Sterling SUB Stingray 5HH "Ray5HH"- $400 King of Five Strings? - LowEndLobster Review: 

Just wanted to say I love your visual representation of the pickup selector's function - this was especially helpful, thank you!

Thanks dude. I ended up getting the Limited Edition version of this bass thanks in part to your review. I can concur that for the price, it's one of the best basses out there today. 👌🏽

Huge fan of your reviews. I enjoy how specific you get with the "compare and contrast" takes on parts of the instruments, you have a pretty unbiased opinion regardless of the brand and the sprinkled bits of humor are appreciated. Keep em coming my dude!

Thanks for the helpful graphic on the pick up selector. That cleared a lot up for me. When I tried one in the store I thought maybe there was some parallel/series stuff going on but now I know.

Great demo sir and detailed correctly which helps and answers all of the questions one may have. thanks Avi

The way the videos are structured makes the reviews super clear, and it is a very well put together channel, but the edits and transitions that you see in moments like at the 1:31 mark just... I love them! I love this channel. It always makes me giggle.

Just snagged one of these in this cool ruby red black burst finish. Thanks for breaking down the switch blade positions and what coils they utilize. I’ve a feeling this bass is going to be one helluva work horse!

A very good review of the SUB Ray5HH and one of the few if not the only review. The dual-pickup setting reminds me of a Music Man Sabre bass. I have a Ray 35 bass and am floored by it. You can't go wrong with Sterling By Music Man basses!

I keep sending my young ward's to this video. I can't help but think if they can just afford to play with their mate's the world will be a better place. So thank you so much 💝

Just what i needed, pickup switch explained. Thx Lobster Hand Man!

I've been searching for this SUB ray5HH review! I think you're the only one who reviewed it. Im planning to buy one for myself. 😁😁😁 Thanks alot!! 🔥🔥🔥

I recently picked one of these up to step into the world of 5 strings after watching this review about 5 or 6 times. Guitar Center had the trans red ones for under $300 and couldn't pass it up. I was thinking of doing my own version of Code Red down the road. Keep up the good work.

Awesome. Musicman have been doing a great job with their overseas models. Great video and keep up the amazing work as always.

this thing is so tempting...damn. nice video glad i just found your channel bc i was browsing FBM and looking up basses

I love to hear that golden Lakland behind you! Wow. Beautiful.

Thanks for sharing this in the SUB thread on TB, glad to have found you on YT! Great review, man that American Ray sounds amazing! The SUB sounds fantastic too, seems versatile. You won me over with the clip of Dr. Steve Brule. Subscribed.

Great channel! The speed of new videos is nice!

Excellent review, you've definitely helped me pick my next bass

Dang man, I remember when you were getting a couple hundred views; now you're over 16k! You're on your way, dude! Keep up the good work!

Just got this for my birthday friend helped me set it up it is great so far I’m lovi g it

I’ve been playing guitar for 15 years and now want to try bass. I’m a noob and Ive been looking at this bass. Your review helped my decision. Thanks for the in-depth review. The red model is on pre order. I may go with that one if not the blue.

I just ordered one. Should get it tomorow. So excited. I played bass in a couple bands but I mainly play guitar. I got it to record songs with and since I have a Line 6 helix for my guitar I can run it through the Bass amp models in it.

Wow! That thing sounds pretty good! I love that color too. It’s kinda hard to believe that it’s only a $400 bass. Yes when the bass was jacked to 100% it did distort the signal but I quite liked the sound it gave but, that’s not something I would use all the time just whenever something called for that kind of tonality. Great video as always my friend

Thanks Mr. Lobster. In the Lake Blue Metallic it is absolutely beautiful.

Very nice and thorough review! I got one of these as a 2nd for under $200. Light blue metallic with 2 dents you have to really look for to spot. I made a pearl pickguard to replace the stock white, and she looks and plays beautiful. However, I don't use it because the monster preamp distorts all my amps. I think a preamp swap is in order. Can't believe they put such a trashy one in these. Seems like they never tested the final product. Anyhow, after this change, it will probably be near the top of my go-to's!

I'm late but thank you for the review. I'm planning on picking the ruby red this week on the Guitar Center black Friday deal.

Awesome clip, lobster. 😎🤘🏻🎸that bass sounded pretty cool. On the subject of pickup configuration, I personally liked the top, middle, and bottom positions the most. Personally I’m not a big fan of the olive green finish. I would like it in a red or blue finish(which they are available). Other than that, great sounding bass.

I just bought this exact bass recently thanks to this review. Everything you said is absolutely spot on. The quality of construction is superb. My only gripe is the preamp. Yes there are worst offering on other basses but it’s a little to be desired. The pickups are great but could use improving but this will handle a gig if needed right out of the box. BTW I guess I’m disgusting because I bought the OLIVE color.

