the punch of a 10" cab and the lows of a 15" but none of that size's "flabbiness", IMO.
No problem. It was an order. A dealer like The Bass Emporium could order it for you. I love it, it's subtle, yet very attractive and changeable under different light.
Well, I'd say Ernie Ball 5s are more consistent. I have played some Fender 5's with good B's... they do exist, but MusicMan seems to have figured out how to make them good most of the time. I still use my Sterling 5 fretless all the time. It's an amazing instrument.
I wish. No I send most of them back... I did buy the Fender Precision 5 and a Squire P, and I also got the G&L Tribute L2000. This Sterling is still at the house, it's not mine, but they haven't asked for it back yet! ;)
Sterling has been my favourite bass. It just gives a very funky sound. I have American Precisions, Jazz Bass, owned a MM Stingray. Sterling just grinds and growls more.
Well, I still have the bass here and checked to make sure. I can't say how YOUR bass is setup, but on the review instrument: Position 1 (closest to bridge) you get coils 1 & 2. Position 2 - coils 1 & 4. Position 3 - coils 1, 2, 3 & 4. Position 4 - coils 2&3. Position 5 (closest to neck) - coils 3 & 4.
@BassGuitarMag No, the Stingray also can have a 3 way switch, as we aren't looking at the standard Sterling edition here, but the H/H edition. So the Stingray H/H also has a 3 way switch. Ayway, tried both (I have the Sting5 H/H and my fellow bassman owns a 4 string sterling one humbuckered) and they both sound awesome :)
Go to the website for the Bass Emporium, then check under the resources tab for newsletters. If you scroll down, you'll find a review of the Spector 4LX bass, no video, but lots of sound samples. There are many other reviews there too... check them out.
I don't think they are UN-popular, but the Ray has been around longer and there are more out there. They are very similar, but the Syerling uses ceramic magnets vs. alnico on the Ray. A little edgier tone. The neck on the Ster is also slimmer and has 21 frets. I love them, I have 2!
@TheThelittlebassist - Not that your happiness is unimportant to me, but I probably won't be reviewing any of those basses, unless they get assigned to me by my editor.
@74Drosera - your bass may have needed a set up. Or maybe it was damaged, but in general, you can get low action on any MM bass if you set it up properly. The Sterling does have a slimmer neck though.
The primary difference, besides the pickups, is like Maxf130 said... the neck on the Sterling is thinner/tapered, so it's more like a Jazz bass, whereas the Stingray has a bigger body and thicker neck, more like a P-Bass. I own a Stingray and love it, best bass I've ever owned :)
I recorded the bass direct into Protools using a simple Radial Engineering ProDI, as well as mixing in the room mic that picks up the voice. Nothing particularly special from a recording standpoint, but a big step up from my early videos using the camera mic.
@manuelsalgado1 - I'm not totally sure about the pickups, but if you look on the Music Man website, they have diagrams for the switch combinations for all configurations. Your neck may need some adjustment, it's not a big deal. Changes in humidity and temperature will often effect the neck. That's why they invented the truss rod and adjustable bridge.
@southparkfan1999 - I understand. I don't care for heavy basses by any company. I have been lucky though, I have three Music Mans that are very reasonable weight. Two 5 string Sterlings that are right around 9 lbs, and a Stingray 4 that weighs 8.25lbs. They DO exist, you just have to look for them!
All depends on how much you have to spend, but Sterling by Music Man, Fender/Squier/ Spector, and mist companies make basses in the $600 range. Then it's a matter of what sound you like.
@johnybotas - You can get any bass that sounds and feels good to you. A little rock and worship music? As far as I know, you can play that on any bass you want. If you can't get to a store to try some basses, then listen and try to develop a preference for a tone. Either the Jazz or MM will work great, but they sound very different. That's where your choice comes in. Good luck.
Well, I find the Jazz neck to be more comfortable because I tend to prefer a thinner profile, but the tone is distinctly different than a Ray. Instead of either/or, I say BOTH!
With 34" scale, the string does play a bigger role. Wood is variable, it's in the body/neck or it's not. Every manufacturer strives for the most consistent product they can make, but wood is always unique, sometimes even when it's from the same tree!
