Just picked one of these up today, I wasn't even intending to get one as I dont care for signature/artist basses or active controls, but its an incredible bass for the money. Once I figured out what all the knobs did, I couldn't believe the variety of tones and the preamp is killer. The pickups are excellent as well. Thin body, decent weight, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard with rolled edges (one of the nicest and most comfortable necks Ive ever played) bone nut, steel bridge...this thing is a steal for $399. Thats only $100 more than the junk Squier Affinity basses sell for. The V3 is better than any MIM Fender Ive owned or played and darn close to American made Fenders that sell for 4 times as much. I have zero complaints, awesome bass.
Thanks Michael! Great comment. Glad you're enjoying yours. The V3s are definitely a bargain compared to other budget offerings from the likes of Squier.
i have this bass bought a month ago. It's great bass - and agre with You in terms cheap bridge and tuners - it's weird when i try make it in tune. but for this price range sire v3 is absolut killer.
I thought about that as well. But i went with the first gen.,4 string alder and,rosewood. Best money i have spent in quite awhile.Cant believe its been almost 5 years😨 Money well spent,that was!
I really like your reviews. I bought the v7 first generation basses and while they were OK, I wasn't thrilled with them. I had alder and ash. I didn't really like the neck or the hardware. The pre amp was pretty complicated/confusing. However, I bought a v5 and what a great bass. They have improved the neck, the hardware and the pick ups. I tend to give a lot of credit to company's that are trying to improve, so I have a positive feeling about the folks at sire. I haven't got a v3, but I have a v7 and a p7 ordered. If they are anything like the v5, I'll be thrilled. The v5 is passive, which is really kinda nice. Roasted maple neck too.
Thanks Mark! I think the V5 is the best Sire bass you can get right now. The V3 is a great value, but I don't like how complex the preamp is. I don't think the V7 is a great value because it has the same preamp as the V3 and doesn't sound that much better. The V5 is simple and high quality. I think they hit all the right points with that bass!
@@LowEndLobster I think the second generation V7 and P7 are much nicer than the first generation. The mat finish neck feels better and the tuners feel higher quality. The nobs feel better, and the rounded fret board edges are really nice. I agree that the V5 is the best value, but it's nice to see the Sire folks working to make the bases better if not perfect. I agree that the pre-amp can be confusing. Keep up the good reviews!
I have a V7 and a V7 Vintage, both in 4 string. The V7 Vintage is Gen 1 and the V7 is Gen 2. Both are outstanding value, looks and playability. Yes the plethora of knobs is daunting at first, but you can get SO much tonal variation with tiny turns of any knob, there is very little to do once you get your 'sounds' right for each tune. The tuners are cheap, but I have had no problem with the bridge at all and intonation is find. With the nice gig bag and really great customer service, they are really, really hard to beat.
Thanks Eric! I also think the overall build quality of the neck and body are outstanding. Sires are my favorite 'Fender-ish' mod platform for a reason! Kyle Kim is also a great dude
Pickups are very sensitive to right hand finger noise where the string above the plucked string is contacted by your finger. It almost sounds like a ghost note, I like it personally...
@@LowEndLobster one thing that's rough about Sires in Japan is that they're weirdly marked up. For some reason, V3 4 strings are usually around the 60,000 yen mark (roughly $560 dollars). Pretty much all Sires are marked up at least the equivalent of $150 to $200 more. Not sure if it's because of the low supply right now, or if there is some weird tax on items from Korean companies, or what.
As an owner of Sire V3 5 string, I can tell you that the preamp is prone to just doing shit stuff like oscillating but at least they are cheap to replace with an original. And also, the 5 string version have more popular mounting type - previous owner changed the bridge to Fender Hi Mass without drilling (but it no longer allows for string thru configuration).
The real problem is in the necks. You really need to watch the humidity. Truss rods are known to strip. So if you buy one keep it in a hard shell case or buy humidifier and keep it around 40%.
Hey Timkbt! Honestly, I haven't found that to be the case with any of mine. Humidity up here in New England varies greatly- dry winters and humid summers. All of mine, both four and five strings, haven't needed anything more than minor seasonal adjustments.
@@LowEndLobster if you Google talk bass you’ll see some concerns about neck issues. I had the heat up during the winter and was amazed at how much the neck had changed. The strings were laying on the fret board. All my basses and acoustics I had out during that time had changed but the sire was extreme. They are probably using maple that still has a lot of moisture in it and has not been cured properly. I loved the bass but I would make sure anyone owning one keep their eye on the neck adjustments.
Good Review , Low End Lobster . I have the V7 bass and the new V5 with passive controls and roasted maple neck . The tuners on both are fine , i like them both a lot . I almost never change bridges for high mass so for me the stock bridges are fine.
How do you like the new V5? Been curious about those. From what I hear, the quality of hardware is noticeably improved with the jump from the V3 to the 7. I will be checking out more Sires in the future :)
I've never seen the v3 in person, so i don't know the real differences . my v5 has the vintage bridge with treaded saddles . The V5's neck is the most smooth matte finish on the neck as good as my Fender professional series p bass. The V5 also has the 70s spacing with the pickups. One thing I don't like about the Sire is that the pickguards are not compatible with Squier / Fender pickguard
The weak point with the Sires seems to be in the neck. I had a V3 and the neck was all over the place as far as truss rod adjustments, fret buzz and the neck changing to where I had to have the frets filed so they didn’t cut my hand. If someone buys one make sure to keep it in a case or have a humidifier keeping the room at around 40%. I’ve read where it’s real easy to have the truss rod fail even when making slight adjustments.
