Sire Marcus Miller M7 fretless 5 string bass guitar review - Bass Practice Diary - 29th October 2019

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  • @dramado
    @dramado 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Great, honest review. The bass sounds nice and phat. I have a Sire P7 4-string that I put flat wounds on. Absolutely love it for the style I play. I'm planning on getting a fretless, and this video is helping me narrow it down. Thanks, and great playing!

  • @studioa6179
    @studioa6179 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Paul Simon 😃 Great track and playing!

  • @quantumeseboy
    @quantumeseboy ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Recommend alternatives please. Have you played Ibanez srf700-705?

  • @ethanlocke3604
    @ethanlocke3604 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I mean when the majority of your complains were about setup stuff, then if you know how to do that it still seems like a solid deal

  • @patrickr12342
    @patrickr12342 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Honest and straight facts!!!
    Smooth finishing track.
    Thanks a lot.
    Good vid, sir.

  • @mikerux
    @mikerux 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    6months review - i bought my M7 in April at a very good price from Anderton's
    i just could not figure the preamp (tone pot in passive AND active?) - so i changed it with a simpler one, but covered all the wholes :)
    i had to find shorter screws for the bridge saddles, so i could get the best intonation - i had to move the B string just through the bridge, not the body (that ment making a larger hole, so that the .135 string could get all the way in);
    after 6 months, i broke the lever on one of the pickup switches;

  • @tanapenate6977
    @tanapenate6977 ปีที่แล้ว

    Saludos desde España,es de primera o segunda generación?gracias maestro!!

  • @patrickr12342
    @patrickr12342 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Sounds a little bit like B. Kumalo, who plays on the graceland record from Paul Simon.

  • @stefanosalmaso1073
    @stefanosalmaso1073 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Congratulation to execute the BAKITI KUMALO grace album song... I love it! The taste is not an option! Great sound

  • @hazardeur
    @hazardeur 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Important: If you think the setup is too low and buzzing when you open the box and try it for the first time, just put it away for 1-2 days until it has itself accustomed to the temperature conditions. The bass was also unplayable for me at first but after two days of doing nothing at all, it has PERFECT action thats insanely low but without any buzz, perfect for me.

    • @JohnnyCoxMusic
      @JohnnyCoxMusic  5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks, that's a good tip. For me it's easier to set it up myself, then I know I have it the way I want it. But if someone was thinking of taking it to a shop for a setup, then it might be worth trying your idea first.

    • @hazardeur
      @hazardeur 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@JohnnyCoxMusic that's not what I was talking about exactly. What I meant is you should leave the bass alone for some time in ANY case so it can get accustomed to your atmospheric conditions before you do any work on it. If you work on it right away after getting it, it's pointless because the wood might still be in said phase of accustomizing so you might have to re-adjust it later anyway, rendering your work useless. This is true for any wooden instrument.

    • @JohnnyCoxMusic
      @JohnnyCoxMusic  5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@hazardeur Yes, I do understand the principle. If I needed to do subsequent further adjustments on the bass then I would. But for the record, the setup on that bass is still exactly as I set it after a few weeks.

  • @daveydoodle1916
    @daveydoodle1916 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Thank you so much for the lesson. I have no idea about all those buttons. I’m debating between a 4 or 5? Could U recommend Other fretless bass is under $1000 but I could check out? I don’t know much about the Fretless

    • @JohnnyCoxMusic
      @JohnnyCoxMusic  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I prefer the Sire V7 fretless to the M7. It comes in 4 and 5 string as well. You could also look at the Fender Player basses which are made in Mexico. Ibanez have a reputation for making good cheaper basses, but I haven't played them so I can't speak from personal experience.

  • @blamelouis
    @blamelouis 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Great video and comprehensive in depth review thanks , had been considering one of these but I have been hearing a few complaints about quality control. If you have any recommendations for a good five string fretless I’d appreciate it.

    • @JohnnyCoxMusic
      @JohnnyCoxMusic  5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Hi, thanks very much. Yes, there are some quality control issues. I've done a bit of research since posting this video and there are a lot of Sire instruments being returned due to issues like the ones I experienced. But If you are thinking of buying a Sire bass I think your best option is to go into a store that sells them and try one out before buying it. They are good basses for the price. I've also tried a 4-string V7 Vintage fretless, which I really like. I'm sure you can get them in a 5-string version as well, so I'd probably recommend one of those over the M7.

