Question Sterling owners, what's the word?

[madbassplaya]

I've owned a few Rays and Ray 5's and a Bongo 5 HH as well.

The Sterling 5 has caught my eye as of late. I really dig the look of the Sterling and the smaller pickguard. How similar or different is it from the Ray 5's I've owned? Most of my Ray 5's had ceramic pickups, so is there any major difference?

Also, is the Sterling body "that" much smaller than the other EBMM's?

 

[five7]

It is the best! Named after the best!

 

[stu42]

In my experience, the Sterling can be made to sound very, very similar to an SR5 by dialling down the midrange to around -3 (if -5 is all the way off) and boosting the highs a touch. The Sterling also has quite a bit more boost available on the Bass EQ compared to the SR5 so it can sound beefier on the bottom-end. Whether you use that much boost or not is another question.

With the EQ set flat the Sterling has a more midrange-forward sound which makes it sound fatter but, in turn, de-emphasizes the bass frequencies a bit. However, overall the EQ is more powerful than the SR so I think it can cover a slightly wider array of tones.

The way I thought if it when I was trying them out is that...the Sterling can be made to sound very similar to a Stingray, owing to its more powerful EQ, but the Stingray cannot be made to sound as much like the Sterling.

The Sterling body is almost exactly the same size as Stratocaster - I have not compared the exact dimensions but they look almost the same size when you hold a Sterling next to a Strat. So, it's a fair bit smaller than a SR.

Hope this helps.

 

[Movielife]

The Sterling is a punchy aggressive bass, but this can obviously be tamed if you want to. It's in series (althought the single H gives you a parallel option) which tends to sound bigger and more middy.

I love my Sterling. There are hardly any Sterling 5 HS basses in the UK, and I'm really happy to have one of them.

It looks classic, but it will punch through a mix NO problem. Put it this way, playing a Sterling will get the bass noticed, which I think is a good thing!

 

[tunaman4u2]

Sterling is my favorite bass... the only one to rival it would be a Reflex HH.

I'll take it over a Bongo, Big Al any day... vs the Stingray I defer to the people above!

 

[Psycho Ward]

I can only speak of the left handed EBMM basses, so no five string Sterlings, but the Sterling is still my favorite. No I won't be selling my Bongos or StingRays, but the Sterling just fits what I do the most.

 

[keko]

Sterling is a great bass!

Unfortunately I've sold mine 5 HS, ...it's life!

Sterling got very "fast" neck, great pickups (ceramic) in any pickup configuration, ...there's only slight neck dive, 'cause of a small body, ...but nothing that can not be adjusted with properly strap setup!

If I ever could afford myself more than a two basses, Sterling will be in the stable again!

 

[five7]

Keko, my sterling has no neck dive what so ever. My bongo had neck dive but I fixed that with ultalite tuners. Should have tried those on your sterling, maybe it would still be around.

 

[husky123]

In my experience, the Sterling can be made to sound very, very similar to an SR5 by dialling down the midrange to around -3 (if -5 is all the way off) and boosting the highs a touch. The Sterling also has quite a bit more boost available on the Bass EQ compared to the SR5 so it can sound beefier on the bottom-end. Whether you use that much boost or not is another question.

With the EQ set flat the Sterling has a more midrange-forward sound which makes it sound fatter but, in turn, de-emphasizes the bass frequencies a bit. However, overall the EQ is more powerful than the SR so I think it can cover a slightly wider array of tones.

The way I thought if it when I was trying them out is that...the Sterling can be made to sound very similar to a Stingray, owing to its more powerful EQ, but the Stingray cannot be made to sound as much like the Sterling.

The Sterling body is almost exactly the same size as Stratocaster - I have not compared the exact dimensions but they look almost the same size when you hold a Sterling next to a Strat. So, it's a fair bit smaller than a SR.

Hope this helps.

My findings exactly. I can get that Stingray tone too by rolling off the mids a bit and adding just a little treble.....bang. The Sterling, with it's pups in series, is just a HUGE sounding bass. It's my go-to bass for gigging especially in my 3 piece band. It has a very powerful preamp and I can get most any tone I need out of my HH....from Motown, to dub, to blues, to aggressive, grind rock and roll. Love it to pieces.

 

[tunaman4u2]

My findings exactly. I can get that Stingray tone too by rolling off the mids a bit and adding just a little treble.....bang. The Sterling, with it's pups in series, is just a HUGE sounding bass. It's my go-to bass for gigging especially in my 3 piece band. It has a very powerful preamp and I can get most any tone I need out of my HH....from Motown, to dub, to blues, to aggressive, grind rock and roll. Love it to pieces.