So funny story. I own a Marcus M Japanese Fender bass. Its a lovely piece of nicely figured wood. It wasn't cheap, thinking it was like $999 back 10 years ago. It remember it being more $ than the Japanese Geddy Lee wanna-be. I bought it a year after buying the Japanese made Jaguar. I gotta say ... what a load of compromises (and some crap) these basses were. I lined a lot of copper to almost beat the hum in the Jag (just poor factory wiring choices) and had to get the frets filed and replaced the bridge (donated from the Marcus to follow). I bought the Marcus because I wanted something completely different from the Jag and the my main bass, which was a 1979 BC Rich Mockingbird. I didn't want to gig the Bird anymore. The Marcus never really had a balanced tone and string to string volume. It had some questionable build issues. The machine heads were actually pressed out of round - all 4 of them. It was almost impossible to tune. The onboard EQ was noisy and looked like it was wired by a kid building their first Heathkit. Long story short, after installing the East Preamp Kit, Seymore Duncan's, a Babitz bridge and Hipshot tuners (which i gotta tell ya could be better) it went from "Meh" to may main bass. The only thing left of the original is that lovely wood, frets and output jack. It was also the last Fender I purchased. To be fair I have heard the Marcus 5 American made customer shop bass is a quality instrument. However, must say that after years of having the Jag I got about 70% of what I paid for it on trade at GC against another bass.
Damn! Sounds like your Marcus is a hell of a bass after your transformation. Honestly, I'm really not stoked with where Fender is at as a company. Overpriced mass produced instruments IMO.
Sire's V3 ma have cheap bridge and mechanics but V7 fixes every problem with V3. Imo my sire V7 5string (which I bought for 500€ B-stock last october) can compare easily to 1000€ fender's with ease. Electronics are just fenomenal, neck is sturdy, bridge is great with strings-through-body option, tuners may not be something extraordinary but I haven't had problem with tuning since I got her. If we compare bacchus for 350+150 dollars shipping and V7 which is like 600 bucks new and easier to find I would gladly pay additional 100. Only downside is that my V7 is really heavy and I mean it is heavier than my thunderbird I don't play it on stages it would literally hurt my back. Would live to see your opinion on V7's in future!
Thank you for sharing...again. I haven't tried the V3, it seems kind of disappointing compared to the v7 vintage. I picked one up a bunch of month ago. It's ash, I don't know if that makes it nicer or not than the mahogany or not, I have the 1et gen, so it doesn't have the rolled frets, but as you say it's weird feeling anyway, and lucky enough the 1st gen has the white block inlay and gen 2 didn't so that's nice. Anyway, now you know more than you wanted to so, I'll end here. Cheers and thank you again for continuing to make fun videos.
@@LowEndLobster I play that bass more then the high end basses I have. Some basses just play so good they make you play them more then the rest. Thanks for the great reviews.
Thanks for the great review! As I am going to buy my first bass :) would you consider the V3 as a good choice hence the top-heaviness? An alternative would be the sterling ray 4. I grew up with Funk and I love it.
Hi Chris! Great question, I'm plugged into my Orange Crush 50 BXT amp, and then using the line out form the amp to go direct into my Focusrite. The amp I'm using is a 50w practice amp for all my videos with the goal of showing off tones that you can get yourself without crazy expensive gear or sound processing. I think you should get similar results :)
How does this low end Sire V3 bridge compare to the heavy mass bridge on the V7 and higher end Sires? How does it compare to the vintage style bridge on the V7 Vintage? Or are ALL these Sire bridges problematic? Also, the somewhat cheap tuners on the V3, are they the same as on the V7 and higher end Sires as well? Thanks!
Hey Ron! To be honest, I have no idea! This is the first Sire I've played/owned, but won't be my last. I will be snagging others in the future, expect to see more sire content down the line :)
@@LowEndLobster Thanks for the speedy reply. I'm considering exploring the world of fretless and thought a Sire 4 or maybe 5 fretless was a low-cost way in dipping my toe in the water for $600-$800-ish. But this V3 line is even cheaper with similar build quality and even the same preamp. Killer deal! Then again if I want to replace the bridge and tuners, then I'd just assume get the V7 or V7 Vintage. Got some thinking to do (go cheap or cheaper?). Either way, these bases are pretty killer bang for buck. Thanks!
@@rinaldiankingz Nice! Let me know how that roasted maple neck feels. I like what they did with the V5. The preamp in the V3 is really good, but the bass already sounds good with everything centered. Having a passive model with the nice roasted neck is a nice addition to the lineup.
LowEndLobster im not a bass expert or what so ever but sure im gonna let you know soon, the bass still has a long way to go, i have to wait like one month. I also have 2nd Gen V3, i leave it passive most of the time because i think the sound is good enough even just in passive mode. V5 came out and i was like ok i neet to get that one. And maybe i will sell my V3 to buy a new amp or other gear.
So they look bigger, but I think it's an optical illusion because of the machining/engraving. I just measured both with my digital caliper and they both have 5mm poles.
Great review!! I think im gunna pick a black one up, a lot of bass guitar for the price!!, I'm not a fan of the headstock tho. But still a killer bass!!
Thanks Jeremy! Indeed, one of the best J's you can get at the price IMO and works well with electronics upgrades (hardware will require drilling as the bridge uses a non standard screw layout)
Very nice bass indeed! I am thinking of upgrading from my epiphone les paul bass as it has tons of neck dive and I am torn between this and the sterling SUB ray4 you used for your mint-o-ray project. Which one do you think was better, and which would you rather have as a main bass??
