There's some new Sterling SUBs coming.

[bigsmokebass]

So is the 5'er only in black/maple? :-/

[NancyJohnson]

If someone fancies a white/maple one, I am sooooo prepared to get a black one and swap necks...
P

[Hutton]

I think it's a shame that the SUB (Sports Utility Bass) name has been used for these instruments. They may be Ok but the original SUBs were USA made instruments and not a cheap line. I prefered my SUB to my Ray. The Ray has gone the SUB remains. Also, some one can shoot me down in flames here if my memory is going with my age, but I seem to recall some years ago on the EBMM forum, before any cheaper lines came out, that Sterling Ball took great pride that EBMM instruments were only made in the USA and that he wouldn't consider going down the route of others by having instruments with the Musicman label being made overseas. The harsh economic realities seem to have influenced even the great, not to be argued with, Sterling Ball.

[Gust0o]

[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1335723922' post='1635071']
If someone fancies a white/maple one, I am sooooo prepared to get a black one and swap necks...
P
[/quote]

Would ruin my Black/Maple vibe, but tempting. Sounds like these might well be fine for those situations a real 'Ray might stay at home.

[Jack]

It's very very sad that they're messing up the brand like this. I mean, if they want (or have) to build cheaper, overseas instruments then fair enough but why is it so confusing? Does this mean people with SUBs are suddenly going to find them selling for less if people confuse them with the newer overseas ones? I totally agree with the poster above who pointed out that Ibanez, maker of some of the finest and most expensive as well as cheapest instruments on the market has coped just fine without renaming it's basses after old basses. Imagine if their next beginner's range of basses was the Iceman range, you could buy an Iceman Soundgear 300 or an Iceman ATK.

Call these basses something else! Even reuse the OLP name if you want as that's essentially what these basses are (cheaper overseas ones), either way they certainly aren't SUBs!

[drTStingray]

[quote name='Hutton' timestamp='1335724909' post='1635088']
I think it's a shame that the SUB (Sports Utility Bass) name has been used for these instruments. They may be Ok but the original SUBs were USA made instruments and not a cheap line. I prefered my SUB to my Ray[/quote]

Er, I think the original Sub bass was just over half the price of a regular Musicman Stingray, so it was a cheap version - if you chose to buy it new. It used different body wood, painted neck (to hide inferior looking maple not usable on their regular basses), a textured finish and a 2 band EQ (cheaper than the 3 band).

I know some people really like them, and they are quite sought after - they sound great but they were a budget mid range line. And new, they were costing in the same bracket as a used Stingray so many people chose the used Ray rather than buying a Sub - which is why sales weren't as good as they hoped. They are thus a bargain for what you get, on the used market.

The one thing I do agree with you on is the use of the name Sub with these new basses - the first thing I thought was it'll cause confusion - however if someone wants a 'real' sub, there are plenty of recognition points to ensure they continue to have a following - and continue to be a bargain way of getting a good, if slightly quirky version of the Ray on the used market.

[jezzaboy]

Who cares what it`s called! If it is a decent budget bass at a decent price, I don`t give a monkeys what it says on the end of the headstock. The original SUB basses died a few years ago and if anyone is looking for an original one, they can get one second hand. Where`s the problem?

It seems that EB has come to the conclusion that Fender came to and realised that if you build a good budget bass, when the person has more experiance/cash they might buy one of the US made models and if you can`t afford a US one, well, mabye the cheap one will do.

Jez

Edited April 30, 2012 by jezzaboy

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='Hutton' timestamp='1335724909' post='1635088']
The harsh economic realities seem to have influenced even the great, not to be argued with, Sterling Ball.
[/quote]

Not-to-be-argued-with? I bet John Hall would argue with him....


FIGHT!

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='Johnston' timestamp='1335780625' post='1635775']
Well now Big P has went back on his word on forign made instruments. Maybe we will see Rickenbackers coming out of the Rockinbetter factory . (Or Maybe the Tokai one )
[/quote]

JH has more to lose, as there is less likelihood of an OLP/SbEBMM/Vintage/SUB/NewSUB/Whatever bettering a genuine EBMM Sterling/Ray/Ray 5/Classic Ray 5 etc.etc.etc. than there is of a Tokai (etc) being better than a bona fide Rick.... Thing.

Can anyone recommend a suitable glue to stick the fragmented marketplace back together again?

[drTStingray]

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1335781765' post='1635813']
Can anyone recommend a suitable glue to stick the fragmented marketplace back together again?
[/quote]

Well economic recovery may help sell more higher price, premium instruments. Until then, there are lots of people taking up bass (not just young people either) - who want a low priced instrument to see if they take to playing bass - usually a copy of something iconic and relatively expensive - you can see why the likes of JH is getting annoyed.

They'll probably buy the real thing in years to come, as mentioned above.

[dave_bass5]

An earlier thread
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/166112-sterling-by-musicman-sub-basses/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/166112-sterling-by-musicman-sub-basses/[/url]

A white one will be mine this year :-)