NBD: SIRE P7 5-STRING SWAMP ASH 2ND GENERATION

[Rod Barchetta]

I have been waiting quite a while to try a 5-string bass with 18 mm bridge spacing. I could never find one in the guitar store. So I decided to take a leap and get a Sire P7 5-string 2nd Generation. I had a hard time finding one anywhere, but it was so worth the wait. It came out of the box almost in tune. Great set up, great action, perfect intonation. The rolled fretboard edges and satin neck still have me drooling. The sound is amazing! And for sure, 18 mm is my wheelhouse. This bass feels like home.

The only thing that would have made me happier is if they had given me the Sire gig bag. The one I got is nice, but it is not as nice as Sire's.

Many people have called me a cheap skate; this is the most money I have ever spent on a bass guitar. Let me tell you what; this bass is worth every dime. Sire Rules!!

 

[kobass]

Classic beauty!

Congrats and enjoy!!!

 

[Rod Barchetta]

I have been playing her all afternoon. I am blown away. The quality of the build and attention to detail is beyond anything I have ever played. You can tell a truly exceptional bass player designed this bass. Hats off to Marcus Miller and Sire.

 

[Rod Barchetta]

I got to weigh my bass today. 9 lbs, 1 oz. for a 5-string. That's lighter than all but one of my 4-strings; however, this bass still balances well. I like the neck a little higher than most, but all I need is a leather strap to keep it right where I want it.

One of the reviewers mentioned he had a problem with the volume and tone knob sticking together. My bass had the same problem. I removed both knobs, made sure the rings were free from defects and dust, replaced the outer ring making sure not to over tighten it (most of the problem), and pushed on the outer volume knob making sure not to push it down too tightly. That's all it took to achieve perfection.

One other reviewer commented that the P pick-up wasn't exactly the same sound as the classic P bass. He said it has punchier highs and lows, but was missing something in the mids. However, by engaging the preamp and slightly boosting the mids in the upper midrange frequency, she is a dead ringer for a Fender P bass (if that is what you are looking for). Unlike the P bass, there are few constraints to the tonal limits of this bass.

Once again, I'm blown away. Best bass I have ever bought, owned, or held.

 

[Rod Barchetta]

I played my Sire for the first time with my band in a practice setting. We invited a few friends to listen to give us some feedback and motivation. Everyone, including me, was blown away by the sound of my Sire P7. The compliments were heart felt and numerous. My favorite setting is the straight split PJ combination. The perfect combination of punch, thud and clank.

I find having the tone knob function while playing active allows you to quickly change your sound between songs without having to play with all 3 EQ bands. Set the EQ where you like it and use the blend and tone to get all the variation you need quickly.

I usually play my 4 string for the majority of our songs and switch over to 5 for the blues tunes, but I played almost exclusively on the 5 tonight. The thicker neck does take a little more left hand effort over the course of a 3 hour session, but I think I just need to work it some more. My PRS Kingfisher felt like a toy when I picked up near the end of practice. But it only ways 1 ounce less. The neck is like a toothpick after playing the Sire for hours. I still love my tricked out PRS, but if I can only take one bass to a gig, the Sire is the one I'm taking.

 

[Rod Barchetta]

I think I have always wanted a really nice Fender; a made in America, top-of-the-line with all the bells and whistles. But there was no way I was ever going to cough up the dough for that.

I truly believe this Sire is everything I ever wanted for a third of the price. It sounds and feels AMAZING! I could not be more satisfied.

 

[Rod Barchetta]

My new bass sounds so good that I actually took the time to try and explain to my wife why it sounded so good. I might as well have ben speaking to the dog, but I still tried. That's how good it sounds.

 

[SubNautican]

I have been waiting quite a while to try a 5-string bass with 18 mm bridge spacing. I could never find one in the guitar store. So I decided to take a leap and get a Sire P7 5-string 2nd Generation. I had a hard time finding one anywhere, but it was so worth the wait. It came out of the box almost in tune. Great set up, great action, perfect intonation. The rolled fretboard edges and satin neck still have me drooling. The sound is amazing! And for sure, 18 mm is my wheelhouse. This bass feels like home.

