That was an excellent review! I loved how you interchanged the two guitars without missing a beat. And I loved your Christmas tree! Nothing helps to justify buying a gift for yourself more than having a Christmas tree in the background.
Good comparison Andy. I have the Squier Contemporary HT and that sounds similar to the 40th anniversary. I am after a strat with a tremolo and the Sire S3 caught my attention. Have you tried the Vintage V6 reissued, that looks good too? Interestingly, Sire have just announced an S5 with higher specs for the pickups, machine heads & tremolo for about £50 more!
Nice review. Agree with you that your playing was more fluid on the Sire. Also as for tone I would give the Sire a slight edge. It sounded a bit more full, or rounded, especially on the overdrive tones.
Both sounded great, but I definitely preferred the sound of the Squier. It had a lot more Straty spank than the Sire, which, for me, is the whole point of getting one. It just had a lot more personality than the Sire, which sounded a bit generic. The shorter scale length is a bit surprising. I wonder how much it influences the sound. Really, it comes down to preferences, as we can see in the other comments here.🤷♂️
Both sound really good but the Squier has more ‘air’ in the sound - cleaner, Sire sounds warm but a little fuzzy by comparison. Could be partly due to the ceramic pups, the shorter scale length and lower string tension or a combination of both. I’d probably go for the Squier because I prefer the sound slightly and it would be easier to mod.
If the amp is set the same, the Sire will probably sound a little more overdriven due to the ceramic pickups. Squier is a classic, it's got Fender specs. The Sire are a serious contender though. I've had more than a handful of Squier guitars, and just one felt really good, good quality control. Others have had nuts that weren't cut properly, fret sprout, fret buzz, you name it. Although, I recently tried a Squier Classic Vibe 60's Stratocaster at the local shop, and it felt great! It was a joy to play! I didn't but it, I wasn't on the market for a new guitar. But now that it's sold, I kinda wish I bought it. Another CV Strat that I tried a year ago didn't feel nearly as good. A 40th Anniversary Squier Stratocaster with block inlays might have been the worst I've had. Awful QC, and setup was non existent. Totally unplayable. Sire might have a little better QC. But who knows?
I like the Sire just a bit more. But for the sound, specs and finish I'll take a Firefly FFST for half the price. Roasted maple neck, rosewood or maple fretboard depending on model, locking tuners, ball end stainless steel frets, bone nut, Alnico V pickups and some amazing finishes. $169 to $259 depending on model...plus $27 shipping. I'm thinking they only ship to the US at this time though.
I was going off the Andertons website: www.andertons.co.uk/sire-larry-carlton-s3-sss-electric-guitar-mild-green?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA_OetBhAtEiwAPTeQZ0o0vK-ZuYAoxWffAwrniTY4davEW29PIaadzmQzYFyVopqrVzE-kRoCxDQQAvD_BwE
Both produce really interesting tones and I like the look of the Squier better but then again as you said the Sire is more of a modern guitar and sounds a bit heavier for the money they are both worth it is what I think.
I just bought a 40th Anniversary in sonic blue but the frets were too short/narrow. I'm hoping I can get a better example because the guitar felt great and was actually very light.
Frets are not going to change regardless of which you by there is no variation in fret size. On variations are on workmanship and wood because no two trees are identical.
They both sound good, but I think the Sire sounds fatter and creamier, but hotter as well. So it lends itself better to more different styles of music. Also the neck is nicer on the Sire with the rolled fret ends. Squier had more classic strat tones. A little better for certain blues and funk tones. I'd probably go with the Sire.
