Can you hear a difference? Fender Professional II Telecaster VS Sire Larry Carlton T7

[@landonbailey]

get them wrong? *Fender American Professional II Telecaster video* kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqOXZaSXg7qGmdk *Sire Larry Carlton T7 video* kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpfGgJije8d5ba8 *Get a Fender Princeton amp like the one in the video* 🛒 Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/RyK6Mb 🛒 Amazon geni.us/FenderPrinceton 🛒 Thomann bit.ly/3kaw0yN *the Mic is a Sennheiser e906* 🛒Sweetwater imp.i114863.net/qnyyBY 🛒 Thomann bit.ly/3zbApbX 🛒 *Reverb* reverb.grsm.io/landonbailey 🛒 *Solo* Guitars bit.ly/3dpEzYH 🛒 *Ebay* ebay.us/F7bxvx *Timestamps:* --------------------------------------------------------- 0:00 - Hello 1:58 - Clean Tones 3:08 - Mild Gain Tones

[@ezbnchzy]

I got it wrong. The Sire has hotter pickups, and it was the output level that made me think it was the Fender. I’m impressed!

[@Rednef]

I guessed wrong. I liked the Sire better and assumed it was the Fender. I have no experience with Sire but have been a Fender fan for most of my life. Good job bursting my bubble like that. Kudos to you.

[@landonbailey]

play again! 😜

[@eltonworshamjr152]

Personally, I'm going for the Sire,hands down. Plus, I can buy more Sires,or a better amp,pedals with the $ 1000 saved and still piss all over the Fender. Fender is nothing more than another brand today. But for those that prefer them,pay the extra $1000 for the headstock Fender decal,which doesn't improve one's playing ability requardless. Thanks for video !!!

[@matthouston8411]

I came here to love the T7 but that fender speaks clearly and the tone.... I've played that series of tele and they are special.

[@SomeStrangemysterious]

I guessed right, but it wasn’t until the last clip. I preferred the tone of the real fender slightly more. But for the cost savings alone, I’d buy the sire. Both sound great to my ears.

[@shawnmartin4701]

I did guess correctly, but both sounded good to me. I would be proud to own either, or better yet, both. I dig the way you bring your own type of humor to these videos man. As always, good content.

[@landonbailey]

I appreciate that!

[@kq6878]

I had it right early on. The X fender was very smooth and even although not as crisp on the highs as the Sire..but the Sire was a bit sizzly and probably needs a setup for intonation. The sire is a very nice guitar especially at that price point. I would enjoy either...thanks for the video!

[@JosEvan888]

I got it totally wrong.. the Fender sounded thinner and brighter with less body and I was convinced that it was the Sire having roasted maple neck and stainless steel frets Seriously impressed with the Sire. Fender need to sit up and take note.

[@jamesnichols5998]

I did get it right, partly bc I just got a Sire myself 😂 It's a bit wollier in the low end and I think with higher gain loses a bit of definition, but some of this can be addressed with EQ and pedal setup. I must say, for the $600 I paid for the T7, it is exceptionally well made. The neck is as good as advertised

[@wraith_1171]

I did like the Fender tone more.....but not $1000 more :) . That Fender colo(u)r is gorgeous!

[@maraviyoso8473]

Tone doesn't have a price. Construction does.

[@Hickeroar]

I got it wrong, but they're so close, I don't think the differences even matter. I expected the Sire neck pickup to be brighter since they tend to lean that way, but I think the Sire's was a hair warmer than the Fender. If I may offer you a suggestion, shorter clips between swaps would be good. Maybe ~10-15 seconds on each guitar, then swap to the other, and back and forth that way. It's easy to forget how X sounded by the time you get halfway through Y. Love these videos! Thanks!

[@rayfranchi1507]

They both sounded great I guessed wrong there definitely was not $1,000 difference between them. So give me The sire and a thousand bucks.

[@oldmanmerc]

At full volume and tone the Sire sounds thinner and a little brittle but I’m sure with some minor adjustments they would sound much closer.

