LeftyBassist.com

Cool, I had heard that these would start shipping Mar/Apr timeframe and it looks as if MM is keeping to that. If all goes well I will be adding one of these to my stable this year. I'm usually bummed with "black only" offerings but this looks darn sexy! I also read on the MM forum that if sales are decent then they may start offering other color options later in the year.

I've always wanted a 'Ray and now I can finally afford one!

Save your pennies and buy a 'real' Ray. I was thoroughly unimpressed by the ray34 I saw at NAMM. YMMV.

I wonder if they'll offer a 5 string version for us

Nevermind, just checked the site. Looks like they won't be.

Tell us more please! I'm guessing most of us have never laid hands on one. Is $649 a reasonable price/ value ratio? Did you find it comes closer to an OLP than a MM?

They had a lefty one at NAMM this year and a few of us got to try it out first hand (see pix/comments in the NAMM report threads:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1382&p=8799&hilit=NAMM#p8799
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1343&hilit=NAMM

I have to concur, it was a bit underwhelming, especially compared to the real lefty 'Ray they had on the opposite wall. Felt very rigid and cheaply made, though I didn't get to plug it in. It may sound great, but unplugged you could kind of tell that it didn't have nearly the resonance or quality level of the real 'Ray. For $649, however, it might be a decent deal, though I can't say how it would compare to an OLP since I've never played one.

+1 my sentiments exactly.

I noticed Andrew's post on the MusicMan Classic series basses, and it got me wondering- now that they've been available for awhile, has anything happened to change anyone's opiniion on these Sterlings since NAMM? I have yet to see one firsthand...

It's like you read my mind.... I was just about to start a thread asking about the RAY34. I'm still window-shopping for my next bass, and have the Ray34, L-2000 Tribute and Spector Legend 4 classic on my possible shopping list. I don't want to hijack this thread, but as these are all around the same price-point, I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask people's opinions. I have not managed to get my hands on a Ray, or the Spector. I've played the L-2000 Tribute, and I thought it was awesome

The G&L L2000 tribute is the way to go out of those 3. Easily the best bang for the buck. I tried the Spector Legend 4 at NAMM and was impressed by the quality, though I didn't get to plug it in. With the Stingray34, the lower quality level is apparent compared to the real deal. With the G&L Tribute, other than pots/jack/tuners, you get the same US PUPS as the US made ones, but, IMO, I actually like my Tribute better than the higher end US made models because it's lightweight (under 9 lbs) and sounds/plays virtually the same, plus it has a more stable 6 bolt neck. (Newer US made L2000s have this now too, but my older mid-90's ASAT was a 3 bolt and it did shift).

Awesome - thanks for the feedback I will now start saving my pennies.

Unfortunately for me, the 'real' G&L L2000 is the least impressive of the 'real' versions of those 3......

Good point. If you don't like the G&L sound then it doesn't really matter what level of instrument you buy. I would agree, if I had the coin for the upscale versions, the G&L would be my last choice of the three too. (I'd probably rank them Spector Euro first, then 'Ray, then the US L2000). I guess the point I was trying to make is out of all three the budget G&L comes closest to the "real" deal than the other two. IMO, the differences between the Tribute and US made ones are almost indescernible, whereas the budget Ray34 and Spector Legend are clearly inferior to their more expensive counterparts. (Less so with the Legend, though).

I agree the G&L Tribute comes closest to the "real" deal than the Ray34 and Spector Legend. As far as the the upscale versions I'd rank them Spector Euro first, but I'd only rank the 'Ray second if we're talking NEW bassses. I have a 1981 L2000 and 1990's L2000, and a 1990's Ray, and the 81" L2000 kicks the ass of both the Ray and the newer L2000 with ease. So I know i'm digressing a bit but my point is that if you shopping for a used or vintage bass, in regards to the L2000 the old original ones were significantly better than the new ones IMO

Did you have a pre-EB Ray? Tonally, it's a different beast than the comparatively anemic EB Rays.

Nope Dano I haven't, and I'm sure you're right about the pre-EB Ray- I'd love to get my hands on one. I was just making the (perhaps lesser known) point that the same holds true for the L-2000; the early 80's Leo Fender era G&L's are a whole different ballgame too and must be experienced firsthand to be appreciated. I'd had my late 90's L-2000 for awhile when I got the '81, and as nice as the newer G&Ls are in their own right, the minute I picked the '81 L-2000E I could feel immediate tactile differences in the overall quality, the neck, hardware and that Mahogany body, and when I plugged it in-OMG, no comparison. I believe the pre-amp for an '81 L2000E is significantly different than the ones used on the L2000 today- and for that matter there have probably been changes in the MFD pickups as well... I've seen this documented somewhere but can't find it at the moment...

I've that the early G&L's had a different preamp. I'll have to try one out sometime.....I'd laugh if it was a leftover Stingray preamp!

I own a Pre-EB 1980 Stingray. Tying this thread into the other one about the 3 band preamps, I also owned a newer '97 EB 'Ray that I got rid of. The '97 was one of the worst basses I've ever owned, and really turned me off of EB basses for a few years before I found my Sterling. (Which, IMO, is the best bass EB makes). I hated the preamp, which I could never seem to dial in any amount of meat or warmth, and it had an unfinished neck that would bow up like a cross bow every other week. It also suffered from the infamous anemic "G" string syndrome, especially when slapping. Some consider that all part of the characteristic trademark sound of a "Ray, but until you've heard an original one side by side you can't consider it anything but a flaw. I like the 3 band preamps in every other bass EB offers, however, even the Stingray 5, but it just doesn't float my boat in a Stingray 4.

I think EB makes outstanding instruments, and there are several design improvements to the older "Rays that I prefer (My '80's gloss neck can get sticky sometimes), but tonally I still feel that at least with the Stingray the older ones sound better. Perhaps the new Classic series captures some of that tonal mojo.

My '96 Ray sounded better when I put a basslines preamp and Bartolini pickup. But, the neck reacted too much to humidity/temperature changes on outdoor gigs so I sold it. My '96 Stingray 5 was fretless, and just disappeared in the mix when I gigged with it. I may have been cutting the mid a bit, which would explain it, but if I did, it was because the mids were so dang harsh. Anyway, I sold it, too, which was a shame, because they were very pretty basses.






PS: I'm glad you don't think anything's wrong with my hands......