Liked the cutting high notes on Fender. I picked up the same srv color fender with upgrades. The pop in Seymour Duncan' with push pull splitters you reviewed a couple months back. Sire sounds great though like you said, I bought for brand name with upgrades. This is the number 1 channel I go to for accurate equipment research.
That Sire's pups sound like the SSS on my Sterling CT50, chimey but full. Both guitars sound very nice but the Sire gets my vote - the entire S/T line is great.
I own a Sire S7 strat style with a humbucker at the bridge and, honestly, that's the best guitar i've ever owned. I don't regret buying it at all. Very good quality for the price and the playability is amazing.
I'm not a Strat tone connoisseur, but I preferred the Sire. The Fender definitely had the chime, but the Sire sounded more balanced to my ears. Has more of a studio-finished sound to me.
To my ears the Sire had a very slightly beefier sound without losing the requisite top-end sparkle. Impossible to go wrong with either guitar. Both are beauties.
The SIRE seemed to have a fuller bottom end and more presence in a lot of the mid tones. The Fender seems brighter. So I guess it comes down to preference on your individual tone. The SIRE appears to be a really nice build and I dig the fuller tone, that's my call.
I would say that fender sound can be replicated almost in all strat types guitar just by using the same pickups and electronic. For me, when you buy a guitar the most important thing is the construction quality, fret work, and all this things that are difficult to rework in a guitar. Electronics are quite easy to change.
Exactly. Fender sells their harnesses and pickups separately. Get the guitar you want for playability, replace with fender electronics, if you want the sound.
I found the neck pickup was a bit fuller in the sire, but the bridge pickup sounded more articulate on the Fender. The quack I position 4 was nicer in the Fender, but still good on the Sire. As for the other positions, they were more similar to my ear, slightly different but both quite nice. The better fretwork would likely make me lean towards the Sire, given the lower price point as another factor.
As an overall package, the Sire gets my pick. Sound wise... it's hard to tell which is enough reason to buy the Sire considering the other advantages (price, fretwork, and features).
I enjoyed this comparison, Darrell. I'm wondering how you would compare the Sterling Cutlass CT50 to the Sire S7, both in the same price bracket. You seemed very impressed with the CT50 when you reviewed it. How about a video?
That Fender name is really killing it for Fender IMO. They miss so much that other brands are hammering in their builds. In a blind comparison, I wouldn't be able to tell them apart. Honestly, I would pick Sire all day.
The Sire has more lows and low mids.... Probably as much chime ... It's a more premium build for sure. The Fender is still really nice. If I was going major brand though I'd get the PRS silver sky SE. Again so much more guitar for the money...
@@ramspencer5492 i have a question (if you're still active). im trying to upgrade rn and would you say to go for a silversky se, sire s7 larry carlton, or fender player ii strat
I preferred the Sire in all positions except for position 1, where I had a clear preference for the Fender. The middle position had the least discernible difference to me. That’s back to back; in isolation, I’m not sure it matters. That makes the playability and specs/features of the Sire stand out even more. I want to like the Fender more but it starts to get tough to justify the premium for less.
Great demo! Very close sound wise. I like the roasted maple neck, bone nut, locked in tuners on the Sire that would be my choice and the price is a bonus 👌
Bought my MIM Strat HSS "Plus Top" in October 2020 from GC online. On sale for $600.00. For some reason (incompetent reps?) the first two they sent me were floor models, with the pick-guard all scratched up. Each time I immediately got on the phone after delivery, had a UPS label emailed, and shipped back the next day. Actually paid for the third one while waiting for the refund on the second one, because they went on sale for a limited time. Think they were originally $750. My first electric after five years playing a Yamaha ACR 3 acoustic-electric guitar. I love how it plays and sounds. More experienced guitar players have commented on how they really enjoyed playing it. Looks great too, with the blue-green metallic finish fire Maple body and black pickguard. I plan on upgrading to a bone nut and locking tuners in the future.
I ordered a Sire S7 the first part of December 2021. It won't be here until mid-summer of this year. I don't mind the wait as I have others to play. My understanding is that Sire will not rev up production to meet demand because they want to retain strict control over the quality of their products. Nothing wrong with that.
Dear Darrell I bought the Sire S7 Vintage in Black last December, before the purchase, I tried a G&L, a Fender Player like the one in the video, a Fender Vintera and a Schecter Route 66 which is only available on the Italian market. Well, I came to the same conclusion as you, for the fantastic tone of the pickups, for the playability and comfort of the radius neck and for the rounded edge, for the hardware and for the price, I chose the Sire S7, as it is far superior. Only the schecter had the pickups a bit more "complete" but it cost double the price. in summary I already had 6 stratocasters both USA and Japan and Partcaster and without looking at the logo on the headstock, the Sire is really a lot of stuff for the proposed price. I'm happy with the choice.
I have 2 Fenders a tele and a start gotta say the Sire sounds just like a Fender and honestly the neck on the Sire is just gorgeous… and sounds like a dream Fender strat for $599 that’s a big brainer ❤️
Hey Darrel, Love your vids! You might mention that you're using the Sire Vintage S7 as the standard S7 has a humbucker at the bridge. If that guitar was used it would blow the Fender away when it comes to bridge tones. Owning both the Fender and the Sire i can honestly say i agree that you're paying for the Fender name. I choose the Sire every time! Also play a H7 (2) and love them both. Can't beat a Sire for the $$ these days. keep up the good work!
You did a real nice job putting this video together. Thank you very much. I've been so pleased with my recent purchase of a new T7, that I am about to spring for an S7 in a week or two. Listening intently to your sound comparison, I cast my vote for the Sire. Very happy with Sire in New Hampshire.
