questions about sterlings and stingrays

[Marchisgonebass]

can anyone help me with a few questions...
iv been playing bass for awhile and i have now decided that it is time for an upgrade. iv been looking at 4 and 5 string stingrays for awhile and just cant make up my mind.
is there a difference in tone between a 4 and 5 string stingray?

and musicman sterlings... how different is the tone between a 4 string stingray and 4 string sterling? and for a 5 string sterling and 5 string stingray?
(musicman sterlings not the sterling by musicman that replaced the olp's)

 

[MrMusashi]

hello and welcome to the forum

this is a question that always get asked and there is a small section about it in the sticky on top found here: http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-basses/2900-usual-questions-search-function.html

short short answer is: yes

a lil longer: the sr5 will sound different from a sr4, the sterling has a neck that is smaller than the stingray and will as some say sound more aggressive and in your face. if you have a possibility to find a guitar center near you, you should be able to check out the basses head to head.

hth!

MrM

 

[TheAntMan]

Hi there,

As much as any of us can tell you about the differences between tones of 4 vs 5 and Stingray vs Sterling; the only real test will be your ears and what sounds good to you.

Of course, with various pickup configurations you will get various tones even in the same instrument model. A 4HH Sterling sounds different than a 4H or 4HS once you start with the additional pickups.

My $0.02 is to go check them out for yourself. If you can't then check out youtube for various vids of EBMM basses as a 'ballpark' kind of guide.

Good Luck.

-- Ant

 

[Mogee]

I am a 4 banger by nature. Although there are many times I would love to have that B string, I just like the feel of a 4 string neck better. Maybe its my short pudgy fingers. There is definitely a difference in tone between the two. I have gone back and forth between the two several times, and so far my favorite tone is the Bongo lol! But, I am playing a 4HH Stingray now, and I have to say I prefer it to the Sterling. You should really try and play both.

 

[Powman]

I am pretty impressed with all MM products. I have the Sterling 4H while my son has the John Petrucci guitar. Excellent quality instruments. I chose the Sterling over the Stingray because the neck felt better in my hands. While I appreciate there some sound differences, they both seem to have the big hairy sweaty balls sound that just rocks. Bottom line, I don't think you could go wrong with either.

 

[Marchisgonebass]

I am pretty impressed with all MM products. I have the Sterling 4H while my son has the John Petrucci guitar. Excellent quality instruments. I chose the Sterling over the Stingray because the neck felt better in my hands. While I appreciate there some sound differences, they both seem to have the big hairy sweaty balls sound that just rocks. Bottom line, I don't think you could go wrong with either.

hahahah that indeed is a good sound. but in your opion does either one or the other have a specific sound? like one more alike to a pbass and the other to a jbass?

 

[Sting]

The Stingray uses alnico magnets in the pickups and the Sterling has ceramic magnets in the pickups. The two are also mostly wired differently, parallel on the Stingray vs. series on the Sterling. IMHO, the differences in pickups is most responsible for the difference in tone between the two basses.

Aside from the different pickup options (H, HS, HH or Hp), in general to my ears the Sterling sounds brighter and more aggressive than the Stingray. Not that the Stingray is not aggressive sounding, I just think the Sterling is a bit edgier. The Stingray to me sounds warmer with a slightly deeper rounder bottom.

Personally, between the two I prefer the Stingray. Partially because of the tone but mostly because I'm more comfortable on a beefier neck. YMMV.

Hope this helps, but by all means visit your local Music Man retailer and try them both out for yourself and choose the one you prefer. You won't go wrong either way.

 

[Marchisgonebass]

Personally, between the two I prefer the Stingray. Partially because of the tone but mostly because I'm more comfortable on a beefier neck. YMMV.

Hope this helps, but by all means visit your local Music Man retailer and try them both out for yourself and choose the one you prefer. You won't go wrong either way.

thanks alot and i would go try them
out but theres like no where around here that sells them.

but i had another question. how do do the tonal controls differ between the stingray4H and sterling4H? like do they have a switch that can split your coils and if not how do you? and are they series or parallel and do they have a
switch for that?

sorry im jist trying to get my
facts straight

 

[Sting]

thanks alot and i would go try them
out but theres like no where around here that sells them.

but i had another question. how do do the tonal controls differ between the stingray4H and sterling4H? like do they have a switch that can split your coils and if not how do you? and are they series or parallel and do they have a
switch for that?

sorry im jist trying to get my
facts straight

The Stingray 4H has no switch and is wired in parallel. The Sterling 4H has a switch that changes the wiring between series, single coil and parallel.

If you go to the product web pages there is a "Diagram and Schematics" link that you can click on. Do a little research there, it should answer your questions.

Links:
Sterling 4 product page
Stingray 4 product page

Enjoy!

 

[jmbstudios]

All I know is my 77 'Ray is about the most beautiful sounding basses that has ever been put on this earth...........

 

[rizzo9247]

I owned a Sterling and it was awesome. Buy a Sterling.

I owned a Bongo and it was awesome. Buy a Bongo.

I own a Stingray and it is awesome. Buy a Stingray.

 

[Powman]

It will be tough to decide without actually playing one...

 

[Old_Guy]

I owned a Sterling and it was awesome. Buy a Sterling.

I owned a Bongo and it was awesome. Buy a Bongo.

I own a Stingray and it is awesome. Buy a Stingray.

+1. Not sure where the OP is, but hard to imagine there's nobody anywhere that has any of these. What do you play; who's sound do you like? I don't have a 'Ray (though I borrow one frequently); but the thing is - Sterling with roundwounds can 'do' Stingray to some extent; good for the Classic Rock ('60s, '70s; Stones, Yes, Rush and more modern stuff - like "Celebrity Skin" (Hole)), great bass to slap on; the Bongo with flatwounds can do anything really - I use it for R&B, Soul, Funk band.