Yet another brilliantly put together review. So informal straight forward and the viewer really gets a display of what’s being reviewed. I really wish more review videos were like this. You must review more pedals Jonny☺️ As for choosing A/B I honestly can’t decided!!!
I really might add both to my collection. They seem like great options for situations when I don’t want to bring an expensive, high end bass! Thanks for posting this.
I agree. I think the same way man. I recently got the new squier 40th anniversary precision bass. Its such an awesome bass. I use it for small gigs. Then take out fender pro 2 for good gigs.
Tbh I think the squires sound better then most of the fenders Iv heard . Their midrange is not too bright or too dark. It’s got a nice thick and present sound
I recently picked up the Squire 40th anniversary jazz bass Gold Edition. I'm more than satisfied with it. They play and sound great. Easy to set up and super sleek.
I like what you did on trying the band situation which actually is what matters the most, I think Squier by itself sounds very nice but in mix Sire fits better. So I think we are lucky to have lots of good options to choose and have fun.
as you can see listening to the A / B test the result was exactly the opposite that you are thinking: the Squier in the mix was better and more present because of its medium and high-ends, very weak on the Sire
Based solely on this video, tonally I have to go with Squire. Has that true grit and girth I'd want from a precision bass. Aesthetically I prefer the Squire as well. The Sire is very nice don't get me wrong. However to my ears the Sire had more of a condensed sound. More of what I'd expect from a Jazz Bass.
I like the sound of the Squier, I have the gold edition witch has different body wood with heavy body paint. The neck has binding with block inlays. Like the bone nut but not the gloss on neck. But it sounds even better then the vintage Squier, give it a test drive.
I've tried the gold in a shop, I actually wasn't too impressed with the feel of it compared to the vintage one. Can't really say about the spund though, plugging into a tiny amp on the shop floor isn't always the best indicator! 🥲
Good review my friend! I have a Squire and a Sire. I feel like the Squire has too much bass and the sound ends up being an uncontrollable mass. On the other hand, the Sire is more balanced and easier to sculpt, adding or subtracting frequencies according to need.
@@Ralferator of course I can! but it is not the same, because the signal is already "contaminated" with that extra bass, which makes everything a little blurry.
Both my basses are Sire and I love them. I would love to get a P5 as well some day. But I gotta say this: I think I preferred the Squire in this demonstration 🫣
The sire has a more mid forward sound , I think that’s why it stays composed as the tone level drops. The squire seems more scooped , it’s got that heavier yet brighter sound but has less midrange to hold it together . I prefer the squire off the bat for pic and tone up, in the track it had more presence. Both basses were probably mixed too loudly in the track either way at times . I wonder if it were to be mixed more like most songs, the sire might be just fine? A compressor and top end boost and slight distortion may be enough? Also character of the sire was nice, it’s top end grind is somewhat rounded and has a nice character that seems it would blend well in a mix without getting in the way of guitar or vocals . I liked its mellow gutteral rumble in the song and hammer on spongey note clarity. The hammer on with the squire seemed less clear but more clanky. The squire was more brash but if it were to be leveled in a mix quieter , I wonder what would be heard most, just high end bite? Unlike the sire who’s main sound is mid fundamental tone, it may actually sound clearer than the squire and stay in its lane . I thought that song in the end sounded pretty cool, was it yours? Really cool vibe .
Thanks for this video mate !! You can clearly appreciate the invasive and out-of-plane bass that all the Sire have (hate that) The Squier's sound is much gentler and sweeter.
Just finally ordered a P5. I'm a stingray and jazz bass guy, but some situations just flat out REQUIRE a P bass and I haven't had one in rotation for a while. Actually got it cheaper ordering from Thomann with shipping to US than I could find it stateside, lol!
Hey make sure you try to listen to both sounds *in a mix* . I thought the Sire was a better sound but when I played them both in my band the 40TH Anniversary sounded SO much better with all of the instruments together.
Listening through headphones i felt the Squier was less boomy then the sire and it didn't had that suby low end that the sire had... although it might just be the preset ou were using on your pedal. I know it's the same for both but it might've been less flatering to the sire. My vote goes to the squier on this particular tone test. Anyways. Cool review Keep em coming
I agree with you that Sire should release it in black :) It's such a classic color and very suitable for pickguard swap. Cream, yellow, anodized gold...they'd build up their own market for that too. My experience with Squier is that the QC can really let you down while the feedback from shop owners I know is that they virtually never got any issue with Sire. I'm probably gonna give them a chance.
I have been thinking for months which P bass to buy if the sire or the squier, in the end I bought the sire. If I could, I would have bought both, both basses are beautiful and I would like to use both. I love the sire, every day that I play it is incredible, it has a very good sound, something fatter than the squier in my opinion and maybe something more versatile, but I think that both are a 100% successful purchase, they are basses that can be used professionally with no problem.
Was having to decide between these 2 exact models (except for the Squier in red color), and this just made my choice clear. I know sound can be subjective, but the attack on the Squier is the win for me. Both are great instruments at their price point.
