I just bought this exact bass from Guitar Center two weeks ago. An amazing bass for the price. The winning combination was the candy apple red and a Stingray style bass for under $400. I saw it in the store and bought it on sight. No pondering. My other bases are Jazz MIM and the G&L L-2000. So far I've been playing the Sterling Ray4HH frequently and it's becoming my main.
Great review as always!! Love your style. These basses are a tremendous value and are easy to mod/ fix. There’s something slightly wrong with the wiring or switch of your bass. Position 4 is supposed to have coils 1+4 engaged for a super wide Jazz tone; more gutsy than position 2 (2+3). These basses are tone monsters! I recommend rewiring so all combos play in parallel for similar output in all positions. The 1+2/2+3/1234/1+4/3+4 configuration offers humbucking in all positions. This is one of the most versatile basses available today. I just got one and will never let it go!!
Definitely not bad for an "entry level" Music Man bass! Now I can't wait for the incoming modding stuff, damn it. You always know how to bring hype in the game!
Thank you for the reviews on the Sterling SUB basses. I just purchased a ray4hh based on your reviews. I love it so far. I'm going to dup the code red mod. My caution to others is the factory setup is really poor, the action was different on every sub I looked at and intonation wasn't even close on the one I purchased. It's going to require a setup out of the box.
In recent years maple / light fretboards have come into fashion quite a bit , and I go back-and-forth between preferring rosewood/ebony and maple. I guess I love them all. 🦞
Looks nicer than the images on their site.sound pretty good. Will be interesting to see what it's like with the EMG's. Cannot wait for that video. Great job again. Thanks Stu 😊
That is a very nice sounding and looking bass! I really like the Sabre tone with the pickup selector in position 3. The upcoming mods should make this bass a tone monster!!!
The olive green one is on sale for $379 right now on Amazon. The place I ordered from gave me the difference back cause most places are selling it for $429. Tremendous bass for the money.
@@MarcG7424 yep. Not sure what it is now but I went through zzounds because I couldn't find it in stock anywhere. A few weeks after receiving it I noticed the 379 price on Amazon, and they gave me back the difference. I'm loving it. I did have to have the frets filed and slapped some elixir strings on it. Smooth bass now!
@@paxonearth It's great! My only complaint was that it showed up with fret sprout. I was planning on putting elixir strings on anyway so I had the frets filed also. Very smooth now!
bedazzle it with orange fake gems cut to shape like stained glass, there. Hey you could do instrument inlays, learn how to apply binding, lots of stuff.
I was gunna comment at the beginning and say the strings sounded like they needed to be changed but I didn’t say it because I’m like .. what if the lobster says they are new ? I will look dumb lol. Glad my ear was correct
sometimes new strings suck. I bought some cheap no name clear plastic baggie strings off amazon just to see how crappy they were and since I broke half of them just putting them on I can understand why they're all sold in at least two packs if not 10 packs but never singly. At least you get a set on the guitar but they won't last and usually will do sometimes bad stuff to your fingers. I'm migrating to tapes because I like the way the science looks, the way the demos sound, and the fact that if you get a set that's working on your bass they don't break unless they literally fall apart. The ones I've priced aren't any more than any other string set...
For the price that bass is a winner! Nice Fendery type of sound but with the power of a Music Man. Sounds better to my ears than the Squier Active Jazz bass.
Thanks sir. Continuing to enjoy your content and on the back of a lot of it I am definitely going for a Sterling SUB. I just wish that the HH was available to us lefties, so given that it's not, it will have to be a Ray 4 for me. At least it's a starting block with solid build quality, but this one sounds so much better out of the box than that and it's really frustrating that they don't offer a left-handed option. Keep up the great vids.
Ahh I love this. I can't wait to see the results of the tinkering. EMG in general seems to be, more often than not in the sweet-spot tone-wise of the whichever pickup configuration they are making a pickup for.
I really love this colour and the maple board. I wish sterling did this colour combo for the single ray 4's. I ordered one (which isn't cheap in Australia here, equivalent to USD$735) and the strings were low at the base of the neck but high in the middle. I took it to a guitar tech who said the neck heel was swollen and basically defective. I returned it and ordered another from another store. Same problem! Perhaps the supplier here had a bad batch of the candy reds. So unfortunately I had to return that too. A real shame because I loved the feel and the sound.
@@LowEndLobster you're welcome! You've been having lots of great build videos here about active basses which are something I've never dealt with before. I'm not used to preamps so it's great to learn about them!
Another great video Lobster. IMO I think position #2 would be better served using the outer coils rather than the inner ones. But other than that, this Ray4 gives a lot of bang for the buck. I look forward to the upgrades!
Really looking forward to this one. Love the color of the bass but it needs a black pearloid pickguard. Can't wait to see/hear the pickup combinations.
I picked up a SUB Ray5HH a little bit ago. It sounds decent, the preamp can be a bit much, and the pickups are really a bit hot, but the feel of the bass is really nice. Not bad, even. It does not feel like a "cheap" entry level bass at all. With upgraded electronics, that thing would be the cat's pajamas! I haven't decided what I'm going to put in mine yet. Can't wait to see what you do with this one.
