Opinions on Music Man Sub Basses?

[vkw619]

Hey all,
Looking to finally take a dive on a bass. I was originally eyeing the Ibanez 605 but it is just to much for me just wanting a nice budget bass to fiddle around with (and not going to lie, play copious amounts of Rocksmith 2014 with) so I was looking into the MM Sub series.

Anyone have opinions, stories (good or bad), or have a preference for guitars in this range? I have pretty small hands so I tend to gravitate towards Ibbys for the neck size but I love the look of the MM way more than the Ibbys. Anyone have opinions on build quality, comfort, necks, bridge, hardware etc.

The exact model I am looking at is either the
SB4 (279.99) or SB5 (309.99) for the MM (with only costing a 30 bucks more for a 5 string I might take that route)

Also, running it through a POD HD500x, are computer speakers/good headphones good enough for just simple in room tracking for bass with decent monitors/speakers?

Thanks all!

 

[tian]

No experience with the Music Mans but I was in a similar spot that you are about a month ago. Ended up going with a Yamaha TRBX304 and love it. Coming from guitar I was drawn toward Ibanezes at first as well but the more basses I got my hands on, the less I liked the SR's thin necks and close string spacing actually.

I went back on 4 v 5 strings for awhile and ended up going up with 4 to avoid the hassle of finding a cheap bass that can actually handle the low B and the same for the rig I'd play it through.

Don't count out Squiers either. Great quality for the price and there's a reason there are a billion P and Jazz bass derivatives and copies out there. Just try and get your hands on as many basses as you can and see what feels right in your hands and sounds good.

 

[solarian]

I have one of the 5 string S.U.B. basses, and it's really not bad IMO. They're VERY affordable obviously, but they do the trick. Neck is fine, pickups are fine, feels good, but it is a bit neck heavy.

My only complaint is that the electronics are kind of limited. Yes, you can definitely shape your sound, but I would've liked more control & options for EQ. I've been using it for all my recent recordings as of late and it performs just fine.

 

[spilla]

Look into getting a used MM Sterling Ray34. Ive just picked one up and ive got nothing but good things to say about it. Big upgrade from my old Ibby GIO.

 

[eyeswide]

It's a budget bass, so expect a budget bass. That being said, from what I've heard, they are well worth the money! Reviews tend to be quite favourable for them.

For simple tracking, headphones should be okay. Really, if your computer speakers can amplify it loud enough, those should be just fine too. For $100 you can get a really decent practice amp. I rotate between playing bass on my full rig, using headphones and using a little Fender (I think it's a rumble?), depending on the mood I'm in.

 

[vkw619]

Thanks for the opinions guys. I ended up trading in an old guitar and purchased one they had in store for only 150 bucks! The guy was super nice and threw in a strap (a thick one to help with neck dive) and some strings. The guitar arrived at the store on the 9th, so I got it right out of the box. Its already covered in pick scrapes ><. But I am really enjoying the change of pace. I wish I had taken pics before I had my way with it but idc. NBD coming soon once it clears up outside and I can get some good pictures!

Random question though, even with the bigger strap and all, the neck dive isn't too bad, but I am also 5'6 and 135lbs so I am getting some back pain from wearing it for more than 30 minutes or so. Ideas?

 

[eyeswide]

Random question though, even with the bigger strap and all, the neck dive isn't too bad, but I am also 5'6 and 135lbs so I am getting some back pain from wearing it for more than 30 minutes or so. Ideas?

Once I bought one of these and tried it out, I was in love. I exclusively use this Neoprene strap, and I highly recommend it. I used to have a slight bit of shoulder pain after long playing sessions with a regular, stiff strap. After switching to this one, I have had no issues. Beyond that, just be careful with your posture. You might have been fine doing what you were doing playing a regular guitar because they are much lighter, but I would make sure you correct any posture issues, especially after starting to get back pain!

 

[Roland777]

Deadlifts...

 

[tdk24]

For guitar and bass I love the Franklin Strap 3" Natural Cinch Guitar Strap with Leather Ends that are some kind of woven cloth. If you are wearing a shirt while playing, they stick like glue. Just put the bass in the angle you like and it stays there. They are nice and wide too. They do stretch a bit over time, but with the leather end at the bottom, they can be adjusted. I have one in black and one in natural, I won't use any other strap.

 

[Warg Master]

FWIW my S.U.B. 1 Guitar is Fantastic. Worth double the price. It's too bad MM doesn't make this series anymore. They are Fantastic for the price.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

FWIW my S.U.B. 1 Guitar is Fantastic. Worth double the price. It's too bad MM doesn't make this series anymore. They are Fantastic for the price.

Completely different line. The MM Subs were USA-made, while the SBMM SUBs are Squier-level.

If I remember correctly, there's some SBMM SUBs with 38mm necks, which is fairly narrow compared to 41mm+ basses ala P-basses. Don't remember which ones exactly, though.

 

[Tom Drinkwater]

I had a MM Sub about 10 years ago, it was made in the US. Killer bass. I've heard very good things about the Sterling product so I wouldn't hesitate to grab one if I were in the market.