[@timogronroos4642]

I got it right from the beginning. But with some playing with EQ and volume, they can be made to sound pretty similar. Sire had a more flat sound and less bass. But there's always the option to change the pickups to what you want, 1000$ gives room to play around. And the more effects you add, the less the pure sound comes out.

[@joibjalla]

I got it right by listening on my tv speakers. Neck pickup sounded just a bit fuller on the Fender but the Sire sounded great too. I love my Fiesta red Sire T7.

[@2010njdevil]

I thought the same as you and would love an American Pro II Tele to pair with my mercury colored American Pro II Strat. The pickups are very balanced. BUT...... the Sire has many of the build features as an expensive Tele....locking tuners that are staggered and roasted maple neck are 3 great examples. I'm really digging the Sire ..... how is the tone on all 3 pup selections? I have the Empress Para EQ so I figure I can easliry dial in what is missing on bass for the neck pickup and the price just cannot be beat.

[@joibjalla]

@@2010njdevil yeah, very nice features on the Sire guitars and the neck on mine feels great. I haven't been playing electric guitars for a long time so I don't have many pickups to compare to. But I did compare it to my sons Fender Player Tele and both pickups on his fender are more harsh in the highs. The neck pickup on his Fender surprised me there. Way more brittle than on my Sire. So, for me, the Sire sounds better through my Vox AC15c1. I like having a softer neck pickup and then a little brassy brittle bite on the bridge pickup.

[@Sea_Jay]

I own that exact same T7 in Fiesta Red. I totally thought Guitar Y was the Fender. Guitar X had a bunch of string buzz and didn't sound as full to me. I'm suprised by the results. That said, I still want a real tele some day.

[@Sammywhat]

If you have even a modicum of skill with a screwdriver and soldering iron, consider building your own from parts. Places like Stratosphere and Stewart McDonald have some fun kits. You can listen to KZbin tone comparisons for pickups, looms, bridge assemblies, etc. I purchased a Pro Am II and wish I saved the money and just built my own with a Hummingbird Body, Mighty Might Neck, and some fine Tele pickups from Bill Lawrence or Lollar. With a proper setup, I'm sure anything home made would play like the Fender. The beauty think about Leo Fender's design is it's so easy to replicate. Get a good lightweight body and a neck shape you really like, and you have an amazing guitar for less money than you'd think. Just saying...

[@Charlieboy2680]

Sire also has locking tuners, bone nut, beautiful rolled fret edges,roasted maple neck at a price point of 700 US. Compare those to the 2000 fender .

[@daviddalziel884]

I liked the neck sound better on Y and thought nah must be the Fender , liked the middle sound on Y thought ok definitely be the fender . Liked both bridge tones couldn’t split them so BIG win for the Sire !!

[@DaringDan]

I was totally wrong. Both are gorgeous guitars. Can't wait for the Revstar video! Also, shout out to Sam.

[@louislaventure5835]

Wow! I loved the Sire tones! I actually have the same sire t7, and was pulling for it, but had no idea which one it was. I also have a black t7fm from sire and the H7V. All three are great guitars.

[@papablue3015]

I like the....um...??? One sounds really....um...?? But then again...?? The Black night is just Beautiful! It's approximately 6 to 8 hundred dollars more Beautiful I'd say! Thanks Landon

[@asdjrocky]

I'm a Tele guy and I've been looking at that Sire for a while now, thanks for the review.

[@landonbailey]

No problem!

[@dragan4658]

X better be the fender as it sounds better to my ears. The fender is gorgeous while the sire is beautiful meaning the fender is the guitar to beat. That being said the Sire is an awesome guitar, now just build it in vintage white! Thanks Landon!

[@narglefargle]

I liked Y more. Pleasantly surprised that it was the Sire. Frankly, all the new Fenders I've played recently (including American models) had kinda iffy QC, while every Sire I've played feels like guitars three times the cost. Makes me want to seek out one of these T-type Sires to see if it meshes with me IRL.

[@CalzNL]

And there goes my blind test 😂

[@msantos7948]

I own both so it was pretty easy for me to get them right. The Sire sound is very distinctive.

[@landonbailey]

Nice job!