You bring up great points... the only parallel for the Sterling is all coils on... which actually is the opposite of the Reflex HSS... which is all parallel except for bridge pickup (if you want it )

Hmm

I have a G&L ASAT & you get a real good feel for series vs parallel. Its definitely more in your face going series but it can be EQ'd out. The cool thing about the Sterling is that you can run parallel with the HH & its a VERY different tone vs the rest. Surprisingly its one of the most versatile basses out there despite more pickups\knobs\buttons on other models

 

[Lolwut Derpderp]

If you would excuse me for sort of borrowing this thread for a second, how does the sound of a Ray and a Sterling differ? Which is less twangy and more deep?

 

[fly]

said it before,will say it again.......the Sterlings are the hidden beauty among all the other killer basses by EBMM......you won't be disappointed.

love my Sterling

 

[syciprider]

Sterling 5HS. BP approved. Go get one now.

 

[RyanO'Neal]

I have no idea about 5 Strings, but the body of my Sterling 4 is way smaller and more comfortable than the Stringay 4s I've played so far. And of course, the Sterling looks way way way better!

 

[JayDawg]

My Sterling 4H was my first Music Man and I love it. Next to my Bongo's, it probably slightly more versatile than my Stingray's. Everything about it plays great. In fact, I eventually want to get one more to compliment it.

 

[Fred_Flux]

My father has owned a Sting Ray 5 H for 10 years now and, if my signature agrees, I'm sure I'll be able to answer all your questions!

Body-wise: if we can include $ender for one moment in this discussion, I'd say StingRay : Precision = Sterling : Jazz. Noticeably smaller body (at least for a 5'5''er like me) and thinner, faster neck. The same can be said in comparison to the Bongo.

Tone-wise: well, if I had to do an A/B comparison of a ceramic StingRay 5 and a Sterling 5 H I don't think I would be able to guess which one is playing. This does not apply, however, if you're interested in double-pickup setups, as HS and HH Sterlings miss parallel wiring for the bridge pickup mode - the "classic" StingRay sound, if you wish (I still can't understand why Sterlings do not feature series/parallel switches apart from the single humbucker version): if you're going to make a great deal out of this, or not, is up to your tastes. Personally I'm not yet missing that "standard" sound, but I can't be sure I'm not needing that anytime soon!

 

[tunaman4u2]

Tone-wise: well, if I had to do an A/B comparison of a ceramic StingRay 5 and a Sterling 5 H I don't think I would be able to guess which one is playing. This does not apply, however, if you're interested in double-pickup setups, as HS and HH Sterlings miss parallel wiring for the bridge pickup mode - the "classic" StingRay sound, if you wish (I still can't understand why Sterlings do not feature series/parallel switches apart from the single humbucker version): if you're going to make a great deal out of this, or not, is up to your tastes. Personally I'm not yet missing that "standard" sound, but I can't be sure I'm not needing that anytime soon!

I love my Sterling HH but you are exactly correct... I'd LOVE to have a parallel tone for the single H again. I'm hoping that in a few years we see a Reflex HH with a Sterling neck... until then I roll with the Sterling HH & ah hem, another bass to be my super growly

 

[Golem]

I love my Sterling HH but you are exactly correct... I'd LOVE to have
a parallel tone for the single H again. I'm hoping that in a few years
we see a Reflex HH with a Sterling neck... until then I roll with the
Sterling HH & ah hem, another bass to be my super growly

I hear ya. I think it's cuz you have an HH. I'll bet that if you had an
HS you'd not miss the parallel, or at least miss it a whole bunch less,
cuz the SC neck PU bumps in 'just the right amount' [IMHO] of extra
bottom as a sorta "sonic veneer" on toppa the [series-wired] bridge
humbugger. IOW, with all 3 coils playing [full house, center position
on the blade switch], the effect is verrrry similar to a single H played
in parallel mode.

Get your hands on a HS and compare the center position to the rear
position [of switch] to see what I mean. My absolute FAVE position
is one click forward of center, which combines the neck SC with the
forward coil of the bridgebucker, IOW full house minus the rearmost
[bridgemost?] coil on the bass. Reduces the tzizzle without reducing
the bridge PU's growl.

Mebbe you chose Sterling over Ray cuz you LIKE tzizzle ? Not only
can an HS deliver or hold back tzizzle via the blade switch, but it
also allows playing the rearmost coil alone, to sooper boost your
tzizzle ... a feature shared with the single H but gone from the HH.


`

 

[tunaman4u2]

Thanks for the reply Golem

I love my Sterling HH dont get me wrong... I'm sure the HS would be great but after looking at a Reflex HH with active\passive, series\parallel, 4 band EQ... thats a HUGE upgrade

HH to HS? small change compared to that. I love my Sterling HH & play 4 of the positions very often & like em... the only one I dont play a lot is just the neck pickup. I chose Sterling over Ray due to neck... which is why I can't pick up a Reflex... the Big Al didn't beat out my Sterling HH... so hence I wait for a Reflex with a Sterling neck, maybe years if need be !

 

[fly]

hey.........damn fine basses them Sterlings.......