LowEndLobster I really love the musicman sound but the Sterling Ray35 is 3x the price of the SUB here in my country, which is too much. 😔 i think im gonna settle with the SUB series and modify it along the way. I'm really looking forward to see your modifications on your SUBray too! Love from the Philippines! 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭
The way the videos are structured makes the reviews super clear, and it is a very well put together channel, but the edits and transitions that you see in moments like at the 1:31 mark just... I love them! I love this channel. It always makes me giggle.
Huge fan of your reviews. I enjoy how specific you get with the "compare and contrast" takes on parts of the instruments, you have a pretty unbiased opinion regardless of the brand and the sprinkled bits of humor are appreciated. Keep em coming my dude!
Thanks dude. I ended up getting the Limited Edition version of this bass thanks in part to your review. I can concur that for the price, it's one of the best basses out there today. 👌🏽
I just bought this exact bass recently thanks to this review. Everything you said is absolutely spot on. The quality of construction is superb. My only gripe is the preamp. Yes there are worst offering on other basses but it’s a little to be desired. The pickups are great but could use improving but this will handle a gig if needed right out of the box. BTW I guess I’m disgusting because I bought the OLIVE color.
Congrats Polter Geist! So glad you're enjoying the bass :). Olives are still yucky but you get a pass ;P (I like the color too, just not the food hahaha)
@@LowEndLobster Olives? Yuck! Like eating little eyeballs!! But seriously I just got an olive scratch'n'sniff ... I mean scratch'n'dent SUB 4, so far so good. Loved your review - thanks!
A very good review of the SUB Ray5HH and one of the few if not the only review. The dual-pickup setting reminds me of a Music Man Sabre bass. I have a Ray 35 bass and am floored by it. You can't go wrong with Sterling By Music Man basses!
Thanks Keith! I'm a huge fan of SBMM (and EBMM USA). Sterling IS what OLP wanted to be 15ish years ago. I absolutely love modding the SUBs too. Already done two mod projects on different SUBs, and I have three more SUBs coming in for a VERY special project :)
I recently picked one of these up to step into the world of 5 strings after watching this review about 5 or 6 times. Guitar Center had the trans red ones for under $300 and couldn't pass it up. I was thinking of doing my own version of Code Red down the road. Keep up the good work.
I just jumped on that Guitar Center sale too! I've played a G&L 2500 for 10+ years, but ive wanted a Stingray for a long time. Im really looking forward to trying this one out.
I was looking at this and a Squier Vintage 5 string Precision..... I brought up those to my expert guy at the local store (he is an expert and lifetime guitarist and bassist). He did stop for a second and told me the Sterling bass was FAR superior to the Squier. And for just about everything you have said here. It is an affordable option for me to dip into the world of the 5 string bass. His recommendation and your video confirmed it. This is what I am getting to accompany my Fender Player Series Mustang PJ.
I’ve been playing guitar for 15 years and now want to try bass. I’m a noob and Ive been looking at this bass. Your review helped my decision. Thanks for the in-depth review. The red model is on pre order. I may go with that one if not the blue.
I keep sending my young ward's to this video. I can't help but think if they can just afford to play with their mate's the world will be a better place. So thank you so much 💝
Regarding the tone control: I once was testing a Squier Thinline Tele at Guitar Center and told 2 salespeople the tone control didn't seem to do much & they both said that's just how they are. Then I gave it to the guitar tech, who opened it up & found it was shorting out against the volume knob. He rotated it into proper position, and then it worked great.
Though this may be the case for that squier, I have encountered my fair share of crappy pots and caps. Nothing like some electrical QC issues though, am I right? My AFR reissue was always killing batteries. Opened er up and found lug from one of the pots touching another metal surface and shorting out. Easy fix, but wish that was caught earlier.
Wow! That thing sounds pretty good! I love that color too. It’s kinda hard to believe that it’s only a $400 bass. Yes when the bass was jacked to 100% it did distort the signal but I quite liked the sound it gave but, that’s not something I would use all the time just whenever something called for that kind of tonality. Great video as always my friend
Great review. I thought the P Bass sounded better finger style, but the Sterling had better slap tones using the top pickup. The MM configuration was a closer comparison, but the USA Stingray was definitely better.
Agreed on all fronts! The electronics, especially the preamp aren't the best in these, but the foundation is very solid. The higher end sterlings definitely nail the US MM tone, but I can't comment as to how the neck pickup compares to a P bass on the higher end models.
I agree with you. I've been eyeing a "real" StingRay 5 but I actually just ordered one of these Sterlings because I like the bridge p/u tone over the real 'Ray. Definitely a good platform for upgrades.
Just snagged one of these in this cool ruby red black burst finish. Thanks for breaking down the switch blade positions and what coils they utilize. I’ve a feeling this bass is going to be one helluva work horse!
I just love how you get a slightly aggressive facial expression when digging in hard. Must be the thoughts of playing an Olive bass and having associations of the taste
Thanks for sharing this in the SUB thread on TB, glad to have found you on YT! Great review, man that American Ray sounds amazing! The SUB sounds fantastic too, seems versatile. You won me over with the clip of Dr. Steve Brule. Subscribed.
Wanna year something crazy! So I bought this model on reverb and the seller is from Illinois. Anyways he posted this vid in the description. After purchasing the bass the seller notified me that the bass he sold me was the exact one that you utilized in THIS VIDEO. Is that true? Did I buy a bass that was utilized by yourself on this channel!? If so that is crazy! Idk if it helps but the seller was named as “sell till it hurts” on Reverb
Did you find that neck pickup was kind of in the way of your slap? That’s why I got the single pickup version. Still loving it and playing a lot more now that I have a bass with working electronics Love the vids.
Nordstrand makes a drop in placement pickup, I was thinking seriously about upgrading. The neck on mine is amazing, factory setup was absolutely perfect for me. Balance is ok, wants to sit and 90 degrees, so happy The 16mm string spacing is important to remember when looking at pickup replacements
@@LowEndLobster I believe it, if you say it. I don't know much about these, except that Flea plays one and has his signature model. I find the single pick up one harder to play because there is no thumb rest, except at the pick up. I guess it would have to be a "Funk-meister".
I think the 5 string sounds great. The USA sounds like it has a compressor built in. So a $400 5 string and a $50 compressor pedal would get you most of the way there imho
Thanks for the helpful graphic on the pick up selector. That cleared a lot up for me. When I tried one in the store I thought maybe there was some parallel/series stuff going on but now I know.
Nice review but I like black olives lol . My friend bought the High end sting ray 5 for over 2k and the subb for 400 buck it's nice to have on similar body and close sounds
The jump from 4-5 is a big one IMO because you lose your mental grounding with the E string and need to adjust to a lower string. That being said, the subsequent jumps from 5-6 or beyond is soooo much easier.
Very nice and thorough review! I got one of these as a 2nd for under $200. Light blue metallic with 2 dents you have to really look for to spot. I made a pearl pickguard to replace the stock white, and she looks and plays beautiful. However, I don't use it because the monster preamp distorts all my amps. I think a preamp swap is in order. Can't believe they put such a trashy one in these. Seems like they never tested the final product. Anyhow, after this change, it will probably be near the top of my go-to's!
