I haven't been interested in the Sterling line (probably because I was being passive aggressive against the confusing marketing decision to name a line of instruments after a model of bass already in production), but I played one today at Guitar Center and was really, really impressed.
FEATURES: I like the finish and construction on the whole thing - the matching headstock is a nice touch. I don't like the flashy logo so much - it's sort of forgettable and distances it from the parent line (for instance I like the way the Squier logo and the Fender logo look similar). [DISCLAIMER: This is obviously my stupid opinion, and I am sure there is wise decision making behind all of these choices that hasn't occurred to me, and the same goes for naming the line Sterling]. The only thing that I truly didn't like was that pickup squished into the body when I played (it might have just been this particular instrument), and that sort of soft feeling was disconcerting.
PLAYABILITY: This was probably the easiest to play out of all the Stingrays they had at GC, US or otherwise. The fingerboard was a nice fat slab of rosewood, the frets were all well dressed and totally smooth, and the action was good and low. It felt like a Stingray.
SOUND: It was the sound that really surprised me, though of course it shouldn't have. Guess what - it sounds like a Stingray! I'm sure there are plenty of folks with more sensitive ears than mine able to detect the nuanced differences in tone between a Sterling 'Ray and a US one, but I can't. At the very least, the soul of the Stingray was successfully translated into these instruments. They are gutsy, punchy and full of growl, and do the brand plenty of justice. The 3-band EQ works incredibly well - again, just like its big brother's, in my opinion. I've been disappointed in budget active EQs, and I feel that this where Ernie Ball really stands head and shoulders above everyone else - it is just killer.
CONCLUSION: A great bass for a great price. If I wasn't holding out for a SLO Special or a US Sterling, I'd be all over this in a minute.
FEATURES: I like the finish and construction on the whole thing - the matching headstock is a nice touch. I don't like the flashy logo so much - it's sort of forgettable and distances it from the parent line (for instance I like the way the Squier logo and the Fender logo look similar). [DISCLAIMER: This is obviously my stupid opinion, and I am sure there is wise decision making behind all of these choices that hasn't occurred to me, and the same goes for naming the line Sterling]. The only thing that I truly didn't like was that pickup squished into the body when I played (it might have just been this particular instrument), and that sort of soft feeling was disconcerting.
PLAYABILITY: This was probably the easiest to play out of all the Stingrays they had at GC, US or otherwise. The fingerboard was a nice fat slab of rosewood, the frets were all well dressed and totally smooth, and the action was good and low. It felt like a Stingray.
SOUND: It was the sound that really surprised me, though of course it shouldn't have. Guess what - it sounds like a Stingray! I'm sure there are plenty of folks with more sensitive ears than mine able to detect the nuanced differences in tone between a Sterling 'Ray and a US one, but I can't. At the very least, the soul of the Stingray was successfully translated into these instruments. They are gutsy, punchy and full of growl, and do the brand plenty of justice. The 3-band EQ works incredibly well - again, just like its big brother's, in my opinion. I've been disappointed in budget active EQs, and I feel that this where Ernie Ball really stands head and shoulders above everyone else - it is just killer.
CONCLUSION: A great bass for a great price. If I wasn't holding out for a SLO Special or a US Sterling, I'd be all over this in a minute.
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