Ander87

Perfectly valid! I totally get you on that sense - similarly I loved the Motorcycle from Hudson Electronics but admittedly it is a tone I can pull from the Capo so I let it go in favour of the GNP. 

Interesting! I had the Lil Fella and really liked it but I found it ate some bottom - as most pedals that don’t have an EQ, I’d say. 
 

really good and crunchy pedal but a more traditional cut - the G&P feels more RAT like and fizzy up top. 
 

Ander. 

Haha cheers Rob too nice of you!

Hahahaha thanks a ton Rob! I was t too sure myself initially before I clicked the order button and has an element of cheesiness to it or make it look like I chose them for the colour… but it just works. The other finishes didn’t call me as much as these on the sire’s and the stingray is my all time ultimate favourite. 
 

Ander. 

Thanks @ezbass! Yep mine is 3.75kg and feels light but solid too. 
 

@Paolo85 is right on Sires reputation but I did research on the P5 and seems like this gen/series of passives has repaired much of this. 
 

the P5’s I’ve enquired about before buying new were 4kg dead on in most cases - note also LowEndLobster’s heavier bass (4.25kg I think?) was the 5 string version, could maybe be the carbon rods that Sire 5ers have that 4ers don’t? Asides from the obvious bigger neck and more hardware/extra tuner of course

1 minute ago, neepheid said:

Dispatched 21/06 at 6am.  Heard hee haw since.  Surely I'm due a gurgle from the customs plughole today...

Ah man praying for them to clear soon, did you order?

my guitarist got a guitar from Argentina that spent 3 weeks in stansted last month waiting for HMRC 🤡 💀 

20 minutes ago, neepheid said:

How long was it stuck at "The goods have left our warehouse and are on their way to the border."?

Hmm! Mine was about a couple working days. From order to delivered this was 4 working days, 5 working days on the V5R. 
 

ah man I hope it gets to you soon, I think at that stage it’s HMRC/DHL troubles. 

18 minutes ago, lidl e said:

All european board!

well coincidentally I’m completing it with the JAM waterfall chorus, Greece!

Loving this!

If the first picture is on the cool side of the spectrum, this is a bit warmer but how my eyes would see it I think. 
 

Heck, doesn’t matter, we all know I just want to show these off 😂
 

The Alma is great! Always on and juicy sustain. Works wonders on pick!

and the G&app, Jesus it’s very versatile, especially with that mix/blend. Very impressed so far but needs stage and rehearsal time of course. 

Well I can post more detail but this seems to be a keeper to me. Works brilliant with my new P bass, lots of authority, but the treble punch of my Jazz on this is surreal…!

loving the natural mix control (rather than the usual blend of volumes) and how the EQ can go either way without losing presence. 

I’d say the closest is the first one - I’ve got an LPB and that is very much like the top right, @Happypants has Tidepool and think he’d concur!

13 hours ago, Ander87 said:

 

Right! so for the second Monday in a row I've a delivery from Thomann. Impressed by the V5R I took receipt of HERE I just had to give this a go...!

P5 in the same bloody colour - I know - a Sea of Foam Green should be my theme, but I couldn't resist since this colour for both Sires was nicer than the others to my taste.

So, like I did on the previous post... Onto the bad first: NONE.

The setup was in this case perfect, neck/truss rod / pitch at 12th fret etc, all spot on - Potentially the bass I've bought new with the best setup, paired only by the Stingray I'd say (again, 6 times pricier...).

The frets in this bass are better finished yet than in the V5R too, only one scratches a teeny tiny bit on the 11th fret but again being picky.

Weight is a silly 3.75kg, and it balances very nicely, no head dive which is a plus.

I had read the pickups lacked bottom, I think they're spot on but I often boost treble on other P basses I've had so maybe it's down to my preference. I find them very balanced with presence in mids and highs, and again I will not be changing them in a while - maybe, MAYBE next year if we pop to the studio, just for the purpose of having things top spec'd in case it shows in the recordings... But then again admittedly more being a snob than needing a change. 

To illustrate, I took the V5R to a gig on Saturday and it was one of the best sounding live tones I've had.

DISCLAIMER: these basses sound amazingly to my ears and considering I have the Capo on my board, which makes everything sound just so so so good as many reviews will verify here.

Having an average amp and cab or crappier pedals will surely bring a worse result, but I think I've learnt to spread the demands of a rig across the cab, the amp, pedals etc; I used to put too much responsibility on the bass whilst my view now is that the bass is great long as it's well finished and feels comfortable.

One thing to point out that, even if it doesn't bother me, I can see how it'd bother others - the roast of the neck is super super dark - I do think it's potentially tinted as it doesn't make a lot of sense - add black dots and you won't see crap on the face of the board, BUT the dot markers on the side are white. I encountered a similar problem in a Sterling Ray34 where the dark side dots had to be replaced at my cost, seems like Sire got that right here though.

