Sire Guitars, Larry Carlton “H7” aka 335

[jazzkritter]

See Larry run)))
From Gibson to Valley Arts to (I forget) to Gibson.... and now....
Sire

SIRE Larry Carlton H7 - Sire USA

[mr. beaumont]

Does anybody NOT make a 335 copy these days?

[339 in june]

Looks like nut width is 40 mm
Deal breaker for me, but that may suit others

[jazzkritter]

Martin did 40 years ago, friend of mine still has his.

[Jim Soloway]

It's gotten outstanding reviews.

[Doctor Jeff]

Does anybody NOT make a 335 copy these days?

Fender? Oh I forgot, do they still make the Starcaster? I think there’s a Squier version out there I’ve so far successfully avoided buying, even though it looks cool.

[Doctor Jeff]

I know people downplay many budget signature models, since Larry (and Joe and Howard and the rest) could afford REAL Gibsons, but still…they presumably reflect some attention to details that the endorser thought were important. Nowadays you can make a decent guitar in many places in the world that won’t break the bank.

That said, I’ve always like the Epiphone 335 models, and I don’t see this as really any big advantage.

[Little Jay]

Buddy of mine bought one, being the Larry Carlton fan that he is. Very nice guitar, great fit and finish. It does sound a little brighter than a 335 to my ears.

[Steve Z]

Interesting guitar. Unfortunately it seems they mirrored the late 60s narrow nut as well… website states 40mm nut width (1.575 inches).

[Jimmy Mack]

You've got to be kidding! 1.575" ??? That's 1 and 9/16ths! Who can play that?
Give me my Epiphone.

[Hammertone]

Does anybody NOT make a 335 copy these days?

It's just the usual suspects - anyone can order some minimum quantity of semis with custom headstock and logo. I don't know which factory has been contracted to make these for the company behind the Sire trademark.

[Little Jay]

I tried out my buddy’s Sire H7 guitar without knowing anything about the nut width and it did not feel small at all to me, played very comfortable.

[Jimmy blue note]

I hope they got their QC together. While I was working at GC as a repairman in a very busy music market city, I got so many Sire instruments in for catastrophic failures in every aspect of the instrument (body, material, electronics, etc) due in no small part to the fact that they paid a bunch of money to get big name endorsements and then farmed out production to lots of factories that had no consistency in production or quality control. For existence, we got a run of endorser basses all of which looked exactly the same from the outside but had totally different innards. Sure Sire sent integrated circuit boards as replacements but because they could not pinpoint which "version" of the instrument we were working with (no codes internally), nothing they had on hand could work with what we had.
All instruments were returned without being repaired.
They get big names. Their first runs are great. The follow up production can be horrible and you never know.
Just be aware.

[jazzkritter]

Exactly why I posted it, seems like quite a down step for L.C. from Gibson to Sire.

[Marty Grass]

[Jimmy blue note]

Ha! They should do a follow up of customers playing the actual guitars they buy 6 months after the initial run. THAT I'd like to see. I should add that many of those I worked on said they got theirs through the mail and were thrilled they got such a bargain. They all had almost identical stories: Amazing performance and within months after purchase, some kind of catastrophic issue.
Track record does count for something. WHat's theirs?

[caue amaral]

This guitar seems to be the same washburn hb35 and other generic ones...with some cosmetic changes...same shape...it would risk to say that it comes from the same factory!

[Jimmy blue note]

This guitar seems to be the same washburn hb35 and other generic ones...with some cosmetic changes...same shape...it would risk to say that it comes from the same factory!

For that matter, if you know where to look, you can find the Chinese factory and order one with generic electronics (passable) and for about 10 bucks more get your own name on it. From the same place that all the big boys get theirs. That'd set you back about $300. AND it comes to your door.

[caue amaral]

For that matter, if you know where to look, you can find the Chinese factory and order one with generic electronics (passable) and for about 10 bucks more get your own name on it. From the same place that all the big boys get theirs. That'd set you back about $300. AND it comes to your door.

Exactly...this is the point!??

[jazzkritter]

Yea and lol just like Gibson they molded Larry’s 69 335, measuring the different position of the tailpiece and bridge, and the (apparently) odd ball sorta 1960 neck.
Larry claimed that due to the positioning on his 69 that it has a warmer balanced sound compared to stock newer ones.
Dunno... im no Mr 335). But thats a player I would not argue with, but... he was trying to sell the Gibson.
I found it actually kind of sad, him going there. All about the bennies i suppose.

[Jimmy blue note]

Exactly...this is the point!??

The point being that good marketing will get you to buy something faster than good research, cuz we love being seduced. And we'll pay for that thrill.
That trait of humanity is the crux of the biscuit.

[Gitterbug]

Where would critics put their mouths if Sire came up with an ES-175 clone with similar price/apparent quality ratio? Many seem to think that $4-5K is ok for the real thing (Gibson apparently not), even if you can get a laminate Benedetto or carved Campellone, Elferink etc. for roughly the same money.