Anyone here got a Sire bass or know much about them?

[Al Krow]

17 minutes ago, lownote12 said:

I sold 4 after 2-3 months.  See my post above.  I couldn't hack having the perfect bass, so no more GAS.  GAS had to be restored by selling them.

And I haven't sold mine after 2 to 3 months.

So what?

It's just daft to go around making bald statements that almost everyone sells their Sires after 2 to 3 months.

[paulmcnamara]

45 minutes ago, lownote12 said:

I sold 4 after 2-3 months.  See my post above.  I couldn't hack having the perfect bass, so no more GAS.  GAS had to be restored by selling them.

Might have been more cost effective (long term) to have had therapy for the GAS?

[ubit]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

It's just daft to go around making bald statements that almost everyone sells their Sires after 2 to 3 months.

I'm not sure but I think he was speaking figuratively. I think many people when in possession of cheaper priced basses will change them more often whereas, if you own an expensive model you might hang on to it a bit longer. This is by no means an exact science as many people sell expensive stuff too but I see his point.

[jrixn1]

Perhaps it's also that the Sires sell in high volumes in the first place (e.g. https://www.thomann.de/gb/topseller_GF_electric_basses.html) so I would expect to see correspondingly numerically more of them in the used marketplace. 
 

Edited May 22, 2020 by jrixn1

[Al Krow]

9 minutes ago, ubit said:

I'm not sure but I think he was speaking figuratively. I think many people when in possession of cheaper priced basses will change them more often whereas, if you own an expensive model you might hang on to it a bit longer. This is by no means an exact science as many people sell expensive stuff too but I see his point.

Nah - the truth is some folk have a high turnover of basses and others don't. It's no more complicated than that. 

5 minutes ago, jrixn1 said:

Perhaps it's also that the Sires sell in high volumes in the first place (e.g. https://www.thomann.de/gb/topseller_GF_electric_basses.html) so I would expect to see correspondingly numerically more of them in the used marketplace. 

Yup, exactly.

[la bam]

If you're only gonna lose say £100 from new price when selling a bass such as a Sire, and probably £0 when selling one you bought second hand, it's much easier to sell.

Buying a £2k fender or stingray and selling for a loss of £400-500 is a bitter feeling.

That's why I'm loving the sires. In a way I think they're the best all rounder bass I've ever owned, and in another way I've no real attachment to them. If I have to sell one I know that once a small amount of money comes in I can buy the exact same model again new.

My classic p bass I sold though ..... nah, I'll never be able to buy that back.

 

[lownote]

Bit of reviewy stuff from SBL 3 years ago. Jump the yada yada to just after 4 minutes in:

 

[sammybee]

As I said before, they are great basses - like Skoda make great cars. But they're not aspirational products which might explain some of the turnover. You might be very happy with your Sire - but none of them are the sorts of instruments people lust over unlike other more established brands.

[Al Krow]

If a Sire, which can range in price £250 to £1,000+ (and around £450 to £550 new is pretty usual) are Skodas, what would that make a true budget work horse bass e.g. a Harley Benton?

This concept of an "aspirational bass" is defo a new one to me: my only criteria is whether it's a great bass to play. 

[Barking Spiders]

14 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

If a Sire, which can range in price £250 to £1,000+ (and around £450 to £550 new is pretty usual) are Skodas, what would that make a true budget work horse bass e.g. a Harley Benton?

This concept of an "aspirational bass" is defo a new one to me: my only criteria is whether it's a great bass to play. 

I used aspire to having either a US Stingray or a US Jazz, both in natural finishes. Having also had a go on both a Ray 34 and a 90s MIJ Jazz as well as the top end models I no longer see any point in shelling out top end wonga when these mid -priced versions are just as good to play

[sammybee]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

If a Sire, which can range in price £250 to £1,000+ (and around £450 to £550 new is pretty usual) are Skodas, what would that make a true budget work horse bass e.g. a Harley Benton?

This concept of an "aspirational bass" is defo a new one to me: my only criteria is whether it's a great bass to play. 

Lots of people when they buy basses/guitars/synths &/or other consumer items are heavily influenced by the 'aspirational' qualities of a product. To take the Skoda analogy further, this is why Audi sell basically the same cars slightly tweaked as Skoda for double the price, because Audi is an aspirational brand for many people. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, it's just marketing.

[Al Krow]

19 minutes ago, sammybee said:

Lots of people when they buy basses/guitars/synths &/or other consumer items are heavily influenced by the 'aspirational' qualities of a product. To take the Skoda analogy further, this is why Audi sell basically the same cars slightly tweaked as Skoda for double the price, because Audi is an aspirational brand for many people. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, it's just marketing.

I get that with cars.

But for me bass gear is not "aspirational" other than I'd like it to be great to play and sound great. So my Yammy BB1025 has as much of a place in my herd as my BBNE2, although one cost several times the other; they're both great basses.

When it comes to my gear my only real aspiration is to someday play it really well.

Edited May 22, 2020 by Al Krow

[sammybee]

24 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

I get that with cars.