The only thing that would have made me happier is if they had given me the Sire gig bag. The one I got is nice, but it is not as nice as Sire's.

Many people have called me a cheap skate; this is the most money I have ever spent on a bass guitar. Let me tell you what; this bass is worth every dime. Sire Rules!!

Congrats on your purchase! I bought 2 5-string Sire basses earlier this year, an M7 and a P7. I LOVE the M7! I had an issue with the P7 though as it didn't arrive with the Marcus Miller High Mass bridge as advertised, but a rolled bridge (Ugh!). Sire insisted the rolled bridge is better, but I just don't like the fact that the switch was made without updating their advertising. I put the P7 aside in the case and haven't looked at it since. Maybe I'll find a bridge for it one day or just sell the P7 altogether.

 

[Rod Barchetta]

Congrats on your purchase! I bought 2 5-string Sire basses earlier this year, an M7 and a P7. I LOVE the M7! I had an issue with the P7 though as it didn't arrive with the Marcus Miller High Mass bridge as advertised, but a rolled bridge (Ugh!). Sire insisted the rolled bridge is better, but I just don't like the fact that the switch was made without updating their advertising. I put the P7 aside in the case and haven't looked at it since. Maybe I'll find a bridge for it one day or just sell the P7 altogether.

No one likes to feel like they have been mislead. I completely understand this especially when it comes to advertising. I fully expected my P7 to arrive with the S-rolled bridge.

I had a Sire P7 4 string with the high mass bridge, which I sold so my wife would let me buy the 5 string P7.

I really didn't see the advantage to the high mass bridge, though I understand the reasoning. I'm a mechanical engineer by trade, so I am always looking at how things are engineered. I broke a string or 2 with the high mass bridge because of the sharp angle the string took over the saddle when strung through the body. However, I do believe the key is how the bridge is fastened to the body and the through body stringing. The new S-rolled bridge is similar to the one Fender has used for years. The Sire bridge is superior to the Fender in that the saddles ride in tracks to make sure alignment is always proper (very important for consistent tuning).

I agree the appearance of the high mass bridge may be more appealing. I would suggest giving it a try before you send it back. I have to say I agree with Sire when they say the new bridge is an improvement. Everything about this bass is better than my first, and it was awesome.

 

[SubNautican]

Perhaps I will do that someday. My M7 has a high-mass bridge and it is outstanding, IMHO. Sustain is key. I wouldn't have had an issue with the P7 if it had been as advertised when I bought it. In fact, I just checked the retailer site and it STILL has the high mass bridge listed in the hardware section description as well as the pictures. Still, I am glad you are having a good experience with yours. I've gotten suggestions for replacements that others have tried. If I get inspired enough, I'll try to do something about it. Until that happens, my P7 is nothing but a thing that sits in the corner of my bass closet.

 

[Rod Barchetta]

Perhaps I will do that someday. My M7 has a high-mass bridge and it is outstanding, IMHO. Sustain is key. I wouldn't have had an issue with the P7 if it had been as advertised when I bought it. In fact, I just checked the retailer site and it STILL has the high mass bridge listed in the hardware section description as well as the pictures. Still, I am glad you are having a good experience with yours. I've gotten suggestions for replacements that others have tried. If I get inspired enough, I'll try to do something about it. Until that happens, my P7 is nothing but a thing that sits in the corner of my bass closet.

Here's a sample of the P7 for your listening pleasure, it's Smokin!

 

[friend33]

My new bass sounds so good that I actually took the time to try and explain to my wife why it sounded so good. I might as well have ben speaking to the dog, but I still tried. That's how good it sounds.

Pro tip: Do not mention this analogy to your wife.

 

[JW56789]

I've had wonderful luck with fives in an ash body/maple neck recipe. The hardness tends to carry through the lowest notes with a clarity I don't always hear in other recipes.

Hope yours does and it serves you well.

JW

 

[pepj]

They are fair bang for buck and is as much as you can expect.
Plenty of higher priced basses do not match them
$ for $ but they are far from perfect as you'd expect.
Woods and build ok, pre amp is decent, rest of hardware is cheap. imo.
I have one and it probably will not be the first I'll sell.

