Please recommend a sire for me, based on your own actual experience

[Geek99]

Short version …. I’m needing to buy something for me, based on something much bigger that I’ve had to sell for good business reasons, and that thing has good and bad memories from childhood and now that I want to replace with better ones. So I’m buying a really good bass, Sire basses seem to get good reviews 

 

so like a jazz bass, not roasted maple, white, natural or sunburst, available in five string though you may have had the four. Active, used is fine 500£ tops or £600 new which I know will get me “less”

 

will also be getting my p bass and vintage stingray clone fettled, probably by @Andyjr1515 as long as he promises to keep my basses at least six feet away from any weedy six string things lest they become infected 

 

this is not happening next week so please don’t use your marketplace item

as anything other than an example 

 

thank you for your wisdom, perhaps @CiciBass has tried some in vids? **

 

**see how I’m including the new member there 

Edited August 6, 2023 by Geek99

[asingardenof]

I have the four-string 2nd gen V7 and it's fantastic, so I've no reason to suspect the fiver will be any less good.

[Geek99]

Thanks - any views on the active, tone, quality? 
 

im basically a standard fender guy and this is a step out of my comfort zone as I want to try 5 again and I’m dissatisfied with fender ones. 

[CiciBass]

I concur with the Sire V7

 

Also, obviously not exactly what you’re looking for on this occasion, but if you’re interested in hearing/seeing more of Sire basses I did demo the P5 4, and speak about the quality of the bass (which I’ve found seems to be fairly consistent on all of their classic style basses). May or may not be of interest - 

 

[asingardenof]

4 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

Thanks - any views on the active, tone, quality? 
 

im basically a standard fender guy and this is a step out of my comfort zone as I want to try 5 again and I’m dissatisfied with fender ones. 

Honestly I've gone back to using it passive because I haven't had a need to boost/cut anything with the preamp. The preamp is very versatile and will let you minutely fiddle with the tone until the sun explodes if you so desire, but the base tone is very decent so I've just left it be.

Edited August 6, 2023 by asingardenof
Fixed a typo

[Geek99]

The story is that despite having a musical family no one helped me as a child develop any skills - too busy with the alcohol fuelled DV, and one last piece of land from that farm remains with myself and another as trustee … and selling it is good business but idiot is having to be pushed up the stairs to do it. I want rid of the land and of her lazy butt and I’m trying to recycle the bad memories into something better

[asingardenof]

Cheers @CiciBass, good to have the backup of someone who's tested a lot more basses than I have! Welcome to the forums too 😁

Edited August 7, 2023 by asingardenof

[asingardenof]

3 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

The story is that despite having a musical family no one helped me as a child develop any skills - too busy with the alcohol fuelled DV, and one last piece of land from that farm remains with myself and another as trustee … and selling it is good business but idiot is having to be pushed up the stairs to do it. I want rid of the land and of her lazy butt and I’m trying to recycle the bad memories into something better

I'm guessing this was intended for a different thread?

[Geek99]

3 minutes ago, asingardenof said:

I'm guessing this was intended for a different thread?

No, it’s the extension of post 1

i did originally intend to buy a jabbathegut bass but realise now that his fine, fine handiwork is so far out of my league that it’s not even playing the same sport 

[tauzero]

Oh, I thought you wanted a dog mating. So, not a sire, a Sire.

[Downunderwonder]

5 hours ago, Geek99 said:

dissatisfied with fender ones

What's wrong with Fender 5's that gets fixed by putting a Sire badge and funny looking headstock on one. Price?

[Geek99]

1 hour ago, Downunderwonder said:

What's wrong with Fender 5's that gets fixed by putting a Sire badge and funny looking headstock on one. Price?

Lots of things, that is one. 

[Downunderwonder]

1 hour ago, Geek99 said:

Lots of things, that is one. 

Saying what you see as value in the Sire range that is not met by Fender would help folks to help you.

 

Hell, I might even flip my Fender for one and profit if they are all that great.

[Geek99]

3 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

What's wrong with Fender 5's that gets fixed by putting a Sire badge and funny looking hea

 

32 minutes ago, Downunderwonder said:

Saying what you see as value in the Sire range that is not met by Fender would help folks to help you.

 

Hell, I might even flip my Fender for one and profit if they are all that great.

It’s the price point, the quality of a sire seems to be same or better for less, I’d like active as I found passive fives a bit muddy. It’s a new start for me so I need to find the right thing or it’s just more stuff.
 

Needs a conversation with partner about how much time I get, given my diy load and making space for her interests and commitments. Lots of things in the mix 

[Bolo]

6 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

funny looking headstock

Huge improvement over Fender's droopy turd design imo.

