I’ve been been playing bass casually since I was 17 but getting a fretless really revamped my interest (I’m 32 now). There’s something you get from it that you just can’t from a fretted bass. This one is definitely on my want list!
Ha un suono più morbido e tendenzialmente più scuro come i vecchi bassi di una volta questa è la prima sensazione che proverai è anche bello sentire una tastiera fretless senza tasti sotto le dita è uno strumento passivo (meglio dal mio punto di vista). Alla vista sembra un basso di fascia alta e non di fascia media come è in realtà poi se vuoi essere un vero bassista il fretless lo devi avere... 🤟🎸😘👍❤️ 8:18
I'm with you there. I dig the new finishes on the V3 and V7 with the matching headstocks (the burgundy, orange, blue) and I dig the V5 with the roasty toasty maple neck. What I don't dig are those darned V3's with the sunburst body, rw/laurel FB, and a natural headstock. We hateses its.
I got so I like it and refreshing not to see a typical headstock. Actually for a brand that has only been out for 5 years or so, their headstock is very recognizable to gear loving bass players-you just know it is a Sire. They can't copy other manufacturers without a lawsuit and I'm good with their design.
Watching this just a few hours after the Squier Classic Vibe video (and 2 years after they were made)! Big contrast in appearance and tone here. Very nice. And honestly I usually hate sunburst finishes but this one is really nice looking.
Thanks Scott! Yeah I LOVE this bass and the burst on it. I've been running it without a pickguard and with the white covered Dimarzio Area J's and it's a stunner
Dark blue silk sounds like Daddario Chromes. Check for multi colored ball ends. Killer flats, IMHO. The lightest gauge they sell is remarkably good sounding and feeling.
Cool Lobster , that sounds so much better then the Squier CV. I think those strings are chromes. I have a V5 fretted looks like I need a fretless V5 . I acually like my V5 better then my V7
I remember asking you to review V5 in your V3 video review and finally you did it. Im glad that you reviewed the fretless one. I believe this is the first review video of Sire V5 Fretless on youtube. I have the fretted one, same color, 4 string. My V5 strung with ernie ball from the factory. I believe Sire started using earnie ball in 2020 instead of d'addario. Talking about the price, i got it IDR 6.986.000 (Indonesian Rupiah) (USD 497) and luckly with Sire Gigbag included :D I bought it directly from Sire official dealer here in Indonesia. Cheers
I just purchased this one from Thomann today it will take 4 to 7 weeks but I've been looking for one for the last 6 months on and off not sure if I want to purchase it but your review was great and as you see I did it the price from Thomann was the best and for sure I'm satisfied. Thanks for the review.
Hey Lobster , I just saw this again and now this bass is on my mental wish list again. One thing I like about the V5 is also the 70s pickup spacing . From your video it seems like the fret lines are barely noticeable ( another plus) .
Looking at this again for the first time in a while. I love your review style. I like it most with tone at 50%. What a gorgeous instrument!!!! Just wish I had a reason to buy one these days.
Man! I haven’t seen you enjoy playing a bass this much for some time! That’s so cool! Now I want one of those. My old Pedulla is becoming too desirable to play out at club/bar gigs (fear of it growing legs)once the pandemic is finally under control, and that passive Sire sounds every bit as great! Thanks for the amazing videos and excellent tip on this bass!
I can see what you meant by the lacquered neck adding MWAH!! It’d be interesting to hear the Sire neck paired with the Squier electronics (project maybe??) I’ll still not be buying a fretless anytime soon.
Thanks Rev! Nah, the Squier's time in my flock is short stayed (sold). The Sire is going to be getting some more content and will be seen on some other channels very soon.
Thanks for this great overview of the V5, Lobster! I really appreciate your genuine reviews. Honest and no nonsense. And in this one especially, it's clear how much fun you're having. I was back and forth between the Squire CV fretless and this Sire and you sold me on this one. Literally, I just ordered it... so thanks for the deep dive. Keep on keeping' on!
I've watched this video(and others covering the fretless V5) about five times in the last few days. I m anxiously awaiting my 5 string natural version.
@lowendlobster, I would love to see a page where you chart all your reviews, with "claw counts" and links to the YT reviews. Something sortable would be great!
I steered clear of flatwounds for a LONG time but the Daddario Chromes were an ear opener. I bought a used Warmoth jazz bass strung with then and I found that they were nearly as bright as roundwounds. I restrung one of my basses with them and might do my fretless Jazz Bass Special with them.
Nice! Yeah it took me a while to get used to flats when I first started. They felt like that glossy-ish paper that I hate the feel of, but now I don't mind
Howdy, used your experience helped a lot. Bought the freted V5 for only $450 shipped, super pumped I did! Tried many passive J bass's from different company's, for me this one is tops!
Awesome! Congrats! That's a great deal as well. I have another video on this bass coming after all the mods I did. The biggest/best mod was the proper grounding/shielding and adding the DiMarzio Area J pickups. Nails the classic J tone without any of the single coil hum! Hipshot licensed ultralites and an Albridge high mass bridge balanced the bass out quite nicely as well. Congrats again and enjoy! :)
Great review. I have one on order. It was due yesterday but delivery this time of year is tight. Looking forward to the grand unboxing and playing it next week. Your review swung my choice to Sire so hats off.
I've got a v5 fretted, now I'm feeling the need for a fretless version too. If they did a split coil only passive P bass i think I'd have to pull the trigger on that too! Shout out to Andertons as well, always get great service from Lee and his team. Great demo too, some great playing!
Thanks Darren! Yeah man, like a P5 or something with the same color/wood scheme as the V5... yes.... yes... YES! Yeah man, Andertons was awesome. Love their vids, and the team was very communicative throughout the whole process. Quick and easy!
It sounds really nice. Sounds free. Not caged or restricted like a fretted bass. Hope this makes scene to some. Once again, thank you for your time and what you do. PS. Enjoy your time ❤
:), IMO it's instruments like these that are easy to play and use that help you become a better player. Not saying 'gear makes the player', but a quality instrument where you can practice without the instrument getting in the way is the best
Wow - I just found this review. The look of this V5 fretless is outstanding - with the exception of the headstock, which looks like it was modeled after a proboscis monkey. But the tone.....................aaaahhh. Now I want one, but first I will need to clean up the drool on the front of my shirt. Thank you LowEndLobster!!
Hey man, great video. Been hunting for a fretless under 800 to add to my stable, and I’m really loving the sound of this beauty. That roasted maple is gorgeous! You made up my mind for me, thanks so much!
