"Sirerays" listed on Andertons (and probably other places)

[tobiewharton]

On 26/01/2024 at 22:47, horrorshowbass said:

Who wants a 42mm nut? Seriously.

Apart from that and the after thought headstock, I kinda like the white.

Me. And probably anyone who favours a P-style neck over a J. 40mm perhaps could have satisfied both preferences? I'm still not overly keen - always feels like a compromise to me. 

38mm nut width necks, touted as 'fast', are swapped into P-style basses more often than vice versa. Good technique, profile and finish are far more significant in rendering a neck 'faster' IMO. Horses for courses and all that...

[horrorshowbass]

On 05/02/2024 at 09:41, tobiewharton said:

Me. And probably anyone who favours a P-style neck over a J. 40mm perhaps could have satisfied both preferences? I'm still not overly keen - always feels like a compromise to me. 

38mm nut width necks, touted as 'fast', are swapped into P-style basses more often than vice versa. Good technique, profile and finish are far more significant in rendering a neck 'faster' IMO. Horses for courses and all that...

Yeah I hear ya.

I love my l2000 neck and it was a monster.

But live my ibanez more

 

[Musicman20]

My word they don't look that great, IMO.

[neepheid]

2 minutes ago, Musicman20 said:

My word they don't look that great, IMO.

 

Your username makes this opinion not particularly surprising to me 

 

[TRBboy]

I wonder why they've used mahogany for the Z3 bodies? Wonder how heavy they are? 🤔 I would've thought something lighter and cheaper would've made more sense.

 

I also wonder if they'll be bringing out a Z5 range with more 'classic' finishes, I'm sure those would be very popular!

 

Does anyone know what the string spacing is? I'm assuming the same as a 'Ray due to pickup pole spacing..... 

[BreadBin]

On 05/02/2024 at 09:41, tobiewharton said:

Me. And probably anyone who favours a P-style neck over a J. 40mm perhaps could have satisfied both preferences? I'm still not overly keen - always feels like a compromise to me. 

38mm nut width necks, touted as 'fast', are swapped into P-style basses more often than vice versa. Good technique, profile and finish are far more significant in rendering a neck 'faster' IMO. Horses for courses and all that...

Me too 👍

Anything under 40mm is an absolute deal breaker.

[neepheid]

5 minutes ago, TRBboy said:

I wonder why they've used mahogany for the Z3 bodies? Wonder how heavy they are? 🤔 I would've thought something lighter and cheaper would've made more sense.

 

I also wonder if they'll be bringing out a Z5 range with more 'classic' finishes, I'm sure those would be very popular!

 

Does anyone know what the string spacing is? I'm assuming the same as a 'Ray due to pickup pole spacing..... 

 

I guess they can source a "mahogany" for cheaper than the alder or ash (which incurs an addtional cost) as used on the Z7.  Gotta cut the cost somehow to bring a Z3 in at that price point.  Probably not very pretty "mahogany" either, judging by there being no translucent/natural finishes on the Z3.

Edited February 7, 2024 by neepheid

[asingardenof]

1 minute ago, neepheid said:

 

I guess they can source a "mahogany" for cheaper than the alder or ash (which incurs an addtional cost) as used on the Z7.  Gotta cut the cost somehow to bring a Z3 in at that price point.  Probably not very pretty "mahogany" either, judging by there being no translucent/natural finishes on the Z3.

That was my thinking too, they were probably able to source the required quantity of timber at the price they were willing to pay and that just happened to be mahogany. Their buyers don't buy into the whole "tone wood" thing, it seems.

[neepheid]

Just now, asingardenof said:

That was my thinking too, they were probably able to source the required quantity of timber at the price they were willing to pay and that just happened to be mahogany. Their buyers don't buy into the whole "tone wood" thing, it seems.

 

 

Good.

[TRBboy]

29 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

I guess they can source a "mahogany" for cheaper than the alder or ash (which incurs an addtional cost) as used on the Z7.  Gotta cut the cost somehow to bring a Z3 in at that price point.  Probably not very pretty "mahogany" either, judging by there being no translucent/natural finishes on the Z3.

Yeah I get that, although alder can often be had cheaper than mahogany I believe, like you say depends on regional availability and wholesale cost though.

 

I just thought that Poplar/basswood or similar (any cheaper, lighter weight hardwood) might have made more sense.

 

I'll bet these are quite weighty, but I do really like the look!

 

I think the V3 range is also mahogany, so I assume there's some logic to their decision making, probably based on cost.

[TRBboy]

22 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

 

Good.

I wholeheartedly concur! 😅😬

[Chienmortbb]

50 minutes ago, asingardenof said:

Their buyers don't buy into the whole "tone wood" thing, it seems.

Wise people1

[anzoid]

Looks like they've dropped the 3+1 headstock:

[neepheid]

What a surprise, EBMM send in the lawyers.  I don't think they've got a leg to stand on, personally.  They going to come after me if I make a bass which has the tuners in a 3+1 arrangement? 

 

Clearly, they're worried though.  Scared of Sire cannibalising sales because Sire make good instruments.  They've shot themselves in the foot though - all this does is make production more efficient for Sire - one less headstock shape to manufacture.

 

This kind of anti-competitive nonsense grinds my gears.  F you EBMM, I'm going to buy a Z7 next year out of spite!  Actually, I quite fancy one anyway, but now I've got added incentive.

Edited March 3, 2024 by neepheid

[LeftyJ]

I know Maruszczyk makes 3+1 headstocks, and I'm pretty sure Vintage has, and many others who copied Stingrays (Mayones? Fame?). Why would Sire drop it, while those others didn't? I doubt it would have anything to do with EBMM reaching out and threatening to sue. We've seen other changes to the Sire models after they first appeared on the Sire USA website, like the lower horn on the singlecut model, following comments on forums like this one. The headstock change may also be a response to reactions of potential buyers. 

 

That said, the basses at NAMM still had the 3+1. 

Edited March 4, 2024 by LeftyJ

[neepheid]

2 minutes ago, LeftyJ said:

I know Maruszczyk makes 3+1 headstocks, and I'm pretty sure Vintage has, and many others who copied Stingrays (Mayones? Fame?). Why would Sire drop it, while those others didn't? I doubt it would have anything to do with EBMM reaching out and threatening to sue. We've seen other changes to the Sire models after they first appeared on the Sire USA website, like the lower horn on the singlecut model, following comments on forums like this one. The headstock change may also be a response to reactions of potential buyers. 

 

You think any of them A) read what we write and B) pay the slightest heed to it?  Maybe I haven't been screaming into the void all these years!

[mcnach]

On 26/01/2024 at 22:47, horrorshowbass said:

Who wants a 42mm nut? Seriously.

Apart from that and the after thought headstock, I kinda like the white.

 

Me, for example, I don't want anything narrower than that!

 

When I ordered my first Maruszczyk I had to insist on 43mm, despite the insistence by them that 40-41mm is plenty.  My Precision at the time was 45mm!  

[mcnach]

On 29/01/2024 at 15:07, Brian18242 said:

Any ideas what the string spacing is on the 5?

 

By the look of the pickup, it is probably a 16 or 16.5mm spacing at the bridge, like The Ray5/SUBs and most 'clones' out there. 

The Ray35 is 17.5mm, same as USA Stingray5.