I can't say. I've never played an L2500, Tribute or otherwise. But Stingrays and G&Ls in general are two very different sounding basses. I like them both for what they can do individually.
Aaaaw, I love the massive sound of that GBE 1200. You just started a dream within me - and in two weeks he will be there, massive, growling, --> heavy.... I thought around, Shuttle Max 9.0, Shuttle Max 12.2, Streamliner 900, whatever. It was a heavy decission, and I decidet GBE 1200. More than twice as heavy as one of the Shuttles or Streamliners, but I like the approved quality and sound of this amp. Thanks a lot for helping me with that decission! Uwe
They are photos of the pickups and wiring diagram that were inserted into the video. For some reason, they are glitching on YT. They worked fine at home. No subliminal programming, I promise.
@rendog92 - No, I just play stuff off the top of my head mostly. They are not usually anything specific, or anything that I would write out. You can always use your ears and eyes and figure it out for yourself!
The Sterling 5 and Stingray 5 are pretty similar, more so than the 4 string versions. They both have 3-way pickup switches for parallel/series/single coil mode. Unless you get into the dual pickup models.... anyway. The Sterling is a little more aggressive than the Ray, but they are pretty close.
Either one would be fine for your needs, the 5 string versions are more alike than the 4 string models - they both have the 3-way pickup selector, I think series mode is probably better for ska than parallel. The SR5 and Sterling 5 both do that. I say just pick the one you like of the two, they'd both be great.
Yeah, I do a lot of muting with the palm. Sometimes I use it to must the strings I'm playing to get that classic thump/click tone, other times I keep the strings I'm playing open and just mute the ones below. I also play wide open sometimes, but try to manage the ringing as much as I can. Just takes practice.
Well, at this point I am only reviewing the stuff that Guitar World mag pays me to review. Believe it or not, this is a job for me. So if anyone else wants to pay me to review other things, I'm happy to oblige, but these videos take a LOT of time, and I won't do them for free. However... I will be doing one of the new Lakland Chisonic basses soon, and I'm waiting on the Fender Road Worn basses to come in too. I own 4 Laklands, and I'll just say they're great, buy one. I own 5 Fenders... ditto!
@SterlingBass - I haven't tried the EB piezo bridges but in general I am not a fan of them. Blending a piezo with mags can work, but you really need separate tone controls for each system. I don't know if EB does this, but that's real important IMO. But, as I said - I'm not into the piezo thing anyway.
Well, I cover a lot of ground musically and while I could probably cover everything with one bass.... part of the fun is having a wide palette of sounds to choose from. I have a couple of older Fenders that I have very strong sentimental ties to, and they always do the job... but when I'm a soloist in a jazz context, I like more frets, more strings... sometimes I "need" a 5 for the gig, sometimes I "need" a 6, sometimes I "need" a fretless... it's all job specific.
Man i love these videos!! im a crazy gear head and these videos save me tons of reading thanks Ed oh and i picked up your book the other day i love the method books for warm ups and studying.
If everyone just read this response by Ed below, it would eliminate 95% of the questions and comments to these and all of his other videos! Right on! "The bass is just a piece of wood with strings, the music comes from you. Get the bass you want, and learn how to play it. The bass will inspire you to grow musically, but ultimately it's about you, not the bass."
@nachospole1 - Well, the MM neck is not as skinny as the Ibanez, and getting used to a 5 will take a little practice, but it's not hard to get. A 5 would be great for your music, unless you just want to tune down.... I personally love the Sterling 5, I own two of them (single H). They are awesome basses, and would kick ass for hard rock.
That all depends on how you want to play. If you want to play a lot of chords, melodies and solo a lot, EADGC is a great idea. If you want to play super low bass, obviously it's better to leave it BEADG. Luckily, it's easy to switch so you can experiment as much as you want.
Well, I dig the blend control too, but I find the Bongo is a little more complex with the 4 band. The 3 way switch is pretty simple. It's all a matter of preference though.
