NBD: Ernie Ball Musicman Sterling - The juries out :)

[Raslee]

Not so new as I got this bass a few days ago via Fleabay, but hey, …got a good ‘best offer’ deal so was pretty chuffed. So it’s a 2002 Ernie Ball Musicman USA Sterling, matching headstock too…nice….I’d been hankering after one for some time but yet had never played one to date.

It arrived Friday so first gig was Friday evening of course, perhaps not the wisest of decisions.

Result: Disappointed!!! Weight was great, aesthetics are fabulous - metallic blue, playability was brilliant, superb neck BUT..... sadly the sound surely sucked through my Markbass LMT800 & NY604 - Big time!!!. I couldn’t hear the D&G strings cut through at all…it also seemed like the performance was hampered by my constant fiddling with EQ trying to find a sound I liked – I tried to keep the bass mostly flat rather everything up to 11, it still seemed distorted, lacking definition, and well….just simply crap. The band generally sucked that night too with the vocalist suffering lyric amnesia, the drummer bunny lacking his Duracell’s, and dep brass who were drowned out by an overzealous guitard and a maverick sound engineer who had monitors louder than the PA.

I was feeling a bit gutted and downhearted on the Saturday to be honest because the Sterling ticked so many boxes for me, and this was further compounded when recalled the words of wisdom from Martthebass of this parish in my Limelight Precision Sale giving his opinion that the Sterling’s are a sharp sounding bass…I was in total agreement with this view then. I researched on line about the D & G issues to which I found much info, I opted to lower the pick up under the E & A and higher on the D&G side....this, i believe, was very helpful.

So, Saturday evening…off to a wedding gig, do I try the Sterling or take my trusty Limelight? In a typical rush I bizarrely thought I’d try the Sterling, bit risky but I thought I’d try one more chance…..so glad I did.

New battery in the bass (although the old one seemed perfectly serviceable), VLE & VLF up to mid on the Markbass LMT800, through my trusty NY604…and whooaaa!!! This band is a typical wedding functions band, mostly 60’s Rock & Roll, Soul, bit of funk & swing/jazz and the sound was so right…nice warm, with definition, nice bit of slap vibes and wonderful to play. The night before it was probably our worst gig in a long time, Saturdays was probably the best ever…perhaps it was because this bassist was relieved and happy with his axe…let's see what the next gig brings, have to say though I really want this bass to work out…even if it means an electronics swap down the line

[attachment=197205:$_57.JPG][attachment=197206:9.JPG][attachment=197207:8.JPG]

[Subbeh]

You'd never guess that was thirteen years old, clearly very well looked after and it looks awesome with the matching headstock
Glad it turned round for you after the initial disappointment, really would like to try a sterling, from what I've read and heard of them
I think I'd prefer it to the standard 'Ray.

Congrats!

[Treb]

What a nice specimen you got there. Sterlings are great basses in all aspects, the signature MusicMan type sound is an acquired taste however. It might not suit in some settings as it is very much in-your-face. A wedding gig with a Sterling... You've got balls... :-)

Edited July 26, 2015 by Treb

[Sean]

Great basses. Used to have one and have managed to replicate it's sound in my Bitsa Yamaha BBingRay.

[drTStingray]

You can easily change from the Musicman sound to a 'generic Fender sound' by altering the position you pluck the strings and the intensity you play.

Have you tried the 3 way switch - makes quite a difference - parallel (closest to bridge) is typical Stingray sound - serial (closest to neck) really beefs the sound up - centre position (single coil - without hum) gives a thinner sound.

Anyway glad you found a usable sound!

[Raslee]

[quote name='Subbeh' timestamp='1437925940' post='2830054']
You'd never guess that was thirteen years old, clearly very well looked after and it looks awesome with the matching headstock
Glad it turned round for you after the initial disappointment, really would like to try a sterling, from what I've read and heard of them
I think I'd prefer it to the standard 'Ray.

[/quote] Yeah it is pretty much spotless, I much prefer it over the Stingray's i've owned too.

[quote name='Treb' timestamp='1437934444' post='2830180']
A wedding gig with a Sterling... You've got balls... :-)
[/quote] Haha...I know what you mean

[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1437938225' post='2830225']
Great basses. Used to have one and have managed to replicate it's sound in my Bitsa Yamaha BBingRay.
[/quote] Would love to see pics of the BBingray

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1437938239' post='2830226']
Have you tried the 3 way switch - makes quite a difference - parallel (closest to bridge) is typical Stingray sound - serial (closest to neck) really beefs the sound up - centre position (single coil - without hum) gives a thinner sound.
[/quote]
Ahh, thanks for clearing that up as I wasn't quite sure, I played mostly with the switch nearer the bridge at the better gig, but with the switch more towards the neck on the Friday gig...seems parallel is better for my sound then.