Has anyone played a Sire Tele?

[tfarny]

OP Sounds like you really want one! They don't stand out to me at all - everyone sells a Tele clone these days. But maybe they are great. I had never heard of them. What separates guitars these days are not things you can really find on a spec sheet. But those things show up quickly once you sit down to play it. I bought an FGN telecaster a year and a half ago. Never heard of the brand, I just grabbed a T[shaped object off the wall to demo a pedal and ended up walking out with it. You had to play it to appreciate it.

Mostly what separates good from great guitars nowadays is the amount of fine hand work done to finish the frets and set them up for great playability. Also, quality of metal parts, ie machining, hardness of steel and so on. Also, general consistency of product, which comes from extra dollars spent on rejecting anything that doesnt pass final muster. The "specs" are mostly the same from custom shop to Squier. I just would have no idea what to expect from this out-of-nowhere brand name. I would have to try one or two i person before I ever considered buying sight unseen.

 

[Vocalion]

Darrell Braun just dropped a video reviewing both versions. I’d really like to have a go on the FM.

 

[bholder]

(nevermind)

 

[bholder]

Darrell Braun just dropped a video reviewing both versions. I’d really like to have a go on the FM.

beat me to it, hah! I agree, the FM is tops on my list too.

 

[Smokin OP]

I currently have an S7 on backorder. Buying sight unseen since there are none available anywhere.

 

[Southpaw Tele]

The guy I play guitar with at church has a Sire Strat and it is gorgeous and sounds amazing. Very versatile with a bridge humbucker. I also like that it has a master volume and tone. The neck is really nice, too. If they had more lefty options, I’d consider the Tele. They’re every bit as a nice as the much more expensive MIM Player I have.

 

[Tiago]

I had a Sire Goldtop LP - alike guitar for a while last year. Outstanding guitar, punched well above the price, sounded great. Unfortunately, it was my last try to bind with an LP like guitar, and I ended up moving it along because that design simply doesn’t work for me, ergonomics-wise.
If I was in the market for a Tele, I’d consider them.

 

[421JAM]

I’d love to try out some Sires. They make a Larry Carlton 335. He was very enthusiastic in his praise for the company when he appeared on the Wong Notes podcast. He pointed out that many companies have approached him to do a model, but he wanted to do one that was affordable and Sire was the first company that made one at a price and quality he could feel good about putting his name on.

 

[That Cal Webway]

Wow. I watched the video and this thing really is well made and thought out.

Would consider getting one sometime, but I would have to play it in person.

 

[alanmcohen]

I just picked up a butterscotch T7 from Thomann in Germany. It was supposedly a demo, but the only thing scratched was the protective cover on the pickguard. $488+75 for a HS tweed case + $96 overnight UPS shipping.

Not a bad deal. It plays like a dream. Locking tuners, bone nut, rolled FB and frets, roasted maple neck, premium hardware, compensated bridge, north American alder...what more could I want? It's a bit heavy at 8.6#, but that seems to translate to some pretty impressive sustain. I've purchased Warmoth necks for more.

The build quality seems to be excellent. The only thing I found of issue was the nut was filed a bit high. Better than too low though. The pickup height seemed a bit off, but after adjusting them by height measurement, I discovered they were perfect before I touched them and they are back where they started. I'm going to spend some time with it before I start pickup rolling.

 

[RogerBenno]

I just bought a Sire T7 Larry Carlton tele.
Its a tele so not much to say. No faults as far as i can see. Compensated tuning pegs on the locking tuners so no string trees are required on the guitar.
Body is comfortable to play sitting down. Its a solid bit of wood that is fairly heavy but not like a Les Paul.

The guitar comes with Ernie Ball strings fitted. The setup on the strings is a little on the high side so this could be adjusted to suit if you want (they give you a little tool set with the guitar)
One thing i noticed about the neck. Its roasted - we all know that - but it is very, very good. Frets are filed down and no imperfections whatsoever. Normally I would only see this good a neck on a guitar that cost 4 times this price.
The neck is fitted to the body correctly, no obvious faults here.
No faults in the paintwork (its butterscotch). You can see a bit of the wood grain through the paint I think.