Just got my S7 vintage a few days ago. It took 6 months to get one in. Got it in black. Besides being just a beautiful looking guitar. The craftsmanship is high level ... Especially the neck is outstanding. The pickups are great ... Quiet on mine/Larry Carlton. I really like how responsive the tone knobs are on this guitar. You can get very bright tones and then really round it out when backed off for a lush standard clean jazz tone. . Very wide tone sweep , kind of like a cry baby. I did have to do a basic set up to suit my playing. Truss rod, action. Set the vibrato arm to my liking and pickup height. I love it. Very affordable.
The Sire sounds warmer and fuller. Both sound great but I like the Sire because of the Low and mid content on the tone while having the high end shine still.
I purchased a Sire S7 with the HSS pickup configuration. The sound feel and playability are great. And everything you stated is spot on. The only drawback with the Sire is playing it in low light, the abalone color fret markers are very hard to see, therefore, I will sometimes mess up my finger positioning as I go up and down the neck. Also, the pickups might be slightly microphonic, while on a phone call I placed the phone over the pickups and the conversation could be heard through the amp speaker. It is not a fair comparison, but my Fender Strat Ultra has the original lace sensor pickups and the Sire sounds at least as good as it does.
BOTH sounded very similar, but I thought the FENDER neck pick up was better. Had more treble, the Sire was a bit dark! But all the other positions were very close!
Thanks for comparing these two guitars, Darrell, I've been really curious how they'd differ. Must say I prefer the Fender sonically with its extra sweet top end chime except for the overdriven bridge. That's where the extra beef comes in handy for Sire. Also I prefer the Fender aesthetically, so I'd probably go for the Player. Pity the fretwork etc. isn't equal...
I got the Sire Gold top Les Paul and the Tele with dual humbuckers and they are both incredible Guitars. I have high end Guitars here and I prefer the Sire Guitars. They play so well and sound great too. The best money I have spent on Guitars.
Been a Les Paul Style Fan for a long-time! But really had to watch this video again for the second time! Always good to see something new or different! Never know what I might learn!
Just got my Sire S7 vintage. OMG!! I love Stratocasters and have played a few. Never owned one though. I don't like paying for a name.. Plugged in the S7 and WOW!! GREAT QUALITY 👍 PLAYS LIKE A DREAM!! Darrell can't thank you enough for these evaluations.. it made my choice easy!! Sire definitely makes a Great guitar.
The Sire wins on feature, build quality and value for money. But the Fender sounds as a Fender and a little rounder & smoother . So sound wise the Fender wins. Difficult choice. Maybe put the Fender pick ups in the Sire ?? Thanks for sharing !
Great video, I'm heading to Sire S7. More features. Eventually Sire may start cutting back as popularity goes. Bought a Fender Squire, turned off by the lower quality. Playing for a hole month :)
I'd love to have that neck & fret work on my Fender Player series. The pick ups on the Sire, sounded great! Nice "warm'" "rounded" full range sound. Compared to the Fender pick ups, that always seem be lacking on the low end, & "jagged" & "ice picky on the high end. Much better Trem design on the Sire.
If I could only find a Sire here stateside... They really are incredible. Only option at the moment is to buy one from Europe and pay a ton of shipping and risk damage along the way. When they come back in stock here, I may just have to buy an S7 or T7.
Darrell - FYI: The red "DBG" Subscribe icon that appears in the lower right had corner of the screen, was right on top of the pickup switch number, making it hard to read.
I own a Player series and the Sire S7.....I barely play the Fender anymore, it just looks nice hanging on the wall. Sire is superior in every way, tone, looks, playability its in a different league.
Just about every review I've seen of the Sire S7 says that the neck might be the best neck they've ever played. I don't know about everyone else, but for me, comfort is key. I'm not going to continue playing something that is difficult to play. Pickups and tuners can be changed, bridges swapped, if needed....the neck, though....the neck is the most important part of the guitar. I'll bet if they opted for SS frets, they could have priced it the same as the Player's Series Strats, and nobody would blink.
Nice vid as usual, short an to the point. I just got a T7 sire over a G&L and a Fender player. The specs were higher, price lower and the sound not bad at all. Additionally, the neck on the sire is a beauty to fill and handle. I'm thinking on a Sire H7 as my next on the list. Any thoughts Darrel? Keep rocking
I own exactly that sire S type vintage in white model. The best guitar I've played when it comes to playability.. Nothing like it.. And for me, that neck is the perfect size, a little more thick than the american standard, but not by much. The rolled edges are making it a dream. Really well balanced pick-ups too. I am a fender fan and fun fact, i'm gonna buy a fender tomorrow, but it's a made in japan from early 00's and it's nothing quite like it out there. More value for the money than the american pro II for both my guitars. The sire and the fender that I'm going to buy. There is no rational reason why someone would pay those money for a new american standard or pro II fender because they are really not better in my opinion than this s7. Good to know that we are all different anyway ;) Good mention: i have some problems with my left hand and first thing for me will always be how comfy is the neck. Major up for sire.
The Sire is my choice....maybe becuase tha's what I bought! I am so happy I'm really thinking of getting another....perhaps the L7...not sure as it's difficult for me (living in a remote area) to get to play them. Thanks for the vids
The neck on the Sire really does reveal what the Fender name does price-wise to the consumer. Seeing other inexpensive Indonesian made guitars with roasted necks, stainless frets, rolled edges, Graph-Tech nuts, etc, must have a chilling effect on companies like Fender and Gibson. But they do know that a certain demographic out there *has* to see that name on the head stock, no matter the price. I'm not one of them! Great review!
