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Sire Bass Club!

What color/wood combination do you own?

  • Bright Metallic Red/ Ash

    Votes: 17 1.6%

  • Bright Metallic Red/ Alder

    Votes: 33 3.2%

  • Natural/ Ash

    Votes: 173 16.7%

  • Sunburst/ Ash

    Votes: 104 10.0%

  • Sunburst/ Alder

    Votes: 165 15.9%

  • White/ Ash

    Votes: 86 8.3%

  • White/ Alder

    Votes: 122 11.7%

  • Black/ Alder

    Votes: 104 10.0%

  • M3

    Votes: 28 2.7%

  • M7

    Votes: 85 8.2%

  • I'm a heretic - I don't own one yet, but I'll see the light soon enough!

    Votes: 243 23.4%
  • Total voters
    1,039
  • Poll closed .
#20,184
Rod Barchetta said:
Now that have used my 5-string Sire M5 for a band practice and gone through my Rush set, I don't know *** I was thinking before.

Once you just acquiesce to the fact you have to use the floating thumb technique, the 5-string actually becomes simpler to play. Somehow in my exuberance to utilize my many four string bass guitars, I forgot that in many ways having the strings just ever so closer together can actually be very helpful in playing faster passages.
Click to expand...

Floating-thumb changed my life, really. It has benefits beyond 5ers especially for the size of my hands which aren't the biggest. It helps me mute on chunky P's and I don't have to worry about where to anchor on any bass, I can play anywhere around the pickups so my tone variety has vastly expanded.
 
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#20,185
ewe2 said:
Floating-thumb changed my life, really. It has benefits beyond 5ers especially for the size of my hands which aren't the biggest. It helps me mute on chunky P's and I don't have to worry about where to anchor on any bass, I can play anywhere around the pickups so my tone variety has vastly expanded.
Click to expand...

I totally agree. I went from rear pickup, to E string, to floating thumb. Before, when I picked up a P bass, I was lost. Now every bass feels like home. And as you stated, moving anywhere you want on the right hand position opens so many tonal options. This was definitely a major step in mastering the instrument.
 
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#20,187
Rod Barchetta said:
You got me interested; this is what I found:

Fender is currently trying to copyright their classic shapes like the Strat, Tele, and Precision basses. I don't know how far or successful they've been. The problem comes from Fender allowing free copying of the shapes for about 40 years before they decided to attempt claiming ownership. If I were the judge in that case, I would be loathe to grant something like that.

But as far as making a P bass - you can copy anything from the original except the headstock and name. That's all the legal standing Fender has right now. That could change but for now, that's all I've heard.
Click to expand...
Rod,
The more I see info like this about Fender, the exceedingly less impressed I am about the brand. Their harassment of retailers to not carry the competition, to this. Greed --Avarice.
I won't even look at a Fender. That is one reason I ended up with a Sire M5, and proud of my decision!
They should be boycotted to humble their egos & arrogance. The brilliant Mr Fender, is turning over in his grave.

Ben Franklin invented many things, but there were some that he never patented, like the "Franklin" wood stove, because he believed that its use was for the common good, a way to "pay it forward."
Here is a favorite quote of mine of Franklin's:
"As we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of our own; and this we should do freely and generously."

Fender Inc. would do well to drop the gluttonous bottom feeder policies, and focus on making better instruments-- ya, I've held some crap out there. They should appreciate the struggle Leo went through to make his instruments mainstays in the industry-- iconic.
And, they should appreciate the competition, which make it better for all involved, manufacturer, suppliers, customers, even middle men-- What is Fender afraid of?

Man, could our society heed Franklin's words today, especially those in the corner offices of the business that resulted from the genius vision of Leo Fender's.
Ironically, the stooges now in control of Fender, had no hand in the innovation/ invention, of Leo's.
The head stock & logo, absolutely, that they are entitled to have total control of.
They also should be thanking all these "imitators," because that only markets their original for them. A company could not afford to pay for marketing to that extent. All these companies making these clones, have done them a favor...AND, isn't imitation the greatest form of flattery??!!
I guess the corporatism we see in the record industry, and elsewhere, has infected the Fender corporation as well ( I know, Gibson, sadly, has had an infection of the same)
A pox on their avarice! And, I too hope the judge buries them!
Sorry for the rant, but steam is coming out of my ears!

Also, Sire's faux pax of the K3 name... Somebody didn't do their homework... Oops...
In ten years, those " limited edition" K series, will be collector items!
 
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#20,188
Rod Barchetta said:
I totally agree. I went from rear pickup, to E string, to floating thumb. Before, when I picked up a P bass, I was lost. Now every bass feels like home. And as you stated, moving anywhere you want on the right hand position opens so many tonal options. This was definitely a major step in mastering the instrument.
Click to expand...

Isn't Floating Thumb, Sitting Bull's cousin
(purely levity, no slights intended to anyone)
 
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#20,189
Rod Barchetta said:
I thoroughly enjoyed the video. Those cats can play. Thanks for sharing. When I go jazz-rock-progressive, I typically listen to Dirty Loops. Henrik Linder is insanely tanlented, as our the other two guys. Here's a link:



But I'm stuck in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Im a huge Rush fan (as my moniker implies).
Click to expand...

