Ander87

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??

well... It's here! will update shortly with some pictures

Oh gotcha!! Nice, I’m sure it’ll treat you right! Ander.

This one is the one I got…! the cable im holding is the supply lead.

Came here to say this - only con is they don't have a thick kettle lead, all else is perfect and dead quiet. Ander.

Alex just bought a strap from me - easy to deal with, quick payment and an all round lovely fella. Would most def recommend! Ander.

Oh, nice to hear Lee! I was tempted but I need to see a pickguard somehow, guess I'm deep in the FSO universe for the last couple years at least... And plus I wanted to get a bass I would want to gig and not sure if the shortscale proportions could threw me off...! I don't think they have this colour for maple but they've got a gorgeous champagne gold that I was very tempted by - I would've completely bought this would it not be because I already have a maple board on my Precision...: Best, Ander.

Whoa this is gonna be stunning! pretty cool, especially as we use to see shell pink in the Fender Flea sig, nice to do Precision for a change. The decal will make it more yours yet too I've had experience with those mutes (in previous pages) and love the mojo of them, actually I may just install it again on my current Precision MiM - they also work better, I think, than adding and removing foam etc and can graduate the intensity of muting too. Agree on the sentiment of the case, they're great to look at and the wow factor but not practical outside bumpy road trips to studio and storage... Looking forwards to seeing it my dude! Ander.

ooooh tell us, what did you ordered? I had to wait a couple months for mine…! Ander.

Haha by all means, cheers buddy - that jazz sharper edge is what I’m looking for and I’ve got tons of bass on the EQ if need be, will let the jazz be a jazz of course!

Aha, thank you! Yes, I got the 4 string version too so I’m hoping that will be light enough for gigs etc. interesting on the pickups, I do love a fat type of pickups due to my precision bass background and the genre, so that’ll help massively - good to hear the ‘Fat J Revolution’ pickups the V5R comes with aren’t just marketing but a hint at the character 😂 Completely agree some Fender can be mental heavy and tbh 9.5lbs/4.3kg is not a demand for a super light bass anyways… I asked Thomann if they could weigh it but no charm. … if it’s bloody heavy I can order another one to have my pick and then return the boat anchor if any of them is haha Thanks again! Ander.

Gah!!! I love it, this is seriously so sexy!! I hadn’t seen any around here on that colour/spec for the V5R. what’s the weight like? Have you felt any need to change the pickups? I’m thinking it could become my main gigging bass, the stingray special is likely too precious to expose to crowds in a punk rock gig sometimes… my only real concern is the weight, I hope it kicks under 9.5lbs. Ander.

but you’re blessed with that solid playing my man! I was REALLY considering the sonic blue V3 but roasted maple won me over in the end. Un saludo 😉!

I liked the V7/V8s but I was less keen on the colours and don’t need active bass this time… and only rosewood missing in my trio of basses which I think it’s fundamental sometimes…! Ander

ORDER DISPATCHED

Aha! yep I was tempted for the V7/new V8 - Thomann has a B Stock one for £580 which is quite nice against new £700something... but then again with the Capo and my pedals I don't neeeeed an active, and do still want to have the Stingray at work if I need active... Haha just being dramatic, waiting a week for a bass isn't really the biggest struggle but I'll be hoping it's Thursday instead of Friday will hopefully test it on Friday at our Slim Jim's rig and report back...!

Exactly my reasoning mate! My Capo does an awful lot of tone shaping now, it really has made my active preamp redundant really - just a bit of muscle on the bass and treble and my passive basses have punched a bloody lot! Off topic but that pedal has just changed my sound so so so much, it is shocking - defo my 'one pedal to an island' kind of thing, makes me wonder even whether I need a compressor and I could even live without an extra distortion - I just have it for extra niceness lol but yeah...! Ander.

Wow! Yep I find myself missing a punchy jazz tone - didn't want to do active electronics though, and youtube makes the passive Sires sound very authoritative, but what do I know, I know that can be deceiving - worth a try though...! Also heard that the weights were more of an issue of the gen 1, the v2 seeeeem to have remedied that a bit more and stay around 4kg - hopefully that's the case, long as it's not a boat anchor...! Ander.

Haha I'm getting really excited, funny enough this is the cheapest bass I've ever bought followed by my Fender MiM Precision so I'm really looking forwards to trying it out. I know that these 'edgeless' fretboards is the marketing name for rolled edges frets but they do look very heavily rounded, will be interesting to see I reckon - the pictures make for very good finishes but won't be able to judge until it's in my hands I guess.

Yes! I was considering regular v5/8 (Thomann has a v8 b stock for £580!) but having the stingray I wanted as much instrument without electronics so I chose passive. the V3p looked really nice, I could’ve well gone for the Sonic Blue for more colour variation but I couldn’t resist the roasted neck and binding/blocks so here we go again 2 teal basses haha the hanger is ready waiting; Best, Ander.