  • @MooChimp
    @MooChimp 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    For the Graceland intro - was this achieved just by using to tone options on the guitar it’s self ? I’ve just ordered myself an m7 4 string fretless and I’m very excited haha

    • @JohnnyCoxMusic
      @JohnnyCoxMusic  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      There's reverb on the melodic parts. Enjoy your new bass! 👍🎶

  • @dscapes1
    @dscapes1 ปีที่แล้ว

    I saw one of these on Thomann B stock for £566. I was thinking of getting it over a V7 5 string fretless but I wonder if the previous owner had the same problems you mentioned?
    Have you heard the 5 string V7's? the 4 strings sound really nice but 5's can be dodgy sometimes.

    • @blueeyedsoulman
      @blueeyedsoulman ปีที่แล้ว

      Well, there is a version 2 now. Question is which one is in this video?

  • @JauqoIIIX
    @JauqoIIIX 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Hello Johnny I would like to add some insight into your Sire Bass comments from your web site.
    The setup on the M7
    I will be doing a whole other video on how I set up this bass. Because It would have been too much to include in this video. But I had to do a complete setup before I could play the bass because the setup was an absolute mess when I got it out the box. The worst I’ve seen on a brand new bass.
    Sire set up their basses with a very low action. As far as I know, this was a request by Marcus Miller. He wants people to experience the basses set up the way that he likes to play. But, for a bass manufacturer to set their basses with a very low action is a huge gamble, which won’t always pay off. I really wonder how many basses have been sent back because the setup was so bad.
    The problem is, that if you set up your bass with a low action, then you must expect to have to re-set it up every now and then. Because, as seasons and atmospheric conditions change, so will your bass setup. And a low action can very quickly become unplayable when the strings start hitting the frets.
    Jauqo III X.
    There are many satisfied customers who took their new Sire basses right out the box and had no issues at all with the setup.
    I know a few bass players who did a gig the same day they received their Sire V7 and M7 with out changing the action (set up).
    String height is a personal preference and no matter how high or low ones action is they still have to make seasonal adjustments on occasion to get the playing as they like.
    And some times the strings hitting the frets is what gives some funk bass lines that extra grit.
    Are Sire basses good for beginners?
    This is fine for an experienced bass player who has set up basses before. But, as Sire are targeting the budget end of the market as well, then they will be selling basses to people who won’t necessarily know how to set them up. And they don’t provide any kind of instructions with the basses. So, I imagine that a few of these have probably been sent back by people frustrated that their strings keep buzzing.
    The setups on the V7’s that I played weren’t as bad as the M7. But there were still little issues that I had to fix. All of which were caused by a low action. And I know that if I ever recommend one of these basses to one of my students, then I’ll have to offer to set it up for them if the setup is a mess when it arrives.
    For this reason, they might not be ideal for complete beginners, unless they have a teacher who can sort out any setup issues.
    Jauqo III X.
    Most basses no matter what the price point is will need a proper setup to each individual players preference and especially if the bass is purchased used.
    Strings
    It’s a good bass. It sounds good and it plays well, and it has a powerful low B string. The setup issues weren’t enough to put me off from liking this bass. I’ve had lots of fun playing it since I set it up.
    I should point out, that in the process of setting it up, I also changed the strings. The bass comes with flat wound strings. Which again, I assume is at the request of Marcus Miller. But I much prefer the sound of round wounds on fretless. So that is the sound you hear in the video.
    Jauqo III X.
    Each Sire bass ships with D'Addario XL Nickles.
    Sire Marcus Miller M7 vs V7
    The biggest criticism that I would level at this bass, is that it just isn’t as good as the Sire Marcus Miller V7. The V7 is a proper Marcus Miller style of bass and the M7 just isn’t. The M7 is also slightly more expensive than the V7, which I find odd, because it isn’t as good.
    Why is the V7 better? Because it sounds better. It sounds like a proper Marcus Miller style Fender Jazz Bass. The M7 sounds good when the preamp is switched on. But the V7 has the same preamp, and the V7 sounds good without the preamp as well. To be honest, the V7 sounds good even when it’s not plugged in. I’m serious! You can usually tell if a bass will sound good by playing it without an amplifier. No matter how good your electronics are, they won’t rescue the sound of a bad sounding bass. Now, I’m not saying the M7 is a bad sounding bass. It just doesn’t sound as good as the V7.
    The only advantages that I can see for the M7 over the V7 are, that it has more frets. 24 on the M7, 20 on the V7. And it has a better low B string on the 5 string version. Because the M7 5-string has a 35 inch scale, whereas the V7 5-string has a 34 inch scale. That extra inch tightens up the low B-string a bit. So, if I have a student who wants to use the extra range both high and low, then I might recommend the M7. But, more often than not, I’d be much more likely to recommend the 4-string .
    Jauqo III X.
    Is the V7 better than the M7?
    That's a personal preference. The M7 pickups are humbuckers with coil selection switches which offer a little more tonal versatility than the V7 model.

