i'm a stingray fanatic (i own three original SRs at the moment), i rushed to try a z3 and it definitely surprised me in terms of sound and feel for the price! the one i tried was insanely heavy though, i really do not advise to get one online if you don't know the weight
I wish Z7 had coil split option for extra tones. I'd love to have sound that is close to J-bass. That'd make this bass the most versatile bass on the market I guess.
I have the Z3 in Black Sparkle. Got it a month ago. I've done 20 gigs Pubs, Weddings, Corporate and Theatre gigs. It's simply the best bass I've owned. I've Fender and Yamaha basses and the Z3 is more versatile. I've also A/ B it against a 1990 MM Stingray and it spanks that too.
That's great to hear. I have a Z3 in black-sparkle on order with Thomann, can't wait to get it as I love that SR sound, even though I own a USA made CLF L2K (which does a pretty good SR impression).
I have the same bass and I have been extremely impressed with it, espeically for the price. The only thing that isn't amazing are the tuners. They're adequate but not great. However, since they seem stable and while a bit stiff they're not gritty nor cause any neck dive so I don't plan on getting them. I've heard this instrument A/Bd with a Musicman Stingray as well and it could sound very close. If you dial up the treble to about 75% from flat it really does sound like the modern 3 band stingrays. Becuase of this, I think the bass sounds more like of the older 2 band preamp Stingray, which had less of a treble spike built into the preamp. There's a certain high frequency zing that's a little less present/easier to tame. But, like I said, you can boost the treble a little bit and you're there. After 2 BAD experiences with SBMM Ray34s I was hoping this bass would fit the bill and it more than exceded my expectations. It truly is a player's instrument and has its own cool look to boot. I love it. This has made me a Sire appreciator and I'm eyeing other basses for different tunings/fretless stuff. One-off factory mess ups aside, the hype is real on these Sire Z3s.
I've ordered Z7 5 - very good sounding bass, but I was forced to return it - very uncomfortable to play, the neck dive was insane and the lower horn is too short so it slips from your leg when you play in sitting position
Thanks for this comment as I was considering getting one at some point in the future, but neck dive to me is a big no no. Hopefully gen 2 will be better for it, I would also love a P and Humbucker config, so maybe they'll add that for the next gen line too. Cheers dude.
This 100%. I thought the neck was tremendous, the profile was perfect for me but man that lower horn either dug into my leg and was uncomfortable, or just outright slipped off! This neck on the P7/P8 would be sublime
Ive seen people have trouble with the more expensive one. It has more knobs than a music man and the wiring can get messed up. I assume the z3 could be fixed with Stingray wiring diagrams, more easily
Z3 sounds amazing ordering one now. The Z3 I wish had a fretless option like the v7 though. In the market for a v7 and love the bridge pickup only style basses such as the stringray and warwick thumb. The ergomics are amazing and don't think about nicking my fingers on the neck pickups :)
V5 shines, it's passive but sounds wonderful. I have the V7 5 string bought it when Covid was around couldn't find a 4 string in any others, v3 didn't exist yet. I am a beginner and I just don't have the skills to use the 5 string yet. After I saw the V5 with that roasted neck and their were tear stains on my neck. LOL
I was super excited when I first saw that and ordered a 5string Z7. Bridge had different sized height adjusting scews, neck had couple sharp frets and couple high spots, stacked pots are stucking each other and neck pu output is very very low but I just couldn't send it back because loved it even with those stuff. Still... just a tad sad tho 😅
Nice demo, thanks, would have loved to have heard some slapping on the isolated neck pickup on the Z7. Also, is this guy in competition with the other guy for best bass face?
I had an older CV and it was a perfectly fine bass, but it is not in the Stingray realm like these are. Mine was heavy like over 10 lbs for a four string.
I absolutely hate my Z7. The neck is too narrow for the string spacing and the rolled edges make it even worse. Can hardly play the G string without it falling off the fretboard. Great idea but not well executed!
I've heard narrow fretboards are a problem for the g string on 5 string Musicmanstingrays as well, and can see how that'd be a problem even more with the rolled edges. Hopefully they do something about that. If it makes you feel any better though, the 4 string version feels incredible, haha.
I have a 2nd gen V7 jazz bass by Sire which I rate very highly BUT I tried three Z7s in a row and they all had faulty stacked pots. I'll stick to the jazz thanks.
I've heard way more complaints about the Z7 than the Z3. If you're after the Stringray-esque sound, maybe the latter is a better bet. However, it could also be first-run production kinks they need to work out.