The neck is not thin but not a baseball bat either. I picked it up and started playing it with no adjustments to my fingering style required.

The electronics are good, no wobbles, loose controls or crackles from the controls.

What's bad? Um... nothing for this price point.

What does it play like? Like a well built tele with traditional pickups and a traditional style neck. Which is exactly what I wanted.

I was looking at a Fender Player tele but saw the Sire was half the price. I have not been disappointed.

I heard Sire is manufactured in Indonesia. I have no complaints about this, I don't care where it is made. What I **DO** want is a quality, well made instrument that has passed proper quality control. And **NOT** passed to the customer with obvious faults (are you listening Gibson?)

This guitar comes highly recommended by me.

 

[421JAM]

I just bought a Sire T7 Larry Carlton tele.
Its a tele so not much to say. No faults as far as i can see. Compensated tuning pegs on the locking tuners so no string trees are required on the guitar.
Body is comfortable to play sitting down. Its a solid bit of wood that is fairly heavy but not like a Les Paul.

The guitar comes with Ernie Ball strings fitted. The setup on the strings is a little on the high side so this could be adjusted to suit if you want (they give you a little tool set with the guitar)
One thing i noticed about the neck. Its roasted - we all know that - but it is very, very good. Frets are filed down and no imperfections whatsoever. Normally I would only see this good a neck on a guitar that cost 4 times this price.
The neck is fitted to the body correctly, no obvious faults here.
No faults in the paintwork (its butterscotch). You can see a bit of the wood grain through the paint I think.

The neck is not thin but not a baseball bat either. I picked it up and started playing it with no adjustments to my fingering style required.

The electronics are good, no wobbles, loose controls or crackles from the controls.

What's bad? Um... nothing for this price point.

What does it play like? Like a well built tele with traditional pickups and a traditional style neck. Which is exactly what I wanted.

I was looking at a Fender Player tele but saw the Sire was half the price. I have not been disappointed.

I heard Sire is manufactured in Indonesia. I have no complaints about this, I don't care where it is made. What I **DO** want is a quality, well made instrument that has passed proper quality control. And **NOT** passed to the customer with obvious faults (are you listening Gibson?)

This guitar comes highly recommended by me.

I’m glad to hear this. I’ve been curious about Sires ever since hearing Larry Carlton sing their praises. Did you order one, or did you find one in a store?

 

[RogerBenno]

I’m glad to hear this. I’ve been curious about Sires ever since hearing Larry Carlton sing their praises. Did you order one, or did you find one in a store?

I ordered it online. It actually came from overseas (Holland) and I am in the UK.
One thing - I don't normally buy guitars unseen. Particularly from huge stores that are shifting lots of different musical instruments, DJ equipment etc. Which is where I got the Sire from. So why did I break my rule? Because I had confidence in the Quality Assurance of the Sire brand, due to everything I have heard about them.
On the other hand, I could name a few very famous guitar brands that I would not have this confidence in.
Other brands that I have confidence in and have bought unseen: Ibanez (Prestige & Premium). Godin. Yamaha.

 

[alanmcohen]

I bought this guitar thinking I could always swap out the pickups. But the more I play it, the more I’m liking them. I do not have an arsenal of telecasters from various eras to compare it to, as a matter of fact this is my only telecaster. But it seems to be doing everything I could want. For yucks and giggles I measured the DC resistance. 7.40 on the neck pick up and 6.04 on the bridge.

 

[Smokin OP]

Looks like a nice guitar for cheap money! https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LCT7AW--sire-larry-carlton-t7-electric-guitar-antique-white

Update my post from last month. Still waiting on MF or any USA company to get any Sire stock in. I decided to order an S7 from Andertons a week ago Friday and it arrived perfectly in tune on Monday morning. The detail to attention with this guitar is very good. I took it this weekend to my tech along with an acoustic for a pup install. He was blown away by it. He played on it for a little bit & then took to measuring the guitar. He asked if I had done anything to it, which I hadn't, and he said it was factory spec. and that there was nothing he could do it. Pickups and electronics are good along with the locking tuners. All happy here.