    • @JohnnyCoxMusic
      @JohnnyCoxMusic  5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Hi, thanks for checking out my review. I understand personal playing style, and that some players prefer a low action. But this M7 bass was unplayable by anybody when it arrived. See the clip at 7:30. I did say that the setup was probably perfect when it left the factory. And that's the problem. Some people will experience these problems and others won't. You're right that it's my opinion that the V7 sounds better than the M7. I can only give my own opinion, I can't give you anybody else's.

    • @JauqoIIIX
      @JauqoIIIX 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@JohnnyCoxMusic I understand.

  • @jcisme
    @jcisme 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    They glued the pickups into the bass.. WTF ?? I was liking it until then. Thanks for the great review and playing.

    • @JohnnyCoxMusic
      @JohnnyCoxMusic  4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thank you! I know, it's strange that you can't adjust the pickup height.

    • @mikerux
      @mikerux 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      i could understand that you tried to replace them? ^_._^
      if so, what did you put instead? :D

    • @V4D2
      @V4D2 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@JohnnyCoxMusic Being glued ...are they totally un-replaceable/swappable ?

    • @JohnnyCoxMusic
      @JohnnyCoxMusic  4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@V4D2 I'm sure you can rip them out if you want to replace the pickups. But I wouldn't recommend this as a bass to modify.

    • @V4D2
      @V4D2 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@JohnnyCoxMusic Thanks very much for your feedback, both to this & the other question i posed.
      I'm thinking that a smarter move, for me, would be if i invested in a bass that has a really good choice of woods, and probably more average electronics.. instead,, ...as i am not a bassist. This one looks like the opposite. (no wonder u recommended the V7.)
      Im a percussionist and multi-instrumentalist who loves the bass basically as much as i love percussion... and i might benefit from an instrument that i would learn to appreciate and evolve with. I wanted to go for a Mayones Patriot MR (fretless) bass, but its too expensive for what i consider to being a valid choice for me..as i wouldnt make it justice.
      My #1 option is currently the TinyBoy 5string fretless, because it would accomodate to exactly what i need, in terms of form factor_ a bass that i could keep strapped on, whilst i play mallet percussion and trigger loops, during my set. (small & light)
      A 34" scale bass is just the #2 option, in case i dont like the TinyBoy bass..after i try one, in a couple of weeks.
      If you care to add any suggestion or comment, id really appreciate it.
      thanks again ;)

  • @V4D2
    @V4D2 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    im on the market for a solid sub-1000€ fretless 5 string. i want it to have character, but at the same time, i need a solid allrounder.. because i like metal rock and prog stuff as much as i like jazz funk and bossa.
    other than this one...what are the ones u recommend ..
    thanks very much for the thorough and clear video. very informative and helpful.
    cheers from Portugal ;)

    • @JohnnyCoxMusic
      @JohnnyCoxMusic  4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks very much. I think Sire is a good choice if you want a fretless bass for under a grand. But I would recommend a 5-string fretless V7 over the M7. You still have the same problem of not being able to adjust the pickup height, but in most other respects the V7's feel and sound like much more expensive instruments.

  • @paulcoverdale8312
    @paulcoverdale8312 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Do Sire make a 7string John??
    🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧❤❤

  • @Antonio-qf3ez
    @Antonio-qf3ez 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    great review !! can I ask you if the v7 fretless or the m7 fretless is better? thanks

    • @JohnnyCoxMusic
      @JohnnyCoxMusic  4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hi. Thank you. I have a V7 Vintage fretless, which I really like. I prefer it to the M7, but that's just my personal opinion. The V7 is a vintage style Jazz bass with single coil pickups and the M7 is a modern style bass with humbuckers (which can be switched into single coils). To be honest, they are both very versatile, because the V7 with the pre-amp switched on is quite modern sounding. It really comes down to personal preference, but my preference is for the V7 fretless.

