OLP MM2 StingRay

Volume-volume-tone setup, with a split humbucker. You go to single coil by turning off one of the split coils.

Sounds good, but not as much tonal range as the SB4. I tried both and decided on the SB4.

It's OK, but doesn't look as good as the SB4 with quilted maple cap and transparent colored finish. The neck is just as good as the SB4, but the SB4 is better balanced and a bit lighter.

Careful with the basswood body as it will show dents a lot more than the maple cap on the SB4 as it gets banged around on stage.

Never used them.

This is what you get if you want the StingRay look and feel. The sound is different from a StingRay as it is not active. I prefer the Spector look and sound, so I got the SB4 instead, but I would buy one of these if I liked the StingRay better. The SB4 is just more modern sounding and ergonomic feeling. The SB4 balances better when sitting and the neck pickup makes a good thumbrest. The MM2 is great for popping and slapping, but the SB4 does that also. You can dial in more treble on the SB4 to make a set of strings last longer. You could probably stuff an Aguilar preamp in the SB4 cavity without too much trouble. There's not enough room in the MM2, and that was a big factor against it, in my opinion. The MM2 outsells the SB4, but only because a lot of players are ignorant about Spectors but have seen a lot of StingRays. You can get the SB4 for about the same price if you look around on eBay. Nice bass, but the SB4 is definitely the most versatile since it has two separate humbuckers, and it stays quiet when one turn one pickup down. When you turn down one of the split coils on the MM2, hum starts to creep in since the coils no longer are equally bucking.

2003, China
21 frets, 4 string
2 volume, 1 tone
that wonderful massive humbucker
passive electronics (didn't feel like cutting a hole in this baby for active electronics, there just isn't enough room)
basswood body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard
pearl blue finish with matching headstock
open gear tuners

This bass suits my style very well (Slap, Punk, Funk). Its a simple bass (what other kind of bass do you need?) so I can easily adjust to any style I need to. Its got a very bright sound, and with the EB slinky's that came with it, I couldn't ask for a better sounding bass at this price.

Flawless action
Flawless pickup setup
Flawless finish
Perfect factory setup

With all the crazy shit I do to this thing, there is no way it couldn't hold up on stage. Mine was built like a tank straight from the factory. Hardware is solid and looks to be long lasting.
Strap buttons are rock solid. I'd gig without a backup just because this bass is so trustworthy.

I didn't get any warranty info with this thing. Damn chinese

I've been playing for five years now. And this is definitely the best bass I've seen at this price. If this were stolen or lost I sure hope the next one I ordered would be set up and as nice as this one. Simple bass, great sound make this bass easily to fall in love with. Not to mention that the pearl blue finish and rosewood fretboard make this bass DAMN sexy!

This is an update on a prevous review.

The bass is a well made beautiful instrument that plays as well as any Fender bass.
Now that I have a few gigs/jams under my belt with it I would like to comment more on it.
I like everything about it except for the sound/tone.
The tone is very good for modern music.
It can get very bright and twangy.
I think that is the downfall.
It does not get boomy like most basses.
This could be because of the strings.
It came with light gauge Ernie Ball Slinky's.
Not really my type of string.
I plan on installing a set of tape wounds soon.
Through a Marshall tube amp it has a nice growl when pushed hard.
But most of the time (through a SS bass amp or power amp) it is just too twangy for me.
I have played it through a 400 watt power amp briged mono, through an SWR 350, Through a Marshall tube amp and I have done some direct recording.
As it is with the Slinky's it is pretty much a one trick pony as far as tone goes.
The tape wounds may change that.
If not I will either change the pickup or add an internal preamp or buy an external bass preamp.

Nice construction.

So far so good.

?

This is a nice bass in all ways but it will need a little tweaking to get a good bass sound.
It is definately a professional instrument and it should hold up for years of hard gigging/jamming.

