Been desperate to know this for almost 56 years now. Search didn't help.

[BassTractor]

Hi folks,

So maybe it's just 5.6 years, but I'm unable to find the skinny of what the different basses are about. I know that I have a hard time coming up with good search strings. Foreign language 'n' all that.

I seem to have understood that the Sterling is very interesting and fits somewhere between the SR and the Bongo, that Big Al is a must, and I know I'm sooo gonna get me a GameChanger, but have never seen what a SUB is/was. In fatc I have no idea what most models are about.

Could some kind sould either point me to a smart search string or a topic that dealt with this? I'm sure this must have been up for way more than 56 years now.

 

[Golem]

`

OK. So you click here:

Instruments


... and you can click on each ax to read its spec's in dry old
unglamourous text format ... but it's all the significant info
needed to choose amongst the EBMM family of basses and
geetars. Basses and geetars actually overlap at an ax called
the Silouette ... a 30" baritone 6-string. EBMM is that cool !

After your reading assignment, you can hit us with all your
general questions that the text doesn't cover, such as "why
would I choose between ash and mahgany for the body ?",
or "what's the piezo option do ? I thought that was for flat-
top acoustic geetars ?"

Have fun



`

 

[BassTractor]

LOL. Thanks, Golem!
I've got some of my dignity left though: the SUB ain't mentioned.

Seriously though: I must have worded poorly.
It's not about the specifics as listed on the EBMM page. I keep printed versions of those close to my bed at all times.
It's about how they relate to each other soundwise, and about what style they would typically fit.
On this forum, I've read for example that the Sterling would fit the gap between the Bongo (known) and the SR (known), but cannot imagine the sound of the Big Al and the SUB.
I know this may be difficult to word, but also am convinced people have tried to express it many times.

 

[DirtyHippie]

I know Ed Friedland did a bunch of vids on youtube on different models. You could go and watch a bunch of them and hear how the different eq settings, and pickup selections sound. Plus he's a helluva player.

 

[BassTractor]

Thanks, DirtyHippie! I'll check them out.


Also, I'd still be interested in a link to a thread (if such exists) comparing models to each other and linking them to styles. I'm a bass noob trying to learn through different ways of approaching.

 

[drTStingray]

HI BassTractor - the Sub was a more budget priced range of versions of existing guitar and bass models, made in the US at a more affordable price. For basses they did a Stingray and a Sterling (far rarer).

The Ray was a 2 band instrument available in 4 or 5 string form, with 2 band EQ (and for the 4s, either active or passive). Slab body in poplar with textured body finish in three or four available colours (black, white, a bluey teal colour and a maroony colour the name of which I can't remember!) - aluminium checker plate pg (which many people replaced with a regular EBMM pg), and a painted neck as per the Bongo but only in black - rosewood board. The 5 er had a similar body to the 4 (ie not as per the regular Stingray 5).

I don't know much about the Sterling - similar electronics to the Ray version I think, but with a slab version of the Sterling body and painted Sterling profile neck - I've only ever seen one.

You could view these as a low cost version of the Classic Collection line of instruments, which have slab bodies but the opposite extreme of highly figured maple necks, strings through bridges, and cool colours etc. Bear in mind many Rays of the mid 90s in solid colours have poplar bodies also - so apart from finish, these are the real deal if you can find one - made for two or three years from 2003 IIRC (roughly coinciding with the Bongo release).

 

[Manfloozy]

SUB - Discountinued "value" line. There was a passive version which was Unique to MM at the time.

Stingray - Available in 4 or 5 string versions, H, HH and HS models available. Used in anything from funk to rock to metal to reggae. Blade type pickup selector switch.

Stingray/Sterling Classic - Single H, muted bridge, figured necks, slab bodies, string thru

Sterling - Ceramic pickups, more aggressive sound, versatile instrument. One of the first MMs to offer dual pickups. Smaller body, and thinner (jazz taper) neck. Blade type PU selector switch. Owners love these bad boys.

Bongo - Joint venture with BMW design works. 18v pre amp, unique (awesome) neck profile. Neodymium magnets. Single H, HH and HS models available. Also can have a piezo bridge and is the only dual PU MM with Piezo. Usually (except for single H) has a 4-band 18v pre amp. Blend knobs for PU selection. This thing is powerful. While some associate it more with heavier styles it can literally do anything. I've never read anyone criticize its sound or playability. Looks can be polarizing, but to play a Bongo is to love a Bongo.

