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Sire V7 - are they really THAT good?
- Thread starter SimonSays
- Start date
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- Tags
- fender sire v7 sire v7 vintage
Big Three like the auto Big Three... American makers.
I doubt Gibson is in the 10 ten bass makes right now...and I seriously doubt the three companies are trying to put Sire out of business.
Hopkins
Commercial User
I have seen a few commenters claim that these are the same quality as an MIA Fender. I have to call shenanigans on that theory on the hardware quality alone. The one Sire bass I have had experience with was pretty much on par quality wise as a MIM Fender. MIM Fender hardware is better, the pickups/preamp is probably a bit better on the Sire. Personally I cannot get past the headstock shape so I would lean towards an MIM Fender, as well as the fact you can play a Fender bass before buying.
They are fine instruments, but very much over hyped on TB
They are fine instruments, but very much over hyped on TB
Some of the construction elements are similar to a off shore fender other import bass- i.e. nothing too exciting.
The sound and playability, however, is simply stupidly good.
My buddy who is a pro who plays Sadowsky basses also confirmed that these basses are as good as any working musician would ever need.
I owned one and was BLOWN AWAY for the tone quality- sadly I am pretty adapted to asymmetrical necks and 35" scale at this point and prefer a wider flatter fingerboard to jazz style necks.
I flipped it here in less than 15 minutes.
I'm anxious to play one of the modern M7 five strings to see how they feel.
(anyone wanna bring on over?)
If you dig Fender style basses- I can't think of a better and more economical option.
The sound and playability, however, is simply stupidly good.
My buddy who is a pro who plays Sadowsky basses also confirmed that these basses are as good as any working musician would ever need.
I owned one and was BLOWN AWAY for the tone quality- sadly I am pretty adapted to asymmetrical necks and 35" scale at this point and prefer a wider flatter fingerboard to jazz style necks.
I flipped it here in less than 15 minutes.
I'm anxious to play one of the modern M7 five strings to see how they feel.
(anyone wanna bring on over?)
If you dig Fender style basses- I can't think of a better and more economical option.
I concur.
They feel like cheap Fenders but sound like the many high priced Fender clones.
Hopkins
Commercial User
Here's the best $500 bass I've ever played.
Believe me, I never had an use for Ibanez basses and I used to shake my head over all the posts claiming how good they are.
Maybe Sire basses are good. Maybe they're a little bit better than good, but take a look at the SX thread and you'll see the same hyperbole.
I agree on all points. I love the body shape and that whole line is an amazing value. For $200 the TMB100 is maybe the best bass value on the market.
- May 16, 2009
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- Former Manager, Bass San Diego
I still have yet to play one, and that bums me out because they certainly get a lot of love and sound like they deliver tons for the money. That said, they haven't been around long enough to say how they compare to US Fenders or any more established builder. How something holds up can be one of the real objective differences between a $250 bass and a $2500 bass.
I've yet to hear a single specific complaint about hardware. Just "it's not that great."
Well, I haven't had a single issue with the hardware on mine. It all works perfectly without any problems. I don't know what more you can ask for from hardware.
Fantastic basses. If you need and can afford a Sadwosky, go for it, but if you don't, the Sire is gonna do right by you.
Well, I haven't had a single issue with the hardware on mine. It all works perfectly without any problems. I don't know what more you can ask for from hardware.
Fantastic basses. If you need and can afford a Sadwosky, go for it, but if you don't, the Sire is gonna do right by you.
I'd say- the one I had was around 10 lbs. I've heard of instances of Sire basses being pretty heavy but I can't imagine it being anything that can't be remedied with a wide neoprene strap.
Oh wait- I'm under 40 and blessed with a strong back and no nerve issues- these aren't the most ergonomic or back-pain friendly of basses.
I recently sold mine due to lack of playing time, in now way because of how the instrument performed. I'd buy another in a heartbeat, if I had the need. They're fine instruments.
My only hardware issue would be "it doesn't say hipshot" and "it isn't blacker than black"
Don't do it.
I bought two, and returend them due to 1) Weak tuners 2) very weak and (in my case) faulty bridge with saddle(s) that can not be moved /high/low.
I also did not like the pre-amp. Fretwork was not great either.
IMHO Squier provides a better bass. Let alone MIM and MIA Fenders.
They sure do look like a >$1500 bass, they look very nice, I'll give you that.
I bought two, and returend them due to 1) Weak tuners 2) very weak and (in my case) faulty bridge with saddle(s) that can not be moved /high/low.
I also did not like the pre-amp. Fretwork was not great either.
IMHO Squier provides a better bass. Let alone MIM and MIA Fenders.
They sure do look like a >$1500 bass, they look very nice, I'll give you that.
I don't own a Sire but a couple of my friends do and I work on their basses. I owned a music store for over 25 years and have seen and worked on a LOT of basses in my time.
I do not have a dog in this hunt.
My personal opinion is the neck on the V7 5 is too chunky, which is a subjective matter of taste. It is "C" shaped but big.
If you have small hands you might not like the feel.
Weak points that I have encountered on two of the V7 5 String models that I've worked on:
The machine heads are very cheap and they slip. I would replace them immediately with the Hipshot exact replacement.
The bridge placement on one bass was off by 1/2 inch and I had to reset it to get the intonation right, a QC issue.
The other bass needed longer bridge screws to make the intonation work. Intonation was bad right out of the box, QC issue.
On both, I encountered dead spots on the G string in the usual spot between the 4the and 7th frets, a common J bass issue that players have lived with forever.
On both, the nut height was incorrect - too high causing intonation issues on the first fret, a QC issue.
Bad pickups in both basses, a bridge pu in one and neck pu in the other. One totally went dead after a week, the other lost most of its volume level compared to the other pickup. They look like Artec made pickups which is not necessarily a bad thing but again, a QC issue.