I own a Vintage Squire, it's Definition makes it my pick..the Sire has a little Much tone&lack of def.. Which could be eq'd, but the squires are a Plug in and play, like Fender use to be
I ve been been playing for close to 45 five years and my opinion is that for finger and slap the Squier has the clear advantage while the Sire pick style clearly is more defined and bolder than the Squier. I would highly recommend the squier since most bassist play finger style. Although I myself play metal usually with a pick I would still prefer the Squier for the warmer bottom sound.
I've got Sire Jazz Basses and a Squier CV late 50s p bass with la Bella flats and has a good tone but I think I'd go with the Sire . I'd actually like to get the 5 string P7.
I got the P7 5 string and the P5 5 string. I love them both, but the P7 has gloss finish on the neck, and the P5 has got the satin finish...therefore the P5 has become my favourite.
I tried out both basses at Andertons in Guildford. Out of all the Squiers and the Fender Player P bass, the Squier was by far the best. Sire was better though.
The Squier lost a lot when the tone was rolled off. The Sire was more even perhaps across the tone control range, though wasn’t actually that keen on the sounds, felt it was perhaps a bit too modern. In the Band mix, tbh there wasn’t really that much in it. And either would be fine. As regards the tone control issues of the Squier, changing pots and tinkering with the wiring would solve that. On sheer looks the Squier has it for me.
Hi Jonny. I’m looking at getting a P bass but as a leftie it’s a bit more challenging. Squier don’t even offer a left handed P bass anymore! Right now it’s between the Harley Benton MV-4P and the Sire P5. I have’t seen any reviews of the MV-4P yet, (non gotoh, non- PJ version) So if you’re stuck for an idea for a video, it would be great if you could review the Harley Benton MV 4P! Keep up the excellent work!
Thank you very much. I have that exact fender I was looking to get the sire for back up I play in a church band that's kinda Southern Rock. It sounds great. I think the sire can fit in with us 😊
I recently got the new squier precision bass 40th anniversary. In lake placid blue with all gold hardware. It's such an awesome bass. 👌🏼 💯 however I'm looking into a sire bass soon.
Nice vid again! I think the Squier just edges it for me. The looks and extra aggy zing make it a winner. Do you still have the SB2 Tribute? They're only £50ish more than the Squier and those MFD pups are pretty amazing. The LB100 Tribute is just under £400 too, so it'd be cool to see those 2 in a comparison (if you can get your mitts on them)
Thanks mate 😊 Yeah although the Sire technically wins, the Squier steals my heart haha. I don't I'm afraid! I'd love to get an LB100 though, especially the blue one!
The thing I noticed about the Sire basses is that their pickups were made to go with their preamps, but when you take the preamp out you are left with some bland-sounding pickups that lack the lower mids that we are used to hearing in a P-bass. But a simple pickup change would be an easy fix.
@@JonnyDibble I tend to swap pickups to suit my taste anyway, even in legit Fenders...pickups and strings are the best ways to change a bass to your preference, and sometimes it's not fair to judge a bass till you do...same thing often applies to amps and speakers
I got 2 m7 here, 1 first gen and 1 second gen. Almost everything has improved. What I think about tone is, that sire has designed their pickups rather conservative. They do have a bit of all trades and are good clean pickups. If you are looking for that typical fender p sound they lack the bottom end and the crispy highs but have more mids to them.
Nice video. Based on the audio, I like the Squier with tone at 100% with a pick and the sire with tone rolled off and fingerstyle. I guess I'll get both. If I had to get one bass, it would be the sire because I think the Squier sounds a bit too bright for my preferred P Bass sound.
In the mix I'd choose "B" for warmness and it really brings out the gain of the amp. "A" sounds great but as if the recording had been tweaked.Almost too balanced.
Awesome video thanks man! Good comparison! Looking forward to more. Btw, moving the pickups closer to the strings gave my Sire more bottom end and roundness. Did have to put thicker foam under there though. Keep putting out great videos man!
The best budget bass rotation at this moment in the market is: Squier 40th Anni P bass (either model) Sterling by EBMM Stingray 24. Both a bit under 500 bucks and both of them punch waaayyyy above their weight. The sire isn't worth getting over the p bass, in my opinion, because it doesn't do anything different or better enough to justify not getting a legit, classic style p bass. The stingray24 gives you the preamp capability but with a far and away superior sound and versatility to the Sire. With those two basses you can take on any track, any genre and sound perfect.
I've been drooling over the P5 since I saw Lobsters review. Maybe I'll buy one for my 61 birthday next April. BTW Thomann has these right now for $400 + shipping.
Squire is mine! It’s a p bass and authentic and tame😑 sire looks great except annoying headstock but boomy for my taste. Thanks for the video comprehensive and high quality work. Keep it up 👍🏼
Damn Johnny. This is the second time you get me into dilemma. I was about to order D5, then you got me with P5 and now this....this squier seem that produces the sound I like, and It's hard to admit it. And it's beautiful on top of everything..
Sire is more balanced, but it's bland. Squier has more flaws, but it has character, and I prefer that. Nothing a pickup change wouldn't fix though. Squier also comes in a gorgeous black, Sire colors leave a bit to be desired in my book. I haven't owned a P5, because you really can't get them here, but I have owned Sires before. I own a couple of Squiers now, and they are more fun to play for some reason.