Thanks Nathan! I'm really impressed with the latest line of Sire. They're definitely listening to what the community wants and are doing a great job delivering. The V5 IMO has the quality, price, and features (or lack there of- which is appreciated as I'm not a huge fan of the sire preamp) to make this a killer package. Enjoy!
Great review as always. I am particular about fretless tone and tend to like it better with the tone backed off to emphasize the warmth; more of a Pino than Jaco tone even though I love his tone. For this reason I actually prefer an untreated ebony or rosewood board but that Sire sounded really sweet
Thanks Keith! I'm with you on the ebony. I should do another vid on my Status Electro II that I reviewed very early on. It may be my favorite fretless due to it's insane versatility. It can get a really nice funk fusion tone that's still maintains warmth, and if you solo the piezo it pwns the upright tone.
Have you had a chance to look/review the 5 string version of this bass? :) The 4 string is not in stock for 13 - 17 weeks on Thomann and only 5 string version available on Sweetwater,
Yeah this is really on my radar at the moment, mid-end of the market for fretless basses has really shrunk in the last few years, this one looks great, straightforward and without too many knobs like the previous ones.
Thanks Decay! I agree, this is one of the best value fretlesses out there. Lacquered board, roasted neck, great build quality and a great mod platform. Hardware (bridge/tuners) have always been Sire's weak point IMO, but the stuff on here is off of the V7. Tuners are heavy but work well (definitely recommend replacing with Hipshot Ultralite LIC tuners!).
Sounds great! You absolutely sold me. I think I might want one of these. I am definitely a fan of fretless basses with a finished fingerboard. I just checked Thomann and Andertons didn’t see it in either place.
I forgot to mention that they're called the "Marcus Miller" and not "Sire" over there for some reason... Here's the link to Andertons where I got mine. I think mine was the one used in their vid cause mine was 330 GBP not 399. Either way, saved some money ;P. www.andertons.co.uk/brands/sire/sire-v-series-basses/sire-v5-basses/sire-version-2-fretless-marcus-miller-v5-alder-4-string-tobacco-sunburst
@@LowEndLobster One bit of good news is that if one does decide to replace the bridge, measure for new holes, fill the old ones, etc. it’s not like you would be sullying a collectible vintage bass.
I don't have any problems with seven knobs... except for one. The double decker knobs are very, very high and the volume/tone stack is constantly on my picking hand's path.
Personally, the stacks confuse me when on the go. When things are laid out with like a vol/blend and then a 3 band with smaller knobs, that makes sense in my brain. Maybe I'm getting old :P
@@LowEndLobster Probably :D I'm 22 and I can adjust things without looking. But I'd rather sacrifice the treble control and make the tone a separate knob.
First and foremost, I absolutely LOVE fretless. I'd be happy if I could play half or more stuff I play on a fretless bass. I even have my favourite tone recipe: solo the bridge pickup, add some chorus and play with a light touch closer to the neck - voila, the perfect fretless tone! I'd prefer roundwounds though - flats (D'Addario Chromes in this case) kill the mwah. The fingerboard is coated so no need to worry about it wearing off. Anyways - great bass! Although yeah, I'm still dreaming about an Ibanez Musician fretless (about 3-4x the price) or, better yet, being a die hard Mick Karn fan, a Wal (ca. 12x the price of the Sire). Oh well.
Just got mine! In the "natural" finish. Slapped some DR Hi-Beams on it and after a light setup/intonation... boy oh boy does it sing. Mwah for days. The finish on the neck is really something special.
@@LowEndLobster I think I may be swapping the pickups for SD Apollo's. I had them in a MIM jbass and they were such an improvement. These Sire pickups have that same sort of tone so far, which I definitely don't hate, but I miss that Apollo sound.
Great review - I have changed my Fenders with "Sire Marcus Mille", they are just more.........nice made, high quality! In my world "Fender" is more a myth, "Sire" is a development. Sire is getting there with better bridges/tuners, they listen to their customers where Fender maybe should get there a.. out of their custom shops......just that feeling of that "Sire" neck
I just bought one of these on the strength of this very detailed review. Liked and subscribed, thanks for your hard work man. P.S. got mine from Thomann, delivered to New Zealand for a very reasonable cost. Took two weeks to get here, but to be expected at this time of year.
Nice bass and great review! I just may have to put this bass on my bucket list. Before I forget (again), have you done any reviews on basses from Carvin/Kiesel? Your channel is my #1 go-to for honest and accurate reviews. What also really pushes it way over the top for me is your skill and experience in doing mods. i wish I had that as well. And I love the kitties too. Previously, I had hoped there would be a bass that checks ALL the boxes and doesn't need any mods but I can see that's not realistic. Thanks for steering us toward quality components and some good guidance on DIY. I'm glad to discover there actually are some humming cancelling jazz pickups out there. I need to have one retrofitted on my Samick Artist PJ 5 string. BTW, I see that Bully did a review on this bass and he slapped it too. Big surprise, LOL. Thanks for bringing us quality content that helps us all advance in our gear acumen and playing experience. Blessings upon you!
So, that bass looks like alot of fun?. But seriously this bass looks like its worth alot more than they are charging for it (except the bridge) and it sounds like it too especially on the bridge pickup on half tone. It really does have that mmwwaah that a fretless should have.
This is one sharp looking bass. Takes the whole package to make me like the classic 3-tone burst. With the shine on the neck, I'm assuming a thick layer of lacquer. Wonder how that's going to wear with a fretless.
im currently on the lookout for a fretless bass. These seem sick. Drill in a bridge, give it some hipshot tuners and throw in some passive bartolinis with a nice preamp and you got yourself a 700-900 dolar build thats gonna sound and feel way way waaaaay more expensive
These are very sick indeed! IMO I'd start with the tuners and take it from there as you see necessary. The stock electronics are above average, but there's always fancier things haha. The drop in preamp game is also strong right now, a definite possibility!