There's 2 EASY ways to fix the distortion/preamp headroom issue (which is basically that the pickups output is too hot for what the 9V powered pream can handle). One is to put a 2nd 9V battery in series (this kind of circuitry is usually designed to be fed a wide voltage range, the voltage choice depends on how hot your pickups of choice are). The other option is to put a preset resistor inside, in the input of the preamp (after pickup selection) and lower it until the sound doesn't distort with EQ controls maxed. This will lower the overall output of the bass to a safer point (a point where it won't distort when pushing the EQ).
@@daviddesmond2143 I've never experimented it with my USA Rays either, nor with a Ray35 I've owned for about a year. Now, every SUB Ray5 I've tried had the issue. Maybe not flat and maybe not with a medium-soft touch, but they definitely can't keep up headroom wise with my usual tone (lows slightly boosted) and with my heavy right hand. All things said, latest models I've tried were 2019, that might be improving now.
Thanks Low end Lobster for a great review. Your P and SR comparisons were a genius idea. Would be good to hear it against a Jazz bass as well. Any plans to mod a ray5 HH? What preamp do you think would be good in this?
Hey Mark! Glad you enjoyed the video! I actually just recently got a Ray4HH that we've heavily modded. That video will be dropping sometime later this month :). We went all EMG, but the 5 string MM pickups come in two shapes- USA and SUB, and EMG doesn't make one for the SUB (you'd need a different pickguard and potentially remove material in the pickup cavity for it to work). I believe Nordstrand, Delano, and Aguilar (though Aguilar won't work in a HH) make the pickups appropriately sized for the Ray5H/HH
Neato. Saw a similar bass on Sweetwater. Seriously thinking I might check out bass somewhere down the line. I love the sound and currently mainly play guitar
Awesome man!! I was just looking for demos of this yesterday! I had a Ray34HH but traded it away, but have been interested in one of these or the Ray35HH. This might be a good bargain!
Thank you! Yeah not a lot of content on these, so I snagged one just to review (literally got it 3 days ago haha). It's going back on Reverb now. Find it on there if you're in the US and interested and feel free to message me if you're interested.
Great review! I may be crazy but I felt the SUB set flat on the bridge pickup was the best sounding and looking bass of the bunch. Makes me want a second Ray5H though!
I just tried out the 4 string verison of 2 H sterling for $ 379. Other than action being too high, I found it to be very useful in all types of music . And I have some Iconic basses , 4 out of 5 is what I would rate it , for the price of a double humbuckers , 5 pos. switch . If on a budget great bass can't go wrong
Thanks for this video! I'm going to buy this bass in the near future and your explanation really helped my choice. As you mentioned the electronics (preamp etc etc) might be modified. In your opinion, what are the best modifications?
Seems nice. I really like the pickup options, just haven't tried a budget MM that I've liked, haven't tried a....not budget???....MM at all, so I don't know if I just don't like them. They look great and a lot of people really like them, so... I really want to find a good one an see for myself I guess. I think they must be a "play them all till you find one that has mojo" type of bass. Anyway, another awesome video with things to think about. Thank you for sharing Mr. Ster
This is definitely a great beginner 5 string i think. I really like how u compared it to the usa and the P a lot of guys don't have the basses to do that comparison 👍👍👍
I just ordered one. Should get it tomorow. So excited. I played bass in a couple bands but I mainly play guitar. I got it to record songs with and since I have a Line 6 helix for my guitar I can run it through the Bass amp models in it.
How would you or what would you do to MOD this bass ...I just bought one for 340.00 New On Sale @ Guitar Center - Thank You for your channel and expertise!
Thank you! Great question. There's a lot of ways to take this bass, but you have to be careful in regards to pickup selection as the shape and pole spacing differ quite a bit depending on which pickup you get. I'll be talking about that when we do this vid, but I'll be snagging another one of these soon.
I have this Bass. I love it. It is what I call the Goldilocks of all my three basses. Actually four basses. I have a 4-string acoustic Bass from Best Choice Products with 21-frets. And it does have a preamp with volume, Bass, Mid, Treble and Press sliders. It does require a battery to use but it is not exactly the same as a normal electric bass. And you don't have to use the electronics to play the thing. But out of the standard electric basses, I have a Passive 4-String 20-Fret Silvertone PBass that needs no battery what soever, An Active 6-String 24-Fret Ibanez SR306EB with a volume knob, a pickup pan knob, Bass Mid and Treble Controls and as well as a three way coil selector switch. It of course also requires a battery to run. And So this 5-String 22-Fret Bass is why I call it the Goldilocks of the Basses in my collection.
Yeah I put a Seymour Duncan SMB 5A in my Ray5HH bridge position , it lined up good although I had to widen the pickup cutout...but the upgrade was inconclusive because of a defective pickup I recieved...the coil closest to the bridge would not activate no matter what I did. So I'll return it and start over.
Im considering this bass as a project: Mods to consider: Status Graphite Neck Hipshot Ultralite tuners Nordstrand MM5 Quadcoils Idk for preamp yet And remplace that ugly bridge What do you think? Or probably should I consider buying a MM special Stingray 5 bass?
Hey Adolfo! That's a great idea. I'm going to make a video on modding these 5 string Stingrays and the considerations you need to make, as not all parts are 'standard sized'. The SUB Ray5 has 16.5 mm spacing as opposed to the 17.5mm spacing of the Ray25, 35, and USA models. Pole spacing and bridge spacing are definitely considerations as too wide of a spacing at the bridge will cause your B and G strings to sit at the edge of the fingerboard. There are different shapes of 5 string pickups too, with the USA models having a rectangular shape as opposed to the Ray5 and Ray25 which have pickups with the 'ears'. The 4 string stuff is all standard sized, which is why I usually recommend those as a mod platform.
@@LowEndLobster I didn’t know, thanks for the information. I think I gotta replace the bridge if I want change the pick ups. But making all these mods, I think is better getting a Ray35hh instead or the real stingray special. What do you think?
@@untitled283 olá Adolfo tudo bem? Estou passando pelo mesmo problema, ou seja meu Sterling SUB Ray5 tem o espaçamento entre cordas de 16.5 e os captadores topo de linha do mercado não ficam com os polos alinhados nessa medida... Uma opção seria o Aguilar DCB5M que não tem polos... Quais captadores você está considerando ? Esse Nordstrand que você mencionou, sabe onde compra-lo no Brasil??
I have American Stingray 5's and a Sterling Sub 5 (the single pickup version of this bass). I bought the Sterling Sub 5 to use as a beater bass when I play at beach bars, dives or jams where I don't want my expensive Stingrays to get damaged. I have never gotten any distortion from having it with the bass knob on full, or my USA SR either. On mine I have found the preamp and pickup to be excellent and it has fairly decent Stingray tone very good but not up to my USA SR. The body on this bass is considerably thinner and this bass weighs about 1 1/2 lbs lighter-a noticeable difference. Could be the thinness and using basswood which is lighter than the USA wood. The tuners on mine work well. The fret work is excellent, the paint outstanding and the neck great but it has a glossy finish and I much prefer the unfinished necks on real American Stingrays. I would recommend people just buy one of these basses and play it as is instead of doing science experiments trying to improve it and dumping lots of cash into something that may make it sound worse and decreases the value. I would suggest if you think you need something better, look into Ernie Ball's line of Sterling basses which are imports but are far more similar to the USA Stingrays. I enjoyed your review but where I come from we call them "Lobstahs".