The vintage just comes in red and blonde, the black and blue are the "gold" editions whoch have slightly different specs. LOVE that they did 2 releases! I think complicated active preamps can suck away a guitars character sometimes. That's why I absolutely love a passive P bass 😁
I tried £430 Squire against an £1750 Fender today and i honestly could hardly tell any difference if any. I will add im not a fender guy and this was my 1st time playing one i wanted to see what all the fuss is about. The guy in the shop is a fender p bass nut and great player and he reckons the difference is 5% max if that. I would definitely get the squire over the fender. So i guess for me the squire must be a touch closer to the fender than the sire
Hi Jonny! That Squire looks so nice! (I'm sure that a tortoise pickguard would make it "waouuu"). Are the specs the same as they are on the CV 60's PBass? Or is this one better?
B was better in the mix. Love your videos man... But your slap position makes my wrist hurt from a distance. Have you tried bringing your elbow down and have your thumb kind of along the strings rather than crossing them?
It’s funny that you mention it, I always notice when I see anybody using that alternative thumbs-down slap technique. It seems less efficient plus you can’t double-thump using that technique but like the old saying “To each is own”. He was probably influenced by Flee
Like so many comparisons I’ve seen before, seems like the answer here is the Sire with a pup swap. I’ve played a D5, V5 and P7 recently and all of them felt pretty premium for the money - dare I say better than a fender player? Particularly the neck L’s - but all of them just don’t have the tone of the bass they’re copying. So Sire and a pickup swap… but then you’re really at that fender player price level, so it’s really what you prefer. To me the sire with new pickups is probably the better bass, but I suspect most people would prefer the fender logo on the headstock for their money
Both are very very nice. Which one is best ....erm I'm thinking ...still thinking, both look great too, so still thinking. Possibly the squire by a gnats whisker on tone but I'd be happy with either. A + B but probably a teeny more B.
Sire are very well built but I dislike their new medium jumbo frets. Wish they had built these P and D models w/ vintage fret wire. Likewise the Squier w/ the fender ubiquitous vintage TALL frets. UGH. How about actual vintage frets # 6230?
I don’t like sire squire definitely wins. You could mod the squire out. Hipshot vintage bridge. Schaller gold knobs. New passive wiring harnesses. Copper to ensure silence of the electronics. EVO gold jescar 6150 frets. You do this. You will have an instrument worth way more than it’s retail price.
Sounds interesting. I love customizing my squier basses. I put fender original pickups and cream/vintage colored pickup covers On my new squier 40th anniversary precision bass. Sounds and feels so awesome.
i swear this video was made exactly for me in this exact moment. and now i'm even more torn on which one i'd want. so hard to tell without playing them firsthand.
Squier 40th P basses are fucking amazing value and they are consistent as shit. I would say, confidently that it will be the better choice for you. The only 'advantage' of the sire is the preamp and that's not even a big deal. The Squier is better in every way and you can get a cheap joyo preamp pedal to make up for it. Squier all day. 40th anni or CV70
@@nickdrey1200 i wound up getting a sire v3 - couldn’t beat its price, especially with my sweetwater rep knocking some extra $$ off for me, and it had a little extra bite to the tone over other models that really sold me on it.
@@tylerscott89 word man, I'm glad you got one that felt better to you. Nice work on getting some money off haha. I love Sweetwater, honestly. I used them for years and years, always having a super good experience with their reps. I have now, however, transferred my loyalty to Zzsounds. When I was pretty hard up for money, just making enough money for bills and to support my unemployed woman and 2 kids, I had 2 of my guitars stolen and my amp overloaded randomly in the middle of a practice session, due to some freak fucking incident where something shorted in my amps power supply and before activating my outlets fuse breaker, it fucking straight up burst into flames. By the time I got the fire out, my blues Jr was fuckin toast(literally). So I was gearless. No guitar no amp. I did have my pedals tho. So, I applied for a credit card account on sweetwater, as I have decent enough credit I figured I would at least get enough to get myself a 400-500guitar and a cheap little amp. They fucking denied me....I was kinda pissed because I had applied for a capital one credit card a month prior, to see what limit I could get just to know in case I ever needed emergency money id get one, capital one offered me a 2000$ limit. Sweetwater offered me 0, nothing. Not even the ability to finance an instrument. Boy, that fucking upset me, as I had spent, easily 10k$ with them over the years. Searched around on the other sites I've used and Zzsounds was first up as I had got my first ever bass and amp from them in 2010. I saw that they offered no credit check, instant acceptance, no interest financing. A smile came over my face, but before I got too excited
Before I got too excited, I found the instrument I wanted and added a little combo amp. Went to checkout and boom, was able to get 6 months financing without applying or anything...and without interest. So Zzsounds saved me from the depression spiral that was 100% going to happen to me because I had no instrument (I have gone thru it 3 times, having no ability to make music has caused me to fall into depressive spirals ending up in serious drug addiction and self destructive behavior and getting in fights over the smallest excuse with someone who looked, to me, like they deserved it...yeah no good). So, I kind of want to repay them with my business, at least for a while. Plus, I can finance up to 3,000$ worth of gear at a time. My next upgrade will be a high end bass that's not EBMM or Fender. I plan on trying either a Warwick or, more likely, one of the beautiful headless Ibanez 5 strings. The Ibanez headless basses are fucking awesome. And the fact I can scoop one for less than 250$ a month no interest for 6 months....hell yeah. Sorry for the babble, I'm kinda drunk and lonely and I love talking about music shit and I currently have no music friends haha
@@nickdrey1200 love those kind of deals. my main bass is an ibanez 6 string with the multiscale/fanned frets and a set of TI flats on it. it was their first foray into the multiscale thing, so isn’t headless like the latest generation. absolutely love it, just wanted something with rounds that’d be easier to slap, and the sire fit the bill without breaking the bank. 😅 the v3 is aaaaaalmost close enough to scratch the rickenbacker itch too, since i’ll probably never be able to afford or justify one of those
You feel you should give it to the sire when the two most important things were won by the Squire? surely if it feels best to play and it sounds best, who cares which has the better hardware - you can upgrade the saddles and tuners later on the squire if you want to but it will still always feel better to play and still always sound better....