Reflex - Axis body style with binding. Only model that the Game Changer is available in currently (optional). Has a Bongo neck profile, active/passive electronics with 18v pre amp. H, HH or HSS models available with a combination of Neo single coils and ceramic hum buckers. has a mahogany tone block standard. Possibly the ultimate studio bass. Can get very versatile tones with the pickup selection options. Also has a 4band pre and passive tone control. Non-GC version has push button PU selection.

Big Al - Available in single H or SSS. Can nail some phat vintage tones and look cool as heck doing it. They now have Mahogany bodies. Sterling/Jazz neck profile. Reflex like electronics with push button PU selection, active/passive and 18v 4 band pre amp. (Arguably) The only Musicman to give your true single coil bridge tone.


I would discourage you from trying to stereotype the lineup though. EVERY MM bass can cover a lot of ground. There are blues players using Bongos, reggae players on Stingrays and everything in between.

If you have any specific questions, please ask, or anything you've read or heard online and would like an opinion on we'll be happy to help.

I hope this helps.... And please remember, this is my opinion and extremely general...., you can't go wrong with any of them really. MMs have amazing preamps onboard, which really let you tailor the tone. This, PU config and playing technique will really get you where you want to go. From there, see what speaks to you..... Oh, and try flatwounds.... That is all.

 

[BassTractor]

Thanks very much also to Dr.T and Matt. You both have done more work than I could hope for.

Stereotyping is risky indeed, and I'm sorry I never mentioned that myself.
However, for me it's just about getting to grips with a huge landscape, trying to get the overview before the details, as the details must all be interconnected before you get a good overview.

In retrospect I now see that my huge mistake was in the wording in the OP, when I wrote "what [they] are about". For me that denoted that it was about the landscape: the sound ideals and the style segments that one would think of immediately. How wrong I was.

For me, it's like: with everything one can say about tone being in one's fingers, and about using versatile basses in just about any style, different sound characteristics _are_ gonna be used more than others in different styles. It's that rough landscape I'm after.

Before one protesteth: saying, as some almost do, that one can use every MM for almost all music does stand in some contrast to saying, as some also do, that one needs all of them.
Slight exageration, I know, but still one with a truth core.

I bought my Bongo for three reasons:
- Many people shouting it is possibly the best bass in the world.
- It's a Music Man - the brand of my dreams since the seventies - the brand I thought I'd never own.
- Trying it, I felt like coming home, and absolutely loved both versatility, sound and ergonomics.
- The gorgeous design. I lurv it.

That was 4 ... I'll come in again.

But I'm also very sure that my first Bongo is not may last Bongo (far from it), and that I "need" way more other MMs as well.


Anyway, thanks again everybody for all your help. I'll do some more reading just surfing on the web.

 

[MrMusashi]

the bongo is a beast of its own.. you can hear the family heritage, but you can never make it sound like a sr4. but then again a sr4 will never sound like a bongo. i love them both for what they are...

ps.. the harmonics on a bongo is something else.. even at the second fret you still have no problem in making the tones ring out clearly.. fun fun fun

MrM

 

[BassTractor]

Thanks, MrMusashi.
Yeah, that's why I got interested in what I read here some months ago: that the Sterling fills the gap between the Bongo and the classical hit-in-yer-face SR sig sound. I still need to find out how the Big Al fits into this picture, if it does, but will try on JooToob as advised.


Can I use this opportunity to ask you what your sig text about strings means? Does "just" mean "only" as in the final result of a long test quest, or does it denote something like "worth trying as well - don't be wary of this"?

I'm clear on the roundwounds on a fretless, but would initially not have expected flatwounds advised on the Bongo. Goes without saying I'm gonna put flatwounds on it at some point at any rate. One needs to try everything and listen.


Thanks again!