To add to my comment above, I bought a 2 pickup blue HH Sub 5 on line for my home in New England. When I took it out of the box I was shocked at how heavier this was than my single pickup in Florida. I noticed the basswood body is thicker similar to a USA Stingray. My Sub 5 HH weighs 10.8 lbs which is heavier than my USA SR 5 HH. Weighed on an accurate scale. Out of the box it was very good. No flaws-great paint, Neck and fretting nice. I did lower the string height and tweaked the truss rod wheel slightly.
Love your review !! But I wish you had play more with the B String. I would like to see the modification on preamp and pickups on this bass. Thank you for another amazing video. Now I’m between this sterling ray5hh and the Ibanez EHB1005
Thank you! I'm not going to be modifying this one, it's going right back up on Reverb. I will be modifying my 4 string SUB 4 through and comparing before/after and against my stingray. EHB>Ray5HH all day IMO. EHB is three times the price and gives you a LOT more. But for those who like traditional bass styles with tighter string spacing, the Ray5HH is a great budget option.
There's a lot out there, but it really depends on what you're looking for. I think the SBMM lineup as a whole is a great value at their respective price points, but not everyone wants a Stingray. For J-basses- Cort seems to be the unsung king. My GB64jj had noiseless pickups, roasted maple neck, ash body, and a solid 2 band preamp @ $450. Ibanez also has some great options with the higher end Talmans and mid-tier Soundgears.
I am really diggin this bassI I like the heft of its sound and the limited treble span that didn't peel the enamel off your teeth! A guitar could never look like this with all of its curves!, The balanced look of the Double humbuckers , Georgeous Maple fingerboard with The elegantly spartani dot inlays, The beautiful Chrome like control plate and knows ( Not black!), Just a really fly bass!! And I think it beat out the other 2 basses! And the colours! Those rich vibrant "take a chance, will ya?!" colours!! This sound! The price!! The...... I think I like it!🤣
Thanks Butter! They're great basses, we have a video on the new 2021 poplar 4 string model in Candy Apple Red coming soon and we'll be doing mods! Stay tuned :)
Hey @LowEndLobster! Great videos and reviews, I found your channel just a couple of days ago and I’m already a fan of your videos! Really informative and fun to watch… I have just one suggestion, could you add to your playing tests a pick style section??? Also I would be really appreciated if you could make a video of a 5 string version Sterling modification, I’m considering to buy one, but I would love to check what kind of pickups can be dropped into the 5 string version…. Seems that you would have to modify the pickup hole or maybe to choose an specific brand of pickups to avoid the body mod…. 🤔 Anyway, great job man! I hope you can enlighten me with that video…. Greetings from Chile 🇨🇱!
Thank you Matias! Welcome :). I do more pick playing in my more recent videos (I think I started sometime late last year or early this year, I forget). This is a very old video. I do plan on doing a 5 string SUB mod in the future and I will be sure to play it with a pick, don't you worry! Yes, the pickup choice for the 5 strings is a bit more confusing because of the different sizing between the USA and SBMM Stingray 5's. I'll be sure to talk about that in detail. Thank you for the wonderful comment!
Ah...one of the best reviews I've seen. Really like your visuals on the pickup configurations. I'll try to keep this as short as possible. I still have some deficit in my left hand due to a stroke. I've been playing a Sterling 4 string because the reach between strings (up and down) isn't as easy anymore on my 5 string Fender jazz. The tighter string spacing and narrow neck you mention with this bass may be just what I'm after. How would you compare the spacing and necks between the two? Thanks in advance for any replies I can get. Great review...
Thanks Marshall! I'd say the spacing on the stingray is much tighter than that of a 5 string Jazz (which is a hair over 18mm from what I understand). These Ray5HH's have 16.5mm spacing
Great review! I must agree with everything you said. The string spacing is tight! But probably the best bang for your buck! How would this compare to the Harley Benton's Enhanced 5 string humbucker with either p or j configuration?
Hey there Lobster, I bought a Sterling Ray SUB 5 annnnd, welll... I liked it until I took it to the rehearsal. The pickup seems way too muffled, it lacks that crispy top end, and it's waaay too hot to be managleable. I know replacing the pickup could help but aren't they a different size to more upmarket pickups (you mention string spacing)? And is it possible to rewire the existing pickup or to add a coil tap? Thanks in advance for your reply!
I have been playing one of these basses for the several weeks and your review was accurate. I find myself using the three humbucker modes the most and of those three modes I usually solo the bridge pickup. Thankfully I went with the powder blue color. I love olives but don't like that color for my basses.
Get outa here, olive lover! I kid. Thanks for your comment my friend! How is the quality of the fret board on the blue one? Those come with the rosewood or something right?
@@LowEndLobster The bass I got has the maple fingerboard and I find the playability, fit and finish to be very nice regardless of the low price. I have owned three different Stingray 5's (loved them all) and a Sterling Ray 34 (completely killer bass) and this bass really has those tones. Of course the SR 5'S are a pro level instrument and the features and small things are better than a $400 bass but this bass plays well, looks pretty darned cool and sounds pretty darned killer. BTW, I only recently found your reviews and enjoy them very much.
Thank you for the rundown!!! What is the specific preamp that you would recommend to prevent the “topping out”? Do you know what is in the high end model? Thank you again for the thorough rundown.
Hey Jessie! IMO I think the pickups are the culprit for the clipping/topping out. This is a pretty early video in the channel, and we've since done a lot of SUB mods. The stock preamp with a nice set of aftermarket pickups sounds much better than the stock pickups with an aftermarket preamp IMO. High end model would be the Ray35HH. So glad you enjoyed the video :)
I have a SUB Ray4, and I have a similar problem with the preamp. I find that it is best to leave the bass and treble at center detente. But if I need to tone shape (which is rare), I only cut treble. Never adding any treble or bass. It always gets either too muddy or too bright
Thanks for the comment! This bass and the Sub4 that I have suffered from the same preamp "issue" (cheap preamp). I am doing a video serious on my SUB4 called Project Mint-o-ray, replacing the pickup and preamp with some cool stuff. Check it out :)
I sort of got talked into trading a guitar amp for one of these today. I already had two low end Ibanez basses that are absolutely fantastic, and I would bet money that this Sterling bass was made in the same factory in Indonesia; considering it has an Ibanez 2 band preamp, according to the guitar center website. It feels new, but I can tell that once I fine tune the setup, and break it in, that it’s going to be fantastic. The tuners and bridge aren’t that great but once it’s in tune it does stay there. It’s very substantial so it would be hard on the back for a long gig. My only gripe is the string saddle on the g string pops a bit when I dig in, but I’m sure I’ll find a remedy online, or can just upgrade the bridge. I’ve played a lot of more expensive basses that don’t feel as good as this one so when you’re shopping for a bass, make sure you try everything in your price range. So many times I’ve purchased a cheaper bass because it had the best neck. You can always upgrade hardware over time, but just because it’s expensive, or a higher end model, doesn’t make it better.
Thanks Honky! You know, you're probably right about the manufacturing. I wouldn't be surprised if both the Sterling by Musicman lines and Ibanez were produced by Cort (I know the Ibanez MII stuff is)
Awesome clip, lobster. 😎🤘🏻🎸that bass sounded pretty cool. On the subject of pickup configuration, I personally liked the top, middle, and bottom positions the most. Personally I’m not a big fan of the olive green finish. I would like it in a red or blue finish(which they are available). Other than that, great sounding bass.