Thanks Bizi! That's why I like em so much. The stuff that you can't change easily (body/neck) are consistently solid in the ones I've tried, and the stuff that you can change is decent enough to keep around but definitely gets better with some mods :). Well said!
You might say the bass is "lobster red"? Everyday we get closer to a lobster sig musicaman :) Might be cool to see a sterling get the compensated nut that the american models have
@@LowEndLobster yes - it's a bit agricultural underneath the pickguard but it worked. The OLP's neck was totally warped and I bought the G&L neck for a very cheap price as the seller on eBay said it had a backbow. It turns out that the truss rod nut was loose. It's absolutely fine now. I did a cover of White Room by Cream using it on my channel
Good demo and video. I remember playing this bass when I first began playing bass in April of 2020 (yet now I can actually call myself a real bassist). At that time I was pretty much just a rhythm guitarist) Anyway I'm almost exclusively a Precision Bass man but I thought this bass sounded incredible in the 4th position (the neck p style setting/big surprise huh) and the fifth position running only bridge pickup. Those two setting alone mafe this bass a worthy purchase. I'm gonna check out the most video because I really like this bass even not being big on the stingrays. I like the way you broke down all the features this bass has to offer. If I may add one thing I believe this bass is a great choice for pick players. Not only funk players but Rock N Roll, Hardcore and even Heavy Metal this bass would be very well adept to.
Just when I thought you were simply going to do another pickup/preamp upgrade, you throw in the 3-way Tele switch and 2-band coil tap preamp... THAT got my attention ;)
I have the green one, I love it. Matches my green hair and dirty blonde hair. Quality is good, except the frets at the heel feel kinda sharp on the ends. Just not into active. I might pay the money to get it straight passive. But I got it for 300 USD and was the best impulsive buy I ever did. If you see one, get one. Also I love the kitty.
I've always had jazz bass, but I really want to get into the MM world. You who have already tested both versions (H and HH), do you think that the 2 humbuckers give you that much versatility or do you think that in the end you will end up playing 90% of the time on the humbucker on the bridge? I like versatility as I don't like to take more than 1 bass away when I go to rehearsal or jam. But I'm afraid I'll end up not making any use of the neck humbucker. Can you comment about your opinion, please? Thanks!!
Great question Rafa! I think the HH for only a little more money offers a TON of tonal flexibility while still being able to get the Ray4H tones. Even if you don't solo the neck pickup, positions 2 and 4 (inner and outer coils) are superb as well
@@LowEndLobster you're the best!! I'll order a HH! 4 strings of course! =) thanks a lot for all great stuff you bring for us! I Can't express such gratitude in words.
I have a Sterling just like this one except it’s a grayish blue color. It’s ok but the pickups are kind of disappointing and really needs new hardware to breath some new life into it. Hopefully your video will help me find a way save this bass and give it some new tone options. I always enjoy your videos, your a wealth of technical knowledge while being entertaining at the same time.
Hey Lobster, could I just upgrade the preamp swapping the stock with a John East using the same control panel? If so, what preamp would you recommend using the same control setup (with exception of a three band EQ)? Keep crushing it !
Yes, you could absolutely swap in a JE using the same control plate. You can also use the Mojotone preamp which is a clone of the original 2 band. Those work very well with aftermarket pickups as well. I'll be doing another (better) video on the Mojotone with a very interesting pickup in the near future. Hope that helps!
Thanks for the great content, Mr Lobster. I am new to the channel and bring little/no knowledge of bass. Your expertise is crucial to my search for a great beginner bass. How many claws for this instrument?
Quite a great pallet of scoopy sounds with this setup. Even more so after modding... Wow, how to use these extra 3? 38mm nut.. Wow. Had a jazz bass once with that, super smooth. Candy apple Red is an evil color! Very hemoglobin-like. Cat seemed to enjoy it - that's a great sign!
Thank you :) Indeed Bebe was a fan, and I think the color is such a gem. It can look so many different ways depending on what it's paired with (pickguard, hardware, control plate)
@@LowEndLobster boooyaaah! So these sterlings would be a nice catch? Trying to get my band to do a write off here lol! The trans blue is super nice. Good original preamp? Seems so light and easy...
it looks good, although I am not a fan of the white guard/plate, It does sound a great bass, you seemed to be noodling a little more that usual, so would seem you liked it too. Its going to be a killer bass if you manage to improve on what it already manages.
Hey Lobters, saludos! Great vids you do, man. Today I bought this Sterling and I think is a 2018 unit because the numbers start with b18... I tested it with a Rumble 25! at the store and it sounded great. So, when I took it home like 3 hours ago I played it with my ampeg b2-re with 2-10s thinking that it will sound better. It sounds good, but there is a "distortion" (that I did not hear back in the shop) when stepping the upper and middles frets (low notes) of the 4th and 3rd strings. At first gave me the impression of a growl or gnarly cool sound, but when I came exploring all knobs and five switchings, I came out to think that something's wrong, that is a distorted sound coming from... I don't... the frets? the strings? You said that there is a distortion on the previews units before the 2021's. So I'm thinking about it very sadly and My unit it has to be from 2018, I think. What should I do, a set up or change the electronics, or... I don't know... Please help me! Thank's a lot. Muchas Gracias!