Nothing fancy but does one really need a "fancy" bass guitar. I'm sure everyone's familiar with the overall appearance of this instrument (or at least know what E. Ball MM Stingray looks like). Sure, it doesn't have the precision tuners and detail of its big brother but who the heck is trying to compare the best value on the market with what is probably the best mass market bass available. I got a black one with a white pickguard and it looks just fine. Pickup is passive. Neck is very user friendly, especially for a transplanted guitarist with small hands. Also has exceptional balance, something that gets overlooked or ignored on too many well known basses. If you teach, you know how important even weight distribution and contour is.

Although I've been playing and teaching professionally (it's how I pay the mortgage) for about 7 years and logged in another 12 years before that, I can't say that I'm an expert on bass tone. I can pick a boutique class a amp out of a hat but I typically refer to bass tone (mostly during recording) as the fat farty 70s McCartney sound, the punchy 60s...McCartney sound, and, please don't laugh, the late 70s and early 80s biting and top heavy Geddy Lee sound (I was weened on Rush). Anyway, the OLP is very versatile and has not disappointed both direct and live (through a few different amps). Keeping in mind how much these things cost, nothing touches it.

A lot of people have voiced complaints and concerns about the factory set up. I got mine from an online music store and the thing totally kicked butt out of the box. I'm very picky about action and neck contour. It has the best action of any bass I've ever played.

The thing sits in my studio and treks back and forth to the city as my bassist's backup. This category isn't very applicable to a bass. I've played probably 600 to 700 gigs and I think I've had about 3 bad mics, a bad jack or two, and three fried PA speakers. None of my instruments have failed me. I do have to sneak in this cheap shot: DON'T BUY EXILIR STRINGS. I've never felt more strongly about a product. They absolutely suck. I've literally broken 20 acoustic strings (mostly 3, 4, and 5) over the past two months. That just about doubles my career total. And, no, it's not a bridge or nut snap. Middle breaks. Please do yourself a favor and stay away. Long lasting my a-s!

NOTHING COMES CLOSE IN THE PRICE RANGE. NOTHING COMES CLOSE IF YOU HAVE AN EXTRA THREE OR FOUR HUNDRED. IT'S JUST AWESOME. FOR LESS THAN TWO HUNDRED BUCKS, SELL THAT DUMB BASS DISTORTION THAT YOU BOUGHT IN 86, BREAK OPEN YOUR PENNY JAR, GET $50 OUT OF THE ATM AND GO GET ONE. YOU'LL BE VERY PLEASED WITH YOURSELF AND YOUR KICK ASS BASS.

Made 2003, in China. This one I have purchased is one of olp's new look models. It is black, basswood body, with a rosewood neck, black pearloid pickguard, and all black hardware, comes with a gigbag........very rich looking. I like it better than the old models with the maple necks. It is an exact copy of a Ernie Ball Stingray.

Sound on the OLP MM2 is fantastic. It is passive which I love. Just a rich and full sound. In my opinion these are the top three sounds you can get......PBass, Jazz Bass, and, Stingray. Electronics are nice and quiet.

I was really amazed here......I did not know what to expect, coming out of the box and being made in China. Who ever was the tech in China who put this olp together did an amazing job. Intonation and action, PERFECT!!! The black finish is Flawless!!!! I love the way the neck plays, nice p bass feel to it, and you can adjust to low action with no fret buzz.

This OLP bass is built rock solid. The hardware is great, Truss rod on mine has not needed any adjusting. Paint finish hard as a rock. It is an all around super durable bass. I would play it live with out a backup.

Have had no dealings with.