there is just something more appealing and interesting about the sound of the Squier that sells me. the sound of the Sire is almost too safe. i would go as far as to say the sire tone is almost boring. the squier just has an edge. 💯
Yet another brilliantly put together review. So informal straight forward and the viewer really gets a display of what’s being reviewed. I really wish more review videos were like this.
You must review more pedals Jonny☺️
As for choosing A/B I honestly can’t decided!!!
Thanks so much!!
I really might add both to my collection. They seem like great options for situations when I don’t want to bring an expensive, high end bass! Thanks for posting this.
I agree. I think the same way man. I recently got the new squier 40th anniversary precision bass. Its such an awesome bass. I use it for small gigs. Then take out fender pro 2 for good gigs.
Tbh I think the squires sound better then most of the fenders Iv heard . Their midrange is not too bright or too dark. It’s got a nice thick and present sound
oh fuck you, its 300 qid and thats quite expensive
I recently picked up the Squire 40th anniversary jazz bass Gold Edition. I'm more than satisfied with it. They play and sound great. Easy to set up and super sleek.
I like what you did on trying the band situation which actually is what matters the most, I think Squier by itself sounds very nice but in mix Sire fits better. So I think we are lucky to have lots of good options to choose and have fun.
We live in a great age for affordable instruments!
as you can see listening to the A / B test the result was exactly the opposite that you are thinking: the Squier in the mix was better and more present because of its medium and high-ends, very weak on the Sire
I'd definitely go for the Squier to get me that JJ Burnel sound. Rounds played with a pick full of attack is all I need.
I too am a lover of attack!
For bass that is
Hahaha that is so interesting! I think the P sounds so *SEXY* with flats.
Trying to decide between these two myself at the moment and this comment may have swung it to the squier. Cheers!
@@hamishsummers8585 Good! Whatever it's going to be: have fun playing it! And also: pedals and amps can shape tone a lot too.
Thank you for a great and incredible comparison 👏 ❤️
Based solely on this video, tonally I have to go with Squire. Has that true grit and girth I'd want from a precision bass. Aesthetically I prefer the Squire as well. The Sire is very nice don't get me wrong. However to my ears the Sire had more of a condensed sound. More of what I'd expect from a Jazz Bass.
Same. Sire sounds a little hollow like a Jazz bass which I don’t want in a P
Loved how the sire sounded when slapped .
I liked more the Squier and I tried B in the blind test. To me it sounds more like the real thing, more natural. Great comparison!
Think it might be active verses passive that your hearing.
Both are passive. I ended up catching a 40th. Unbelievable playability. @@nikkicartee879
@@nikkicartee879 P5 doesn't have active circuit
@@onimusha13 did not know that. Thought all the SIRE basses was active.
I like the sound of the Squier, I have the gold edition witch has different body wood with heavy body paint. The neck has binding with block inlays. Like the bone nut but not the gloss on neck. But it sounds even better then the vintage Squier, give it a test drive.
I've tried the gold in a shop, I actually wasn't too impressed with the feel of it compared to the vintage one. Can't really say about the spund though, plugging into a tiny amp on the shop floor isn't always the best indicator! 🥲
Good review my friend!
I have a Squire and a Sire.
I feel like the Squire has too much bass and the sound ends up being an uncontrollable mass. On the other hand, the Sire is more balanced and easier to sculpt, adding or subtracting frequencies according to need.
can't you just roll down the bass a notch at your amp to tighten it up?
@@Ralferator of course I can! but it is not the same, because the signal is already "contaminated" with that extra bass, which makes everything a little blurry.
@@charcastanmusica5796 you could also experiment with pickup height
I agree that your Squire is better than the Sire, which surprised me. It looks and sounds better
Both my basses are Sire and I love them. I would love to get a P5 as well some day.
But I gotta say this: I think I preferred the Squire in this demonstration 🫣
Excellent thorough review: You've given us everything we could want in a short video.
The sire has a more mid forward sound , I think that’s why it stays composed as the tone level drops. The squire seems more scooped , it’s got that heavier yet brighter sound but has less midrange to hold it together .
