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Sterling by Music Man
S.U.B. Ray4 Electric Bass - Black
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This product is no longer available.
The S.U.B. Series family of instruments introduce a new level of quality, features and value for the beginning or intermediate player. Part of the esteemed Music Man & Sterling by Music Man family of instruments, we feel all players should have access to affordable guitars & basses that feel, sound and play like a refined, crafted professional instrument.
The best components, hardware and designs all work in harmony to give you the best user experience as you discover your sound. Our goal is to deliver an instrument, at a price that surpasses your expectations.
The Ray4 and Ray5 basses are the cousins of the Music Man StingRay 4 and 5 basses. Classic, iconic instruments that defined a generation of bassists since the late 70′s. Active electronics, low noise hum bucking pickups, rock solid hardware and a simple, uncluttered look that is instantly recognizable and respected.
We start with a solid hardwood body. Light, airy bodies full of tone are attached to a slim, easy to play full scale maple neck. A narrow 38mm nut width was created for easy playability. Medium jumbo frets allow for effortless fretting. The slim neck and narrow nut feels at home with small or large hands.
S.U.B. Series Bass Boast Great Tone Shaping Features.
The tone is shaped by the onboard active 2 band preamp. Controls for volume, bass and treble offer maximum flexibility in finding your sound. Full cut & boost of bass & treble frequencies. The wide range of tones, guarantee you will find your sound, for any musical situation.
Quality Construction
We want your bass to last a lifetime. Superior design and construction are key to delivering a solid instrument that will accompany you on your long musical journey. All S.U.B. basses employ a superior 6 bolt neck joint. The 6 bolt neck joint, designed by Music Man, offers strength, stability and great tone transfer. The neck stays in position and wont shift under heavy load. The neck heel allows easy access to the higher end of the fingerboard and is unobtrusive. Allowing your hands to freely move about the neck with ease. Rest assured, your neck will stay put while your fingers roam about.
High Output Humbucking Pickup
The high output humbucking pickup was designed for clarity and true reproduction of the basses natural tone, with minimal coloration. 2 rows of large magnetic pole pieces pump the strings information into the pickup, feeding the 2 band active preamp. Tones can be aggressive, wild or mild. Its up to you to find your sound. 3 screw adjustment allow for more accurate positioning of the pickups angle & height, allowing for more precise adjustments to match the strings angle.
Satin Finished Neck
The feel of the neck is everything. Your fretting hand is touching the neck 100% of the time you play your bass. We developed a super smooth satin finish for the back of the neck. This finish is non glossy, never gets sticky and always feels fresh. The tinted satin finish looks great and gives the instrument a classic look and feel.
Neck Adjustments
All stringed instruments need some basic adjustments from time to time. Neck adjustments can be intimidating for some. S.U.B. makes it easy and simple. S.U.B. Series guitars & basses have an easy to adjust neck. No specialized tools are needed. The small thumbwheel located at the end of the fingerboard makes it easy and simple. You can use a small screwdriver or the included chrome bar to easily and quickly adjust the neck to your preference. No need to remove the neck or strings, you can make the adjustments on the fly. Easy, quick, convenient. More time to play, less time for adjustments.
Top Mounted Output Jack
No more fumbling trying plug in the cable. The output jack is conveniently placed on top of the body. Located on the control plate, the jack is secure and wont easily pull out or get damaged when placed in a guitar stand. We use a heavy duty jack that is designed to withstand plenty of use and abuse.
Battery
The 2 band active preamp is powered by a 9 volt battery. The easy to open battery compartment makes battery changes easy and simple. Simply flip up the battery door, unclip the 9 volt from the clip and clip in your new battery. Takes no time at all. The battery is easily accessible on the back of the body. Your battery should last for several months under normal use. We recommend you unplug the cable when not in use, to conserve on the batteries life span.