Hello Sir! Long time watcher of your videos. I have this exact bass and I have never changed out the stock strings. Which would you recommend? I prefer a darker sound with less edge. Thanks for your reply and keep up the great work!
Awesome, I just suggested for you to do some mods on a Ray4HH or on your green olive Ray5HH kn your new give away video. Looking forward. PS: What about Delano pickups?
Greattings from Portugal Gonna choose between the Ray 24 Ca TLB or the Ray 4 HH PBBS what to you think? I'm 37 and re-join our high-school band (didn't play for almost 15 years). Please keep doing it, it's great. Regards Pedro
So I know watching your other review of the stock single pickup Ray 4 it is very hot and you got allot of clipping with stock preamp. Seems that's not an issue with the HH version based on this review?
The HH seems to be a little more well sorted as the pickups aren't hardwired in series. Based on some comments I've seen, it seems some SUBs have the four conductor pickup while others (like all of mine) have only had the two conductor series-only pickup. I think that has something to do with it as well.
Great review Lobster!! Do you know what the string spacing is at the bridge on this bass. I have the 5HH SUB now and as you had mentioned in your review it is pretty tight for me. I think you said 16.5mm at the bridge in that review for the 5HH? I am considering this 4HH SUB to add to the stable and possibly mod. as well?? I echo what others had said that the 4th switch position (outer coils) is one of my favorite pickup settings on that bass. Why did they change that? Did you find out if they really did or you just had it off in one of your reviews? The 2nd position (inner coils) I guess is close to that in tone though? I did like the 4th position tone on this 4HH bass too though. The single coil neck (pos. 4) sounds more useful than the double coil neck (position 1) IMO. Also, does the new body wood (poplar) make it significantly lighter than the previous version? What is the approx. weight of this one?
Thank you! Spacing for the 4 string is 19mm. 5's for the Ray5 series are 16.5mm with a bump up to 17.5 for the Ray25 and Ray35. I am going to try to get a pre 2021 Ray5HH as both a mod project and just to revisit the bass. The 5'ers have a lot more variability of parts vs the 4 which makes it a bit more difficult to mod, but will still be a good idea to make some content on it so folks know what to look out for. The weight was right in line with my other SUBs at about 9 lbs. Most are a hair over or under 9 in my experience.
@@LowEndLobster Thanks for the quick response and info! 19mm spacing is basically standard Fender, right? A couple quick follow up questions from the review if you will indulge me. When you gutted it for the project code red mod. did you discover if it was wired in series or parallel? Also what about the mystery position 4 on the switch? Was is really inner single coil neck pickup only or outer coil single both pickups like the Ray5HH? BTW, I have a pre 2021 SUB Ray5HH that is totally stock now. It is the Lake Blue Metallic one with the Jatoba fingerboard. I bought it in early 2021 but it must be the 2020 model. You can mod mine if you wish but I do want it back when you are done! Seriously, maybe we could work something out. It would save you having to buy one now and then re-selling it later??
@@markblackstad8705 Heyo! I had to dig up the 5 way switch from my parts bin to investigate. The individual pickups when fully engaged are wired in series (positions 1, 3 and 5). Another thing I noticed is that one of the wires hooked up to the switch was connected poorly and potentially making contact with another spot (and potentially grounding out that coil). So now I'm not 100% sure if the position 4 was an accident or not.... I will have to investigate further
@@LowEndLobster according to the controls diagram from Sterling there is no position where there is only one coil active, so your theory on a faulty connection is likely what happened there.
Hi Lobster. I ADORE the look and sound of these basses, just have a hard time dealing with the neck profile. EDIT: I had a hard time understanding the switching change. Does this mean that you'll be able to switch both pups single/serial/parallel independently?
Aw bummer :( Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with these. I've found them to be pretty consistent (though there's probably hundreds of thousands of them out there). The dozen or so I've tried over the past year have been very consistent with only one needing a little fret end filing.
No prob dude. Do there's no series parallel here, the 5 way selects different rows of magents on the pickup. Each MM had two rows of four, and the selector gives you different combos. The new electronics moves to a 3 way switch and independent coil tapping for each pickup separately
So much electronic noise on this one! It's still distorting with the treble up too. I think it deserves your attentions though as she sounded right at the core. Nice emg setup why not keep the 5 way and do a series /parallel option with the coil splits? Like the big al
Thanks James! Indeed, I think some more aggressive shielding/grounding would quiet this thing up. I think another Ray4 (or Ray5) HH project is in order where we explore the 5 way switch and its functionality in more detail
Hey Lobster. I just purchased this same bass and it arrives today. I was wondering where you got the black pickguard you used for the modifications. According to Music Man web site the ones they sell are not for the Sterling versions and the link for their website for the Sterling models does not work. That sounds strange to me but I do not want to blow $35 for a pickguard that does not fit.
