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What is the Musicman S.U.B (USA made)


Greggo
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[quote name='Dazed' timestamp='1382279686' post='2249981']
Hey Frank
Was that the one on gumtree for 250 with the red scratch plate ?
If you decide to sell it on can I get 1st in line?
It looked good with worn paint
[/quote]

The very same one although it's cheap for a few reasons and I reckon on a set up and new strings plus some work on the preamp.

You can of course be first in line if I don't keep it. Are you in N Ireland?

Frank.

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[quote name='Damonjames' timestamp='1382344397' post='2250742']
I would love to hear from someone who has owned or played both the sub 5 and the sr5 regarding the neck feel. Are they similar in dimensions? I know the sub is painted so will probably be a little stickier, but I'm more interested in the neck thickness front to back?
[/quote]

the neck feel/shape is identical imho (to my hands at least) between both of my 2 band 5 string subs (fretless and fretted) and the sr5s I've played (but never owned).

Also, to the guy from september who said to put a John East preamp in a USA sub ------- WHY? the USA sub (active models, which is most of them) is the same 2 band preamp used in the stingray classic!! it's an insane preamp... brilliant. why put in a john east?

anyhow - yea they're absolutely fantastic instruments. love 'em to death. wish it wasn't slab shaped but for a few hundred canadian dollars each I've got 2 of the best playing/sounding/feeling/built instruments ever made.

love 'em to pieces.

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That white SUB with the red scratchplate....that was mine! I bought it off e bay,had it for about 2 years and sold it to a guy from Northern Ireland,about 2 years ago. It was ''reliced'' by the previous owner,hence the worn paint. There is no way anyone would wear the paint off these with normal use!! I loved the guitar,but was really broke at the time and had to sell it! Oh,I also sold the rest!

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[quote name='theplumber' timestamp='1382995112' post='2259003']
That white SUB with the red scratchplate....that was mine! I bought it off e bay,had it for about 2 years and sold it to a guy from Northern Ireland,about 2 years ago. It was ''reliced'' by the previous owner,hence the worn paint. There is no way anyone would wear the paint off these with normal use!! I loved the guitar,but was really broke at the time and had to sell it! Oh,I also sold the rest!
[/quote]

Haha. It's a small world on 'tinternet.

This is an excellent bass. I've had two rehearsals with it so far and I'm loving how it sounds and feels.

It does feel indestructible and very well built. I did a quick setup, tweeked the trussrod, adjusted action and intonation and it feels perfect. Sorted out a few noisy pots and a worn jack socket and it's now an excellent instrument.

Friday night will see its first gig. I'm looking forward to it. :)

Frank.

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[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1380240651' post='2222844']
No. That's not the Made in USA MM SUB (made only between 2003-2006). Entirely different instruments.
[/quote]

No, not made in the U.S. (Indonesia) but sold in the U.S. I picked one up and the finish is poly and the bass is incredibly good. If it cost 4 times as much no one would bat an eye thinking it wasn't worth it.

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[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1383079501' post='2260033']
No, not made in the U.S. (Indonesia) but sold in the U.S. I picked one up and the finish is poly and the bass is incredibly good. If it cost 4 times as much no one would bat an eye thinking it wasn't worth it.
[/quote]

I have to admit that on looks alone... the SBMM SUB (Indonesian) with surf green body and maple fingerboard is an incredibly tasty bass...
They've managed to build some really nice looking instruments, not just the usual sunbursts, black, natural etc... and if they're half good, they'll sell lots.

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  • 2 weeks later...

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1383082612' post='2260085']
I have to admit that on looks alone... the SBMM SUB (Indonesian) with surf green body and maple fingerboard is an incredibly tasty bass...
They've managed to build some really nice looking instruments, not just the usual sunbursts, black, natural etc... and if they're half good, they'll sell lots.
[/quote]

The green one isn't an [url="http://www.sterlingbymusicman.com/sub-bass"]SBMM SUB[/url], that's a [url="http://www.sterlingbymusicman.com/ray34ca"]SBMM Ray34ca. [/url]

It's a bit confusing as the Ray34ca looks very similar to the SUB Ray4 - they're both 38mm nut and 2 band EQ, compared to the Ray34 which is 43mm and 3 band.

I believe the Ray34 and Ray34ca are meant to have pickups and preamps based on the proper Musicman designs, but the ones in the SUB Ray 4 aren't - I've seen a pic somewhere of a preamp claimed to be from a SUB Ray 4, which had a label on it saying "Spector Bass". The SUB Ray 4 I played also had centre detente clicks on the EQ knobs, whereas the Ray34ca had no centre click, just like the genuine EBMM 2EQ basses....

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[quote name='stoo' timestamp='1384361146' post='2275705']
The green one isn't an [url="http://www.sterlingbymusicman.com/sub-bass"]SBMM SUB[/url], that's a [url="http://www.sterlingbymusicman.com/ray34ca"]SBMM Ray34ca. [/url]

It's a bit confusing as the Ray34ca looks very similar to the SUB Ray4 - they're both 38mm nut and 2 band EQ, compared to the Ray34 which is 43mm and 3 band.