Easily best bass related vid I’ve seen on RU-vid.

I just love how you get a slightly aggressive facial expression when digging in hard. Must be the thoughts of playing an Olive bass and having associations of the taste

Lobster is just so funny and his videos are very useful. Keep up the good work!

Awesome man!! I was just looking for demos of this yesterday! I had a Ray34HH but traded it away, but have been interested in one of these or the Ray35HH. This might be a good bargain!

Neato. Saw a similar bass on Sweetwater. Seriously thinking I might check out bass somewhere down the line. I love the sound and currently mainly play guitar

Yeah I put a Seymour Duncan SMB 5A in my Ray5HH bridge position , it lined up good although I had to widen the pickup cutout...but the upgrade was inconclusive because of a defective pickup I recieved...the coil closest to the bridge would not activate no matter what I did. So I'll return it and start over.

The cherry red ones are finally back in stock and I got one. They sell out quick. I can't wait to pimp it out. The best $400 bass out there

I'm glad to see you reviewed this one. I almost bought one. Then I played the Ernie Ball 35HH. For twice the price. You've got a lot of "giddy up".

Love your review !! But I wish you had play more with the B String. I would like to see the modification on preamp and pickups on this bass. Thank you for another amazing video. Now I’m between this sterling ray5hh and the Ibanez EHB1005

thanks for the pickup switch rundown.

Great review! Another favourite low budet is the Ibanez SR300E.

This is definitely a great beginner 5 string i think. I really like how u compared it to the usa and the P a lot of guys don't have the basses to do that comparison 👍👍👍

I'd definitely consider doing a project code olive mod with this! Unfortunately, the EMG MM5TW have a different shape. I wonder if they would require removing wood to fit. A replacement pickguard would be needed for sure to keep it reversible.

Sounds pretty good. Ive never been able to play 5 strings well. But the low string sounds so cool.

I love mine!!! thanks for the pick up configuration. I picked up the ice blue! FANTASTIC!!!!! So sweet. $400!!!! just right. Your mention of squire and ibanez was good too. I feel like you get judged harshly if you dont have an expensive bass. thanks again!

Excellent review, thanks.

Regarding the tone control: I once was testing a Squier Thinline Tele at Guitar Center and told 2 salespeople the tone control didn't seem to do much & they both said that's just how they are. Then I gave it to the guitar tech, who opened it up & found it was shorting out against the volume knob. He rotated it into proper position, and then it worked great.

Thanks for this video! I'm going to buy this bass in the near future and your explanation really helped my choice. As you mentioned the electronics (preamp etc etc) might be modified. In your opinion, what are the best modifications?

Great review!!! Thanks

Seems nice. I really like the pickup options, just haven't tried a budget MM that I've liked, haven't tried a....not budget???....MM at all, so I don't know if I just don't like them. They look great and a lot of people really like them, so... I really want to find a good one an see for myself I guess. I think they must be a "play them all till you find one that has mojo" type of bass. Anyway, another awesome video with things to think about. Thank you for sharing Mr. Ster

Great review. I thought the P Bass sounded better finger style, but the Sterling had better slap tones using the top pickup. The MM configuration was a closer comparison, but the USA Stingray was definitely better.

That's my BABY! I am so satisfied with this bass. Mine had a stubborn trus rod but other than that she's fine

great video, i love your wacky sense of humor !!

Oh my god I love this channel !!!!

Just wondering if you’ll do a Earnie Ball Musicman 5 string. I love your videos and man you can wail that bass!

Just picked up the single pickup version, I like it actually. I thought the preamp sucked but I’m into it now. My first five string and I’m loving it

I actually went and played one yesterday.....I really liked it. I played a few different sterlings, I liked the double pups the best, tone wise.

I love the olive color, because it doesnt care about the haters. Im gunna just go through all your vids and pinch that like button, no questions asked

Just preordered one this will be my first bass

Great review! I may be crazy but I felt the SUB set flat on the bridge pickup was the best sounding and looking bass of the bunch. Makes me want a second Ray5H though!

I have one and dropped a dark glass tone capsule in it. Sounds amazing for less than 500 total

Hey @LowEndLobster! Great videos and reviews, I found your channel just a couple of days ago and I’m already a fan of your videos! Really informative and fun to watch… I have just one suggestion, could you add to your playing tests a pick style section??? Also I would be really appreciated if you could make a video of a 5 string version Sterling modification, I’m considering to buy one, but I would love to check what kind of pickups can be dropped into the 5 string version…. Seems that you would have to modify the pickup hole or maybe to choose an specific brand of pickups to avoid the body mod…. 🤔 Anyway, great job man! I hope you can enlighten me with that video…. Greetings from Chile 🇨🇱!