Brilliant demo of the two guitars ! The Squier is much sharper and Strat like for me . The Sire a bit smoother -less spikey which helps iron out the usual ice pick bridge pickup tone . I had thought about getting a Sire as the price is great but not dissapointing sound wise and the rough finish on the neck wouldn’t suit me . That said a Silver Sky SE I’ve got had a very rough finish but it’s smoothed out with playing . I believe it’s the same pickups in the 40 th anniversary as the Classic Vibe Strat . The problem with Sire guitars is you can’t try them out anywhere in shops unless second hand . The S7 has Alnico pickups and maybe be brighter than the ceramic ones on the S3 but there’s a big difference in price but you’ve got a roasted maple neck and locking tuners . Great playing ! Cheers 🏴
I want to choose between classic vibe strat and sire s7. However, in the video, I saw that the classic vibe strat is better in terms of bright sound. Is the sire s7 good in this regard too? Or do i need s7 Upragde tonerider city limit pickups
@@synystergates1 Best to find a store with both Sire and Squier models . Maybe try the Sire with the bridge humbucker, it’s a great option -got an HSS deluxe Strat and the humbucker sounds gutsy and great for solos .
HI Andy sorry to bother you, great video, and really loved the last solo. Could you help me? I've been trying for the life of me to understand what scale or mode you were playing in the last solo and I just can't figure it out XD. Do you hace a tab or could you tell me the mode or scale? (it's probably a mix, but still the main one) I'm a beginner who just likes to play over backing tracks but I cant find this one. Thank you for your effort, and don't stop posting. Your charisma and calmness is perfect aswell as your "chops" :)
Glad you enjoyed it! The last jam is a tune of mine called 'At The End Of The Day' (full track and backing track here: andywatt.bandcamp.com/album/at-the-end-of-the-day). You're right in that it uses several different modes/scales. Overall it's in the key of C major (Ionian) but with quite a few modulations along the way. Send me a message via my website andywattguitar.com/contact/ and I'll email you a chord chart - it might help you make more sense of the changes 👍🏻
@@AndyWattGuitar Thank you very much Andy, I have chord charts I will keep learning your solo another bit today hehe and I'll try some soloing later of my own with the C scale :) Best of luck.
The Squier is more typical Strat, whereas the Sire is creamier and fatter---and dare I say veering towards P90 tones, which is much more my sound. Full disclosure time---I recently bought a Sire S3 so I am probably biased!
If you come to sell the sire where would you list it. I would be interested in buying. You would have to post or package the guitar ready. If you only will be keeping one then surely it will be the squire. The others only try and compete with fender they will never surpass them. They will always try but it's impossible. It was right first time like 1954 so how can you better that. You can not. But it's lots of fun trying.
Great review!! In my opinion, tonality and sound is not super relevant since almost any guitar can sound like you want. What could make a difference is in playability, finishing, neck, tunning stability etc. A Squier can sound like a 20.000€ strat.
Got my Squier 40th vintage sunburst new for less than $240US, made it easy to justify building a new loaded pickguard and upgrading the trem with a full steel block and steel keyhole type saddles. It's pretty heavy but I'm all in now. If I were you I'd be sorely conflicted! I like the Squier driven more than the Sire but Sire is a touch sweeter clean.
The sire sounded dull, lifeless, too mid heavy, especially on the cleaner tones..Squire had better chime and overtones, more presence, better harmonic content; the sire would get lost in most mixes. Keep the Squier...it also looks better.
Bro not even lol. You are absolutely biased on the Fender headstock. Sire sounds much better, much clearer, nastier. Fender sounds good too, but not really as good or as focused. It sounds like a Squier... cheap. And looks like a Squier. The Sire S7 would be a huge step-up. Roasted maple neck is much better. But the Sire is really much better. Also, "getting lost in the mix" because of the guitar you are using is absolutely noobish. And is not a valid argument at all.
That was an excellent review! I loved how you interchanged the two guitars without missing a beat. And I loved your Christmas tree! Nothing helps to justify buying a gift for yourself more than having a Christmas tree in the background.
Good comparison Andy. I have the Squier Contemporary HT and that sounds similar to the 40th anniversary. I am after a strat with a tremolo and the Sire S3 caught my attention. Have you tried the Vintage V6 reissued, that looks good too? Interestingly, Sire have just announced an S5 with higher specs for the pickups, machine heads & tremolo for about £50 more!
Nice review. Agree with you that your playing was more fluid on the Sire. Also as for tone I would give the Sire a slight edge. It sounded a bit more full, or rounded, especially on the overdrive tones.
