Great Video Review of Sterling HS5

[tunaman4u2]

Ernie Ball Musicman Sterling 5 HS sound demo - YouTube

Good stuff. One just popped up in my area & I'm going to make an offer on it. Heres hoping... although comparing this video to my Reflex, it seems like my Reflex will have more flexibility for sure. I'm not sure I can get the HS to be a warm tame beast. The Reflex HH5 I have now is a certainly a warm vintage bass but I can coax the aggression into it after having it a few weeks now.

My Sterling HH4 I still feel is the most versatile bass I have that goes to the extremes of warm (in the middle switch position) to super aggressive (with the bridge solod). I'm not sure the HS will be able to capture the versatility of the HH. Maybe I'm wrong !

The Bongo HH5 I have is the cats meow & I've decided NEVER to sell a bass I love... I almost picked up that Big Al SSS 4 that came up for sale but I just couldnt sell the Sterling HH4 to do it even though I hate it being black, its just the best tone.

Hoping I can mimic the versatility of the HH Sterling with a HS5

Check out the video though, its awesome !

 

[Movielife]

The HS gives you that wonderful single coil at bridge (beefy jazz tone) and a very warm but precise single at the neck....the neck pup can sometimes do a great upright tone if you play near the neck.

 

[tbonesullivan]

The HS gives you that wonderful single coil at bridge (beefy jazz tone) and a very warm but precise single at the neck....the neck pup can sometimes do a great upright tone if you play near the neck.

How would you compare the sound of your Stingray 5 HS with the Sterling 5 HS? Mainly curious because I have a 2007 Stingray 5 HS, which from my understanding, has pretty much the same electronics as the current STerling 5 HS.

 

[Movielife]

The Ray 5 HS is a little smoother, warmer and rounder. Obviously it's the classic Alnico Ray tone.

The Sterling snarls with more mids and aggression, slightly bigger output as in series.

Both fantastic!

 

[tunaman4u2]

Thanks Movielife! My Reflex HH5 & Bongo HH5 are smooth so I'm looking for aggressive! I'm hoping I get this Sterling 5HS bad!

 

[keko]

OK, ...after some time I decided to unlock and share again my old YouTube video of my previous EBMM Sterling 5 HS

It was a wonderful bass, ...I was very sad when I sold that baby, ...but it's in a good hands today, ...I bet the new owner enjoy it at every gig!

 

[tunaman4u2]

Thanks SO much for the review, man thats awesome...

Boy is the HS maple super aggressive, I mean, really aggressive. The HH is less aggressive in terms of not having the single coil at the bridge. The HH is warmer with all coils in parallel... also with the inner coils & outer in series you have a bit more options there (Although owning a HH the inner vs outer coils is pretty similar & a small change in EQ & they are the same)

Did you notice a volume drop with the pickup selector? The Stingray HS I tried clearly had it, the review I posted said he clearly heard it too.

I think this video sold me on a HS though, I gotta be honest, its the SUPER aggressive bass I'm looking for. I thought the Reflex with the ceramics would be aggressive as well, but it could just be my particular bass. Its very warm & round but my band loves it, I have to figure out a way to swing keeping it.

Thanks KEKO!

 

[Movielife]

True...there is some volume loss but it doesn't take anything away from the bass.

 

[tbonesullivan]

on my SR5 HS Ceramic the neck only is definitely the least loud setting. it's very round sounding, not what you'd expect from any EBMM bass. tomorrow I'm gonna pick up some regular slinkie strings to put on my 5HS so my B string doesn't sound so flat.

 

[tunaman4u2]

Good stuff guys! Honestly, I'll take either one SR5 or a Sterling 5 HS or HH if its in my area cheap! ha ha

I'm really feeling the Sterling HS to be the super aggressive beast but yet have a few warm settings... unlike the single H.

 

[tbonesullivan]

well, the single H has the bridge parallel setting, which is a lot less aggressive sounding.

 

[keko]

Yep, ...HS Sterling with maple board is pretty aggressive beast, ...but many guys looking exactly for that kind of tone!

I'm more pleased now with my reflex HH, it's more flat, I'd say "studio flat" sounding bass, ...fits better for my needs!

 

[five7]

position 4 is lower volume than the others but very unique sounding. All the tones are really good from the HS, I have to get another one but with rosewood fb. The maple is too hard for my old fingers when doing hammerons. And not as friendly to my eyes under bright stage lights. The shape of the neck is superb along with the smaller body, one of the best basses ever made!

 

[tunaman4u2]

has anybody seen a pdn honey burst sterling hs5 for sale anywhere?

 

[tunaman4u2]

Only 1 Sterling 5HS made & sold through Perfect bass, damn!

 

[tunaman4u2]

Close to picking up a Sterling 5HS, crossing my fingers here... the aggression of this bass will complement my Bongo 5HH & the vintage warmth of the Reflex HH5.

The 2nd pickup position... the 2nd in the video review is whats selling me. Thats some awesome cut through tone. The 1st position with the classic single H is its usual fantasticness. The all coils in parallel have that extra warmth... the inner coil tone in series is that perfect blend of pickups... The neck pickup solo'd... we will see!

I'll do a quick once over before I buy it. I'm hoping the volume difference between the pickup selectors positions isn't huge.
As long as position 1, 3 & 4 are close, I'm good. I'll take a volume drop for 2 & 5.

 

[tunaman4u2]

Guitar Center Stingray HS 5 Review

Thing was great! The only volume decrease was position 2 & 5 for the single coils but it wasn't huge & could easily be mitigated by keeping the rest of the positions volume down a bit & popping up to full during single coil use

Vs the HH

I'm a HUGE fan of my Sterling HH4 but I really feel that position 2 & 4 are very close (inner vs outer coils). The neck pickup alone isn't something I go very often at all. I think I like the flexibility of the HS a tad better & I like the single coil at the neck vs the bridge humbucker solod for sure.

Sterling vs Stingray. I'm still going Sterling here as SERIES is just the balls BUT the Sterling has the middle position where the coils are in parallel while the Stingray is parallel all the time. That middle position has a larger tonal difference from the rest using the Sterling vs the Stingray to my ears & I use that A LOT.

I'm going maple vs rosewood for a little extra snap.

Great stuff!

 

[tunaman4u2]

In an odd twist of fate I have the exact bass in the video en route to the castle of tuna right now! Really pumped!

 

[Movielife]

Great news!!!