Hey Ed, I am looking at Sterling 5s, and am curious about the pickups. I notice that the HS & HH don't have the same option for doing the bridge pickup coils in parallel (as H). I know that the extra pickups give more versatility of tone, but I would hate to sacrifice one of the 2 options I've grown to love: bridge coils in parallel (for slapping). I would love a piezo bridge as well, but it looks like that's not available for the Sterling 5. What are your Sterlings, (H, HH, or HS) and why?
hey ed i've been checkin out the ibanez btb's lately and they look pretty good for the price and otherwise i wonder if you could do a review on any one of the higher end ones cause it would really help us bass players to know exactly what we're getting into
@bassmasta300 - Not much new under $300....it's going to be pretty small for that price, probably just a practice amp. You might look into the smaller SWR stuff, or Ashdown. I think Orange has a small practice amp too.
BTW I am used to carry heavy gear: Peavey T Max, Marshall MBE 4410, SWR Redhead, Ampeg SVT410 HLF (two of them...) , 2 x Peavey TVX410, and so on and so on. But there is a Ibanez Promethean as well, and a Markbass Little Mark II. And a Peavey TVX 210. This newer gear is not that heavy... And I can spare some weight with lighter cabs. So it`ll be allright..... Keep on rockin´!
if u dont mind me saying these vids are great especially near this time ofthe year when ur looking for a new bass yet in the shops u only get 10 mins to try a bass or they kick you out of the shop. plus i like u cover slap, pick and finger to make every one happy. btw what do u think of ashdown bass amps
The MM tone is by nature very cutting, that's why we like them. You'll never make it sound like a P bas because the pickup is totally different and in a different place. There is a preamp, and most P's a re passive. So, forget about trying to make it sound like a P Bass. You can however warm it up by turning the treble down, the bass up, and if you really want it warm, try some flatwound strings on it.
I think you got position 2 and 4 mixed up - position 2 is coils 2 and 3 (inner set), position 4 is coils 1 and 4 (outer set). Great review regardless. I own this bass and I love it.
Probably not, they take me 2 full days to shoot and edit, so I gots to be gittin' paid for it. However, I do use my own personal basses whenever an effect or amp review comes up, so I'll try to sneak it in. I just used my fretted Ster5 in a review I shot this week, so... I do what I can.
@BassGuitarMag Many thanks, Ed! What's your experience with piezos on Sterlings? I don't think I can get it on a 5, but am thinking of upgrading my 4H to a 4HP (selling the 4H, buying the 4HP).
@Brennan29 - Well, if you look at my personal website's equipment page, you'll see that I have two Sterling 5's, fretted and fretless. I own a lot of other basses too, but I'd probably wind up with one of them.
Yes, the Sterling is similar to the Ray, just more aggressive. But when you put it in series mode, it gets real punchy for fingerstyle. A Jazz 5 for under 2k? Tried a Lakland 5502? The pickups will do a J bass setup with the coil tap.
I absolutely love my Sterling 5 HH. So much versatility in tone. I use mine for jazz, fusion, metal, punk, rock you name it. All I have to do is adjust the eq and pickups to get the perfect tone. And I always do.
Best demo I've seen in a while. You covered everything I was looking for in this bass. Thanks.
Thanks for the good word!
I'm not using a specific preamp, I plug all the basses directly into a Genz-Benz GBE 1200 head. (The amp has it's own built in preamp that acts as the front end of it's power amp. That is a standard amp design.) The cabinet is a Genz-Benz NeoXT 212, with 2-12" speakers, and a tweeter. The speakers use neodymium drivers.
In my most recent videos, I've been recording a direct line, as well as miking the amp, so you're hearing a blend of those two signals.
Good review. It demonstrates not only each coil, but also each common style such as Slap, Finger, and Pick.
Fantastic videos/reviews, awesome quality films... thanks a lot for that. I exactly needed to hear about the Sterling 5, and will get quality information about other basses as well, thanks to you.
How is it that Leo Fender designed the most influential basses, practically inventing the instrument itself as we know it for so many musicians and listeners - the Precision, the Jazz, and the Stingray - and couldn't play a note himself?
It's really just amazing to think about.
Thanks for adding the finger-style demo. (At the end section) The coil explanation - appreciated.