Rod,
That's pretty tastey!! Isn't Nitty on staff at Berkley, Boston, under Steve Bailey?
I think he does or used to endorse Sire, if I am not mistaken. I think when I was researching the M5/M7, I found a demo vid of his. Edit: nope, guess it was Ibanez
Nice to see him in a band situation... Really nice to listen to!
All these people playing solo in their bedroom, I wonder if they play in bands or just a!one to the camera (phone)?

That other guy... Good player, but, I bet Geddy never had to worry if his mascara was to dark ;)
 
Last edited:
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#20,191
Rod Barchetta said:
I totally agree. I went from rear pickup, to E string, to floating thumb. Before, when I picked up a P bass, I was lost. Now every bass feels like home. And as you stated, moving anywhere you want on the right hand position opens so many tonal options. This was definitely a major step in mastering the instrument.
Click to expand...
ewe2 said:
Floating-thumb changed my life, really. It has benefits beyond 5ers especially for the size of my hands which aren't the biggest. It helps me mute on chunky P's and I don't have to worry about where to anchor on any bass, I can play anywhere around the pickups so my tone variety has vastly expanded.
Click to expand...

^^^ This

I was taught the floating thumb or movable anchor early own. IMHO, this is a much needed technique on 5 & 6 string basses. Otherwise, management of muting the strings behind the plucking hand becomes more difficult.

Also, with the movable anchor technique you will notice that the angle of your wrist never changes regardless of which string you are playing. When you anchor via your thumb and then play on the 1st string, you will form a 90-degree bend in your wrist (or something close to it) and this *can* *sometimes* lead to reduced circulation and/or pain when playing for long periods of time.
 
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Reactions: KindofBlues71 and Rod Barchetta
#20,192
Jv-d said:
Rod,
The more I see info like this about Fender, the exceedingly less impressed I am about the brand. Their harassment of retailers to not carry the competition, to this. Greed --Avarice.
I won't even look at a Fender. That is one reason I ended up with a Sire M5, and proud of my decision!
They should be boycotted to humble their egos & arrogance. The brilliant Mr Fender, is turning over in his grave.

Ben Franklin invented many things, but there were some that he never patented, like the "Franklin" wood stove, because he believed that its use was for the common good, a way to "pay it forward."
Here is a favorite quote of mine of Franklin's:
"As we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of our own; and this we should do freely and generously."

Fender Inc. would do well to drop the gluttonous bottom feeder policies, and focus on making better instruments-- ya, I've held some crap out there. They should appreciate the struggle Leo went through to make his instruments mainstays in the industry-- iconic.
And, they should appreciate the competition, which make it better for all involved, manufacturer, suppliers, customers, even middle men-- What is Fender afraid of?

Man, could our society heed Franklin's words today, especially those in the corner offices of the business that resulted from the genius vision of Leo Fender's.
Ironically, the stooges now in control of Fender, had no hand in the innovation/ invention, of Leo's.
The head stock & logo, absolutely, that they are entitled to have total control of.
They also should be thanking all these "imitators," because that only markets their original for them. A company could not afford to pay for marketing to that extent. All these companies making these clones, have done them a favor...AND, isn't imitation the greatest form of flattery??!!
I guess the corporatism we see in the record industry, and elsewhere, has infected the Fender corporation as well ( I know, Gibson, sadly, has had an infection of the same)
A pox on their avarice! And, I too hope the judge buries them!
Sorry for the rant, but steam is coming out of my ears!

Also, Sire's faux pax of the K3 name... Somebody didn't do their homework... Oops...
In ten years, those " limited edition" K series, will be collector items!
Click to expand...

Very well stated.

IMHO, marketing is a virus. I say that because, like a virus, marketing tries to infect everything it can (applications, internet, mobile phones, radio, TV, etc). Marketing simply *MUST* demand your attention, at any cost.

Your quote from Mr Franklin is very closely aligned with the *community* concept that I find alive and well in the Linux & open source environments. They have a motto: "for the community, by the community" that promotes the open sharing of data. They also support the pay-it-forward ideal.

</rant>
 
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#20,193
Mr_McBride said:
^^^ This

I was taught the floating thumb or movable anchor early own. IMHO, this is a much needed technique on 5 & 6 string basses. Otherwise, management of muting the strings behind the plucking hand becomes more difficult.

Also, with the movable anchor technique you will notice that the angle of your wrist never changes regardless of which string you are playing. When you anchor via your thumb and then play on the 1st string, you will form a 90-degree bend in your wrist (or something close to it) and this *can* *sometimes* lead to reduced circulation and/or pain when playing for long periods of time.
Click to expand...

I have been using the moveable thumb technique since starting on bass two years ago. Where do you guys rest your thumb when playing the E string between pickups? I've been putting my thumb on the edge of the pickguard but it feels 'off'.
 
#20,195
KindofBlues71 said:
I have been using the moveable thumb technique since starting on bass two years ago. Where do you guys rest your thumb when playing the E string between pickups? I've been putting my thumb on the edge of the pickguard but it feels 'off'.
Click to expand...

On the B string. Lol.

Seriously, I just raise my thumb enough to be out of the way.
 
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