First 5 string - Sire Marcus Miller V7 Reissue a good entry point?

[Geek99]

I always play sitting down (OMs only) so weight isn’t a major issue. It’s not light but I’m sure I’d be okay for a standup gig with it. I like the tight spacing and prefer its passive sounds to active. Since it has separated tone controls I have two sounds on tap just by switching between active and passive. Thats all I need

[karlbbb]

Just another +1 for the V7s. I've got a 5 string, 2nd generation and it's fantastic. That said, I'll be listing it on the members market very soon due to lack of playing (in general) and to pre-fund future plans

[Sean]

On 14/11/2025 at 06:32, Kiwi said:

 I can't get on with that shrunken lower horn on the body...

 

I can't unsee that now. It's odd. 

[kwmlondon]

I have seen quite a few pros using a Sire. Just the standard cooking models. Very respected. 

[Gizmo]

So im thinking i quite fancy a Z7 5 string (over the HB Jazz 5) but.....Just WTF is the string spacing on these basses ? Not a word or note in the spec on Sire's site or Thomman or Andertons etc etc for any spacing spec on any of there basses...Duh,

 

Spacing will make or break a bass for me so anyone in the treasure trove of BC knowledge have Concreate Spacing measurements ? various sites on the interwebs say anything from 16mm on the Z3 5 string and 17.5mm on the Z7...i thought these were the same bass but in H & HS ????

 

Anyone?

[mcnach]

1 hour ago, Gizmo said:

So im thinking i quite fancy a Z7 5 string (over the HB Jazz 5) but.....Just WTF is the string spacing on these basses ? Not a word or note in the spec on Sire's site or Thomman or Andertons etc etc for any spacing spec on any of there basses...Duh,

 

Spacing will make or break a bass for me so anyone in the treasure trove of BC knowledge have Concreate Spacing measurements ? various sites on the interwebs say anything from 16mm on the Z3 5 string and 17.5mm on the Z7...i thought these were the same bass but in H & HS ????

 

Anyone?

 

It's 17.5 mm, for both Z7-5 and Z3-5 (I have both and measured it).

[Gizmo]

2 hours ago, mcnach said:

 

It's 17.5 mm, for both Z7-5 and Z3-5 (I have both and measured it).

 

Within my tolerance range, Many Thanks  ...I still can not understand why NO reviewers or retailers have what is BASSic imformation like this on their videos/sites....poss incoming Z7

[Geek99]

I totally agree with you. My v7/5 feels like playing a 4 string, spacing is that tight 

 

pleased about it though 

[dave_bass5]

5 hours ago, Gizmo said:

So im thinking i quite fancy a Z7 5 string (over the HB Jazz 5) but.....Just WTF is the string spacing on these basses ? Not a word or note in the spec on Sire's site or Thomman or Andertons etc etc for any spacing spec on any of there basses...Duh,

 

Spacing will make or break a bass for me so anyone in the treasure trove of BC knowledge have Concreate Spacing measurements ? various sites on the interwebs say anything from 16mm on the Z3 5 string and 17.5mm on the Z7...i thought these were the same bass but in H & HS ????

 

Anyone?

Been looking at this myself over Christmas. Looks very good value for money and im due for a non Fender type bass (yeah, i know who invented the Stingray). I love narrow string spacing on a 5 so it seems perfect-ish.

[Gizmo]

10 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

Been looking at this myself over Christmas. Looks very good value for money and im due for a non Fender type bass (yeah, i know who invented the Stingray). I love narrow string spacing on a 5 so it seems perfect-ish.

 

Just grabbed a V7-5 in white (as ebony board is my pref) for just under £400 b-stock, so not much more the cost as a Z3....might have a look at changing out the bridge to a Guyker high mass that will go to 17mm, i picked one up off ebay just before xmas for just £29,  pretty much this unit in 5 and black....NBD once it arrives

 

 

[dave_bass5]

1 hour ago, Gizmo said:

 

Just grabbed a V7-5 in white (as ebony board is my pref) for just under £400 b-stock, so not much more the cost as a Z3....might have a look at changing out the bridge to a Guyker high mass that will go to 17mm, i picked one up off ebay just before xmas for just £29,  pretty much this unit in 5 and black....NBD once it arrives

 

 

Nice one. Very much look forward to hearing your thoughts. 

 

Edited January 3 by dave_bass5

[Geek99]

Exactly the bass I have but gen 1, the whole thing is flawless. The only thing I don’t like is the active sound but I don’t like active much anyway 

Edited January 3 by Geek99

[Gizmo]

So My Z-7 5 in White arrived today.....B-Stock so i was expecting a few issues....maybe just sticky knob's !  but as it was just over the cost of a New Z3 i though/think it was worth a punt (i'll just say now i am happy with it (well like 70% happy....because)

 

First issue...Sharp fret edges from 12th-20th G side of the board....this isn't sprout it's just that the edges of the frets haven't been rounded off, no big deal 5 min with a file to sort

Second issue...Neck was out of alignment (see attached pics before it was fixed) Doubt this happened in shipping as the neck bolts were tiger tight, now loosened and reset....Still out a little at the nut but that's because

Third issue...Nut is miss cut under the A string by about 0.76-1mm might not seem a lot but you can see it....

 

Not sure if the person who purchased/returned this before me changed the strings & did a "setup" but man out of the box the action/neck relief was total Dog Doo....like Glarry level bass "setup" also not sure what the shipping set should be on these but this had 1.20/90/70/50/30 which seems odd/out of step?

 

Any how's changed the string and reset the rod dropped the saddles set the action and now it has a few dead spots/high fret...so it's going to need a level/crown...... hummm, it's nothing i can't do and haven't had to do on many many basses/guitars, but i was hopping that all with all the "huff" about sire's QA and out of the box playability that i wouldn't have to this time,...oh well  

 

Neck/board feels great slim Wide D rolled edges/flat board nice.....Lower horn is still way to small for sitting down play so it just doesn't sit well enough on your leg + it has quite a bit of neck drive despite having a quite heavy Alder body.

 

 

[Kiwi]

Out of curiosity what is the neck heel width?  I'm wondering if one of the Aurok necks might fit.  The Z7 I tried in Andertons was absolutely killer, better sounding than both the rays I have.  But I have a profound dislike of that lower horn shape.

[Machines]

15 minutes ago, Kiwi said:

Out of curiosity what is the neck heel width?  I'm wondering if one of the Aurok necks might fit.  The Z7 I tried in Andertons was absolutely killer, better sounding than both the rays I have.  But I have a profound dislike of that lower horn shape.

 

71.4mm at 22nd fret on my Z3.