Actually I freakishly really like the olive color combo with the maple board. And I was not surprised it got four claws for the price! Great review as usual sir. 👌
I think the preamp was meant for the single Humbucker models. The way the preamp shapes the sound definitely lends itself to the timbre of the classic Stingray configuration.
You need to have an appletini to get over your “oliv-phobia” but I love your channel anyway! 😀. The magic words that make me consider this are “5-string”, “double HBs”, “5-way switch”, “basswood body” and “$400”.
I LOVE that colour and the pickup arrangement but I tried the SUB against the Ray 34 and I preferred the Ray 34 for feel and finishing and the bridge was better too. Shame I don't like the colours of the Ray34 HH as much as this Green... 😅
Thanks Daniel! I'm honestly not sure for the 5 stringer. The 5 string pole pieces are aligned for tighter string spacing bridges, so that is a consideration whereas all the 4 stringers are 19mm. But alas I do not have any replacement recommendations for the 5'er, sorry!
Really nice review! I've been keeping an eye on this bass since march, really cool finish too in my opinion. The only thing that I have a gripe with is the fact that it lacks the treble that most high end stingrays have. Would getting a Stingray pickup and installing that fix the problem or has it more to do with the preamp?
I think the preamp is the culprit here. Just like with my SUB4 (single H), I find the preamp to be the weakest point of the bass... but for the price I can't really complain considering how few basses in that price range offer a preamp and solid build. The SUBs are a great foundation for modifications, but if you're not looking to mod then the Ray24 or 34 (next series up) might be a better value.
Great reviewing as usual. I find the neck pickup annoying! you want a Stingray or not? There are plenty of good two pickup basses in this price range. I've always had a Stingray around because you want that Stingray mojo sometimes. However, I always have a P and a J bass around too. Plus whatever bass I'm into at the moment. Thanks
Yep, I wish they went with a different color than the olive IMO. The blue isn't bad, but comes with the RW fretboard on the HH. I like the mint green on my 4 string though.
I tried one of these two days ago. The only "problem" I see with these, is that in pickup selections 2 & 4, the output drops off tremendously, and perhaps it should given that these selections employ dual split humbucker possibilities. I tend to prefer positions 2 & 4 for their "Fenderish" qualities for slap. I think I've figured out a solution for the output discrepancies: Upgrade to a "No-Load" pot for the master volume, so you can pull back the volume for positions 1, 3, & 5 to match the volume of positions 2 & 4, while loosing none of the tone of the normal "volume on 10"? Does that make sense?
I think you confused "No-load pots" (which are used only for the tone control, not volume) and "treble bleed mod" which doesnt require the volume pot to be changed
Love Your TH-cam reviews! I am thinking of getting a fivestring and perhaps do some modifications. Should I check out this one or the Sire V7? Any other 5 string suggestions under 1000$?
Thank you! If you're looking at the V7 and are targeting close to $1000, I'd look at the Ray35HH moreso than the Ray5HH which is the $400 budget model. V7, M5/M7 and P7 from Sire are all great options. G&L Tribute, Yamaha, Ibanez, Jackson, etc all have very solid sub $1k 5'er options.
@@LowEndLobster Thanks for Your advice! I had a P7 5:er for a while, but it was so neck-heavy! There is a musicman sub5 (american) for sale nearby for about 800$. But I dont know if that bass is better than the sterling? I have also been looking at a brand New yamaha 435, but there is also a 90:s yamaha trb for sale for about 700$.But in that case I am not to sure about the preamp. To many knobs.
Just wanted to say I love your visual representation of the pickup selector's function - this was especially helpful, thank you!
You're very welcome! Glad you found it helpful
Yes! This video made me finally understand them 🤪 Gave you a like and subscribe 👍🏻
I've been searching for this SUB ray5HH review! I think you're the only one who reviewed it. Im planning to buy one for myself. 😁😁😁 Thanks alot!! 🔥🔥🔥
You're very welcome! Any other basses that you were considering?
LowEndLobster I really love the musicman sound but the Sterling Ray35 is 3x the price of the SUB here in my country, which is too much. 😔 i think im gonna settle with the SUB series and modify it along the way. I'm really looking forward to see your modifications on your SUBray too!
Love from the Philippines! 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭
Don’t forget that the second pickup is kind of right in the way of you slap
Bullythakid did a cool playtest of one. I recommend it, and his channel.
Change those pickups. The bass is great but really, change those pickups
The way the videos are structured makes the reviews super clear, and it is a very well put together channel, but the edits and transitions that you see in moments like at the 1:31 mark just... I love them! I love this channel. It always makes me giggle.
Hahah thank you! That's what I'm aiming for, clear reviews with a little bit of humor injected in there. I'm glad it makes you smile :)
Huge fan of your reviews. I enjoy how specific you get with the "compare and contrast" takes on parts of the instruments, you have a pretty unbiased opinion regardless of the brand and the sprinkled bits of humor are appreciated. Keep em coming my dude!
Thanks Erik! I appreciate the thoughtful comment :). Glad you're enjoying the vids!
Thanks dude. I ended up getting the Limited Edition version of this bass thanks in part to your review. I can concur that for the price, it's one of the best basses out there today. 👌🏽
I just bought this exact bass recently thanks to this review. Everything you said is absolutely spot on. The quality of construction is superb. My only gripe is the preamp. Yes there are worst offering on other basses but it’s a little to be desired. The pickups are great but could use improving but this will handle a gig if needed right out of the box.
BTW I guess I’m disgusting because I bought the OLIVE color.
Congrats Polter Geist! So glad you're enjoying the bass :). Olives are still yucky but you get a pass ;P (I like the color too, just not the food hahaha)
@@LowEndLobster Olives? Yuck! Like eating little eyeballs!! But seriously I just got an olive scratch'n'sniff ... I mean scratch'n'dent SUB 4, so far so good. Loved your review - thanks!
A very good review of the SUB Ray5HH and one of the few if not the only review. The dual-pickup setting reminds me of a Music Man Sabre bass. I have a Ray 35 bass and am floored by it. You can't go wrong with Sterling By Music Man basses!
Thanks Keith! I'm a huge fan of SBMM (and EBMM USA). Sterling IS what OLP wanted to be 15ish years ago. I absolutely love modding the SUBs too. Already done two mod projects on different SUBs, and I have three more SUBs coming in for a VERY special project :)
Awesome. Musicman have been doing a great job with their overseas models. Great video and keep up the amazing work as always.
Thank you my friend!
I recently picked one of these up to step into the world of 5 strings after watching this review about 5 or 6 times. Guitar Center had the trans red ones for under $300 and couldn't pass it up. I was thinking of doing my own version of Code Red down the road. Keep up the good work.
I just jumped on that Guitar Center sale too! I've played a G&L 2500 for 10+ years, but ive wanted a Stingray for a long time. Im really looking forward to trying this one out.
I love to hear that golden Lakland behind you! Wow. Beautiful.
Here you go :)- th-cam.com/video/WNCI7brB7wo/w-d-xo.html
thanks for the pickup switch rundown.
I was looking at this and a Squier Vintage 5 string Precision..... I brought up those to my expert guy at the local store (he is an expert and lifetime guitarist and bassist). He did stop for a second and told me the Sterling bass was FAR superior to the Squier. And for just about everything you have said here. It is an affordable option for me to dip into the world of the 5 string bass. His recommendation and your video confirmed it. This is what I am getting to accompany my Fender Player Series Mustang PJ.