[@cyclone159]

I didn't know which was which but i liked the sound of Y more. I wasn't that surprised that it was the Sire as i own a MM Bass v3 and it sounds better than any of my other basses. Guess i'll be picking up an T7 and maybe an L7v too.

[@jaypeterson7637]

I have prided myself on getting these 'blind' challenges correct...not this challenge! I was so sure that 'y' was the Fender. I will console my bruised ego by spending time with my brand new Gretsch G5230t Jet. It's an amazing guitar! I chose it over the Sire T7. Now I may have to buy a T7 as well.

[@harryharris1619]

I got it right the Fender was more clear and the Sire a bit on the darker side of things. Obviously one could change the pickups on the Sire and still be under $1K. However you would still have a Sire if brand matters to you. For standard type Tele's the pickups are going to make the most difference between different brands in terms of tone. If brand is not an issue seems the Sire or other T style under $1K would be just fine and you could update the pickups to your taste.

[@cristianhernandomendivilra461]

Both sound like tele and both sound great, but I think The Bends sounds better with the Fender, but is a personal appreciation. Sire looks ana sounds great also.

[@jimcamp2423]

I preferred the Sire, then again I prefer my Monoprice Retro Classic TL for under $ 100 to both. Makes you wonder which feels better playing. I mean I also have a Epiphone LP Special I P90 that was a little more than the Monoprice TL's. I guess I can splurge on sets of strings and even be happier for that. To be fair in this blind challenge, both these guitars sounded quite excellent. But so do my Monoprice & Epiphone. In the end I saved a lot of money to make good noises.

[@slimsantilli4476]

I picked up one of the Amazon Firefly thinline Telecasters. It sounds awesome. And the neck is perfect.

[@dennyd4848]

I totally messed them up! I thought Y sounded more “Black Knight-ish”. I preferred the neck and combined of the Sire and the bridge of the Fender. And love them both for different reasons, although I’ve never even seen a Sire in real life? 😵‍💫🤘

[@Frank-in-NY]

I got it right. I liked the Sire, cleaner tone and crossed tones nicely. If I had the spare cash or needed another guitar, I'd put it on my list. Enjoyed the simple-direct comparison, I can read about specs on my own. Only spec that isn't usually listed is weight, I always like to know about that. I've play enough boat anchors in my life. Good Job!

[@2skyland]

Welp. I've seen some of the other comments trying to explain the whys and wherefores about it but for whatever reason, I pretty much picked the Sire across the board. Lifelong Fender player here.

[@danieltschirky5234]

I was right with the T 7. Got mine yesterday. It's a big statement , but after 2 hrs. playing it, for me it feels like holding a 3000.- instrument. I Have a lovely blade custom thinline Tele for nearly 4000 more than 20 years now. She has the rounded frets / neck stuff to. The T7 plays quite similar. Me, Like that extra weight too for having that presence ( dry +amplif. ). The short version of it : " go and get one of these, amigos"!

[@denismacnaughton]

Got them right, prefer the fender, more clarity

[@bobaldo2339]

Exactly.

[@applesauceblues6952]

Personally sound doesn’t matter since pickups/amps/speakers/pedals handle 99.99% of that. Im much more interested in quality of build, how it feels in the hand, fretwork, comfortability in the hand and overall ease of play. Im going to have to hold it and handle it for hours a day, if it feels like crap but sounds great im not going to use it. I’ll just pick up my prs that sounds and feels great.

[@landonbailey]

🎸👍

[@aaktatich]

I got it right. T7 for me.

[@dantimofei]

I preferred the sound of Y and hoped it to be the sire though I was expecting it to be the other way around. What a nice turn over, it was the sire!

