Sterling Music Man StingRay
Created to make high-end basses accessible to more musicians than ever before, Sterling by Music Man has evolved into a name trusted by bassists everywhere. Inspired by the Music Man StingRay 5 bass, but lighter and smaller, these basses were named after inventor Sterling Ball, CEO of Music Man and the son of acclaimed musical entrepreneur Ernie Ball.
Available in 4-string, 5-string and even 7-string designs, it’s no wonder these extremely versatile basses are so sought after by bassists around the globe. When picking out Sterling bass, think about your specific wants and needs as a musician. If you’re just starting out on the bass, you should begin your search with the S.U.B. series. Professionally crafted to sound like a more refined instrument, each of these basses is a balanced blend of features and quality, promising a perfect playing experience every time.
The Ray4 is a 4-string bass with the memorable and classic StingRay design. I have the bass in black, with black teardrop pick guard, basswood body, hard maple neck, and hard maple and jatoba fretboard. The Ray4 comes with one low noise hum bucking Sterling-by-Music-Man-designed ceramic pickup, and the three metal knobs control volume and high/low boost/cut with an active preamp circuit (9V battery included).
The hard maple and jatoba fretboard with dot fret markers and 21 medium frets is clean and attractive. The neck has a satin finish and I felt no fret sprout. In fact, the entire fit and finish of the guitar spot on. The neck width is 1.5″ (38mm) at the nut. The neck radius is 9.5″ (24cm) and the scale length is 34″ (86.4cm). Included strings are .45-1.05.
These basses are made in Indonesia, though the setup and final inspection are done in the USA–I’ve toured the factory of another famous brand that does this and that final USA setup and inspection really improves the quality of the instrument that makes it to the end user. The open gear tuners are all metal and work well, as with all the metal hardware. The active preamp gives a lot of tone possibilities. All in all, for the price you are getting a great playing, looking, and sounding bass. After reviewing the Sterling by Music Man Stingray Ray4 Bass Guitar, I would not hesitate to buy another Sterling by Music Man instrument.
A simple three-dial setup of volume, treble and bass, which is certainly good enough for tonal control, albeit with plenty of fiddling. It is mystifying why a mids dial wasn’t included, and whether that’s purely for creating an arbitrary point of difference to the full-blown StingRay is hard to say. Manipulating the two-band active EQ, I found the higher end had plenty of body to it, while lows had an almost silky rigidity.
Mid tones were a little more frustrating à la the lack of knob; however, with the bass turned to seven o’clock and the treble at four o’clock, I reached a punchy range. Stylistically, the Ray24’s tone worked best for jazz runs, articulating a snappy sound with its treble control, though hard rock had suitable chunk to it also. The tone’s sheer clarity and resonance was continually impressive throughout.
Though Sterling by Music Man is the closest equivalent to the budget ranges of Epiphone and Squier, it feels inaccurate to place them side by side. Sterling have pushed to make their affordable range feel marked by a certain level of quality that transcends typical budget construction.
The Ray24 has a gleaming charm to its three-tone Vintage Sunburst finish (also available in Butterscotch), with all of the aesthetic feel of the StingRay; egg-shaped pickguard, comfortable cutouts, maple fretboard and all.
The steel Sterling bridge does a reasonable job of matching Music Man’s chrome-plated hardened steel, while its maple body is fairly indistinguishable from the StingRay’s ash wood. The headstock sports the StingRay cursive, and manages to not make the Sterling by Music Man logo look like a shade of prestige – a surprisingly persuasive selling point for budget guitars.
Sterling StingRay Basses
Sterling by Music Man StingRay Ray4HH Bass
The dual humbucker version of the StingRay Ray4 bass adds even more versatility with the iconic StingRay timbre, making this bass the perfect gateway into the world of HH sounds. The Ray4HH features a 9V active preamp, a 5-way selector, and two Sterling by Music Man pickups to deliver the StingRay sound.
Sterling by Music Man STINGRAY35 5-STRING BASS
Bringing back a classic design, this StingRay is as great sounding and playable as it’s ever been ever. Featuring old-school design, with modern appointments, and an alnico humbucker for killer bass sound, this instrument is great for anyone looking for a quality bass.
Sterling by Music Man STINGRAY RAY34 4-STRING BASS
Bringing back a classic design, this StingRay is as great sounding and playable as it’s ever been ever. Featuring old-school design, with modern appointments, and an alnico humbucker for killer bass sound, this instrument is great for anyone looking for a quality bass.
Sterling by Music Man STINGRAY SHORT SCALE BASS
The Sterling by Music Man short-scale StingRay bass is a thrilling addition to the StingRay collection, offering the iconic design with a short-scale makeover for the first time. The short-scale bass features a 30″ scale for easier playability, passive boost, and a Sterling by Music Man humbucking pickup with higher output neodymium magnets and a 3-way rotary switch.
Sterling by Music Man StingRay Classic Ray25CA Bass
Modeled after the iconic original StingRay Classic bass, the Ray24CA brings the classic look and feel of one of music history’s most enduring accomplishments.
Sterling By MusicMan 5 String Bass
The Sterling by Music Man StingRay “Ray35HH” is our latest addition to the iconic StingRay 2019 collection. The Ray35HH model features 2 Sterling by Music Man designed pickups, an all-new roasted maple neck, and a 3-band active preamp—delivering the signature “big and bold” StingRay sound with tonal versatility.
Sterling By MusicMan 4 String Bass
Modeled after the iconic original Stingray Classic bass, the Ray24CA brings the classic look and feel of one of music history’s most enduring accomplishments. Featuring a vintage flat ‘slab’ body, a 9v powered 2-band active preamp, and a narrower 38mm nut, the Stingray Classic gives the player total tonal control.
Sterling by Music Man 4 String Bass
The SUB Series StingRay “Ray4HH’ is the latest addition to our popular SUB Series line and the first to offer a dual humbucker configuration. It features 2 Sterling by Music Man designed low noise humbucking pickups with a 5-way switch, a 9v active preamp, and a fully adjustable heavy duty bridge.
Sterling By MusicMan 4 String Bass RAY34
The sterling by music Man Stingray “Ray34” Features an all-new roasted Maple neck, a 3-band active preamp, a modern contoured body and a bridge modeled after the iconic Ernie Ball Music Man Stingray.
Sterling by Music Man STINGRAY SHORT SCALE BASS
The Sterling by Music Man short-scale StingRay bass is a thrilling addition to the StingRay collection, offering the iconic design with a short-scale makeover for the first time. The short-scale bass features a 30″ scale for easier playability, passive boost, and a Sterling by Music Man humbucking pickup with higher output neodymium magnets and a 3-way rotary switch.
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