Is the CHEAPEST Stingray the BEST? | Sterling Sub Series Ray 4 [Review/Demo] 

*Bass weighs 9.0lbs 🤪

your videos/reviews are such high quality, keep up the good work and thanks!

I collected my new Ray 4 yesterday. I haven’t even plugged it in yet, but so far I am really satisfied with the build quality. It was almost in tune when I unpacked it! I bought this as a mod project and was pleasantly surprised by the neck finish. I don’t think I’ll have to do my usual Danish Oil (like Tru Oil) mod on the back of the neck. The body finish is beautiful. I really love matte finishes. I can’t find any info on it, but it feels a bit like nitro or my favourite: Shellac. Not as smooth though. Maybe some 8000 paper will fix that. I have a Seymour Duncan pick up/pre amp combo and Hipshot bridge and tuners in my project box, waiting to be installed. I bought an original Stingray in the late seventies and must have done around a hundred gigs with it, before switching to a Larrivée 5 string. I always regretted selling the Stingray though, so this project is a compensation for time lost. I feel very excited about this and want to thank you for inspiring me to pull the trigger on this one. ✌✌

What a beautiful bass! Looks and sounds great. This specific bass with the colour looks just like one of Cliff Williams' basses!

I have a Ray4 that plays every bit as well as my Ball Family Reserve Sting Ray. I upgraded with Aguilar pickup and preamp, sounds great.

I just got mine today. The only thing missing is the mids. Problem solved by slightly boosting mids on my amp. The neck feels great and plays fast. I’m happy with my choice.

Let's goo! I've been waiting for this!!

My old lady got me a Sterling in black from guitar center (lame) when they was doing their blackfriday sales a few years ago. I love it its my main bass and gets more attention then my other basses which some are 2 to 3 times the price. If someone who hasn't played bass but wants one I point them to this. Great review man!

My number one bass is a 97 full fat US Stingray. Was always my dream bass after I saw Bernard Edwards and Flea play one. It’s been with me since 97, I run flats on it and the neck is the greatest neck ever. Eventually I was able to get a Stingray 5, but in my heart I really would love a pre EB Stingray 2 band. I think less is more with these basses as the eq’s are quite powerful. Awesome basses though. Brilliant video moosh 👍

I picked up one of these just over 10 years ago as a backup to a spector, great little bass but totally agree the pick up and pre amp would benefit from overhauling. Picked up a musicman a few years later, just because the playability of the sub left such an impact on me. When i get the spare cash i will put some new electronics in it lol thought my volume knob had took a ding in manufacturing but i guess thats just how they are. Nice review

having played a bunch of these, they probably have my favourite neck of any affordable bass

I have this exact model and color. It is my number one. I have modded the hell out of it but the bones are there and I like the feel of this neck over a standard US model. These are great basses for the price.

Can’t wait watching the review of the new Squire Paranormal Bass, please sherwood green one 😊 First time so hyped about Squire bass, don’t have any chance to try it because not exist in local dealers. Waiting your honest opinions!

Great review and spot on with regards the pickup and preamp. I swapped mine out for S/H Nordstrand units and the bass now sounds amazing - real 70s classic Stingray. Whole lot was under £400 (bass was also used). These are brilliant mod platforms...

I have a Sterling Ray 4 (black/maple), modded with full-sized brass barrel saddles (instead of stock cast) from a proper Ray24 high-mass bridge and an Aguilar 4M pickup. Stock electronics otherwise. I find the basswood body to be the most resonant of any bass that I own (like a dozen). Strongly prefer it as an instrument over my prior MM Stingray. Great bones for mod platform indeed.

I have 3 of these in different configurations and they are amazing...

I have the SUB ray4 HH. It is a badass bass for sure. I really love it. It's super hot which I like the sound of quite a bit.

I just picked up my vinatge cream body/jatoba neck subray4 . Most comfortable and fast neck Ive ever played. Sounds really good with stock pickups and I have endless tones with the Zoom box. I still can't decide whether to upgrade the pickup...

I love my Ray34 Natural Ash. The roasted maple neck and fretboard feel sooooooo good. I’m probably going to get a Ray4HH as back up.

I picked up a Ray24 and put in an Aguilar pickup and preamp. One of my favorite basses, monster sound, and the neck is more like a Jazz bass neck

I’m a drummer and my uncle surprised me with one of these. Now I’m gonna add bass to my bag and I must say that this definitely feels good in my hands and also isn’t too heavy whatsoever… and that’s coming from a guy normally playing with drumsticks lol

I have a 1994 American Sterling and I have one of these as a backup, I was amazed at the quality and sound of that bass. Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t measure up to the American Sterling, but for the price it is pretty amazing. The bridge is pretty cheap, but the pickup and electronics are pretty good. If anything, it is a great bass as an upgrade platform. Good job Jonny!

