NBD: Sire Z7-5

[GreyBeard]

Came in today. Nice setup, neck relief is about perfect, strings could be a little lower but not bad. The neck profile and string spacing is very close to a G&L JB5 I had for a while. If you like a slimmer neck on your 5 string, this one has it. Tone wise it is very "StingRay-ish". Lots of knobs and the one I like the best is a treble roll off under the master volume that works in both active and passive modes. It is nice to be in active and be able to just give it a little trim when it needs it. I know that this is just the honey moon and I'll know more after I gig with it New Years. For now I'm delighted.

 

[Moving Pictures]

Congratulations on the new bass. Looks sharp. I look forward to your gig report.

 

[ahbass2500]

Lots of knobs and the one I like the best is a treble roll off under the master volume that works in both active and passive modes. It is nice to be in active and be able to just give it a little trim when it needs it.

Passive tone control with an active preamp is one of my favorite preamp features, but you do not see it often. I had a Nordstrand preamp with it and currently have an East preamp with it. Nice looking bass. Definitely post up after you get more time with the bass.

 

[bholder]

That color is so sweet. So tempting.

 

[BPotyk]

Congrats on the new bass.
So tempted to try one of these fretless.

 

[ezstep]

...Lots of knobs and the one I like the best is a treble roll off under the master volume that works in both active and passive modes. It is nice to be in active and be able to just give it a little trim when it needs it....

I have the jazz bass version (generation 2? 3?) and it has lots of knobs. I took a while to dial in what I wanted, but it was there waiting to be found. Once I had the tone, I never touch the knobs again. It was a little overwhelming at first, but now if is just a grab-and-go. I also find that I like the passive setting - tone is really good there, too. YMMV. Congrats!

 

[Fat Bottom Kyle]

that is one pretty bass! Holy knobs batman!

 

[jjk2007]

I owned one of the first runs of the V7 back in the day. Sounded great but was a little heavy etc and other gear caught my eye so I sold it after a few years. Have had another Sire come and go and haven’t had any desire to own another until these popped up. Definitely on the radar for the future. Keep us posted on how this one performs!

 

[HardNHeavy]

wow. thats perty!...am sure that will cover any sound you're looking for..Congrats on the new toy!

 

[cornfarmer]

Wow, they even put the guy on the box

 

[Elmstreet]

Do the Z3s have the passive tone control with an active preamp or is that feature only on the Z5?

 

[GTx2]

I don't know much about these instruments but that does look great!

 

[Bob Coldwell]

Love the color. I've been eyeing up one of those too.

Is the neck pickup a single coil, stacked humbucker or something with a "dummy coil"?
I ask because I've heard different claims. One poster here said the pickup is very quiet (as in no buzz or hum).

 

[Maxi Funkl]

Congrats, I keep going back and forth on which color to pre-order. White, Purple, or Natural. Would like to hear your opinion once the honeymoon peroid is over.

 

[ahbass2500]

Congrats, I keep going back and forth on which color to pre-order. White, Purple, or Natural. Would like to hear your opinion once the honeymoon peroid is over.

Earlier this week, I was between ordering one of the Z7s and a Ray 35. Ultimately ended up ordering the Ray 35. That said I thought about the Z7 enough to share my thoughts on the colors.

On the Z7, natural is nice because it gets the roasted maple neck. I know this is not a necessary feature, but I like the darker maple color. The downside of natural is that I have seen some pretty horrible grain matching on a few Sire's. If you go natural and grain pattern is important to you, then I would try to get one where you can see the actual instrument you are buying first. That may not be easy to do with these selling out at many retailers.

I like that the purple has a matching headstock on the Z7. I just wish it were more purple and less pink (maybe it is in person?). This is probably the one I would have gone with if I had ended up ordering the Z7, but I am a sucker for a matching headstock.

