BASS OFF! Joe Dart Signature Bass vs. Sterling Classic vs. Sterling SUB 

No Government Subsidies on Active Basses!

Can you compare the Joe Dart bass to a Fender Jazz?

Just recently found this channel and you definitely deserve way more subs man. Great video entertaining and informative!

Love the channel, hope more vids are on the way!

I like your channel but can you consider shortening the intro?

i hope this channel gets bigger i love these videos

Nice touch with the Less Than Jake shirt. Roger is a user of Sterling basses for a long time

Great video, really nice comparison

I bought a sub and stuck a Seymour Duncan in , and it sounds as good as any musicman I’ve heard , ,, and for a fraction of the cost and not too worried about damage from gigging etc

Can’t wait for more videos 🥺

I love these basses. Please make more videos.

Great demo. I’ve owned several Musicman Sterlings over the past few years including a 2007 limited edition 4HH, three 4H, and three of the old USA made SUB Sterlings. I’m down to just the 2007 4HH because I realized I prefer the sound of a Jazz Bass. I love the feel of the Sterling, the dimensions of the bass and how it cuts through the mix like no other bass out there. What I decided I didn’t like as much as much was the signature twangy Musicman sound. I mean, I like it, just not all the time. With the flats and the passive pickup, Joe’s signature bass doesn’t have as much of that going on. But I much prefer his sound when he was using the Mexican Jazz Bass. By the way, that $200 Indonesian SUB does the Musicman sound pretty damned well for the money.

Did that SUB have like 20-year-old flatwounds on it? It sounded super muted, with no 'zang'. I've never played one, but the Sterling by Music Man Ray34 (Stingray) and SB14 (Sterling) sound very similar to their US counterparts, maybe slightly more mid scooped and with a little less available wooliness, but not dead like the SUB. It sounded like a passive bass with the tone rolled back. I love Ernie Ball Music Man Sterlings, they're my weapon of choice (I have a 2003 4H fretted and a 2012 4HS fretless currently) and I think the best and most versatile bass in the EBMM lineup for those who can't stand the looks, painted neck, or blend knob of the Bongos. I DESPERATELY want a Dart signature, but unless they build more in the future, it looks like I'll probably just have to build my own passive Sterling out of a regular one. I think a Nordstrand pickup, volume/tone with a push-push for series parallel would be the business. I suppose I can live without the flamed neck, but I'm not going to be happy about it. In short, from what I've heard here, look for a SBMM SB14 rather than the SUB, for another 150 bucks it sounds like a real Music Man and I've played them, they play very well for inexpensive basses. And for another couple hundred on top of that, if you look long enough, you can pick up one of the old USA SUB Sterlings, which are exactly like a standard Sterling with a slab body, solid colors only, and no series/single/parallel and in my opinion the best value in the bass world. I can't understand why EBMM discontinued the US SUB series, I guess I'm in the minority and they couldn't sell that many.

Great review! I like that you played everything fingerstyle. For sure the Dart and the Classic do sound better, but for six times the money better? I don't think so. I think the Sub Ray with a pickup upgrade would still be an incredible value. That said, the Classic was my favorite voice of those three.

They all sounded great. The SUB sounded more vintage to me.

I absolutely agree on your conclusion! I have an Aria Pro II RSB Standard from '83 which was about the cheapest bass back then, got it for less than 200 buck a couple of years ago. I actually wanted a cheap but well-made P-bass variant to put flats on. It's close to a Fender P construction-wise, but the pickup is closer to the bridge, almost in the StingRay position. If you pluck it closer to the neck, it can give you those Motown sounds. But if you pluck it closer to the bridge, it really sounds like Joe Dart! Now I just replaced the pickup. The original one was a very hot ceramic one, very loud but not very clear, and muddy/boomy with the tone down. The new one is an AlNiCo one, slightly hotter than vintage, and now it sounds much more balanced, and both more like a traditional Precision and the Vulfpeck sound, depending on how you play it.

I played a EBMM Sterling for many years (the American made version) and they are great basses. and the one in the video certainly sounds good. But I have to say that I really dug the Joe Dart in sound and looks (and that is coming from a guy who rarely uses flatwounds and generally does not like them). Too bad the folks at Music Man only made a handful of these. I'd love to get my hands on one.

I wish you played the exact same lick on all basses

I can really tell how bright the Joe Dart Bass is compared to the other two. And how the SUB lives up to its namesake being the lowest of them all. Each one seems to have their own space within the bass range. But my favorite has to be the classic. What about you?

What strap are you using? Seems really comfortable

Great stuff bro! I love my sub but is a bit different than yours it has six bolts and does not have the neck relief. It also says made in china but beyond the differences I love mine ( the pickup is a little hot but that can be dialed back)

vintage music man bridge on the Joe dart ? flea bridge for more stability? are you just making up information?

Where can i find the sterling sub? I can't find it anywhere on Google, I only find Stingrays. Does it have a specific name? I want it please help 😂

Nice shirt! Roger from Less Than Jake has played a Music Man forever! I saw he just upgraded to a couple new ones with roasted necks and sparkling pickguards. Oi Oi Oi!

I have Sub Stetling

flat 3:56 eq 4:41 5:38

No bass player ? To much ( ).

The most expensive Joe dart sucks I love the original sub but price wise with a better preamp and hot pick up or ups the sub 4 is great

Just recently found this channel and you definitely deserve way more subs man. Great video entertaining and informative!