I used to have a blue stained older ones and I find that the stained feel a lot better than the painted ones.

I loved the 'Bongo toilet seat' in particular 😄👍

I love mine. I find it very versatile. It is a little "slappy" in my opinion but I like that boingy rock sound. With todays modeling you can make it sound like anything you want. I love the playability and just how it feels in general. Plus it's pretty. Great budget Bass.

Nice video!! Do you know if the pickup on that Sterlin is the ceramic one, I mean the same as the 1992 Sting ray? I need a pickup for my 92 Sting ray.

interested in this because it has a smaller neck profile than the other stingrays of sterling. more of a jazz neck. glad it sounds great

I am left-handed and I always wanted to have a left-handed bass of the brand Musicman or similar. In my country, Chile, it is almost impossible to find good left-handed instruments in stores. Great was my surprise when I found the sub ray 4, in left-handed version, black color and maple neck. I bought it and my disappointment was very big, because these basses (at least the old ones, with the logo with the word SUB very big) have a factory problem, which makes them sound distorted, since the electronics and the pickup leave much to be desired. However, the bass is very comfortable to play and is very well built (mine is Chinese). I decided to change the preamp and the pickup, for a Seymour Duncan combo (pickup + preamp) and the result is incredible. Now the bass sounds with a lot of definition and power, almost like an original uMsicman. It's true, these basses are an excellent platform to modify. however, as the body is made of basswood, you can't expect a lot of sustain, but nevertheless, when modified, these basses sound great, being perfectly usable both in studio and live. Cheers!

. Less is definitely more. With many modern basses looking like the cockpit of a fighter jet, I can appreciate this Sterling's control layout.

A first mod that is free (if you can solder) is to rewire the pickup from series to parallel, like the real StingRays. Not the be all end all mod, but a worthy mod for free. I did that with mine and it sounded moderately better. I then swapped in a Seymour-Duncan SMB-4A AlNiCo pickup and that helped a ton! I'm still running the stock preamp and have another preamp (3 band) to go in. I just haven't gotten around to putting it in yet.

I have one in the transparent black finish that I picked up about a year ago for $250 US. Solid platform. I ended up swapping in an EMG HZ passive setup. Not my main player but I love it.

Looking and sounding good. Will have to look out for one of these in the future.

Had the old SUB series and found the pickup harsh so I dropped a Duncan SMB alnico in it and left the stock preamp. Worked for me.

What puckup would you put in it??

It sounds like the bass has to be cut for the treble to start cutting through. I have the Ray 25 version, and dropped in a John East preamp ( low end lobster has a video on it). But with all the extra preamp enhancements, I still can't get a useable tone on mine in a band setting. Sounds great by itself. I'm so use to my Jazz basses, can't get in the ballpark. But I love that Big humbucker in bridge position. Great demo tho !

Thanks for the video, pretty sweet bass! I have a question though, I know the Ray 4 has an active preamp but passive pickups (or so I've read), but is it possible with this one to play without batteries aswell? And if so, does the sound have the quality of a passive bass (apart from the pact that the preamp isn't used in that case)?

Do these stingray basses comes with 50-105 strings from the factory ? Felt heavy while playing . Please let me know @JonnyDibble

I should also mention that it’s not stock it’s upgraded with Seymour Duncan mm pup and a Darkglass pre amp

The EBMM Stingray Specials (post 2018 Stingrays) are also very light weight. My 2015 Stingray was around 10 pounds; my 2019 Stingray Special is about 8.3 pounds. But they’re 8 or 9 times the cost of a Sterling by MM Ray4.

Alas, it is also the ONLY Sterling Sub option available to us lefties. I would happily have paid more for a Ray 34, but nope.

I bought one 5 years ago , build quality is great , put a Seymour Duncan in it and wow what a sound and I picked it up for only 200euros nearly new , good bargain

I have a Walnut SUB4, got it untested when I broke the neck on my p bass 😢 the morning before a festival. Fell in love with it from the start (after the initial scare in the first song with the much smaller neck size 😂). Its my main bass now for playing festivals as it's so much fun to play, sounds great and I'm usually tent camping. Tip: I always have the volume turned down a 1/4 turn and either use a TCE Spark (great sound for the price) or Mesa Subway DI for the preamp. The most recent festival I got comments from sound guys and other musos for best real bass sound of the festival. Was playing through an Ampeg SVT Pro and 8x10.

