5 string conundrum

[beanydc]

Looking at getting a 5 string. Stuck on these 2. Both roughly same price. 

 

Squire contemporary 5 string jazz or the Sire Marcus Miller V3P5

 

Anyone owned or played both. Pros - Cons? 

 

Thanks in advance

 

Squire - https://www.thomann.co.uk/fender_sq_cont_j_bass_gunmetal_v.htm

 

 

Sire - https://www.thomann.co.uk/marcus_miller_v3p_5_bks.htm

[joel406]

Very subjective. If I "had" to choose one.

 

Squire.

 

Better neck.

[chris_b]

Choose one and if you don't like it send it back and get the other one.

[dclaassen]

I think the neck feel of a 5 is even more critical, and unique to each kind of bass. You really have to play them to know for sure. I echo chris b's advice, though....

[lemmywinks]

Better neck is subjective, I much prefer the profile of a Sire 5er to a Squier. The B string is usually extremely good on Sires as well so a point over the Squiers there IMO, plus the pre on the Squier Contemporary is pretty much junk.

 

Comparison here:

 

 

 

 

For that sort of money I'd be looking at a used Gen2 V7 (or V5 if you don't need the preamp) as they have better hardware, I think the V3 still use the low end tuners.

[jd56hawk]

Are the Contemporary Active basses still having issues with the active electronics?

[beanydc]

 

On 01/11/2024 at 10:20, lemmywinks said:

Better neck is subjective, I much prefer the profile of a Sire 5er to a Squier. The B string is usually extremely good on Sires as well so a point over the Squiers there IMO, plus the pre on the Squier Contemporary is pretty much junk.

 

Comparison here:

 

 

 

 

For that sort of money I'd be looking at a used Gen2 V7 (or V5 if you don't need the preamp) as they have better hardware, I think the V3 still use the low end tuners.

 

 

Yeah I've been eyeing up a p7 aswell. Look really good. 

 

Seen a few people say the squire necks aren't as nice as the sites. 

 

Thanks

[asingardenof]

On 01/11/2024 at 10:20, lemmywinks said:

For that sort of money I'd be looking at a used Gen2 V7 (or V5 if you don't need the preamp) as they have better hardware, I think the V3 still use the low end tuners.

I wouldn't bank on that, the tuners on the V7 are still pretty cheap, and the bridge is a hand-me-up from the V3.

[lemmywinks]

On 02/11/2024 at 22:37, asingardenof said:

I wouldn't bank on that, the tuners on the V7 are still pretty cheap, and the bridge is a hand-me-up from the V3.

 

Them being cheap (you can get a 5 string set from NW Guitars for around £30) isn't a factor as they are of decent quality and do their job a lot better than the bottom of the barrel machine heads on the V3. I currently have a set of the Grover clones found on Gen2 V7 basses (they were taken off a Sire funnily enough) on my Aria backup bass and the difference is noticeable, they hold their tuning during a rehearsal and feel much more solid.

Edited November 4, 2024 by lemmywinks

[dclaassen]

I think the most important decision you have to make is about neck width and string spacing. I like full access to the neck, and feel that a lot of wider spacings don't work with me above the 12th fret. On the other hand, narrower spacings tend to lead to challenges with muting, slapping (not that I would know), etc. 

 

But...if it doesn't feel comfy in the shop, don't assume you will get used to it later. You probably won't. 

[JPJ]

As others have said, very subjective question. I’ve owned the Sire and I loved it. I only sold mine when I got home from a five year stint in Holland as I have another 5 string jazz in the stable here (Overwater) and Mrs JPJ says I have too many basses 🤷‍♂️

[Huge Hands]

I have both a Sire V7 (1st gen) and a 2001 ish 5 string Squier P5.  

 

I love them both, but I keep going back to the Squier due to the wider string spacing and it just feeling right in my hands.   

 

However, I had originally bought the P5 to strip and mod.  Once I upgraded the pickups in it, I realised it was amazing and didn't want to spoil it, so bought a second one.  Even before I stripped it, the neck was really unstable and has been a bit of a pig, resulting in an unhappy personal project bass.   If you asked me based on the first one, I would say go for a a Squier.  If the second one, I would say don't touch with a bargepole.  

 

I guess trying before committing is the best advice others have already given.

 

....and I have argued this point on other threads - although the Sire hardware on mine have always looked a bit toy-town and painted Halfords silver, they do the job and the guitar usually stays in tune, even in the gigbag.  I've never felt to need to swap them out.  

[joel406]

The Sire's I have tried were disappointment's. Chubby necks. Neck dive. I obviously haven't tried every model. Maybe just 3. They don't hang on a lot of walls here. And I enjoy 2 very high end dealers within reasonable distance. When you have Mike Lulls, Alembics, G&L, MTD, EBMM, Dingwalls and of course Fender and Gibsons everywhere.... Well... Sire's can't compete.

[dclaassen]

3 hours ago, joel406 said:

The Sire's I have tried were disappointment's. Chubby necks. Neck dive. I obviously haven't tried every model. Maybe just 3. They don't hang on a lot of walls here. And I enjoy 2 very high end dealers within reasonable distance. When you have Mike Lulls, Alembics, G&L, MTD, EBMM, Dingwalls and of course Fender and Gibsons everywhere.... Well... Sire's can't compete.

Agree....with one caution...

 

Some of us are really blessed to have high end instruments in our collection. With the inflated prices of those basses now, I would not be able to afford the ones I have. The hard part is finding an affordable 5'er. I like the Peavey basses if you don't mind an older instrument, and can stand a bit of neck dive. I guess if I had to start over, I'd begin with a Mexican J 5....move up and down from there until I was happy.