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5 string bass: Sire vs Fender Player

#21
I have 2 Sire's, V5 and P7. These types of questions are answered typically by the owner of a certain brand and I'm no different. I own boutique and high end basses. I don't keep anything that would make a good canoe paddle.

Out of the 15 I own both of my Sires rate in the top 5. After string change then setup both Sire's are excellent players. Both better than some of my top end stuff. I play 5 and 6 strings. The P7 is my go to after my Stambaugh. Sometimes it's first out. Oh, the 7 is an active / passive (PJ) by the way of a switch. So, there is my 2 cents. I really like both of them. Money doesnt always dictate quality!
 
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#23
I have owned 3 Sire P7s and if they were lighter weight I'd still have them (and a bunch of money in my pocket which was spent on Sandberg Superlights). They play and sound as good or better than anything else I've played.
 
#24
You solicit suggestions so I will throw this out there. MF sold me a scratch / dent SBMM Stingray 5 HH for under $300. Have to say it's great bass! The closer string spacing is a good fit for me. The quality is very good especially for the price point. Much better than basses I bought for 2X to 5X the price. The hardware is a bit cheezy but it is workable and reliable for now. If you have the opportunity to demo one, it deserves your attention.

FWIW - Although my experience is limited, I have never played a Fender branded 5 string that I liked at all.
 
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#25
Sire Hands Down from V3 to V10 quality instruments price be damned.
If I was looking for 5 string Jazz oh yeah it's on my list :) V5 passive so I can throw in a J-retro Pre-amp or V8 completely hooked up. I love roasted maple necks & rounded fret edges and 70's pickup position its a wrap. The only Fender at this point I'd even consider is if Charvel ever comes out with a 4 string J bass with the same neck that's on the Charvel PJ IV. Weight doesn't matter to me I'm a 60 year gym rat. LOL
 
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#26
Auer said:
Can you hear any difference between your old and new bridge?
Click to expand...

I absolutely feel and hear a difference.
My V7 had the cheap feeling/rattling/soft square shaped barrels. All I had to do was replace them with brass barrels.
Huge difference.
Now does the audience hear/feel a difference?
Nah.
119460309_2810003565781503_6096339958009433042_n.jpg
327925558_1926237937720668_6389255299073556779_n.jpg
 
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#27
I own a CIJ Fender P and it’s the superior instrument to my V5 and V7. With that said, I will never go back to expensive instruments and I’d rather have an arsenal of Sire basses if I needed a bunch of tools.

I’d compare them to the Player Plus models rather than the Player series in terms of build quality and tone. I like the Plus models but I got my two Sires for the price of one Plus.
 
#29
While comparing theoretical specifications and listening to opinions can be helpful, ultimately, it's your own taste that should guide your decision. It's just like picking a wand at Hogwarts!

Especially in that price range; a particular bass from brand/series X may be (subjectively) better than a particular bass from brand/series Y - and vice versa. So - play them all and pick the particular bass which sticks to you.

If you'll be ordering online; based on my personal experience, I would suggest considering the Fender bass. It tends to hold its value well, making it a safer option if you find that it doesn't suit your preferences.
 
#30
Sire is obviously a MUCH better deal, but pretty much ANYTHING is a better deal than overpriced new Fenders. The quality of Fender Player and Sire is comparable. Fender Player still costs almost twice as much.

In my experience Sire basses are actually slightly better than Fender Players, although it will depend on the exact instruments being compared. I recommend trying before buying. QC isn't great for either of these brands, which may be understandable in Sire's price range but not with +$1000 Fenders! If I had to buy untested I would definitely not get Fender. If anything, Sire's QC is slightly better.

Of course some people are willing to pay twice the price for the Fender logo on the headstock. And if you try both you might even like the Fender better. A GOOD Fender can be pure magic but the Sire is clearly the better deal here.
 
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#31
Thanks everyone for their input so far! Seems like the Sires get a lot of love.
To answer some of the questions asked: yeah I live in Switzerland and will be ordering online because none of the music shops in my town have any 5 string in stock (within my budget at least). And sadly ordering through them takes a looooong time, at least for Fender, not even sure they can get Sires. Also I know how to properly set up basses, so correcting factory is no issue. Considering these two brands mostly because they are what is available, within my budget and I prefer « classic » looking instruments. Still looking at local used ads but nothing interesting these days. Haven’t really considered the Sterling basses because I have no experience with musicman style basses, whereas I know P and J basses work for my needs. Not sure I want to go active, so far I’m leaning towards the Sire P5, which initially caught my eye and it seems like those of you who own it love it.
 