[@6806goats1]

Waiting for the leftie T7FM to get built but thinking about a regular Telecaster as well. I guessed the T7 but going by looks alone it’s a tough call. The red is awesome but the blue fender is the color I prefer. Hard to justify the price difference but in also kinda thinking it’d be nice to have an American built Tele. I wish Sire had custom options for paint. I went nuts and bought 3 Sure guitars s They look great and the price is spot on for building a herd of guitars. All three are lefties. H7V black, L7 black, T7FM blue. Won’t be ready until Feb they say. Best second option is partscaster but thinking 48mm nut and a U shaped neck, maybe compound radius. Won’t be any be any cheaper than the Fender but a wider Warmouth neck with SS frets and roasted maple neck sounds cool to me. We’ll see. A sunburst Sire T7 might get the nod but that red or butterscotch are awesome colors as well. Depends if they’re available in leftie versions. Ramble much? Yeah.

[@brendanmoran7415]

I got them right and I liked X better on the bridge and middle, but preferred the clean neck tone on Y.

[@geraldyafchak4365]

I can't help it sir but can't get Ron Livingston out of my head ... voice is just so spot on

[@landonbailey]

🤣

[@PyaePhyoKyaw-e3f]

I was thinking of getting a Sire t7 but no more. Fender has the exact tone I want from a tele. Sire has all belts and whistles but the tone that it counts.

[@explorervango880]

Liked the Sire more through KZbin with the same amp settings. If the Fender has your favorite feeling neck that would make that the better guitar-you can always turn a knob or two on the amp to tweak the sound.

[@landonbailey]

🎸👍👌

[@willdenham]

I like my T7. It's just that I didn't know about Baja Teles at the time and had I known about them, it probably would have effected my choice. I am always going to wonder if the Baja would have sounded/played better. Although the Sire plays nice and I like the roasted maple.

[@jricoc3475]

I don't try to guess which is which, since with these numerous models I don't really know for what distinguishing characteristic(s) I'm listening, but i preferred the Telecaster's sound. i probably would not be willing to pay over $1,000 more for that sound, but I did prefer it...

[@djculous]

I got the sire S3 as a first electric guitar because i can't afford fender or ibanez.. i'm satisfied how my s3 sounds like.. the only complain i can give is the 5way switch and knobs felt cheap, but i guess, i get what i pay for.

[@MindtheGAS]

D@mn... I definitely liked Y more and I'm really happy I did 😎 Brighter, more clarity and note definition. I'm sold!

[@treishtrei]

On my channel I have a guitar called Clive, a spin off from Dame guitars. I haven't seen another one ever. I can bet it's the prototype/concept that now Sire is...15y later. The body shape is identical, mine is made in Korea Custom shop...comes stock with bone nut, SD JB in bridge, Grover tuners, wilkinson trem (i removed it) for only $369 new back in 2011.

[@landonbailey]

interesting!

[@ericnrebeccawilliams2906]

Thank you for a really clear no BS comparison.

[@davidtremaine8076]

Thanks for this. I could not guess which was which but thought Y (Sire) had a richer tone and I liked it more.

[@BG-jg4pt]

way preferred the Sire just because the sound was so much more open then the fender. The bridge pick up lead distorted really sold it on me but I prefer brighter more open sounding guitars

[@joecash4064]

Before saying,while listening,louder pickups can sometimes,seem to try to hide what you are looking for, and for that reason I think you should play one first through the amp you use

[@ludomirsteinbruck9376]

Ok I dont know which is which but the Y Guitar sounds better clean on neck pu, but kind of atrocious on dirty/bridge pu.

[@MichaelMacherey]

Interesting, I liked the tone of the Y more and thought it sound more like a Tele and so would be the Fender! 😅

[@Spaceman-jo5mz]

Illuminating video!👍 Got it right. 1. Preferred the Sire for neck (smooth) 2. Preferred the Fender for neck & bridge.(sting clarity) 3. Don’t like Sire nor the Fender for bridge, (Tele high end ice pick twang) but if had to choose one it would be the Fender only because the Sire bridge was to thin. PS. modding a Tele right now…on the fence between EMG T-52 or Fishman Fluence Greg Koch “gristle tone” Any suggestions?

[@MikeWolf-427]

I'm going to say the X is the American Pro2. I know nothing about Tele's but X sounds fuller. My Strat Americans Pro II has a think sound I love. Apples & oranges, I guess.

[@MikeWolf-427]

wootwoot, I'm two for two. I'll get a Tele eventually. I love the Butterscotch colors.

