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NBD - Sterling Ray4 Stingray (and pickguard poll?)

Stingray5

By Stingray5,
in Bass Guitars

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Mint Green Sterling Ray4 Stingray pickguard option?  

88 members have voted

  1. 1. Sterling Ray4 in Mint Green. Of the three choices shown, which pickguard do you prefer?

    • Original white pickguard
      26
    • White pearl pickguard
      43
    • No pickguard
      19

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Stingray5 Mentor

Stingray5

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I just recently bought this Sterling Ray4 as a backup which, I have to say, are not at all bad for the money. I like the mint green but I knew I just had to change the plain white pickguard for a white pearl guard. (It's my thing!). That said, I also didn't mind the look of the bass without any guard (guess I could go for a clear see-through job at some point). But, for me, the white pearl just sets it off nicely.

So I thought, let's see what the BC collective think. The original white? The white pearl? Or no guard? (Pics below and poll attached).

Ray4-pickguard-pano1.thumb.jpg.4bb99453be4415c322589dc493c566da.jpg

Ray4-pickguard-pano2.thumb.jpg.eea503ccf008bd1f812aad4310e6e514.jpg

 

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drTStingray Mentor

drTStingray

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2 hours ago, Stingray5 said:

I just recently bought this Sterling Ray4 as a backup which, I have to say, are not at all bad for the money. I like the mint green but I knew I just had to change the plain white pickguard for a white pearl guard. (It's my thing!). That said, I also didn't mind the look of the bass without any guard (guess I could go for a clear see-through job at some point). But, for me, the white pearl just sets it off nicely.

So I thought, let's see what the BC collective think. The original white? The white pearl? Or no guard? (Pics below and poll attached).

Ray4-pickguard-pano1.thumb.jpg.4bb99453be4415c322589dc493c566da.jpg

Ray4-pickguard-pano2.thumb.jpg.eea503ccf008bd1f812aad4310e6e514.jpg

 

White and white pearl look great (I voted plain white) - that's what came on my SR5HH special - however curve ball for you (or Googly in English parlance 😏) - have you thought of a black one - that's what my 5 er now has (comparison below - Cruz teal is a bit darker than mint green - note the way it makes the body colour look slightly different) 

image.thumb.jpeg.5cf9d2d5744cd072837a414a3b6f895f.jpeg

image.thumb.jpeg.f451823507f6ab48490546a0c2eff8ad.jpeg

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Stingray5 Mentor

Stingray5

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49 minutes ago, drTStingray said:

White and white pearl look great (I voted plain white) - that's what came on my SR5HH special - however curve ball for you (or Googly in English parlance 😏) - have you thought of a black one - that's what my 5 er now has (comparison below - Cruz teal is a bit darker than mint green - note the way it makes the body colour look slightly different) 

Yeah, that Cruz teal is sweet, drT. I love it! I like both pickguards, too, though I'm drawn more to the white myself.

My old SR5 started plain white but I put a white pearl on there many moons ago.

 20210301_143746a.thumb.jpg.9cb28420428456d60fdf5aa936127266.jpg

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Stingray5 Mentor

Stingray5

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21 minutes ago, Cat Burrito said:

I like the original white personally, but hey, it's your bass. 

Thanks, Cat, that's absolutely fine and I thank you for responding. I wasn't sure who would go for what but it's interesting to see the original white getting the love, too. Nice thing is, I can swap things around easily enough if or when I feel like it. Or maybe I'll just put a tortoiseshell on there, instead!! ;) 

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Stingray5 Mentor

Stingray5

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Thanks, folks, for all the comments so far. Really interesting to see other people's opinions. :) 

7 hours ago, ped said:

I don’t normally like Pearl but it does work on that bass, and it’s sort of your signature, so go for it!! Also black looks good. And clear would be worth a try! Great bass, enjoy

Ah, in fact the original plate on my fretless Stingray is black so thought I'd see if that might fit and see how that would look. That's if I can find the bl'min' thing! :D (For some reason, it's not with my various other parts and spares).

1 hour ago, bloke_zero said:

I really like the 'without', clear would be cool too. The perloid makes me queasy. I don't think you can go wrong with white though.

I must admit, I don't mind the 'naked' look, either, and may even go for a clear guard at some point. Apologies for the queasiness! ;) 

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Cat Burrito Grand Master

Cat Burrito

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I don't think any of the looks are wrong and as you correctly point out, we can have a lot of fun mixing up pickguards for different looks. I do it on both my Fenders and I am surprised more players don't do this. It creates a new bass vibe at a fraction of the cost.

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drTStingray Mentor

drTStingray

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19 hours ago, Stingray5 said:

Yeah, that Cruz teal is sweet, drT. I love it! I like both pickguards, too, though I'm drawn more to the white myself.

My old SR5 started plain white but I put a white pearl on there many moons ago.

 

Cheers - the first incarnation of a Cruz Teal I saw (pre NAMM announcement, 2018) had a black pg and that combination was the basis of ordering - by the tube it turned up they'd changed the standard to white pg... I got a black one from someone with a spare in the US. 

YourSR5 looks great with the white pearl - my natural has had a white pearl (in place of its 'as delivered' black) since about 2003 - I think they look great so maybe your mint green should have a white pearl. 

On the question of tort, it's not my cup of tea and I have several spare pickguards for my orange Bongo - notably the tort looked awful (to me) and I swapped that one with someone in Germany for a white ice one. 

As people are saying, it's fun to swap pickguards around - as with new strings, a changes of pg can feel like a new bass.

What do you think of the Sub 4 - the couple I've heard sound really good in a live band setting?

Edited by drTStingray
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Stingray5 Mentor

Stingray5

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4 hours ago, drTStingray said:

Cheers - the first incarnation of a Cruz Teal I saw (pre NAMM announcement, 2018) had a black pg and that combination was the basis of ordering - by the tube it turned up they'd changed the standard to white pg... I got a black one from someone with a spare in the US. 

YourSR5 looks great with the white pearl - my natural has had a white pearl (in place of its 'as delivered' black) since about 2003 - I think they look great so maybe your mint green should have a white pearl. 

On the question of tort, it's not my cup of tea and I have several spare pickguards for my orange Bongo - notably the tort looked awful (to me) and I swapped that one with someone in Germany for a white ice one. 

As people are saying, it's fun to swap pickguards around - as with new strings, a changes of pg can feel like a new bass.

What do you think of the Sub 4 - the couple I've heard sound really good in a live band setting?

Yep, it's a simple mod, but changing the pg can feel like you have a new bass.

As for the Sub4, like the rest of us, I've just been playing it at home. I'm definitely pleased with it so far and I'm really looking forward to eventually getting back to full rehearsals and gigs and putting the new kiddie through it's paces. (Not that I'll be leaving the SR5 at home -- that old girl comes with me everywhere! :D )

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Stingray5 Mentor

Stingray5

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38 minutes ago, grenadillabama said:

I like the deluxe pearl . Colored pearl might do if it enhanced the body color. I would like to see a metal guard; maybe even engraved like a Zemitas gtr.

Hey, yeah, an engraved metal guard could work - even if it does add a pound or two to the weight of the bass! ;) 
Hmmm, that said, I could fancy a mirror guard. :) 

Edited by Stingray5
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