@@LowEndLobster Sorry. I am at work and and it looked like the original comment did not go through so I went to the the after mods video and reposted it there. Love your channel!
It's funny how strong the Stingray sound is. Even on the neck pickups it still has that iconic sound which is good and bad, I do love the sound but it isn't the most versatile bass.
Thanks FT! You're right, the character is very distinctive even when a variable like pickup position is altered (but the pickup construction is the same)
Lobster, with all the StingRays that have passed through your hands, have you encountered the "quiet G" phenomenon? I had an older EBMM SR4 that was badly afflicted by this, but I haven't noticed it on newer models so much.
Years of watching oceanic docs on T.V., never once I've seen a lobster buddy-buddy with a stingray. Mother nature never cease to amaze!
Best comment of the day!
Pin this sucker. Best comment.
The ghost of Jacques Cousteau ordered beers for you... 🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺
I just bought this exact bass from Guitar Center two weeks ago. An amazing bass for the price. The winning combination was the candy apple red and a Stingray style bass for under $400. I saw it in the store and bought it on sight. No pondering. My other bases are Jazz MIM and the G&L L-2000. So far I've been playing the Sterling Ray4HH frequently and it's becoming my main.
Awesome! Congrats!
I hope you are enjoying your tone monster of a bass!
just got this bass looks beautiful and love the range of tones
Great review as always!! Love your style. These basses are a tremendous value and are easy to mod/ fix. There’s something slightly wrong with the wiring or switch of your bass. Position 4 is supposed to have coils 1+4 engaged for a super wide Jazz tone; more gutsy than position 2 (2+3).
These basses are tone monsters! I recommend rewiring so all combos play in parallel for similar output in all positions. The 1+2/2+3/1234/1+4/3+4 configuration offers humbucking in all positions. This is one of the most versatile basses available today. I just got one and will never let it go!!
Good to hear. This has become number 1on my list of basses to buy. First time bassist and have been doing as much on line research as I can.
Thank you! Yes the switch has a loose wire in one position lol
@@LowEndLobster well after all was said and done I opted for the Ibanez SR370E in Surreal Black Fade. On to bass lessons!
@@MrTomengle Congrats!
Definitely not bad for an "entry level" Music Man bass! Now I can't wait for the incoming modding stuff, damn it. You always know how to bring hype in the game!
Thanks B@ssiCS :)
Positions 1, 3 and 5 seem to be the most useful to my ears.
Sounds like an ambitious modding project. I’m looking forward to hearing the results!
Friday! :)
Took the words out my mouth
Thank you for the reviews on the Sterling SUB basses. I just purchased a ray4hh based on your reviews. I love it so far. I'm going to dup the code red mod. My caution to others is the factory setup is really poor, the action was different on every sub I looked at and intonation wasn't even close on the one I purchased. It's going to require a setup out of the box.
In recent years maple / light fretboards have come into fashion quite a bit , and I go back-and-forth between preferring rosewood/ebony and maple. I guess I love them all. 🦞
This is the way
You are using the pickups I wanted to see! Cannot wait! Also add a black pickguard to this bass and it will look awesome with that body color.
Thanks Meyers!
They took the best sound out of this bass. The first position after the bridge pickup was the best sound on the old version.
That's what I was thinking and wasn't sure if I was just wrong my first time around. The outer coil tone is one of the best!
Would it be possible to just rewire the selector switch to get the original 4th position pickup configuration?
Yes, that's absolutely possible
I agree. I have a 2020 version SUB HHRay5 and the position 4 outer coils gets a lot of use from me!
I owned the five string version of the older model for a while and, like this bass, had lots of very good usable tones.
Thanks Keith! Indeed!
Looks nicer than the images on their site.sound pretty good. Will be interesting to see what it's like with the EMG's. Cannot wait for that video.
Great job again. Thanks Stu 😊
Thanks Stu!
i havent even watched thru the whole vid and ik its gonna be fire
Thank you :)
You convinced me to buy my SUB 5 and it was a super good buy!
Sweet :)
That tone with both pickups.... Awesome
Thanks M Perk!
That is a very nice sounding and looking bass! I really like the Sabre tone with the pickup selector in position 3. The upcoming mods should make this bass a tone monster!!!
Thanks Keith :)
You have the coolest intro in all youtube, Mister Lobster
Thank you :)
I CAN'T WAIT Bro! I'm gonna do the Same, the 4HH will be here Next week. @LowEndLobster
Hell yeah!
The olive green one is on sale for $379 right now on Amazon. The place I ordered from gave me the difference back cause most places are selling it for $429. Tremendous bass for the money.
379 for the HH configuration ? The single is going for 349 on various websites
@@MarcG7424 yep. Not sure what it is now but I went through zzounds because I couldn't find it in stock anywhere. A few weeks after receiving it I noticed the 379 price on Amazon, and they gave me back the difference. I'm loving it. I did have to have the frets filed and slapped some elixir strings on it. Smooth bass now!
