Advice on Stingray vs. Sterling

[robbelle]

Hi everybody,

I am a newbie to this forum and need some advice.

Recently I had the chance to play a Stingray and kinda fell for it. Now I play a Fender ASJB, but to me playing that Stingray opened my eyes and ears. Don’t get me wrong I still love my Fender, but the Stingray is different. It has more possibilities and plays a lot easier.

I looked on the net and now read that the Sterling has a smaller neck, more like a Fender JB. I suppose the Stingray is more like a Precision and the Sterling more like Jazz. Also you can choose your pup combination on the Sterling.

Are there other differences between the two? Do they sound different? Do they play different? Are there differences in sounds, playability between a rosewood or maple neck? Any other useful info?

Since I live in the small country of tulips, wooden shoes and windmills, there is not a great deal of choice and or advice around.

So please help in making the right choice (does that sound desperate or what).

Say cheese

Rob

 

[bovinehost]

Welcome, Rob - I'm Jack.

I'm Jack and I have a Stingray/Jazz problem. Yes, my house seems to be filled with BOTH. To me, they are the best of all possible worlds.

Your questions and observations....

"I suppose the Stingray is more like a Precision and the Sterling more like Jazz. Also you can choose your pup combination on the Sterling."

Well, you can't choose a pickup combination on the Sterling. It's a one pickup bass and it comes with the one standard Sterling pickup.

I hear this Stingray=Precision so then Sterling=Jazz stuff a lot, but it's true only to the extent that the Stingray is a big larger and the Sterling has some electronic options the Stingray doesn't. IMHO, the Stingray neck is a lot less stodgy and less of a baseball bat than a Precision neck, so the comparison doesn't work for me. The Sterling is sleeker and faster and the neck is indeed smaller, but if you played a Stingray and liked it, that's what you might want to get, eh?

And then you can get a Sterling later. (That's what I did.)

"Do they sound different? Do they play different?"

Yes and yes. The Sterling has a three way switch and can approximate if not exactly duplicate the Stingray sound. The Stingray, however, is much more versatile than some would have you believe and I don't think you'd miss much - if anything - with the Stingray. Tone is always subjective, but I think the Sterling has a bit more "civilized" sound than the 'Ray.

The way they play, well, you probably understand that from the description above. The Sterling is downsized and the neck is thinner, so yeah, it's a comfy little sports car sort of bass.

Rosewood vs maple is an age old debate. Rosewood is less zingy than maple, so the belief goes. Maple is also more prone to showing finger crap and stains. Rosewood and maple? Hey, it might just come down to what looks good to you and what feels right underneath your hands.

I don't think you can go wrong, no matter which one you choose, but it sounds like you dig the Stingray and arent' sure about the Sterling.....go for what you know.

Feel free to give me a yell if I can be of any help.

Jack

 

[Masamax]

I looked on the net and now read that the Sterling has a smaller neck, more like a Fender JB. I suppose the Stingray is more like a Precision and the Sterling more like Jazz. Also you can choose your pup combination on the Sterling.

Sort of. The switch you are talking about is useful of course, but the varience in sound you get depends more on the EQ on the bass and amp then on the switch. I actually only use 2 positions, the pup position and middle for finger and pick style respectively.

Are there other differences between the two? Do they sound different? Do they play different? Are there differences in sounds, playability between a rosewood or maple neck? Any other useful info?

The Sterling has a different body style and pickguard. It does have a smaller neck, and overall is lighter. However I prefer overall the feel of a Stingray more. Also the sound IS different. They use different types of pickups. The Sterling uses the same kind of pickup materials as the Stingray 5, but the Stingray itself uses a different material (I can't remember off the top of my head, but I am sure someone will point it out). They have different sounds, but not incredibly different. But for the trained ear the sound difference makes the difference for them between Sterling and Stingray. As for the fretboards, a maple freboard is generally thought to give more string tension and a brighter sound. A rosewood fretboard gives a darker warmer sound, but less string tension. I prefer maple just because of asthetics and sound as I can always darken up the sound with the active EQ, but the brightness is hard to reproduce when you need it.

 

[basscat]

The SR5 and the Sterling PUs feature cheramic magnets and the SR4 has Alnico magnets. I think that contributes alot to the differences in sound. Alnico is more aggressive with a bit smaller frequency bandwidth whereas cheramic magnets give a more polished sound with a bandwidth. The Sterling/SR5 PUs also have a phantom coil that's used when the PU is being run in single coil mode to eliminate hum. Can't wait to hear the neodynium PUs of the Bongo .

Basscat

 

[robbelle]

Thanks guys!

Now I have some usefull info from bass players that are actually playing either a Sterling or Stingray.

I will go with my gut feeling and look around for a Stingray. As Jack replied this is the bass I had a chance to play and I really dig it, so I can’t go wrong there. I just stumbled on the Sterling because of the thinner neck and I am used to playing a Fender JB.

Now other questions start haunting me and maybe you guys can help me out there as well.

Is it worth it to import a Stingray from the US to Europe (Netherlands)?
Does anybody have any experience with this?
What are the downsides to doing this?
What are the costs (shipping/tax/etc..)?
Is ebay something worth considering?

The reason why I am asking this is that there are virtually no Stingrays to be found near where I live. I found one Stingray and I have to drive 300km for it and they only have one, so there is no choice. Besides that the prices are quite high here.

So thanks again and I hope someone can help me with the other questions.

Cheers

Rob

PS. Jack, nice collection of basses.

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

>>>>Is it worth it to import a Stingray from the US to Europe (Netherlands)?

The guy you need to talk to is "Cutlass 1" at page 5 of the Members List.

 

[robbelle]

Thanks, I will send him a message.

Cheers

Rob

 

[Musicfreak1988]

another difference : stingray has 21 frets, sterling (and stingray5) have 22.

 

[prickly_pete]

I think that the maple/rosewood sound debate is more focused for people who like bright roundwounds, and slap/tap -- i.e., percussive stuff. The maple has more snap than the rosewood, and I prefer it. I've had several rays, both 4s and 5s, in both rosewood and maple, and at the moment have a maple sr4, a rosewood sr4, and a maple sr5. Depending on the sound you are going for, the Sterling/SR5, does not sound exactly like a stingray 4; the difference is in the pickup design. Again if you like a real bassy, thumpy tone, you probably won't notice the difference in any of these variables, so get the one that looks best

 

[prickly_pete]

I agree. The maple gives more click for slapping, that I really like.

 

[rulyøngo]

In my opinion I prefer the sound, body and neck size of the Sterling... but this is a really subjective matter... Also check out the BONGO before you invest in either of them...

 

[phatduckk]

i have and love both ...
you really can't go wrong ... they're both pretty kick ass basses

 

[MingusBASS]

How 'bout a Bongo?

Bongo or Die

Andrew