@@LowEndLobster collect all the Jaco-like things and stitch a special event together. :-) I think I just figured out big and small contents. nice...but I'm hoping you'll also demo the Vintage J74 Icon fretless, as it is another Jaco-like thing and a liegit organic Jaco-like trend is invariably a great thing to have on a bass channel :-)
Vintage also makes a "Geddy" relic'd model as well. I guess the ultimate would be to rip the frets out of the Geddy model and then I'd have the Jaco model but in black with black block inlays... :-) ua-cam.com/video/bPz86IFYaOY/v-deo.html BTW I received my '92 Washburn MB-6 and it's crazy how simply natural 6 string bass feels. The C string is not weird feeling at all like everyone seems to think when they are picking up a 6; it feels *right* and all I'm doing now is working on programming my brain to hear the correct mapping of pitch to fingering...fretless makes things so easy. I'll be glad when I can do all skills on a fretless and I can just forget about the other sort. Much less effort - like reading standard notation instead of tab; just had that argument/discussion with another very skilled streaming guitarist and they basically told me in front of 100 people that I was insane and then someone in chat popped off and said "yeah, my gf says the same thing, reading standard is easier than tab, and I don't get it" after someone else started accusing me of *flexes in standard notation* when I literally get a headache reading tab - it's the extra conversions, my neurons collapse on them. After you spend years trying to map your fingers to ear to pitch to speed to fingering tone and clarity, tab is confusing as hell because I worked hard trying to understand where my fingers go...if I did my proper practice, then I would know where my fingers go when I understand what they're supposed to express. *Just show me the pitch and expression and let me use my fucking instrument please*
There's a bass that's been on Reverb for months that nobody has bought and I want. It comes with BOTH necks, factory OEM. :-) Then again, I'm a sucker for reasonably priced high quality japanese vintage... :-) It's even maple and I adore maple basses (my TL5 is maple and it's kind of epic with the thick/heavy super ferrites on it), the color scheme is rad af, and yes I literally said RAD. I love my 78 fender fretless P/zebrawood original boogie body (Boogie split and Warmoth resulted), but it's heavy AF and you're going to pay a couple kbucks for one now. It was my only bass for years, I got it for like $450 decades ago and it was a steal then. Anyhow, there are some great instruments out there. Some of the Westone gear is really good - and some of the period electronics can be surprisingly voiced in a great way, Matsumoku built Aria are a great example. A good fretless FGN from that period is going to run you 2-3x a Matsumoku build. Alternately, you can just buy a bass you like the sound of at dirt cheap and replace the neck or remove the frets yourself, which is a much easier process to do than people think or putting them back on. Or - hit up Warmoth or another seller of *finished* necks and just bolt it on. You can buy an OEM spec fretless P bass neck, *today*, for about $250 if you want high quality and don't buy up for flaming, special fingerboard wood, etc from a few suppliers. RARE Matsumoku Westone Spectrum LX 1986 Bass w/2 Necks Fretted & Fretless Comes with original hard shell case in average condition. It’s rare to find the SPECTRUM LX X695BK with both necks and the case. A great addition to any collection. ABOUT THE INSTRUMENT: TOTALLY UNIQUE FEATURING INTERCHANGEABLE NECKS -- FRETTED & UNFRETTED From catalog information: Westone Spectrum LX bass (X695) Unusually this model came with two necks, a fretted and a fretless. It was also available with just the fretted neck (22 fret, 34" scale). The fretless neck had position dots along the top side , white in all the normal positions (3, 5, 7, 12 etc) and red for the rest. Two Westone Magnaflux unbalanced coil pickups (One Magnabass II, one Magnabass IV), active tone controls, coil tap and phase switches. Thanks to the unbalanced coil pickups, switching on coil tap doesn't result in any significant loss of volume. NOTE - NOT ORIGINAL PICKUPS Maple body, Canadian Hard Maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, graphite nut.
@@russellzauner right now im just window shopping for the frettless cuz i got my jazz ultra like a month and a half ago and my wallet is still hurting. I will check out these westone basses man, i really appreciate the help and orientation! A big part of my search has been finding my own the price-quality sweetspot for these frettless bass models. Have you seen the Status Graphite that lobster has? That was the frettless i really really wanted but finding it on reverb is nearly impossible. FGN also has been on my radar since lobster did his mighty jazz review. Ive never played one since they dont import them where i live, but in the summer (if im covid vaccinated by then) im going to japan and one of my days is going to be dedicated to crashing the FGN factory/workshop and getting a bass to take back home. Hopefully they put out some crazy frettless model by then and i can try using my latin charm to get them to give me a good price 🤷🏼
Lobster, are you going to check out the new MetroExpress basses? The PJ one looks very tempting. Sadowsky pickups + preamp AND a gig bag for under $900? Count me in!
One may or may not be coming to my doorstep today and I may or may not be making an unboxing and initial impressions video that may or may not drop tomorrow... hypothetically speaking of course ;).
Could You please do vid with p7 fretless too? I wonder if its worth it with their p-pickups. I've been searching on youtube about this bass and there werent any valueable result. Good video about v5, but it's (in my country) more expensive than p7 fretless, that's why I'm askin.
Hey brother fantastic short clip playing of continuum, I would like to see you review the fretted version to that bass I own the V7 vintage 4 string ,but I still want the v5....are you aware that different finishes make basses sound different, even if it's the same wood
It definitely has a warmer tone than my Cort Curbow Fretless with an ebonol fretboard. It’s beautiful and that roasted maple neck looks fabulous. Definitely a great value at $600. Is the back of the neck natural? Does Sire state that you can use roundwound strings without damaging the fretboard?
The back of the neck is natural and has probably a light satin or oil or something. Sire hasn't made any statements regarding the fretboard, in fact they don't even mention the coating on the website!
Just remembered you told me this one was a fretless!!!....well that neck is slick looking for sure....not like the BFR slick...but still looks good!!!!
SO I CAN PUT A DIFFERENT BRIDGE I JUST HAVE TO MAKE THE HOLES YOU SAID RIGHT? THAT SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM FOR A BASS TECH THAT KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING RIGHT? IM PLANING TO GET IT IM CHANGING EVERYTHING ON IT
I'm not into sunburst instrument and i'm not with jazz bass neither.... but this one looks awesome. And I even think this one with regular string would slap good :D
Marcus Miller is one of my all time favorite bassists and he helps design amazing instruments I can actually afford 🙌🏽 thank you for this great review. I have the V3 and fretless V5 is next, down the road.
Thanks Jess! They NAILED it with the V5 IMO. I've modded mine a bit since this video and have another 'Sire Mod Squad' video coming up detailing the current and future mods of my 3 favorite Sires in my stable (P10, V7 'Siredowsky' w/ sadowsky pre, and V5 fretless with new bridge and tuners)
Another great video!!! My 5 string (£470 btw) has a different screw pattern, 6 screws along the bottom of the bridge. So maybe? A drop in might be available?
Thanks Ryan! You are correct, the 5 stringers can be swapped out but I haven't confirmed this 100%.... I may snag a 5'er one of these at some point. I like it.