If you want to hear an entire rock 'n' roll album recently recorded with a Music Man Sterling (USA) bass, go to iTunes and search for The Steel Chops. The album is called Paint Me a Picture and a Sterling was played on all 10 tracks.
just bought a sterling 5 last week. i have to say i like its variety of tones. one of the best decisions ive made :)
@BassGuitarMag - will do! thank you for the advice Ed, it's very encouraging. appreciate it!
@fernbassyahoo - Yes, the MM is definitely better than a SUB. The Stingray uses Alnico magnets, the Sterling uses Ceramic, it's a little edgier tone. The Sterling 5 and Ray 5 have pretty much the same neck, but the Ray has a larger body.
Yes, the HS has the 5 way switch, from bridge to neck it gives you: coils 1&2, coil 1, coils 1,2 &3, coils 2&3, and coil 3.
I haven't seen any addition switches added to MM basses.
To answer your question - I review the instruments that Guitar World Magazine sends me to review. I can sometimes make suggestions, but basically, I'm a paid reviewer that gets assignments from my employer. I don't do this for fun (even though it IS fun), it's a gig.
@Antisatan7771 - Stingray: Anico pickup, 1.75" nut, 21 frets, larger body. Sterling: ceramic pickup, 1.5" nut, 22 frets, smaller body, 3-way switch.
@loober123 - Sure, that works, as long as you buy stuff that sounds good in the first place. There is something to be said for using gear that was designed to work together, but for example, Bergantino makes awesome cabinets, but no amp heads, so if you buy one of their un-powered boxes, you have to use another company's head.
That's an absolutely KILLER tone you've got running the GBE 1200 & NeoXT 212. I run a clean/dirty dual signal setup with my clean bass through an Avatar Neo 2x12" cabinet: Solid, tight low-mids that allow my affliction with effects to run through a Neo 2x10" without losing the straight "bass" aspect of my tone.
...simply put, I love that 12"-equipped cabs have made such an impact on the market. Almost all the punch of a 10" cab and the lows of a 15" but none of that size's "flabbiness", IMO.
Absolutely. That is known as stringing it from E-C. Lots of people do this, and it doesn't require any work, just restring it.
No problem. It was an order. A dealer like The Bass Emporium could order it for you. I love it, it's subtle, yet very attractive and changeable under different light.
Glad I found your YT channel. Always great instrument demo's. Very helpful and informative and you articulate very well, plus you're a killer player.
Well, I'd say Ernie Ball 5s are more consistent. I have played some Fender 5's with good B's... they do exist, but MusicMan seems to have figured out how to make them good most of the time. I still use my Sterling 5 fretless all the time. It's an amazing instrument.
seriously though man it's unbelievable how indestructable they are forthe price and the sound is excellent too
Well, no more videos planned right now, but I have a new book on Pentatonic scales in the works.
Oh cool, i'll be waiting for that, thanks for your time
I wish. No I send most of them back... I did buy the Fender Precision 5 and a Squire P, and I also got the G&L Tribute L2000. This Sterling is still at the house, it's not mine, but they haven't asked for it back yet! ;)
Sterling has been my favourite bass. It just gives a very funky sound. I have American Precisions, Jazz Bass, owned a MM Stingray. Sterling just grinds and growls more.
Well, I still have the bass here and checked to make sure. I can't say how YOUR bass is setup, but on the review instrument: Position 1 (closest to bridge) you get coils 1 & 2. Position 2 - coils 1 & 4. Position 3 - coils 1, 2, 3 & 4. Position 4 - coils 2&3. Position 5 (closest to neck) - coils 3 & 4.
I love the reviews, but I think I enjoy watching these videos just to hear Ed play.
@BassGuitarMag
No, the Stingray also can have a 3 way switch, as we aren't looking at the standard Sterling edition here, but the H/H edition. So the Stingray H/H also has a 3 way switch.
Ayway, tried both (I have the Sting5 H/H and my fellow bassman owns a 4 string sterling one humbuckered) and they both sound awesome :)
What to do? You know the answer... get one! I just picked up a Sterling 5 fretted, and have a fretless 5 on order. They are great basses.
Most definitely. In fact this is the first time they've made a Sterling 5, so all previous models were 4 string.