@@Ratchman_5000 Niiiice
Rich, how are you enjoying your new bass? I LOVE the olive green version.
@@paxonearth It's great! My only complaint was that it showed up with fret sprout. I was planning on putting elixir strings on anyway so I had the frets filed also. Very smooth now!
Here's a mod for ya: that bass needs a lobster inlay at the 12th fret.
bedazzle it with orange fake gems cut to shape like stained glass, there.
Hey you could do instrument inlays, learn how to apply binding, lots of stuff.
:O
Bass clef in pearl
Love the videos lobster, commenting to feed the algorithm for ya
Thank you!
I was gunna comment at the beginning and say the strings sounded like they needed to be changed but I didn’t say it because I’m like .. what if the lobster says they are new ? I will look dumb lol. Glad my ear was correct
;P
sometimes new strings suck. I bought some cheap no name clear plastic baggie strings off amazon just to see how crappy they were and since I broke half of them just putting them on I can understand why they're all sold in at least two packs if not 10 packs but never singly. At least you get a set on the guitar but they won't last and usually will do sometimes bad stuff to your fingers. I'm migrating to tapes because I like the way the science looks, the way the demos sound, and the fact that if you get a set that's working on your bass they don't break unless they literally fall apart. The ones I've priced aren't any more than any other string set...
I got one of these Bass R4HH it sounds awesome right out the box .🎉
That bass is beautiful. Love that color
Thank you!
For the price that bass is a winner! Nice Fendery type of sound but with the power of a Music Man. Sounds better to my ears than the Squier Active Jazz bass.
7:20 kitty was loving the grooves and riffs
As always a GREAT review from Lobster. I´m just waiting for the changes that will be made in this bass... Congratulations Lobster!!
:)
Looking forward to the modification. I don't know how you keep all those configurations straight...better you than me. Good vid!
Thank you Budd!
Bass sounds great for the money. Can’t wait for the upgrades!😌🎶👍🏾
:)
Thanks sir. Continuing to enjoy your content and on the back of a lot of it I am definitely going for a Sterling SUB. I just wish that the HH was available to us lefties, so given that it's not, it will have to be a Ray 4 for me. At least it's a starting block with solid build quality, but this one sounds so much better out of the box than that and it's really frustrating that they don't offer a left-handed option. Keep up the great vids.
Ahh I love this. I can't wait to see the results of the tinkering. EMG in general seems to be, more often than not in the sweet-spot tone-wise of the whichever pickup configuration they are making a pickup for.
:)
Very cool review. I really like the 5 way pickup switch. Thanks Lobster 🦞
Thank you Sparks :)
Me. Lobster...HH is the most underrated config of Music Man Basses.
Indeed! It all started with the Sabre!
The color is really cool
I can't wait until the next video
Thanks Cody :)
I really love this colour and the maple board. I wish sterling did this colour combo for the single ray 4's. I ordered one (which isn't cheap in Australia here, equivalent to USD$735) and the strings were low at the base of the neck but high in the middle. I took it to a guitar tech who said the neck heel was swollen and basically defective. I returned it and ordered another from another store. Same problem! Perhaps the supplier here had a bad batch of the candy reds. So unfortunately I had to return that too. A real shame because I loved the feel and the sound.
Aw, major shame! Bummer man :(
@@LowEndLobster Yeah really loved the colour and sound. Might try to save up a bit more and go to a Music Man stingray instead ;)
Beautiful !! I wS just looking at this on reverb like 2 days ago, I love this color!!
Thanks! It is indeed eye catching
Looking forward to seeing this build series!
Thanks Ken :)
@@LowEndLobster you're welcome! You've been having lots of great build videos here about active basses which are something I've never dealt with before. I'm not used to preamps so it's great to learn about them!
Another great video Lobster. IMO I think position #2 would be better served using the outer coils rather than the inner ones. But other than that, this Ray4 gives a lot of bang for the buck. I look forward to the upgrades!
I agree! The Stingray special 4HH has the outer coils as an option and sounds great.
Great color,sounds really good,the revised edition is definitely interesting.Great choice in using EMG Pickups & Preamp,It’s going to sound killer
Thank you!
Really looking forward to this one. Love the color of the bass but it needs a black pearloid pickguard. Can't wait to see/hear the pickup combinations.
Thanks Bevin!
I've seen these before at my guitar center, they sound cool! Another great video
Thanks!
I picked up a SUB Ray5HH a little bit ago. It sounds decent, the preamp can be a bit much, and the pickups are really a bit hot, but the feel of the bass is really nice. Not bad, even. It does not feel like a "cheap" entry level bass at all. With upgraded electronics, that thing would be the cat's pajamas! I haven't decided what I'm going to put in mine yet. Can't wait to see what you do with this one.
Thanks Bizi! That's why I like em so much. The stuff that you can't change easily (body/neck) are consistently solid in the ones I've tried, and the stuff that you can change is decent enough to keep around but definitely gets better with some mods :). Well said!
I love these SUB videos. Gives me a lot to think about to mod mine up hopefully soon!