    • @Antonio-qf3ez
      @Antonio-qf3ez 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@JohnnyCoxMusic Thanks a lot for the answer. I didn't know they had made the frettless for the vintage model, I thought there was only for the standard v7. thanks again for the information

  • @raine5300
    @raine5300 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Great review! Can you tell what is the weight of the bass?

    • @JohnnyCoxMusic
      @JohnnyCoxMusic  4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Hi, thanks for the question. My one weighs about 4kg.

  • @barondavis5692
    @barondavis5692 ปีที่แล้ว

    Wow, that sounds really great!

  • @jazzprecisionbassist4847
    @jazzprecisionbassist4847 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Hey Johnny Cox, what's the name of the beginning tune? It sounded awesome!

    • @JohnnyCoxMusic
      @JohnnyCoxMusic  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Thanks! It's an arrangement of "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" from Paul Simon's Graceland album. 👍🎶

    • @jazzprecisionbassist4847
      @jazzprecisionbassist4847 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@JohnnyCoxMusic Thank you, also how come you haven't uploaded recently? Just curious.

    • @JohnnyCoxMusic
      @JohnnyCoxMusic  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@jazzprecisionbassist4847 Just because I have a lot of things to work on at the moment including a book that needs finishing. 👍🎶

    • @jazzprecisionbassist4847
      @jazzprecisionbassist4847 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@JohnnyCoxMusic Thanks

  • @a_bokchoy
    @a_bokchoy 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I'm interested in getting a 1st fretless, would you say the 35 in scale makes intonation any more difficult? Or is there any difficulty switching between 34/35" scale fretless basses?

    • @JohnnyCoxMusic
      @JohnnyCoxMusic  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      That's a good question, but not easy to answer. I've always preferred to have a 34" scale on all my basses because I think it must make a difference. But having said that, I don't notice much of a difference when I play a 35" scale like this M7.

    • @a_bokchoy
      @a_bokchoy 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@JohnnyCoxMusic Thanks so much for the reply! Think I'll stick with a 34" scale if I end up getting one now haha

  • @analuciamendez1599
    @analuciamendez1599 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thanks for your video! I just bought this bass in Amazon UK, new, but the active mode (the preamp) is not working...
    I already changed the batteries but it still isn´t working... Maybe do you know what can I do?? Thank you very much for your help!

    • @JohnnyCoxMusic
      @JohnnyCoxMusic  5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hi Ana. Sorry to hear that. It's probably something really simple, like a loose wire that needs soldering, but it could be something more serious. So, I would recommend that you send the bass back and ask for a replacement. Amazon customer service is usually really good, so I'm sure they'll sort out a replacement. If you don't want to do that, then you could take it somewhere to be fixed. If you live anywhere near London then you should take it to The Gallery in Camden Town. They will figure out what's wrong and sort it out for you.

    • @analuciamendez1599
      @analuciamendez1599 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Unfortunatley I'm in Colombia now...
      But thank you very much for your answer!!! :)

    • @JohnnyCoxMusic
      @JohnnyCoxMusic  5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@analuciamendez1599 Sorry to hear that. Did the preamp work at first, or did it never work? With mine, there was a loose connection in one of the pots. So I took off the bass control knob, loosened the pot, found a position where the connection was made and the bass boost was working, and then I re-tightened everything up as tight as it would go. It seems to have worked, but yours could be a totally different issue. Unfortunately, issues like these seem to be really common with the Sire instruments. I hope you can get it sorted. BTW I enjoyed your Anthony Jackson/Michel Camillo tune on your channel.

    • @analuciamendez1599
      @analuciamendez1599 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I took off the preamp cover, put it again and now it's working...
      I'm glad you have enjoyed the video :)
      Thanks!!!

  • @greatwhite61967
    @greatwhite61967 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I've been looking for a nice mid priced fretless to buy after (thankfully after many year's of waiting) getting my hands on an (MVP) Pedulla Buzz Fretless Bass Guitar & I want to use my MVP but keep it in great condition since they are so sought after, especially now that Michael V Pedulla retired last year...
    I came across this Sire & it does sound great but after hearing that they glue the pick ups in & the many comments with regards issues from these guitars, I would buy it but then again I stopped buying asian made guitars because of the stories of ill treatment to staff...
    It's odd as many many ago I owned a few different brand of Indonesian made bass guitar's & I never once had problems & they were always of great quality but once I heard the stories of ill treatment towards staff I've stayed away from any Indonesian built guitars...
    Wasn't it an Indonesian factory full of staff that pleaded with with guitar players worldwide not to buy their brand product because of ill treatment of the staff & they were asking them to do this to Show Support to the staff for the slave like attitude the workers had to go through!!!!!
    I can't remember exactly which brand it was but I do remember it making the News but at the moment I can't seem to find any online News about this story from a few year's ago!...
    Ever since I saw that News report I've stayed away from buying guitars from Asian Guitar Brands & I just wanted to see & hear about this particular bass & it sounds like this could be the brand /or one of /that came in for so much bad press...
    In light of the still ongoing coronavirus stay safe and healthy where ever you are in the world...
    .....