I have this Bass. I love it. It is what I call the Goldilocks of all my three basses. Actually four basses. I have a 4-string acoustic Bass from Best Choice Products with 21-frets. And it does have a preamp with volume, Bass, Mid, Treble and Press sliders. It does require a battery to use but it is not exactly the same as a normal electric bass. And you don't have to use the electronics to play the thing. But out of the standard electric basses, I have a Passive 4-String 20-Fret Silvertone PBass that needs no battery what soever, An Active 6-String 24-Fret Ibanez SR306EB with a volume knob, a pickup pan knob, Bass Mid and Treble Controls and as well as a three way coil selector switch. It of course also requires a battery to run. And So this 5-String 22-Fret Bass is why I call it the Goldilocks of the Basses in my collection.

Great vid. Clarified clearly what it can and can’t do. Not much more than the basses I already have. So, my next bass is the Ibanez SRMS 805 🤘

2:46 "doo doo doo doo doo Take u back" 🎶 Rocky 1 popped into my mind.🤣😂

The bridge pickup sounds great with less highs compared to the MM. Very nice review.

The growl it makes, makes it a great bass! I miss the Squier Affinity Jazz Bass V sound.

I think the preamp was meant for the single Humbucker models. The way the preamp shapes the sound definitely lends itself to the timbre of the classic Stingray configuration.

Great review! I must agree with everything you said. The string spacing is tight! But probably the best bang for your buck! How would this compare to the Harley Benton's Enhanced 5 string humbucker with either p or j configuration?

I just tried out the 4 string verison of 2 H sterling for $ 379. Other than action being too high, I found it to be very useful in all types of music . And I have some Iconic basses , 4 out of 5 is what I would rate it , for the price of a double humbuckers , 5 pos. switch . If on a budget great bass can't go wrong

Great review

Thanks Low end Lobster for a great review. Your P and SR comparisons were a genius idea. Would be good to hear it against a Jazz bass as well. Any plans to mod a ray5 HH? What preamp do you think would be good in this?

I have been playing one of these basses for the several weeks and your review was accurate. I find myself using the three humbucker modes the most and of those three modes I usually solo the bridge pickup. Thankfully I went with the powder blue color. I love olives but don't like that color for my basses.

Great Value for money. Bravo 👏 Best from 🇮🇹

They are amazing value

Actually I freakishly really like the olive color combo with the maple board. And I was not surprised it got four claws for the price! Great review as usual sir. 👌

Nice review but I like black olives lol . My friend bought the High end sting ray 5 for over 2k and the subb for 400 buck it's nice to have on similar body and close sounds

I sort of got talked into trading a guitar amp for one of these today. I already had two low end Ibanez basses that are absolutely fantastic, and I would bet money that this Sterling bass was made in the same factory in Indonesia; considering it has an Ibanez 2 band preamp, according to the guitar center website. It feels new, but I can tell that once I fine tune the setup, and break it in, that it’s going to be fantastic. The tuners and bridge aren’t that great but once it’s in tune it does stay there. It’s very substantial so it would be hard on the back for a long gig. My only gripe is the string saddle on the g string pops a bit when I dig in, but I’m sure I’ll find a remedy online, or can just upgrade the bridge. I’ve played a lot of more expensive basses that don’t feel as good as this one so when you’re shopping for a bass, make sure you try everything in your price range. So many times I’ve purchased a cheaper bass because it had the best neck. You can always upgrade hardware over time, but just because it’s expensive, or a higher end model, doesn’t make it better.

I LOVE that colour and the pickup arrangement but I tried the SUB against the Ray 34 and I preferred the Ray 34 for feel and finishing and the bridge was better too. Shame I don't like the colours of the Ray34 HH as much as this Green... 😅

Thank you for the rundown!!! What is the specific preamp that you would recommend to prevent the “topping out”? Do you know what is in the high end model? Thank you again for the thorough rundown.

I would love to see a budget upgrade on one of these!

Great reviewing as usual. I find the neck pickup annoying! you want a Stingray or not? There are plenty of good two pickup basses in this price range. I've always had a Stingray around because you want that Stingray mojo sometimes. However, I always have a P and a J bass around too. Plus whatever bass I'm into at the moment. Thanks

Ah...one of the best reviews I've seen. Really like your visuals on the pickup configurations. I'll try to keep this as short as possible. I still have some deficit in my left hand due to a stroke. I've been playing a Sterling 4 string because the reach between strings (up and down) isn't as easy anymore on my 5 string Fender jazz. The tighter string spacing and narrow neck you mention with this bass may be just what I'm after. How would you compare the spacing and necks between the two? Thanks in advance for any replies I can get. Great review...

that's a fine stable...great review.