I’ve been playing guitar for 15 years and now want to try bass. I’m a noob and Ive been looking at this bass. Your review helped my decision. Thanks for the in-depth review. The red model is on pre order. I may go with that one if not the blue.
Thanks! Glad you found the video helpful :)
Dang man, I remember when you were getting a couple hundred views; now you're over 16k! You're on your way, dude! Keep up the good work!
Thanks Steve! Yeah man it's nuts looking back at these and seeing how many views they've gotten. I appreciate the support!
I keep sending my young ward's to this video. I can't help but think if they can just afford to play with their mate's the world will be a better place. So thank you so much 💝
Regarding the tone control: I once was testing a Squier Thinline Tele at Guitar Center and told 2 salespeople the tone control didn't seem to do much & they both said that's just how they are. Then I gave it to the guitar tech, who opened it up & found it was shorting out against the volume knob. He rotated it into proper position, and then it worked great.
Though this may be the case for that squier, I have encountered my fair share of crappy pots and caps. Nothing like some electrical QC issues though, am I right? My AFR reissue was always killing batteries. Opened er up and found lug from one of the pots touching another metal surface and shorting out. Easy fix, but wish that was caught earlier.
Wow! That thing sounds pretty good! I love that color too. It’s kinda hard to believe that it’s only a $400 bass. Yes when the bass was jacked to 100% it did distort the signal but I quite liked the sound it gave but, that’s not something I would use all the time just whenever something called for that kind of tonality. Great video as always my friend
Thank you!
Great review. I thought the P Bass sounded better finger style, but the Sterling had better slap tones using the top pickup. The MM configuration was a closer comparison, but the USA Stingray was definitely better.
Agreed on all fronts! The electronics, especially the preamp aren't the best in these, but the foundation is very solid. The higher end sterlings definitely nail the US MM tone, but I can't comment as to how the neck pickup compares to a P bass on the higher end models.
Just preordered one this will be my first bass
Congrats!
The bridge pickup sounds great with less highs compared to the MM. Very nice review.
Thank you!
I agree with you. I've been eyeing a "real" StingRay 5 but I actually just ordered one of these Sterlings because I like the bridge p/u tone over the real 'Ray. Definitely a good platform for upgrades.
Just snagged one of these in this cool ruby red black burst finish. Thanks for breaking down the switch blade positions and what coils they utilize. I’ve a feeling this bass is going to be one helluva work horse!
I just love how you get a slightly aggressive facial expression when digging in hard. Must be the thoughts of playing an Olive bass and having associations of the taste
Hahahaha thank you!
Great channel! The speed of new videos is nice!
Thank you!
Easily best bass related vid I’ve seen on TH-cam.
Thanks for sharing this in the SUB thread on TB, glad to have found you on YT! Great review, man that American Ray sounds amazing! The SUB sounds fantastic too, seems versatile. You won me over with the clip of Dr. Steve Brule. Subscribed.
Thank you! For your bass, ya turkey.
Wanna year something crazy!
So I bought this model on reverb and the seller is from Illinois. Anyways he posted this vid in the description. After purchasing the bass the seller notified me that the bass he sold me was the exact one that you utilized in THIS VIDEO. Is that true? Did I buy a bass that was utilized by yourself on this channel!?
If so that is crazy!
Idk if it helps but the seller was named as “sell till it hurts” on Reverb
Yessir! Was it Brian? Congrats on the bass :)
@@LowEndLobster yes. It’s super fun to play
@@Chew_Chuy What's the weight of the bass?
Just picked up the single pickup version, I like it actually. I thought the preamp sucked but I’m into it now.
My first five string and I’m loving it
Nice! Honestly, it was the pickup that was the culprit in the 4, but I didn't have nearly as bad of an issue with the 5er as I did with the 4s.
Did you find that neck pickup was kind of in the way of your slap?
That’s why I got the single pickup version. Still loving it and playing a lot more now that I have a bass with working electronics
Love the vids.
Nordstrand makes a drop in placement pickup, I was thinking seriously about upgrading. The neck on mine is amazing, factory setup was absolutely perfect for me. Balance is ok, wants to sit and 90 degrees, so happy
The 16mm string spacing is important to remember when looking at pickup replacements
I'm glad to see you reviewed this one. I almost bought one. Then I played the Ernie Ball 35HH. For twice the price. You've got a lot of "giddy up".
Thanks Rick! Congrats! SBMM does a GREAT job with the 34/35 series. It's a shame they scaled them back and replaced the 34/35CA with the 24/25CA
@@LowEndLobster I believe it, if you say it. I don't know much about these, except that Flea plays one and has his signature model. I find the single pick up one harder to play because there is no thumb rest, except at the pick up. I guess it would have to be a "Funk-meister".
Thanks Mr. Lobster. In the Lake Blue Metallic it is absolutely beautiful.
Thanks Garland! I dig the new Candy Apple Red finish too
Me at 9:00 - I'm really liking that bridge pickup; it sounds pretty much like a proper Stingray
Me at 9:03 - Oh...
;)
Still sounds pretty good, though
I think the 5 string sounds great. The USA sounds like it has a compressor built in. So a $400 5 string and a $50 compressor pedal would get you most of the way there imho
Thanks for the helpful graphic on the pick up selector. That cleared a lot up for me. When I tried one in the store I thought maybe there was some parallel/series stuff going on but now I know.
Nice review but I like black olives lol .
My friend bought the High end sting ray 5 for over 2k and the subb for 400 buck it's nice to have on similar body and close sounds
Indeed! It's great that the budget 5er HH offering is so good
I love the olive color, because it doesnt care about the haters. Im gunna just go through all your vids and pinch that like button, no questions asked
Thanks Gabe :)
2:46 "doo doo doo doo doo Take u back" 🎶 Rocky 1 popped into my mind.🤣😂
Just what i needed, pickup switch explained. Thx Lobster Hand Man!
Oh my god I love this channel !!!!
Thanks Edd!
Sounds pretty good. Ive never been able to play 5 strings well. But the low string sounds so cool.
The jump from 4-5 is a big one IMO because you lose your mental grounding with the E string and need to adjust to a lower string. That being said, the subsequent jumps from 5-6 or beyond is soooo much easier.
Just picked one of these up for $269 as a Musicians Friend stupid deal of the day. Of course I checked here first. Thanks for all you do!
Olive this bass.
Olive juice.
Boo this man
more Olive, Schultz!
Very nice and thorough review! I got one of these as a 2nd for under $200. Light blue metallic with 2 dents you have to really look for to spot. I made a pearl pickguard to replace the stock white, and she looks and plays beautiful. However, I don't use it because the monster preamp distorts all my amps. I think a preamp swap is in order. Can't believe they put such a trashy one in these. Seems like they never tested the final product. Anyhow, after this change, it will probably be near the top of my go-to's!
There's 2 EASY ways to fix the distortion/preamp headroom issue (which is basically that the pickups output is too hot for what the 9V powered pream can handle). One is to put a 2nd 9V battery in series (this kind of circuitry is usually designed to be fed a wide voltage range, the voltage choice depends on how hot your pickups of choice are). The other option is to put a preset resistor inside, in the input of the preamp (after pickup selection) and lower it until the sound doesn't distort with EQ controls maxed. This will lower the overall output of the bass to a safer point (a point where it won't distort when pushing the EQ).