They sound good and look good, but they don't really sound like a Stingray IMO. Maybe you can get closer to a Stingray tone if you swap the pickup with a better aftermarket MM humbucker, but there's also nothing wrong with the tone of the stock pickups.
It does. My Sire Z3 in black sparkle has the lacquered fretboard & headstock but a very smooth satin finish on the back of the neck with a nice, vintage style tint. Esepcially considering the price it's fantastic. And price aside, this bass has one of the very best necks I have ever played. It's truly fantastic.
The fact that the pole pieces don't line up under the treble strings is annoying. Probably doesn't change the sound to any great extent, but come on Sire.
Mine is kinda like that (the g string kinda hangs over the corner of the pole piece). I was worried about that when I saw photos of it from Sweetwater but the string- to-string volume is excellent and the tone doesn't seem to be affected at all.
Since they are imported I'm assuming very similar. Probably a few companies in Asia that white label them. Look at gym equipment. With the exception of Eleiko all comp bumper plates are made in China and they just add a the company's name to the molds.
I bought the Z3 specifically because I was having serious QC issues with TWO Ray34HH basses I'd purchased (top of the line from SBMM). First, QC issues aside, the Sire feels about on the same level as a Ray 34. The one exception was tuners on the second one, which definitely felt better but the tuners on the first Ray34 felt worse (although I'd classify the Sire tuners I have as adequate, not great). HOWEVER, the Sire I bought was literally $600 cheaper, didn't have the QC issues and sounded better. I say sounded better because the Ray34s are intentionally wired in series instead of parallel (which is the classic stingray wiring and really makes a difference in tone). So you'd need to pay for that extras as well if you want a proper Stingray tone from your Ray series bass, from the Ray4 - Ray34. Aside from that, the Sire wasn't a boat anchor like the other 2 (especially the 1st one), more ergonomic and with more featurs (active/passsive, 18v preamp, stringthrough body option, sculpted neck joint, 22 vs 21 frets, etc). My advice, if you're eyeing them, try em both if you can. But, if you can't BUY THE SIRE. You can even A/B it with a Ray34 if you'd likeand return it within 30 days to Sweetwater or Thomann if you like if the bass just doesn't have the mojo for you. But buying blind I would 100% say go with the Sire Z3. SBMM is having a LOT of manufacturing issues right now. Go onto Talkbass forum about those specific instrumenbts and you'll see it coming up again & again. It happened to me twice and now I'm sitting VERY happy with my Sire and extra hundreds of dollars in my pocket for a bass that I like more.
It does look a bit wierd. I measured it on the back of my bass and it does match the middle of the neck (which is obviosuly good), but it does look a little janky. I think part of it is that they sangle on the sculpted neckjoint is actually a bit wider than a Stingray Special's. Also, it's set lower, more towards the base of the neck. I don't know if this was a chocie for stability or whatever, but it does look a little bit janky. However, in terms of playability, I've got not problems with mine and am willing to overlook it.
Oof get it will you can. Trump tarrifs gnna make these impossible to get. All so american citizens can start making t shirts like india and bendgladesh. 🙄
I was really waiting for this ❤ thank you 😊
i'm a stingray fanatic (i own three original SRs at the moment), i rushed to try a z3 and it definitely surprised me in terms of sound and feel for the price! the one i tried was insanely heavy though, i really do not advise to get one online if you don't know the weight
I wish Z7 had coil split option for extra tones. I'd love to have sound that is close to J-bass. That'd make this bass the most versatile bass on the market I guess.
Would be pretty easy to mod
Mahogany is a vague description- it's a wide variety of woods with variable qualities
I have the Z3 in Black Sparkle.
Got it a month ago. I've done 20 gigs Pubs, Weddings, Corporate and Theatre gigs.
It's simply the best bass I've owned.
I've Fender and Yamaha basses and the Z3 is more versatile.
I've also A/ B it against a 1990 MM Stingray and it spanks that too.
I'm loving to hear this!! I was super interested in getting one, but I was wondering if the Z3 could hold it's own on gigs. Awesome!
That's great to hear. I have a Z3 in black-sparkle on order with Thomann, can't wait to get it as I love that SR sound, even though I own a USA made CLF L2K (which does a pretty good SR impression).