I prefer the squire off the bat for pic and tone up, in the track it had more presence. Both basses were probably mixed too loudly in the track either way at times . I wonder if it were to be mixed more like most songs, the sire might be just fine? A compressor and top end boost and slight distortion may be enough? Also character of the sire was nice, it’s top end grind is somewhat rounded and has a nice character that seems it would blend well in a mix without getting in the way of guitar or vocals .
I liked its mellow gutteral rumble in the song and hammer on spongey note clarity. The hammer on with the squire seemed less clear but more clanky.
The squire was more brash but if it were to be leveled in a mix quieter , I wonder what would be heard most, just high end bite? Unlike the sire who’s main sound is mid fundamental tone, it may actually sound clearer than the squire and stay in its lane .
I thought that song in the end sounded pretty cool, was it yours? Really cool vibe .
Thanks for this video mate !! You can clearly appreciate the invasive and out-of-plane bass that all the Sire have (hate that) The Squier's sound is much gentler and sweeter.
Great video, found it after doing research on both basses. Planning to get the Squier, and the 5 string version of the Sire soon.
Great choices! Thanks very much 😊
Just finally ordered a P5. I'm a stingray and jazz bass guy, but some situations just flat out REQUIRE a P bass and I haven't had one in rotation for a while. Actually got it cheaper ordering from Thomann with shipping to US than I could find it stateside, lol!
That's surprising. VAT is higher in Europe than sales tax in US.
I just bought that same squire (I found it like-new for a killer price), and I completely love it, FWIW.
Tone wise, I preferred the Sire - it kept its definition through the tone range, whereas the Squier got a it muddy and my ears didn’t like it.
I think with a preamp in the mix the Sire could REALLY shine in terms of presence
Tried both and Sire are mid focus for me ! More bass on Fender
Hey make sure you try to listen to both sounds *in a mix* . I thought the Sire was a better sound but when I played them both in my band the 40TH Anniversary sounded SO much better with all of the instruments together.
Listening through headphones i felt the Squier was less boomy then the sire and it didn't had that suby low end that the sire had... although it might just be the preset ou were using on your pedal. I know it's the same for both but it might've been less flatering to the sire. My vote goes to the squier on this particular tone test. Anyways. Cool review Keep em coming
To me the Squier has more balls and I do love me a ballsy bass! Thanks!
I agree with you that Sire should release it in black :)
It's such a classic color and very suitable for pickguard swap. Cream, yellow, anodized gold...they'd build up their own market for that too.
My experience with Squier is that the QC can really let you down while the feedback from shop owners I know is that they virtually never got any issue with Sire. I'm probably gonna give them a chance.
I have been thinking for months which P bass to buy if the sire or the squier, in the end I bought the sire. If I could, I would have bought both, both basses are beautiful and I would like to use both. I love the sire, every day that I play it is incredible, it has a very good sound, something fatter than the squier in my opinion and maybe something more versatile, but I think that both are a 100% successful purchase, they are basses that can be used professionally with no problem.
Definitely! I'm glad you're enjoying your choice 😁
Was having to decide between these 2 exact models (except for the Squier in red color), and this just made my choice clear. I know sound can be subjective, but the attack on the Squier is the win for me. Both are great instruments at their price point.
I own a Vintage Squire, it's Definition makes it my pick..the Sire has a little Much tone&lack of def..
Which could be eq'd, but the squires are a Plug in and play, like Fender use to be
I liked the sire with flats , and squire with rounds the best . 😊
I ve been been playing for close to 45 five years and my opinion is that for finger and slap the Squier has the clear advantage while the Sire pick style clearly is more defined and bolder than the Squier. I would highly recommend the squier since most bassist play finger style. Although I myself play metal usually with a pick I would still prefer the Squier for the warmer bottom sound.
I've got Sire Jazz Basses and a Squier CV late 50s p bass with la Bella flats and has a good tone but I think I'd go with the Sire .
I'd actually like to get the 5 string P7.
Quality control is definitely superior for Sires I think, but if you get a good Squier, you get a GOOD one 😝
I got the P7 5 string and the P5 5 string. I love them both, but the P7 has gloss finish on the neck, and the P5 has got the satin finish...therefore the P5 has become my favourite.
I tried out both basses at Andertons in Guildford. Out of all the Squiers and the Fender Player P bass, the Squier was by far the best. Sire was better though.
The Squier lost a lot when the tone was rolled off. The Sire was more even perhaps across the tone control range, though wasn’t actually that keen on the sounds, felt it was perhaps a bit too modern.
In the Band mix, tbh there wasn’t really that much in it. And either would be fine.
As regards the tone control issues of the Squier, changing pots and tinkering with the wiring would solve that.
On sheer looks the Squier has it for me.
2 y.a. I tryed two Squier P basses, a 40th anniversary and a CV. The CV one was cheaper and had better fretwork so I bought that.
Squier for me! It has that Fender vibe. Sire sounds like a totally different animal.
Well, Johny boy, I'll go with Squire. There is a something about the Sire sound I just can't stand. The Squire sounds just really great.