Out of the box, the Sire is better overall. Snagging the Sterling on a sale (can be had for like 220-230) is an EXCELLENT value, but the preamp on those things is garbage (hence the mod). If you want a real classic Stingray tone, an aftermarket pickup and Mojotone preamp (clone of the original preamps from MM) would make the Sterling a beast, but it wouldn't have the versatility of the Jazz with two pickups. The build quality on both is quite nice for the price. Hardware quality (tuners/bridge) is a little bit better on the Sterling. If you want versatility and a solid instrument straight out of the box, the Sire is the winner there (though it is more expensive at 369 vs 300)
@@LowEndLobster Well, in my case it is the opposite as i can find the V3 new at around 325 while the sub costs around 400. So I wanted to see if it is worth the extra money. As I am kind of a sucker for a known brand name on the headstock, it appealed to me, but now I think I'm going to go for the Sire. Thanks for your help!!
Great question Yan. I thought the paranormals were discontinued.... but it looks like they just released two new finish options. The black one looks killer. So the V3 is nearly $100 less than the Paranormal, offers an active preamp. Both have excellent necks, though the Paranormal is gloss - so whatever you prefer there. The V3 is going to be the more flexible instrument, but IMO the Squier has better hardware and has standard sized bridge for easy upgrades. It really depends what you want out of an instrument. The Paranormal is an excellent bass, and I look forward to snagging another as a follow up. Hope that helps!
Correction! It looks like the current stock of Paranormals (old finishes) are going for as little as $379 now, and the new finishes are coming in at $429. NOT BAD!
Thanks a lot, you pretty Much covered all my interrogations with tour answer and I'll probably go with the paranormal. Didn't knew about the New finishes. My local music store have the butterscotch and the White ones AND just received 3 Sire v3 so, I'll go try both. They're all bout the same price in CAD$. Again, thanks a lot for your answer my Friend.
Hey Lex! Great question. The FGN has much higher build quality overall, but you are getting better pickups/preamp with the sire. The FGN doesn't sound bad, but the sire electronics are really the bee's-knees for the price. I would still get the FGN because of the killer neck, better quality, and it's a much better foundation for upgrades.
Thanks Saxophite! Yes, the Classic Vibes definitely have much more inconsistent QC than Sire. The sire is less money, has more features, on par with Squier on level of hardware (not great), and has more color options.
TBH, after modding both my Sire V5 and V7... Drilling isn't that big of a deal. Albridge does make a drop in bridge model, but they're the only one from what I understand. Check out my Sire Hipshot Tuner mod where we go over how to upgrade the tuners to Hipshot ultralites. All you need to do is drill one small hole per tuner, and those holes will be covered if you ever switch back to stock.
Can I get a honest answer, thankyou.. Ahm I'm using now a Toby Deluxe V bass.. and Planning change it, is Sire v3 better than Toby Deluxe or no? Thankyou..
Hi, I need a little help. I want to learn how to play the bass. I have been looking for a few months now and I have 3 basses I need to choose from. Sire V3, Sire M2 and Sterling Ray4HH. I know they are different but I cant make up my mind between them. I do know i like rock and progressive rock music from all times and I cant spend more than $500 for the set up. Thanks in advance, MM
Those are all great choices. For a more classic tone, the V3 or Ray4HH would be your best choices. The Sire has a much more intricate (and IMO a bit convoluted) preamp but is a very good bass with meh hardware. The M2 is a very solid bass but sounds a bit more modern.
@@LowEndLobster Thanks for your reply. I keep hearing the V3 has problems with the hardware (bridge) and its compatibility for mods? The M2 is out the picture and replaced with a yamaha trbx304. What do you think of the TRBX? It looks like the Ray4HH and its lighter weight is a best bet. There are aftermarket parts and your preamp review for the ray sub4 helps a lot regarding upgrades. Thanks again MM
@@mauriciomarchant8206 The V3 tuners are poop, the bridge uses a non standard screw pattern but still functions and intonates without issue. The Ray4HH is an awesome bass for the money and I'm super excited to mod my upcoming one :). I haven't tried a TRBX yet but I will at some point!
@@LowEndLobster The TRBX has mahogany body so it weighs almost 10 lbs. It is recommended by most of the retailers because of its playability and beginner friendly features. probably
Yes, though it depends on the V7. They make the V7 which has 60's spacing like the V3, and the V7 Vintage which has 70's spacing. The regular V7 and V9 would IMO sound very similar, but the V7 Vintage with the 70's pickup spacing will sound a little different. Check out my latest video from today to hear the difference between the 70's and 60's spacing, hope that helps :)
@@LowEndLobster Thank you so much for replying. I've been struggling so hard between these two. The reason is that I believe the v7 is an overall good bass. While the v9 is basically the same, but looks great visually to my eye. It's just darn hard to choose. Oh and one will be my first bass (technically, I've been using a friend's for years) so I need a good bass which would last me years.
They should. The V7 and V9 are constructed of the same materials, use the same ebony fingerboard, and have the same Super-J pickups and hardware. They both appear to have '60s pickup spacing as well. Lobster is right to point out that the V7 Vintage is a different beast, using Vintage-J pickups and having a maple fingerboard, plus '70s pickup spacing. The bridge is also different. The V5 is largely similar to the V7 Vintage, except with the roasted maple neck and passive electronics.
I recently purchased this bass and I totally agree sound is great for the price but hardwares are cheap particularly the knobs that are made of plastic, they just don’t seat level and concentric knobs were stuck together, Bridge looks very cheap as well but works just fine. I was thinking of spending another $200 for hardware upgrade, but wouldn’t that be impractical?
Great question! A couple hundred in upgrades wouldn't be bad if you like how the bass sounds and feels. You don't have to go crazy on the upgrades either, import Hipshot or Wilkinson tuners would be a welcomed upgrade.
@@robertjones4766 the only difference I see are the pickups, the hardware is the same. I decided to buy the V3. Put black Schaller tuners on it and found the same Highmass bridge they use on the V9. That looks much better to me. And it’s a great value for the money.
