Does This Bass Truly Deliver Vintage Classic Tones As Sterling Claims?

Prepare to have your perceptions shattered as we unlock the truth!!! The answers may shock you...
Sterling by Music Man Ray24CA Olympic Bass
Song covered in the beginning is from the artist Mickey de Grand IV - Geraldine: • Mickey de Grand IV - G...
Gear used in this video:
Sterling By Music Man StingRay Classic RAY24CA Bass Guitar - Olympic White: amzn.to/3IajWvE
Ampeg RB-112 1x12 100-watt Bass Combo Amp: amzn.to/49lL5rj
UA Volt 276 USB Audio Interface: amzn.to/3uHuGOZ
DUNLOP Dual Dynamic Hybrid Nickel Bass Strings 45-105: amzn.to/42MD24y

[@JonnyDibble]

The Ray24 is probably still one of my favourite Sterling basses! If only they did more finishes and didn’t have the slab body 😩 GREAT video!

[@sonojon0]

I really do hope they offer more than the Olympic white finish next. Thanks for dropping in lad! 🤙🏾

[@Stuccco]

What does "Slab Body" mean? Do the soundknobs have a center-hold-point?

[@JCtheGeek2187]

I have the blue one with the rosewood fingerboard. Doesn't have any neck dive. I will add that I swapped in a Nordstrand MM4.2 pickup with the alnico magnets, wired in parallel, and it nailed the tone I was looking for.

[@luigi.zanini]

Amazing review! I own the same bass: in order to rewire the pickup from series to parallel you have to: -separate the red and the white wires - red wire -> preamp IN -white wire -> preamp GND That's all!

[@mattyk2676]

To me, this model has more of a 90s Stingray vibe. That’s a good thing as far as I’m concerned.

[@gadymarcus2362]

Bello/Magnifico.💪💪💪💪💪💪💨

[@hoythendrix]

Nice review! I’m looking to get that exact bass here soon.

[@HectorRigon]

Nice one my friend, this bass is so beautiful e sounds like very good.

[@sonojon0]

Thanks for tuning in! Makes me curious how the sound differs between parallel mode next 👀

[@sodoberman]

Nordy East man here… love it. Are we still looking at Sale prices in late 2024 ?!?!

[@sonojon0]

There hasn’t been any sale prices as of late 2024. Still keeping an eye out though!

[@PorchBass]

I have a butterscotch one with a John East preamp in paralell. The pickup in series clips the pre pretty easily and to me sounds too bassy especially with the ceramic pickup. Switching to paralell really brings it around. Can't wait to see the Nordy mm4.2 in yours - that's my next logical upgrade.

[@sonojon0]

Good to know! I plan to keep it parallel when I pair it with a John East. Looking forward to the mod soon!

[@iknNR]

@@sonojon0 Hey, thanks for your review! Will this mod with Nordstrand pickup and John East preamp happen anytime soon?

[@rattmann3170]

Nice review, man! I think it sounds great as-is. If I purchase one, I won't rewire it. But I'm not too picky. :-) I also love the white color with maple fingerboard. What a beauty.

[@HvyMetal4Ever]

I was really looking to get a P-bass soon. But after researching these, I think a MM may be my next buy. Even for a $550 bass, they sound incredible.

[@Belman5]

Sounds pretty good to me. Nice 🙂

[@Stuccco]

What is the effect of the Volt 2 76 ? Do You use it as a pure Compressor?

[@sonojon0]

@@Stuccco Not sure of the effect from the top of my head. Back then I did use compression but not so much in my later videos now that I’ve incorporated pure DI recordings with no compression

[@dynodanbassman]

Very nice

[@sonojon0]

Very very nice

[@bassimprovjams3772]

this does seem to Lack extra zing IMO unless it’s just the strings or the recording or your settings, with any of my stingrays I’ve never cranks the bass much past half

[@dynodansmoking]

Thanks for the vid

[@sonojon0]

Any time!

[@drewlawrence696]

Just ordered a Marcus Miller Z3-4 Sparkle Black. Sire' nod to the MM stingray. I plan to mod it by dropping in a 'Retrovibe-Stinger' pre-amp from Dave Konig, which has the same tonal footprint as the pre-Ernie Ball Musicman Stingray. I'm pretty sure that it will then 'nail' that classic MM tone as I have a 'Stinger' pre-amp in my Cort GB44, single humbucker, MM homage, Korean made; a lovely bass and weighs a mere 7.2 lbs :) I would love a classic Music-Man Stingray...a little too rich for my wallet ;-)

[@ZachKTS]

It's lighter because nyatoh is an inferior wood. I tried to refinish a ray34 that was made of nyatoh. They coat the wood with an epoxy to give the brittle wood some strength. African mahogany is heavier, but it is denser and stronger in the long run. I also have seen strap buttons tear out of nyatoh with only having normal use. Nice tone, though.

[@sonojon0]

Appreciate the breakdown! I'll be discussing it in my upcoming Ray34 video, particularly noting the shift to Nyatoh bodies from Ash in the current models. I'm finding the lighter weight and comfort quite appealing!

[@xarlosvista2493]

Cant wait to see your review of the ray34. Im learning bass and have a Ray4. I love, but finding it to heavy at 11lbs and I do put it down a lot and walk away for 20mins before I pick it up again. I bought the 34 for the weight it was pricey one for just learning. Thanks for the review of a nyatoh body

[@collegeofcool8109]

This sounds pretty good. I just had delivered their new SBMM SB14 Passive, and for me it’s a total fail. Loved the idea, but with its Alnico V pickup wired in parallel, it doesn’t work without pre-amp. Your bass sounds much better.

[@Buckers2202]

This definitely looks and sounds nice, the only thing that puts me off is the idea of the slab body, does the lack of contouring make it more uncomfortable to play sitting?

[@sonojon0]

@@Buckers2202 it kinda does for me but I was able to easily adjust no problem

[@Buckers2202]

@@sonojon0 apologies I actually saw after I wrote that you did address it in the video! Thank you for the reply, currently considering this or a Sire Z3. This looks more classic but Sire maybe has more to offer👌

[@JLP59]

Always thought the metal control plate was ugly. But painting it black might be cool looking. I have the butterscotch but put in a John East preamp which really helped the sound, but is very confusing when on stage fooling with all the knobs. Ha

[@nategin9009]

swap the pickguard for pearl blue and the white/blue/chrome looks incredible

[@MarcG7424]

This is my favorite color of this bass

[@congerscott6064]

It delivers big time 👍.

[@sonojon0]

Hell yeah! 🤣

[@jaimecsilvabey1381]

Sterling or Sire Z3?

[@sonojon0]

@@jaimecsilvabey1381 coming soon!

[@Bankniftysurgeon]

Ray 4 or ray 24CA which one best

[@sonojon0]

@@Bankniftysurgeon Ray24CA. The quality is a bit better than a Ray4

[@Bankniftysurgeon]

@@sonojon0 ok and also if I choose ray24 I don't need to change pickup right? Is allready good?

[@LarryEnzer]

Ray34 then ray24CA

[@duvelr]

“a stock ceramic pickup”?

[@sonojon0]

@@duvelr yes

[@bassbutter4767]

How about a Groove ?! Almost every bass guitar video I see, it's Just noodling around the fret board. Smooth and procussive pmelodic and dynamic supportive of and working with all the other instruments in the song.

[@ShawnLewis-b9h]

I own a Ray 5hh, Ray 34ca. My Ray 34 ca is better, especially wired in parallel.

[@poltergeist3194]

Said it before. EBMM needs to make a 4 string stingray with the 5 string body. I would buy one immediately if they did. Bass does sound fine though.

[@sonojon0]

Yeah they definitely should!

[@bassimprovjams3772]

They do have them, well not sure if this is what you mean but that classic 4 string look with the egg looking pickguard and that control plate, if that’s what you mean then they do have them I don’t think they are string through body tho

[@poltergeist3194]

@@bassimprovjams3772 If you look closely at the actual body of a 4 string and a 5 string, the bodies do vary. 4 strings carry the “slab” body as there are only cuts for belly and arm on the body. 5 strings are more contoured, most noticeable where the upper and lower horns at the cutouts near the neck. To me the 5 string body looks more “modern and contemporary” than the 4 strings. What I am speaking of is only for t Stingray models. Not sure about other EBMM models.

[@rom4486]

I have sub5, ray35 , stingray 5 .. non can’t match or even compare to real music man stingray