Marcus Miller Sire Fretless question

[Owen]

I feel myself being drawn into fretless world. Again. It will end badly, but it is what it is. I was watching Juila Hofer doing some Pino stuff and the MM Sire V7 Alder-5 FL BK 2nd Gen she is using looks to me like a coated board. Does anyone have any experience of this?

 

 

[Bassassin]

I have a maple board V7 and it is lacquered, from the video the rosewood (or whatever post-CITES alternative it is) is too.

 

I'd think if you prefer the feel of untreated wood, rubbing it over with a mild abrasive (fine grade sandpaper or wire wool, maybe) would remove the shine easily.

[Owen]

Thanks. As is the nature of these things, the GAS is les fierce after a couple of days, but I am still tempted.

[carlsim]

I played one of these recently that I was looking to buy used (it was listed on here), a sire PJ config (can't remember the model number) and it did feel really nice... Not sticky at all. I have a v7 gen 2 and would love a fretless to match... However I really want a unlined one... Sire dont do those at the mo, but I am gonna wait as there has been discussion...

 

 

 

[Simon C]

Hi Owen,

 

I've been a Sire Fretless player for a week and a day (at the time of writing).  Mine is a 4 string V7 Alder in the Antique White.  It looks very cool with the coated ebony fingerboard, red pickguard (and, if you choose to wear them, a black shirt, red tie, white trousers and maybe some black and white ska braces).  The neck is very quick to get round (though calling me quick in any situation would probably be stretching reality a bit), but I suspect this is more to do with the satin jazz neck and flatwound strings than the coated fingerboard.  The rolled edges probably make it a bit more comfortable when moving quickly.

 

After reading your post I played it to see if I was actually touching the fingerboard.  I think my little finger did occasionally, but I think most of the time fingers are on strings or hovering just above them rather than in contact with the fingerboard. (Edit a couple of days later: no finger contact with the fingerboard on the E string, hardly any on the A, a bit on the D and in contact on the G between the intonating finger and the fingerboard edge).  So I think the coating is more to do with aesthetics and giving the wood some protection from contact with strings. 

 

The only other fretless I played was an Ibanez in the £350 - £400 range, with (I think) an uncoated fingerboard; it had a narrow width neck and maybe a slimmer profile than the Sire (note "maybe").  It was nice to play though and put a smile on my face.  Bearing in mind that it was 6 weeks or so ago that I played it, my impression is that the Sire is quicker.  I suspect what I really mean is that the Sire has less friction due to the flatwounds (thus giving the impression of being quick) vs the Ibanez which had roundwounds (and thus probably more friction).

 

Bottom line: the Sire is really nice to play.  The coated fingerboard looks really cool, but I suspect the neck and flatwound strings have more influence on how it feels to play.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Cheers,

 

Simon

Edited December 1, 2021 by Simon C