Very heavy, weight wise. Both owners complain that they kill their shoulders. One has resorted to using a Slinger Hip strap system. Again, it's a judgement call of the buyer regarding weight.
Pros:
Great Gig Bag
The wood quality looks good, straight grain on neck and body.
Nice Finish on body and neck
Good, tight neck pocket
The preamp sounds good, though a bit noisy. A player with a bass cabinet without a tweeter won't notice it.
But you would in the house or recording when going direct.
The issues with these basses that I encountered could have been easily avoided with better QC.
If you love the Sire, they are basses that you'll immediately spend $100.00 for a tech to do a good setup and nut filing. Then eventually another $300.00 to $400.00 on with tuning machine and pickup upgrades.
The Sire basses don't seem to be any better or worse in build quality than the higher end Squire VM basses that I've played. I suspect they use the same Chinese contract factory.
Sire's do have that Marcus Miller vibe and wannabe attraction which is its strong selling point.
Don't look for the trade in or resale values to be very high, they aren't investment basses but player basses.
If you want a Jazz Bass on steroids and a good value the Sire is a good start and fits the bill.
But try to play one first rather than buying mail order blind. Regardless of reviews, every bass is different.
Returns are a hassle and shipping costs will eliminate any $avings you realize.
I'd recommend that if you are going to put another $500.00 or so in setup and upgrades, add that to the prices and see what else is out there in that total price range when shopping. There are some amazing bass values coming from Ibanez, the G&L Tribute Series, Yamaha, Schecter and ESP.
Personally, I think the Schecter Riot and Stiletto Studio series are the best bass value on the market today. Excellent Korean made quality, great hardware and USA EMG pickups and 18V preamp starting at $629.00 for a 4 string.
Another good value are the Ibanez bass models with the Cary Nordstrand Design pickups. Both are widely available for you to try out and evaluate.
I do not have a dog in this hunt.
My personal opinion is the neck on the V7 5 is too chunky, which is a subjective matter of taste. It is "C" shaped but big.
If you have small hands you might not like the feel.
Weak points that I have encountered on two of the V7 5 String models that I've worked on:
The machine heads are very cheap and they slip. I would replace them immediately with the Hipshot exact replacement.
The bridge placement on one bass was off by 1/2 inch and I had to reset it to get the intonation right, a QC issue.
The other bass needed longer bridge screws to make the intonation work. Intonation was bad right out of the box, QC issue.
On both, I encountered dead spots on the G string in the usual spot between the 4the and 7th frets, a common J bass issue that players have lived with forever.
On both, the nut height was incorrect - too high causing intonation issues on the first fret, a QC issue.
Bad pickups in both basses, a bridge pu in one and neck pu in the other. One totally went dead after a week, the other lost most of its volume level compared to the other pickup. They look like Artec made pickups which is not necessarily a bad thing but again, a QC issue.
Very heavy, weight wise. Both owners complain that they kill their shoulders. One has resorted to using a Slinger Hip strap system. Again, it's a judgement call of the buyer regarding weight.
Pros:
Great Gig Bag
The wood quality looks good, straight grain on neck and body.
Nice Finish on body and neck
Good, tight neck pocket
The preamp sounds good, though a bit noisy. A player with a bass cabinet without a tweeter won't notice it.
But you would in the house or recording when going direct.
The issues with these basses that I encountered could have been easily avoided with better QC.
If you love the Sire, they are basses that you'll immediately spend $100.00 for a tech to do a good setup and nut filing. Then eventually another $300.00 to $400.00 on with tuning machine and pickup upgrades.
The Sire basses don't seem to be any better or worse in build quality than the higher end Squire VM basses that I've played. I suspect they use the same Chinese contract factory.
Sire's do have that Marcus Miller vibe and wannabe attraction which is its strong selling point.
Don't look for the trade in or resale values to be very high, they aren't investment basses but player basses.
If you want a Jazz Bass on steroids and a good value the Sire is a good start and fits the bill.
But try to play one first rather than buying mail order blind. Regardless of reviews, every bass is different.
Returns are a hassle and shipping costs will eliminate any $avings you realize.
I'd recommend that if you are going to put another $500.00 or so in setup and upgrades, add that to the prices and see what else is out there in that total price range when shopping. There are some amazing bass values coming from Ibanez, the G&L Tribute Series, Yamaha, Schecter and ESP.
Personally, I think the Schecter Riot and Stiletto Studio series are the best bass value on the market today. Excellent Korean made quality, great hardware and USA EMG pickups and 18V preamp starting at $629.00 for a 4 string.
Another good value are the Ibanez bass models with the Cary Nordstrand Design pickups. Both are widely available for you to try out and evaluate.
Wow your right, they look to be under €600 over here. That is seriously interesting. Back in my box with me and my big mouth i suppose :-D
Hah I did the same thing.
This was one of my biggest concerns. 4 string typical jazz necks are fine for me, but Fender's 5 string profile is impossible forme to play. Thanks for the heads up.
I have seen people selling these at pretty high prices. The buzz and rarity of them keeps the used market high for now.
Thanks for your input.
Hopkins
Commercial User
Sure the hardware works, but its not machined very well, the plating is not great, and adjustments are not very smooth. The quality of the hardware is on par with $200 import basses. It's fine but on that aspect alone, comparing these to MIA Fender basses is ridiculous, much less Sadowsky
I own an active mim jazz deluxe 5 string and let me tell you, although it's a fantastic bass it's not the bees knees by any means.
Clearly this is a subjective view based on experiences...my V7 stays in tune...period. Through transporting, through hours of playing...its rock solid...if cost me $599...my MIA Fender Nitro Satin Pbass does not...cost me considerably more than $599...its all perspective.
Hopkins
Commercial User
