• Ernie Ball
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  • Sterling by MusicMan

mobass

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Aug 20, 2006
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164
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Indiana
I bought a used sterling today. 2003 model. Black, maple neck, in mint condition. I got a killer price on it too. I found it by accident. I was at school thumbing through the phone book and I noticed an ad for a music store that said they were a musicman dealer. It was only 10 minutes from school, so when we got out i headed over. I saw this used sterling on the wall. I thought it was new. I pluged it in, and fell in love. I played a lot of basses there to compare it too, some that were twice as much, and none came close to sounding as good. The quality it unbeliveable. I have a few questions about it though. What is the difference in the series and parallel mode? Also, could other sterling users share there favorite eq setting for me to try? I finally feel like I belong here now.:D
 

mobass

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Aug 20, 2006
Messages
164
Location
Indiana
I'll try to get pics up soon. I'll have to borrow a digital camera, someone stole mine:(
 

Frankie5Angels

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Sep 27, 2007
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In the Witness Protection Program
Congrats. I think the Sterling is the unsung hero of the EBMM bass stable. The StingRay and the Bongo get all the press, but the Sterling is the workhorse. They sound and feel great. You will not regret your purchase.
 

mobass

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Aug 20, 2006
Messages
164
Location
Indiana
I did love the neck on the sterling. Once I get out of school( only 2 and a half months!) I plan on saving for a 5 string stingray. Theis ernie ball basses are amazing.
 

shamus63

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Aug 8, 2005
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4,018
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San Mateo, CA
Congrats on the Sterling purchase! Just picked up a '96 a week or so ago in trade.

I find the 2-coil in parallel mode to have the meatiest tone, with some variations on the EQ'ing depending on the amp I'm running through and strings I'm using.

Season to taste, and enjoy!

:cool:
 

mobass

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Aug 20, 2006
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164
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Indiana
One thing I was wondering. On my amp I set it flat and used the built in eq. Is that generally how you all do it too?
 

jaylegroove

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Aug 23, 2006
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I'm a French Knucklehead
One thing I was wondering. On my amp I set it flat and used the built in eq. Is that generally how you all do it too?

Not exactly. That's what I used to do, but I have changed my way of dialing tone a bit, lately. Just because the tone I send (via pre-EQ D.I.) to the soundman is not the one I want to have for my monitoring on stage. So I dial the SR5 to send the soundman what he needs, then I tweak the MarkBass LMII to adjust for my personal taste.
 

oli@bass

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Jul 23, 2007
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4,272
Location
Switzerland
A good sounding amp'ss EQ generally is there to adjust for room acoustics (except if you actually use it to shape the tone in terms of overdrive esp. regarding the mids and presence).

Depending on the amp, I usually start with the EQ flat or by adding what I know is needed to compensate for the unwanted tone shaping of the cabinet. Then tweak the sound until it makes sense on stage, so I can hear myself and don't have too much boom. Therefore I always tell sound people to not put a mic in front of my amp, because the sound that comes out of there is not how the bass is supposed to sound, but how I want it to hear myself on stage. Some are fine with that, others can't wrap their head around that concept...
 
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