It's really best budget bass. Nothing compares to MM's QC. I had TBS one, at one point actually fully upgraded it with Ray34 bridge, 79 Stingray preamp and Aguilar AG4M, it was a beast. But eventually sold it cause of thin neck after I got Ray34. I love chunky necks. Right now rocking MIJ '97 Stingray. Only issue I have with stock Ray4 is those electronics. The issue is when volume is maxed and eq is flat or boosted everything below lowest G distorts, dunno is they fixed it lately. Easily fixable with new preamp or new pickup. Recommendations from me would be, if you plan to do drilling get a lacquered body. Basswood and matte finish are pretty soft and prone to splitting. And check screws on control plate area, wood is prone to splitting there too. Also if you plan to upgrade pickup if you want more real vintage Stingray sound get Seymour Duncan SMB-4A, AG4M is much darker.

This was a MASSIVE help! I've been staring at all kinds of "affordable" Stingrays for the last several days as I would very much like to purchase one. I don't need anything spectacular or expensive but I also want something that feels and sounds decent.....this is a perfect combo of good/cheap for me!

What are your set up specs?

Mine weights in at 9.6 pounds, I prefer lighter, old man back. Still is is lighter than all the rest I have except the Enhanced 25th Harley Benton which come in right below 9 pounds. which is super good. I just wonder if the Enhanced 25th is better than the Ray 4 you just demoed.

het jonny! Could you maybe do a review of the Squier CV 50's P Bass? because you have already done the fender and harley benton ones. that way you can complete the trio! and iam too considering to purchase one myself but iam not sure and idd like you amazing bass-y opinion on one of those! PS: The sunburst one is superior! ;)

I had the 5 strings version of that bass, I loved it so much but I felt like the bass frequency was a little bit too weak/unclear and that makes a huge difference in the environment that I play

Wanna order the sunburst one and change the pick guard to white so it will kinda have the classic John Deacon look.

Sterling Sub Ray4 VS Yamaha TRBX 304. Who will win overall?

You have to upgrade the pickup and preamp. I put in a custom wound Alnico 5 pickup with a Bartolini 2 band

I actually like the Matte black I’d totally take a full Matte. Black I had the Matte HH stingray a while ago tho

This bass just goes to prove that budget instruments don’t have to be for beginners. Like my Jackson JS1M that I got for $180 NEW at Guitar Center. Cheap paint and cheap electronics, but I love it!

You ought to try the 5. I managed to get one for 399 UK£ earlier on this year. Impressive. I might drop in a John East pre-amp and swap out the pup for an Aguilar.... but even in its stock form, its pretty impressive.

I have exactly same bass and: 1 Agree about satin neck is very confortable to play 2 Pickup lacks high frequencies because it wired in series and you can not rewire in Parallel (witch gives more sizzle and highs like classic Stigrays) 3 Mine stock actually weighted about 8 pounds - extreamly light 4 Big downside is very soft wood. Already I made a mark on it. 5 I modefied it with repainting, puting new pickups, electronics, tuned tu B E A D. I like the only front single coil sound more than classic stingray. 6 Overall after modifications it became my favourite bass. ✅ looks ✅ sound ✅ weight ✅ comfortablity

Hey, I was wondering if you had any opinions on how this bass sounds in a mix with other instruments? Does it cut through well or get drowned out? Any thoughts would be appreciated, thanks!!

I have one, easy to play but unfortunately bad qc. Fret sprouts at several places along the neck. After a fret repress and the neck was fixed the electronics said farewell. Ended up replacing it with new EMG electronics and pu. If I would recommend it, not really. But that's just me, maybe with some bad luck.

I've got this exact same lil bass, same color and all in store new for $150. I found that messing with ALL of them on the wall that they ALL sounded a little bit different. Getting it home and funkin the living crap out of it, the eq or pickup is a little uneven. When I get the low end right where I want it, that g string is way too spicy hot. But it actually stayed in tune and I think i prefer the 2 band eq to the 3 band on my ray34. All said and done, for what it costs I can't complain at all.

So the question I have, Is the Ray 34 worth the added cost to get that more authentic Stingray experience? Or is is just as good under the notion that pick up and pre-amp need to be upgraded. And follow up question: by the time you upgrade the Sub have you spent the same as a Ray 34?

Can’t beat a Ray4 with swapped in EMG pre/pups. Black and maple version of this has been my #1 for a long while now 🤘 insane value

Hey, I got that bass! Electronics suck in it, but they're useable. Wiring the pickup in parallel makes it way better. New pickup and electronics en route

I have the ray 4 and 5 only criticism about the 5 is the bridge is alot worse than the bridge on the 4. Besides that best money ive spent on instruments i have a spector euro 5 xl as well and i play my stingers just as much if not more.

To my ear, this sounds like a stingray. I don't particularly like that sound, solo, though I do appreciate how that fits in and cuts through, in the mix. Perhaps I should try one out again, when I'm in the local music shop.

It would be nice if you could get a good drop in bridge upgrade on these shores....to me it looks a bit cheapo

Hi can I ask what tone configuration did you like the most?

Can you do a review on the Harley Benton 25th Anniversary Jazz Bass?