Both sounded great, but I definitely preferred the sound of the Squier. It had a lot more Straty spank than the Sire, which, for me, is the whole point of getting one. It just had a lot more personality than the Sire, which sounded a bit generic. The shorter scale length is a bit surprising. I wonder how much it influences the sound. Really, it comes down to preferences, as we can see in the other comments here.🤷♂️
Both sound really good but the Squier has more ‘air’ in the sound - cleaner, Sire sounds warm but a little fuzzy by comparison. Could be partly due to the ceramic pups, the shorter scale length and lower string tension or a combination of both.
I’d probably go for the Squier because I prefer the sound slightly and it would be easier to mod.
If the amp is set the same, the Sire will probably sound a little more overdriven due to the ceramic pickups. Squier is a classic, it's got Fender specs. The Sire are a serious contender though. I've had more than a handful of Squier guitars, and just one felt really good, good quality control. Others have had nuts that weren't cut properly, fret sprout, fret buzz, you name it. Although, I recently tried a Squier Classic Vibe 60's Stratocaster at the local shop, and it felt great! It was a joy to play! I didn't but it, I wasn't on the market for a new guitar. But now that it's sold, I kinda wish I bought it. Another CV Strat that I tried a year ago didn't feel nearly as good. A 40th Anniversary Squier Stratocaster with block inlays might have been the worst I've had. Awful QC, and setup was non existent. Totally unplayable. Sire might have a little better QC. But who knows?
I like the Sire just a bit more. But for the sound, specs and finish I'll take a Firefly FFST for half the price. Roasted maple neck, rosewood or maple fretboard depending on model, locking tuners, ball end stainless steel frets, bone nut, Alnico V pickups and some amazing finishes. $169 to $259 depending on model...plus $27 shipping. I'm thinking they only ship to the US at this time though.
Are you sure about the scale length on the Sire S3 ?
Other websites say 25.5.
I was going off the Andertons website: www.andertons.co.uk/sire-larry-carlton-s3-sss-electric-guitar-mild-green?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA_OetBhAtEiwAPTeQZ0o0vK-ZuYAoxWffAwrniTY4davEW29PIaadzmQzYFyVopqrVzE-kRoCxDQQAvD_BwE
@@AndyWattGuitar
What is the true number.? We need to know.
@@mikec6733 The Sire website says 25.5!
Both produce really interesting tones and I like the look of the Squier better but then again as you said the Sire is more of a modern guitar and sounds a bit heavier for the money they are both worth it is what I think.
I just bought a 40th Anniversary in sonic blue but the frets were too short/narrow. I'm hoping I can get a better example because the guitar felt great and was actually very light.
Frets are not going to change regardless of which you by there is no variation in fret size. On variations are on workmanship and wood because no two trees are identical.
They both sound good, but I think the Sire sounds fatter and creamier, but hotter as well. So it lends itself better to more different styles of music. Also the neck is nicer on the Sire with the rolled fret ends. Squier had more classic strat tones. A little better for certain blues and funk tones. I'd probably go with the Sire.
Brilliant demo of the two guitars ! The Squier is much sharper and Strat like for me . The Sire a bit smoother -less spikey which helps iron out the usual ice pick bridge pickup tone . I had thought about getting a Sire as the price is great but not dissapointing sound wise and the rough finish on the neck wouldn’t suit me . That said a Silver Sky SE I’ve got had a very rough finish but it’s smoothed out with playing . I believe it’s the same pickups in the 40 th anniversary as the Classic Vibe Strat . The problem with Sire guitars is you can’t try them out anywhere in shops unless second hand . The S7 has Alnico pickups and maybe be brighter than the ceramic ones on the S3 but there’s a big difference in price but you’ve got a roasted maple neck and locking tuners . Great playing ! Cheers 🏴
I want to choose between classic vibe strat and sire s7. However, in the video, I saw that the classic vibe strat is better in terms of bright sound. Is the sire s7 good in this regard too? Or do i need s7 Upragde tonerider city limit pickups
@@synystergates1 Best to find a store with both Sire and Squier models . Maybe try the Sire with the bridge humbucker, it’s a great option -got an HSS deluxe Strat and the humbucker sounds gutsy and great for solos .