In a live band situation, almost nobody could tell any difference... So why not buy the Sire and save a couple of hundred $$, get locking tuners and a nicer neck. I did like that Fender flame top and color tho :)
just listening on crappy laptop speakers, but they sounded very much the same to me, tho the sire sounded a little brighter on the first 3 pickup positions. that said, I have had a sire on order since about November and was recently told it will be at least June lol and... love your channel! thanks for all the great reviews
I thought the Fender had a more open high end and more bite. Would probably stand out better in a mix. The Sire was more rounded and a bit rolled off. Not sure if that's due to the higher output, thus the volume was lowered? On the playability/features side, though the Sire didn't have the flamed maple veneer that the Fender does, the rolled fingerboard/better fretwork/locking tuners/bone nut/roasted maple would easily compensate for the Fender name/flamed maple veneered body, IMO. I have a Sire S7 HSS on order from Guitar Center (who knows when I'll get it...) and I'm really looking forward to playing it!
I'm not interested in this type of guitar for me, but if I was it would be the Sire on features alone. Fender sounded a little bit nicer to my ears, but that wasn't in a mix so maybe it wouldn't sound better. You can always put your fave pups in the Sire, but you've got a long way to go to get the Fender up to par with the Sire spec wise. And I don't care about resale value if I'm under $1000 initially. I've purchased 3 of Epiphone's highest end guitars they've made in the last few years and aside from one tuner swap (wanted, not at all needed) and one pro setup (needed), I couldn't be happier and I'm not missing the bigger brand's name on the headstock at all. Neither is my wallet. This is the golden era of affordable import guitars. Lap it up!
I’m not listening through the best audio equipment, but I agree with your comments about the Sire, it seems to have a fuller bottom end, while maintaining a crisp/chimney high end. To me the Sire just sounded more balanced. This was a really great comparison, these two guitars were very well matched.
They sound slightly different but in my opinion equally as good. I've never got on good with Fender necks so I would go for the Sire. The Sire's top horn makes it looks less streamline (more bulky) than the actual Strat, I'll take the Fender for looks ... the Sire for everything else.
I prefer the Sire. The tone was more robust. Still had the chime but without sacrificing the low end. My question is did you notice a difference between the guitars as fas as 60 cycle hum goes? Which guitar was quieter and is the Sire shielded internally? Thanks.
I bought an S7 because of your videos. I’ve never enjoyed Fenders headstock and the S7 fixes that gripe for me. I get that classic look and sound fully loaded for far less than a strat. I absolutely love mine. As far as resale profit in the future I’m not concerned with that. I’ll never sell my Sire it’s just that good. Instant mojo.
Purely based on the tones I'm going with Fender. I'm also not that keen on the aesthetic of the Sire in the video. The burst and light maple fingerboard look a lot nicer to me. With that said, I could forgive a lot for the dollar difference. And of course, if I could play as well as Darrell, I could make anything sound good.
I want to buy Sire S7. For me Fender sounds a bit warmer and better, Sire sounded little more artificial but its not a big deal because the neck, tuning and other features will make Sire S7 really handy to play.
For anyone looking for a classic strat feel and tone, then Fender seems the no brainer to me. Yes, you can get an imitation for cheaper. But you have bought something that is imitating the thing you wanted, not the thing you wanted. Weight is a wash. To me, roasted neck is an irrelevance and I prefer the look of the Fender non-roasted maple. Sire has the benefit of the rolled edges, that cannot be denied, but you can sort the Fender neck out in time and it will always be a Fender strat and the other will always be just another knock-off out of SE Asia. In my experience, the MIM Fenders have nicely-cut nuts, so the material isn't an issue for me, nor is the whammy bar. Locking tuners on a strat do make a positive diff to tuning, but I'm not a fan of the added weight. Ultimately the Fender is still worth the extra few bob to me.
I'm becoming a big fan of Sire guitars due to your reviews.... Better features indeed..... So the Larry Carlton Strat and hollow body are on my wish list..... Greetings from a follower in Belgium
Hi Darrell, it is obvious to me after 60 years of playing and collecting guitars that the guitar making genie is ouf of the bag/lamp. I recently bought five guitars, a Gleary, Firefly, Kramer, Yart and a Martin SC-13e for $1,500. All of the less expensive guitars are excellent! With the Kramer, Firefly and Eart being stellar, imo. The Martin, not so much. It has fret sprout and cuts my hand. Had Martin fix the fret sprout, but it keeps coming back. And the built-in tuner doesn't work among other issues. A snark takes care of the tuning problem. I just expected more from my first and last Martin! My point is that cost no longer proportional to quality. In fact, my favorite guitar is a Kramer VT111 That I bought twenty years ago for sixty nine dollars. The Eart and Firefly are also great! Shalom/gw
I'm a strat fanboy and for me it's all about P.4. Both sound great but the Strat sounds more like "strat at pos. 4" than the Sire does. The Sire had slightly different... I guess "coloration" would be the word -- still bright and chimey but in a different way. Either would do just fine, but I'm sticking with the Fender. I realize it might be confirmation bias, and that in a blind A/B test I'd be unable to reliably pick them apart.
If it looks like a duck but doesn’t quack like a duck . . . Great back to back, Darrell. The consensus seems to be that the Sire has nicer overall features and a fuller sound but the Strat sounds more like, well, a Strat. Position 4 was telling. And, yes, one could put Fender electronics in the Sire but now you’re in a whole different price range. For out of the box people like me, I would go with the Strat because I love the unmistakable Strat sound. But that Sire is a great guitar. Thanks for another great review!
Both were good -- full maple neck guitars do tend to be brighter, so it would be interesting hearing a rosewood fender. I rarely find that having the same eq settings works in getting the optimal tone for each guitar but a great comparison.
I'm curious about the different string gauge used on the Fender (9's) and Sire (10's)...maybe added a bit to the different tone? Also, did this affect the playability at all? (string bends, etc.)
Dang, there's so much love for the S7, no wonder I'm waiting so long for my S7 to show up! I'll take playability and quality any time. Sound can always be tweaked, even if it means replacing pickups. I don't see that big a need to here.