Dude, THANK YOU! It bugs me how ALL SUBs suffer from this, but I do enjoy the finished product after modding them.
I own 2 Sterling Sub 5s one single pickup, one HH. I have never gotten distortion from it. Never gotten it with my UsA Stingrays eiether.
@@daviddesmond2143 I've never experimented it with my USA Rays either, nor with a Ray35 I've owned for about a year. Now, every SUB Ray5 I've tried had the issue. Maybe not flat and maybe not with a medium-soft touch, but they definitely can't keep up headroom wise with my usual tone (lows slightly boosted) and with my heavy right hand. All things said, latest models I've tried were 2019, that might be improving now.
Excellent review, you've definitely helped me pick my next bass
Glad to help! Thanks for watching :)
Thanks Low end Lobster for a great review. Your P and SR comparisons were a genius idea. Would be good to hear it against a Jazz bass as well.
Any plans to mod a ray5 HH? What preamp do you think would be good in this?
Hey Mark! Glad you enjoyed the video! I actually just recently got a Ray4HH that we've heavily modded. That video will be dropping sometime later this month :). We went all EMG, but the 5 string MM pickups come in two shapes- USA and SUB, and EMG doesn't make one for the SUB (you'd need a different pickguard and potentially remove material in the pickup cavity for it to work). I believe Nordstrand, Delano, and Aguilar (though Aguilar won't work in a HH) make the pickups appropriately sized for the Ray5H/HH
Neato. Saw a similar bass on Sweetwater. Seriously thinking I might check out bass somewhere down the line. I love the sound and currently mainly play guitar
Thanks! These are great entry level 5 stringers that have loads of tones and great upgrade options.
this thing is so tempting...damn. nice video glad i just found your channel bc i was browsing FBM and looking up basses
Great demo sir and detailed correctly which helps and answers all of the questions one may have. thanks Avi
Awesome man!! I was just looking for demos of this yesterday! I had a Ray34HH but traded it away, but have been interested in one of these or the Ray35HH. This might be a good bargain!
Thank you! Yeah not a lot of content on these, so I snagged one just to review (literally got it 3 days ago haha). It's going back on Reverb now. Find it on there if you're in the US and interested and feel free to message me if you're interested.
Lobster is just so funny and his videos are very useful. Keep up the good work!
Thank you Zaydy! :)
@@LowEndLobster thanks, im a fan of the channel so its pretty cool that you responded
Great review!
I may be crazy but I felt the SUB set flat on the bridge pickup was the best sounding and looking bass of the bunch.
Makes me want a second Ray5H though!
Thank you!
@@LowEndLobster No problem! Keep up the good work!
I actually went and played one yesterday.....I really liked it. I played a few different sterlings, I liked the double pups the best, tone wise.
Thanks Tommy! Indeed, I'm rediscovering this config with the 4 string one that I recently modded. Will be posting the stock vid and mod vid soon :)
I'm late but thank you for the review. I'm planning on picking the ruby red this week on the Guitar Center black Friday deal.
Congrats Jose! Enjoy it :)
Great review! Another favourite low budet is the Ibanez SR300E.
Thanks!
I just tried out the 4 string verison of 2 H sterling for $ 379. Other than action being too high, I found it to be very useful in all types of music . And I have some Iconic basses , 4 out of 5 is what I would rate it , for the price of a double humbuckers , 5 pos. switch . If on a budget great bass can't go wrong
Awesome! Thanks Darryl! The action can be fixed with a good setup, but indeed it's such a solid and flexible package for very little money.
Thanks for this video! I'm going to buy this bass in the near future and your explanation really helped my choice. As you mentioned the electronics (preamp etc etc) might be modified. In your opinion, what are the best modifications?
Seems nice. I really like the pickup options, just haven't tried a budget MM that I've liked, haven't tried a....not budget???....MM at all, so I don't know if I just don't like them. They look great and a lot of people really like them, so... I really want to find a good one an see for myself I guess. I think they must be a "play them all till you find one that has mojo" type of bass. Anyway, another awesome video with things to think about. Thank you for sharing Mr. Ster
Thanks for watching, Tommy!
This is definitely a great beginner 5 string i think. I really like how u compared it to the usa and the P a lot of guys don't have the basses to do that comparison 👍👍👍
Thanks Jeremy :)
Just got this for my birthday friend helped me set it up it is great so far I’m lovi g it
I just ordered one. Should get it tomorow. So excited. I played bass in a couple bands but I mainly play guitar. I got it to record songs with and since I have a Line 6 helix for my guitar I can run it through the Bass amp models in it.
How would you or what would you do to MOD this bass ...I just bought one for 340.00 New On Sale @ Guitar Center - Thank You for your channel and expertise!
Thank you! Great question. There's a lot of ways to take this bass, but you have to be careful in regards to pickup selection as the shape and pole spacing differ quite a bit depending on which pickup you get. I'll be talking about that when we do this vid, but I'll be snagging another one of these soon.
@@LowEndLobster They are on sale right now from Guitar Center for 340.00 !!! Snap Snap that Claw its a steal ....
I have this Bass. I love it. It is what I call the Goldilocks of all my three basses. Actually four basses. I have a 4-string acoustic Bass from Best Choice Products with 21-frets. And it does have a preamp with volume, Bass, Mid, Treble and Press sliders. It does require a battery to use but it is not exactly the same as a normal electric bass. And you don't have to use the electronics to play the thing. But out of the standard electric basses, I have a Passive 4-String 20-Fret Silvertone PBass that needs no battery what soever, An Active 6-String 24-Fret Ibanez SR306EB with a volume knob, a pickup pan knob, Bass Mid and Treble Controls and as well as a three way coil selector switch. It of course also requires a battery to run. And So this 5-String 22-Fret Bass is why I call it the Goldilocks of the Basses in my collection.
Yeah I put a Seymour Duncan SMB 5A in my Ray5HH bridge position , it lined up good although I had to widen the pickup cutout...but the upgrade was inconclusive because of a defective pickup I recieved...the coil closest to the bridge would not activate no matter what I did. So I'll return it and start over.
Im considering this bass as a project:
Mods to consider:
Status Graphite Neck
Hipshot Ultralite tuners
Nordstrand MM5 Quadcoils
Idk for preamp yet
And remplace that ugly bridge
What do you think? Or probably should I consider buying a MM special Stingray 5 bass?
Hey Adolfo! That's a great idea. I'm going to make a video on modding these 5 string Stingrays and the considerations you need to make, as not all parts are 'standard sized'. The SUB Ray5 has 16.5 mm spacing as opposed to the 17.5mm spacing of the Ray25, 35, and USA models. Pole spacing and bridge spacing are definitely considerations as too wide of a spacing at the bridge will cause your B and G strings to sit at the edge of the fingerboard. There are different shapes of 5 string pickups too, with the USA models having a rectangular shape as opposed to the Ray5 and Ray25 which have pickups with the 'ears'. The 4 string stuff is all standard sized, which is why I usually recommend those as a mod platform.
@@LowEndLobster I didn’t know, thanks for the information. I think I gotta replace the bridge if I want change the pick ups. But making all these mods, I think is better getting a Ray35hh instead or the real stingray special. What do you think?
