Sterling w/ Nordstrand MM4.3

**sjhiker** · 11-01-2008, 10:42 PM

I play mostly motown and funk (P-Funk closest to Rock is PinkFloyd). So I've gone from a various P-Basses to a 2007 LE Sterling, and I love it's playability. However, a buddy of mine has a SR, and the punch of it is intoxicating. I've tried many times to play a SR and never quite like the "feel" of it. Dunno what it is, string spacing, neck shape, weight.

Anyhow... someone mentioned trying Nordstrand MM4.3s as those are alnico (like the SR) instead of ceramic like the sterling.

I've done my searching around here and found people describe the sound as being "warmer...". Pretty generic as I can get "warmer" with flats (which I've done, and the result _is_ slick for those motown songs.

Does anybody have any clips of a sterling with Nordstrand MM4.3s in it, or can give some better "before and after" comparisons?

Thanks

**Big Poppa** · 11-01-2008, 10:55 PM

probably the wrong place.....dont get me wrong these other pickups could be great but their forum is probably a better place to get info on their products...we are probably a little biased!

**your idol** · 11-01-2008, 11:00 PM

try playing a pre-eb ray ..awesome feel and sound very much their own check out some louis johnson videos on youtube and see if you dig the sound then find one and try it on for size and see how it feels.. odds are youll dig it

**your idol** · 11-01-2008, 11:10 PM

oooh. i forgot..maybe its time for a 5 string in your life.

i play alot of motown and old soul lines and a light bit of funk when i play for my own personal satisfaction. i turn on my lil orange jam amp put on some curtis mayfield or some sly on the record player and get into a groove and let my fiver talk

punchy on demand but buttery when it has to be. and the neck is unlike any other 5 string ive ever played. it sold me on 5 strings. alos try flip flopping between rosewood and the maple...EB has lots of cool basses and theyre like fingerprints they share the same characteristics but they all have different vibes.

**oli@bass** · 11-02-2008, 03:00 AM

Originally Posted by sjhiker

So I've gone from a various P-Basses to a 2007 LE Sterling, and I love it's playability. However, a buddy of mine has a SR, and the punch of it is intoxicating.

Do you have any details on that StingRay? Age? 2-band or 3-band EQ? Neck? Body colour (there were different body woods used depending on the finish)?

Every instrument is made of unique pieces of wood and therefore sounds different. Sometimes the difference is small, sometimes it's larger.

I remember that the two Sterlings I had about 15 years ago were quite different. One was black (probably poplar body) with birdseye maple neck, the other was a honeyburst (probably ash body) with maple neck. Although the pickups and electronics were the same, the honeyburst had way more sustain and punch than the black one.

Instead of modifying your bass you may want to try different Sterlings, and probably find one you like more than the one you have. IME, the difference of woods does often have more impact on the sound than the electronics. I do have several StingRays with identical electrinonics but different woods, and they do sound differently.

However, I also longed for the StingRay sound when I had my Sterlings, and fact is that you'll never nail that exactly. So, if you're so much into the StingRay sound, you have to play one. Took me a long and winding road to find that out...

Oh, BTW, if you're trying out StingRays, have a look at the new HH models, they're awsome! And IMO, the necks of recently build 'Rays are more comfortable than earlier ones. Can't explain why, but it is how they feel to me. Also, those with rosewood board are more consistent in how "thick" they "feel", again very subjective and just my observation. I've tried a couple of maple necks and some of them felt very "thick" while others felt almost "slim". On top of that, the setup really changes how chunky the neck feels: After I got a professional setup (whch may include filing the nut and levelling the frets) on two of my pre-owned 'Rays their neck feel changed from "bulky" to "slinky".

**Musicman Nut** · 11-02-2008, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by sjhiker

I play mostly motown and funk (P-Funk closest to Rock is PinkFloyd). So I've gone from a various P-Basses to a 2007 LE Sterling, and I love it's playability. However, a buddy of mine has a SR, and the punch of it is intoxicating. I've tried many times to play a SR and never quite like the "feel" of it. Dunno what it is, string spacing, neck shape, weight.

Anyhow... someone mentioned trying Nordstrand MM4.3s as those are alnico (like the SR) instead of ceramic like the sterling.

I've done my searching around here and found people describe the sound as being "warmer...". Pretty generic as I can get "warmer" with flats (which I've done, and the result _is_ slick for those motown songs.

Does anybody have any clips of a sterling with Nordstrand MM4.3s in it, or can give some better "before and after" comparisons?

Thanks

Sorry but Most of us had learned years ago, Music Man Basses sound Best left alone.

**sjhiker** · 11-02-2008, 02:58 PM

Yeah yeah... I've heard it before.... leave it alone....

So I headed down to Guitar Showcase and sat down with four basses and GK 1x12 amp (I have a 2x10 at home)

4HH Sterling (basically what I have)
1H Stingray (Rosewood neck)
Bongo ($1k used, never played one before, but at this price I'll try it out)
4HH Stingray (maple neck)

My $.02 on these...

Still loved the playability of the sterling, like a comfy pair of jeans. Missing that certain something tho.
4H Stingray, had more of that sound I was looking for, but didn't quite get it.
Bongo. Very refined and modern sounding, great tone, but just not my type.
4HH holy sh!t. While my favorite setting on the sterling was "all four barrels" the same setting on the SR nailed it. Plus it had a few tones that I liked better than on the 1H. For example, the HH in the bridge only position had more growl than the 4H. Why? I have no idea, maybe someone else can shed some light on it.

Well, I ended up with a Desert Gold 4HH.