Hi Jonny. I’m looking at getting a P bass but as a leftie it’s a bit more challenging. Squier don’t even offer a left handed P bass anymore! Right now it’s between the Harley Benton MV-4P and the Sire P5. I have’t seen any reviews of the MV-4P yet, (non gotoh, non- PJ version) So if you’re stuck for an idea for a video, it would be great if you could review the Harley Benton MV 4P! Keep up the excellent work!
Thank you very much. I have that exact fender I was looking to get the sire for back up I play in a church band that's kinda Southern Rock. It sounds great. I think the sire can fit in with us 😊
I recently got the new squier precision bass 40th anniversary. In lake placid blue with all gold hardware. It's such an awesome bass. 👌🏼 💯 however I'm looking into a sire bass soon.
Nice vid again! I think the Squier just edges it for me. The looks and extra aggy zing make it a winner. Do you still have the SB2 Tribute? They're only £50ish more than the Squier and those MFD pups are pretty amazing. The LB100 Tribute is just under £400 too, so it'd be cool to see those 2 in a comparison (if you can get your mitts on them)
Thanks mate 😊 Yeah although the Sire technically wins, the Squier steals my heart haha. I don't I'm afraid! I'd love to get an LB100 though, especially the blue one!
The blue.....the blocks.....swoon =)
Squier looks and sounds better for me. I also hate the Sire headstock.
Really comprehensive video Jonny. Good stuff.
Cheers Dave! Yeah they really split the crowd with that one
I don't think the sire headstock is that bad, and it's definitely not enough to keep me from buying one.
The thing I noticed about the Sire basses is that their pickups were made to go with their preamps, but when you take the preamp out you are left with some bland-sounding pickups that lack the lower mids that we are used to hearing in a P-bass. But a simple pickup change would be an easy fix.
These pickups are designed to ve passive I believe, but the preamps are usually the shining stars of most Sires! Although too many knobs for me
@@JonnyDibble Do you think these pickups are different than the pickups that are in the Sire P7 basses?
@@JonnyDibble I tend to swap pickups to suit my taste anyway, even in legit Fenders...pickups and strings are the best ways to change a bass to your preference, and sometimes it's not fair to judge a bass till you do...same thing often applies to amps and speakers
I got 2 m7 here, 1 first gen and 1 second gen.
Almost everything has improved.
What I think about tone is, that sire has designed their pickups rather conservative. They do have a bit of all trades and are good clean pickups. If you are looking for that typical fender p sound they lack the bottom end and the crispy highs but have more mids to them.
@@michisauer First Sire I had was an M7! SO crisp!
Looking forward to the 14 of September. Looking forward to the PBass giveaway. BTW...The Squire hands down...
Awesome video!! So glad you used flats and round wounds for both basses. Could you share where you got your black pickguard for the P5?
That butterscotch is amazing!!!!!!
I agree Sire needs to work on their colors. I don’t like any of the options for this bass. I love the roasted maple neck though.
An acquired taste!
Nice video. Based on the audio, I like the Squier with tone at 100% with a pick and the sire with tone rolled off and fingerstyle. I guess I'll get both. If I had to get one bass, it would be the sire because I think the Squier sounds a bit too bright for my preferred P Bass sound.
good tones for both, compared to price they sounds really good. Probably Sire a bit dark/low end but no way to gues who is who in a blind test for me
In the mix I'd choose "B" for warmness and it really brings out the gain of the amp. "A" sounds great but as if the recording had been tweaked.Almost too balanced.
It's definitely a more balanced sound to that bass, almost to its discredit
I prefer how the Sire sounds with a pick but Squier wins it for fingerstyle
Great video Jonny! Soundwise, I would say Squier! But I have to say that your Sire P5 looks beautiful and it plays really good!
Thanks very much! 😄
As you roll off the tone I prefer the Squier one
It's a raspier with more low end!
Prefiero el Sire, pero creo que en la etapa de mezcla se puede llegar al mismo resultado con ambos instrumentos.
FLATS sound:
SQUIER
pick 100% 10:37
pick 50% 11:24
pick 0% 12:13
finger 100% 13:01
finger 50% 13:49
finger 0% 14:36
slap 100% 15:24
slap 50% 15:52
slap 0% 16:19
SIRE
pick 100% 11:00
pick 50% 11:49
pick 0% 12:37
finger 100% 13:25
finger 50% 14:12
finger 0% 15:00
slap 100% 15:38
slap 50% 16:05
slap 0% 16:32
Awesome video thanks man! Good comparison! Looking forward to more.
Btw, moving the pickups closer to the strings gave my Sire more bottom end and roundness. Did have to put thicker foam under there though.
Keep putting out great videos man!
Thanks very much 😄 Yeah that'll increase the output for sure. Cheers!
The best budget bass rotation at this moment in the market is:
Squier 40th Anni P bass (either model)
Sterling by EBMM Stingray 24.
Both a bit under 500 bucks and both of them punch waaayyyy above their weight. The sire isn't worth getting over the p bass, in my opinion, because it doesn't do anything different or better enough to justify not getting a legit, classic style p bass. The stingray24 gives you the preamp capability but with a far and away superior sound and versatility to the Sire.
With those two basses you can take on any track, any genre and sound perfect.
Interestingly i like the Sire better with the rounds, but the Squire better with the flats.