But for me bass gear is not "aspirational" other than I'd like it to be great to play and sound great. So my Yammy BB1025 has as much of a place in my herd as my BBNE2, although one cost several times the other; they're both great basses.

When it comes to my gear my only real aspiration is to someday play it really well.

Most people when they buy an instrument want these things too, but they also want it to 'look' right and carry the right 'label' too. You're one of the lucky ones who don't and can save a boatload of cash

[Al Krow]

Just now, sammybee said:

Most people when they buy an instrument want these things too, but they also want it to 'look' right and carry the right 'label' too. You're one of the lucky ones who don't and can save a boatload of cash

Oh believe me, I'm a huge fan of form. If it looks great and has wow factor, as well as plays and sounds great I'm going to be as weak kneed as the next BC'er. And obviously what wows me won't necessarily do for the next person but thank God for that, otherwise the price of Spectors would go through the roof 😁

I just don't give a fig that it doesn't have a 🦋 on the headstock. 

But that's been my common experience of the attitude of most of the BCers I've had the pleasure of getting to know. The label doesn't matter that much, except where it reflects the quality we're looking for. 

[pete.young]

14 hours ago, nilebodgers said:

Funny that, I bought a bass in 1980-ish (Aria SB) and tried several late 70s Fender Ps in the shop at the same time and they were all awful in comparison. I wonder if any of those Fenders are selling for lots of money now?

Probably all of them. Similar story with my BB800.

[ubit]

21 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Nah - the truth is some folk have a high turnover of basses and others don't. It's no more complicated than that.

I have 15 basses. I would never sell my prized P and J but would definitely consider the lower priced ones for sale. I sold an Epiphone Thunderbird a while back. The cheaper basses are most likely to get punted.

[Al Krow]

1 hour ago, ubit said:

I have 15 basses. I would never sell my prized P and J but would definitely consider the lower priced ones for sale. I sold an Epiphone Thunderbird a while back. The cheaper basses are most likely to get punted.

Yup that's you and maybe also be true for lots of other folk.

I sold a Yammy P35 and 735A precisely because they were more expensive (and a little heavier) but only marginally better and very similar tonally to my excellent BB1025; I didn't want expensive gear lying around that wasn't going to get used because another of my herd could do the job just as well. I have been offered very good prices and have been tempted to sell my two prize basses.

Albert Rigoni sells more basses than anyone I know on BC. They're pretty much all high end.

I don't think you can generalise - it's going to be very individual. 

[White Cloud]

I owned one a couple of years ago however, the preamp was faulty and one of the fingerboard inlays say quite proud and at an odd angle.

I paid my money and took my chance as I bought it sight unseen online (never recommended). Had it not been for the issues it would have been a good bass  for the price. I didn't get bent out of shape about it as I probably just got unlucky and moved it on fairly quickly.

Based in my experience I thought them a tad overrated given some of the hype that was doing the rounds. 

[Rich]

On 21/05/2020 at 23:46, sammybee said:

Great basses, but for some reason, almost everyone that buys one sells it on after a couple of months.

I've had my V7 fiver for 5 years and it's a definite keeper.

[chris_b]

Has anyone found a 5 string Sire Jazz weighing in at 9 lbs or less? So far  I haven't found one and talking to the Sire Club on Talkbass they don't hold out much hope for me.

[Al Krow]

2 hours ago, Rich said:

I've had my V7 fiver for 5 years and it's a definite keeper.

That can't be correct.

We have it on good authority that pretty much all Sire bass owners sell their basses within 2 to 3 months.

😁

[Al Krow]

1 hour ago, chris_b said:

Has anyone found a 5 string Sire Jazz weighing in at 9 lbs or less? So far  I haven't found one and talking to the Sire Club on Talkbass they don't hold out much hope for me.

Your understanding is correct that they are not out and out light basses, in the way that Ibanez SRs are, or basses making use of slightly softer woods e.g. some Sandberg models.

The version 2 Sires do seem to be a little lighter than the v1s, though. I had been warned to expect around 11lbs by a v1 owner, but my v2 P7 5er weighs in at a very manageable (for me) 9.7 lbs - should be pretty similar to the weight of a Jazz.

Edited May 23, 2020 by Al Krow

[lownote]

5 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

That can't be correct.

We have it on good authority that pretty much all Sire bass owners sell their basses within 2 to 3 months.

😁

Ah but maybe its like quantum vacuum fluctuations. They flicker in and out of existence in the bass cabinet every few months, but from a  macro viewpoint there is always a Sire in his rack.  You never step in the same river twice. 

[Al Krow]

1 minute ago, lownote12 said:

Ah but maybe its like quantum vacuum fluctuations. They flicker in and out of existence in the bass cabinet every few months, but from a  macro viewpoint there is always a Sire in his rack.  You never step in the same river twice. 

Very good! 

Now try getting your head around parallel universes with time going backwards!  

[lownote]

2 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Very good! 

Now try getting your head around parallel universes with time going backwards!  

taht enod