Sterling vs Sterling Classic

[Yango]

Guys,

The must be someone out there who's got both a Sterling 4H and a Sterling Classic 4H that can help me out.

I'm seriously thinking of picking up a Sterling Classic 4H, but none of the music stores around where I live has them in stock- so I can't try it out.

I'm not worried about how it'll play or feel, I've got a Sterling and I love it. What I'm wondering about is how the sound/tone compares/differs between the 2 and 3 band EQ.

This is what's giving me GAS:

 

[syciprider]

Great question for the EBMM folks!

I only have experience with SRs and between the 2 and 3 band, I find that the 2 bander is warmer while the 3 bander is more aggressive.

Bassically if I want to stay in support of the music a 2 bander will be perfect. If I want to be heard more, the 3 bander is the ticket.

 

[Steamthief]

Are the preamps and pickup the same in the Classic Stingrays and Sterlings?

Also, has anybody played one? I've always liked Sterlings, but the necks have always felt too thin for me. Not skinny at the nut, but not thick enough overall, like too much maple was shaved away along the entire neck.

I'm wondering if the Classic Sterling neck, with the 7.5" radius, is still as thin as a standard Sterling neck? If it has a bit more girth, my GAS may have shifted from a Classic Deluxe SR to a CD Sterling!

 

[Musicman Nut]

Guys,

The must be someone out there who's got both a Sterling 4H and a Sterling Classic 4H that can help me out.

I'm seriously thinking of picking up a Sterling Classic 4H, but none of the music stores around where I live has them in stock- so I can't try it out.

I'm not worried about how it'll play or feel, I've got a Sterling and I love it. What I'm wondering about is how the sound/tone compares/differs between the 2 and 3 band EQ.

This is what's giving me GAS:

First Off we all know how they will feel (INCREDIBLE) so I have both and to be honest they are 2 different animals, the Classic comes wired Series ONLY but Kick ass, and the Standard has more options as you know. Both sound equal as good. Good luck. I'd buy a bunch of both and then you'll be set.

 

[Musicman Nut]

Are the preamps and pickup the same in the Classic Stingrays and Sterlings?

Also, has anybody played one? I've always liked Sterlings, but the necks have always felt too thin for me. Not skinny at the nut, but not thick enough overall, like too much maple was shaved away along the entire neck.

I'm wondering if the Classic Sterling neck, with the 7.5" radius, is still as thin as a standard Sterling neck? If it has a bit more girth, my GAS may have shifted from a Classic Deluxe SR to a CD Sterling!

Preamps are the same in the Stingrays as the Pickup is also, Now the sterling has a Stock 2 Band Preamp that's in the Stingrays with a Custom Ceramic pickup wired in Series only, and sounds incredible., necks are the same only with the Vintage radius.

 

[Steamthief]

Thanks for the info, M-Nut, SR it is!

 

[Musicman Nut]

Thanks for the info, M-Nut, SR it is!

I Have 5 of these already and I can see another 15 or more coming, They are unbeleivable.

 

[Yango]

Well, that's good news. If I'm not misinterpreting your descriptions—it sounds like the classics have a kind of vintage passive vibe—very cool.

I have another question about the radius of the classics—will the 7.5" radius feel more chunky/thicker than the neck on my current Sterling, which has an 11" radius? (I'm guessing it will...)

I may just have to pull the trigger on this one!

 

[Musicman Nut]

Well, that's good news. If I'm not misinterpreting your descriptions—it sounds like the classics have a kind of vintage passive vibe—very cool.

I may just have to pull the trigger on this one!

They very much do, you'll love these.

 

[Steamthief]

I have another question about the radius of the classics—will the 7.5" radius feel more chunky/thicker than the neck on my current Sterling, which has an 11" radius? (I'm guessing it will...)

That's what I'm wondering, too. The 11" radius neck just feels too thin for me.

 

[syciprider]

The radius will only affect how round or flat the fingerboard will be. I've been switching between my 11" and 7.5" SRs and never noticed the difference

 

[Yango]

Thanks for the info...

I do believe that I'm going to place an order!

 

[Steamthief]

The radius will only affect how round or flat the fingerboard will be. I've been switching between my 11" and 7.5" SRs and never noticed the difference

I immediately noticed a difference when I played a Classic Deluxe SR vs. my 30th SR4 - the 7.5" radius felt like it fit my left hand much better. Glove-like, even. I'll wait to play a Classic Sterling before drawing any conclusions.