It was a gift from a good friend :). I think you can find em on amazon if you search "bass cat shirt" and dig. That being said, I tried to order one and got a half printed Angry Beavers shirt. YMMV
@@fufenbuggle old comment but yes, it came with it actually. I have too much case candy so I never grab it. Having more Sires, I can say with confidence that the pickup cover is included - but you have to drill to install
Great question! So this was filmed and released early last year when you could score a MIM P for around 400 used (that's what I got mine for ). You're absolutely right however, and prices have definitely gotten quite a bit crazy since this video. I'll be releasing a more in depth review of the 2021 Sire V3 this Sunday :)
@@LowEndLobster Thanks for your answer. Hey i have a concern about my preamp on my Fender Flea bass. Sounds like garbage at times. Any resources on how to diagnose it? Great channel BTW. I just found it
@@bassmanboogie27 Fender is a very bad example ahaha. Fenders ARE overpriced. It's insane. However, there's a lot of other manufacturers that give a TON of features/value for the same price, Sire included. I think there's definitely an upshift in pricing for many market segments, but the $4-600 and $8-1200 dollar segments are on FIRE right now with cool stuff.
@@Rico_G Lol. I did it more because I know it's hard to sit through 36 min of anything. Little bites ;P. Honestly, I had no idea the main vid would be so long. Just did my thing with all three basses and ended up with 2.5 hrs of raw footage (not including the intro vid lol).
@@LowEndLobster I left it standing in a kind of a corner and forgot about it. They were running in the music room and it fell down and probably hit the digidrum stand just in the right angle or something. Crack.. But it was an old and frustrating bass anyway, so they kind of made me a favor. :D
Just picked one of these up today, I wasn't even intending to get one as I dont care for signature/artist basses or active controls, but its an incredible bass for the money. Once I figured out what all the knobs did, I couldn't believe the variety of tones and the preamp is killer. The pickups are excellent as well. Thin body, decent weight, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard with rolled edges (one of the nicest and most comfortable necks Ive ever played) bone nut, steel bridge...this thing is a steal for $399. Thats only $100 more than the junk Squier Affinity basses sell for. The V3 is better than any MIM Fender Ive owned or played and darn close to American made Fenders that sell for 4 times as much. I have zero complaints, awesome bass.
Thanks Michael! Great comment. Glad you're enjoying yours. The V3s are definitely a bargain compared to other budget offerings from the likes of Squier.
I have a Version 2 V3 5 string. Amazing bass. It' a monster right out of the box.
Nice! What color did you get?
It’s so refreshing to see your reviews just the right talk and play my man🙌🏾💪🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾😎
Thank you!
i have this bass bought a month ago. It's great bass - and agre with You in terms cheap bridge and tuners - it's weird when i try make it in tune. but for this price range sire v3 is absolut killer.
Awesome! Great comment :)
Just picked up a v3 for a steal of a deal. This review helped me sort out what all the controls accomplish. Thanks for sharing!
One of the best reviews I've seen. Nice work.
Thanks Robert!
I have 1st gen 5 string Sire V7 ash maple in sunburst finish. It sounds and plays amazing.
Awesome!
I thought about that as well. But i went with the first gen.,4 string alder and,rosewood. Best money i have spent in quite awhile.Cant believe its been almost 5 years😨 Money well spent,that was!
I really like your reviews. I bought the v7 first generation basses and while they were OK, I wasn't thrilled with them. I had alder and ash. I didn't really like the neck or the hardware. The pre amp was pretty complicated/confusing. However, I bought a v5 and what a great bass. They have improved the neck, the hardware and the pick ups. I tend to give a lot of credit to company's that are trying to improve, so I have a positive feeling about the folks at sire. I haven't got a v3, but I have a v7 and a p7 ordered. If they are anything like the v5, I'll be thrilled. The v5 is passive, which is really kinda nice. Roasted maple neck too.
Thanks Mark! I think the V5 is the best Sire bass you can get right now. The V3 is a great value, but I don't like how complex the preamp is. I don't think the V7 is a great value because it has the same preamp as the V3 and doesn't sound that much better. The V5 is simple and high quality. I think they hit all the right points with that bass!
@@LowEndLobster I think the second generation V7 and P7 are much nicer than the first generation. The mat finish neck feels better and the tuners feel higher quality. The nobs feel better, and the rounded fret board edges are really nice. I agree that the V5 is the best value, but it's nice to see the Sire folks working to make the bases better if not perfect. I agree that the pre-amp can be confusing. Keep up the good reviews!
@@LowEndLobster for the prize I ll buy a V3 and kick the preamp out. Puttin some vintage passive PUs in makes it a great bass.
@@LowEndLobster I appreciate your take on the V5 as I've been interested in getting one but with a maple fretboard.
Thanks for your honest reviews.
I have a V7 and a V7 Vintage, both in 4 string. The V7 Vintage is Gen 1 and the V7 is Gen 2. Both are outstanding value, looks and playability. Yes the plethora of knobs is daunting at first, but you can get SO much tonal variation with tiny turns of any knob, there is very little to do once you get your 'sounds' right for each tune. The tuners are cheap, but I have had no problem with the bridge at all and intonation is find. With the nice gig bag and really great customer service, they are really, really hard to beat.
Thanks Eric! I also think the overall build quality of the neck and body are outstanding. Sires are my favorite 'Fender-ish' mod platform for a reason! Kyle Kim is also a great dude
Finally Sire! Thank you Sir!
Thanks for watching :)
On my phone, when some mids added, it sounds as good as my Fender American Deluxe jazz bass! great reviews, thanks!
9:07 - "Does it slap? ... Oh yeah!"
:)
Pickups are very sensitive to right hand finger noise where the string above the plucked string is contacted by your finger. It almost sounds like a ghost note, I like it personally...