Squier wins in terms of sound and it looks much better!
Its the squier for me too, it just has more of that P-bass growl! Its Johny "Dribble" Dibble🥵
Definitely more raspy, in a good way!
Johnny very good comparison. I think the or at least I have heard that the sour bases are kind of on the heavy side which I can't handle anymore.
I've been drooling over the P5 since I saw Lobsters review. Maybe I'll buy one for my 61 birthday next April.
BTW Thomann has these right now for $400 + shipping.
The black pick guard on the Sire looks amazing, do you remember where you got it from?
Love your videos man 👍
I still think they are the same bass the Sire being a rebranded version with some changes in the pick ups.
Squire is mine! It’s a p bass and authentic and tame😑 sire looks great except annoying headstock but boomy for my taste. Thanks for the video comprehensive and high quality work. Keep it up 👍🏼
Thanks very much! ☺️
Damn Johnny. This is the second time you get me into dilemma. I was about to order D5, then you got me with P5 and now this....this squier seem that produces the sound I like, and It's hard to admit it. And it's beautiful on top of everything..
Man, after revisiting this I gotta say, the Squier pickup sounds similar to a Seymour Duncan quarter pounder but not as scooped?
It does! Super powerful 🙌
Sire is more balanced, but it's bland. Squier has more flaws, but it has character, and I prefer that. Nothing a pickup change wouldn't fix though. Squier also comes in a gorgeous black, Sire colors leave a bit to be desired in my book. I haven't owned a P5, because you really can't get them here, but I have owned Sires before. I own a couple of Squiers now, and they are more fun to play for some reason.
The vintage just comes in red and blonde, the black and blue are the "gold" editions whoch have slightly different specs. LOVE that they did 2 releases! I think complicated active preamps can suck away a guitars character sometimes. That's why I absolutely love a passive P bass 😁
the sire was just a tad brighter, but pots and tone caps can affect tone also. I am impressed with both, irregardless of prices.
I make fun of my wife so hard when she uses that ridiculous non-word... "irregardlessly!!" lol🤣😉
Through laptop speakers(!) the Squier had more presence and depth and cut through more in the band setting.
I tried £430 Squire against an £1750 Fender today and i honestly could hardly tell any difference if any. I will add im not a fender guy and this was my 1st time playing one i wanted to see what all the fuss is about. The guy in the shop is a fender p bass nut and great player and he reckons the difference is 5% max if that. I would definitely get the squire over the fender. So i guess for me the squire must be a touch closer to the fender than the sire
I like more the crunchy tone of the squier in my opinion altho they are both incredible basses
The 40th Anniversary Gold Edition is 349 euros at Thoman at moment. Does that change things up?
What about a comparison between 40th jazz and v5 ?
If I can get my hands on either, definitely! 😄
nice! what is your opinion on the squier 60s Classic vibe p bass vs the sire?
I really liked my CV60s P bass! I think the Sire is better overall though. The 40th anniversary Squier is better than the CV60s in my opinion
just bought a sire p5R - QUALITY!!!! buy one, you will not be disappointed
Great review. Both Sire and Squire have sounds and looks fantastic. I will go with the A over the B.
Cheers! 😄
I think the "B" was the Sire, more top ends than the squire
The Sire did it for me
It does things to me. 🥵
Squier for sure for me
Jonny nice video, but you have forgot to compare the weight :)
Squier All the way When it comes to Sound And the Slap on the Squier P Bass Sounded 🔊 Better
Bit more punchy!
Hi Jonny! That Squire looks so nice! (I'm sure that a tortoise pickguard would make it "waouuu"). Are the specs the same as they are on the CV 60's PBass? Or is this one better?
Sire over the Squire every day. Both are nice.
Yeah B definitely sounded better. Thanks for this.
B was better in the mix. Love your videos man... But your slap position makes my wrist hurt from a distance. Have you tried bringing your elbow down and have your thumb kind of along the strings rather than crossing them?
It’s funny that you mention it, I always notice when I see anybody using that alternative thumbs-down slap technique. It seems less efficient plus you can’t double-thump using that technique but like the old saying “To each is own”. He was probably influenced by Flee
Thanks Nathan! Yeah thats just how I naturally have always slapped! It's a tough habit to break so now I find the other position really unnatural 🥲
Sire all the way on this one for me 😄
Like so many comparisons I’ve seen before, seems like the answer here is the Sire with a pup swap.
I’ve played a D5, V5 and P7 recently and all of them felt pretty premium for the money - dare I say better than a fender player? Particularly the neck L’s - but all of them just don’t have the tone of the bass they’re copying. So Sire and a pickup swap… but then you’re really at that fender player price level, so it’s really what you prefer. To me the sire with new pickups is probably the better bass, but I suspect most people would prefer the fender logo on the headstock for their money
I think the cream pickup on the sire would look way better on the squire
Both are very very nice. Which one is best ....erm I'm thinking ...still thinking, both look great too, so still thinking. Possibly the squire by a gnats whisker on tone but I'd be happy with either. A + B but probably a teeny more B.
It's a tough one!