@@LowEndLobster Cool! You won't regret it! Amazing bottom end and my particular bass has lovely figuring on the back. Like you said, the neck is gorgeous, silky smooth. It would be interesting to see what bridge options are available 🤔
Great reviews Lobster, love the sound on this v5 but my dream sound-wise is probably a Stingray Fretless, but I'm looking for a more budget! bass (sub $700), with this in mind would this, the p7, or something else be a better fit?
Great question JA! I'm actually going to do a follow up on this bass very soon, I did some mods to it and replaced the bridge with an AlBridge unit and tuners with Hipshot Licensed Ultralites. The tuners are of good quality, but are not lightweight and you will get a little neck dive, though nothing drastic or deal-breaking here. That being said, the Ultralites helped balance out the instrument a bit, and I've done the mod to my P10 and have a set coming for my V7 vintage as well. IMO the hardware has always been Sire's sticking point. They make great pickups, a take it or leave it preamp, and the body and neck construction is great. The hardware (and the use of lower end parts on higher end instruments) has been the big sticking point for me across most of their model lineup.
LowEnd got the smile and the stank-face going while playing some Jaco. That was the entire review right there. Personally, I would throw some rounds on there instead of the flats for a bit more brighness.
The LOBSTER MWAH PEDDLE 🦞 there's an idea! It could be a fretless tone in a wah,. I would definitely buy that! That's the first Sire I've actually seen that I want now
Thanks Aaron! Haha that is an idea. I have an envelope filter but not a dedicated Wah, should probably snag one ahahaha. Yeah man, I feel the same way. The V3 was nice but still a cheap instrument, the V7 styling never did it for me (and I'm not a huge fan of the preamp complexity), but this one just hits right.
Hey Lob. Great review as always! I have had a couple of Sire`s but they need better tuners and bridge. And that headstock is massive but I know that this is subjective. Anyway, I really enjoy your reviews, some of the best on YT. You mention Andertons in the UK, do you watch their "All about the bass" reviews? Nathan King from Level 42 (and brother of Mark) and Lee are a great double act, great players and funny with it. Have you tried any Sanbergs? I own a couple and they are excellent basses. Musicman quality at Fender US price. It would be good to know your opinions. Anyway, keep up the good work and a big salutation from Bonnie Scotland!
Thank you Micheal! Of course I do. I try and watch as much bass content as possible to understand what's going on in the bass world :). I enjoy the Andertons guys, goofy lads who love music and instruments.
I can always tell when you REALLY like a bass.
:)
Thanks Lobster, I don't need any more basses but now I do.
Whoops ;P
I’ve been been playing bass casually since I was 17 but getting a fretless really revamped my interest (I’m 32 now). There’s something you get from it that you just can’t from a fretted bass. This one is definitely on my want list!
Ha un suono più morbido e tendenzialmente più scuro come i vecchi bassi di una volta questa è la prima sensazione che proverai è anche bello sentire una tastiera fretless senza tasti sotto le dita è uno strumento passivo (meglio dal mio punto di vista). Alla vista sembra un basso di fascia alta e non di fascia media come è in realtà poi se vuoi essere un vero bassista il fretless lo devi avere... 🤟🎸😘👍❤️ 8:18
Thats one of the prettiest fretboards i've ever seen
Thanks Ruben!
The sire headstock is definitely more palatable to me when it matches the body
I'm with you there. I dig the new finishes on the V3 and V7 with the matching headstocks (the burgundy, orange, blue) and I dig the V5 with the roasty toasty maple neck. What I don't dig are those darned V3's with the sunburst body, rw/laurel FB, and a natural headstock. We hateses its.
I got so I like it and refreshing not to see a typical headstock. Actually for a brand that has only been out for 5 years or so, their headstock is very recognizable to gear loving bass players-you just know it is a Sire. They can't copy other manufacturers without a lawsuit and I'm good with their design.
the roasted maple with that logo makes this look like such a classy bass, i gotta check one out!
Thanks coolguy! Right? I'm not a fan of the headstock shape, but in this config it's absolutely beautiful!
The D'ADDARIO "Chromes"!!
:)
Watching this just a few hours after the Squier Classic Vibe video (and 2 years after they were made)! Big contrast in appearance and tone here. Very nice. And honestly I usually hate sunburst finishes but this one is really nice looking.
Thanks Scott! Yeah I LOVE this bass and the burst on it. I've been running it without a pickguard and with the white covered Dimarzio Area J's and it's a stunner
Dark blue silk sounds like Daddario Chromes. Check for multi colored ball ends. Killer flats, IMHO. The lightest gauge they sell is remarkably good sounding and feeling.
Thanks Jon!
Cool Lobster , that sounds so much better then the Squier CV. I think those strings are chromes. I have a V5 fretted looks like I need a fretless V5 .
I acually like my V5 better then my V7
Thanks Michael! I think you're right, my Gibson LP Jr. Tribute has chromes and they're the same color. Thank you! They really nailed it with the V5
@@LowEndLobster I just got some Ironworks strings also. They’re great .. Wound a bit tighter, smoother to the touch .
Because of you now I Need to have this fretless, can't imagine what it sounds like with a little chorus, my God
Thanks Stephen! I'll be doing a follow up 'post-mods' video on this bass and will definitely be sure to use some chorus :)
I remember asking you to review V5 in your V3 video review and finally you did it. Im glad that you reviewed the fretless one. I believe this is the first review video of Sire V5 Fretless on youtube. I have the fretted one, same color, 4 string. My V5 strung with ernie ball from the factory. I believe Sire started using earnie ball in 2020 instead of d'addario. Talking about the price, i got it IDR 6.986.000 (Indonesian Rupiah) (USD 497) and luckly with Sire Gigbag included :D
I bought it directly from Sire official dealer here in Indonesia. Cheers
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed the vid :). Thank you for sharing your experience with your V5 fretted. Enjoy it :)
I just purchased this one from Thomann today it will take 4 to 7 weeks but I've been looking for one for the last 6 months on and off not sure if I want to purchase it but your review was great and as you see I did it the price from Thomann was the best and for sure I'm satisfied. Thanks for the review.
Wow! That's a beauty of a bass and it sounds amazing. Head and shoulders above the squire.
Thank you Luigi :)
The fretted version of this will be landing on my door step on Thursday. Can’t wait. 😊😊😊
Hell yeah! Congrats!
*pulseox jumps in unboxing*
Hey Lobster , I just saw this again and now this bass is on my mental wish list again. One thing I like about the V5 is also the 70s pickup spacing . From your video it seems like the fret lines are barely noticeable ( another plus) .