Features
- Solid hardwood bodies
- 34″ full scale maple necks
- Medium jumbo frets
- Satin tinted neck finish
- Narrow 38 mm nut width
- 2 band onboard active preamp, cut & boost
- Large heavy duty bass bridge with full adjustments
- Easy access truss rod adjuster
- 6 bolt super strong neck joint
The best components, hardware and designs all work in harmony to give you the best user experience as you discover your sound. Our goal is to deliver an instrument, at a price that surpasses your expectations.
The Ray4 and Ray5 basses are the cousins of the Music Man StingRay 4 and 5 basses. Classic, iconic instruments that defined a generation of bassists since the late 70′s. Active electronics, low noise hum bucking pickups, rock solid hardware and a simple, uncluttered look that is instantly recognizable and respected.
We start with a solid hardwood body. Light, airy bodies full of tone are attached to a slim, easy to play full scale maple neck. A narrow 38mm nut width was created for easy playability. Medium jumbo frets allow for effortless fretting. The slim neck and narrow nut feels at home with small or large hands.
S.U.B. Series Bass Boast Great Tone Shaping Features.
The tone is shaped by the onboard active 2 band preamp. Controls for volume, bass and treble offer maximum flexibility in finding your sound. Full cut & boost of bass & treble frequencies. The wide range of tones, guarantee you will find your sound, for any musical situation.
Quality Construction
We want your bass to last a lifetime. Superior design and construction are key to delivering a solid instrument that will accompany you on your long musical journey. All S.U.B. basses employ a superior 6 bolt neck joint. The 6 bolt neck joint, designed by Music Man, offers strength, stability and great tone transfer. The neck stays in position and wont shift under heavy load. The neck heel allows easy access to the higher end of the fingerboard and is unobtrusive. Allowing your hands to freely move about the neck with ease. Rest assured, your neck will stay put while your fingers roam about.
High Output Humbucking Pickup
The high output humbucking pickup was designed for clarity and true reproduction of the basses natural tone, with minimal coloration. 2 rows of large magnetic pole pieces pump the strings information into the pickup, feeding the 2 band active preamp. Tones can be aggressive, wild or mild. Its up to you to find your sound. 3 screw adjustment allow for more accurate positioning of the pickups angle & height, allowing for more precise adjustments to match the strings angle.
Satin Finished Neck
The feel of the neck is everything. Your fretting hand is touching the neck 100% of the time you play your bass. We developed a super smooth satin finish for the back of the neck. This finish is non glossy, never gets sticky and always feels fresh. The tinted satin finish looks great and gives the instrument a classic look and feel.
Neck Adjustments
All stringed instruments need some basic adjustments from time to time. Neck adjustments can be intimidating for some. S.U.B. makes it easy and simple. S.U.B. Series guitars & basses have an easy to adjust neck. No specialized tools are needed. The small thumbwheel located at the end of the fingerboard makes it easy and simple. You can use a small screwdriver or the included chrome bar to easily and quickly adjust the neck to your preference. No need to remove the neck or strings, you can make the adjustments on the fly. Easy, quick, convenient. More time to play, less time for adjustments.
Top Mounted Output Jack
No more fumbling trying plug in the cable. The output jack is conveniently placed on top of the body. Located on the control plate, the jack is secure and wont easily pull out or get damaged when placed in a guitar stand. We use a heavy duty jack that is designed to withstand plenty of use and abuse.
Battery
The 2 band active preamp is powered by a 9 volt battery. The easy to open battery compartment makes battery changes easy and simple. Simply flip up the battery door, unclip the 9 volt from the clip and clip in your new battery. Takes no time at all. The battery is easily accessible on the back of the body. Your battery should last for several months under normal use. We recommend you unplug the cable when not in use, to conserve on the batteries life span.
Features
- Solid hardwood bodies
- 34″ full scale maple necks
- Medium jumbo frets
- Satin tinted neck finish
- Narrow 38 mm nut width
- 2 band onboard active preamp, cut & boost
- Large heavy duty bass bridge with full adjustments
- Easy access truss rod adjuster
- 6 bolt super strong neck joint
Q & A
There are currently no questions for this product.
