I’m the same way. The sound differences in bass price ranges don’t jump out much to me all that much when going only by the sound. That might be why we don’t see even big time bands having bass players all playing super expensive basses. At least not in the same way we see big name guitar players with $5,000+ custom guitars. For bass players, it seems like there’s some price point between $1,000 to $2,000 where even a significant chunk of touring pros have found what they like.
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If I could get over the headstock I’d have bought one already.
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This is the #1 complaint I see about them and I don’t see it. The headstock looks just fine to me. Are we looking at the same models here?
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D5s have a Tele headstock 
My recent Player Mustang and Sire Rascal are as good as Sires so I think Fender is picking up their game. Or I am getting lucky. One of the two
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I’m not right and you’re not wrong Crispy. It’s personal preference but yeah most of the Sire basses have the same style headstock.
@Wombat-metal it’s close!
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Sire doesn’t have a license to use a classic Fender headstock shape, like Squier does, so they created their own unique shape for their P and V models. The shape’s not my favorite, but I’ve found that I don’t notice it at all.
My Sire M5 has a different headstock shape, more in keeping with its modern bass esthetic.
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I actually prefer the Sire smaller headstock to the Fender battle-axe. Headstock is my least favorite part of the Fender design (and I prefer the Tele over the Strat style).
My favorite, though, is the 2x2 like @MikeC has. Unless it’s done like Gibson does it, that just looks like:
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You kinda answer your question already. Higher frequencies would be much easier to determine from your ear if one is warmer or crisper than the other. Bass is tough it’s only the lower end of the spectrum and at our, well my age I probably couldn’t hear half of the frequencies, lol.
All basses especially mainstream brands are pretty durable and can take a lot of abused, people tends to take better care of the higher priced ones. Sounds is pretty cheap it’s the feel that separate the expensive ones than the more affordable ones. If i only need one for recording I’d stick with cheaper one, many of my gigs are for a bunch of musicians hangout and even then, not even half can tell the difference me included, lol. It’s like fine wine, everyone has their expert opinions and it seems none are relevant.
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I feel like I can feel it more than hear it, though the sound response is also a factor. But the feel is the majority of the difference.
The quality of the materials in the machine, the response of the instrument to the subtleties of the fingers, the ability of the bass to make small adjustments along with your playing, whether it’s your articulation or the micro-adjustment of a knob - the weight, the balance, the finish and the fretboard.
I think I focus most on how the neck feels, and I feel like that’s a huge part of the attention to detail on finely crafted basses.
It’s not the shape, as much as the boring logo with Marcus Miller’s name on it. If he built the bass, that’d be one thing. But he just put his name on it. I know it’s silly, since I don’t complain about Fender’s name being on my basses… but there’s something about it I just don’t like. I think the name is 90% of it. The shape isn’t my favorite, but it doesn’t matter that much.
I just can’t imagine having to answer the question “so, do you really like Marcus Miller” after every gig/jam/rehearsal/etc.
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But that is true for 99% of all signature basses 
(Isn’t it???)
Yeah, that can be annoying 
Now I am actually getting hit by another bout of impostor-syndrome… I own two basses with Hadrien’s name on them 
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I don’t know about other signature models, but Feraud and Malaman worked closely with Mayones to ensure their respective signature models were designed and built per their exact specs.
Marcus Miller is also directly involved with Sire regarding the design and specs evolution of the P, V, D, and M models that bear his name.
Personally, I never refer to either of mine as the “Marcus Miller.” One is my Sire short scale; and the other is my M5. I see no need to complicate things.
IMO, having a very small Marcus Miller badge on my headstocks is in no way a big deal, positively or negatively. YMMV
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Sire does the same thing with Larry Carlton with guitars. It’s kind of an annoyance, still own a D5 and it’s one of the best at what it does.
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Yamaha’s signature models do not have names on them unless the artist signs them (or someone else forges it).
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It’s 2023, so you’re probably being racist without even knowing it. You’ll probably have to go on some kind of awareness course?
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yes! Ordinarily, I’d agree.
But usually the name is a cool signature, and is subsidiary to the actual manufacturer brand name, which seems appropriate.
It’s the giant Marcus Miller all by itself up there that is, for me, a turn off.
I don’t mind those signatures, but this feels different.
Now… I should probably stop talking about these basses and my own, personal, very specific and peculiar tastes before @Barney find a way to get me ejected from the internet!
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You’re killing me @MikeC . That wood! Beautiful. My next bass will have it. The search continues.
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I doubt Squier needs a licence to use the classic Fender headstock shape. Bigsby, Charvel, Gretsch, Jackson, PreSonus and Squier are all Fender subsidiary companies…
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The point was that Sire can’t legally use the Fender headstock shape (as Squier can), so they designed their own.
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