Go to the website for the Bass Emporium, then check under the resources tab for newsletters. If you scroll down, you'll find a review of the Spector 4LX bass, no video, but lots of sound samples. There are many other reviews there too... check them out.
I don't think they are UN-popular, but the Ray has been around longer and there are more out there. They are very similar, but the Syerling uses ceramic magnets vs. alnico on the Ray. A little edgier tone. The neck on the Ster is also slimmer and has 21 frets. I love them, I have 2!
@TheThelittlebassist - Not that your happiness is unimportant to me, but I probably won't be reviewing any of those basses, unless they get assigned to me by my editor.
@74Drosera - your bass may have needed a set up. Or maybe it was damaged, but in general, you can get low action on any MM bass if you set it up properly. The Sterling does have a slimmer neck though.
@Katoisacat - Not exactly, I shot this over two years ago. But in general I tend to add a little lows and low mids, and that's it.
The primary difference, besides the pickups, is like Maxf130 said... the neck on the Sterling is thinner/tapered, so it's more like a Jazz bass, whereas the Stingray has a bigger body and thicker neck, more like a P-Bass. I own a Stingray and love it, best bass I've ever owned :)
I recorded the bass direct into Protools using a simple Radial Engineering ProDI, as well as mixing in the room mic that picks up the voice. Nothing particularly special from a recording standpoint, but a big step up from my early videos using the camera mic.
@manuelsalgado1 - I'm not totally sure about the pickups, but if you look on the Music Man website, they have diagrams for the switch combinations for all configurations.
Your neck may need some adjustment, it's not a big deal. Changes in humidity and temperature will often effect the neck. That's why they invented the truss rod and adjustable bridge.
@bassdude121 - Thanks. I like them so much, I bought two of them! (Fretted & Fretless).
@southparkfan1999 - I understand. I don't care for heavy basses by any company. I have been lucky though, I have three Music Mans that are very reasonable weight. Two 5 string Sterlings that are right around 9 lbs, and a Stingray 4 that weighs 8.25lbs. They DO exist, you just have to look for them!
Out of the ones I have reviewed to date, I'd say the Precision 5 is my favorite - it's the one I get the most use out of.
What an awesome intro! Ed, you are the man.
All depends on how much you have to spend, but Sterling by Music Man, Fender/Squier/ Spector, and mist companies make basses in the $600 range. Then it's a matter of what sound you like.
@johnybotas - You can get any bass that sounds and feels good to you. A little rock and worship music? As far as I know, you can play that on any bass you want. If you can't get to a store to try some basses, then listen and try to develop a preference for a tone. Either the Jazz or MM will work great, but they sound very different. That's where your choice comes in. Good luck.
Well, I find the Jazz neck to be more comfortable because I tend to prefer a thinner profile, but the tone is distinctly different than a Ray. Instead of either/or, I say BOTH!
With 34" scale, the string does play a bigger role. Wood is variable, it's in the body/neck or it's not. Every manufacturer strives for the most consistent product they can make, but wood is always unique, sometimes even when it's from the same tree!
Sterlings are a little more aggressive in the mid range, but they can sound very close to the Stingray.
@SterlingBass - both of my Sterling 5s are single H, for that exact reason. I like the series/para option. I don't miss the front pickup personally.
Nice. Ease up on that slappin Sir. Freaking monster slapper. Is that bass worth it's price tag?
I can't say. I've never played an L2500, Tribute or otherwise. But Stingrays and G&Ls in general are two very different sounding basses. I like them both for what they can do individually.
Aaaaw, I love the massive sound of that GBE 1200. You just started a dream within me - and in two weeks he will be there, massive, growling, --> heavy....
I thought around, Shuttle Max 9.0, Shuttle Max 12.2, Streamliner 900, whatever. It was a heavy decission, and I decidet GBE 1200. More than twice as heavy as one of the Shuttles or Streamliners, but I like the approved quality and sound of this amp. Thanks a lot for helping me with that decission! Uwe
Hello Ed,
Just looking for informations of my G&L2500, I found your videos and became a great fan of you!
Very well done bass-mate!