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#33
KoalaBass said:
Thanks everyone for their input so far! Seems like the Sires get a lot of love.
To answer some of the questions asked: yeah I live in Switzerland and will be ordering online because none of the music shops in my town have any 5 string in stock (within my budget at least). And sadly ordering through them takes a looooong time, at least for Fender, not even sure they can get Sires. Also I know how to properly set up basses, so correcting factory is no issue. Considering these two brands mostly because they are what is available, within my budget and I prefer « classic » looking instruments. Still looking at local used ads but nothing interesting these days. Haven’t really considered the Sterling basses because I have no experience with musicman style basses, whereas I know P and J basses work for my needs. Not sure I want to go active, so far I’m leaning towards the Sire P5, which initially caught my eye and it seems like those of you who own it love it.
Click to expand...

You can always turn off an active setup, so no harm done if you dont use it but it's nice to have.

If you get a chance, try out any of the Sire M series fivers too, 35" scale and 24 frets.
Very comfortable to play. And sounds really really good. You can get the M7 for still less than a Fender.
I have a M7 5 string, and another 4 string fretless on order.

M Series

20230614_210139.jpg
 
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#34
Auer said:
You can always turn off an active setup, so no harm done if you dont use it but it's nice to have.

If you get a chance, try out any of the Sire M series fivers too, 35" scale and 24 frets.
Very comfortable to play. And sounds really really good. You can get the M7 for still less than a Fender.
I have a M7 5 string, and another 4 string fretless on order.

M Series

View attachment 5119591
Click to expand...

I just got a six string M7 - sounds great, but going to a six is a big adjustment.

2N23270055-angle-xlarge.jpg
 
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#38
Kerem Koseoglu said:
If you'll be ordering online; based on my personal experience, I would suggest considering the Fender bass. It tends to hold its value well, making it a safer option if you find that it doesn't suit your preferences.
Click to expand...

Yep.

Fender is, largely still making a bass/guitars based upon a late 1940's tech and have ventured only slightly from that platform. Why?

Because, in an overall marketing and tonal strategy, it just works...to this day.

Music is really about well timed note selection. It matters not how well any instrument plays but how it's played at a given moment.

Granted, there are many, many fine choices. We all benefit. No one bass is better. Just find one that fits your current needs. Which, may change as time passes.

For Fender, it's a legacy thing, and it's a tone thing. When playing live, one will have some control over your tone. The people in the pub or in row 32 might not discern the quality of the open B string, just its impact on that passage of music. Your hands & gut will likely be the reason your note selection is what it is at that time. Just find an instrument where you can lose all the tech and just be yourself.

At that point, value isn't even a factor. Value can get you started if money's an object, but how one performs in any given moment determines the next jam session, gig, contract and / or concert.

USA Fenders have worked well for me, personally. These days, a hard sell because of pricing. When I started in the 70's, Fender was one of about 3 choices because they were playable (mostly). Ibanez's introduction f their own designs (and some lawsuit gear) benefitted all of us. American Fenders hold their value, even the dogs.

P.S. If you're doing paid gigs, an instrument pays for itself. Don't forget that. Get to the paid gigs, and it's easier to make the choices you want to make.

[/rant]
 
#39
I’ve never owned a Fender Player, but I’ve owned two MIA five strings and and an MIM five string and all were very nice basses. And the MIM (a Jazz Deluxe 5) was an outstanding bang-for-the-buck bass, but unfortunately weighed a WHOPPING 13.5 pounds.

We have a lot of outdoor gigs this summer, so I decided to buy a less expensive bass to be the beater I’d use in conditions where I’d prefer not to take one of my good basses. I decided on a Sire V5R five string and was immediately impressed after unboxing it. I then played a four set festival a few days later and came away even more impressed. It’s very well made, has an extremely comfortable neck and fingerboard, the weight is not too bad (comparable to my older Stingray, about 9.5 pounds), and it sounds great. I don’t think the Fenders I’ve owned have anything on my Sire.
 
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#40
KoalaBass said:
Thanks everyone for their input so far! Seems like the Sires get a lot of love.
To answer some of the questions asked: yeah I live in Switzerland and will be ordering online because none of the music shops in my town have any 5 string in stock (within my budget at least). And sadly ordering through them takes a looooong time, at least for Fender, not even sure they can get Sires. Also I know how to properly set up basses, so correcting factory is no issue. Considering these two brands mostly because they are what is available, within my budget and I prefer « classic » looking instruments. Still looking at local used ads but nothing interesting these days. Haven’t really considered the Sterling basses because I have no experience with musicman style basses, whereas I know P and J basses work for my needs. Not sure I want to go active, so far I’m leaning towards the Sire P5, which initially caught my eye and it seems like those of you who own it love it.
Click to expand...

That's why I asked if you were in Europe or the US. The Sterling Ray35 that is a pretty good option, but they can be had under $1,000 US brand new here and under $700 used. Thomann lists them at around $1,400 USD new and I don't know if they're worth that.
 

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