Thanks :)
I bought a 2nd gen V3 4 string recently and I adore it. That preamp and rolled fretboard make it my favorite Jazz bass I've played.
Sweet! Congrats :) they're great values and IMO feel much more well rounded vs the Squiers that cost a little more and give you less.
@@LowEndLobster one thing that's rough about Sires in Japan is that they're weirdly marked up. For some reason, V3 4 strings are usually around the 60,000 yen mark (roughly $560 dollars). Pretty much all Sires are marked up at least the equivalent of $150 to $200 more.
Not sure if it's because of the low supply right now, or if there is some weird tax on items from Korean companies, or what.
So warm and clean sound!
Thanks Vladimir!
@@LowEndLobster You are welcome sir! I have this bass, same colour. The really outstanding instrument at this price range.
As an owner of Sire V3 5 string, I can tell you that the preamp is prone to just doing shit stuff like oscillating but at least they are cheap to replace with an original. And also, the 5 string version have more popular mounting type - previous owner changed the bridge to Fender Hi Mass without drilling (but it no longer allows for string thru configuration).
Great comment! I did notice the 5'ers offering a different screw pattern. That's good to know! I was looking at one of the 5's next (eyeing the P10)
Sire basses are pretty cool, I like the preamp and pickups.
Thanks Hodari! I agree, hoping to check out more in the future :)
The real problem is in the necks. You really need to watch the humidity. Truss rods are known to strip. So if you buy one keep it in a hard shell case or buy humidifier and keep it around 40%.
Hey Timkbt! Honestly, I haven't found that to be the case with any of mine. Humidity up here in New England varies greatly- dry winters and humid summers. All of mine, both four and five strings, haven't needed anything more than minor seasonal adjustments.
@@LowEndLobster if you Google talk bass you’ll see some concerns about neck issues. I had the heat up during the winter and was amazed at how much the neck had changed. The strings were laying on the fret board. All my basses and acoustics I had out during that time had changed but the sire was extreme. They are probably using maple that still has a lot of moisture in it and has not been cured properly. I loved the bass but I would make sure anyone owning one keep their eye on the neck adjustments.
Not unheard of unfortunately😔
Good Review , Low End Lobster . I have the V7 bass and the new V5 with passive controls and roasted maple neck . The tuners on both are fine , i like them both a lot . I almost never change bridges for high mass so for me the stock bridges are fine.
How do you like the new V5? Been curious about those. From what I hear, the quality of hardware is noticeably improved with the jump from the V3 to the 7. I will be checking out more Sires in the future :)
I've never seen the v3 in person, so i don't know the real differences . my v5 has the vintage bridge with treaded saddles . The V5's neck is the most smooth matte finish on the neck as good as my Fender professional series p bass.
The V5 also has the 70s spacing with the pickups.
One thing I don't like about the Sire is that the pickguards are not compatible with Squier / Fender pickguard
Awesome review by the way!
Thank you :) Glad you enjoyed it!
The weak point with the Sires seems to be in the neck. I had a V3 and the neck was all over the place as far as truss rod adjustments, fret buzz and the neck changing to where I had to have the frets filed so they didn’t cut my hand. If someone buys one make sure to keep it in a case or have a humidifier keeping the room at around 40%. I’ve read where it’s real easy to have the truss rod fail even when making slight adjustments.
Thank you for the review. I enjoyed it. Good bass tone and for the price, it's a very good bass.
Thanks Dan!
Every observation is 100 per cent i really love my v3 2021 idenically with lobdter
"It's like Deja vu all over again!" Yogi Berra Seriously though, nice more in depth review.😄
Thanks! Wanted to make more palatable chunks. I didn't realize how long this vid was until I finished and saw that I had 2.5 hrs of raw footage lol
I just bought this exact bass, and I like it. I really enjoy your reviews, and your channel. Thank you.
Thanks Craig
So funny story. I own a Marcus M Japanese Fender bass. Its a lovely piece of nicely figured wood. It wasn't cheap, thinking it was like $999 back 10 years ago. It remember it being more $ than the Japanese Geddy Lee wanna-be. I bought it a year after buying the Japanese made Jaguar. I gotta say ... what a load of compromises (and some crap) these basses were. I lined a lot of copper to almost beat the hum in the Jag (just poor factory wiring choices) and had to get the frets filed and replaced the bridge (donated from the Marcus to follow). I bought the Marcus because I wanted something completely different from the Jag and the my main bass, which was a 1979 BC Rich Mockingbird. I didn't want to gig the Bird anymore. The Marcus never really had a balanced tone and string to string volume. It had some questionable build issues. The machine heads were actually pressed out of round - all 4 of them. It was almost impossible to tune. The onboard EQ was noisy and looked like it was wired by a kid building their first Heathkit. Long story short, after installing the East Preamp Kit, Seymore Duncan's, a Babitz bridge and Hipshot tuners (which i gotta tell ya could be better) it went from "Meh" to may main bass. The only thing left of the original is that lovely wood, frets and output jack. It was also the last Fender I purchased. To be fair I have heard the Marcus 5 American made customer shop bass is a quality instrument. However, must say that after years of having the Jag I got about 70% of what I paid for it on trade at GC against another bass.
Damn! Sounds like your Marcus is a hell of a bass after your transformation. Honestly, I'm really not stoked with where Fender is at as a company. Overpriced mass produced instruments IMO.
Sire's V3 ma have cheap bridge and mechanics but V7 fixes every problem with V3. Imo my sire V7 5string (which I bought for 500€ B-stock last october) can compare easily to 1000€ fender's with ease. Electronics are just fenomenal, neck is sturdy, bridge is great with strings-through-body option, tuners may not be something extraordinary but I haven't had problem with tuning since I got her. If we compare bacchus for 350+150 dollars shipping and V7 which is like 600 bucks new and easier to find I would gladly pay additional 100. Only downside is that my V7 is really heavy and I mean it is heavier than my thunderbird I don't play it on stages it would literally hurt my back. Would live to see your opinion on V7's in future!