As an audio engineer and producer, but not a guitar player, I preferred the sound of Fender. That chime was the selling point for me. But I guess as a player I'd pick Sire and maybe change pickups later on
I prefer the sound of the Fender in this demo. I don't imagine that it would apply to every Sire and every Fender. None of the extra features are do or die for me. I do a bit of fret work on my guitars, and I do think that some Mexican Fenders do have disappointing fretwork. That's something you gotta deal with if you can't do it yourself. A Strat's a Strat, though. They both sound like Strats.
Great video. Would love a comparison between a YAMAHA REVSTAR RSS02T and a REVEREND RG DIRTBIKE ROYALE. Two intriguing modern day P90 guitars. Tough call from my vantage point.
Thanks for this comparison I’m a Fender man but the Sire sounds really good. I’ve been waiting on Sweetwater to get Sire guitars in stock so I can play one it’s probably going to be my next guitar.
Phil had a thing on his channel where somebody wrote in Fender had put the screws to the consumer, a Blues Jr. for $750 crazy town. I like the Sire by a little bit.
@Darell Braun I'm currently having a big thrilema what to buy. I'm a new player and appreciate versatility and playability above the rest. I'm looking at Larry Carlton S7FM ,Yamaha Pacifica 612V II FM and PRS SE Custom 24/08. Which is the best choice? Please help.
Not sure my ears are expert enough and I thought both guitars sounded great but if I had to pick I would say the Sire edged it for me especially considering the price difference, which can’t be ignored for most of us anyway. Nice comparison… thanks!
They both bring to the table in sound. You can't go wrong with locking tuners and bone nut in comparison with fender but depending on what your looking for .. both are great guitars ! Great video by comparison between both.
Difficult choice, as the tones are almost identical. Depending on the buyer, price is definitely a factor. Considering the fact that the Sire has a roasted maple fretboard, rolled edges and virtually immaculate fret dressing as well as locking tuners, it's almost a no-brainer one would go for the Sire. However, the Fender's resale value is a factor one cannot ignore. As for me, I'd buy the Sire, as I already own a few Fender Strats, so it wouldn't bother me in the least! And I'd save myself $200 in the process!
My guess is that players in the low to medium price range are not even familiar with rolled edges, but once you're used to them, squared-off edges just don't cut it. And no, the "rolling" it's not something you can do yourself with the edge of a screwdriver. But rolled edges and really nice fret ends are somewhat labor intensive.
Both sound great! They both sound like Strats. They sound pretty similar, we wouldn't be able to tell them apart in a blind test. Knowing that the Sire has just slightly hotter pickups would be a giveaway, but guess what guitar a song is recorded with? It's not relevant. You will be able to gig and record with any of them, with most of the guitars out there, as long as they're set up well. Fender has the name, and if you want to try it, you can buy one used and then sell it without a loss.
I like both. Not as nearly as drastic of a difference as a Les Paul vs Strat, but different for sure. I love the sound of the Sire, but the Fender sounds like a Fender. I generally play older music (I'm 53) and I gravitate to the slightly more unrefined sound of the Fender. That rawness of the Fender is easier to refine and shape with the amp and eq, but the more refined sound of the Sire would be harder to make sound raw in my opinion. They both are great sounding and neither is a bad choice.
I like sound of Sire more than Fender's. Fender is more "spiky" for my ears and those high frequencies sounds classically, but for me, too much of them. Also I'm more a humbucker guy, so I like this hearable higher output of Sire single coils.
Suggest to mention neck thickness and taper (I.e. does it get a lot thicker as you move up the neck). Neck profile is super important to how people connect with a guitar IMO
Some Sweet Strat tones for you guys this week!
Let me know if you favoured the Strat or the SIRE
Enjoy :)
Can you try a G&L comparison to Fender?
@@edrozenrozen9600 I did one a few years ago, with both the tribute series and ASAT :)
Liked the cutting high notes on Fender. I picked up the same srv color fender with upgrades. The pop in Seymour Duncan' with push pull splitters you reviewed a couple months back. Sire sounds great though like you said, I bought for brand name with upgrades. This is the number 1 channel I go to for accurate equipment research.
@@DarrellBraunGuitar excellent video.
If you run out of ideas, my vote is for another G&L model review or comparison.
That Sire's pups sound like the SSS on my Sterling CT50, chimey but full. Both guitars sound very nice but the Sire gets my vote - the entire S/T line is great.
I own a Sire S7 strat style with a humbucker at the bridge and, honestly, that's the best guitar i've ever owned. I don't regret buying it at all. Very good quality for the price and the playability is amazing.
Glad you already wrote my comment! 😃
Where is it made
@@Abenson1983Mine is made in Indonesia
@@jody7214 Mine too - because Sire guitars are all from there nowadays. 😉
In the early days they were made in South Korea AFAIK.
@@Fastvoice No, I think it was only a rumour. I thought these were Cor-Tek.
I'm not a Strat tone connoisseur, but I preferred the Sire. The Fender definitely had the chime, but the Sire sounded more balanced to my ears. Has more of a studio-finished sound to me.
I'm thinking the reason is because of the roasted maple neck.
To my ears the Sire had a very slightly beefier sound without losing the requisite top-end sparkle. Impossible to go wrong with either guitar. Both are beauties.
Excellent video. The S7 sounds great it goes head to head with the Strat.
The SIRE seemed to have a fuller bottom end and more presence in a lot of the mid tones. The Fender seems brighter. So I guess it comes down to preference on your individual tone. The SIRE appears to be a really nice build and I dig the fuller tone, that's my call.
The tone probably owes a lot to the roasted maple neck.
@@ironandzinc I was thinking the same thing.
