Show Full Spec Comparison
| Sire Marcus Miller V7 2nd Generation Alder 4-String | Yamaha BB734A | |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Brand: | Sire | Yamaha |
| Year: | 2019 | 2017 |
| Configuration: | SS | PJ |
| Strings: | 4 | 4 |
| Made in: | Indonesia | Indonesia |
| Series: | V | 700 |
| Colors: | White, Sunburst, Black, Blue, Pink, Red | Sunburst, Blue |
| Left-Handed Version: | Yes | No |
| Body | ||
| Type: | Solid Body | Solid Body |
| Body Material: | North American Alder | Alder/Maple/Alder Construction |
| Bridge: | Marcus Miller Modern S | Vintage Plus: Convertible Stringing, Brass Saddle, Steel Plate |
| Neck | ||
| Neck Joint: | Bolt-On | Bolt-On |
| Tuners: | Premium Open-Gear | Lightweight Open Gear |
| Fretboard: | Ebony | Rosewood |
| Neck Material: | Hard Maple (Satin Finish) | Maple/ Mahogany 5pcs |
| Decoration: | White Pearloid Block | |
| Scale Size: | 34" | 34" |
| Shape: | Bass C-Shape | Bass C |
| Frets: | 22 Medium Nickel Silver | 21 Medium Nickel Silver |
| Fretboard Radius: | 9.5" | 9.843" |
| Nut: | Bone | Ivory Tusq |
| Nut Width: | 38mm (1.496'') | 40mm (1.575'') |
| Electronics | ||
| Bridge Pickups: | Marcus Super-J Revolution (Single Coil / Passive) | VSC7b : Single Coil / Alnico V (Single Coil / Passive) |
| Middle Pickup: | ||
| Neck Pickup: | Marcus Super-J Revolution (Single Coil / Passive) | VSP7n : Split Single Coil / Alnico V (Single Coil / Passive) |
| Switch: | 0 Way | 0 Way |
| Knobs: | Dome | Dome |
| Pickup Mods: | None | None |
| Volume Controls: | 2 | 1 |
| Tone Controls: | 4 | 2 |
| Hardware | ||
| Strap Lock: | No | No |
| Hardware Color: | Chrome | Black |
Reasons to Get
Sire Marcus Miller V7 2nd Generation Alder 4-String over Yamaha BB734A
Reasons to Get
Yamaha BB734A over Sire Marcus Miller V7 2nd Generation Alder 4-String
Other Key Differences
Sire Marcus Miller V7 2nd Generation Alder 4-String vs Yamaha BB734A
Shared Features
Sire Marcus Miller V7 2nd Generation Alder 4-String vs Yamaha BB734A
Common Strengths
- High-Quality Nut
- Expensive Wood
- Active/Passive Preamp
Common Weaknesses
- Neck-Through Build
- Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
- Weight Relief
- Retainer Bar
- High-Quality Frets
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- From a High-Quality-Standards Country
- Luminescent Sidedots
- Strap Lock
- 21:1 Tuner Ratio
Price History Comparison
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Hand Size Comfortability
And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Yamaha BB734A favors large hands more than the Sire Marcus Miller V7 2nd Generation Alder 4-String.
Sire Marcus Miller V7 2nd Generation Alder 4-String:
Yamaha BB734A:
Beginner Friendliness
Both meet 4 out of our 6 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first bass to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.
New Player Friendliness
Sire Marcus Miller V7 2nd Generation Alder 4-String- Comfortable shape
- Comfortable fretboard
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
New Player Friendliness
Yamaha BB734A- Comfortable shape
- Comfortable fretboard
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
Sound Quality Comparison
The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.
Woods Used in Both
Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.
Woods Used in the Sire Marcus Miller V7 2nd Generation Alder 4-String
Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.
Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.
Woods Used in the Yamaha BB734A
Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.
Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.
Winner: Yamaha BB734A.
Pickup Configuration
The Sire Marcus Miller V7 2nd Generation Alder 4-String has an SS configuration while the Yamaha BB734A has PJ pickups.