@@untitled283 olá Adolfo tudo bem? Estou passando pelo mesmo problema, ou seja meu Sterling SUB Ray5 tem o espaçamento entre cordas de 16.5 e os captadores topo de linha do mercado não ficam com os polos alinhados nessa medida... Uma opção seria o Aguilar DCB5M que não tem polos... Quais captadores você está considerando ? Esse Nordstrand que você mencionou, sabe onde compra-lo no Brasil??
I have American Stingray 5's and a Sterling Sub 5 (the single pickup version of this bass). I bought the Sterling Sub 5 to use as a beater bass when I play at beach bars, dives or jams where I don't want my expensive Stingrays to get damaged. I have never gotten any distortion from having it with the bass knob on full, or my USA SR either. On mine I have found the preamp and pickup to be excellent and it has fairly decent Stingray tone very good but not up to my USA SR. The body on this bass is considerably thinner and this bass weighs about 1 1/2 lbs lighter-a noticeable difference. Could be the thinness and using basswood which is lighter than the USA wood. The tuners on mine work well. The fret work is excellent, the paint outstanding and the neck great but it has a glossy finish and I much prefer the unfinished necks on real American Stingrays. I would recommend people just buy one of these basses and play it as is instead of doing science experiments trying to improve it and dumping lots of cash into something that may make it sound worse and decreases the value. I would suggest if you think you need something better, look into Ernie Ball's line of Sterling basses which are imports but are far more similar to the USA Stingrays. I enjoyed your review but where I come from we call them "Lobstahs".
To add to my comment above, I bought a 2 pickup blue HH Sub 5 on line for my home in New England. When I took it out of the box I was shocked at how heavier this was than my single pickup in Florida. I noticed the basswood body is thicker similar to a USA Stingray. My Sub 5 HH weighs 10.8 lbs which is heavier than my USA SR 5 HH. Weighed on an accurate scale. Out of the box it was very good. No flaws-great paint, Neck and fretting nice. I did lower the string height and tweaked the truss rod wheel slightly.
Thank you! Great comment! I only lose my R's after a few beers errr.. beeyahs ;P
Love your review !! But I wish you had play more with the B String.
I would like to see the modification on preamp and pickups on this bass.
Thank you for another amazing video. Now I’m between this sterling ray5hh and the Ibanez EHB1005
Thank you! I'm not going to be modifying this one, it's going right back up on Reverb. I will be modifying my 4 string SUB 4 through and comparing before/after and against my stingray. EHB>Ray5HH all day IMO. EHB is three times the price and gives you a LOT more. But for those who like traditional bass styles with tighter string spacing, the Ray5HH is a great budget option.
Great review as always! If you had to name a best budget 5 string (>700), what bass would you choose?
There's a lot out there, but it really depends on what you're looking for. I think the SBMM lineup as a whole is a great value at their respective price points, but not everyone wants a Stingray. For J-basses- Cort seems to be the unsung king. My GB64jj had noiseless pickups, roasted maple neck, ash body, and a solid 2 band preamp @ $450. Ibanez also has some great options with the higher end Talmans and mid-tier Soundgears.
They are amazing value
Excellent review, thanks.
Thanks Moto!
I am really diggin this bassI I like the heft of its sound and the limited treble span that didn't peel the enamel off your teeth! A guitar could never look like this with all of its curves!, The balanced look of the Double humbuckers , Georgeous Maple fingerboard with The elegantly spartani dot inlays, The beautiful Chrome like control plate and knows ( Not black!), Just a really fly bass!! And I think it beat out the other 2 basses! And the colours! Those rich vibrant "take a chance, will ya?!" colours!! This sound! The price!! The...... I think I like it!🤣
Thanks Butter! They're great basses, we have a video on the new 2021 poplar 4 string model in Candy Apple Red coming soon and we'll be doing mods! Stay tuned :)
great video, i love your wacky sense of humor !!
Thanks Tom! :)
That's my BABY! I am so satisfied with this bass. Mine had a stubborn trus rod but other than that she's fine
Hey @LowEndLobster! Great videos and reviews, I found your channel just a couple of days ago and I’m already a fan of your videos! Really informative and fun to watch… I have just one suggestion, could you add to your playing tests a pick style section??? Also I would be really appreciated if you could make a video of a 5 string version Sterling modification, I’m considering to buy one, but I would love to check what kind of pickups can be dropped into the 5 string version…. Seems that you would have to modify the pickup hole or maybe to choose an specific brand of pickups to avoid the body mod…. 🤔
Anyway, great job man! I hope you can enlighten me with that video…. Greetings from Chile 🇨🇱!
Thank you Matias! Welcome :). I do more pick playing in my more recent videos (I think I started sometime late last year or early this year, I forget). This is a very old video. I do plan on doing a 5 string SUB mod in the future and I will be sure to play it with a pick, don't you worry! Yes, the pickup choice for the 5 strings is a bit more confusing because of the different sizing between the USA and SBMM Stingray 5's. I'll be sure to talk about that in detail. Thank you for the wonderful comment!
Ah...one of the best reviews I've seen. Really like your visuals on the pickup configurations. I'll try to keep this as short as possible. I still have some deficit in my left hand due to a stroke. I've been playing a Sterling 4 string because the reach between strings (up and down) isn't as easy anymore on my 5 string Fender jazz. The tighter string spacing and narrow neck you mention with this bass may be just what I'm after. How would you compare the spacing and necks between the two? Thanks in advance for any replies I can get. Great review...
Thanks Marshall! I'd say the spacing on the stingray is much tighter than that of a 5 string Jazz (which is a hair over 18mm from what I understand). These Ray5HH's have 16.5mm spacing
@@LowEndLobster Thanks for the reply brother.
Great review! I must agree with everything you said. The string spacing is tight! But probably the best bang for your buck! How would this compare to the Harley Benton's Enhanced 5 string humbucker with either p or j configuration?
A very good Review , thanks . A beauty, and it Sounds not Bad ?
Thanks you Pa van :)
Hey there Lobster, I bought a Sterling Ray SUB 5 annnnd, welll... I liked it until I took it to the rehearsal. The pickup seems way too muffled, it lacks that crispy top end, and it's waaay too hot to be managleable. I know replacing the pickup could help but aren't they a different size to more upmarket pickups (you mention string spacing)? And is it possible to rewire the existing pickup or to add a coil tap? Thanks in advance for your reply!
I have been playing one of these basses for the several weeks and your review was accurate. I find myself using the three humbucker modes the most and of those three modes I usually solo the bridge pickup. Thankfully I went with the powder blue color. I love olives but don't like that color for my basses.
Get outa here, olive lover! I kid. Thanks for your comment my friend! How is the quality of the fret board on the blue one? Those come with the rosewood or something right?
@@LowEndLobster The bass I got has the maple fingerboard and I find the playability, fit and finish to be very nice regardless of the low price. I have owned three different Stingray 5's (loved them all) and a Sterling Ray 34 (completely killer bass) and this bass really has those tones. Of course the SR 5'S are a pro level instrument and the features and small things are better than a $400 bass but this bass plays well, looks pretty darned cool and sounds pretty darned killer. BTW, I only recently found your reviews and enjoy them very much.
@@keithpasculli7465 Thank you much! :)
I hate olives, but I love the color! ;)
Thank you for the rundown!!! What is the specific preamp that you would recommend to prevent the “topping out”? Do you know what is in the high end model? Thank you again for the thorough rundown.