I would say that fender sound can be replicated almost in all strat types guitar just by using the same pickups and electronic. For me, when you buy a guitar the most important thing is the construction quality, fret work, and all this things that are difficult to rework in a guitar. Electronics are quite easy to change.
Exactly. Fender sells their harnesses and pickups separately. Get the guitar you want for playability, replace with fender electronics, if you want the sound.
I found the neck pickup was a bit fuller in the sire, but the bridge pickup sounded more articulate on the Fender. The quack I position 4 was nicer in the Fender, but still good on the Sire. As for the other positions, they were more similar to my ear, slightly different but both quite nice. The better fretwork would likely make me lean towards the Sire, given the lower price point as another factor.
As an overall package, the Sire gets my pick. Sound wise... it's hard to tell which is enough reason to buy the Sire considering the other advantages (price, fretwork, and features).
I enjoyed this comparison, Darrell. I'm wondering how you would compare the Sterling Cutlass CT50 to the Sire S7, both in the same price bracket. You seemed very impressed with the CT50 when you reviewed it. How about a video?
That Fender name is really killing it for Fender IMO. They miss so much that other brands are hammering in their builds. In a blind comparison, I wouldn't be able to tell them apart. Honestly, I would pick Sire all day.
The Sire has more lows and low mids.... Probably as much chime ... It's a more premium build for sure. The Fender is still really nice. If I was going major brand though I'd get the PRS silver sky SE. Again so much more guitar for the money...
@@ramspencer5492 i have a question (if you're still active). im trying to upgrade rn and would you say to go for a silversky se, sire s7 larry carlton, or fender player ii strat
I preferred the Sire in all positions except for position 1, where I had a clear preference for the Fender. The middle position had the least discernible difference to me.
That’s back to back; in isolation, I’m not sure it matters. That makes the playability and specs/features of the Sire stand out even more. I want to like the Fender more but it starts to get tough to justify the premium for less.
I tend to like warmer sounding guitars, so the Sire does it for me, in a new purchase, the Sire is definitely on my radar!
Great demo! Very close sound wise. I like the roasted maple neck, bone nut, locked in tuners on the Sire that would be my choice and the price is a bonus 👌
I think the Sire fared better with overdrive. Very warm tone. Would love to hear it with an HSS configuration
Bought my MIM Strat HSS "Plus Top" in October 2020 from GC online. On sale for $600.00. For some reason (incompetent reps?) the first two they sent me were floor models, with the pick-guard all scratched up. Each time I immediately got on the phone after delivery, had a UPS label emailed, and shipped back the next day. Actually paid for the third one while waiting for the refund on the second one, because they went on sale for a limited time. Think they were originally $750. My first electric after five years playing a Yamaha ACR 3 acoustic-electric guitar. I love how it plays and sounds. More experienced guitar players have commented on how they really enjoyed playing it. Looks great too, with the blue-green metallic finish fire Maple body and black pickguard. I plan on upgrading to a bone nut and locking tuners in the future.
I ordered a Sire S7 the first part of December 2021. It won't be here until mid-summer of this year. I don't mind the wait as I have others to play. My understanding is that Sire will not rev up production to meet demand because they want to retain strict control over the quality of their products. Nothing wrong with that.
Thanks for doing direct head to head comparisons. So much easier to make a choice than just watching two demos done at different times.
I have 2 fender players and a G & L, all great guitars. But I think I'm going to go for the Sire next time for something different in my arsenal 😃
Dear Darrell I bought the Sire S7 Vintage in Black last December, before the purchase, I tried a G&L, a Fender Player like the one in the video, a Fender Vintera and a Schecter Route 66 which is only available on the Italian market. Well, I came to the same conclusion as you, for the fantastic tone of the pickups, for the playability and comfort of the radius neck and for the rounded edge, for the hardware and for the price, I chose the Sire S7, as it is far superior. Only the schecter had the pickups a bit more "complete" but it cost double the price. in summary I already had 6 stratocasters both USA and Japan and Partcaster and without looking at the logo on the headstock, the Sire is really a lot of stuff for the proposed price. I'm happy with the choice.
I have 2 Fenders a tele and a start gotta say the Sire sounds just like a Fender and honestly the neck on the Sire is just gorgeous… and sounds like a dream Fender strat for $599 that’s a big brainer ❤️
Hey Darrel,
Love your vids! You might mention that you're using the Sire Vintage S7 as the standard S7 has a humbucker at the bridge. If that guitar was used it would blow the Fender away when it comes to bridge tones. Owning both the Fender and the Sire i can honestly say i agree that you're paying for the Fender name. I choose the Sire every time! Also play a H7 (2) and love them both. Can't beat a Sire for the $$ these days. keep up the good work!
You did a real nice job putting this video together. Thank you very much. I've been so pleased with my recent purchase of a new T7, that I am about to spring for an S7 in a week or two. Listening intently to your sound comparison, I cast my vote for the Sire. Very happy with Sire in New Hampshire.
I own sire HSS strat ,for me the fender bit sharper n crisper ,I noticed soon as I played my sire was warmer sound , maybe down to Larry's jazz sound
Sire definitely seems to have a warmer tone. Maybe a bit more mid range "fullness"?
It definitely has a little more tuxedo.
Just got my S7 vintage a few days ago. It took 6 months to get one in. Got it in black. Besides being just a beautiful looking guitar. The craftsmanship is high level ... Especially the neck is outstanding. The pickups are great ... Quiet on mine/Larry Carlton. I really like how responsive the tone knobs are on this guitar. You can get very bright tones and then really round it out when backed off for a lush standard clean jazz tone. . Very wide tone sweep , kind of like a cry baby. I did have to do a basic set up to suit my playing. Truss rod, action. Set the vibrato arm to my liking and pickup height. I love it. Very affordable.
The Sire sounds warmer and fuller. Both sound great but I like the Sire because of the Low and mid content on the tone while having the high end shine still.