SS is the classic Telecaster configuration. It's used mainly for playing clean or with low-gain distortion, and it's very popular for the country genre because of their brightness. It doesn't give you as much versatility as a Strat SSS configuration, but you might like the cleaner look of a guitar body with fewer pickups.
On the other hand, A PJ bass offers a versatile tonal range by combining the warm, punchy sound of a Precision-style (P-style) pickup with the brighter, more articulate tones of a Jazz-style (J-style) pickup. This makes it a great choice for those seeking tonal flexibility.
Pickups Quality
Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.
However, the Sire Marcus Miller V7 2nd Generation Alder 4-String has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.
Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.
Preamp Circuit
A preamp in an electric bass functions as an electronic circuit that acts as an interface between the bass's pickups and the amplifier. Its main purpose is to amplify and customize the bass's initial signal before it reaches the amplifier, offering enhanced control over factors like tone, volume, and sound attributes. Preamps typically come equipped with tone adjustments, equalization options, and sometimes built-in effects, empowering bass players to fine-tune their sound to suit their personal preferences and the musical environment.
Both basses have a Active/Passive preamp.
Active/Passive: This type of circuit combines both passive and active electronics in one instrument. This versatile setup allows the player to switch between passive and active modes, providing a wide range of tonal options. In passive mode, the bass relies on traditional passive pickups and tone controls for a warm and organic sound. In active mode, the onboard preamp circuit is engaged, offering enhanced EQ shaping capabilities and sometimes a signal boost. This flexibility caters to a broader spectrum of musical styles and playing preferences, as it allows the bassist to switch between the classic, vintage tone of passive operation and the more versatile and finely tuned active mode, all within the same instrument.
Winner: Sire Marcus Miller V7 2nd Generation Alder 4-String.
Versatility Comparison
Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.
Switch Options
Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.
Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.
When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.
Winner: Sire Marcus Miller V7 2nd Generation Alder 4-String.
Final Sound Quality Scores
Build Quality Comparison
When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Sire Marcus Miller V7 2nd Generation Alder 4-String compares to the Yamaha BB734A.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in Indonesia.
Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.
Winner: Tie
Nut Material
If you want your bass to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.
The Sire Marcus Miller V7 2nd Generation Alder 4-String has a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.
On the other hand, the Yamaha BB734A comes with a Ivory Tusq nut. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.
Winner: Tie.
Fret Material
Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.
Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.
Winner: Tie.
Tuners
Both come with regular tuners. The Sire Marcus Miller V7 2nd Generation Alder 4-String's are Premium Open-Gear while the Yamaha BB734A's are Lightweight Open Gear
Winner: Tie.
Neck Joint
Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a bass is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.
Both have a Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.
Winner: Tie.
Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:
Sire Marcus Miller V7 2nd Generation Alder 4-String
- Expensive Wood
- Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Active/Passive Preamp
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Retainer Bar
- No Strap Lock
Yamaha BB734A
- Expensive Wood
- Ivory Tusq Nut
- Active/Passive Preamp
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Retainer Bar
- No Strap Lock
Final Build Quality Scores
Playability Comparison
Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a bass might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.
Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a bass feels in your hands.
Nut Width
The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Yamaha BB734A has the wider nut with 40mm (1.575'') vs 38mm (1.496''). This is a 2mm (0.079'') difference
This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Yamaha BB734A, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.
Scale Length
The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.
In this case, both have a scale length of 34".
This is a scale used for baritones and guitars with more than 6 strings. Since the scale is so long, the tension of the strings will be higher. This means that bending will require a lot more strength than with a shorter scale. However, it also allows you to use really low tunings without causing fret buzz and without needing to increase your string gauge too much.
Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.
Neck Profile
No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.
Both the Sire Marcus Miller V7 2nd Generation Alder 4-String and the Yamaha BB734A have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.
Fretboard Radius
Most bass fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.
In this case, the Sire Marcus Miller V7 2nd Generation Alder 4-String's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Yamaha BB734A's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Yamaha BB734A.
Still, both are closer to a Stratocaster radius than a Les Paul, so both of them will favor chord playing rather than soloing.
Fret Size
Both have a Medium fret size. If you like feeling the fretboard when you play, but also appreciate some easiness to press down the frets, this size offers a good balance for that.