Sire are very well built but I dislike their new medium jumbo frets. Wish they had built these P and D models w/ vintage fret wire. Likewise the Squier w/ the fender ubiquitous vintage TALL frets. UGH. How about actual vintage frets # 6230?
A sounded more balanced , while b had a nice performance , but might be stepping on the other instruments imo .
I don’t like sire squire definitely wins. You could mod the squire out. Hipshot vintage bridge. Schaller gold knobs. New passive wiring harnesses. Copper to ensure silence of the electronics. EVO gold jescar 6150 frets. You do this. You will have an instrument worth way more than it’s retail price.
Sounds interesting. I love customizing my squier basses. I put fender original pickups and cream/vintage colored pickup covers On my new squier 40th anniversary precision bass. Sounds and feels so awesome.
@@Livemusic1800 that sounds like that’s awesome
I really like your review
i swear this video was made exactly for me in this exact moment. and now i'm even more torn on which one i'd want. so hard to tell without playing them firsthand.
Squier 40th P basses are fucking amazing value and they are consistent as shit. I would say, confidently that it will be the better choice for you. The only 'advantage' of the sire is the preamp and that's not even a big deal. The Squier is better in every way and you can get a cheap joyo preamp pedal to make up for it. Squier all day. 40th anni or CV70
@@nickdrey1200 i wound up getting a sire v3 - couldn’t beat its price, especially with my sweetwater rep knocking some extra $$ off for me, and it had a little extra bite to the tone over other models that really sold me on it.
@@tylerscott89 word man, I'm glad you got one that felt better to you. Nice work on getting some money off haha. I love Sweetwater, honestly. I used them for years and years, always having a super good experience with their reps.
I have now, however, transferred my loyalty to Zzsounds. When I was pretty hard up for money, just making enough money for bills and to support my unemployed woman and 2 kids, I had 2 of my guitars stolen and my amp overloaded randomly in the middle of a practice session, due to some freak fucking incident where something shorted in my amps power supply and before activating my outlets fuse breaker, it fucking straight up burst into flames. By the time I got the fire out, my blues Jr was fuckin toast(literally). So I was gearless. No guitar no amp. I did have my pedals tho.
So, I applied for a credit card account on sweetwater, as I have decent enough credit I figured I would at least get enough to get myself a 400-500guitar and a cheap little amp. They fucking denied me....I was kinda pissed because I had applied for a capital one credit card a month prior, to see what limit I could get just to know in case I ever needed emergency money id get one, capital one offered me a 2000$ limit. Sweetwater offered me 0, nothing. Not even the ability to finance an instrument. Boy, that fucking upset me, as I had spent, easily 10k$ with them over the years.
Searched around on the other sites I've used and Zzsounds was first up as I had got my first ever bass and amp from them in 2010. I saw that they offered no credit check, instant acceptance, no interest financing. A smile came over my face, but before I got too excited
Before I got too excited, I found the instrument I wanted and added a little combo amp. Went to checkout and boom, was able to get 6 months financing without applying or anything...and without interest. So Zzsounds saved me from the depression spiral that was 100% going to happen to me because I had no instrument (I have gone thru it 3 times, having no ability to make music has caused me to fall into depressive spirals ending up in serious drug addiction and self destructive behavior and getting in fights over the smallest excuse with someone who looked, to me, like they deserved it...yeah no good). So, I kind of want to repay them with my business, at least for a while. Plus, I can finance up to 3,000$ worth of gear at a time. My next upgrade will be a high end bass that's not EBMM or Fender. I plan on trying either a Warwick or, more likely, one of the beautiful headless Ibanez 5 strings. The Ibanez headless basses are fucking awesome. And the fact I can scoop one for less than 250$ a month no interest for 6 months....hell yeah.
Sorry for the babble, I'm kinda drunk and lonely and I love talking about music shit and I currently have no music friends haha
@@nickdrey1200 love those kind of deals. my main bass is an ibanez 6 string with the multiscale/fanned frets and a set of TI flats on it. it was their first foray into the multiscale thing, so isn’t headless like the latest generation. absolutely love it, just wanted something with rounds that’d be easier to slap, and the sire fit the bill without breaking the bank. 😅 the v3 is aaaaaalmost close enough to scratch the rickenbacker itch too, since i’ll probably never be able to afford or justify one of those
I'd go for the Sire
You feel you should give it to the sire when the two most important things were won by the Squire? surely if it feels best to play and it sounds best, who cares which has the better hardware - you can upgrade the saddles and tuners later on the squire if you want to but it will still always feel better to play and still always sound better....
True!
The Sire has a slight edge on the Squire. The tone is more controlled while retaining character. IMHO
I couldn't see a link where you got the black pickguard for the Sire P5
I much preferred the squier sound, I don't like the scooped mids on the Sire
there is just something more appealing and interesting about the sound of the Squier that sells me. the sound of the Sire is almost too safe. i would go as far as to say the sire tone is almost boring. the squier just has an edge. 💯
I know what you mean!!
B!
If you are going for bass tone by itself, Sire.
If you are going for the song as a whole in the mix, go for the 40th Anniversary.
@Johnny: Isnt Playability rather a point for the sire? At least i heard often the neck is fantastic & super easy to play
It's fantastic! But I just, for some reason, find the Squier more fun to play