I purchased a Sire S7 with the HSS pickup configuration. The sound feel and playability are great. And everything you stated is spot on. The only drawback with the Sire is playing it in low light, the abalone color fret markers are very hard to see, therefore, I will sometimes mess up my finger positioning as I go up and down the neck.
Also, the pickups might be slightly microphonic, while on a phone call I placed the phone over the pickups and the conversation could be heard through the amp speaker.
It is not a fair comparison, but my Fender Strat Ultra has the original lace sensor pickups and the Sire sounds at least as good as it does.
To me, the Sire wins hands down. It had a much warmer and richer tone without losing that sparkle and spank that a Strat is known for.
And it looks way more noble to me😎 than the fender
BOTH sounded very similar, but I thought the FENDER neck pick up was better. Had more treble, the Sire was a bit dark!
But all the other positions were very close!
I thought the Sire sounded brittle with perhaps too much high end. The Sire did not sound warm to me.
@@jeffbeck6501 PUT some muffs on your ears!
@@DMSProduktions Great idea.
@@jeffbeck6501 THAT'LL get you your 'warmth'!
Thanks for comparing these two guitars, Darrell, I've been really curious how they'd differ. Must say I prefer the Fender sonically with its extra sweet top end chime except for the overdriven bridge. That's where the extra beef comes in handy for Sire. Also I prefer the Fender aesthetically, so I'd probably go for the Player. Pity the fretwork etc. isn't equal...
I agree with everything you said.
I got the Sire Gold top Les Paul and the Tele with dual humbuckers and they are both incredible Guitars. I have high end Guitars here and I prefer the Sire Guitars. They play so well and sound great too. The best money I have spent on Guitars.
Been a Les Paul Style Fan for a long-time! But really had to watch this video again for the second time! Always good to see something new or different! Never know what I might learn!
Just got my Sire S7 vintage. OMG!!
I love Stratocasters and have played a few. Never owned one though. I don't like paying for a name..
Plugged in the S7 and WOW!! GREAT QUALITY 👍 PLAYS LIKE A DREAM!!
Darrell can't thank you enough for these evaluations.. it made my choice easy!!
Sire definitely makes a Great guitar.
I'm on the waiting list for my Sire. I can't wait to try it out.
The Sire wins on feature, build quality and value for money. But the Fender sounds as a Fender and a little rounder & smoother . So sound wise the Fender wins. Difficult choice. Maybe put the Fender pick ups in the Sire ?? Thanks for sharing !
Listening through my TV speakers I literally couldn't tell the difference. But I like the look of The Sire more. That fretboard is gorgeous!
Great video, I'm heading to Sire S7. More features. Eventually Sire may start cutting back as popularity goes. Bought a Fender Squire, turned off by the lower quality. Playing for a hole month :)
💯 the Sire s7 Vintage kicks ass ❤ just ordered one now 😂 thanks for the review and comparisson! Great work! 🤘
I'd love to have that neck & fret work on my Fender Player series. The pick ups on the Sire, sounded great! Nice "warm'" "rounded" full range sound. Compared to the Fender pick ups, that always seem be lacking on the low end, & "jagged" & "ice picky on the high end. Much better Trem design on the Sire.
If I could only find a Sire here stateside... They really are incredible. Only option at the moment is to buy one from Europe and pay a ton of shipping and risk damage along the way. When they come back in stock here, I may just have to buy an S7 or T7.
Darrell - FYI: The red "DBG" Subscribe icon that appears in the lower right had corner of the screen, was right on top of the pickup switch number, making it hard to read.
I own a Player series and the Sire S7.....I barely play the Fender anymore, it just looks nice hanging on the wall. Sire is superior in every way, tone, looks, playability its in a different league.
I definitely resonated with the Fender Stratocaster. I have 2 Fender Stratocasters and I've really bonded well with them
Just about every review I've seen of the Sire S7 says that the neck might be the best neck they've ever played. I don't know about everyone else, but for me, comfort is key. I'm not going to continue playing something that is difficult to play. Pickups and tuners can be changed, bridges swapped, if needed....the neck, though....the neck is the most important part of the guitar. I'll bet if they opted for SS frets, they could have priced it the same as the Player's Series Strats, and nobody would blink.
Nice vid as usual, short an to the point. I just got a T7 sire over a G&L and a Fender player. The specs were higher, price lower and the sound not bad at all. Additionally, the neck on the sire is a beauty to fill and handle. I'm thinking on a Sire H7 as my next on the list. Any thoughts Darrel? Keep rocking
I own exactly that sire S type vintage in white model. The best guitar I've played when it comes to playability.. Nothing like it.. And for me, that neck is the perfect size, a little more thick than the american standard, but not by much. The rolled edges are making it a dream. Really well balanced pick-ups too. I am a fender fan and fun fact, i'm gonna buy a fender tomorrow, but it's a made in japan from early 00's and it's nothing quite like it out there. More value for the money than the american pro II for both my guitars. The sire and the fender that I'm going to buy. There is no rational reason why someone would pay those money for a new american standard or pro II fender because they are really not better in my opinion than this s7. Good to know that we are all different anyway ;)
Good mention: i have some problems with my left hand and first thing for me will always be how comfy is the neck. Major up for sire.
The Sire is my choice....maybe becuase tha's what I bought! I am so happy I'm really thinking of getting another....perhaps the L7...not sure as it's difficult for me (living in a remote area) to get to play them. Thanks for the vids
The neck on the Sire really does reveal what the Fender name does price-wise to the consumer.
Seeing other inexpensive Indonesian made guitars with roasted necks, stainless frets, rolled edges, Graph-Tech nuts, etc, must have a chilling effect on companies like Fender and Gibson.
But they do know that a certain demographic out there *has* to see that name on the head stock, no matter the price.