Thanks Tim! So glad you enjoy the videos :)
You might say the bass is "lobster red"? Everyday we get closer to a lobster sig musicaman :)
Might be cool to see a sterling get the compensated nut that the american models have
That would be cool, I wonder if they can be sourced
Am I the only one who watches every video about 5 times just so it really soaks in ??? 🤔
Yes.
yeah probably but im sure mr lobster appreciates it
@@ricardobass4831 I’m a good crustacean
Lmao i go back to the musicman videos quite often but yea I think u got us beat brother lmao
XD
It will be great to see the new and improved lol
Thanks Davey!
I’ve got an EMG MMCS in my OLP/G&L mashup (it’s an OLP Stingray with a G&L Tribute L2000 neck) - can’t wait for the mod vid!
Woah that sounds crazy! Did you have to modify the neck pocket at all?
@@LowEndLobster yes - it's a bit agricultural underneath the pickguard but it worked. The OLP's neck was totally warped and I bought the G&L neck for a very cheap price as the seller on eBay said it had a backbow. It turns out that the truss rod nut was loose. It's absolutely fine now. I did a cover of White Room by Cream using it on my channel
Really enjoying your videos. Very insightful and entertaining. 👌
Thank you :)
Great review! I'm looking forward to the mod video!
Thank you!
Just bought this bass from GC for 299.99 and so far love it.I don;t think it needs any mods
Good demo and video. I remember playing this bass when I first began playing bass in April of 2020 (yet now I can actually call myself a real bassist). At that time I was pretty much just a rhythm guitarist) Anyway I'm almost exclusively a Precision Bass man but I thought this bass sounded incredible in the 4th position (the neck p style setting/big surprise huh) and the fifth position running only bridge pickup. Those two setting alone mafe this bass a worthy purchase. I'm gonna check out the most video because I really like this bass even not being big on the stingrays. I like the way you broke down all the features this bass has to offer. If I may add one thing I believe this bass is a great choice for pick players. Not only funk players but Rock N Roll, Hardcore and even Heavy Metal this bass would be very well adept to.
Nice bass. Excellent playing. But......your cat stole the show!
Thank you :)
It is worth noting that the original US-made Music Man Sub basses also had poplar body.
Indeed! The ole poplar slab body, 'b-stock' neck painted black, two band pre. Those were awesome basses
Really like the candy apple finish, super nice
Thanks McMeeBurger!
Did you say EMG? Sounds good to me LowEndLobster, can't wait to watch and hear those modifications!!!
Indeed! Tomorrow you shall see the glory :)
Just bought one. Sounds good right out of the box.
I just knew the word ‘modding’ would make an appearance!!
Spoiler alert ;P
The only bad thing about HH sterling stingrays is that upgrading the pickups is twice as expensive XD
Yup XD
If they do a short scale HH, I am in! As always, thank you!
Thanks Nathan!
Just when I thought you were simply going to do another pickup/preamp upgrade, you throw in the 3-way Tele switch and 2-band coil tap preamp... THAT got my attention ;)
Heheheh, too much free time on my hands ;P (not). The mod project was super fun and rewarding!
Lovely color, Nice sound, Maple neck, this bass only need a black pickguard to be perfect for me
great bass, nice playing !!!!!!
I have the green one, I love it. Matches my green hair and dirty blonde hair. Quality is good, except the frets at the heel feel kinda sharp on the ends. Just not into active. I might pay the money to get it straight passive.
But I got it for 300 USD and was the best impulsive buy I ever did. If you see one, get one.
Also I love the kitty.
Let’s lobster 🦞 !!!!!!!!!
WOOOO!
cool review, best bass for this price point
I agree it's definitely one of (if not the) best value at $350 in terms of balancing features and quality
I've always had jazz bass, but I really want to get into the MM world. You who have already tested both versions (H and HH), do you think that the 2 humbuckers give you that much versatility or do you think that in the end you will end up playing 90% of the time on the humbucker on the bridge?
I like versatility as I don't like to take more than 1 bass away when I go to rehearsal or jam. But I'm afraid I'll end up not making any use of the neck humbucker. Can you comment about your opinion, please? Thanks!!
Great question Rafa! I think the HH for only a little more money offers a TON of tonal flexibility while still being able to get the Ray4H tones. Even if you don't solo the neck pickup, positions 2 and 4 (inner and outer coils) are superb as well
@@LowEndLobster you're the best!! I'll order a HH! 4 strings of course! =) thanks a lot for all great stuff you bring for us! I Can't express such gratitude in words.
I have a Sterling just like this one except it’s a grayish blue color. It’s ok but the pickups are kind of disappointing and really needs new hardware to breath some new life into it. Hopefully your video will help me find a way save this bass and give it some new tone options. I always enjoy your videos, your a wealth of technical knowledge while being entertaining at the same time.
Hey Lobster, could I just upgrade the preamp swapping the stock with a John East using the same control panel? If so, what preamp would you recommend using the same control setup (with exception of a three band EQ)? Keep crushing it
!