I am really diggin this bassI I like the heft of its sound and the limited treble span that didn't peel the enamel off your teeth! A guitar could never look like this with all of its curves!, The balanced look of the Double humbuckers , Georgeous Maple fingerboard with The elegantly spartani dot inlays, The beautiful Chrome like control plate and knows ( Not black!), Just a really fly bass!! And I think it beat out the other 2 basses! And the colours! Those rich vibrant "take a chance, will ya?!" colours!! This sound! The price!! The...... I think I like it!🤣

Great review as always! If you had to name a best budget 5 string (>700), what bass would you choose?

I would appreciate it if you would play the low C and D notes as this is a 5 string and we have a good idea already what the 4 string basses sound like. Thanks!

I have the sterling stingray with the two pickups. I needed a reminder what the 5 position switch did. I has a lot of different tones. You can sort of get EB-0 sounds with the rhythm pickup. The straight Sting Ray cannot.

Wanna year something crazy! So I bought this model on reverb and the seller is from Illinois. Anyways he posted this vid in the description. After purchasing the bass the seller notified me that the bass he sold me was the exact one that you utilized in THIS VIDEO. Is that true? Did I buy a bass that was utilized by yourself on this channel!? If so that is crazy! Idk if it helps but the seller was named as “sell till it hurts” on Reverb

Sounds great! The paintjob is awesome. I love that green!

To me 16,5 on the bridge is just right as I don’t like to run a marathon playing octaves. On the nut side it’s also fine, you will always find a proper string. I owned an American Sterling 5 and it seems pretty close in measurements, with perfect playability. It had some neck dive though, which should be not a problem for a stingray which is this model copying.

I have a SUB Ray4, and I have a similar problem with the preamp. I find that it is best to leave the bass and treble at center detente. But if I need to tone shape (which is rare), I only cut treble. Never adding any treble or bass. It always gets either too muddy or too bright

Me at 9:00 - I'm really liking that bridge pickup; it sounds pretty much like a proper Stingray Me at 9:03 - Oh...

You need to have an appletini to get over your “oliv-phobia” but I love your channel anyway! 😀. The magic words that make me consider this are “5-string”, “double HBs”, “5-way switch”, “basswood body” and “$400”.

I have American Stingray 5's and a Sterling Sub 5 (the single pickup version of this bass). I bought the Sterling Sub 5 to use as a beater bass when I play at beach bars, dives or jams where I don't want my expensive Stingrays to get damaged. I have never gotten any distortion from having it with the bass knob on full, or my USA SR either. On mine I have found the preamp and pickup to be excellent and it has fairly decent Stingray tone very good but not up to my USA SR. The body on this bass is considerably thinner and this bass weighs about 1 1/2 lbs lighter-a noticeable difference. Could be the thinness and using basswood which is lighter than the USA wood. The tuners on mine work well. The fret work is excellent, the paint outstanding and the neck great but it has a glossy finish and I much prefer the unfinished necks on real American Stingrays. I would recommend people just buy one of these basses and play it as is instead of doing science experiments trying to improve it and dumping lots of cash into something that may make it sound worse and decreases the value. I would suggest if you think you need something better, look into Ernie Ball's line of Sterling basses which are imports but are far more similar to the USA Stingrays. I enjoyed your review but where I come from we call them "Lobstahs".

A very good Review , thanks . A beauty, and it Sounds not Bad ?

Looking for a good review of this bass very good Thank you

There's 2 EASY ways to fix the distortion/preamp headroom issue (which is basically that the pickups output is too hot for what the 9V powered pream can handle). One is to put a 2nd 9V battery in series (this kind of circuitry is usually designed to be fed a wide voltage range, the voltage choice depends on how hot your pickups of choice are). The other option is to put a preset resistor inside, in the input of the preamp (after pickup selection) and lower it until the sound doesn't distort with EQ controls maxed. This will lower the overall output of the bass to a safer point (a point where it won't distort when pushing the EQ).

Great video. Could you please compare the stingray HH from this video to the lower end $300 stingray.

The bridge pickup sounds great! I'm going to buy a mint 5 string single HB soon. I need it like a hole in the head (BUT I LIKE IT!)

I use a USA Pro Jazz Bass as my main Bass. But, with flatwounds, and it being a 4 string, the Modern Hard Rock band I am auditioning for wants me to get a 5 string. I am thinking about this bass series until I can get an Earnie Ball.

Been a while Lobster. I need a review on that new Sterling Sterling Sb14. I call it the budget Joe Dart bass lol