I would like to start off here by saying this. I have been playing bass guitar for some 30 years now so I feel I have some seasond experience I can share with you. I am the biggest pain in the neck when it comes to perfection. When my OLP bass arrived the first thing I did was give it the once over. After that I took it completely apart. I'm talking off with the neck, tuning keys off, pickup out, pickguard off, control cavity opened.............the whole 9 yards here people!!! I am amazed by the quality of these OLP basses. I honestly do not know how a bass sold for$229, can come out this great. I could not find a thing wrong with this bass. The neck pocket super tight, not one screw stripped, pickguard cut perfect, even the pickup cut out on the guard cut perfect, electrical work flawless, hardware strong and exact stingray copy, the wood on the neck nice and clean with no ugly grain lines running through it. You have probably seen that on some of these Asian basses {YUCK} Nice thick slab of rosewood on the neck, perfectly dressed frets, and the finish is super, man!! they even applied shielded paint in the pickup and control cavity. Yes I have compared this OLP bass to many others out there. Not only in its price range but to more expensive ones. The OLP MM2 blows away any in its price range. In the higher price range basses, puts them all to shame. When it comes to Fenders Mexican basses, they cannot compare to the OLP MM2 bass, it blows them out of the water........Sorry Leo, you should not have fallen asleep behind the wheel!!!! If you buy one of these you will not regret it, they are truly amazing. If mine were lost or stolen, I would get another one in a heartbeat!

2003 Model.
21 frets.
34 inch scale.
Natural oil finished high gloss elm body.
2 volumes, 1 tone control, no switch.
Pickup is a Music Man (copy) passive humbucker that can be split in to single coils.
Body stylw is Music Man Stingray.
Bridge is Music Man Stingray (copy).
Tuners are standard Fender type open gear.
Neck is much like a Fender Precision bass neck (unfinished maple).
Accessories are gig bag, allen wrench and truss rod tool.
It has a stingray wheel type truss rod adjustment.

The sound can go from clean and bright to boomy.
By using either side of the humbucker it has a vast variety of tones.
I use a 400 watt power amp and different preamps.
In full humbucker mode it is dead silent, absolutely no hum.
A very slight hum in single coil modes.
Excellent for both recording and live performances.
It has the most sustain I have ever heard from a bass.

The intonation was right on.
I will not comment on the action because I set up my instruments to my liking.
Surprisingly it was flawless.

I have gigged with it a few times and have done many hours of recording.
It is built like a tank and should last a lifetime.
I don't know how well the oiled finish will hold up but with proper care I would expect it to hold up well.
Strap buttons are solid steel.
Absolutely dependable.
I did have to adjust the truss rod but only because I did my own set up.
I do gig with it without a back up.
I can see no reason to drag two basses to a gig.

I have not had any reason to deal with the company.
I don't even know who the company is except for Olp.
I think it has a warranty but it is not important to me.
The bass is built like a tank.

I have been playing guitar for 40 years and bass for over 30 years.
If it were stolen I would indeed replace it.

I have owned or played Rickenbacker 4001, 4002, 70's Fender Jazz Bass, MIM Precision bass, MIJ Fender Precision Lyte bass, Mosrite bass, Steinberger (American), Gibson Ripper, Hand made 5 string fretless and countless other American top of the line basses.
This is the finest quality bass I have ever owned.
Definately a professional instrument.
I bought this bass because I needed a 4 string fretted bass for gigs.
Because of financial reasons I have to buy an inexpensive bass.
After reading many positive reviews on the Olp I bought it off of ebay.
Now I am a Viet Vet and buying a Chinese made bass was about as low as I could get.
It doesn't bother me what country it is made in because most of the profits go to American companies.
But...what profit?
I can't understand how such a high quality instrument can be sold so cheaply.
I can only assume that Olp is trying to become big in the guitar market and if they keep making instruments of this quality at the price I paid they will indeed go a long way.
Watch out Fender!
I have yet to see an American Fender bass with equal quality.
Some people will say that this is a good beginner bass.
They are wrong.
This is a professional instrument that I would play anywhere.
If you want a beginner bass buy a MIM Fender.
There is nothing I would want to change on this bass.
Plus it is the hottest passive bass I ever played.
It looks like a Stingray bass but it is not a Stingray.
It is an Olp and from what I can see it is one of the best basses on the market at any price.

