Sterling By Music Man

With parts modeled after the originals but manufactured in Korea, assembled in Indonesia, and set up in Orange, California, the SB-and Ray-series instruments are the spitting images of their traditional American- made counterparts. All the bits and pieces—from the bodies and necks to the bridge, saddles, tuners, and pickups—conform closely to the specs of an Americanmade Music Man.

All three basses feature 3-band preamps voiced to mimic the US models and pickups using US-sourced bobbins and covers. The basses’ output was loud and clear, and the range of control was fairly wide. The SB14 and the Ray35 also incorporate a 3- position switch for further adjustment. On the SB, the extreme positions activate parallel or series wiring. The center position uses just one coil for sound, but hum-cancels thanks to a phantom coil. On the Ray35, the switch toggles between both coils in series, both coils in series with a treble-cutting filter, and both coils in parallel. While there is certainly an audible difference between the series and parallel modes, the series-with-filter mode had a negligible effect on the overall tone.

The Sterling by Music Man basses nailed the classic StingRay sound: lightly scooped mids, ballsy lows, and a lightly compressed response that can be inflamed or tamed with the onboard EQ. The pickup switching scheme added an additional level of versatility.

All three basses felt solid. The bolt-on necks were sturdy and rigid. The bodies felt a bit heavy and all three, especially the Ray35, tended to neck-dive when balanced in a seated position. On a strap, the dive went away.

An homage to the Sterling, the smallest axe in the Music Man bass family, the SB14 had an all-around comfortable feel: the neck width at the nut was narrow, the profile was slim and smooth, and the neck joint was carved for better high-register access. It was a nice detail that stood out during play.

The Ray34 and Ray35 are fine replicas of the original StingRay, in both construction and sound. While the Ray34 sports a deeper C-profile neck, the Ray35 has a shallower neck. Both were well setup. The Ray34 is the only bass of the three that does not feature a pickup switch, but I didn’t miss it. The Ray35 has the added depth of a B string, and though the bottom string felt a bit loose, tone-wise it was right on the money and sat nicely in range at the bottom of the 5-string spectrum.

STERLING BY MUSIC MAN

Street SB14, $600; Ray34, $650; Ray35, $700
Pros Classic StingRay sound and construction at a good price; flexible EQ; solid construction
Cons Slightly heavy; filter setting on the Ray35 doesn’t do much

Contact www.sterlingbymusicman.com (714) 532-6655

TECH SPECS

Scale length 34"
Body Basswood
Neck Maple
Fingerboard Rosewood
Pickups Music Man-style humbucker with “phantom” coil
Electronics Active with 3-band EQ and 3-position switch (series, single-coil with hum-cancelling “phantom” coil, parallel)
Weight 9.2 lbs

Scale length 34"
Body Lightweight Swamp Ash
Neck Maple
Fingerboard Maple or Rosewood
Pickups Music Man-style humbucker
Electronics Active (Volume / Bass / Mid / Treble)
Weight 9.2 lbs

Scale length 34"
Body Ash
Neck Maple
Fingerboard Rosewood (Maple optional)
Pickups Music Man-style humbucker Electronics Active with 3-band EQ and 3-position switch (series, series with filter, parallel)
Weight 10.2 lbs

All Sterling by Music Man Basses 
Gig bag Included
Warranty One-year w/ registration
Made in Indonesia