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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've been so impressed by my Sire V3P 4 string that I'm thinking about buying a V3P 5 string. What do people think of the B string on Sire basses? The V models are 34 not 35 inches but I've heard that a thicker B string (130) compensates for this. The stock strings are D'Addario .045-.130 (45, 65, 80, 100, 130).
I have a V7 G2 and a P5R 5er and I love the B's on those basses. tight and huge sounding. I've used the term "Velvet Thunder" when describing the B's on the Sires I own. The P5R I have flats on it and the V7 G2 has rounds...both sound amazing. I've done no mods on them and don't plan on doing any either. I'm leaving well enough alone.
 
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I will have to look back through a week's posts to find just what I remembered that was posted.

It was something about why possibly to choose the V5 over the V7. And it was something to do with the neck, unless I'm early to 4:20 :jawdrop::whistle:

V5 has a roasted neck (like V8 and V10(dx), whereas V7/V7 Vintage and V3/V3P have not. So there are differences to the feel of the neck although the neck form and size is identical, and IMHO a roasted neck (and it's finish) makes more fun to play. Of course YMMV.
 
Don't ignore the V3 or V3P when considering Sire basses. They're the cheapest but they're just as great. I've owned several V7s, standard and Vintage. Superb basses. I now have a V3P which is under half the price but I prefer it. The combination of mahogany body and ceramic pickups give it a great tone and killer slap sound. I usually go for alder or ash bodies and alnico pickups which are more expensive. I haven't touched my Fenders for months.
 
For many years I have ignored Sire, dismissing them as 'cheap junk' ( probably ).

Well, after playing a few? They're awesome and I want one.

okay bye
I was always intrigued by the great reports I saw of them. Then earlier this year I found a reason for a less expensive bass and, after giving serious consideration to a Sterling by Musicman Stingray Ray5 (I love Stingrays) and a Yamaha BB435 (I've never owned a PJ before but would like to try one), I decided on a V5R five string. Glad I did it, Sire basses really are great bang-for-the-buck instruments.

So, yeah, go get one!
 
Ah. This is no easy task right now, I should know, I have done the same.

the best drop in replacement, at lower weight, are the Gotoh GB528s. The challenge has been that Gotoh has not been making enough to meet demand, most outlets are sold out, back ordered into next year, etc. that's for certain of the finishes. I'm still waiting for a single RH (treble side) tuner in the X-chrome finish to complete my set. I have a normal chrome one on there now, along with 4 on LH side in X-chrome.
So…I'd you're patient and not too picky about which color, you might be able to find some out there.

I do find the Gotoh res-o-lites do reduce the neck dive in my P5R to a more manageable level. Not fully eliminated in my case.

you do end up with 2 un-filled holes (the top 2) per tuner on the back of the headstock. Which is better than, say you used the Hipshot ultra lites, which would leave 4 un-filled holes per tuner. But the Hipshot are more easily attainable, and they are bullet-proof great tuners, if you don't mind the extra holes.

hope that helps
 
I'm a fanatic about these tuners. They seem to have zero lash.

10270501-22-73_600x600@2x.jpg
 
Ah. This is no easy task right now, I should know, I have done the same.

the best drop in replacement, at lower weight, are the Gotoh GB528s. The challenge has been that Gotoh has not been making enough to meet demand, most outlets are sold out, back ordered into next year, etc. that's for certain of the finishes. I'm still waiting for a single RH (treble side) tuner in the X-chrome finish to complete my set. I have a normal chrome one on there now, along with 4 on LH side in X-chrome.
So…I'd you're patient and not too picky about which color, you might be able to find some out there.

I do find the Gotoh res-o-lites do reduce the neck dive in my P5R to a more manageable level. Not fully eliminated in my case.

you do end up with 2 un-filled holes (the top 2) per tuner on the back of the headstock. Which is better than, say you used the Hipshot ultra lites, which would leave 4 un-filled holes per tuner. But the Hipshot are more easily attainable, and they are bullet-proof great tuners, if you don't mind the extra holes.

hope that helps
I sent you a PM
 
Well I did the upgrade on Zapp, Labella black tapewounds, the Gotoh tuners, the Albridge bridge, the Lustihand preamp, the...not the pickups. Well I did start with the new pickups but they turned out to be a complete disaster. Dimarzio make the worst pickup wiring I have ever seen. It is too thin and fragile and is prone to breaking off insulation if you so much as lightly brush it in a routing run. I am certain that there are breakages in the copper wiring somewhere. I got one pickup working and then another pickup working but I could never get both at the same time and after my final effort to fix the horrific noise and loss of signal, I got no pickup signal at all. So I've simply put the original pickups in to the Lustihand preamp and it worked perfectly first time. I will look for an alternative set of good jazz pickups that use cloth-covered wire that doesn't break. These are fine for now. Bass sounds great, the preamp is wild, the tapewounds are weird but fun. Doing a bridge and tuners was an adventure, getting the action right was some work. here is Zapp in his new zoot suit:

IMG_20231118_193648_730.jpg
 
Well I did the upgrade on Zapp, Labella black tapewounds, the Gotoh tuners, the Albridge bridge, the Lustihand preamp, the...not the pickups. Well I did start with the new pickups but they turned out to be a complete disaster. Dimarzio make the worst pickup wiring I have ever seen. It is too thin and fragile and is prone to breaking off insulation if you so much as lightly brush it in a routing run. I am certain that there are breakages in the copper wiring somewhere. I got one pickup working and then another pickup working but I could never get both at the same time and after my final effort to fix the horrific noise and loss of signal, I got no pickup signal at all. So I've simply put the original pickups in to the Lustihand preamp and it worked perfectly first time. I will look for an alternative set of good jazz pickups that use cloth-covered wire that doesn't break. These are fine for now. Bass sounds great, the preamp is wild, the tapewounds are weird but fun. Doing a bridge and tuners was an adventure, getting the action right was some work. here is Zapp in his new zoot suit:

View attachment 5254903

Great looking bass. I've often swapped pickups in other basses, especially Fenders (usually use Fralins) but I've never felt the need to swap the pickups in the Sires I've owned. They always sound great to me. The stock pickups in my Sire V3P (ceramic) actually sound better to me than the Fralins (alnico) in my Fender Jazz which was a real surprise to me.
 
According to the latest blog article on Sire's website (on the 2023 new models), the difference to follow the model ranges might get harder next year — and why not... :smug:View attachment 5248355

Damn, I literally just bought a V5R on Sweetwater an hour ago (backordered, but won't get to play it until Xmas Day anyway)!

Has anyone heard any info on what changes are going to be made? Wondering if I should cancel and wait for the updated models or the 2023's to go on sale?