Yes, you could absolutely swap in a JE using the same control plate. You can also use the Mojotone preamp which is a clone of the original 2 band. Those work very well with aftermarket pickups as well. I'll be doing another (better) video on the Mojotone with a very interesting pickup in the near future. Hope that helps!
Thanks for the great content, Mr Lobster. I am new to the channel and bring little/no knowledge of bass. Your expertise is crucial to my search for a great beginner bass.
How many claws for this instrument?
Nice vid bro!
Thank you my man!
Nice vid man, does it come with a gig bag or hard case?
Thank you! Nope. Only the Ray34/5 basses have bags
@@LowEndLobster Thanks
Quite a great pallet of scoopy sounds with this setup. Even more so after modding... Wow, how to use these extra 3?
38mm nut.. Wow. Had a jazz bass once with that, super smooth.
Candy apple Red is an evil color! Very hemoglobin-like.
Cat seemed to enjoy it - that's a great sign!
Thank you :) Indeed Bebe was a fan, and I think the color is such a gem. It can look so many different ways depending on what it's paired with (pickguard, hardware, control plate)
@@LowEndLobster do you really enjoy these bridgy humbucker sounds for playing? You are a rocker, I've seen. Lot of right hand!
Stingray tone is one of my favorites :)
@@LowEndLobster boooyaaah!
So these sterlings would be a nice catch? Trying to get my band to do a write off here lol!
The trans blue is super nice. Good original preamp? Seems so light and easy...
it looks good, although I am not a fan of the white guard/plate, It does sound a great bass, you seemed to be noodling a little more that usual, so would seem you liked it too. Its going to be a killer bass if you manage to improve on what it already manages.
You truly are mad! Definitely needs a 🦞 on the pickguard! You might ask WD Music Products if they can do that 😊👍
That'd be cool :)
... considering I get already lost with the simple configuration of a Jazz Bass, I can't imagine how I could manage your new mods 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Hey Lobters, saludos! Great vids you do, man. Today I bought this Sterling and I think is a 2018 unit because the numbers start with b18... I tested it with a Rumble 25! at the store and it sounded great. So, when I took it home like 3 hours ago I played it with my ampeg b2-re with 2-10s thinking that it will sound better. It sounds good, but there is a "distortion" (that I did not hear back in the shop) when stepping the upper and middles frets (low notes) of the 4th and 3rd strings. At first gave me the impression of a growl or gnarly cool sound, but when I came exploring all knobs and five switchings, I came out to think that something's wrong, that is a distorted sound coming from... I don't... the frets? the strings? You said that there is a distortion on the previews units before the 2021's. So I'm thinking about it very sadly and My unit it has to be from 2018, I think. What should I do, a set up or change the electronics, or... I don't know... Please help me! Thank's a lot. Muchas Gracias!
same to me problem....how i will do..
Hello Sir! Long time watcher of your videos. I have this exact bass and I have never changed out the stock strings. Which would you recommend? I prefer a darker sound with less edge. Thanks for your reply and keep up the great work!
Hey Todd! If you're looking for a darker and less bright sound, check out LaBella Deep Talkin Flats! The 760FS is my go to flatwound set.
@@LowEndLobster Ordered.....thanks!
Awesome, I just suggested for you to do some mods on a Ray4HH or on your green olive Ray5HH kn your new give away video.
Looking forward.
PS: What about Delano pickups?
Thank you Mauricio! We'll definitely have some Delano stuff in the future, I like their pickups very much
Greattings from Portugal
Gonna choose between the Ray 24 Ca TLB or the Ray 4 HH PBBS what to you think? I'm 37 and re-join our high-school band (didn't play for almost 15 years). Please keep doing it, it's great. Regards Pedro
Woohoo EMG's going in! 👍
:)
I would love so much to learn how to mod, your the man at modding lobster 🦞
So I know watching your other review of the stock single pickup Ray 4 it is very hot and you got allot of clipping with stock preamp. Seems that's not an issue with the HH version based on this review?
The HH seems to be a little more well sorted as the pickups aren't hardwired in series. Based on some comments I've seen, it seems some SUBs have the four conductor pickup while others (like all of mine) have only had the two conductor series-only pickup. I think that has something to do with it as well.
Great review Lobster!! Do you know what the string spacing is at the bridge on this bass. I have the 5HH SUB now and as you had mentioned in your review it is pretty tight for me. I think you said 16.5mm at the bridge in that review for the 5HH? I am considering this 4HH SUB to add to the stable and possibly mod. as well?? I echo what others had said that the 4th switch position (outer coils) is one of my favorite pickup settings on that bass. Why did they change that? Did you find out if they really did or you just had it off in one of your reviews? The 2nd position (inner coils) I guess is close to that in tone though? I did like the 4th position tone on this 4HH bass too though. The single coil neck (pos. 4) sounds more useful than the double coil neck (position 1) IMO. Also, does the new body wood (poplar) make it significantly lighter than the previous version? What is the approx. weight of this one?