Also consistent quality control over Fender's 'you'll take what you get and happily overpay  for it' approach.

[neepheid]

Only useful to you in a generic sense as you seem to be set on a J style bass, but I am enjoying my Sire D5 (the '51/'54 P-a-like one) very much.  Quality all round is excellent for the price, lovely neck, decent weight, pretty good hardware.  My only "complaint", and it's more of an observation really, is that the single coil P pickup they use is a bit low output.  Now this doesn't bother me in the slightest - amp has gain and volume knobs for this very reason, but some people get sniffy about these things so I'm just mentioning for completeness.

[johnDeereJack]

A 5-string Sire V7 has just popped up for sale (no affiliation):

 

[asingardenof]

32 minutes ago, johnDeereJack said:

A 5-string Sire V7 has just popped up for sale (no affiliation):

 

How very serendipitous!

[spacecowboy]

I had a Gen 1 (V5 I think) 5 string Jazz Bass, it was an excellent instrument, preamp had a load of options and was very flexible, passive mode was there for when I wanted a more vintage bridge tone, it was excellent and I had no complaints, but like most of my gear it got moved on anyway 🤪! 

[jrixn1]

On 06/08/2023 at 23:04, Geek99 said:

Sire basses seem to get good reviews 

so like a jazz bass, not roasted maple, white, natural or sunburst, available in five string though you may have had the four. Active, used is fine 500£ tops or £600 new which I know will get me “less”

 

If you've decided you want a Sire and you're asking which model, then based on your requirements you've really only one decision: V7 or V7 Vintage.   The difference is the pickup construction, pickup spacing, and bridge.

 

The Sires I've owned were well made, looked good, played well, and sounded good. The necks are really nice. I personally found the preamp too fiddly with its three normal knobs, two stacked knobs, and a switch.  Also they are generally on the heavier side - Sire's own FAQ has the V7 at 4.67kg - if that's a concern for you.

 

 

On 07/08/2023 at 08:51, Geek99 said:

It’s the price point, the quality of a sire seems to be same or better for less, I’d like active as I found passive fives a bit muddy.

 

I don't know what other basses you've played, but what I've found is the split between 'good' and 'not so good' is not necessarily along the passive-active line.  I had a G&L L2500 Tribute with an extremely good B string, and I only ever played that bass in passive mode.  Currently £449 at Andertons.

[jonnybass]

I have a V7 5 string in burgundy mist.  Bought new.  As soon as it came I took it to a tech for a set up, and it made a huge difference, immediately a far better playable bass.  So be prepared for a set up (obvs YMMV).  I found the B string is good,  i've had worse /played far worse 5 strings over the years. I didnt like the pre-amp, sound was average but too many knobs on it.  I have swapped it out for a Fender 3 band (4 knob) one I had kicking about.  Its taken a huge step forward.  The tuners are heavy making it a little neck heavy, but I can and have used it on a 3 hour gig without any discomfort.  PIckups for my taste are a bit weak sounding, also not a huge fan of single coils but they dont have too much hum (at least haven't been for me so far).  

 

Over time I am looking to replace the tuning pegs for lighter ones, and change the pickups once thats done, this is easily a main gigging bass for me with any covers band I work with.

 

For the money a great bass, they look cool (after my ACG probably my most commented on bass for looks) and are a good platform to modify and turn into an even better bass.

 

Jonny

Edited August 8, 2023 by jonnybass

[asingardenof]

2 hours ago, jrixn1 said:

I don't know what other basses you've played, but what I've found is the split between 'good' and 'not so good' is not necessarily along the passive-active line.  I had a G&L L2500 Tribute with an extremely good B string, and I only ever played that bass in passive mode.  Currently £449 at Andertons.

Get in there quick though, they go in and out of stock like nobody's business!

[ricksterphil]

I had a V2 5 string for a while. Great bass, well finished and not heavy. I'd recommend them but you'd probably find a Cort or an Ibanez for similar money. I think the string spacing is quite tight on the Sire. I have a Cort 5 string now for that reason. The Sire knobs are pants but that's a cheap and easy fix

[Geek99]

Tight spacing is fine

Thanks for the v7 vs v7 vintage tip, though I’d probably ask andyjr15 to take a look at it along with my other 2 and fettle

 

the pup spacing on vintage looks a bit closer to bridge as per 70s fender

Edited August 8, 2023 by Geek99

[Norris]

The model seems fairly obvious (V7). The main concern is which colour!

 

I'm still loving my P7 5-string version 2 btw (black and red tort)