Sterling by Music Man >> SUB Ray5 – “Honeyburst” finish - *SOLD* £190 LEICESTERSHIRE

[Bassfingers]

This has now been SOLD 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Up for sale, my Sterling by Musicman SUB Ray 5

 

This is a really nice five string bass which punches well above its price bracket.  I bought it to try my hand at five strings, but after a couple of years, I’ve realised I’m pretty much a 4 string guy. As such, it’s not getting played as much as it should be.

 

Eagle eyed Basschatters will notice that the “SUB” decal has been removed (by the previous owner). I quite like it without, but this is definitely a SUB, to be clear.

 

Everything works as it should. The truss rod has the Musicman easy access wheel and all the active electrics are good. There are a few minor dinks and scuffs to the finish but overall condition is very good and the honey burst finish is pretty eye catching.  

 

This is surprisingly light for a 5 string, weighing in at approx. 4.2kg on my bathroom scales.

 

The pickup is pretty hot and has a distinctly “Stingrayesque” bite. With the tone rolled off, however, it is capable of more mellow tones.

 

I would prefer collection from Leicestershire. However, if you want to arrange your own courier, I do have a bass box and will pack carefully. I would also be happy to drive 20 miles or so to meet up if that helped.

 

Also listed on eBay but listed here with a Basschat discount! 😎

 

Specs are as follows:

 

Scale: 34"

21 Frets

1x “H” Ceramic Humbucker

Active Electronics

Black Pickguard

Honeyburst Satin Rosewood

Matt Finish

Basswood Body

Maple Neck

Rosewood Fretboard

Chrome Hardware

12” Fretboard radius

45mm Nut

Manufactured in China

 

Music Radar review as follows:

 

The SUB Ray5 from Sterling offers up tones aplenty, ranging from bright and bouncy funk and pop vibes to massive, gut-wrenching rock and metal tones - all while staying within a price bracket that keeps us onside. A killer 5-string bass for beginners and pros alike, the Ray5 is a real joy to play.

 

Pros

+Sounds like a full-fat StingRay

+Build quality is impeccable

+Super easy to play

 

Cons

-Not quite as refined as the more expensive options

 

Weighing in at just a whiff over four kilograms, it’s within that goldilocks realm of not too light and not too heavy. The body is sculpted with the player in mind, with the forearm bevel and room around the upper frets obviously intentional design features.

 

The neck, while wider than an average 4-string, is not uncomfortable for smaller hands, like some 5-string necks can often be. 16mm string spacing at the bridge is to thank for this, and although it’s narrower than the more standard 17.5mm, we got used to the tighter spacing pretty quickly. The rounded D neck profile is a little more Jazz than Precision, perfect for those who prefer a deeper neck so they can dig into their playing a little more.

 

The tones that the SUB Ray5 can produce, although not quite as refined as more expensive StingRays, are impressive nonetheless. Many of the signature StingRay tones are easy to recreate, and although the SUB only possesses a 2-band EQ as opposed to the more desirable 3-band, we’re happy to report that there is plenty of grunt which is able to be tapped into when required.

 

Both EQ controls set flat found a perfectly respectable and enjoyably warm, rounded tone that wouldn’t sound out of place in many musical scenarios. Bring your picking hand back over the pickup and without any EQ tweaking you’ll start to hear the bright, punchy personality of the Ray5 shine through, especially when using a pick.

 

Once we started tweaking the EQ controls a little more, we discovered tones reminiscent of Tim Commerford and Justin Chancellor, and even though that all important mid EQ control is missing, we still got close to Mark King territory. If we really had to critique the Ray5, other than the fact that it’s not as flashy or interesting to look at as the USA-made Rays, the lack of a 3-band EQ would be our main gripe. But we’re nitpicking here. For under £400, there’s not much else on the market that ticks boxes like the SUB Ray5 does.

Edited January 4, 2023 by Bassfingers