Thanks Michael! You make all excellent points, lines are visible to the player but not overly noticeable outside that and the 70's spacing is nice!
Looking at this again for the first time in a while. I love your review style. I like it most with tone at 50%. What a gorgeous instrument!!!! Just wish I had a reason to buy one these days.
Thanks Andy! Sorry for the late reply. This is absolutely one of my favorite jazz basses. I have a fretted one coming this week! :)
I know of a track you could jam to that really fits that bass, it's "How To Explain" by The Cat Empire, they used a fretless bass there as well!
Thanks Jack! I'll check it out :)
Man! I haven’t seen you enjoy playing a bass this much for some time! That’s so cool! Now I want one of those. My old Pedulla is becoming too desirable to play out at club/bar gigs (fear of it growing legs)once the pandemic is finally under control, and that passive Sire sounds every bit as great! Thanks for the amazing videos and excellent tip on this bass!
Thanks Chuck :) Glad you enjoyed the video! Sire is killing it with their 'Gen 3' stuff (V5, U5 and the upcoming P5 and D5)
I had a Fretless V9 and you totally hit the nail on the head with the loads of knobs comment.
How noisy was the pickups?
I recently purchased some Picato flatwounds. They have blue binding on them and are made in England.
I can see what you meant by the lacquered neck adding MWAH!! It’d be interesting to hear the Sire neck paired with the Squier electronics (project maybe??) I’ll still not be buying a fretless anytime soon.
Thanks Rev! Nah, the Squier's time in my flock is short stayed (sold). The Sire is going to be getting some more content and will be seen on some other channels very soon.
Thanks for this great overview of the V5, Lobster! I really appreciate your genuine reviews. Honest and no nonsense. And in this one especially, it's clear how much fun you're having. I was back and forth between the Squire CV fretless and this Sire and you sold me on this one. Literally, I just ordered it... so thanks for the deep dive. Keep on keeping' on!
Thank you and congratulations on your bass!
I've watched this video(and others covering the fretless V5) about five times in the last few days. I m anxiously awaiting my 5 string natural version.
Congrats! Sire makes killer fretless basses. I still love this V5 (and I still have it).
@lowendlobster, I would love to see a page where you chart all your reviews, with "claw counts" and links to the YT reviews. Something sortable would be great!
Thanks Kirt! We'll be expanding the channel in a big way for the new year, including a website and all that info :). Stay tuned!
You can order them from Chicago Music Exchange in the US too!
Awesome! Thank you :). I love the folks at CME! I have a shirt from them somewhere haha
I steered clear of flatwounds for a LONG time but the Daddario Chromes were an ear opener. I bought a used Warmoth jazz bass strung with then and I found that they were nearly as bright as roundwounds. I restrung one of my basses with them and might do my fretless Jazz Bass Special with them.
Nice! Yeah it took me a while to get used to flats when I first started. They felt like that glossy-ish paper that I hate the feel of, but now I don't mind
Howdy, used your experience helped a lot. Bought the freted V5 for only $450 shipped, super pumped I did! Tried many passive J bass's from different company's, for me this one is tops!
Awesome! Congrats! That's a great deal as well. I have another video on this bass coming after all the mods I did. The biggest/best mod was the proper grounding/shielding and adding the DiMarzio Area J pickups. Nails the classic J tone without any of the single coil hum! Hipshot licensed ultralites and an Albridge high mass bridge balanced the bass out quite nicely as well. Congrats again and enjoy! :)
Ah that neck pickup sounds rich with the tone down. Nice dubby precision vibes. Then a very singsong bridge tone too. Tasty
Thanks James!
Great review. I have one on order. It was due yesterday but delivery this time of year is tight. Looking forward to the grand unboxing and playing it next week. Your review swung my choice to Sire so hats off.
Wow you can really get that Jaco tone with that bass
Good job man💙💪
Thank you Ej!
I've got a v5 fretted, now I'm feeling the need for a fretless version too.
If they did a split coil only passive P bass i think I'd have to pull the trigger on that too!
Shout out to Andertons as well, always get great service from Lee and his team.
Great demo too, some great playing!
Thanks Darren! Yeah man, like a P5 or something with the same color/wood scheme as the V5... yes.... yes... YES! Yeah man, Andertons was awesome. Love their vids, and the team was very communicative throughout the whole process. Quick and easy!
@@LowEndLobster yep, exactly, a P5! I'm having GAS for a bass that doesn't yet exist! Love the channel, look forward to more ☺️
@@DarrenSaw Thank you Darren :)
Lots of people must have agreed because now the P5 does exist!
Fantastic! Love your honesty and unabashed enthusiasm. Thanks mate.
Thanks Mark! Glad you enjoyed this
It sounds really nice. Sounds free. Not caged or restricted like a fretted bass. Hope this makes scene to some. Once again, thank you for your time and what you do. PS. Enjoy your time ❤
I just tried this out in a store and hate that im too much of a beginner for fretless. Its so so good
:), IMO it's instruments like these that are easy to play and use that help you become a better player. Not saying 'gear makes the player', but a quality instrument where you can practice without the instrument getting in the way is the best
I want a fretless P bass next. This thing sounds killer though!
Thanks Mitchell! We'll DEFINITELY be checking out a fretless P5 (and fretted too hopefully!)
Wow - I just found this review. The look of this V5 fretless is outstanding - with the exception of the headstock, which looks like it was modeled after a proboscis monkey. But the tone.....................aaaahhh. Now I want one, but first I will need to clean up the drool on the front of my shirt. Thank you LowEndLobster!!
Thanks Chris! Glad you enjoyed this one
I have the V7 fretless. Love it a lot.
Gotta try it with Thomastik Jazz Flats! That’s what I have on my fretless J, and I love them
I love TI flats!
Hey man, great video. Been hunting for a fretless under 800 to add to my stable, and I’m really loving the sound of this beauty. That roasted maple is gorgeous! You made up my mind for me, thanks so much!
Thanks Nathan! I'm really impressed with the latest line of Sire. They're definitely listening to what the community wants and are doing a great job delivering. The V5 IMO has the quality, price, and features (or lack there of- which is appreciated as I'm not a huge fan of the sire preamp) to make this a killer package. Enjoy!
Did you end up getting this bass?
Nice job on continuum. Sounds great, and fantastic demo as usual
Thanks Todd :)
Wow that neck pickup at 50% really sounds like an upright! 😮
Thanks Comrade :)
Great review as always. I am particular about fretless tone and tend to like it better with the tone backed off to emphasize the warmth; more of a Pino than Jaco tone even though I love his tone. For this reason I actually prefer an untreated ebony or rosewood board but that Sire sounded really sweet
Thanks Keith! I'm with you on the ebony. I should do another vid on my Status Electro II that I reviewed very early on. It may be my favorite fretless due to it's insane versatility. It can get a really nice funk fusion tone that's still maintains warmth, and if you solo the piezo it pwns the upright tone.
Only guessing - the 'flats' might be Picato, a common brand here in the UK.
Have you had a chance to look/review the 5 string version of this bass? :) The 4 string is not in stock for 13 - 17 weeks on Thomann and only 5 string version available on Sweetwater,
No not yet, only the P10 and P5 fretted (for the fender style instruments). They make awesome 5 string necks.
That things sounds and looks amazing
Thanks Ryan!
Yeah this is really on my radar at the moment, mid-end of the market for fretless basses has really shrunk in the last few years, this one looks great, straightforward and without too many knobs like the previous ones.
Thanks Decay! I agree, this is one of the best value fretlesses out there. Lacquered board, roasted neck, great build quality and a great mod platform. Hardware (bridge/tuners) have always been Sire's weak point IMO, but the stuff on here is off of the V7. Tuners are heavy but work well (definitely recommend replacing with Hipshot Ultralite LIC tuners!).
Sounds great! You absolutely sold me. I think I might want one of these. I am definitely a fan of fretless basses with a finished fingerboard. I just checked Thomann and Andertons didn’t see it in either place.
I forgot to mention that they're called the "Marcus Miller" and not "Sire" over there for some reason... Here's the link to Andertons where I got mine. I think mine was the one used in their vid cause mine was 330 GBP not 399. Either way, saved some money ;P.
www.andertons.co.uk/brands/sire/sire-v-series-basses/sire-v5-basses/sire-version-2-fretless-marcus-miller-v5-alder-4-string-tobacco-sunburst
@@LowEndLobster One bit of good news is that if one does decide to replace the bridge, measure for new holes, fill the old ones, etc. it’s not like you would be sullying a collectible vintage bass.
@@samlelowitch Indeed!
Please do a fender tony franklin review?
I'll see what I can do in the future :)
Thank you friend!
I don't have any problems with seven knobs... except for one. The double decker knobs are very, very high and the volume/tone stack is constantly on my picking hand's path.
Personally, the stacks confuse me when on the go. When things are laid out with like a vol/blend and then a 3 band with smaller knobs, that makes sense in my brain. Maybe I'm getting old :P
@@LowEndLobster Probably :D I'm 22 and I can adjust things without looking. But I'd rather sacrifice the treble control and make the tone a separate knob.
First and foremost, I absolutely LOVE fretless. I'd be happy if I could play half or more stuff I play on a fretless bass. I even have my favourite tone recipe: solo the bridge pickup, add some chorus and play with a light touch closer to the neck - voila, the perfect fretless tone! I'd prefer roundwounds though - flats (D'Addario Chromes in this case) kill the mwah. The fingerboard is coated so no need to worry about it wearing off. Anyways - great bass! Although yeah, I'm still dreaming about an Ibanez Musician fretless (about 3-4x the price) or, better yet, being a die hard Mick Karn fan, a Wal (ca. 12x the price of the Sire). Oh well.
Thanks Bassdriver! Oooh I LOVE the Musicians. I'd love to get my hands on one of those.
Yeah I allways put flatwounds on my fretless
That is a nice bass. Excellent neck..
Thanks! Indeed, it's my favorite fretless jazz. I recently put a preamp in this, video coming soon ;)
Just got mine! In the "natural" finish. Slapped some DR Hi-Beams on it and after a light setup/intonation...
boy oh boy does it sing. Mwah for days. The finish on the neck is really something special.
Awesome! So glad you're digging yours! Enjoy :)
@@LowEndLobster I think I may be swapping the pickups for SD Apollo's. I had them in a MIM jbass and they were such an improvement. These Sire pickups have that same sort of tone so far, which I definitely don't hate, but I miss that Apollo sound.
Had my V5 fretted 4 string since June. Agree with all your points. I have 9050L's on it now. Want to try Chromes after seeing this. Thanks!
Thanks Art!
Those are most likely D'addario Chromes as Sure uses D'addario strings.
I think you're right. I have LaBellas on this now. Will be doing a follow up post mods, this bass is a BEAST
Great review - I have changed my Fenders with "Sire Marcus Mille", they are just more.........nice made, high quality! In my world "Fender" is more a myth, "Sire" is a development. Sire is getting there with better bridges/tuners, they listen to their customers where Fender maybe should get there a.. out of their custom shops......just that feeling of that "Sire" neck
nice groove man,great bass
Thanks Jaime!
A very good Review, and thanks for a Amazing moment in fretless time. 👏👏👏
OMG 😍 that bass is awesome 🦞! 😎👍 When ya giggle and make stank faces like that it is a winner! (blue silk on flats is usually D'Addario Chromes)
Thank you Boomer!
I just bought one of these on the strength of this very detailed review. Liked and subscribed, thanks for your hard work man. P.S. got mine from Thomann, delivered to New Zealand for a very reasonable cost. Took two weeks to get here, but to be expected at this time of year.
Thanks for the review, commentary and playing.
Wish they made the v5 with a more durable fretboard option like ebony etc.
That's a great point! I'm hoping that they eventually move to roasted maple across the board
Nice bass and great review!
I just may have to put this bass on my bucket list.
Before I forget (again), have you done any reviews on basses from Carvin/Kiesel?
Your channel is my #1 go-to for honest and accurate reviews.
What also really pushes it way over the top for me is your skill and experience in doing mods. i wish I had that as well. And I love the kitties too.
Previously, I had hoped there would be a bass that checks ALL the boxes and doesn't need any mods but I can see that's not realistic. Thanks for steering us toward quality components and some good guidance on DIY. I'm glad to discover there actually are some humming cancelling jazz pickups out there. I need to have one retrofitted on my Samick Artist PJ 5 string.
BTW, I see that Bully did a review on this bass and he slapped it too.
Big surprise, LOL.
Thanks for bringing us quality content that helps us all advance in our gear acumen and playing experience.
Blessings upon you!
So, that bass looks like alot of fun?. But seriously this bass looks like its worth alot more than they are charging for it (except the bridge) and it sounds like it too especially on the bridge pickup on half tone. It really does have that mmwwaah that a fretless should have.