I'm not one of them!
Great review!
In a live band situation, almost nobody could tell any difference...
So why not buy the Sire and save a couple of hundred $$, get locking tuners and a nicer neck.
I did like that Fender flame top and color tho :)
I have a Sire S7 on backorder from Sweetwater right now.
Very excited.
just listening on crappy laptop speakers, but they sounded very much the same to me, tho the sire sounded a little brighter on the first 3 pickup positions. that said, I have had a sire on order since about November and was recently told it will be at least June lol
and... love your channel! thanks for all the great reviews
I thought the Fender had a more open high end and more bite. Would probably stand out better in a mix. The Sire was more rounded and a bit rolled off. Not sure if that's due to the higher output, thus the volume was lowered? On the playability/features side, though the Sire didn't have the flamed maple veneer that the Fender does, the rolled fingerboard/better fretwork/locking tuners/bone nut/roasted maple would easily compensate for the Fender name/flamed maple veneered body, IMO. I have a Sire S7 HSS on order from Guitar Center (who knows when I'll get it...) and I'm really looking forward to playing it!
I'm not interested in this type of guitar for me, but if I was it would be the Sire on features alone. Fender sounded a little bit nicer to my ears, but that wasn't in a mix so maybe it wouldn't sound better. You can always put your fave pups in the Sire, but you've got a long way to go to get the Fender up to par with the Sire spec wise. And I don't care about resale value if I'm under $1000 initially. I've purchased 3 of Epiphone's highest end guitars they've made in the last few years and aside from one tuner swap (wanted, not at all needed) and one pro setup (needed), I couldn't be happier and I'm not missing the bigger brand's name on the headstock at all. Neither is my wallet. This is the golden era of affordable import guitars. Lap it up!
Waiting (im)patiently for the Sire I ordered earlier this month. Every review I've seen leads me to believe it's a great guitar for the price.
I’m not listening through the best audio equipment, but I agree with your comments about the Sire, it seems to have a fuller bottom end, while maintaining a crisp/chimney high end. To me the Sire just sounded more balanced. This was a really great comparison, these two guitars were very well matched.
I'd pick the Sire over the Fender any day of the week. Just a better instrument.
They sound slightly different but in my opinion equally as good. I've never got on good with Fender necks so I would go for the Sire. The Sire's top horn makes it looks less streamline (more bulky) than the actual Strat, I'll take the Fender for looks ... the Sire for everything else.
I prefer the Sire. The tone was more robust. Still had the chime but without sacrificing the low end. My question is did you notice a difference between the guitars as fas as 60 cycle hum goes? Which guitar was quieter and is the Sire shielded internally? Thanks.
The Sire S7 is shielded internally, not all Fenders are.
Hey there Darrell! Great video! I would love to see you compare the Sire S7 vintage with the PRS SE SilverSky!
I bought an S7 because of your videos. I’ve never enjoyed Fenders headstock and the S7 fixes that gripe for me. I get that classic look and sound fully loaded for far less than a strat. I absolutely love mine. As far as resale profit in the future I’m not concerned with that. I’ll never sell my Sire it’s just that good. Instant mojo.
Purely based on the tones I'm going with Fender. I'm also not that keen on the aesthetic of the Sire in the video. The burst and light maple fingerboard look a lot nicer to me. With that said, I could forgive a lot for the dollar difference. And of course, if I could play as well as Darrell, I could make anything sound good.
How dare you, sir. How dare you play such fine music! That was great!
I want to buy Sire S7. For me Fender sounds a bit warmer and better, Sire sounded little more artificial but its not a big deal because the neck, tuning and other features will make Sire S7 really handy to play.
I bought Sire S7 vintage last week. Loving it. Best buy for the budget.
❤️❤️🔥🔥
For anyone looking for a classic strat feel and tone, then Fender seems the no brainer to me. Yes, you can get an imitation for cheaper. But you have bought something that is imitating the thing you wanted, not the thing you wanted. Weight is a wash. To me, roasted neck is an irrelevance and I prefer the look of the Fender non-roasted maple. Sire has the benefit of the rolled edges, that cannot be denied, but you can sort the Fender neck out in time and it will always be a Fender strat and the other will always be just another knock-off out of SE Asia. In my experience, the MIM Fenders have nicely-cut nuts, so the material isn't an issue for me, nor is the whammy bar. Locking tuners on a strat do make a positive diff to tuning, but I'm not a fan of the added weight. Ultimately the Fender is still worth the extra few bob to me.
I'm becoming a big fan of Sire guitars due to your reviews.... Better features indeed..... So the Larry Carlton Strat and hollow body are on my wish list..... Greetings from a follower in Belgium
Hi Darrell, it is obvious to me after 60 years of playing and collecting guitars that the guitar making genie is ouf of the bag/lamp. I recently bought five guitars, a Gleary, Firefly, Kramer, Yart and a Martin SC-13e for $1,500. All of the less expensive guitars are excellent! With the Kramer, Firefly and Eart being stellar, imo. The Martin, not so much. It has fret sprout and cuts my hand. Had Martin fix the fret sprout, but it keeps coming back. And the built-in tuner doesn't work among other issues. A snark takes care of the tuning problem. I just expected more from my first and last Martin! My point is that cost no longer proportional to quality. In fact, my favorite guitar is a Kramer VT111 That I bought twenty years ago for sixty nine dollars. The Eart and Firefly are also great! Shalom/gw
I'm a strat fanboy and for me it's all about P.4. Both sound great but the Strat sounds more like "strat at pos. 4" than the Sire does. The Sire had slightly different... I guess "coloration" would be the word -- still bright and chimey but in a different way. Either would do just fine, but I'm sticking with the Fender. I realize it might be confirmation bias, and that in a blind A/B test I'd be unable to reliably pick them apart.
