Greg Suarez
Well-known member
I have been wanting a 5-string bass, so a week ago I ordered a SBMM Ray35. I couldn't afford a full-on MM U.S.A. StingRay5. I heard good things about the Sterling alternative, but was remaining cautiously optimistic in how it would sound and play. I mean, these are built in Indonesia and cost a fraction of the "real thing."
Wow. Just... wow.
The Ray35 is stupidly amazing for the money I paid for it. I got Guitar Center to match a sale some eBay seller was having, so a brand new SBMM Ray35 with the natural ash finish cost me only $639. There is no way this bass should have only cost me that much. This puppy is solid, substantial and built like a U.S.A.-made instrument. The components are tight and of high quality, and the finish is immaculate. The only complaint I have is the fret edges could use just a hair more attention in finishing them down; there is a slight amount of serration when you run your hand down the neck.
Plugged in, the bass has all the growl and articulate personality of a true MM bass. It's easy to play and it's a joy to play. I threw on a set of EB Cobalts, which seem to be made to bring out the bass's tonal qualities. I was also very surprised with how diverse its sound can be with only a single pickup. The 3-way selector (series, filter, parallel) doesn't make a huge difference in the sound (to my ears, at least), but the pre-amp is money. It's a simple 3-band EQ that can turn a single pickups from a booming, heavy metal monster, into a popping slap bass funk machine. It's really remarkably effective. My only complaint with the bass's design is a 35" scale would help that much more in giving the B-string more tension. It's acceptable with the 34" scale, but 35" probably would have been ideal.
I did pony up for the official MM hard shell case built for the StingRay 4 and 5, because if I've said it once, I've said it a million times: "Gig bags = yuck!" It set me back another $145, but it was worth it to keep this guitar in flawless condition. Plus, I saved so much when I bought the bass, anyway.
I hope one day to own an actual U.S.A. MM bass, but the high quality of this Sterling has shocked me, and now I'm not in such a rush (sorry, BP). My pleasure with this bass now has me looking at a Sterling JP70 in the near future. I'm not super thrilled with the Ibanez 7-string I recently got off of eBay, and I'm thinking of putting it back on the market.
Wow. Just... wow.
The Ray35 is stupidly amazing for the money I paid for it. I got Guitar Center to match a sale some eBay seller was having, so a brand new SBMM Ray35 with the natural ash finish cost me only $639. There is no way this bass should have only cost me that much. This puppy is solid, substantial and built like a U.S.A.-made instrument. The components are tight and of high quality, and the finish is immaculate. The only complaint I have is the fret edges could use just a hair more attention in finishing them down; there is a slight amount of serration when you run your hand down the neck.
Plugged in, the bass has all the growl and articulate personality of a true MM bass. It's easy to play and it's a joy to play. I threw on a set of EB Cobalts, which seem to be made to bring out the bass's tonal qualities. I was also very surprised with how diverse its sound can be with only a single pickup. The 3-way selector (series, filter, parallel) doesn't make a huge difference in the sound (to my ears, at least), but the pre-amp is money. It's a simple 3-band EQ that can turn a single pickups from a booming, heavy metal monster, into a popping slap bass funk machine. It's really remarkably effective. My only complaint with the bass's design is a 35" scale would help that much more in giving the B-string more tension. It's acceptable with the 34" scale, but 35" probably would have been ideal.
I did pony up for the official MM hard shell case built for the StingRay 4 and 5, because if I've said it once, I've said it a million times: "Gig bags = yuck!" It set me back another $145, but it was worth it to keep this guitar in flawless condition. Plus, I saved so much when I bought the bass, anyway.
I hope one day to own an actual U.S.A. MM bass, but the high quality of this Sterling has shocked me, and now I'm not in such a rush (sorry, BP). My pleasure with this bass now has me looking at a Sterling JP70 in the near future. I'm not super thrilled with the Ibanez 7-string I recently got off of eBay, and I'm thinking of putting it back on the market.