Definitely interested in checking out the higher end models that they offer. That P10 specifically.
The V3 sounds very good
Thanks Richard!
Thank you for sharing...again. I haven't tried the V3, it seems kind of disappointing compared to the v7 vintage. I picked one up a bunch of month ago. It's ash, I don't know if that makes it nicer or not than the mahogany or not, I have the 1et gen, so it doesn't have the rolled frets, but as you say it's weird feeling anyway, and lucky enough the 1st gen has the white block inlay and gen 2 didn't so that's nice. Anyway, now you know more than you wanted to so, I'll end here. Cheers and thank you again for continuing to make fun videos.
Thanks Tommy!
Wow, if i had the money i would choose a Sire Marcus Miller instead of a Squier J, great sound!
Thanks Ruben!
You would be making the right choice mate.
I have a Gen 1 Sire V3. Great bass for the money.
Indeed it is! Great to hear and thanks for sharing! :)
@@LowEndLobster I play that bass more then the high end basses I have. Some basses just play so good they make you play them more then the rest. Thanks for the great reviews.
Thanks for the great review! As I am going to buy my first bass :) would you consider the V3 as a good choice hence the top-heaviness? An alternative would be the sterling ray 4. I grew up with Funk and I love it.
Wow that Sire really has a good sound to it
Thanks Mike! Indeed it does. Really great tones for $369
Great review! What amp/effects are you using in this video?
Can I get the same slap tone with only a small practice amp 30-40W?
Hi Chris! Great question, I'm plugged into my Orange Crush 50 BXT amp, and then using the line out form the amp to go direct into my Focusrite. The amp I'm using is a 50w practice amp for all my videos with the goal of showing off tones that you can get yourself without crazy expensive gear or sound processing. I think you should get similar results :)
Oooooooooooooooooooooooo My Goodness Man! another Jazzy Cat up in da house of bass!
:)
How does this low end Sire V3 bridge compare to the heavy mass bridge on the V7 and higher end Sires? How does it compare to the vintage style bridge on the V7 Vintage? Or are ALL these Sire bridges problematic? Also, the somewhat cheap tuners on the V3, are they the same as on the V7 and higher end Sires as well?
Thanks!
Hey Ron! To be honest, I have no idea! This is the first Sire I've played/owned, but won't be my last. I will be snagging others in the future, expect to see more sire content down the line :)
@@LowEndLobster Thanks for the speedy reply. I'm considering exploring the world of fretless and thought a Sire 4 or maybe 5 fretless was a low-cost way in dipping my toe in the water for $600-$800-ish. But this V3 line is even cheaper with similar build quality and even the same preamp. Killer deal! Then again if I want to replace the bridge and tuners, then I'd just assume get the V7 or V7 Vintage. Got some thinking to do (go cheap or cheaper?). Either way, these bases are pretty killer bang for buck.
Thanks!
Mr lobster, I enjoy and have been watching your videos. My new and first bass is coming in this Tuesday! Has any bass you tested earned 5 claws?
Thanks JJ! Yes, I'll make a playlist at some point but there's been a few :)
I had a Sire PJ but sent it back because of a dead spot in the neck. Make sure you hit every note on it.
This one didn't have any dead spots, but good to know! Was yours a V1 or V2?
I had a P7 four gang. 4 gang means 4 gear transmission.
The P7 sounded good.
Great review! U should try the new 2020 model from Sire especially the shortscale U5 and passive V5
Thank you! I'm definitely getting my claws on some more sires soon!
LowEndLobster cuz i got my V5 on the way. Cool man keep it up!
@@rinaldiankingz Nice! Let me know how that roasted maple neck feels. I like what they did with the V5. The preamp in the V3 is really good, but the bass already sounds good with everything centered. Having a passive model with the nice roasted neck is a nice addition to the lineup.
LowEndLobster im not a bass expert or what so ever but sure im gonna let you know soon, the bass still has a long way to go, i have to wait like one month. I also have 2nd Gen V3, i leave it passive most of the time because i think the sound is good enough even just in passive mode. V5 came out and i was like ok i neet to get that one. And maybe i will sell my V3 to buy a new amp or other gear.
It seems the Sire has bigger poles on the pickups than a classic jazz style bass. Am i right? Great video and great test!!!!
So they look bigger, but I think it's an optical illusion because of the machining/engraving. I just measured both with my digital caliper and they both have 5mm poles.
@@LowEndLobster Yeah, i've also verified it in a shp, yesterday. 5mm, but big sound!!!
Great review!! I think im gunna pick a black one up, a lot of bass guitar for the price!!, I'm not a fan of the headstock tho. But still a killer bass!!
Thanks Jeremy! Indeed, one of the best J's you can get at the price IMO and works well with electronics upgrades (hardware will require drilling as the bridge uses a non standard screw layout)
Very nice bass indeed! I am thinking of upgrading from my epiphone les paul bass as it has tons of neck dive and I am torn between this and the sterling SUB ray4 you used for your mint-o-ray project. Which one do you think was better, and which would you rather have as a main bass??
Out of the box, the Sire is better overall. Snagging the Sterling on a sale (can be had for like 220-230) is an EXCELLENT value, but the preamp on those things is garbage (hence the mod). If you want a real classic Stingray tone, an aftermarket pickup and Mojotone preamp (clone of the original preamps from MM) would make the Sterling a beast, but it wouldn't have the versatility of the Jazz with two pickups. The build quality on both is quite nice for the price. Hardware quality (tuners/bridge) is a little bit better on the Sterling. If you want versatility and a solid instrument straight out of the box, the Sire is the winner there (though it is more expensive at 369 vs 300)
@@LowEndLobster Well, in my case it is the opposite as i can find the V3 new at around 325 while the sub costs around 400. So I wanted to see if it is worth the extra money. As I am kind of a sucker for a known brand name on the headstock, it appealed to me, but now I think I'm going to go for the Sire. Thanks for your help!!