    • @JohnnyCoxMusic
      @JohnnyCoxMusic  4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Hi, thanks for your comment. I'm not aware of any human rights abuses from Sire, but if you know differently then please share the information. I think it's important that you don't treat all companies as the same. If you boycott all manufacturers that make guitars in Indonesia just because you heard that one is bad. Then you are penalising the companies that treat their workers fairly as well as the ones that don't.

    • @greatwhite61967
      @greatwhite61967 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@JohnnyCoxMusic
      I did state that I wasn't 100% sure what Asian company that it was & as I've said I've tried to find out more about this in some online news sites to clarify who exactly it was as it was a couple of year's ago but I'm finding it difficult to get anything concrete with regards to which exact manufacturer it was & if anything i was hoping you might know!..
      I don't tar everyone with the same brush but Indonesia has been the hub for so many brand name guitar manufacturers for many many years now & that they want their a certain range of products built their because it's cheaper labor, then sent back to the country of origIn to get all the onoard electrics & peripherals all checked out & stamped with their approval before shipping them out to retail & online store's who have ordered them...
      Even if this was a bogus story doesn't change the fact that I can't understand the thinking in gluing in pick ups! WTF!.......
      The pick ups in it sound fine but what if they break & need replaced & some bassists like to swap out the picks up with a brand they prefer...
      There's no doubt it's a nice aesthetically looking bass that sounds like it's a good overall bass but I'd never buy it for the fact the pick ups are stuck in with glue & I'd like to know who decided on that approach as that (to me) is a terrible decision...
      In light of the still ongoing coronavirus stay safe & healthy wherever you are in the world...
      .....

  • @dirtblock2147
    @dirtblock2147 ปีที่แล้ว

    Is this a good deal for £549 brand new for the 4 string

  • @mikerux
    @mikerux 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    nice EQ on the demo! i couldn't make mine sound like this :) Did you have any post-recording mixing?

    • @JohnnyCoxMusic
      @JohnnyCoxMusic  4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Thanks Mike. I'm sure I did do some post recording mixing on this video, but I don't remember exactly what. Almost certainly nothing more than a bit of EQ. Before I upload a video, I always listen to the audio through my studio monitors. I use Pro Tools or Logic and tweak them as needed.

  • @joshjosh25694
    @joshjosh25694 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    But why does it have frets
    Lovely tone Johnny

    • @JohnnyCoxMusic
      @JohnnyCoxMusic  5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Thank you. They're just fret markers inlaid into the neck to help find the notes more easily. Most fretless basses have them now, and it's much harder to get the notes to sound in tune without them.

    • @joshjosh25694
      @joshjosh25694 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@JohnnyCoxMusic thank you very much for the information.
      Looking forward to finding one

  • @Bassplayingypsy
    @Bassplayingypsy 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    It's the pickups that makes the m7 bass sound anorexic in passive mode.

  • @J-Cardozo
    @J-Cardozo 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Sire m vs Warwick rockbass ?

    • @JohnnyCoxMusic
      @JohnnyCoxMusic  5 ปีที่แล้ว

      You read my mind! I've been meaning to write to Warwick and ask them to lend me a Rockbass so I can do a comparison. Hopefully I can make it happen in the new year.

    • @J-Cardozo
      @J-Cardozo 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@JohnnyCoxMusic i believe that sire want to get some market in the Warwick and Ibanez style. The m7 in some settings sounds like the sr 500

  • @vernemacdonald7540
    @vernemacdonald7540 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    My friend here n Canada just bought an M7 5 string bass. He can't stop the strings from buzzing and two guitar techs haven't been able to adjust it at all. The store refused him a refund the second day he owned it and now he's stuck with it. It will sit in it's case, as it is a useless piece of crap. Dont Buy this guitar!!!