It took me a while to learn about the models of this company and the imports. Hopefully, this will help give reference to the beginners that just getting into the gears.
It’s very difficult for a beginner to identify the MusicMan bass by name. It seems like a requirement for Ernie’s son, Sterling to get the name intertwined with everything they do at some point.
There’s a USA Ernie Ball Music Man (EBMM) Stingray
EBMM Sabre or 2 pickup Stingray later known as Stingray HH
There’s a Stingray Cutlass which is a carbon fiber neck then later they use the same name for a P bass style EBMM along side a Caprice the PJ style.
Then there’s a Bongo bass design by BMW
And lastly the EBMM Sterling. It’s a slimmer body 1.5” at nutwidth full rock’n’roll aggressive tone.
Along the way they also offer USA made SUB series utilizing slab body and rugged textured paint, offered in both Stingray and Sterling style but as rare as the Stingray the Sterling USA SUB is near impossible to find nowadays.
Then there’s the Imports. Sterling by MusicMan
Even more confusing model name.
There’s a S.U.B. Series
SUB Ray4, Ray5
Ray34CA Classic Active, slab body 2 band EQ
Ray34 Same spec as EBMM stingray
SB4 Sterling style body no control plate
SB14 EBMM Sterling Copy with 3 position switch Series/ Single coil (phantom coil)/ parallel.
I’ll try to line them up in the same order these are not all of the models EBMM and Sterling has but are the one that I own(ed) enjoy!
I’ve got an SBMM short scale. It has a great neck, the body feels comfortable and the electronics are solid. Plus, it sounds like a StingRay. All good.
?? tell me more about this, is it custom? also i have been meaning to ask you, on the EB forum you always hear people that rave about the HS piezo pickups, i have heard people say it is the best sounding bass EB ever made. of course other people don’t like it at all, what do you think? they still pop up on reverb.
Piezo usually makes everything sounds like acoustic/ electric, on my Bongo I can dial it to sound deep enough so it won’t sound as harsh. That said on live performances the harsh saddle transducer help sell the vibe, lol.
I like HS because the neck pickup doesn’t sound as thick and warm like the Humbucker, it’s very tight and clean, when combined with the MM position it sounds very good.
It’s made by Lignum. I have 2 of their custom made and 2 more are on the way. The 2 Fretless neck was from the first order but they didn’t get to it so when I ordered the second bass they told me that they’d make the 2 necks for free.
It’s really fun to play Fretless in the short scale as the tone is warmer and fuller plus I use the nylon wound which makes for even more satisfying tone.