 

[1996Standard]

Darrell Braun just dropped a video reviewing both versions. I’d really like to have a go on the FM.

I'm a big fan of the clean tones on that humbucker model. Might just have to get one. Better do it. Yep. Gonna do it. If I can actually find one in stock.

 

[Tarkus60]

My buddy just bought a goldtop on reverb.
Talking with sweetwater these guitars are back ordered and you have to get on a waiting list.
He found one from chicago music exchange so they are out there.
Hopefully he gets it by saturday so I can play it during band practice.

 

[StudentGuy]

I just bought a Sire T7 Larry Carlton tele.
Its a tele so not much to say. No faults as far as i can see. Compensated tuning pegs on the locking tuners so no string trees are required on the guitar.
Body is comfortable to play sitting down. Its a solid bit of wood that is fairly heavy but not like a Les Paul.

The guitar comes with Ernie Ball strings fitted. The setup on the strings is a little on the high side so this could be adjusted to suit if you want (they give you a little tool set with the guitar)
One thing i noticed about the neck. Its roasted - we all know that - but it is very, very good. Frets are filed down and no imperfections whatsoever. Normally I would only see this good a neck on a guitar that cost 4 times this price.
The neck is fitted to the body correctly, no obvious faults here.
No faults in the paintwork (its butterscotch). You can see a bit of the wood grain through the paint I think.

The neck is not thin but not a baseball bat either. I picked it up and started playing it with no adjustments to my fingering style required.

The electronics are good, no wobbles, loose controls or crackles from the controls.

What's bad? Um... nothing for this price point.

What does it play like? Like a well built tele with traditional pickups and a traditional style neck. Which is exactly what I wanted.

I was looking at a Fender Player tele but saw the Sire was half the price. I have not been disappointed.

I heard Sire is manufactured in Indonesia. I have no complaints about this, I don't care where it is made. What I **DO** want is a quality, well made instrument that has passed proper quality control. And **NOT** passed to the customer with obvious faults (are you listening Gibson?)

This guitar comes highly recommended by me.

Thanks for the feedback ...

I have one on order with Sweetwater, and the ETA is not until August (and I ordered around March !)

I saw the Braun You Tube, and then Andertons and said ... Why Not ?

The funny thing is, this T-7 assuming Sweetwater comes through ... will be my "High End " Tele. See, in the fever of Tele GAS ... I sprang for the craziest guitar I have bought to date ... The Harley Benton TE 52 !

At $145 US, I was so cheap, it was scary. But upon delivery (5 Days counting the Weekend and + $79 bucks) I received this excellent roasted neck, 10 Pound Tele (beautiful grain (Its made of Ash that must be lead infused !)

I 'don't have a scale but I figure its gotta be close to 10 lbs... But Hey Pine CV Teles weigh between 8 to 9 1/2 lbs so ...

My "problem" with these good /very good quality guitars , and as you report on your T-7, which is $200 US cheaper than a MIM Player... and has the features of of $1,800 MIA Pro II ...

That I really can't justify another project I want, but that I have to feel is overpriced... That is the MIM Fender Mustang 90.

I want one, and may eventually capitulate, but that thing is $200 more than the Sire, and has none of its refinements. But at the moment, it is the only 24" scale, P90 equipped, hardtail and probably of reasonable quality ...

But for $800 ... you get no roasted fretboard, no locking tuners, no rolled fretboard edges ... just that "Fender" on the headstock ...that is hardly worth $200 to me at least ... And Fender does make guitars in Indonesia, so you gotta wonder if they are just asleep ...

 

[SPUDCASTER]

The Antique White with the tort guard and the roasted neck looks killer.

With those features and those prices. That whole line should fly of the shelf.

 

[ClashCityTele]

Those headstocks...