does it have the adjustable mutes on the bridge? My sister had a mustang when we were teenagers and it had the mutes, small foam pads on the bridge and you could raise and lower according to how much ringing out you wanted.
1 Like
Thanks, Jamie.
About 1 month ago, I started my shopping for a new 5 string. I don’t live in a place where I can test instruments very easily, and in these recent times I’m unlikely to drive 4 to 8 hours to a city. So, I spent a lot of time on the phone and internet checking things out. I thought I was going to purchase a Spector, or a Warwick with about a $3k budget. (Modulus, Ken Smith, and Alembic —even used are still out of budget or super hard to find)
I couldn’t quite stomach the thought of spending that much without playing one first, and I really wanted the 3 band active EQ. I discovered MTDs Kingston series., and the Super 5 fit the bill. I love the neck and body shape and reach /feel are great. I do have pretty large hands.
That gave me the confidence to find a ZX, and make the plunge.
I’ve done setups on both and have put the same DR Pure Blues on each. I’m trying to keep them playing/feeling basically the same. So, now I can switch between either for travel or gigs, or outside play. Both basses seem to be amazing instruments. The Super 5 is basically half the price of the ZX, so I don’t mind putting some more wear and tear on that one.
Both basses offer a variety of tones that will play in an any genre of music I need.
I can only imagine what a MTD US made bass plays like, and I’m anxious to try one when the chance presents itself. It might be the next upgrade unless I find the right double bass or fretless!
5 Likes
I’ve had a lot of Fenders over the ages … still have 4 (3 MIA and 1 MIM) and I can say there’s nothing wrong with most MIM ones. I had one very bad one (Telecaster Classic 50) but I don’t think it was because it was made in Mexico, just a bad instrument, it happens. most MIM Fender are good instruments, except for the pickups (but I don’t like the MIA Fender pickups neither) in my opinion. there are a few (rare) exceptions, some models with very good pickups. but really it’s an exception.
7 Likes
I’ll have to check. I don’t think so though
2 Likes
I Finally got the pearlized pick guard that @BassFaceDisgrace recommended, and I’m loving it. I decided to skip the bridge mod and pickups for now. @Terb shared rigorous research and high quality data in a thread about high mass bridges that helped with my decision to forego the mod (at least for now): https://forum.bassbuzz.com/t/fender-and-bridges/3471/32. Couple that with YouTube videos that aren’t convincing to me about tone improvements, as well as Geddy Lee’s Big Beautiful Book of Bass testimony, it may not be necessary for a hobbyist like myself (page 397: “…I started using Badasses to solve an intonation problem with my Rickenbackers, and got some extra sustain in the bargain. For the longest time I believed that Badasses would add sustain to every instrtument I put them on, but more recently, with such a wondrous array of Jazz Basses at my fingertips, one of the things that Skully and I have learned through close comparison is that strictly in terms of sustain, there’s not that much difference between the Badass and the traditional Fender bridge.”).
As for pickups, I really enjoy the tone that I’m getting out of the MIM player series P-ups, so for now, I’m going to wait until I grow tired of them. I did raise the bridge to get more quack like @JoshFossgreen did with his vintage modified jazz bass, and I also installed strap locks on the bass cause I like to jump around a bit 
Next up, I’m going to try some flatwound strings! I like what @PamPurrs says about them, and being that I’ve only tried rounds, you never know until you try… Of course, tapewounds after that 
14 Likes
yes
no
holy moth * rf * ck * ng g * d that bass looks awesome. really. really really. I’m in love with this color scheme.
6 Likes
Haha, thanks! I just read what you wrote previously about the MIM pups. One day, I’ll change them 
For the pups, I’m thinking Seymour Duncan quarter pounders, since I like heavier music, and they’re still extremely versatile.
3 Likes
I’d say it’s not a bad choice !
2 Likes
@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
3 Likes
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.
4 Likes
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.
3 Likes
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?
15 Likes
Now that’s a nice low action.
5 Likes
Love that color
4 Likes
@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
4 Likes