From Brazil
They are photos of the pickups and wiring diagram that were inserted into the video. For some reason, they are glitching on YT. They worked fine at home. No subliminal programming, I promise.
@rendog92 - No, I just play stuff off the top of my head mostly. They are not usually anything specific, or anything that I would write out. You can always use your ears and eyes and figure it out for yourself!
Either one is great. There are subtle differences, but they are more similar than they are different.
The Sterling 5 and Stingray 5 are pretty similar, more so than the 4 string versions. They both have 3-way pickup switches for parallel/series/single coil mode. Unless you get into the dual pickup models.... anyway. The Sterling is a little more aggressive than the Ray, but they are pretty close.
@HollowBanki - Sure it's different....you have another pickup. You can get the H tone from the HH, but you can't get the HH tone from the H.
@sv2893 - That is a GBE 1200 and NeoX212t cab. Great rig.
RESPECT THE LOW B
Either one would be fine for your needs, the 5 string versions are more alike than the 4 string models - they both have the 3-way pickup selector, I think series mode is probably better for ska than parallel. The SR5 and Sterling 5 both do that. I say just pick the one you like of the two, they'd both be great.
Yeah, I do a lot of muting with the palm. Sometimes I use it to must the strings I'm playing to get that classic thump/click tone, other times I keep the strings I'm playing open and just mute the ones below. I also play wide open sometimes, but try to manage the ringing as much as I can. Just takes practice.
They certainly are solid.
Position 4 coils 2,and 3 bass boosted,and treble flat sounds killer!!!
Well, at this point I am only reviewing the stuff that Guitar World mag pays me to review. Believe it or not, this is a job for me. So if anyone else wants to pay me to review other things, I'm happy to oblige, but these videos take a LOT of time, and I won't do them for free. However... I will be doing one of the new Lakland Chisonic basses soon, and I'm waiting on the Fender Road Worn basses to come in too.
I own 4 Laklands, and I'll just say they're great, buy one. I own 5 Fenders... ditto!
@SterlingBass - I haven't tried the EB piezo bridges but in general I am not a fan of them. Blending a piezo with mags can work, but you really need separate tone controls for each system. I don't know if EB does this, but that's real important IMO. But, as I said - I'm not into the piezo thing anyway.
Well, I cover a lot of ground musically and while I could probably cover everything with one bass.... part of the fun is having a wide palette of sounds to choose from. I have a couple of older Fenders that I have very strong sentimental ties to, and they always do the job... but when I'm a soloist in a jazz context, I like more frets, more strings... sometimes I "need" a 5 for the gig, sometimes I "need" a 6, sometimes I "need" a fretless... it's all job specific.
Man i love these videos!! im a crazy gear head and these videos save me tons of reading thanks Ed oh and i picked up your book the other day i love the method books for warm ups and studying.
If everyone just read this response by Ed below, it would eliminate 95% of the questions and comments to these and all of his other videos! Right on!
"The bass is just a piece of wood with strings, the music comes from you. Get the bass you want, and learn how to play it. The bass will inspire you to grow musically, but ultimately it's about you, not the bass."
@nachospole1 - Well, the MM neck is not as skinny as the Ibanez, and getting used to a 5 will take a little practice, but it's not hard to get. A 5 would be great for your music, unless you just want to tune down.... I personally love the Sterling 5, I own two of them (single H). They are awesome basses, and would kick ass for hard rock.
That all depends on how you want to play. If you want to play a lot of chords, melodies and solo a lot, EADGC is a great idea. If you want to play super low bass, obviously it's better to leave it BEADG. Luckily, it's easy to switch so you can experiment as much as you want.
@BassGuitarMag Alright, thank you very much! I appreciate it man!
@maddermofo - It's preference. They are both equally good in their own ways.
@illusionFTW - Sure, but to keep the strings from flopping around, you'll want to use heavy gauges.
another great vid, Ed. Thanks!
Well, I dig the blend control too, but I find the Bongo is a little more complex with the 4 band. The 3 way switch is pretty simple. It's all a matter of preference though.
