The Sterling StingRay Ray 4 is not a complicated bass. You get one bridge humbucker, an active 2-band EQ and a very direct Music Man-style sound. But that simplicity is also one of the reasons I still like it.
Sterling SUB Series StingRay Ray 4 Specifications
- Basswood body with 8 finish options
- Fixed vintage-style bridge with adjustment for string height and intonation
- Hard maple neck
- Hard maple or jatoba fretboard (depending on finish)
- Scale length: 34″ (86.4 cm)
- Neck radius: 9.5″ (24 cm)
- Neck width: 1.5″ (38 mm) at the nut, 2.44″ (62 mm) at the last fret
- Open-gear tuners
- Single-action truss rod (adjusted at the neck joint)
- 3 control knobs (Volume, Treble, Bass) with active preamp (9V battery)
- Ceramic bridge humbucker
- Made in Indonesia
Why I Chose the Sterling StingRay Ray 4
The bridge humbucker sounds fat and round. At the same time, it has a nice “clang” that helps it cut through.
Compared to my previous basses, the Sterling StingRay Ray 4 has its own character. It feels thicker but still defined.
I’ve been using it with a Valeton Dapper Bass preamp both live and in the studio. With that setup, I’ve been able to get tones that even my bassist friends have complimented.
At some point, I’ll probably have to admit that I don’t fully know what I’m doing and just stumbled into a good tone…
The bass works well with both fingers and a pick. Because of that, it has stayed in my setup for the past two years.
From a guitarist’s perspective, it does exactly what I need. It lets me record solid and reliable bass tracks for my songs.
How Does the Sterling StingRay Ray 4 Sound?
The bridge humbucker sounds fat and round. At the same time, it has a nice “clang” that helps it cut through.
Compared to my previous basses, the Sterling StingRay Ray 4 has its own character. It feels thicker but still defined.
I’ve been using it with a Valeton Dapper Bass preamp both live and in the studio. With that setup, I’ve been able to get tones that even my bassist friends have complimented.
At some point, I’ll probably have to admit that I don’t fully know what I’m doing and just stumbled into a good tone…
The bass works well with both fingers and a pick. Because of that, it has stayed in my setup for the past two years.
From a guitarist’s perspective, it does exactly what I need. It lets me record solid and reliable bass tracks for my songs.
Is the Sterling StingRay Ray 4 Still Good After Two Years?
After two years, the Sterling StingRay Ray 4 has held up very well.
It sounds good, stays in tune, and feels reliable both at home and in live situations. In fact, I’ve had to think very little about the instrument itself, which is always a good sign.
When I first got it, there was some fret sprout. However, after going through two Finnish winters, the fret ends actually feel better now.
That said, I would still consider taking it to a luthier for a proper fret end polish. Even without that, though, it feels good enough that I rarely notice it while playing.
Final thoughts
Overall, the Sterling SUB Series StingRay Ray 4 is a great budget-friendly bass that deserves more attention.
The one I got is not overly heavy, and for the price, it feels very well built. Over time, the tuning stability has actually improved, which was a nice surprise.
Some players online suggest upgrading the preamp or the pickup first. So far, I haven’t felt the need to change anything.
However, I like the idea of upgrading it in the future. It feels like a bass I can grow with instead of replacing.
So if it’s not clear yet, I have no plans to get rid of this Sterling StingRay Ray 4 anytime soon.
If you’re interested to acquire one of these basses and support what I do, you can use the affiliate links below:
►►Shop Sterling Stingray At Thomann: Sterling Sting Ray 4
►►Shop Sterling Stingray At Reverb: Sterling Sting Ray 4
►►Shop Sterling Stingray At Sweetwater: Sterling StingRay 4