New, Made in China, 32 frett I think.
Main Volume and volume for either humbucker pickups.
Passive pickups but they are really good.
Natural finish with stain, soo good to play.
4 string

I had a vintage fender copy and I thought that it had a good sound, but this thing is in a class of it's own, just so sweet.
Not a bit of buss at any volume,class.

I got this second hand and the action was too high so I did a little work on it and man does she feel good. I have'nt touched the pickups but they are great sounding as it is.
No Flaws

Yet to gig it, but I have giged before and can not wait to get this
baby through a big amp. Everything is solid and feels very well built.

Not needed

I'm back playing after a break of 15 years and this is my second bass and it's class. I find the nearest bass to it thats nearly the same
prise is the fender mexico, same sound and feel of the neck. I love it. If lost/stolen no problems getting another class act.
I have played a lot of entry levels basses, fender squire/ibanez sound gear/washburn Xsomething and none of them are anywhere near as good as this, really I mean it big time, class.

I don't want to say that Anonymous from England doesn't know what he is talking about, as his bass has an unpainted headstock and may be wired differently than my late production M2 with painted headstock. My MM2 DEFINITELY has dual volume control, as lowering EITHER volume control converts it to a single coil pickup with the attendant hum always present in single coils. If only one knob is a volume control, then when you roll it off there will be no volume available from the other knob. LET IT BE KNOWN: the later versions with the painted headstock should have a volume control for each half of the humbucker coil. The rearmost knob is the tone control.

If you want a split humbucker with dual volume control, THEN TRY BEFORE YOU BUY, or order only a bass with the painted headstock like mine. I have told you how to check it out: If ONLY the front knob is a volume control, then no volume can be gotten from the two rear tone controls when the volume is rolled full off.

The tone changes when you roll the rear coil off because humbuckers sound different than single coils. DUH!

Features as listed below. The model i'm reviewing is sparkly blue, but dosen't have the matching headstock like the new ones, it's earlier. I don't know if that means any real changes in hardware or construction.

One thing i'd like to pick up is that this does not have 2 volume controls and a tone, it has 1 volume and 2 tones, you don't have control over the individual coils. It is advertised as having 2 volume controls, but in fact the middle know is a tone control which will go to a full volume cut, the pickup has no coil tap.

Sound is good and strong, but reasonably limited. Played with a pick it's very immediate, almost agressive with a strong attack, much better sounding than i expected. Played with fingers it is nice, very smooth, and the range of sound from the tone controls is good. Balance between strings is good, sustain is impressive, and very pure sounding, notes decay nicely. Harmonics ring well, with good definition. G string is possibly a little too cutting with the tone set at the optimum for the A and E strings. Have had no problems with hum, (electrical) buzz or hiss. Its mainly used for modernish rock and punk, and fits this style of music very well indeed. Slap sound is quite poor, clangy and dead. It dosen't have the sound for lead or countermelody style parts, it lacks a little definition. it is far better suited sitting in a band mix as more of a foundation. More of a P than a jazz perhaps... For the money, despite its limitations i think its a very good sounding bass, not a jack of all trades, but what it does, it does well.

The machineheads are good, chunky, firm, responsive, tuning stability is excellent, as good as a bass 4 times the cost. my only concern is that the screws mounting them to the headstock look a little cheap, if i ever had the tuners off i'd replace the screws at the same time.

The neck is well made, straight, smooth and well finished, nut is well set and cut, truss rod seems stable and reliable. The seating of the frets is good, however the dressing is not up to standard. for the most part it is reasonably good, but above the 13th or 14th fret things get unacceptably buzzy and irregular. I would also liked to have seen a better polish to the frets. The heel of the neck has issues, i can't get an acceptable action without excessive buzzing. The neck pocket was slightly conservatively cut, and i have shimmed this out to improve the action, but this has highlighed the poor fret dressing at the upper end. Badly cut neck pockets do seem to be common on these, of the 3 played in the shop the action was far too high from 10th fret onwards with the bridge saddles at their lowest possible setting.