I believe the Ray34 and Ray34ca are meant to have pickups and preamps based on the proper Musicman designs, but the ones in the SUB Ray 4 aren't - I've seen a pic somewhere of a preamp claimed to be from a SUB Ray 4, which had a label on it saying "Spector Bass". The SUB Ray 4 I played also had centre detente clicks on the EQ knobs, whereas the Ray34ca had no centre click, just like the genuine EBMM 2EQ basses....
[/quote]

There may be regional variations in availability. In the US at least it seems you can get a green SBMM SUB: :gas:

[url="http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/sterling-by-music-man-s.u.b.-ray4-bass-guitar/h82042000004000"]http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/sterling-by-music-man-s.u.b.-ray4-bass-guitar/h82042000004000[/url]

That's the bass I was talking about.

The pickups and preamps on SBMM basses (RayXX and SUB lines) are different from those used by EBMM. There is a thread over there at TalkBass about SBMM basses, and their head guy has contributed a few very interesting posts, worth checking. He said that the electronics are not like the EBMM instruments. They're probably not terribly far off, 'though. They may not sound like the real thing, exactly, but they certainly have the "vibe". Some of the clips I heard on Youtube (granted, not the best place to compare stuff) sound unmisteakably Stingray-like.
The preamps on the SBMM SUBs seem different from those on the RayXX, if only by the fact that SUB owners often complain about how hot the output is and that the SBMM head guy (I forget his name) admitted it and actually posted a "fix" for those who could not live with it.

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[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1384366660' post='2275799']
There may be regional variations in availability. In the US at least it seems you can get a green SBMM SUB: :gas:

[url="http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/sterling-by-music-man-s.u.b.-ray4-bass-guitar/h82042000004000"]http://www.musicians...h82042000004000[/url]

That's the bass I was talking about.
[/quote]

Ooops - I stand corrected!

I presume that must be an exclusive colour for Musicians friend as it's not listed on the SBMM page for the SUB models, USA/Canada or the International one?

It's almost like they've intentionally made it tricky to work out what's what with all the model variations and naming overlaps.... Argh!

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[quote name='stoo' timestamp='1384376405' post='2276008']
Ooops - I stand corrected!

I presume that must be an exclusive colour for Musicians friend as it's not listed on the SBMM page for the SUB models, USA/Canada or the International one?

It's almost like they've intentionally made it tricky to work out what's what with all the model variations and naming overlaps.... Argh!
[/quote]

Indeed... you can almost imagine the meeting they had:

"things are confusing, but not confusing enough... is there anything we can do to make it even harder for people to know what's what?"
:lol:

I'm glad the green one is not normally available here... it would be too hard for me to resist!
I do have a friend in the US who will be visiting in February... hmmm ;)

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[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1384366660' post='2275799']
There may be regional variations in availability. In the US at least it seems you can get a green SBMM SUB: :gas:

[url="http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/sterling-by-music-man-s.u.b.-ray4-bass-guitar/h82042000004000"]http://www.musicians...h82042000004000[/url]

[/quote]

Crikey, even I quite like that!

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Just spotted this [url="http://forums.ernieball.com/music-man-basses/56819-sbmm-sub-ray4-green-when-europe-pat.html"]http://forums.ernieball.com/music-man-basses/56819-sbmm-sub-ray4-green-when-europe-pat.html[/url]

Looks like the green SBMM SUB will be available to European distributors early next year......

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[quote name='stoo' timestamp='1384427727' post='2276507']
Just spotted this [url="http://forums.ernieball.com/music-man-basses/56819-sbmm-sub-ray4-green-when-europe-pat.html"]http://forums.ernieb...europe-pat.html[/url]

Looks like the green SBMM SUB will be available to European distributors early next year......
[/quote]


... I'm only human. There are temptations I cannot resist. :lol:

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[quote name='Dazed' timestamp='1384352817' post='2275581']
Oops found it .....
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/221838-nbd-musicman-sub/page__pid__2273857__st__30#entry2273857"]http://basschat.co.u...30#entry2273857[/url]
[/quote]
I'm pretty sure the nut width is the same on all of them except for the old SUB sterling, which had the same nut width as a sterling, obviously...

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  • 3 weeks later...

[quote name='dlloyd' timestamp='1380280062' post='2223146']
I really like the original US SUBs. They were cancelled because there just wasn't enough margin in them to make them financially viable.

The differences are mainly cosmetic. There's the big obvious things like the textured finish (saves on sanding and buffing) scratchplate and painted neck, but there's smaller details like the unbranded bridge (and tuners?), unfilled fret slots etc. They sound great all the same.

There are a few different models:

SUB 4 string active (2 band)
SUB 4 string passive
SUB 5 string active (2 band)
SUB 5 string passive
SUB Sterling

The SUB Sterling is an interesting one in that it has an Alnico pickup as opposed to the ceramic pup in the Sterling... basically a Stingray in Sterling shape.
[/quote]

I've got a SUB Sterling and it also differs as it has a 3 band EQ. Cracking basses. The picture on my profile is my SUB 4 just fitted with a nicer scratch plate.

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