@Neil_L came back for another look, I just love the combination. I’m glad that I did and saw what @terb had on the bridges. I’m busy with a stingray copy that has been stuck since March. I have a stingray bridge and was thinking of upgrading. I want the sound, so I will use the correct bridge. Thanks to you both.
Jamie
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about the bridge thing, I would say … don’t overthink it. I have a pretty precise thing in mind about how a Fender Precision Bass must sound and that’s in this perspective I was with all the bridge analysis. maybe (probably) you’re not searching that clicky/vintage/dirty attack I love, and a Stingray is relatively close but not exactly a Precision.
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I put in a PJ set of SD Quarter Pounds in my Squier, and I really like the tones I can get from them. Of course the Precision pickup is stronger, but they match pretty well.
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Ok, since getting my Sterling Sub Stingray 4 a little while ago, I have become a full blown Stingray fanatic. It is my number one bass, the GO TO. The one I play all day, every day, except when I am playing my other basses, which I still play a little daily.
But I have fallen in love with my Stingray. I love the feel of the neck in my hands, I love the sound, I love the playability, and ease of fretting. it is my show stopper.
If I had to choose one bass in my arsenal, and was forced to get rid of the rest, I would pick the Stingray, and get rid of the rest with a very heavy heart.
My ESP LTD B-4E is my number 2, followed by my SR400, and so on. I like them all, but when it comes down to it, if I were to pick one bass to play it would be the Sterling StingRay 4
But, since I am not in that situation, and I get to enjoy all my basses, and still play my number 1, I decided I wanted to upgrade the Stingray 4, the lower tier stingray for $299, which if under the $499 Stingray 24, which is still under the $899ish SubRay 34.
I found one for $300, a great condition used one from around 2012. The seller is a joke, I have been trying to buy from him for 5 days now, and he always messages me in the morning, and then never replies to my messages asking where do we meet.
So, while looking at older adds on Offer Up, I found a similar base from around the same era, same color, same everything, but was listed as LIKE NEW (a big claim for an 8-10 year old bass) and was also listed for $650. Internet searches have showed me mostly e-bay listings for the same era Stingray 33, lowest starting bid was around $750, up to $1100, with BUY IT NOW prices for around $1300. Listed as GOOD condition / slightly used.
So the Pawn Shop. That had this one for $650 messaged me back today, after being closed for the 4th of July holiday weekend, saying they had it.
I drove about 40 min away to find a bass that is probably unplayed, at least not more then tests here and there by perspective customers.
The set up was phenomenal, despite the strings being old and stiff and grimey, but it had ultra low action, and still sounded great.
I asked him what kind of deal he can make for this unplayed bass (strings are most likely the ones that came from the factory and have not been played in years, Er, I mean ever, probably) which retailed for $959 in 2011, and still runs about the same for the current Stingray 34’s, and had a price tag on it that said $649.00.
He pretended to think about it for a minute, then came. Back with “ I can do it for $500 out the door”.
I fired back with, “ I will give you $450 if you throw in a set of strings with it, cuz these are all but unplayable.
He asked “Cash”?
“Yep”
“Deal” he said.
So I brought home this GEM, and I love it.
I have been busy this afternoon, so I have not changed the strings yet, or had a chance to play it much, but I am going to do the strings as soon as I am done with this post.
Here She Be, Isn’t she a beauty?
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Congratulations Now that’s a nice low action.
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Love that color
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@T_dub came back for another look. She is some bass, that grain alone is extra special. The tone must be to die for. I think you have a bass for life.
Jamie
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Most definitely. I do want to look at MM Stingrays at some point. However, I understand they are a bit heavier, so I don’t know if it is a direct swap over from a Sterling to a MM. I was chatting with a guy. That went from Sterling to MM and back to sterling. This being the top tier Sterling offering, he was saying there was a slight mod, costing about $200 you can do to it to have it be equal to a MM, only lighter like a Sterling. I am waiting for him to reply with the details. But either way, yes, this is a keeper.
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Here’s the latest addition to my family. Her name is Stella (after my favorite beer), and she’s an Ibanez UB804 Electric Upright Bass (EUB as they are called)
I beat up the sales guy at the store on the price, and got him to come down a couple hundred bucks, plus throw in a fairly nice bass bow. Now I just need to get a quiver.
Sara’s first comment when she saw it, “You paid a thousand bucks for a stick of wood on a tripod?” I nearly spit out my beer laughing.
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Congratulations on the arrival of your new addition 
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Here it is folks! My Ibanez SR300E. Haven’t named it yet but I’m sure it will come with time. Meanwhile I did add a little Felix cheering me on in neck. Bonus point if you can identify the little guy from the bridge. Comes from a weird but great album and one of my favorite bands!
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The reason why it makes no sense to level up from my sterling short scale stingray to the EB one is the common knowledge is that they are both very close in terms of sound, finish and playability. The only thing that separates the sterling line from the EB in most people’s opinion is the EB is a little more sculpted and feels a bit better. Of course they are also 3x as expensive. So I’m not so sure that they weigh more, that would surprise me, but I don’t have the numbers to be honest.
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I was just looking at those online recently, opinions seem to vary wildly as you might expect. Tell us what you think.
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So far, I love it!
(1) No 12 lbs bass strapped across my shoulders
(2) I can take breaks without having to take it off and then put it back on after the break. She just stands there and waits for me to come back.
(3) I can raise and lower the tripod so that I can play sitting or standing with ease.
(4) She sounds awesome!
I already play a fretless, so it was no big deal for me to get used to playing this.
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Cool. Bonus: you can really piss off the jazz purist guys with it 
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I wonder how it sounds with a Tube Screamer
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I wonder if there’s an equivalent on the Zoom Bn3 
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I think it might actually have a TS9 model yeah - I forget.
The zoom distortion models are only so-so though. My one disappointment with the products.
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