Sire v3 vs. Squier paranormal Jazz bass '54, wich one is the best?
Thanks for the great reviews, you're the best!
Great question Yan. I thought the paranormals were discontinued.... but it looks like they just released two new finish options. The black one looks killer. So the V3 is nearly $100 less than the Paranormal, offers an active preamp. Both have excellent necks, though the Paranormal is gloss - so whatever you prefer there. The V3 is going to be the more flexible instrument, but IMO the Squier has better hardware and has standard sized bridge for easy upgrades. It really depends what you want out of an instrument. The Paranormal is an excellent bass, and I look forward to snagging another as a follow up. Hope that helps!
Correction! It looks like the current stock of Paranormals (old finishes) are going for as little as $379 now, and the new finishes are coming in at $429. NOT BAD!
Thanks a lot, you pretty Much covered all my interrogations with tour answer and I'll probably go with the paranormal. Didn't knew about the New finishes. My local music store have the butterscotch and the White ones AND just received 3 Sire v3 so, I'll go try both. They're all bout the same price in CAD$. Again, thanks a lot for your answer my Friend.
Hey Lobster. How did this compare to the FGN bass you reviewed? Both were rated 4 claws and I am considering one of the two.
Hey Lex! Great question. The FGN has much higher build quality overall, but you are getting better pickups/preamp with the sire. The FGN doesn't sound bad, but the sire electronics are really the bee's-knees for the price. I would still get the FGN because of the killer neck, better quality, and it's a much better foundation for upgrades.
LowEndLobster awesome, thank you for the help!
@Lex Decs the FGN is at least an extra thousand bucks
Great review! Do you suggest this bass over the Squier Classic Vibe 70’s Jazz Bass?
Thanks Saxophite! Yes, the Classic Vibes definitely have much more inconsistent QC than Sire. The sire is less money, has more features, on par with Squier on level of hardware (not great), and has more color options.
@@LowEndLobster And between the Sire and something like a Harley Benton JB-75MN Vintage, does the Sire still stand out despite the price difference?
The bridge may not be changed out without drilling, but any idea if the tuners can be retrofitted without special mods?
TBH, after modding both my Sire V5 and V7... Drilling isn't that big of a deal. Albridge does make a drop in bridge model, but they're the only one from what I understand. Check out my Sire Hipshot Tuner mod where we go over how to upgrade the tuners to Hipshot ultralites. All you need to do is drill one small hole per tuner, and those holes will be covered if you ever switch back to stock.
Can I get a honest answer, thankyou.. Ahm I'm using now a Toby Deluxe V bass.. and Planning change it, is Sire v3 better than Toby Deluxe or no? Thankyou..
Hi,
I need a little help. I want to learn how to play the bass. I have been looking for a few months now and I have 3 basses I need to choose from. Sire V3, Sire M2 and Sterling Ray4HH. I know they are different but I cant make up my mind between them. I do know i like rock and progressive rock music from all times and I cant spend more than $500 for the set up.
Thanks in advance,
MM
Those are all great choices. For a more classic tone, the V3 or Ray4HH would be your best choices. The Sire has a much more intricate (and IMO a bit convoluted) preamp but is a very good bass with meh hardware. The M2 is a very solid bass but sounds a bit more modern.
@@LowEndLobster Thanks for your reply. I keep hearing the V3 has problems with the hardware (bridge) and its compatibility for mods?
The M2 is out the picture and replaced with a yamaha trbx304. What do you think of the TRBX?
It looks like the Ray4HH and its lighter weight is a best bet. There are aftermarket parts and your preamp review for the ray sub4 helps a lot regarding upgrades.
Thanks again
MM
@@mauriciomarchant8206 The V3 tuners are poop, the bridge uses a non standard screw pattern but still functions and intonates without issue. The Ray4HH is an awesome bass for the money and I'm super excited to mod my upcoming one :). I haven't tried a TRBX yet but I will at some point!
@@LowEndLobster The TRBX has mahogany body so it weighs almost 10 lbs. It is recommended by most of the retailers because of its playability and beginner friendly features.
probably
My reply got sliced :-)
Do you think the sire v7 and v9 would sound really similar? If not please tell me what you think.
Yes, though it depends on the V7. They make the V7 which has 60's spacing like the V3, and the V7 Vintage which has 70's spacing. The regular V7 and V9 would IMO sound very similar, but the V7 Vintage with the 70's pickup spacing will sound a little different. Check out my latest video from today to hear the difference between the 70's and 60's spacing, hope that helps :)
@@LowEndLobster Thank you so much for replying. I've been struggling so hard between these two. The reason is that I believe the v7 is an overall good bass. While the v9 is basically the same, but looks great visually to my eye. It's just darn hard to choose. Oh and one will be my first bass (technically, I've been using a friend's for years) so I need a good bass which would last me years.
They should. The V7 and V9 are constructed of the same materials, use the same ebony fingerboard, and have the same Super-J pickups and hardware. They both appear to have '60s pickup spacing as well.
Lobster is right to point out that the V7 Vintage is a different beast, using Vintage-J pickups and having a maple fingerboard, plus '70s pickup spacing. The bridge is also different. The V5 is largely similar to the V7 Vintage, except with the roasted maple neck and passive electronics.
how about action? i have v3 5 string, and action bit high, if i lowEred it, 2nd fret will buzzing like hell
Great question! That all depends on setup, sounds like yours may need one (and potentially a nut). I had no issues with the 4 stringer I tested here.