Hey Ed,
I am looking at Sterling 5s, and am curious about the pickups. I notice that the HS & HH don't have the same option for doing the bridge pickup coils in parallel (as H). I know that the extra pickups give more versatility of tone, but I would hate to sacrifice one of the 2 options I've grown to love: bridge coils in parallel (for slapping). I would love a piezo bridge as well, but it looks like that's not available for the Sterling 5.
What are your Sterlings, (H, HH, or HS) and why?
Well, I just got in two of the "Sterling" by Ernie Ball basses to review (Ray34 and SB34) and they are excellent!
As soon as they send me one! I played it at NAMM, it's cool. The body is a little George Jetson for my taste, but it sounded great.
@PatitoDonald3000 - I don't know squat about post-hardcore/metalcore. Take a look at what basses the guys that play what you like use.
It would probably look nice, and sound even better!
hey ed i've been checkin out the ibanez btb's lately and they look pretty good for the price and otherwise
i wonder if you could do a review on any one of the higher end ones cause it would really help us bass players to know exactly what we're getting into
They make .30 C strings, they are part of a 6 string bass set, or maybe you can buy them as singles someplace.
@bassmasta300 - Not much new under $300....it's going to be pretty small for that price, probably just a practice amp. You might look into the smaller SWR stuff, or Ashdown. I think Orange has a small practice amp too.
BTW I am used to carry heavy gear: Peavey T Max, Marshall MBE 4410, SWR Redhead, Ampeg SVT410 HLF (two of them...) , 2 x Peavey TVX410, and so on and so on. But there is a Ibanez Promethean as well, and a Markbass Little Mark II. And a Peavey TVX 210. This newer gear is not that heavy... And I can spare some weight with lighter cabs. So it`ll be allright..... Keep on rockin´!
Cool, thanks. I don't play much pick style so it might be a good thing for me to grab a pick in the near future and practice some more.
if u dont mind me saying these vids are great especially near this time ofthe year when ur looking for a new bass yet in the shops u only get 10 mins to try a bass or they kick you out of the shop. plus i like u cover slap, pick and finger to make every one happy. btw what do u think of ashdown bass amps
The MM tone is by nature very cutting, that's why we like them. You'll never make it sound like a P bas because the pickup is totally different and in a different place. There is a preamp, and most P's a re passive. So, forget about trying to make it sound like a P Bass. You can however warm it up by turning the treble down, the bass up, and if you really want it warm, try some flatwound strings on it.
I think you got position 2 and 4 mixed up - position 2 is coils 2 and 3 (inner set), position 4 is coils 1 and 4 (outer set). Great review regardless. I own this bass and I love it.
But they're totally worth it! Playing a good quality instrument makes it much more fun and inspiring.
Probably not, they take me 2 full days to shoot and edit, so I gots to be gittin' paid for it. However, I do use my own personal basses whenever an effect or amp review comes up, so I'll try to sneak it in. I just used my fretted Ster5 in a review I shot this week, so... I do what I can.
great sound Ed and very cool playing !
@BassGuitarMag Many thanks, Ed! What's your experience with piezos on Sterlings? I don't think I can get it on a 5, but am thinking of upgrading my 4H to a 4HP (selling the 4H, buying the 4HP).
@Brennan29 - Well, if you look at my personal website's equipment page, you'll see that I have two Sterling 5's, fretted and fretless. I own a lot of other basses too, but I'd probably wind up with one of them.
@xXTheVirus - No, double pickup Rays, Sterlings, and Bongos have a 5 way switch.
THAT BASS IS GONNA KILL SOMEONE!!
Basically E minor Pentatonic: EGABDE with a few passing C#s.
Well, if you bothered to watch the entire video you would see that I do in fact demonstrate this bass with fingerstyle AND pickstyle playing.
Yes, the Sterling is similar to the Ray, just more aggressive. But when you put it in series mode, it gets real punchy for fingerstyle. A Jazz 5 for under 2k? Tried a Lakland 5502? The pickups will do a J bass setup with the coil tap.
@jhetta22 - Hmm, I think so. You can always check the website.
as usual, great review!
btw, can i ask you ed?
which do you prefer : stingray 5 (dual hum) or g&l tribute 2500?
can you tell both pros n cons?
thanks