HI Andy sorry to bother you, great video, and really loved the last solo. Could you help me?
I've been trying for the life of me to understand what scale or mode you were playing in the last solo and I just can't figure it out XD. Do you hace a tab or could you tell me the mode or scale? (it's probably a mix, but still the main one)
I'm a beginner who just likes to play over backing tracks but I cant find this one.
Thank you for your effort, and don't stop posting. Your charisma and calmness is perfect aswell as your "chops" :)
Glad you enjoyed it! The last jam is a tune of mine called 'At The End Of The Day' (full track and backing track here: andywatt.bandcamp.com/album/at-the-end-of-the-day). You're right in that it uses several different modes/scales. Overall it's in the key of C major (Ionian) but with quite a few modulations along the way.
Send me a message via my website andywattguitar.com/contact/ and I'll email you a chord chart - it might help you make more sense of the changes 👍🏻
@@AndyWattGuitar Thank you very much Andy, I have chord charts I will keep learning your solo another bit today hehe and I'll try some soloing later of my own with the C scale :) Best of luck.
You could put any garbage guitar into your hands and it will sound magical! Nice playing.
Ive got the sire, love take it over my cv 50 any day...
I have not watched the video yet, just your intro and I say the Sire wins.
The Squier is more typical Strat, whereas the Sire is creamier and fatter---and dare I say veering towards P90 tones, which is much more my sound. Full disclosure time---I recently bought a Sire S3 so I am probably biased!
That was my reaction, too! I thought the Sire had a definite P90 sound to it!
If you come to sell the sire where would you list it. I would be interested in buying. You would have to post or package the guitar ready. If you only will be keeping one then surely it will be the squire. The others only try and compete with fender they will never surpass them. They will always try but it's impossible. It was right first time like 1954 so how can you better that. You can not. But it's lots of fun trying.
For my money, these two guitars sound EXACTLY the SAME! Amazing there was no serious difference in tone in all positions!!
Great review!! In my opinion, tonality and sound is not super relevant since almost any guitar can sound like you want. What could make a difference is in playability, finishing, neck, tunning stability etc. A Squier can sound like a 20.000€ strat.
Sire for the win.
I bought the very same Sire from Andertons a few weeks ago. Absolute bargain.
Got my Squier 40th vintage sunburst new for less than $240US, made it easy to justify building a new loaded pickguard and upgrading the trem with a full steel block and steel keyhole type saddles. It's pretty heavy but I'm all in now.
If I were you I'd be sorely conflicted! I like the Squier driven more than the Sire but Sire is a touch sweeter clean.
I thought the Sire sounded warmer, more mellow
Sire 😊
SIRE is winner !
Rosewood board versus all maple ... hmmmmmmm? Also I'm sure the Sire kicks the pants off the Squier in terms of action and playability
The sire sounded dull, lifeless, too mid heavy, especially on the cleaner tones..Squire had better chime and overtones, more presence, better harmonic content; the sire would get lost in most mixes. Keep the Squier...it also looks better.
Oh yes, the difference between Alnico V and ceramic (Sire) is very obvious.
Swap the pups. Sire is build better.
Bro not even lol.
You are absolutely biased on the Fender headstock. Sire sounds much better, much clearer, nastier. Fender sounds good too, but not really as good or as focused. It sounds like a Squier... cheap. And looks like a Squier.
The Sire S7 would be a huge step-up. Roasted maple neck is much better. But the Sire is really much better.
Also, "getting lost in the mix" because of the guitar you are using is absolutely noobish. And is not a valid argument at all.
@tiago2336 you both are biased and your analysis is strictly subjective and opinion.
Squier all the way!!! Sire body looks weird and possibly the worst looking headstock ever!!!
For me the Squier all the way. The Sire just looks strange, plus the ugliest headstock ever!!