0:20 best unplugged bass playing ever!❤

How does one go about getting sent a bass to review?

I feel like the maple neck/fingerboard versions are good. I have one with the not rosewood fingerboard and the finish on it is terrible with rough edges and visually looks like shit and makes the neck and playing experience feel cheap. I swapped the pickup and preamp. Sounds alright. Tuners and bridge feel cheap too. But for the price you get a good platform to mod. I would prefer to have the maple fingerboard version though.

Leaving a comment for the algorithm

Should i get ibanez sr 200 or these stingray?

Had a Sub Series myself. Great bass to play but a bitch to maintain. The neck lives like a rocking chair. I don't know what the roasting of the maple neck physically does to it, or the scientific difference between maple/rosewood fretboards of the Sterling Ray34 vs Jatobas in the Sub Series, but the necks of Sub Series really REALLY live.

I have one in the ruby red satin color, first bass i bought, picked up it about a year ago, and i love it.. its so smooth to play.

I'm waiting for them to make a Sterling Sterling.... that won't be confusing at all.

I really like this bass, but I didn’t add it to my collection because it’s too damn heavy. I played it for 10 minutes and it wrecked my back. Dig the tones, but the weight is a no for me.

Why that truss rod adjustment wheel isn’t the standard in every bass? 😩

The price range has always put me off Stingrays, but the value for money of this makes my cheapskate heart very happy!

Hello Mate! Long time no see....

I love how the Sub plays but the Preamp is so ridiculously over the top. I heard it's wired the wrong way around too relative to the volume knob. It's a shame because otherwise this would be a perfect affordable Stingray

I agree on the value the bass provides as a modding platform however the metal components and electronics are very cheap. I’ve played quite a few in local music stores and bought a few as well. The necks needed a little sanding on a few and fret ends on most were pretty bad. Not a deal breaker if you know how to file down. I ended up selling all except one which is a short scale and saving up for Ernie Ball Specials. But for the cost it doesn’t sound bad. Just know it’s gonna take some work.

The original pre Ernie Ball Stingray has a two band eq. Not three

i was like "yeah, its great but not in love" o boy when you plug in the distorsion i fall in love looking for one of those rn

I like my volume to go up and down as I turn it too.

I’m personally not a fan of Musicman Stingrays, tbh I don’t think I like active basses at all. I think nothing beats a Fender Precision Bass. I’m a traditionalist at heart

no, in my opinion a cheap best Sterling By Music Man is the Ray24CA (Jonny talks about it in this video) because its 2 eq preamp is different and better than Ray4 eq and it sounds better… and I prefer to Ray34 because of its narrowed nut, the 2 eq preamp that sounds more “original stingray” than a 3 eq and the ceramic pickups that have more lowend and less highend (too high for me on alnico 5 pickups)

$749 for a Ray34 in firemist silver from Sterling is the way I decided to go. It's a B-stock with a small paint smear on the bottom edge. The weight and balance is great with the nyatoh body and roasted maple neck and fretboard. This combo of woods seems to give it a distinct resonance that works well with the alnico pickup. The 3 band preamp is far superior to the 2 band units. Being able to drop out or boost the mids separately is everything.

The best Stringray I ever played was the passive American SUB in the early naughties. I regret not buying it. Stupid rent and bills.

Sound is subjective. But appreciate the thoughts

Is it actually a SUB anymore because it doesn't say it on the headstock

hi every1 im looking to move on to something better than my yamaha tbr170 i love playing rock

I got one of these put pbass pups in the neck and gave it to my niece

Nice looking bass apart from the back, as you say it sounds kind of stringray-ee but not quite there🎸 Good modder...👍 Have you stolen Lobsters beard, and glued it to the back of your head😅🤣😂

The weight in fact, did not appear on screen.

I think the hh is a great bass too. If i had to pick one it'd be the #sterlingray4hh

Who are you and what have you done with Jonny?

never fancied a MM of any kind - don't like active pickups, or bridge pick ups - nah

Low End Lobster upgraded a bunch of Ray 4s with different pickups and preamps; EMG, Seymour Duncan, etc. Well worth watching.

5:49

I have this bass too and can't get it to intonate! Ive played for 20 years and know how to intonate a bass or a guitar so its not that i don't know what the problem is

I’m going to disagree. The cheapest Stingray is NOT the best. Why? Simple. That missing middle eq knob and tonal flexibility with that. I have FIVE Stingrays. Four are Sterling Ray 35s and one is an EBMM Stingray 5 HH. The MOST used tonal adjustment on those basses that I use at gigs, is that midrange eq tone knob that is missing on this bass you feature. Save a bit more for the Sterling Ray 34 and you’ll get a far more tonally-flexible single pickup 4 string bass than the Sub model you’re featuring.