 

[Yango]

It seems that I've hit a speed bump on the road to paradise.

I went to my local music store on Monday to put in an order for a Sterling Classic... while I was there, I saw an SR4HH Ball Family Reserve, so I decided to try it out to see how the high gloss neck felt (it's been about 15 years since I've played a bass with a high gloss neck)... aauugghh! I don't like it! It felt like my hand was sticking to the neck. I guess all these years of playing either satin finish or gunstock oil/wax finish necks—and I love those—has totally put me off of the high gloss feel. So I didn't put in my order.

I see from the Musicman site that I could get an SR4H with a 2 band EQ and a Slo Special neck... but I really had my heart set on a Sterling.

BP: any chance you guys could whip up a batch of Classic Sterlings with the gunstock oil/wax finish necks? Or even a regular Sterling with the 2 band EQ... I'd be first in line to snag either one of those babies...

 

[Musicman Nut]

It seems that I've hit a speed bump on the road to paradise.

I went to my local music store on Monday to put in an order for a Sterling Classic... while I was there, I saw an SR4HH Ball Family Reserve, so I decided to try it out to see how the high gloss neck felt (it's been about 15 years since I've played a bass with a high gloss neck)... aauugghh! I don't like it! It felt like my hand was sticking to the neck. I guess all these years of playing either satin finish or gunstock oil/wax finish necks—and I love those—has totally put me off of the high gloss feel. So I didn't put in my order.

I see from the Musicman site that I could get an SR4H with a 2 band EQ and a Slo Special neck... but I really had my heart set on a Sterling.

BP: any chance you guys could whip up a batch of Classic Sterlings with the gunstock oil/wax finish necks? Or even a regular Sterling with the 2 band EQ... I'd be first in line to snag either one of those babies...

I have a few of these and find these necks are clean to play, non sticky, it may have been the crap from someone else,

 

[Yango]

I have a few of these and find these necks are clean to play, non sticky, it may have been the crap from someone else,

I don't mean sticky as in—somebody left some jam residue on the neck—I'm talking about the feeling of the high gloss as opposed to the feel of the gunstock oil and wax that I know and love... they're just fast, slick and silky.

 

[Musicman Nut]

I don't mean sticky as in—somebody left some jam residue on the neck—I'm talking about the feeling of the high gloss as opposed to the feel of the gunstock oil and wax that I know and love... they're just fast, slick and silky.

Yeah bare wood is a great feel for sure, like an old Neck worn in, I'm just glad EB is not using that crap Fender uses, that stuff is horrible. Well good luck and enjoy your New Classic if you get one, They Kill man, Incredible sounding basses

 

[Zenrad]

Yeah bare wood is a great feel for sure, like an old Neck worn in, I'm just glad EB is not using that crap Fender uses, that stuff is horrible. Well good luck and enjoy your New Classic if you get one, They Kill man, Incredible sounding basses

What crap is that? Poly-based finish? That's nothing unique. I dunno, I switch between a newer Sterling with an unfinished neck and a Jazz bass with a matte finished neck and an old Ibanez SR800 with a glossy neck and it doesn't bother me in the least. I think the OP wouldn't notice it after playing it for a while.

 

[Musicman Nut]

What crap is that? Poly-based finish? That's nothing unique. I dunno, I switch between a newer Sterling with an unfinished neck and a Jazz bass with a matte finished neck and an old Ibanez SR800 with a glossy neck and it doesn't bother me in the least. I think the OP wouldn't notice it after playing it for a while.

Well there's Many Poly Type Finishes my friend and some suck real bad and in most cases they suck, EB uses one that works very well., find one that works for ya and run with it.

 

[Moondog]

I have both too and IMHO:
- finished necks feel as good as oil/wax to me (just as quick when clean)
- finished necks sound better, esp. if your a maple guy (snappier)
- 7.25 Classic radius feels softer / edges more rounded
- Neck radius is more noticable on guitar (chording, bending, fret-out, etc)
- Classic neck feels a tad deeper? (same width)
- Classics are heavy but sound HEAVY
- still think I slightly prefer 3EQ - punchier/grittier to me, less reserved . .
- miss body contours but slab edges are rounded (soft) and slab not bad @ all
- I now know I'lll never be 100% satisfied despite the greatness of EBMM
(not until the EBMM Custom Shop opens and takes "anything-u-want" orders!)

Should also seriously consider SR4 SLO instead of Sterling; again, IMO . .