I like the Toluca Blue myself.
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It’s a nice looking bass!
To nitpick, one thing I noticed for the Ray24 vs the 34 is with the 34 you get a 3-band EQ. If it were my bass, with the Stingray I would want this as it is a bass I would want to scoop the mids on, probably often. The 34 is also Swamp Ash instead of Mahogany and has a better pickup. But it’s also more expensive.
There’s a lot of different models of the Sterlings; would be good to get someone like @itsratso or @T_dub to comment on the sweet spots. But it looks like a nice bass to me.
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Yeah, I was looking at the 3 band model but I wondered if my mediocre playing deserves such an expensive bass. 
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@JerryP I just bought this bass in butterscotch last month, and I’m very happy with it so far. I bought it mainly to get more into slap, and to have a more versatile tonal option than my Fender MIM P Bass with flats.
I’m not sophisticated enough to miss the mid EQ controls, bass and treb boost/cut are sufficient for me. Definitely has that Stingray tone. I played the $800 Sterling Stingrays at the store and I liked this one better. Plus it shines like a brand new penny.
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https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TRBX605FMNS--yamaha-trbx605fm-natural-satin
I have one of these on backorder. All the good things everyone here says about Yamaha basses pushed me this way when I started looking for a 5 string.
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This is a really good point, and I think that my comments above don’t really do justice to the subtleties of getting an instrument.
If you get a Squier vs a US made bass, you’re still buying inferior parts. Even if I think the cheap one has a better feel or plays better - it’s still cheaper ingredients and cheaper/less quality woods and parts.
That’s how the manufacturers source the materials for the different lines (or, this was what I was told working in shops. I’ve never fully researched this in detail).
If you buy a quality bass from a quality maker, you’re buying a guarantee of value no matter how the bass plays, and that certainly counts for something.
As far as how you can actually get time on a bass and play it… that is such a legitimate concern.
The return policies are great if you’re willing to be patient and deal with the hassle of returning things.
Another option for used gear that’s not in your immediate area - find a friend or bass playing buddy to go and try it for you. I’ve been sent on a few bass-trial missions for folks, and it’s fun to go and try out a used bass and give feedback to a potential buyer.
But you’re absolutely right, @joergkutter - it’s a pain, and the problem of finding THE ONE bass is the same as finding THE ONE life partner.
Do you try them all, in all the parts of the world?
Do you have to settle for whatever comes your way?
It’s the combination of fate, magic, searching, effort, and finding value in what you have, I suppose.
Ha.
This one may have gotten away from me at the end… but I’ll stand by that rather overblown analogy.
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You won’t be disappointed, I love my 604 
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The 605 definitely checked all the boxes I was looking to check. My other basses are all very vintage sounding so I was looking for something with a more modern sound. I also wanted active but with a passive option.
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Haha, maybe a tad overblown, but also very deep 
I guess I was hoping to hear that it was slightly easier to find the ONE bass than to find the ONE partner…
Might it actually be harder to find the ONE bass??? I guess it is really a lot about opportunities, and unless you live in Tokyo or LA, choices might not be so many. Around here, it seems, there are now either stores that sell guitars, and they might have a handful of basses standing around. Or, there are (few) stores that cater only to bass, but carry mostly high-end models (or rare vintage basses they took in commission). Everything else is online…
On the other hand, the search for the ONE bass might just be as exciting, exhilarating, “educational”, humiliating, devastating and just overall filled with emotion as the search for the ONE partner!?!?
Thanks for your insights and thoughts, @Gio!
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Unless one is bass poly.
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I saw a bass that I though was ugly, mabey a month later I saw it and thought it looked swet. what you all think?
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Ask me again in a month 
But seriously: it definitely stands out! I like the shape, just not the color…
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I’ve had a Peavey T-40 since high school…Owned a rick once…but had to let it go 
Im in the market for something new…looking at an Ibanez SR400EQM-DEB SR or…a Yamaha TRBX604FMDRB any advice?
(Ill eventually get another rick…but need to satisfy this itch ASAP)
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For what it is worth, I have a Yamaha TRBX304. It is great, nice to play, satin finish neck. Great fit and finish. But I don’t have any reference point for other bases. The 604 I would assume is like the 304 but better 
. Let us know what you go for!
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I have a TRBX604 and it’s my favorite bass I have owned (out of it, a 304, and two Warwicks). Fantastic bass and looks amazing in my opinion
It’s really light, has great tone, the neck is amazing, and the pickups sound great. Electronics are good and active/passive is a nice option.
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I put this on another thread but here is the bass I am seriously considering real soon
https://www.ibanez.com/usa/products/detail/srsc806_1p_02.html
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that is a chonky boi lol. Its even a neck-thru bass. looks dope
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I’ve been eyeing that beauty as well… Maybe some day, when I can actually play 
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