Budget MusicMans (MusicMen?) Ray 35 vs SUB5

[StingRayBoy42]

I'm thinking of joining the dark side and getting a 5 string to keep up (down?) with the synths in a noughties club/dance type project.

I like my StingRay so I'm looking at the budget MM stuff.

Has anyone got any experience of the SUB5 and/or the Ray35?

The SUB5 looks like great value at £250-300 ish, and if it's half as good as the £250 Squier I recently had, I'd be a happy boy.
Is the low B any good?

The Ray35 has rave reviews, a 3 band EQ, looks like a nice piece of kit and (according to some) compares well to the Full Fat USA 'Rays - is it worth the extra few hundred notes?

I'd love to hear from anyone who has played both.


Recommendations for any other cheap and cheerful 5 strings also welcome.

Cheers

[MichaelDean]

I had a SUB 5 for quite a few years. It played really nicely. The stock preamp was ok, but it sounded better once I put a Retrovibe Stinger in it. I think, had I kept it, I probably would have gotten curious eventually changed the pickup too. It held up well to gigging though and I utterly outdid (tonally) a real Stingray 5 once at a gig. The other bassist we were supporting looked a bit annoyed about that 🤣 

 

I only moved it on when I got my Dingwall as I had some instructions from the other half!

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by MichaelDean
Added a pic!

[Newfoundfreedom]

I can't comment directly on the five string. But I've got the 4 string version of this and it's just ridiculously good for almost no money. Looking at the reviews it looks like the five string version is just as good. 

 

https://www.thomann.de/intl/harley_benton_mm_85a_sb_deluxe_series.htm?i11l=en_GB%3ABG.GBP%3AEUR

 

 

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by Newfoundfreedom

[StingRayBoy42]

1 minute ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

I can't comment directly on the five string. But I've got the 4 string version of this and it's just ridiculously good for almost no money. Looking at the reviewers it looks like the five string version is just as good. 

 

I've heard great things about HB gear, and for less than £200, it's surely worth a punt. 

Thanks! 

[Newfoundfreedom]

Just now, StingRayBoy42 said:

I've heard great things about HB gear, and for less than £200, it's surely worth a punt. 

Thanks! 

 

You can't really go wrong. Thomann's return policy is bullet proof. If you don't like it for any reason, just send it back. 

[Paolo85]

I say a LowEndLobster review on the Harley Benton 5 string. He was saying there was plenty of neck dive. The bass has 24 frets, as opposed to the passive HB Stingray copy with one pickup, which has 21. Because of that the body is squeezed a bit and on his bass this did not work in terms of balance. You could be lucky though

Edited February 15, 2023 by Paolo85

[Newfoundfreedom]

Mine balances perfectly well. But again, I've got the 4 string version so the five might be different. I actually like having the full 24 frets and it doesn't feel at all squeezed to me, but I don't play slap, which is the only time I think you might have an issue. 

[TheGreek]

I have a 4 string Sterling 2HH - I believe that they are also available as 5ers. 

 

IMO that would be a good buy - they change hands for around £300 - great value

[dub_junkie]

I'm very taken with my Ray35 which is one of the newer ones with the roasted neck. I've owned a few USA StingRay 5s in the past and of course I'd like another but prices have gone a bit crazy used (double what I used to buy them at) 

I'm happy with the Ray35. Tonally its spot on and the neck elevates the bass imo. From experience owning four Ray35 basses, I'd say they're worth the extra but that's if you can get one at the lower end of the scale. 

Reason being, imo the one to get for not much more than SUB/Ray5 s/h is the Ray25 which is based on the Classic two band EQ, slab bodied traditional Stingray shape with the oval pickguard. The pickup and bridge are a big upgrade on the Ray 5. In fact I probably dislike the Ray 5 simply because of the bridge. It doesn't look good imo and I cant get by that no matter how hard I try. Shallow I know but that's how it is for me.