@@LowEndLobster thanks for rep, so i dont need to change bridge. since it wont help.
@@ibayBass0935 No problem! Yeah, I'd recommend a quality professional setup based on what you're saying.
Just had this one for me, have played bass ten day's. I am not sure how good I am, but I loose subscribers when I play...
I love The Bass.
Oh! Hi! Happy groundhogs day!
If only it was Feb again lol, I'd take some snow in exchange for some human contact
Wow!
I had the V2.
Nice! We have more Sire stuff coming :)
Tell us about it, did u like it, etc
LowEndLobster hi. . You know where I can get SIRE bass parts??
Hi, was this the 2nd gen or the 1rst one?
2nd gen :)
Leaving a support comment!
Leaving a thankful reply :)
Sire v3 or squier jazz bass VM?
Sire V3 IMO is one of the best J's under 400.
I recently purchased this bass and I totally agree sound is great for the price but hardwares are cheap particularly the knobs that are made of plastic, they just don’t seat level and concentric knobs were stuck together, Bridge looks very cheap as well but works just fine. I was thinking of spending another $200 for hardware upgrade, but wouldn’t that be impractical?
Great question! A couple hundred in upgrades wouldn't be bad if you like how the bass sounds and feels. You don't have to go crazy on the upgrades either, import Hipshot or Wilkinson tuners would be a welcomed upgrade.
Potentially, but for the price of the upgrade you're likely able to pick up a V7 which is their higher model for this.
You are not wrong. I got my V7 used for 450 USD, though prices everywhere have been increasing
@@robertjones4766 the only difference I see are the pickups, the hardware is the same. I decided to buy the V3. Put black Schaller tuners on it and found the same Highmass bridge they use on the V9. That looks much better to me. And it’s a great value for the money.
How on earth do you do upgrades to a guitar hardware? Sounds like a great idea in many ways
Every time I hear him play this run I keep expecting Jerry Seinfeld and George Costanza to suddenly walk in !
What's the DEAL with active basses?! How active are they? You know what I never see at the gym? An active bass! badow bap bap badowwww
Ok...bass aside for a second.....WHERE did you get that SHIRT??????....just have one!!!!...
It was a gift from a good friend :). I think you can find em on amazon if you search "bass cat shirt" and dig. That being said, I tried to order one and got a half printed Angry Beavers shirt. YMMV
@@LowEndLobster its the ...Straight outta Cookies ...Cookie Monster shirt!!!
@@basshoh Oooooh that one ahaha. Gift from my GF, don't know where she got it either
Twenty-fifth!!!!
You're first in my book
Does that bass come with the pickup cover?
Like one of those classic metal fender style ones? nope.
@@LowEndLobster mine did, but you’d have to drill the screw holes yourself
@@fufenbuggle old comment but yes, it came with it actually. I have too much case candy so I never grab it. Having more Sires, I can say with confidence that the pickup cover is included - but you have to drill to install
wait, since when was the Mexican P-Bass $400? They start at like $700 now. You can't even get a Squier contemporary for this price anymore
Great question! So this was filmed and released early last year when you could score a MIM P for around 400 used (that's what I got mine for ). You're absolutely right however, and prices have definitely gotten quite a bit crazy since this video. I'll be releasing a more in depth review of the 2021 Sire V3 this Sunday :)
@@LowEndLobster Thanks for your answer. Hey i have a concern about my preamp on my Fender Flea bass. Sounds like garbage at times. Any resources on how to diagnose it? Great channel BTW. I just found it
@@speelbergo join our discord channel! It's in the description of newer videos. We have lots of helpful folks :)
Do you play with fingernails?
Not really, I try to use the fleshy part of my finger.
you put on the preamp?
Did I install the preamp? No. Is the preamp on? You betcha :)
made in?
Indonesia, all Sires are MII.
Weight?
Is it that they are cheap or that everything else is overpriced?
They're cheap. Even 10 years ago, $369.00 wouldn't get you a solid active J bass.
LowEndLobster
I have 2 x Sire V7’s and 2x fenders. Both Sires cost less than one fender.
@@bassmanboogie27 Fender is a very bad example ahaha. Fenders ARE overpriced. It's insane. However, there's a lot of other manufacturers that give a TON of features/value for the same price, Sire included. I think there's definitely an upshift in pricing for many market segments, but the $4-600 and $8-1200 dollar segments are on FIRE right now with cool stuff.
Hello! Are the Tunners machine great? I heard so many people saying that on the V3 (the non passive one ) that tuners suck
Damn sounds just like a fender for a cheap price
Like your last comment.. Just by owning a Marcus Miller Bass doesn't make one A Marcus Miller...:) You need to really workout your tones..
Thanks Asaph!
Bass Cat 😊😊👍😊. Sire basses are great too.😸😸😸
She says hello! :)
love the shirt lmao
Thanks! XD
I see what you did there... :-)
;)
@@LowEndLobster Go get you some organic search traffic.
@@Rico_G Lol. I did it more because I know it's hard to sit through 36 min of anything. Little bites ;P. Honestly, I had no idea the main vid would be so long. Just did my thing with all three basses and ended up with 2.5 hrs of raw footage (not including the intro vid lol).
Nice no more
Thanks Ram
bass
b'ass ;P
haha the irony. I just bought this bass after my cats accidentally broke my previous bass and the first video I open about it features a cat..
Welcome! How did your cat break your bass? Asking for a friend ;P
@@LowEndLobster I left it standing in a kind of a corner and forgot about it. They were running in the music room and it fell down and probably hit the digidrum stand just in the right angle or something. Crack.. But it was an old and frustrating bass anyway, so they kind of made me a favor. :D