My new Sterling HS has arrived

[Kristopher]

Actually, it arrived a few days ago but I've been too busy playing it to take pictures.

First off, I love this bass! The range of tones available from the five-position switch makes this bass sound like five different basses to me. The soloed single-coil neck pickup was pleasantly surprising, to my ears it has a bit of a vintage vibe that I didn't expect out of a MM. I got sort of a similar sound out of a Jazz with DiMarzio Model J's which I recently sold. I really dig it. And the range of tones, it goes from thin to super thick with a flip of the switch. Before this bass arrived, I had a few other basses in mind to buy in addition to this one, but since this one arrived I'm really questioning if I really need anything else.

The playability is excellent all over the bass. And man, this thing is a beauty, too. There's nothing better than laying my hands on a bass that hasn't been touched since it left the shipping department of the factory. Everything's all shiny and new.

I'd like to give a big thank you to Dave at the Bass Place in Tempe, AZ for being patient with me ("Did it come yet? Is it there yet??") and giving great service.

A few pics....

 

[jsntrenkler]

Beautiful Axe my friend ... I bet she sounds better than she looks (which is amazing BTW)

 

[Randracula]

Congrats ! Pacific Blue Burst is beautuiful isn't it? I've also found that the Sterling HS gets a wide range of tones that I never thought i'd hear out of MusicMan.That, along with the super light weight of my Sterling HS has made it my main gigging bass. Make sure you check out some of the "in-between " positions on the 5 way selector.I can actually get 8 different sounds out of mine and they are all very good.

 

[fly]

oh man...............how sweet is that.


i gotta get my hands on a natural HS Sterling..........


nice score bud.

 

[mynan]

That might have to be the color of my next EBMM...unless I get a Bongo.

 

[midopa]

Congrats!! Pacific Blue Burst is so awesome. waaant

 

[phatduckk]

i told u guys the HS Sterling was where its at the pup selector switch is just awesome. like u said - theres so much in that bass its not even funny. throw in a little eq and its endless

congrats dude!!! play the hell out of it

 

[phatduckk]

ps: awesome finish!

 

[Colin]

oh baby baby....

 

[mobis.fr]

wow, i love pacific burst... i want one. right now!

 

[Jason Hebert]

Best EB made...




IMO, of course..

 

[timmy5strings]

Very nice, I'm liking the woodgrain through the blue burst, great color Sterlings have a great sound. Enjoy

 

[Colin]

can't wait to see the Sterling 5

 

[Kristopher]

Thanks for all the kind words guys, I appreciate it.

I played it at a four-hour gig tonight, it is now officially my main and favorite bass. Playing it was effortless - seriously, it was like a dream. I stuck mostly with pickup positions 1 (bridge humbucker) and 4 (neck and bridge single coils). Since we play mostly recent rock covers, those two seemed to fit in the best with the band's sound.

Thanks so much EB for making me such a great instrument!

 

[fly]

how do you like the maple in comparison with your rosewoods....?

 

[Psycho Ward]

Congrats on a beautiful Sterling, my H/S is my favorite!

 

[Kristopher]

how do you like the maple in comparison with your rosewoods....?

The bass doesn't sound muddy at all, well maybe a little bit in position 3 (all coils) but some might say it's just extra thick. It's one of those things where I know there's something different, and it's probably what most people say it is (maple = brighter, rosewood = warmer), but my ears haven't yet pinpointed the thing that makes that stereotype real for me, if you know what I mean. I think the differences will become more clear once the strings get older, and also once I get more time clocked on this bass. This is my first real maple fretboard bass.

[EDIT: I don't feel right having anyone thinking this bass is "muddy", I just happen to play through a muddy bass cab (SVT 410HLF with the horn off), something I hope to fix soon.]

 

[Psycho Ward]

The only difference I notice is the feel, maple seems slicker when you bend notes. But I don't bend notes very often, as for sounding different I just can't hear a big difference. I want to say it's cosmetic but that don't seem right, plus my ears have damage too. I love both fretboards on a Sterling that's all I can say.

 

[oli@bass]

Very, very nice! Thanks for sharing the pics and reporting the first gig already!

 

[Kristopher]

Gig pics:

(Drummer in the background)

Don't you just love it when guys have a bit to drink and then try to show you how to play your own bass? (For the record, this guy is a great guy who's always there at our regular gigs at this bar, I'm just poking a little fun.)