 

[Rod Barchetta]

They are fair bang for buck and is as much as you can expect.
Plenty of higher priced basses do not match them
$ for $ but they are far from perfect as you'd expect.
Woods and build ok, pre amp is decent, rest of hardware is cheap. imo.
I have one and it probably will not be the first I'll sell.

I disagree. The woods and build are as good as any you will find. The preamp is the most versatile of ANY I have ever played, tried, or heard. Incredible headroom and response across the spectrum. The tuners and bridge aren't namebrand, but to call them cheap is to imply they somehow lack in performance. This would be inaccurate. The knobs are cheap. They should use better knobs.

I know of at least two professional bass players, one with a Grammy, that disagree with your assessment. The 2nd plays his Sire over his Sadowsky. He has both, he prefers the Sire.

Sire may not be for everyone. If you care about having a name everyone knows on your headstock, it is not for you. If you want the most for your money, Sire is your choice. Marcus Miller also agrees.

 

[bholder]

Pro tip: Do not mention this analogy to your wife.

(spits coffee out nose) Thanks, I needed a hot coffee nasal flush this morning!

 

[bholder]

Here's a sample of the P7 for your listening pleasure, it's Smokin!

That's the stuff!

 

[pepj]

Of course MM agrees, he is on the deal.
Having said that, they are decent and he endorses them with credit.

If these retail at $700 some one is working very cheap and corners are cut.
The woods are not top grade woods but the build is fair. Decent wood alone would take out half the retail cost.
The pre amp is functional and useable but a bit clunky. The pickups are a good balance with the pre.
Bridge and tuners are cheap nasty metal.
They will not last as they will likely wear easily.
Hopefully, someone will make decent after market parts that slot straight in with no redrills.

But, bang for buck they do very well, but as an instrument there are loads better.
Whether they are better value per dollar is another thing but no doubt they are better basses.

If you are saying these are the most you have spent money on, then that is not the highest bar, tbh.

No one is saying they are rubbish though.
I hope you continue to enjoy the bass.

 

[Rod Barchetta]

Of course MM agrees, he is on the deal.
Having said that, they are decent and he endorses them with credit.

If these retail at $700 some one is working very cheap and corners are cut.
The woods are not top grade woods but the build is fair. Decent wood alone would take out half the retail cost.
The pre amp is functional and useable but a bit clunky. The pickups are a good balance with the pre.
Bridge and tuners are cheap nasty metal.
They will not last as they will likely wear easily.
Hopefully, someone will make decent after market parts that slot straight in with no redrills.

But, bang for buck they do very well, but as an instrument there are loads better.
Whether they are better value per dollar is another thing but no doubt they are better basses.

If you are saying these are the most you have spent money on, then that is not the highest bar, tbh.

No one is saying they are rubbish though.
I hope you continue to enjoy the bass.

I for one, do not believe a bass guitar has to be expensive to be really nice instrument.
I had my first Sire for 4 years before I sold it for my 2nd Sire, and it was still mint when I sold it.
Never looked cheap or nasty. I'm not a metallurgist, but I'm guessing you aren't either.

Would the bass be better with ultra light tuners? Maybe, certainly for balance. Could you hear the difference, very doubtful.

My friend Nelson Rios has had his since they came out. He has 2 V7's and 2 P7's. He is a sponsor for Godin and has over 30 bass guitars. He is the Grammy award winner I mentioned in my previous post. He is a genius and possibly the finest bass player I know. He places his Sire right next to his Fodera in every category. That says a lot.

The bridge on my '76 Musicman Stingray has some rust on it. I don't plan on selling it anytime soon. Now it weighs 11 lbs., so the wood is super dense. It is probably worth $5k or more. It hangs on my wall where I can admire it. I play it from time to time. It's a classic. It toured with Nantucket before I bought it. Played by David Thumbs Johnson, may he rest in peace.

But my Sire has it going on. That's the one I take to band practice.
But you are entitled to your opinion. And we don't really disagree that much.
I hope your bass sounds as awesome to you as mine does to me.

 

[SubNautican]

Here's a sample of the P7 for your listening pleasure, it's Smokin!

Nice! I'm going to make a point to take out my P7 this weekend and see if I can find a way to make it work for me, at least giving it that much of a chance.