I have the same bass and I have been extremely impressed with it, espeically for the price. The only thing that isn't amazing are the tuners. They're adequate but not great. However, since they seem stable and while a bit stiff they're not gritty nor cause any neck dive so I don't plan on getting them. I've heard this instrument A/Bd with a Musicman Stingray as well and it could sound very close. If you dial up the treble to about 75% from flat it really does sound like the modern 3 band stingrays.
Becuase of this, I think the bass sounds more like of the older 2 band preamp Stingray, which had less of a treble spike built into the preamp. There's a certain high frequency zing that's a little less present/easier to tame. But, like I said, you can boost the treble a little bit and you're there.
After 2 BAD experiences with SBMM Ray34s I was hoping this bass would fit the bill and it more than exceded my expectations. It truly is a player's instrument and has its own cool look to boot. I love it. This has made me a Sire appreciator and I'm eyeing other basses for different tunings/fretless stuff. One-off factory mess ups aside, the hype is real on these Sire Z3s.
This is fantastic to hear. Ordering one lol
Wish they made an HH version. It's cool to have the passive option.
Yes and the 5 way pickup selector switch so you can quickly dial in the right tone.
Thank you Bass the world! I'll probably be getting a Z3 after this video.
I've ordered Z7 5 - very good sounding bass, but I was forced to return it - very uncomfortable to play, the neck dive was insane and the lower horn is too short so it slips from your leg when you play in sitting position
I am in the process of exchanging mine. Started off great and then the neck freaked out. Hoping next one is a better situation.
Thanks for this comment as I was considering getting one at some point in the future, but neck dive to me is a big no no. Hopefully gen 2 will be better for it, I would also love a P and Humbucker config, so maybe they'll add that for the next gen line too. Cheers dude.
This 100%. I thought the neck was tremendous, the profile was perfect for me but man that lower horn either dug into my leg and was uncomfortable, or just outright slipped off! This neck on the P7/P8 would be sublime
I am not impressed by those Z models 😅..I am not buying them. 😮😢
Awesome bass and demo 😎🤘🏻🎸 that bass sounds radical and I really like the blue finish. It looks so cool. I totally would get that bass in that color
The Natural color wood finish is not offered on the Z3. But it is on the Z7.
Z3 white 4 string. My new favourite bass. Not picked my J bass since I unboxed it.
Awesome! What is the weight like? I know it varies… I want the same one.
I bought a sire pj years ago. I still enjoy it, but I am not as big a fan of the rolled fret edges. At least on mine, it lead to some odd fret work.
Sire just knocked out of the ball park again!
Can't wait to get my hands on a Z3
Ive seen people have trouble with the more expensive one. It has more knobs than a music man and the wiring can get messed up. I assume the z3 could be fixed with Stingray wiring diagrams, more easily
Z3 sounds amazing ordering one now. The Z3 I wish had a fretless option like the v7 though. In the market for a v7 and love the bridge pickup only style basses such as the stringray and warwick thumb. The ergomics are amazing and don't think about nicking my fingers on the neck pickups :)
I have a Sire V5 and love it
V5 shines, it's passive but sounds wonderful. I have the V7 5 string bought it when Covid was around couldn't find a 4 string in any others, v3 didn't exist yet. I am a beginner and I just don't have the skills to use the 5 string yet. After I saw the V5 with that roasted neck and their were tear stains on my neck. LOL
I was super excited when I first saw that and ordered a 5string Z7. Bridge had different sized height adjusting scews, neck had couple sharp frets and couple high spots, stacked pots are stucking each other and neck pu output is very very low but I just couldn't send it back because loved it even with those stuff. Still... just a tad sad tho 😅
Nice demo, thanks, would have loved to have heard some slapping on the isolated neck pickup on the Z7. Also, is this guy in competition with the other guy for best bass face?
Y’all should try out the new schecter stargazer bass! Those and the CV basses there are just not a lot of reviews and they look rather interesting.
I had an older CV and it was a perfectly fine bass, but it is not in the Stingray realm like these are. Mine was heavy like over 10 lbs for a four string.
I was curious about this model, got a v8 instead. Totally wished I got this.
I absolutely hate my Z7. The neck is too narrow for the string spacing and the rolled edges make it even worse. Can hardly play the G string without it falling off the fretboard. Great idea but not well executed!
I've heard narrow fretboards are a problem for the g string on 5 string Musicmanstingrays as well, and can see how that'd be a problem even more with the rolled edges. Hopefully they do something about that. If it makes you feel any better though, the 4 string version feels incredible, haha.
