Sterling
by Music Man
Ray34CA
BY DAVID ABDO
Ever since Leo Fender designed and
released them under his new brand in
1976, Music Man basses have been
highly appealing to players the world over
because of their combination of punch
and presence, great playability, and an
impressive price-to-value factor that caters
to the discerning bassist. There’s no denying
the impact Music Man has had on the
bass community.
The Sterling by Music Man line of
guitars and basses pushes the bang-foryour-
buck envelope further with impressive
imports that incorporate many of the
trademark characteristics of their higherend
counterparts. Their most recent offering
for bassists is the Classic Active Series
Ray34CA, a bass that tweaks the famous
StingRay formula while still sporting an
easy-to-digest price tag.
Modern Elements,
Classical Compound
At first glance, the physical features of the
Ray34CA look nearly identical to its U.S.-
made cousin: Its ash body is coated with a
nostalgic, mint-green finish (it’s also available
in vintage cream, black, and a tri-tone
sunburst) and is paired with a maple neck
and rosewood fretboard. Furthering the
vintage styling is the protective glossy tint
on the narrowly tapered neck, which also
features a 38 mm nut and 19 mm string
spacing that facilitates quick string-skipping
motion. The latter specs will likely be
especially appealing to fans of Fender Jazz
or Music Man Sterling basses
For electronics, the Ray34CA is loaded
with a redesigned pickup with alnico magnets.
The 2-band active preamp provides a
boost in the bass and treble frequencies for
altering that signature tone with everything
from a slight sonic bump and edge to a
full, high-mid bite.
Solid and Comfy
Strapping on the Ray34CA, I was pleased
to find that it’s a well-balanced instrument
that keeps its position at different angles
without any strain on the shoulders or
back. While it’s possible that some players
might lament the bass’ lack of forearm or
belly contours, I didn’t feel any noticeable
issues in my arm or against my, er …
well-padded abs.
The Ray34CA’s construction is solid,
plain and simple. The neck felt smooth
while I shifted from one playing position
to another, and not a single fret protruded
along the sides of the fretboard. And all the
hardware—which, to be honest, is probably
more “modern” than “classic”—was
installed securely, from the top-load bridge
up to the tuners.
Sonically, the Ray34CA sounded very
familiar when I first plugged in. Compared
to a 1977 StingRay, the signature sound
was present, though it lacked a bit of that
low-end punch and focus that the original
produces. The bass knob didn’t quite bring
the booty that one typically expects from a
Music Man.
To put the Ray34CA through its paces
in live settings, I took it to two contrasting
gigs. Plugged into a Phil Jones D-600
driving a Glockenklang Space Deluxe 112,
the bass fit in quite well with a jazz sextet.
Although many bassists wouldn’t necessarily
think of a StingRay-style instrument
when going to a gig of this sort, the
Ray34CA delivered warmth and a slight
punch to walking bass lines when I rolled
the treble knob down, slightly boosted
the bass, and plucked close to the neck.
Conversely, the brightness of the Ray34CA
worked great on a funk/R&B gig—it
enabled me to play tunes from Chic and
the Brothers Johnson with authenticity:
Slaps, pops, and plucks sat
well within the mix, and the bass
provided almost synth-like sounds
when I employed a Boss OC-3
octave pedal.
The Verdict
According to Sterling by Music
Man, the Ray34 Classic Active is
for “the player looking for an older
bass, but [who] needs higher fidelity
and better playability.” And in that
regard, Sterling by Music Man has
delivered a pretty stellar product
that both looks cool and feels
great. While it might not
replace the real deal, it’s
an excellent option for
players looking to get
a bit of the StingRay
sound and attitude
at a very appealing
price. Considering
that you’d have to pay
three times as much for
the U.S.-made model,
the Ray34CA gives you an
awful lot of ‘Ray with very
little sting to the wallet.
Watch our video demo: