So I’ve played Fender basses for years. P basses, Jazz basses and weird Franken-Fenders. I’ve filed frets, ripped out frets, replaced pickups and made brass nuts. I’ve tried everything to give that damn bass a personality. But nothing prepared me for the Sire Marcus Miller basses.

I started playing with my old buddy Tom Dolan from Art Center in a reggae band called the Dapper Rebels. After a few months of practice Tom said “Dude, you need a 5 string bass”. Now I’m a po man. I had a $1000 American Fender Jazz Deluxe that was loud, but again had very little personality. It just did not inspire me with the tone.

One day, out of the blue, Tom shows up at my house with something wrapped in bubblewrap. I make out that it’s a 5 string bass. Brother Tom turned me on (absolutely free) to a 2018 Sire Marcus Miller V3 Second Generation 5 string tobacco sunburst jazz bass! Now I’d never heard of Sire Basses before but I sure as hell know Marcus. He’s one of the all time greats. As I got it plugged in and started exploring what this bass could do I was blown away! The preamp was lightyears ahead of what Fender was doing. Tones I never knew flew off the fretboard. I was totally sold.

So after living with the Sire for a few months and learning to play 5 string (new to me) I spotted a 4 string Sire Fretless on Guitar Center’s online store. $450.00. So I needed money fast. I looked at that spendy Fender Jazz and bid it adieu. Sold it back to Norm’s Rare Guitars where I’d bought it. Then, not wanting to miss out, I pushed add to cart on the fretless Sire in Norm’s parking lot. I actually made money and got a badass fretless in the balance.

I call them Big Brother and Little sister.

Version 1 V7 Four String Fretless and Version 2 V3 Five String