Bridge, electrics and strap buttons seem solid and reliable, jack was of suprisingly good quality.

Finish is a little poor, it seems they paint the bodies before they paint shielding into the cavities, there are some specs of shielding paint on top of the colour coat but beneath the top coat. Also, i found a couple of scuffs on the edges beneath the top coat.

On the whole, everythig was either as expected for a bass of this price, or noticeably better. Deserving particular merit is the construction of the neck and the hardware. Factory setup and finishing however, does leave room for improvement. It was noticebly higher quality than any other bass i played it against, including a mexican fender p-bass, ibanez soundgear and an epiphone thunderbird.

it seems very solid. Finish is hard and well applied, the unfinished fingerboard will need maintenance but seems reasonable quality wood. Gigging without a backup, however, is foolish, regardless of the equipment.

Who knows? When i bought this they didn't have a website, now they bearly did, but the UK distributer seems reasonable. In all fairness, its too simple a bass to really need it, if it worked when you bought it, it'll work long enough.

i've played guitar for 5 years, and bass for 2 now. I would definatly replace this bass if i had to, it's a shame it would have to be an ugly one with a matching headstock. Although a try to resist giving 10's on harmony central if this had come with a better fret dress and neck pocket then i would have to give it a perfect 10. For the money it's simply unbeatable.

This is for the player that wants a fairly bare bones bass with really decent sound at a low price. One split coil humbucker with dual volume controls and a single volume control. It's mainly for a player that likes to vary the sound by picking style and technique. There is no neck pickup to get in your way when moving picking fingers up and down the strings. Really great for popping and slapping. Light weight, feels great.

Being a single pickup bass, the tonal range isn't the widest. The sound is midrange oriented, sort of like a P-bass, but quieter because fo the humbucker. The strange thing is that when you completely roll off the front or back coil to turn it into a single coil sound, it maintains the humbucker volume level, but it's just not as thick sounding. You will pick up a bit of hum when you do so, but it has never been distracting to me. You lose that great big heavy bottom sound like you get on basses with a neck humbucker. It counters with good high end for popping and slapping. If you play through vintage tube bass amps that never had a lot of deep tight bottom, then this is a great bass for that. You just THINK this bass has a lot of bottom until you play something like a 4004 Rickenbacker with dual high output humbuckers through a modern solid state amp with speakers that go below 40 Hz. Output is OK, but not as high as a Ricky 4004, and certainly not as high as active pickups. That said, it has sufficient output to overdrive my Marshall amp with no problem. Just roll off the back volume knob, and you have a sound very similar to a P-bass. This would be a nice bass for somebody that likes to play fast lead bass, sort of like John Entwistle of The Who. The sound is the best I ever heard at this low of a price. If you need that big bottom end that only a neck humbucker can give, look at the new OLP SB4 bass with active EMG humbuckers patterned after the Spector bass. The street price is only $70 more, and I may end up getting one as well. The Ernie Ball Slinky roundwound bass strings also contribute to the "lead bass" character of this guitar. Flatwound strings would lend a deeper tone.

