uk_lefty Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 (edited) I've gassed for ages over all different sorts of basses but this morning in a sleep deprived state I pulled the trigger. I like a J pickup sound but my jazz bass is very badly beaten up, I'd put a j in to my p bass but I think I'd be devaluing something special. I also have a five string fretless and my band plays tuned down half a step. This is awkward playing along with original recordings in standard tuning so a fiver would help as I can do both with it by shifting position. I want the ash body maple fretboard combination. I want something a little bit different. I want to try active electronics too. I never put much effort in to using them with previous basses, always going passive but I've heard great things about the pre amp on these so hoping this enlightens me. I don't want to spend soucb money that I'm stood like a guard dog by my gear at half time in every gig, or I get upset every time I have a headstock clash with the guitarist or the drummer yet again kicks over my bass when climbing around the stage like the monkey he is. So I bought this morning from Thomann a Sire V7 Vintage fiver in natural finish. I'm a bit skeptical on the bridge and tuners but they're easy upgrades. I love the look of it, though I toyed with the V9 (ruled out for alder body just like my other fretted basses) and also the P7 swamp ash. I want to try the five string jazz and Fender don't do it for lefties unless you spend the kind of money that could get you a good small hatchback car second hand. Very excited to receive this in the next few days....!! Edited August 28, 2018 by uk_lefty 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchell Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Not familiar with that bass, but would like to see pictures when you get, if you like it thats cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevham Posted August 25, 2018 Share Posted August 25, 2018 I had a lefty Sire V7 4-string for a while. For the money it was good but I only paid about £300 because I had some euros on a pre paid card that I’d loaded years ago! The tuners were frankly rubbish - two were chewed up within 3 months. Thomann sent replacements that were exactly the same so I put Hipshots on it. Sound was proper jazz in the passive mode and the active pre-amp is very powerful. Neck felt ok but I didn’t get on with the lacquered finish. So, upgrade the tuners and it’ll be a good giggable bass. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted August 25, 2018 Author Share Posted August 25, 2018 They tried to deliver yesterday but I am away... Itching to get my hands on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted August 28, 2018 Author Share Posted August 28, 2018 (edited) It has arrived! Not had a plugged in play with it but initial impressions as follows... It has arrived almost in tune and with the lowest action ever. It feels really nicely balanced, the swamp ash looks great, lovely grain and no obvious mismatching where the different bits of wood have been fitted together. The neck feels nice and fast. I don't usually like a glossy neck coating but it seems to feel alright at the moment, sweaty hands are the real test for that though! Unplugged it seems plenty resonant and to have quite a tight defined sound. I like the body end rod adjustment. The controls feel sturdy and have a centre detent which is good. The bridge looks very bog standard, a chunkier bridge would make this bass look higher end and may help get the snappiness I'm looking for from this bass. The neck has no sharp frets and looks to be well put together. Neck pocket could be ever so slightly better but I'm not at all worried. Just got to get this plugged in as soon as I can and let it rip!! Edited August 28, 2018 by uk_lefty 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted August 28, 2018 Share Posted August 28, 2018 You know the drill 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted August 28, 2018 Author Share Posted August 28, 2018 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bridgehouse Posted August 28, 2018 Share Posted August 28, 2018 1 minute ago, uk_lefty said: OP delivers!!! Very nice indeed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted August 30, 2018 Author Share Posted August 30, 2018 (edited) Used it last night for two hours with the band going through new songs. Wow. I'd put this up there with my Japanese Fender for quality, maybe not quite the same but almost. The only higher quality bass I've played is a Sandberg costing three times as much, and I would not say there's three times the difference. Sound wise I'm not used to active EQ. I've had active basses in the past but always run them passive. With this one I tried a little bit of cutting and boosting here and there but I loved the sound so much I was running flat EQ on the amp, no pre amp pedal, all the controls on the bass pretty much flat including the pickup pan. With this bass you get a really snappy sound, bright-ish and raspy when everything set flat but a smidge more front pickup and a smidge of bass boost and that snappiness is gone and you get a thick, deep rumbly bass tone. I bought this for many reasons, including to see whether I should spend big later on a bass such as a Sandberg and what body, fingerboard and number of strings would suit me... But I'm so bowled over by this I think it's a keeper. Time shall tell. It will come out to gig on Saturday night. The tuners hold really well. Half an hour before practice I took it down half a step and it did fine. The stock strings are surprisingly good. The initial set up is excellent. If I change the bridge it will be more cosmetic I think. Believe the hype on Sire, this is excellent value! Edited August 30, 2018 by uk_lefty 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 I'm hearing lot's of good things about Sire... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted August 30, 2018 Author Share Posted August 30, 2018 Just now, TheGreek said: I'm hearing lot's of good things about Sire... If you ever get insomnia I can bore you with a lot more. Loving it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevham Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 6 hours ago, uk_lefty said: If you ever get insomnia I can bore you with a lot more. Loving it! Give it 6 months before really deciding. I was like you at first too. Don’t get me wrong, they are really good value but mine at least didn’t stand the rigours of regular use. Hopefully they have improved things and if they have I would certainly consider one as an alternative to a Mexican Fender. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted September 3, 2018 Author Share Posted September 3, 2018 Gigged Saturday night. Used for nearly all tracks. Disabled the amp EQ and didn't use a pre amp pedal, just purely the onboard active electronics. Very very happy! Used it on just about all controls at flat, touch of bass boost, pickup pan nudged ever so slightly to bias the bridge pickup, best live tone I've had in a long time. Listening to the recordings right now, rolled up the bass boost and went to bias the front pickup for "come together", equally happy with the tone. Very versatile bass, very impressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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