 

[Maxi Funkl]

Earlier this week, I was between ordering one of the Z7s and a Ray 35. Ultimately ended up ordering the Ray 35. That said I thought about the Z7 enough to share my thoughts on the colors.

On the Z7, natural is nice because it gets the roasted maple neck. I know this is not a necessary feature, but I like the darker maple color. The downside of natural is that I have seen some pretty horrible grain matching on a few Sire's. If you go natural and grain pattern is important to you, then I would try to get one where you can see the actual instrument you are buying first. That may not be easy to do with these selling out at many retailers.

I like that the purple has a matching headstock on the Z7. I just wish it were more purple and less pink (maybe it is in person?). This is probably the one I would have gone with if I had ended up ordering the Z7, but I am a sucker for a matching headstock.

I want the natural for the ASH body, so maybe it'll sound closer to my specials.

 

[GreyBeard]

What I like and don't like so far.
Likes:
finish (color), neck profile, balance, tuners (smooth working), bridge (allows for setting real low), Overall design, No big volume difference between active and passive preamp settings.
Don't like:
Neck pup sounds thin and can't be adjusted up and down It is noiseless and usable, Crappy strings. I haven't decided on what strings I want to use on this bass but, it certainly won't be the ones that came on it.

 

[GreyBeard]

What I like and don't like so far.
Likes:
finish (color), neck profile, balance, tuners (smooth working), bridge (allows for setting real low), Overall design, No big volume difference between active and passive preamp settings.
Don't like:
Neck pup sounds thin and can't be adjusted up and down It is noiseless and usable, Crappy strings. I haven't decided on what strings I want to use on this bass but, it certainly won't be the ones that came on it.

Just threw on a set of Rotosound swingbass stainless steel. This should have been the 1st thing I did. 100% improvement

 

[mcnach]

What I like and don't like so far.
Likes:
finish (color), neck profile, balance, tuners (smooth working), bridge (allows for setting real low), Overall design, No big volume difference between active and passive preamp settings.
Don't like:
Neck pup sounds thin and can't be adjusted up and down It is noiseless and usable, Crappy strings. I haven't decided on what strings I want to use on this bass but, it certainly won't be the ones that came on it.

Put some additional foam under the neck pickup, then you'll be able to adjust it a bit higher (mine was a little low, which meant much lower output than the MM). The strings looked and felt like D'Addario nickels. Not my favourite, but not a bad string in my opinion. It's not like whatever they put on Harley Bentons

 

[Baker69]

What I like and don't like so far.
Likes:
finish (color), neck profile, balance, tuners (smooth working), bridge (allows for setting real low), Overall design, No big volume difference between active and passive preamp settings.
Don't like:
Neck pup sounds thin and can't be adjusted up and down It is noiseless and usable, Crappy strings. I haven't decided on what strings I want to use on this bass but, it certainly won't be the ones that came on it.

Surprised to read that you are happy with the tuners as according to Lobster’s Z3 video review stating that they are “awful”? I have a Sire P7 and I’m quite happy with the stock tuners, I’m assuming they’ve used the same type on the Z3’s and Z7’s. I’ve just ordered a Z7 in natural finish so it will be interesting to see if the tuners are any different. I find my P7 5’er to be quite heavy, I hope the Z7-5 is a bit lighter, if not I may consider fitting GOTOH GB528 tuners as Lobster recommends.

I’m hoping the neck pickup is a bit more usable than you suggest as I’m working on my Z7-5 as being sort of a Swiss Army knife bass. I don’t really fancy swapping the pickup out at such an early stage but I will do if I think necessary. It will be interesting to see if anyone does this and what pickup is substituted. With regards to pickup volume the neck pickup volume seems fine on the demo’s I’ve seen, perhaps you will need to favour the neck pickup slightly to gain extra volume rather than having both pickups at the detente?

I think Sire ship their basses with D’Addario strings but they don’t seem to be as good as say a brand new set of D’Addario’s for some reason, I always use EB Slinky’s on my P7 and they seem to suit.