Hey Jessie! IMO I think the pickups are the culprit for the clipping/topping out. This is a pretty early video in the channel, and we've since done a lot of SUB mods. The stock preamp with a nice set of aftermarket pickups sounds much better than the stock pickups with an aftermarket preamp IMO. High end model would be the Ray35HH. So glad you enjoyed the video :)
I have a SUB Ray4, and I have a similar problem with the preamp. I find that it is best to leave the bass and treble at center detente. But if I need to tone shape (which is rare), I only cut treble. Never adding any treble or bass. It always gets either too muddy or too bright
Thanks for the comment! This bass and the Sub4 that I have suffered from the same preamp "issue" (cheap preamp). I am doing a video serious on my SUB4 called Project Mint-o-ray, replacing the pickup and preamp with some cool stuff. Check it out :)
I sort of got talked into trading a guitar amp for one of these today. I already had two low end Ibanez basses that are absolutely fantastic, and I would bet money that this Sterling bass was made in the same factory in Indonesia; considering it has an Ibanez 2 band preamp, according to the guitar center website. It feels new, but I can tell that once I fine tune the setup, and break it in, that it’s going to be fantastic. The tuners and bridge aren’t that great but once it’s in tune it does stay there. It’s very substantial so it would be hard on the back for a long gig. My only gripe is the string saddle on the g string pops a bit when I dig in, but I’m sure I’ll find a remedy online, or can just upgrade the bridge. I’ve played a lot of more expensive basses that don’t feel as good as this one so when you’re shopping for a bass, make sure you try everything in your price range. So many times I’ve purchased a cheaper bass because it had the best neck. You can always upgrade hardware over time, but just because it’s expensive, or a higher end model, doesn’t make it better.
Thanks Honky! You know, you're probably right about the manufacturing. I wouldn't be surprised if both the Sterling by Musicman lines and Ibanez were produced by Cort (I know the Ibanez MII stuff is)
Awesome clip, lobster. 😎🤘🏻🎸that bass sounded pretty cool. On the subject of pickup configuration, I personally liked the top, middle, and bottom positions the most. Personally I’m not a big fan of the olive green finish. I would like it in a red or blue finish(which they are available). Other than that, great sounding bass.
Actually I freakishly really like the olive color combo with the maple board.
And I was not surprised it got four claws for the price!
Great review as usual sir. 👌
Thank you Seth :)
Great review!!! Thanks
You're very welcome :)
Ok, I give up…what are you saying at 10:10? I’ve played multiple times and can’t figure it out. BTW, great channel!
Hard luck kings, a really shitty brand of guitar and bass haha
@@LowEndLobster LOL...never heard of them...Maybe I'm fortunate that I haven't. 🙂
I think the preamp was meant for the single Humbucker models. The way the preamp shapes the sound definitely lends itself to the timbre of the classic Stingray configuration.
You need to have an appletini to get over your “oliv-phobia” but I love your channel anyway! 😀. The magic words that make me consider this are “5-string”, “double HBs”, “5-way switch”, “basswood body” and “$400”.
Thank you Fernando!
Great review
Thanks Jeff!
Great Value for money.
Bravo 👏
Best from 🇮🇹
Ciao Alberto! :)
I LOVE that colour and the pickup arrangement but I tried the SUB against the Ray 34 and I preferred the Ray 34 for feel and finishing and the bridge was better too. Shame I don't like the colours of the Ray34 HH as much as this Green... 😅
The 34 is definitely a step up from this in terms of quality, but the SUB is no slouch and definitely MUCH better than the OLPs of yesterday.
Nice review! What type of bridge would fit this bass if I wanted to upgrade it?
Thanks Daniel! I'm honestly not sure for the 5 stringer. The 5 string pole pieces are aligned for tighter string spacing bridges, so that is a consideration whereas all the 4 stringers are 19mm. But alas I do not have any replacement recommendations for the 5'er, sorry!
Really nice review! I've been keeping an eye on this bass since march, really cool finish too in my opinion. The only thing that I have a gripe with is the fact that it lacks the treble that most high end stingrays have. Would getting a Stingray pickup and installing that fix the problem or has it more to do with the preamp?
I think the preamp is the culprit here. Just like with my SUB4 (single H), I find the preamp to be the weakest point of the bass... but for the price I can't really complain considering how few basses in that price range offer a preamp and solid build. The SUBs are a great foundation for modifications, but if you're not looking to mod then the Ray24 or 34 (next series up) might be a better value.
@@LowEndLobster Ah, I see. I've been considering a Ray35 lately so I might as well just go for that. Thanks!
All the more reason I like this Bass because it doesn’t have that obnoxious. ear piercing-nasally tone like most of the ErnieBall’s have.
Great reviewing as usual. I find the neck pickup annoying! you want a Stingray or not? There are plenty of good two pickup basses in this price range. I've always had a Stingray around because you want that Stingray mojo sometimes. However, I always have a P and a J bass around too. Plus whatever bass I'm into at the moment. Thanks
I played one today and honestly for the money, they're sick.
Thanks Robert :)
@@LowEndLobster I ended up buying one. Lol
Just wondering if you’ll do a Earnie Ball Musicman 5 string. I love your videos and man you can wail that bass!
I wish they'd have more color options
Yep, I wish they went with a different color than the olive IMO. The blue isn't bad, but comes with the RW fretboard on the HH. I like the mint green on my 4 string though.
I tried one of these two days ago. The only "problem" I see with these, is that in pickup selections 2 & 4, the output drops off tremendously, and perhaps it should given that these selections employ dual split humbucker possibilities. I tend to prefer positions 2 & 4 for their "Fenderish" qualities for slap. I think I've figured out a solution for the output discrepancies: Upgrade to a "No-Load" pot for the master volume, so you can pull back the volume for positions 1, 3, & 5 to match the volume of positions 2 & 4, while loosing none of the tone of the normal "volume on 10"? Does that make sense?
I think you confused "No-load pots" (which are used only for the tone control, not volume) and "treble bleed mod" which doesnt require the volume pot to be changed
I was thinking of getting this, switching the preamp with a darkglass preamp
Love Your TH-cam reviews! I am thinking of getting a fivestring and perhaps do some modifications. Should I check out this one or the Sire V7? Any other 5 string suggestions under 1000$?
Thank you! If you're looking at the V7 and are targeting close to $1000, I'd look at the Ray35HH moreso than the Ray5HH which is the $400 budget model. V7, M5/M7 and P7 from Sire are all great options. G&L Tribute, Yamaha, Ibanez, Jackson, etc all have very solid sub $1k 5'er options.
@@LowEndLobster Thanks for Your advice! I had a P7 5:er for a while, but it was so neck-heavy! There is a musicman sub5 (american) for sale nearby for about 800$. But I dont know if that bass is better than the sterling? I have also been looking at a brand New yamaha 435, but there is also a 90:s yamaha trb for sale for about 700$.But in that case I am not to sure about the preamp. To many knobs.
that's a fine stable...great review.
Thank you Earl :)
Wow!! It worked!! I liked and your hands changed back!! How’d you do that?
Trade secrets! Hehehe
Great vid. Clarified clearly what it can and can’t do. Not much more than the basses I already have. So, my next bass is the Ibanez SRMS 805 🤘
Thanks Iain! I have an SRMS805 here for review that I need a new B string for ;P