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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 .
I have looked really hard at the rest of the Sire line of basses, and have made some personal determinations. Right or wrong.
I feel the U5 is the jewel of their line up. This is due to me feeling it is probably under-priced.
I feel the beautiful V10dx is beaten by other basses for less money, when it comes to what it offers ... I mean, this bass is scary good, ie;

SLSE4AFB-xlarge.jpg


I think their $500 -$600 basses is whete Sire shines. But ...
I see a slew of people upgrading the pickups and bridges. Making most of these more akin to $800 basses. And that opens up other cans of worms....
These are only my initial thoughts and opinions, based on MY personal tastes/needs/feelings.
 
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On the topic of upgrades. I am replacing the tuners on the Sire U5 mainly is the original tuners looks like they have overspray on the keys,which hard to show in pictures. I could deal with the neck dive,most seem to have with the original ones. I bought this used so don't why they are that way. Decided to get these Grover tuners 145C4 advertised in the classifieds. Should be here Friday due to fellow TBer on here getting mailed out right away!
 
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On the topic of upgrades. I am replacing the tuners on the Sire U5 mainly is the original tuners looks like they have overspray on the keys,which hard to show in pictures. I could deal with the neck dive,most seem to have with the original ones. I bought this used so don't why they are that way. Decided to get these Grover tuners 145C4 advertised in the classifieds. Should be here Friday due to fellow TBer on here getting mailed out right away!
I put graph tech ratio tuners on mine, as I like the much fiber control and they are super smooth.
 
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I think their $500 -$600 basses is whete Sire shines. But ...
I see a slew of people upgrading the pickups and bridges. Making most of these more akin to $800 basses. And that opens up other cans of worms....
These are only my initial thoughts and opinions, based on MY personal tastes/needs/feelings.

Having both a Squier and a Sire I think Sire is definitely ahead in terms of quality of basic build and you could be entirely satisfied with the build as is, if we're talking p/v5's vs a CV70's Squier. Upgrading a bridge can improve intonation, something I want to do on my v5 fretless. Pickups are very much a taste thing. In both my basses I think they're matched with their electronics well, I rate Sires pups over Squires. I still want to upgrade my v5 pups mainly so I can use 4-conductor wire pups to wire in series (hum-cancelling Dimarzios do this). Also I am considering upgrading the tuners, I will see whether it's workable when I get the gotoh 350's.
 
I have looked really hard at the rest of the Sire line of basses, and have made some personal determinations. Right or wrong.
I feel the U5 is the jewel of their line up. This is due to me feeling it is probably under-priced.
I feel the beautiful V10dx is beaten by other basses for less money, when it comes to what it offers ... I mean, this bass is scary good, ie;

View attachment 5236971

I think their $500 -$600 basses is whete Sire shines. But ...
I see a slew of people upgrading the pickups and bridges. Making most of these more akin to $800 basses. And that opens up other cans of worms....
These are only my initial thoughts and opinions, based on MY personal tastes/needs/feelings.
A lot of people like to mod inexpensive basses because they saved money, not particularly because the bass needs a mod.
 
It's really easy to confuse some wood species. A lot look very similar.
This is black and white ebony...

View attachment 5230539

View attachment 5230540

This is Zebrawood ...

View attachment 5230541

This wood is Sapele Pomelle ...

View attachment 5230547

This is Quilted Maple Pomelle...

View attachment 5230548
Cullen
Years ago I worked at a place as a tour guide, called Wilson Castle in Center Rutland /Proctor VT... The place was built 1880 ish if I remember correctly -- post Civil War...
A fast talking swindler-- snake oil salesman (there were quite a lot of them in that era) married an ugly woman with a lot of money, and built this "castle" with a lot of European appointments crafted by European wood, stone, painters (A lot of frescoes too)& glass masters. Incredible woods were used, spectacular stained glass, and fireplace tile
One of the things i think you would like, is, one of the bedrooms was completely fitted with birds eye maple-- doors, walls, fireplace mantle and the turret in the corner of the room. The jerks who owned the place, spent all their money on booze, so there were/are leaks in the roof in the room above that have gone in repaired for years.
I tried fixing the problems in the ceiling/floor above, but to no avail. So they just shut the room off from public display, because chunks of the ceiling would fall onto the floor.
A lot of tropical mohagany was used throughout the structure, beautifully hand worked by those European/Italian artisans. Another room was appointed with beautiful quarter-sawn oak. The grain would just jump.out at you.
In the top floor, which held a ballroom, had a sitting room in the turret and adjoining walk-in closet that was completely lined with beautiful, fragrant cedar. The view from this turret, looked up towards Killington/Green Mountains -- spectacular!
They have a website. Wilson Castle

I took a quick look at site... Sadly, a lot of what they say are lies... The builder being a physician --lol... He was a snake oil salesman...literally!
If you look closely at the pics/vids, you can see the bricks are falling out of the exterior walls in places... 1/2 of the main porte-cochere collapsed... Sad sad, sad...
As one who works with wood, and I assume you have done some nail banging at sometime in your career, you would appreciate the detail that went into the building of the structure, but be angered at the lack of care...

Anyway, I apologize to all for the thread digression, but I saw that beautiful wood in the pics, and it reminded me of those days long ago.
 
Alright, I have become the very happy owner of a V5-24 5 string. Aside from a rather high nut (and, ironically, a slightly high 24th fret), it is all I hoped it would be. Excellent tone, great B string, killer looks.

Very strongly recommended. Once again, it made me think that it was all that simple all along: a Jazz Bass plus a handful of extra frets and one more string. How difficult could that be?

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Greetings and salamanders! Im a new TB member trying to select my first bass. I do play a bit of guitar, but that probably doesn't matter much. I'm 6' 3" with long arms and legs so I'm not concerned about reach. That said I love the idea and the reviews of the U5. But I also like the V5 and P5, and the R variants. And no I can't get all three! Standard answer on all forums! I'm likely going to get my son a Squier mini P for Christmas. As for music I like a pretty wide range, though no one rocks a bass like Geddy Lee. I like the idea of the bass as a lead instrument too. Well since I don't have Geddy's fingers I guess it doesn't matter too much what he plays. I play a tele and some acoustics so I do like a variety of sounds. I will likely be pairing up with a Fender Rumble 100, though a 40 is probably enough.

the real rub is it seems Sires are out of stock most everywhere, at least the ones I think I'm most interested in. Guess I won't be making a choice in a rush!
 
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If I could...

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If I couldn't ....

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The first, because you can get any sound you want. The second, because it is known to be mid and high forward.
Great for lead style or "Geddy" sounding bass.
My U5 is great at clarity too. But is really small.
 

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