It is VERY fun. Outside of the hardware things that I had mentioned (bridge+tuners), this thing is punching well above its price tag.
This is one sharp looking bass. Takes the whole package to make me like the classic 3-tone burst. With the shine on the neck, I'm assuming a thick layer of lacquer. Wonder how that's going to wear with a fretless.
Thanks Eric! The finish on the fretboard seemed pretty robust, though I probably wouldn't use stainless rounds on it hahaha
The Strings are Dadarrio Chrome Low end Lobster Great Job Playing and I'm Definitely going to get me a V5 Fretless in a Fivestring Definitely 👍🤗
Thank you Darrell!
been looking for a fretless jazz bass. i think i’ll pick up one of the new 24 fret versions of this bass and skip the fender
im currently on the lookout for a fretless bass. These seem sick. Drill in a bridge, give it some hipshot tuners and throw in some passive bartolinis with a nice preamp and you got yourself a 700-900 dolar build thats gonna sound and feel way way waaaaay more expensive
These are very sick indeed! IMO I'd start with the tuners and take it from there as you see necessary. The stock electronics are above average, but there's always fancier things haha. The drop in preamp game is also strong right now, a definite possibility!
@@LowEndLobster collect all the Jaco-like things and stitch a special event together. :-) I think I just figured out big and small contents. nice...but I'm hoping you'll also demo the Vintage J74 Icon fretless, as it is another Jaco-like thing and a liegit organic Jaco-like trend is invariably a great thing to have on a bass channel :-)
Vintage also makes a "Geddy" relic'd model as well. I guess the ultimate would be to rip the frets out of the Geddy model and then I'd have the Jaco model but in black with black block inlays... :-) ua-cam.com/video/bPz86IFYaOY/v-deo.html
BTW I received my '92 Washburn MB-6 and it's crazy how simply natural 6 string bass feels. The C string is not weird feeling at all like everyone seems to think when they are picking up a 6; it feels *right* and all I'm doing now is working on programming my brain to hear the correct mapping of pitch to fingering...fretless makes things so easy. I'll be glad when I can do all skills on a fretless and I can just forget about the other sort. Much less effort - like reading standard notation instead of tab; just had that argument/discussion with another very skilled streaming guitarist and they basically told me in front of 100 people that I was insane and then someone in chat popped off and said "yeah, my gf says the same thing, reading standard is easier than tab, and I don't get it" after someone else started accusing me of *flexes in standard notation* when I literally get a headache reading tab - it's the extra conversions, my neurons collapse on them.
After you spend years trying to map your fingers to ear to pitch to speed to fingering tone and clarity, tab is confusing as hell because I worked hard trying to understand where my fingers go...if I did my proper practice, then I would know where my fingers go when I understand what they're supposed to express.
*Just show me the pitch and expression and let me use my fucking instrument please*
There's a bass that's been on Reverb for months that nobody has bought and I want. It comes with BOTH necks, factory OEM. :-)
Then again, I'm a sucker for reasonably priced high quality japanese vintage... :-)
It's even maple and I adore maple basses (my TL5 is maple and it's kind of epic with the thick/heavy super ferrites on it), the color scheme is rad af, and yes I literally said RAD.
I love my 78 fender fretless P/zebrawood original boogie body (Boogie split and Warmoth resulted), but it's heavy AF and you're going to pay a couple kbucks for one now. It was my only bass for years, I got it for like $450 decades ago and it was a steal then. Anyhow, there are some great instruments out there. Some of the Westone gear is really good - and some of the period electronics can be surprisingly voiced in a great way, Matsumoku built Aria are a great example. A good fretless FGN from that period is going to run you 2-3x a Matsumoku build. Alternately, you can just buy a bass you like the sound of at dirt cheap and replace the neck or remove the frets yourself, which is a much easier process to do than people think or putting them back on. Or - hit up Warmoth or another seller of *finished* necks and just bolt it on. You can buy an OEM spec fretless P bass neck, *today*, for about $250 if you want high quality and don't buy up for flaming, special fingerboard wood, etc from a few suppliers.
RARE Matsumoku Westone Spectrum LX 1986 Bass w/2 Necks Fretted & Fretless
Comes with original hard shell case in average condition.
It’s rare to find the SPECTRUM LX X695BK with both necks and the case. A great addition to any collection.
ABOUT THE INSTRUMENT:
TOTALLY UNIQUE FEATURING INTERCHANGEABLE NECKS -- FRETTED & UNFRETTED
From catalog information:
Westone Spectrum LX bass (X695)
Unusually this model came with two necks, a fretted and a fretless. It was also available with just the fretted neck (22 fret, 34" scale). The fretless neck had position dots along the top side , white in all the normal positions (3, 5, 7, 12 etc) and red for the rest.
Two Westone Magnaflux unbalanced coil pickups (One Magnabass II, one Magnabass IV), active tone controls, coil tap and phase switches. Thanks to the unbalanced coil pickups, switching on coil tap doesn't result in any significant loss of volume. NOTE - NOT ORIGINAL PICKUPS
Maple body, Canadian Hard Maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, graphite nut.
@@russellzauner right now im just window shopping for the frettless cuz i got my jazz ultra like a month and a half ago and my wallet is still hurting. I will check out these westone basses man, i really appreciate the help and orientation! A big part of my search has been finding my own the price-quality sweetspot for these frettless bass models. Have you seen the Status Graphite that lobster has? That was the frettless i really really wanted but finding it on reverb is nearly impossible. FGN also has been on my radar since lobster did his mighty jazz review. Ive never played one since they dont import them where i live, but in the summer (if im covid vaccinated by then) im going to japan and one of my days is going to be dedicated to crashing the FGN factory/workshop and getting a bass to take back home. Hopefully they put out some crazy frettless model by then and i can try using my latin charm to get them to give me a good price 🤷🏼
Lobbo, you're a saint for not doing Glissando - mania over drive on this beauty.
:)
Yes!!!
D'addario flats. I think they come standard on that bass :)
Any chance of reviewing the 5 string version?
Hey Ricky! Yes, I think I'll be snagging a 5'er fretted version of this at some point.
Lobster, are you going to check out the new MetroExpress basses? The PJ one looks very tempting. Sadowsky pickups + preamp AND a gig bag for under $900? Count me in!
One may or may not be coming to my doorstep today and I may or may not be making an unboxing and initial impressions video that may or may not drop tomorrow... hypothetically speaking of course ;).
@@LowEndLobster hahahaha you always pull through! By the way, are the electronics on those USA built or nah?