I have a 2nd gen V7 jazz bass by Sire which I rate very highly BUT I tried three Z7s in a row and they all had faulty stacked pots. I'll stick to the jazz thanks.
I've heard way more complaints about the Z7 than the Z3. If you're after the Stringray-esque sound, maybe the latter is a better bet. However, it could also be first-run production kinks they need to work out.
@mr.patriarch
Yeah I had a similar thought but I've moved on now. I think the jazz bass style is my overall go to instrument for life.
They sound good and look good, but they don't really sound like a Stingray IMO. Maybe you can get closer to a Stingray tone if you swap the pickup with a better aftermarket MM humbucker, but there's also nothing wrong with the tone of the stock pickups.
Please tell me is Z3 has laquered neck/fretboard and such..? i see Z7 having laquered headstock… but does Z3 have it?
It does. My Sire Z3 in black sparkle has the lacquered fretboard & headstock but a very smooth satin finish on the back of the neck with a nice, vintage style tint. Esepcially considering the price it's fantastic. And price aside, this bass has one of the very best necks I have ever played. It's truly fantastic.
Actually I purchased Z3 5 string.
I’ve got the Z7 5 string. It’s amazing and worth $700.
Hella nice
I just tried a 4 string one pick up version at my local shop...5 STARS...$719.00...INCREDIBLE DEAL
The fact that the pole pieces don't line up under the treble strings is annoying. Probably doesn't change the sound to any great extent, but come on Sire.
Mine is kinda like that (the g string kinda hangs over the corner of the pole piece). I was worried about that when I saw photos of it from Sweetwater but the string- to-string volume is excellent and the tone doesn't seem to be affected at all.
Very "inspired" by MusicMan, that is for sure! Wonder how these compare to a Sterling.
Since they are imported I'm assuming very similar. Probably a few companies in Asia that white label them. Look at gym equipment. With the exception of Eleiko all comp bumper plates are made in China and they just add a the company's name to the molds.
I bought the Z3 specifically because I was having serious QC issues with TWO Ray34HH basses I'd purchased (top of the line from SBMM). First, QC issues aside, the Sire feels about on the same level as a Ray 34. The one exception was tuners on the second one, which definitely felt better but the tuners on the first Ray34 felt worse (although I'd classify the Sire tuners I have as adequate, not great). HOWEVER, the Sire I bought was literally $600 cheaper, didn't have the QC issues and sounded better.
I say sounded better because the Ray34s are intentionally wired in series instead of parallel (which is the classic stingray wiring and really makes a difference in tone). So you'd need to pay for that extras as well if you want a proper Stingray tone from your Ray series bass, from the Ray4 - Ray34. Aside from that, the Sire wasn't a boat anchor like the other 2 (especially the 1st one), more ergonomic and with more featurs (active/passsive, 18v preamp, stringthrough body option, sculpted neck joint, 22 vs 21 frets, etc).
My advice, if you're eyeing them, try em both if you can. But, if you can't BUY THE SIRE. You can even A/B it with a Ray34 if you'd likeand return it within 30 days to Sweetwater or Thomann if you like if the bass just doesn't have the mojo for you. But buying blind I would 100% say go with the Sire Z3. SBMM is having a LOT of manufacturing issues right now. Go onto Talkbass forum about those specific instrumenbts and you'll see it coming up again & again. It happened to me twice and now I'm sitting VERY happy with my Sire and extra hundreds of dollars in my pocket for a bass that I like more.
Z3 for me,...as it sounds like a Musicman.
👍👌
Sire lost their north, they should try to do their own thing
Nice bass, shame abot the nut size
2:34 the backing plate doesnt match ANY of the curves there. freaking awful.
Thar and the neck joint doesn't exactly look particularly nice. However that could just be the angle of the camera.
It does look a bit wierd. I measured it on the back of my bass and it does match the middle of the neck (which is obviosuly good), but it does look a little janky. I think part of it is that they sangle on the sculpted neckjoint is actually a bit wider than a Stingray Special's. Also, it's set lower, more towards the base of the neck. I don't know if this was a chocie for stability or whatever, but it does look a little bit janky. However, in terms of playability, I've got not problems with mine and am willing to overlook it.
Oof get it will you can. Trump tarrifs gnna make these impossible to get. All so american citizens can start making t shirts like india and bendgladesh. 🙄
You should really understand Trump's tariffs before writing about it.
@@kenmathews4522 be a lot more trade if there was a free market everywhere