 

[MrMusashi]

well, flatwounds isnt for everyone. you have to test it to find out

i like the way the bongo sound with flats. uhmph from here to heaven. if you like the way bass sounded on james jamersons tracks this is your thang.
the bongo has a warm hifi'ish sound to it, and by that i mean it has extended frequency range and character to the tone that is warm. add flats and you have what i think is an unbeatable sound

as for the fretless i like the way they sound with roundwounds.. i know it will eat up the fingerboard, but i dont play it for 3 hours every day

again, you have to try for yourself to decide. a set of flatwounds will last forever and if you take it off the bongo it will fit another eb bass. just in case

hth!

MrM

 

[fly]

Sterling - Ceramic pickups, more aggressive sound, versatile instrument. One of the first MMs to offer dual pickups. Smaller body, and thinner (jazz taper) neck. Blade type PU selector switch. Owners love these bad boys.

yes we do.........if you ever get a chance to play a Sterling,you'll feel the love right away.......

 

[Holdsg]

Manfloozy hit this pretty well, but I find that the Big Al is the one MM that can cop the vintage Motown/Stax tone better than any other. Forumite LawDaddy has a Stax band, and his daughter played the Big Al in it. So that's 4 votes for the Big Al if that's what you're after.

 

[BassTractor]

Thanks, folks! You did give me a clearer picture, and something to build new knowledge on.


Mr Musashi, thanks for mentioning Jameson - gives a clear picture right away.
I'm sure to try flats on a fretless at some point, but am sure the first years will be done with roundwounds.


Fly, at some point I'll just have to order a Sterling. Shops here have Rays and Bongos, not Sterlings. No problem though (other than money), 'cause what I've read here makes me confident.


Holdsg, thanks for telling. I get the impression that Big Al is a beast. I know I need one, though I would buy it for the versatility, not as a copy machine.


Thanks again,

 

[MrMusashi]

dang.. a fellow norwegian!

ikke så mange av oss her på forumet

send meg en pm med adressen din så sender jeg nedover et sett du kan teste. måtte prøve coated slinkys så da gikk flatwound settet av.. har ikke satt det på igjen. du vet.. må jo vite hvor lenge coated strengene varer

MrM

 

[BassTractor]

dang.. a fellow norwegian!

A Norwegian! Cool! From a cold place! Even cooler! Ka farsjken!
Hold your horses though: I'm just a Dutch boy living in Norway.

Tusen takk for tilbudet! Det er så generøst at jeg ikke kan si nei. Det ville være meget uhøflig, minst. Så da sier jeg heller Ja takk og tusen takk! Kan jeg heller gjøre noe for deg igjen, du som bor så langt unna butiggan' i Krestjansann og verden forøvrig.

Bert Vijn, Eiketjønnveien 18, 4640 Søgne.

Ha dem godt!

 

[pharaohamps]

I've owned (and still own) several Balls and they're all pretty different. I started with a passive SUB4, which led to a '90s Sterling. I switched to 5-strings about 5 years ago and now have 2 SR5's, a Bongo, and a SUB5 active.

The SUB5 is great, 2 band EQ sounds very different than the 3 band on my SR5's. It's practically indestructible, which makes it perfect for bar gigs where I don't want to risk a more expensive instrument. I like the 2-band slab body of the SUB so much that I'm taking delivery of an SR5 classic in the next week :0

My Bongo is a 5-string stealth HH with the ebony fretboard. It's NOT a 'Ray, no matter what you might think. Since you own one, you know what monsters they are! Flats on the Bongo do sound great - the 4 band EQ and neodymium pickups allow you to get plenty of clarity even with flats. I've got EB Group III flats on mine and it sounds awesome.

I've got one newer SR5 with the Alnico pickup and the "enhanced series" setting, and an older model with the triple-coil ceramic pickup and the "single coil" setting. The older one is fretless with piezo, and now that I have it I wish all my basses had the piezo. The more I think about it, the more I want a Bongo 5Hp or 5HSp... The piezo is like a "secret sauce" on the tone of the bass - you might not notice it, but when you turn it off you'll wonder where the awesome went.

Enjoy your Bongo, I know I love mine

 

[tkarter]

There is only one bass sound and it is Bongo.
tk

 

[BassTractor]

There is only one bass sound and it is Bongo.

Not scientifically. Scientifically you'll find there's 38 bass sounds, and only 36 of them are Bongos. ;^)