Could You please do vid with p7 fretless too? I wonder if its worth it with their p-pickups. I've been searching on youtube about this bass and there werent any valueable result.
Good video about v5, but it's (in my country) more expensive than p7 fretless, that's why I'm askin.
I'll do my best, I will be checking out a fretted P7 very soon.
@@LowEndLobster thank u
Hey brother fantastic short clip playing of continuum, I would like to see you review the fretted version to that bass I own the V7 vintage 4 string ,but I still want the v5....are you aware that different finishes make basses sound different, even if it's the same wood
Thanks Stephen! I'm definitely looking to check out a V5 fretted at some point! :)
It definitely has a warmer tone than my Cort Curbow Fretless with an ebonol fretboard. It’s beautiful and that roasted maple neck looks fabulous. Definitely a great value at $600. Is the back of the neck natural? Does Sire state that you can use roundwound strings without damaging the fretboard?
The back of the neck is natural and has probably a light satin or oil or something. Sire hasn't made any statements regarding the fretboard, in fact they don't even mention the coating on the website!
Just remembered you told me this one was a fretless!!!....well that neck is slick looking for sure....not like the BFR slick...but still looks good!!!!
Hahaha indeed! The BFR is under like a mile of gloss where this just has a little poly on the fingerboard. Love the result though, such a fun bass!
SO I CAN PUT A DIFFERENT BRIDGE I JUST HAVE TO MAKE THE HOLES YOU SAID RIGHT? THAT SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM FOR A BASS TECH THAT KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING RIGHT? IM PLANING TO GET IT IM CHANGING EVERYTHING ON IT
I think I know the answer to this, but which do you like better: this bass, or the Tribute Kiloton fretless?
70s spacing fretless?
Holy shit it honestly sounds incredible.
It's still one of my favorite fretless basses. I loaned it to AMP and he has a video on it coming soon I think
I'm not into sunburst instrument and i'm not with jazz bass neither.... but this one looks awesome. And I even think this one with regular string would slap good :D
Thanks Jorge!
Real nice cool fretless
Thank Ram!
Marcus Miller is one of my all time favorite bassists and he helps design amazing instruments I can actually afford 🙌🏽 thank you for this great review. I have the V3 and fretless V5 is next, down the road.
Thanks Jess! They NAILED it with the V5 IMO. I've modded mine a bit since this video and have another 'Sire Mod Squad' video coming up detailing the current and future mods of my 3 favorite Sires in my stable (P10, V7 'Siredowsky' w/ sadowsky pre, and V5 fretless with new bridge and tuners)
@@LowEndLobster sounds epic, I can’t wait to see 🙌🏽
Good job 👍
with roundwound strings, do not risk to damage the fretboard (the varnish, the coat) in the long run?
Thank you.
Great question! It probably depends on the strings, but the lacquered board will definitely be more resistant to wear/damage vs an unfinished board
I love this bass already
Thank you :)
oh man, I already have too many fretlesses, & now I really want this one...
Another great video!!!
My 5 string (£470 btw) has a different screw pattern, 6 screws along the bottom of the bridge. So maybe? A drop in might be available?
Thanks Ryan! You are correct, the 5 stringers can be swapped out but I haven't confirmed this 100%.... I may snag a 5'er one of these at some point. I like it.
@@LowEndLobster Cool! You won't regret it! Amazing bottom end and my particular bass has lovely figuring on the back. Like you said, the neck is gorgeous, silky smooth.
It would be interesting to see what bridge options are available 🤔
I’m still waiting for the one I ordered from Music City last summer!? They surely are a hot item…dude where’s my bass?
Great reviews Lobster, love the sound on this v5 but my dream sound-wise is probably a Stingray Fretless, but I'm looking for a more budget! bass (sub $700), with this in mind would this, the p7, or something else be a better fit?
Check out my P7 fretless video! It's a really great bass and the lacquered fingerboard makes for a stellar fretless experience
What about "neck dive"?
Great question JA! I'm actually going to do a follow up on this bass very soon, I did some mods to it and replaced the bridge with an AlBridge unit and tuners with Hipshot Licensed Ultralites. The tuners are of good quality, but are not lightweight and you will get a little neck dive, though nothing drastic or deal-breaking here. That being said, the Ultralites helped balance out the instrument a bit, and I've done the mod to my P10 and have a set coming for my V7 vintage as well. IMO the hardware has always been Sire's sticking point. They make great pickups, a take it or leave it preamp, and the body and neck construction is great. The hardware (and the use of lower end parts on higher end instruments) has been the big sticking point for me across most of their model lineup.
How do you think that neck would stand up to rounds?
LowEnd got the smile and the stank-face going while playing some Jaco. That was the entire review right there. Personally, I would throw some rounds on there instead of the flats for a bit more brighness.
Great review, great bass and great playing as always. Just needs some Bebe 😂😺. All the best Lobman
Haha thank you Jean-Paul! She was feeling a little camera shy that day hahaha
Is it possible to replace just the sadles of the bridge?
You should review the Ibanez SRH500F.... and compare it to this one so I can decide which one of the two I should buy lol
That’s a fresh bass! Now I’m going to have to get one
:)
Does it come with flatwound?
I'm not sure if they do new, this was a slightly used from Andertons
The LOBSTER MWAH PEDDLE 🦞 there's an idea! It could be a fretless tone in a wah,. I would definitely buy that! That's the first Sire I've actually seen that I want now
Thanks Aaron! Haha that is an idea. I have an envelope filter but not a dedicated Wah, should probably snag one ahahaha. Yeah man, I feel the same way. The V3 was nice but still a cheap instrument, the V7 styling never did it for me (and I'm not a huge fan of the preamp complexity), but this one just hits right.
There is a very good chance I will buy a fretless V5 next week. I can tell you absolutely loved this bass, and I could use another quality fretless.
Hey Lob. Great review as always! I have had a couple of Sire`s but they need better tuners and bridge. And that headstock is massive but I know that this is subjective. Anyway, I really enjoy your reviews, some of the best on YT. You mention Andertons in the UK, do you watch their "All about the bass" reviews? Nathan King from Level 42 (and brother of Mark) and Lee are a great double act, great players and funny with it.
Have you tried any Sanbergs? I own a couple and they are excellent basses. Musicman quality at Fender US price. It would be good to know your opinions. Anyway, keep up the good work and a big salutation from Bonnie Scotland!
Thank you Micheal! Of course I do. I try and watch as much bass content as possible to understand what's going on in the bass world :). I enjoy the Andertons guys, goofy lads who love music and instruments.