Pic of my Ray25 (now sold) and Ray35

Edited February 15, 2023 by dub_junkie

[TheGreek]

You could do worse than this: 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195601266710?hash=item2d8abe7816:g:X7gAAOSw3a9j7QqL&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoLUyWAokiM19OslP%2FS4db8QYyvklp9%2FtuvHls52sIvxO2%2B7HAdSMRIWnMgoTWgMGyEceQi%2BRrslUgT5CcvezJa4jUQVaPkJGWNSr2P454MUk266RKfy4WfRjUTMo1n4AiTJZzzK7xHzDuOcAbsg4v2FlaTQyiHHTquH1O2so885c5Pmp0jFO57pZ7KpcDRkfae3vrGeJCfGvoMXvo%2FGrvdc%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR5Scn-3KYQ

 

[StingRayBoy42]

7 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

You could do worse than this: 

 

 

Already on the watch list!

[Newfoundfreedom]

8 hours ago, TheGreek said:

You could do worse than this: 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195601266710?hash=item2d8abe7816:g:X7gAAOSw3a9j7QqL&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoLUyWAokiM19OslP%2FS4db8QYyvklp9%2FtuvHls52sIvxO2%2B7HAdSMRIWnMgoTWgMGyEceQi%2BRrslUgT5CcvezJa4jUQVaPkJGWNSr2P454MUk266RKfy4WfRjUTMo1n4AiTJZzzK7xHzDuOcAbsg4v2FlaTQyiHHTquH1O2so885c5Pmp0jFO57pZ7KpcDRkfae3vrGeJCfGvoMXvo%2FGrvdc%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR5Scn-3KYQ

 

 

Aarrgghhhh!!!!!

 

One of my pet peeves. 

 

People who don't know the difference between bought and brought.

 

You could always brid on it, and then if you win you could bry it. 

 

[Waddo Soqable]

2 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

 

Aarrgghhhh!!!!!

 

One of my pet peeves. 

 

People who don't know the difference between bought and brought.

 

You could always brid on it, and then if you win you could bry it. 

 

Ah you speak Chinese then 😁

[StingRayBoy42]

4 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

 

Aarrgghhhh!!!!!

 

One of my pet peeves. 

 

People who don't know the difference between bought and brought.

 

You could always brid on it, and then if you win you could bry it. 

 

There's literally nothing worse... 🤪

[garyt]

I have a 30 year old Musicman Stingray 5, and my son has a SUB 5 .    After playing both extensively, it’s obvious the real Stingray is better, but it’s definitely not 4-5 times better as the price suggests.  Can’t fault the SUB 5 , and it is just unbelievably good for the price.  
After playing lots of Stingrays over the years, if I had to sum the SUB 5 up, Ernie Ball have found the sweet spot where diminishing returns kick in.

Buy with confidence.  It’s a steal. 

[andruca]

I have 2 USA Stingray5s (1997 & 2003, ceramic) and have owned a Ray35 for over a year (sold it a couple years ago). I'd get the 2 pickup SUB Ray5 HH. The Ray35 was just OK for the price I paid back then (600€ used), but there's way better crafted/more feature rich instruments at the price (Schecters is an example, will forever regret not getting a -way cheaper- Diamond PJ5 instead). The preamps on SUBs suck (they all seem to distort easily) but that can be fixed for about 25€ with an Artec preamp. The SUB Ray5 HH used to be under 500€ , now it's slightly over 600€ new. Too bad they don't show up used much, 600€ is definitely too expensuve for a SBMM SUB.

Edited February 17, 2023 by andruca

[StingRayBoy42]

I went for this Ray35 from ebay.

Not *just* because it's the same colour as my 'Ray and P, but... yes  I'm shallow and looks are a factor.

 

I paid 650, which is fair enough I think.

First impressions are good; it feels nice and solid, really well put together.

It's heavy! Haven't had it on a strap yet, so that's something to look forward to.

 

It plays, feels and sounds fantastic.

Lovely StingRay tone with the three band EQ (I like) and the three way pickup  selector switch giving some lush sounds on tap.

 

The neck is an absolute beauty, no rough edges and is a joy to play all the way up and down.

 

Bad points: There is a quiet hum when you're not touching it, so probably not completely shielded (?)) and the notes are all in the wrong places 😃

 

I don't know if it's two and a half times better than a 250 quid S.U B. and/or three sevenths (?) as good as a full fat USA model, but it's undoubtedly a lovely Bass that I'm really happy with and can't wait to play in anger.