Reviews
3.133.159.224
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Arguably the best bass for the price range! 0 of 0 customers found this review helpful
Features
Quality
Value
Overall
Product Experience I own it
Closest Store Kingston, Ontario
I've owned the mint green version of this bass for about 5 years. I'm generally a P Bass guy, and have many expensive ones. I always wanted a Stingray, but wasn't sure, so for this price I said why not. I'm in love with this bass. It plays just as good as my more expensive ones, and it's a work horse. I have taken this out on the road, thrown it around and had it fall down stairs and it keeps going! This is a quality bass for the price and you'd be a fool not to buy one! Mines a Punk rock machine and its become my number one live bass. Fantastic instrument, If I could rate higher, I would. BUY IT!!!!
Posted by Ryan on May 16, 2022
Good value, some flaws 0 of 0 customers found this review helpful
Features
Quality
Value
Overall
Product Experience I own it
Closest Store Brampton, Ontario
Generally pleased with the bass.
Fit and finish are generally excellent, paint is flawless.
One gripe is that the sound quality is not quite up to the standards of my Fender Jazz Bass, but this is understandable at this price point.
Only major gripe was the fret finishing ... they weren`t!
The fret ends were so rough and uncomfortable to play I had to file them down to stop getting my fingers scratched repeatedly.
I was very surprised by this as I had always heard that even the lower end Sterlings were finished well.
Posted by R Mathews on Dec 27, 2017
Really Nice Bass 3 of 3 customers found this review helpful
Features
Quality
Value
Overall
Product Experience I own it
Closest Store Moncton, New Brunswick
Took a month to get, this bass looks awesome, the finish is flawless, really comfortable feel and plays really nice, i also have an Epiphone Bass about the same value as this bass and when comparing the two i really love this Ray4 bass but i think the Epiphone is a little better in quality, with a tighter feel, better controls, but the Ray4 definitely is a nicer looking bass, is a little lighter and is more comfortable to play, would i buy it again, yes i would
Posted by David F. on Feb 11, 2016
One Sick Bass! :) 5 of 5 customers found this review helpful
Features
Quality
Value
Overall
Product Experience I own it
Closest Store Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
This is one of the best deals on the market today. Quality finish, excellent tone and an awesome setup.
Grab one when they have stock on it, it rare and most likely have to order it, but well worth wait.
Value of this I would have paid twice the price for this bass, just don't tell L&M, they might go for a price increase....lol
Posted by anonymous on Aug 24, 2014
Super Value 5 of 5 customers found this review helpful
Features
Quality
Value
Overall
Product Experience I own it
Closest Store Oshawa, Ontario
I've had this bass for about 9 months now and never had a major issue with it. When I received the instrument the fit and finish was excellent. The action was a little high so I lowered it after awhile and it plays beautifully. This bass is superb value for money. You'll be hard pressed to find something much better at this price point. My only issue has been an occasionally scratchy volume pot but it's infrequent and only a minor bother at times. If I lost this one, I'd certainly buy another.
Posted by Pete on Feb 8, 2014
Honeyburst Model 3 of 3 customers found this review helpful
Features
Quality
Value
Overall
Product Experience I own it
Closest Store North York (Steeles), Ontario
Picked up the Honeyburst 4 string model this past weekend. There was a bit of a deep nick on the fretboard along the 3rd fret but the tone and playability wasn't affected. Long & McQuade gave me $30 off for the defect which was nice of them. The bass looks and plays great. Put a set of Elixir strings on there and now she sings like an angel. The preamp runs a bit hot but adjusting the pickup height remedied a bit of that issue. If you are up in the air about this bass because of the low price tag, don't be. It plays fantastic and the finish and quality of the body and neck is up there with it's more expensive brothers and sisters. This bass can easily sell for $500 and still be a great value. Unfortunately, Long & McQuade don't stock these on a regular basis so finding one in store to play can be a daunting task.