If it looks like a duck but doesn’t quack like a duck . . . Great back to back, Darrell. The consensus seems to be that the Sire has nicer overall features and a fuller sound but the Strat sounds more like, well, a Strat. Position 4 was telling. And, yes, one could put Fender electronics in the Sire but now you’re in a whole different price range. For out of the box people like me, I would go with the Strat because I love the unmistakable Strat sound. But that Sire is a great guitar. Thanks for another great review!
Personally I like the fender sounds better but I would go with the sire just because of the added features, lower cost, and pretty similar sounds
Both were good -- full maple neck guitars do tend to be brighter, so it would be interesting hearing a rosewood fender.
I rarely find that having the same eq settings works in getting the optimal tone for each guitar but a great comparison.
I'm curious about the different string gauge used on the Fender (9's) and Sire (10's)...maybe added a bit to the different tone? Also, did this affect the playability at all? (string bends, etc.)
Dang, there's so much love for the S7, no wonder I'm waiting so long for my S7 to show up! I'll take playability and quality any time. Sound can always be tweaked, even if it means replacing pickups. I don't see that big a need to here.
As an audio engineer and producer, but not a guitar player, I preferred the sound of Fender. That chime was the selling point for me. But I guess as a player I'd pick Sire and maybe change pickups later on
I prefer the sound of the Fender in this demo. I don't imagine that it would apply to every Sire and every Fender. None of the extra features are do or die for me. I do a bit of fret work on my guitars, and I do think that some Mexican Fenders do have disappointing fretwork. That's something you gotta deal with if you can't do it yourself.
A Strat's a Strat, though. They both sound like Strats.
I’m looking at buying either the Sire S7 HSS or Cort G280 or G290 FAT.
Any thoughts to which you think is best value for money?
Man! So many GREAT licks here!!
Great video. Would love a comparison between a YAMAHA REVSTAR RSS02T and a REVEREND RG DIRTBIKE ROYALE. Two intriguing modern day P90 guitars. Tough call from my vantage point.
Thanks for this comparison I’m a Fender man but the Sire sounds really good. I’ve been waiting on Sweetwater to get Sire guitars in stock so I can play one it’s probably going to be my next guitar.
I was always a Strat (and Tele) fan, but that Sire looks and sounds excellent!
Phil had a thing on his channel where somebody wrote in Fender had put the screws to the consumer, a Blues Jr. for $750 crazy town. I like the Sire by a little bit.
With my eyes closed I can't pick a favorite, either would do fine. I don't need a S-type guitar but I'm very impressed with the Sire.
Great comparison makes it really hard to choose but Sire is just better because of price difference, unless you are Fender fan.
Hey Darrell!
Awesome Video as always! Just wondering if you could do a strat comparison with these two guitars plus a PRS Silver Sky :D
@Darell Braun I'm currently having a big thrilema what to buy. I'm a new player and appreciate versatility and playability above the rest. I'm looking at Larry Carlton S7FM ,Yamaha Pacifica 612V II FM and PRS SE Custom 24/08. Which is the best choice? Please help.
Not sure my ears are expert enough and I thought both guitars sounded great but if I had to pick I would say the Sire edged it for me especially considering the price difference, which can’t be ignored for most of us anyway. Nice comparison… thanks!
Hard pressed to choose. Both sound pretty good to me, but for the price? Sire, hands down!
Stick a Fender decal on it if you want to feel good.
You can always lower one side or both of a pickup to change volume or bass/treble.
I preferred the tone of the Fender Player Series Stratocaster.... just.
There was a lil bit more "warmth/treble/chime."
They both bring to the table in sound. You can't go wrong with locking tuners and bone nut in comparison with fender but depending on what your looking for .. both are great guitars ! Great video by comparison between both.
Difficult choice, as the tones are almost identical. Depending on the buyer, price is definitely a factor. Considering the fact that the Sire has a roasted maple fretboard, rolled edges and virtually immaculate fret dressing as well as locking tuners, it's almost a no-brainer one would go for the Sire. However, the Fender's resale value is a factor one cannot ignore. As for me, I'd buy the Sire, as I already own a few Fender Strats, so it wouldn't bother me in the least! And I'd save myself $200 in the process!
My guess is that players in the low to medium price range are not even familiar with rolled edges, but once you're used to them, squared-off edges just don't cut it. And no, the "rolling" it's not something you can do yourself with the edge of a screwdriver. But rolled edges and really nice fret ends are somewhat labor intensive.
Both sound great! They both sound like Strats. They sound pretty similar, we wouldn't be able to tell them apart in a blind test. Knowing that the Sire has just slightly hotter pickups would be a giveaway, but guess what guitar a song is recorded with? It's not relevant. You will be able to gig and record with any of them, with most of the guitars out there, as long as they're set up well. Fender has the name, and if you want to try it, you can buy one used and then sell it without a loss.
I like both. Not as nearly as drastic of a difference as a Les Paul vs Strat, but different for sure. I love the sound of the Sire, but the Fender sounds like a Fender. I generally play older music (I'm 53) and I gravitate to the slightly more unrefined sound of the Fender. That rawness of the Fender is easier to refine and shape with the amp and eq, but the more refined sound of the Sire would be harder to make sound raw in my opinion. They both are great sounding and neither is a bad choice.
The Fender seemed brighter to my ear? I'd like to hear a USA Strat along side the Site.
I like sound of Sire more than Fender's. Fender is more "spiky" for my ears and those high frequencies sounds classically, but for me, too much of them. Also I'm more a humbucker guy, so I like this hearable higher output of Sire single coils.
Sound like strats to me....Love them both.
Haha, I initially looked and thought you had messed up Squier!
Suggest to mention neck thickness and taper (I.e. does it get a lot thicker as you move up the neck). Neck profile is super important to how people connect with a guitar IMO