It ain't no Buzzard bass like Entwistle played, with graphite neck and impossibly low action, but it doesn't cost $6K either. Everything is straight and true. I set my action to where it is nickel height at the 12th fret on the G string. The E string action height is set to about the width of the E string. It gives a clear tone with minimal buzzing. The neck is the best thing about this bass, even better than the tone. The neck has minimal finish on the back and is very smooth. The maple seems to be of very high quality. The slimness gives a very fast and comfortable action, although this neck is obviously not made for heavy strings. It is for a player that uses light to medium gauge strings and prefers a fairly low action for faster playing style. It makes you want to play My Generation or other fast lead bass tune. The unfinished maple fretboard and lightly finished back really helps you move around fast without the draggy feel that coated necks have. The metallic blue finish looks nice in a retro way. The bad part is that humidity causes rather swift changes to the neck relief and action height. Every couple of weeks you will want to check the action if humidity changes a lot from summer to winter, like it does here. Not to worry, OLP gives you the truss rod tool and it couldn't be easier to set. I think the lightly finished neck helps the sound and sustain a lot. It doesn't sustain like a neck thru body Rickenbacker, but it is no slouch in that department. I have owned a much more expensive Fender bass that I liked a lot less than this bass. The pickup was adjusted like I like it, not too close to the strings, and the strings had even response from string to string and up and down the neck. The tuners stay in tune, and seem to really be nice for the price. The bridge seems very sturdy and everything adjusted out very smoothly and quickly. It had to be set a bit after I got it. The neck relief was too much (took 1/3 turn of the truss rod nut to set it right) and the saddles were a bit too low. Then I adjusted the intonation and nothing has to be touched except the truss rod as the neck responds to seasonal moisture changes. If frequent adjustments of a truss rod due to humidity changes is not your bag, then this or any other unfinished/lightly finished wood neck is not for people that live in places with wide humidity swings. Get a bass with graphite reinforcement. Of course, you lose the character that wood necks possess. I also have to mention how nice the frets were. Not a sharp fret end anywhere, no buzzing frets, and no really dead spots. Of course, like all wood necks I ever played, it has sweet spots and not so sweet spots. Not all that noticeable unless you are looking for them, and you are playing long notes. I think the next step up from this bass would be the Peavey Grind 4 NTB, but it costs well over $100 more street price and probably weighs more since it does not have a basswood body. The new MusicMan Bongo bass has a basswood body, and it's a really good wood for bass guitar bodies. The worst part that I see is the plastic nut, and that could be changed out rather cheaply.

This is not only good enough for live playing, but you can afford 3 or 4 of them for the price of a single USA built bass. I would have liked a nut that was made from harder material. Truss rod adjustments happen often for me, but never have I seen a bass that had easier adjustment. Just stay away from heavy strings, as I think the thin neck and truss rod would be a bit overwhelmed. This will make a great backup bass after you save up for your dream bass, and plenty good enough to learn on.

Doubt that I will ever need customer support. It seems to be built right.

The SKB Freedom bass case for P-bass style guitars works very well with this bass. The two together qualify for free shipping from MF. I have lived to see the day that a really good bass with case could be had for $300 delivered. I bought mine with the SKB case because it is really a bass worth taking care of. Don't let the low price and the fact it is made in China throw you a curve. The cheapest bass made in the USA that is similar is the MusicMan S.U.B for about $599-$699 without case. I have seen MM2 basses go on eBay for $180 with gig bag and free shipping in mint used condition. The Warwick RockBass Corvette Basic is about $500, and also Asian made. I'll take the OLP MM2 over a much more expensive MIM Fender P-bass or J-bass, and others who have owned both will tell you the same thing. The MusicMan Stingray this bass is modeled after is a Leo Fender design as well, you know, and he had learned a thing or two after he designed the P-bass and J-bass. For about $200 you can convert this bass to active pickup with preamp, and then it will sound very close to a $1200 MusicMan Stingray. And that is just what I might do at a later date. For now, it sounds just fine and is a lot of fun. It makes a lot more sense to spend most of your bucks on a decent amp. The $150 to $500 you save by buying this bass gets you a much better amp than you could have otherwise afforded, and that is what will get you the most improvement in sound for your money. I'm 48 years old, and good bass guitars cost this much back in the 60's when I was a kid and wages were 1/4 of what they are now. Times have changed.

I rated this last category according to price, since this is now regarded as the best bass you can get for $230 new. The other above categories are according to how it rates compared to its much more expensive domestic competition. It just feels, plays, and sounds like a much more expensive instrument. Fender, Gibson, and others like them had better get their act together, because they just don't deliver the goods like OLP and a few others do now. I can now afford a half dozen different models of good quality basses without breaking the bank, for the price of only one prestige bass.