Posted by Kevin on Aug 16, 2013
Excellent Value 2 of 2 customers found this review helpful
Features
Quality
Value
Overall
Product Experience I own it
Closest Store Windsor, Ontario
I recently bought the 5 string model with walnut stain. The fit and finish on this bass is excellent. The neck and frets are finished to a very high standard and the neck plays beautifully. The pick up is very high output so you might want to lower it's height. The satin finish is silky smooth and the wood grain looks great. My only concern was a scratchy input and the volume pot, but this is the best 5 string bass for the money, in my opinion.
Posted by Chris on Feb 23, 2013
Protect your investment with the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty
A warranty can be a very important factor when making a buying decision. Because repairs can be very expensive in terms of parts and labour costs, manufacturers usually only provide one year limited warranties that generally only cover items that malfunction due to a manufacturer’s defect. With an important purchase such as a musical
instrument or piece of studio gear, however, many people want to have the peace of mind in knowing that their investment will be protected should the product no longer be performing at 100%.
Because of this, Long & McQuade provides our customers with a FREE one-year Performance Warranty on most of our products. The Long & McQuade Performance Warranty supplements the manufacturer’s warranty to ensure that our customers receive complete “no hassle” warranty coverage within their first year.
How does the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty differ from most manufacturers' warranties?
- Performance Guarantee: Normal wear and tear is covered, so your product will be performing as well as the day you purchased it for the entire duration of the coverage. Band and Orchestral Performance Warranty does not include replacing pads or cleaning for woodwind instruments, unless deemed necessary by our repair staff. Ultrasonic cleaning for brass instruments will be provided if deemed necessary by our repair staff, but is not routinely offered under the Performance Warranty.
- Product Replacement: If your product cannot be fixed or costs too much to fix, we will replace it with the equivalent model for no additional charge. If this is not possible, a full refund will be provided.
- No Lemon Policy: Your product will be replaced should the same problem occur multiple times.
- Convenient: Easy drop off and pick up of the product at any Long & McQuade location.
- Guitar Setup: Guitars purchased at Long & McQuade come with 1 free setup, to be redeemed within 1 year for new guitars and 90 days for used guitars.
- Loaners Available: A loaner product may be given while the product is being repaired.
- Power Surge Protection: Your product is covered even if damaged from a power surge.
- Accessory Coverage: Any peripheral devices or accessories that come with your product (i.e. foot pedal, case) are also covered.
- Commercial Use Coverage: Music and recording professionals who purchase gear for “heavy-use” commercial purposes will still be covered.
Long & McQuade reserves the right to restrict the purchase of additional years of Performance Warranty. Used products come with a 3-month Long & McQuade Performance Warranty. Some products (i.e. computers, software, cymbals and other items) are covered only by the manufacturer‘s warranty. Consumables (i.e. strings, reeds, drum sticks, batteries, tubes, cross faders) are excluded as they are designed to be replaced. Cosmetic Damage, Accidental Damage, or problems caused by Humidity or Temperature Issues are not covered. Speakers damaged by overpowering are generally not covered. Our coverage does not provide compensation for loss of use. As of June 2018 the Performance Warranty is no longer transferable. The warranty is only valid in Canada.
Purchasing additional years of coverage
Some manufacturers provide warranties for longer than 1 year; however, these are usually limited warranties that do not provide the same coverage as the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty. Customers interested in more complete and convenient (but not necessarily longer) coverage are still able to purchase additional years of the Performance Warranty.
If you are interested in receiving this coverage for longer than one year, you have the option of purchasing additional years of the Performance Warranty. The pricing is as follows:
- NEW products: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year.
- USED products: 4% of the current new selling price to increase the warranty from 3 months to 1 year. 4% for each additional year.
- GUITARS: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year. $45 maximum. An additional free setup is not included with additional purchased years of Performance Warranty.
- BAND and ORCHESTRAL instruments: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year.
Great Additions
Reserve in Store
| Product | SKU | Qty |
|---|---|---|
| S.U.B. Ray4 Electric Bass - Black | 379820 |