Thank you! Spacing for the 4 string is 19mm. 5's for the Ray5 series are 16.5mm with a bump up to 17.5 for the Ray25 and Ray35. I am going to try to get a pre 2021 Ray5HH as both a mod project and just to revisit the bass. The 5'ers have a lot more variability of parts vs the 4 which makes it a bit more difficult to mod, but will still be a good idea to make some content on it so folks know what to look out for. The weight was right in line with my other SUBs at about 9 lbs. Most are a hair over or under 9 in my experience.
@@LowEndLobster Thanks for the quick response and info! 19mm spacing is basically standard Fender, right? A couple quick follow up questions from the review if you will indulge me. When you gutted it for the project code red mod. did you discover if it was wired in series or parallel? Also what about the mystery position 4 on the switch? Was is really inner single coil neck pickup only or outer coil single both pickups like the Ray5HH? BTW, I have a pre 2021 SUB Ray5HH that is totally stock now. It is the Lake Blue Metallic one with the Jatoba fingerboard. I bought it in early 2021 but it must be the 2020 model. You can mod mine if you wish but I do want it back when you are done! Seriously, maybe we could work something out. It would save you having to buy one now and then re-selling it later??
@@markblackstad8705 Heyo! I had to dig up the 5 way switch from my parts bin to investigate. The individual pickups when fully engaged are wired in series (positions 1, 3 and 5). Another thing I noticed is that one of the wires hooked up to the switch was connected poorly and potentially making contact with another spot (and potentially grounding out that coil). So now I'm not 100% sure if the position 4 was an accident or not.... I will have to investigate further
@@LowEndLobster according to the controls diagram from Sterling there is no position where there is only one coil active, so your theory on a faulty connection is likely what happened there.
Can you do a review of Yamaha BB435?
Oh man, the poplar is only in the 2 new colors, but I want an olive colored one lol.
Gross ;P
And not for the first time, a Lobster has given me a bad case of GAS..............................
Them funky bass lines do tend to loosen the bowels a little don’t they ?
XD
Hi Lobster. I ADORE the look and sound of these basses, just have a hard time dealing with the neck profile. EDIT: I had a hard time understanding the switching change. Does this mean that you'll be able to switch both pups single/serial/parallel independently?
Aw bummer :( Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with these. I've found them to be pretty consistent (though there's probably hundreds of thousands of them out there). The dozen or so I've tried over the past year have been very consistent with only one needing a little fret end filing.
@@LowEndLobster Sorry, edited the comment at the same time you responded.
No prob dude. Do there's no series parallel here, the 5 way selects different rows of magents on the pickup. Each MM had two rows of four, and the selector gives you different combos. The new electronics moves to a 3 way switch and independent coil tapping for each pickup separately
you’re right. it does look like a lot more “rum”
You caught my New England accent hahaha
This bass sounds great as it is, why would you gut it?
Because that's how I have fun. I am a sick, sick person.
So much electronic noise on this one! It's still distorting with the treble up too.
I think it deserves your attentions though as she sounded right at the core. Nice emg setup why not keep the 5 way and do a series /parallel option with the coil splits? Like the big al
Thanks James! Indeed, I think some more aggressive shielding/grounding would quiet this thing up. I think another Ray4 (or Ray5) HH project is in order where we explore the 5 way switch and its functionality in more detail
I hated the lobster but over a weekend I have become a fan lol no BS when you watch quite a few
Hey Lobster.
I just purchased this same bass and it arrives today.
I was wondering where you got the black pickguard you used for the modifications.
According to Music Man web site the ones they sell are not for the Sterling versions and the link for their website for the Sterling models does not work.
That sounds strange to me but I do not want to blow $35 for a pickguard that does not fit.
Heyo! You only need to ask once, I see all the comments :)
@@LowEndLobster Sorry. I am at work and and it looked like the original comment did not go through so I went to the the after mods video and reposted it there.
Love your channel!
Is this a good bass to start with? Im new to bass so I’d really love to know!
Yes, it's a solid beginner bass.
It's funny how strong the Stingray sound is. Even on the neck pickups it still has that iconic sound which is good and bad, I do love the sound but it isn't the most versatile bass.
Thanks FT! You're right, the character is very distinctive even when a variable like pickup position is altered (but the pickup construction is the same)
That’s my baby
Lobster, with all the StingRays that have passed through your hands, have you encountered the "quiet G" phenomenon? I had an older EBMM SR4 that was badly afflicted by this, but I haven't noticed it on newer models so much.
Honestly, the only one I really noticed it on was my Stingray EX from the 90's but outside of that I haven't had any issues.
I'm sad they got rid of my favourite double humbucker musicman tone. The two outer coils for position 4.
The third position is both pickups in humbucker mode if that’s what you mean? 🤔
@@BenjiH23 3rd position is both pickups which includes all four coils not just the two outer coils
Right!? Way more useful than the two inner ones IMO
I played one of these a couple weeks ago. I liked it a lot.
And everything else I was going to say is complete nonsense. So there! Cheers
:) Your nonsense is always top tier and appreciated! Thanks Tommy
@@LowEndLobster thank you
Nice bass. Would you review the Carvin Vanquish 5 string bass? That is the only bass really worth $1,500. Thanks.