I've only gone and dun it...

[Cicero]

Gave into the GAS...

Bought myself a V7 Sire.

Edited February 13, 2019 by Cicero

[uk_lefty]

Very, very good value for money. The colour combos and fretboard options available are fantastic. They're so good you can start to convince yourself you like the ugly headstock after a while.

Edited February 14, 2019 by uk_lefty

[theplumber]

Pity about the headstock,other than that,aye,cracker!

[Rikki_Sixx]

That's beautiful! Love the burst colour, and the red tort pickguard goes really well with it! Plus you can't beat block inlays on a J-style bass!

[chris_b]

I've heard a couple of these on gigs and they sounded very good.

I know it's unlikely, but if I could find a 5 string at under 9lbs I'd have it.

[Tvrtastic]

5 hours ago, theplumber said:

Pity about the headstock,other than that,aye,cracker!

I’m contemplating taking a jig saw to mine. 

 

 

[theplumber]

Thought about that.....lol.

 

[Bassassin]

I've been regularly looking at the maple fingerboard lined fretless necks & wishing they sold them separately - sadly it doesn't appear they do. A shame because I have a rather lovely J body that's been waiting for the right neck for about 10 years, and one of these (with a headstock re-cut to a Tele shape) would be perfect.

Anyway - unavailable necks notwithstanding, I am very, very close to pulling the trigger on one of these:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/marcus_miller_v7_vintage_alder_fl_bmr.htm

Really don't think I'd have the heart to scavenge the neck & flog the body/hardware, and that metallic red is gorgeous...

Someone talk me out of it. Or rather, don't.

[Cicero]

6 hours ago, Tvrtastic said:

I’m contemplating taking a jig saw to mine. 

I was thinking the EXACT same thing!

I would never do it, but it's so tempting...

It's as though those headstocks are supposed to double up as paddles 🤔

[Cato]

6 hours ago, Bassassin said:

I've been regularly looking at the maple fingerboard lined fretless necks & wishing they sold them separately - sadly it doesn't appear they do. A shame because I have a rather lovely J body that's been waiting for the right neck for about 10 years, and one of these (with a headstock re-cut to a Tele shape) would be perfect.

Anyway - unavailable necks notwithstanding, I am very, very close to pulling the trigger on one of these:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/marcus_miller_v7_vintage_alder_fl_bmr.htm

Really don't think I'd have the heart to scavenge the neck & flog the body/hardware, and that metallic red is gorgeous...

Someone talk me out of it. Or rather, don't.

It took me a while to get used to the preamp but I'm really happy with my V7 fretless.

The maple fretboard was a big plus for me too. You just don't see many of them around on fretlesses.

[uk_lefty]

10 hours ago, Cicero said:

I was thinking the EXACT same thing!

I would never do it, but it's so tempting...

It's as though those headstocks are supposed to double up as paddles 🤔

Believe me you do get used to it. It's not that bad after a while.

[JPJ]

You can’t see the headstock when you’re playing it. My advice stop looking at it and get it played 😎

[mingsta]

On 14/02/2019 at 10:33, chris_b said:

I've heard a couple of these on gigs and they sounded very good.

I know it's unlikely, but if I could find a 5 string at under 9lbs I'd have it.

They do exist, or close to it. But you'd have to go somewhere like Andertons and ask very very nicely if they'll look in to it for you. Mine five string VV7 is 9.2lbs and I chose it above the Gen2's partly because it was the lightest they had on the shop floor. My mates just bought an 8.9lb four string off ebay 

[bigsmokebass]

I actually don't mind the headstock, funny enough. Just bugs me that they're all active basses 😂😂😂

If they made a passive fretless 5 string, I'd happily jump at it and love the headstock regardless haha

[Chris2112]

On 14/02/2019 at 07:09, uk_lefty said:

Very, very good value for money. The colour combos and fretboard options available are fantastic. They're so good you can start to convince yourself you like the ugly headstock after a while.

I wouldn't buy one myself but I think the headstock looks pretty good. 

[uk_lefty]

11 hours ago, bigsmokebass said:

I actually don't mind the headstock, funny enough. Just bugs me that they're all active basses 😂😂😂

If they made a passive fretless 5 string, I'd happily jump at it and love the headstock regardless haha

You can bypass the active very easily, just flip the switch and it's passive with a load of extra knobs.

[Soledad]

On 14/02/2019 at 12:47, Tvrtastic said:

I’m contemplating taking a jig saw to mine. 

That looks good, better already. If you're fussy you'd need to match the finish though - any ideas?
Reminds me the number of makers that have tried to design a head shape so they didn't just copy Fender, or whoever. There aren't any good ideas left. I recall seeing an early Wal - boy was that an ugly headstock (IMHO).

[Bassassin]

IMO Fender got it right with the Tele design & if I buy my fretlessV7, that's what I'd reshape it to. If I was bothered enough by it.

The Strat/J/P design is robbed from Bigsby, and derived from styles that go back centuries. It only looks "right" because we're used to it!

The Sire head is proper fugly, though.

[Tvrtastic]

5 hours ago, Soledad said:

That looks good, better already. If you're fussy you'd need to match the finish though - any ideas?
Reminds me the number of makers that have tried to design a head shape so they didn't just copy Fender, or whoever. There aren't any good ideas left. I recall seeing an early Wal - boy was that an ugly headstock (IMHO).

Yes, not sure what to do about the chopped decal.

Plan is to sand area back and try to re lacquer over and polish smooth. If it looks pants i’ll rub back whole headstock and spray it black (bass is brown sunburst) 

Or maybe put some carbon wrap over it. But then I may be getting silly....  await the haters. 

Edited February 16, 2019 by Tvrtastic

[tauzero]

6 hours ago, Bassassin said:

The Sire head is proper fugly, though.

It looks like a Fender and a Cort have mated, and then disowned their offspring.

[bigsmokebass]

18 hours ago, uk_lefty said:

You can bypass the active very easily, just flip the switch and it's passive with a load of extra knobs.

This is true but pointless me having something that won't be used and added weight to what I've been told is already a heavy bass.

[Soledad]

9 hours ago, bigsmokebass said:

what I've been told is already a heavy bass.

anyone know the weight on a V7, can't even find it on the U.S. Sire site. I'll punt a guess: 8lb 6 oz / 3.8Kg. That's an alder/rosewood guess btw. Someone just chuck a V7/4 on thee scales please.

[Cicero]

I don't have scales (erm, no pun) but the V7 is a little heavier than my Fender P Bass. Not sure that really helps, but I wouldn't say it was exceptionally heavy, but certainly not on the lightest side either.

[Cicero]

11 hours ago, bigsmokebass said:

This is true but pointless me having something that won't be used and added weight to what I've been told is already a heavy bass.

The weight of a couple of extra bit of plastic and wiring is negligible, which is pretty much what it comes down to.

[Cicero]

I'm really liking the V7 so far. Had the weekend to play with it and it feels and plays wonderfully. Everything about it screams quality, which at the price-point, is something else. You'd be looking at US made Fenders for anything of a similar offering.

I should have ordered a set of flatwounds, however. The D'addarios are ridiculously light gauge and tinny. Not my thing at all.

The only thing that has been bugging me - and it is purely aesthetics - is I'm starting to think I should have gone for the white finish 🙈 Don't get me wrong... The burst finish is stunning, but this is not my third guitar in burst, and I am seriously deliberating whether I should go through the hassle of returning and replacing on that basis alone. Probably not, but, hmm...