Quadzilla
Supporting Member
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This is interesting... Sire MM Bass???
- Thread starter LAST_C
- Start date
I can't be bothered rewriting or copy pasting, so here's what I wrote on BCUK - NBD - Sire Z7
TLDR - great bass, fscking godawful knobs.
TLDR - great bass, fscking godawful knobs.
I got a Z3 in blue and it is pretty killer for the cost. I love the neck profile and overall feel, and the electronics sound great and are quiet. My active/passive switch doesn’t function properly though. Can’t be too mad about that I suppose when the rest of the package is so nice.
Quadzilla
Supporting Member
Why not exchange it for one that's working properly? Or at a minimum, contact Sire and have them ship you another pot as that's likely the culprit.
No output when pulled.
The minimum seems like the most work in this case. I’m sure my tech would love that suggestion! Honestly I would never use it and the bass works flawlessly with the one exception, so I’d rather not gamble on getting a replacement that isn’t as good. Just noting a flaw and a seemingly common problem with Sire electronics being flimsy. I can see myself putting a John East pre in the bass eventually.
I guess if you like a kill switch then it's all good!
Mine came in this morning. Tone and feel are pretty excellent. QC... seems like not as much. I found a little bump in the finish on the back, not a huge deal and almost impossible to photograph, but I've also noticed small scuffs around the body, scratches on the pickup housing from screwdrivers, and the fretboard doesn't look great in spots. Can take pictures in a few hours or tomorrow morning, but it isn't at all like the Sire I bought in 2016.
I can't fault my Z7-5. The neck in particular looks and feels really nice.
Light too!
Light too!
Okay, some of the worst stuff I was seeing yesterday was actually just light gunk that wiped off. Pictures show scratchy marks on side of headstock, scratches on fretboard and attempt to show the spot on the back.
I think I'm being a bit picky with most of these "faults" and I'm feeling mostly okay about keeping the bass, aside from that one spot on the back that I just can't get a picture of. There's clearly an indentation on the back, I noticed it when I unwrapped the bass, but you can only see it in the exact right lighting. The finish isn't cracked or damaged so I'm wondering if it's just a common imperfection?
I think I'm being a bit picky with most of these "faults" and I'm feeling mostly okay about keeping the bass, aside from that one spot on the back that I just can't get a picture of. There's clearly an indentation on the back, I noticed it when I unwrapped the bass, but you can only see it in the exact right lighting. The finish isn't cracked or damaged so I'm wondering if it's just a common imperfection?
I've seen a bunch of "demo" models on Sweetwater, but they were available before regular ones started being posted. I wonder if these were really just bad QC specimens?
Not sure - I ordered last weekend, was told it was on back order, then on Wednesday got the call that it was back in stock.
I also noticed this nick on the headstock later today, which I don't think I did.
Ultimately, I think I really like the feel, weight and finish of this bass and the small blibs I've seen are going to happen sooner than later of I use it frequently. I'm leaning towards NBD (No Big Deal / New Bass Day) and keeping.
You mean like this one?
I had it on preorder from Sweetwater since May. I got it last week. It has exceeded my expectations in every way. I have a 1976 MusicMan Stingray and this bass is like it's younger, lighter brother but with even more tonal range. The neck pickup really gives a nice deep P tone. And the bridge pickup soloed is a dead ringer for a Stingray. The humbucker is louder at center blend, but the neck pickup balances out the tone nicely.
The neck is amazing. I prefer a 1-1/2" wide neck, but the 1-5/8" feels right on a Stingray. My '76 is 1-3/4" wide and it's a stretch as I get older.
This bass is 9.1 lbs. My '76 is 11.7 lbs. It is tough to wear for long nowadays. I danced with it when I was 20, but I didn't have five bulging discs in my lower back back then. Maybe these two facts are related?
You will NOT be disappointed. This bass is the real deal and I freaking love the finish!
Quadzilla
Supporting Member
My Z7 is "OK". Tone is nice, finish, pretty good (small imperfections). The one place where it's lacking the most is the fretwork. It's not horrible, but if you like you action ultra-low, like me, you are going to need to get it Plek'd. I can achieve "medium-low" action without much of an issue, but can't get it slammed down to where I keep my other basses. Yes, I realize that it's not a high-dollar bass, however, I own others that are similarly priced or even less $ that I can get the action where I need it. Additionally, I had to put a thin shim at the base of the neck pocket to get the neck angle correct. I'm quite adept at setups, so I know what I'm talking about.
But for the masses, who don't mind their action around "medium', you should be good to go...
But for the masses, who don't mind their action around "medium', you should be good to go...
That’s not good. Curious if others experience the same problems. Maybe it’s exemplary?
Quadzilla
Supporting Member
Again, I set my action unusually low. Lower than 9 out of 10 players from my experience. So Again, this likely won't be an issue for the majority of players.
