My New Bass ~ Ernie Ball Music Man Sterling (HS)

davedvdy

davedvdy

New member
Hi, I just wanted to post a couple of pics of the new bass I got brought home tonight. I sold off my Fender Amer. Jazz Bass, which I never really meshed correctly with "feel-wise". It is an Ernie Ball Music Man Sterling Bass, and the newer model that was released with a single in the neck and humbucker in the bridge. The Salesman practically gave me the 160 Watt 1 year old SWR Amp@$200 (Workingman's 15 Combo).

The bass itself is easily on par w/custom shop quality basses...I tried numerous, and settled on this one. The neck feels really comfortable, and it's easy to get around fast on it, I think it's a bit smaller than the Sting Ray neck (the body as well). The 5-way switch really gives versatile possibilities in this one bass. A little over 10 years ago I owned a Sting Ray, and I was finally able to get into a Music Man again. This was $100 more than the identical Sting Ray (which only has the Humbucker in the bridge). The Sting Ray didn't have the same wood grain quality...not even close.

I paid $1700 for both the bass and the amp "out the door" at GC, I've been dealing w/this one guy at the Hollywood Store on over 7 grand worth of various musical gear and recording. I think he really "hooked me up", lol.


Please tell me what you guys think of it. :smokin:


Sterlingbass.jpg


Sterlingheadstock.jpg
 
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Re: My New Bass ~ Ernie Ball Music Man Sterling (HS)

You got that amp for $200!? Wow!

And that bass is really really tasty. I would change the guard (:)), but that's just me. Ernie Ball is a great company from top to bottom.
 
Re: My New Bass ~ Ernie Ball Music Man Sterling (HS)

bigalthethird said:
You got that amp for $200!? Wow!

And that bass is really really tasty. I would change the guard (:)), but that's just me. Ernie Ball is a great company from top to bottom.
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Thanks. Yeah, the bass amp had a $500 tag, he got it down to $200, it was used, but in great shape, less than a year old. The thing is pretty powerful@160 watts. SWR is a great name for bass amps...

I agree, I usually don't like tortoise pickguards. However, I saw one w/the black pickguard, and it didn't look good w/the maple fretboard..too dark, IMO. Probably a white pickguard, if they will let me order it, but for some strange reason it seems the tortoise goes really well w/the natural!
 
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Re: My New Bass ~ Ernie Ball Music Man Sterling (HS)

Black wouldn't look right, you're right about that. White might look cool. A pearl might look cool too, but I'd have to see it.

Regardless, that's awesome!
 
Re: My New Bass ~ Ernie Ball Music Man Sterling (HS)

bigalthethird said:
Black wouldn't look right, you're right about that. White might look cool. A pearl might look cool too, but I'd have to see it.

Regardless, that's awesome!
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Thanks, man. What color of pearl would you go with? that is definitely an idea.


This is what the amp looks like. I had to do serious rearranging of furniture to fit it in my bedroom, LOL

01_1.jpg
 
Re: My New Bass ~ Ernie Ball Music Man Sterling (HS)

Not the right guard obviously, but something like this maybe. I dunno. I think it might look very cool, and would compliment the maple neck/woodgrain.

cb_1_b.JPG
 
Re: My New Bass ~ Ernie Ball Music Man Sterling (HS)

bigalthethird said:
It'd look similar to this:
T25%2Ejpg
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Thanks for pulling that picture. I think that would look great! I just have to get one that would work with this HS Sterling configuration, since it has the single in the neck w/the humbucker.
 
Re: My New Bass ~ Ernie Ball Music Man Sterling (HS)

Yeah definitely. I'm sure they make them though - I'm sure someone makes them. If not, you could probably 'rout' the guard to fit the single.
 
Re: My New Bass ~ Ernie Ball Music Man Sterling (HS)

I used the builder on Ernie Ball to see it in it's color w/the Pearloid:

Sterling.jpg



I think that would look significantly better.
 
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Re: My New Bass ~ Ernie Ball Music Man Sterling (HS)

I have a paper due in 8 hours that - up until an hour ago I hadn't even read the prompt. I'll get it done soon, and then go to bed. Shouldn't take more than an hour or so to write, once I know what I want to say.
 
Re: My New Bass ~ Ernie Ball Music Man Sterling (HS)

Not that you asked, but we had to choose a picture from any newspaper/newsmagazine and talk about the 'hidden'/ideological meaning behind it. Talk about race, gender, and all that crap. This is a dumb freaking assignment, since this is for TV Culture, not some photography class. Whatever!

Here's the pic. I can write 15 pages on this. Luckily, this only has to be 3.
whb_obama_hrc0124.jpg
 
Re: My New Bass ~ Ernie Ball Music Man Sterling (HS)

Rid said:
Hehe cool bass....but it has one pickup too many;)
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Thanks, but I really dig the single in the neck, actually. You get that J-Bass neck tone out of it...it has a 5 way selector on it, so you can bypass the neck altogether. WAY more versatile than a traditional Sting Ray, IMHO. Even the regular Sterling is limited to a 3 selector and just a humbucker.

bigalthethird said:
Not that you asked, but we had to choose a picture from any newspaper/newsmagazine and talk about the 'hidden'/ideological meaning behind it. Talk about race, gender, and all that crap. This is a dumb freaking assignment, since this is for TV Culture, not some photography class. Whatever!

Here's the pic. I can write 15 pages on this. Luckily, this only has to be 3.
whb_obama_hrc0124.jpg
Click to expand...

LOL Good luck, Andrew...seems confusing in an ambiguous way! :laugh2:
 
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Re: My New Bass ~ Ernie Ball Music Man Sterling (HS)

Thank you very much!

I dig the 2 pup/5-way config, btw. Makes a bass a lot more versatile than just a one pup deal.
 
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