HS Sterling or HH Stringray (4 Stringer)

[natselection]

Still don't understand why you're differentiating between a Sterling HS and the Stingray HH.

Why are the Sterling HH and the Stingray HS not on the table?

for PUP combinations, i've heard HS sterling is most popular, and HH stingray 2nd most popular next to the H stingray. the HH stingray has the H + more so why not. but i'm open to suggestions, i just have a problem because i don't erally have places to try these out

 

[Bass Control]

coughcoughcoughbongocoughcoughcough

 

[phatduckk]

if anyone is leaning towards an SR$, IMO, there's no reason not to get an HH. you dont "lose" anything and gain a ton more versatility

however, i still maintain the HS Sterling is the best bass ever made

 

[Gary Raymond]

I bought a 2005 LE StingRay 5 HH. I'ts beautiful, but I wish I had bought a 4 instead. I tried the 5 string route, but I am just a lot more comfortable with a 4. Personally, I prefer the beefier neck of the Ray to the Sterling, but if an opportunity came along for a Buttercream Sterling 4 HS, I wouldn't pass it up, when finances are better.

 

[Fred E.]

Get an HH Bongo if you want 2 pickups--I've got a Buttercream HS SR which is nice, but I like my 1 H SR & now my 1 H Sterling when it comes down to laying back & playing. The 1 H sterling with its 3 position coil selector can't be beat for single pickup versatility.

G&Ls can be great & I love mine--but that's not why we're here, is it?

 

[natselection]

what does the extra "S" add to the sterling?

 

[SQUID]

Stingray HH all the way. Dubtastic!! Sterling necks are too small for my paws

 

[Bass Control]

what does the extra "S" add to the sterling?

True single coil, two inner coils (my favorite position, very nice articulate and pronounced bass sound IMO), three coils at a time, two Sterling H positions (bridge coil and parallel)

 

[natselection]

I'm deffinetly torn between a sterling HS and a stingray HH. i hope my local sam ash has these, goin there tomorrow

 

[phatduckk]

I'm deffinetly torn between a sterling HS and a stingray HH. i hope my local sam ash has these, goin there tomorrow

u cant go wrong with either. i swear

 

[Goofball Jones]

for PUP combinations, i've heard HS sterling is most popular, and HH stingray 2nd most popular next to the H stingray. the HH stingray has the H + more so why not. but i'm open to suggestions, i just have a problem because i don't erally have places to try these out

Well, you could say the same thing about the HS Stringray "the HS Stingray has the H + more".

I think what you should mainly do is figure out wither you want an HH or an HS config....once you want either a HH or HS, THEN determine which neck profile and width and body type you want...which will lead you to either the Stingray or the Sterling.

For instance, I wanted a HS configed bass...but I wanted a Stingray neck and body, so naturally I went with the Stingray. Not because it was popular with others...but because it was the right fit for me.

Go by what you want, not by what others have.

 

[MingusBASS]

That's the issue, he hasn't played either bass, so he has no clue what HE wants.

If I was you I'd get the Ray. Sterlings are great basses. They play and sound nice. That being said, they sound different than Rays. The Ray has more punch and a thicker sound to my ears. I like the wider neck and larger body that the Ray has. If you're a little guy you might like the Sterling more.

 

[Ostinato]

That's the issue, he hasn't played either bass, so he has no clue what HE wants.

If I was you I'd get the Ray. Sterlings are great basses. They play and sound nice. That being said, they sound different than Rays. The Ray has more punch and a thicker sound to my ears. I like the wider neck and larger body that the Ray has. If you're a little guy you might like the Sterling more.

I like a thick, beefy tone, and I usually prefer J-style necks, but the more mass in the neck and bigger body on StingRay really gives it a thicker tone.

Here she is:

 

[natselection]

u cant go wrong with either. i swear

lets hope so!

thanks all for your advice/help!

 

[Moondog]

That's the issue, he hasn't played either bass, so he has no clue what HE wants.

If I was you I'd get the Ray. Sterlings are great basses. They play and sound nice. That being said, they sound different than Rays. The Ray has more punch and a thicker sound to my ears. I like the wider neck and larger body that the Ray has. If you're a little guy you might like the Sterling more.

+1 I agree w/Andrew 100% (fyi, I'm an XL 6'3" 225lb)
I love mine!! (more than my Sterling & HS Ray)

 

[bgavin]

I have an SR5/HH on order for September. In response to this poll, I voted for the Stingray in HH. I like the neck width better than the thinner Sterling.

 

[Rano Bass]

They're both great so it's a win win situation.

Just try'em and deceide yourself which one fits your hands better.

I voted HH Ray BTW just for the bridge pup in parallel.

 

[bgavin]

Here she is:

What a beauty! I'm a complete sucker for that finish... I ordered my SR5/HH in vintage sunburst, tortoise guard, rosewood board.

Like several posters here, I would opt for the SR4/HH due to neck preferences. I just hope the factory switching combinations on the SR/HH will give me that one SR4 tone that everybody raves about.

 

[Psycho Ward]

I usually always agree with Phatty and I do in this case too, the Sterling H/S is my favorite bass hands down! But I still love my single pickup Sterlings and my Bongos are lifetime keepers too!

Hell, you can't go wrong with anything that comes out of the EBMM factory. Pick one that feels, looks and sounds the best to you! I can not say that about any other company I deal with. If you can play them all, one will speak to you.

 

[Ken Baker]

I'm a big fan of single H basses, but then I also think, "How many effin' tones do you want a bass to produce?"

Well, as many as it can. Flexibility is good.

G&Ls are fine instruments. No sex appeal, though, IMO.

I'll bet you just KNEW you'd get me here. Huh?

They are indeed fine instruments. They're also pretty darned sexy, but that's just me. I think Bongos are sexy too!

Seriously, the Ray just doesn't do it for me. I've played several in several different configs and found all to be really good basses. But none blew my skirts up. That ceramic pickup Sterling with the switch, OTOH, is superb! I really like the tone this pickup design provides. I'd be all over an HS if the fundage was there because it would add tonal flexibility to my small herd from SLO and Fullerton.

Ken...