The neck is so dark that one could believe it's rosewood - again I quite like it as is down to taste - and the maple board has a very interesting 'light to dark' gradient here, again not sure if down to tinting it or natural, but I like it either way.

I will say that I prefer the tort pickguard in person even looking at my own pictures.

On 20/06/2023 at 07:46, Ander87 said:

Reckon I'll end up getting the matching P5,

Attempted delivery for mine yesterday, biting my nails waiting for it tomorrow - just as I have an NBD loading too, what a Monday comes…!

2 hours ago, garyt said:

For a Metro 20, you can’t go wrong with the Truetone CS6 as it can mount underneath

love it, and I’ve had it, but prices can just be criminal and for that money I’d rather buy a pedal 😅 but yes, top game purchase if you want a top game PSU. 
 

I’ve got a Harley Benton and it’s working great though. 

Lee just bought a current doublet from me - always a pleasure to deal with Lee, super good comms fast payment and a reliable lovely fella!

Ander. 

Gotcha, thanks Alain; I’ve a new P coming, I better not check under the pickguard if it’d all fit otherwise you and I may have to talk 😂

Hey buddy. Ignorant much buy is it an active pickup? Ie needs batteries etc?

Ander. 

Don bought my Broadcast pedal and he was a pleasure to deal with - quick payment, good communications, just great all around - would most defo recommend and deal with Agar.  Enjoy the pedal buddy!

Thank you @Jonesy! I agree, and think I’d very likely get a mint pickguard or anodised gold for the P5 if I do end up with it… the V5R is spot on as is though… we shall see!

Thank you @lee650 ! Very impressed with this Sire.

Reckon I'll end up getting the matching P5, and leave them stock until I feel like a change of pickups just before going into the studio next year.

I do have to say that this appreciation for cheaper basses has been made possible only by the wonderful Capo pedal, man, that thing is like engaging the talent button I know I need hahaha it just turns any bass into a powerhouse - add that to a well-finished bass, a broad-dispersing cab and you're ready to go!

Ander.

Right...! So, bass is here.

First, the bad: awfully setup, I have to say, the action at fret 12 must've been more than 5mm high, I genuinely don't think I've ever played a bass with the action so high in my life. The neck was relatively straight and the saddles etc are okay. I could lower the action so much that even the strings were touching the pickups.

This in the picture is my index:

Asides from that.... I genuinely can't complain!

It is very nicely finished - the paint in the truss rod hole is well painted, no issues with the binding even if I was expecting some. Forgivably, some of the frets on the treble side at around fret 12-15 do scratch a bit on the joint with the fretboard, but this is £399 and they call it the dusty end for a reason.

Weight wise, 4.15kg, so, very manageable - I would like it down to 4kg but hey, it's not a la carte menu nor a custom - very manageable and good balance. I've read I could save a good 200gr with Gotoh tuners but so far I like how these ones move/behave.

Sound, yes, it is a thicker sounding jazz - @thisisswanbon was VERY right- it has very good body on the lower end and that nasal treble side that we like on a jazz bass. I was assuming I'd have to run to change pickups but this is definitely not necessary, I may do at some point out of genuine boredom more than any actual issue. No hum whatsoever with either pickups, of course none when both are on. One thing I like is that turning both pickups on keeps pretty much the same bottom as isolating the neck pickup - and no volume loss. I really like this since I come back from Precision pickups or jazzes where I almost always play with the neck pickup.

The roasted maple has a lovely satin finish, not as nice as the gunstock/oil of my Stingray Special but also consider this bass is 6 times cheaper aye? Frankly, if my Stingray neck finish is 10/10, this would be a solid 8.5-9/10, much as it hurts to admit.

The rolling of the frets is spot on where it matters except those two frets around 12-14 on the treble side I mentioned. 

I have touched the truss rod and saddles to where the bass is much more playable, and I normally do my own setups but seeing how extreme this was I will probably take it to a professional to setup for some £25-30 I guess - something to note in the budget. Will probably take the chance to restring on Stainless Steel daddarios and through the body.

Now, the big question, seeing as I have a 'good years' Fender Precision MiM in Lake Placid Blue (2010). How do they compare?

Similar sound quality - but the Sire has top game finishes that I would expect in Schecters of double the price to name a brand. I'd say finishing wise it's very in the 1k£ range, but I don't think I'd compare it to American made - just a bloody good Korean finish (LTD 1000 series, Schecter high end, PRS SE Signatures... that sort of vibe).

Considering I've had about 25 basses and this is my cheapest, I would gladly believe this is in the £800-1000 range by features and feel - add branded pickups and I'd be ready to assume this is £1200s in today's money as a signature model or similar.

Now, I do love the Fender but I know Sire makes the P5 in Mild Green, same as this V5R, for a silly £379 with roasted maple.... Will I give in to a trio in this seafoam green vibes??