[@MrSmoothasf]

I guessed right but probably because i have a larry carlton. The fender pickup have an almost inconceivable chime to them. Larry Carlton pickups are extremely balanced. The neck on my Larry Carlton is much better than my AM Fender or any others ive owned

[@landonbailey]

👍🎸

[@dougberry5003]

Hi Landon, I have the L7 Sire , i love it, it plays great and sounds really good , for the money, It's a great value !

[@landonbailey]

Great to hear!

[@jonjones655]

Total surprise Y sounded richer but then what are the ohm readings on the pickups? More wraps roll highs.

[@elsantoproductora]

Have you tried a firebird? It's like a tele on steroids. I have a 2013 in vintage white and it sounds amazing

[@SplotchTheCatThing]

I think I liked the Sire better, which would be good news if I ever want to use those tones :)

[@theonetruehellolaf]

Got it right but I'm biased I'm in camp Sire s7v and very happy i finally got away from Fender after 50 years 😉 That said, next guitar purchase will be a t7 but i already knew that before i watched the video. Like i said, I'm biased. *Something needs to be said about people commenting the Sire's have hotter pickups. My s7v is 6.1/6.2/6.4 wich imho is very vintage in spec. and I have a hard time believing the Fender has colder output, they never do. So it might be a slight difference in attack, the one variable that's near impossible to control. GREAT VIDEO 👊🏻

[@landonbailey]

cheers!

[@Artymofo13]

Got it right, and i do think the Fender sounded better... but not twice as good as the Sire. Actually, I got the Sire S7 delivered today, and I can't wait to see if it lives up to the hype.

[@landonbailey]

let me know what you think of the s7

[@Artymofo13]

@Landon Bailey My first impressions are very positive. Frets are excellent, fit and finish is flawless, pickups are good. I got mine in sherwood green and the paint is gorgeous. The only downside is that the pots feel a little cheap, but they seem to work fine. It's a darn good value! I'd buy another Sire in a heartbeat.

[@landonbailey]

nice! The electrics look and feel really good in the one I have, but this is the T7 so it's not the same parts

[@overvieweffect9034]

I just love the neck pickup on the fender, but you always just replace the pickup (not even both) on the sire and still save a lot of dosh.

[@ronaldsweet3484]

Guitar Y is the Fender. They both sound great, but, Larry's preference is a slightly less "bitey" tone.

[@michaelpilgrim8131]

I preferred the Sire. Maybe one could get the same sound from the Fender guitar by changing the amp settings, so what does it matter?

[@TheMusicWiz]

I was convinced X was the Sire ...it just sounded a bit cheaper, so I figured that Y had to be the Fender Y could be better in tune at times...but overall better sound. Love to Fender color! I have a Sire H7 that's great...but tuners could be better.

[@padmakamirihagalla1551]

It’s not at all about wanting to sound like Fender as the benchmark. That’s how Fender wants you to think though. They sound equally good and tone is personal. But in terms of construction quality, I found Sire to be a bit better than American teles after experiencing both a few times.

[@jimmyjames2022]

Got this one right, Pro II Tele pups just sound like Fender pups should, the Sire sounded a bit bright with different overtones than I hope for in a Tele.

[@AntonioRamos_To]

I like your videos, relaxed and fun. I would like to know your preference between the Sire Larry Carlton T7, the Squier Classic Vibe '60s (or '50s) Custom Telecaster and the Fender player (MIM), knowing that the Squier could take an upgrade in pickups (with the difference in price to the others) ?

[@dspinka]

I guessed them right! I like the Fender better.

[@landonbailey]

🎸👍

[@Rhinodo99]

The neck on that Sire is beautiful.

[@te-xt_me_Landon_Bailey]

👆Thanks for being an active subscriber. You are among my shortlisted winners💓💓 use the above name on telegram to acknowledge your prize 🎁🎁

[@tjukkv]

What do you think about using a looper pedal for sound comparisons so the playing is exactly the same. Though I guess loopers could lose some fidelity.

[@landonbailey]

I've done that for speaker and amp comparisons. Seems to work well

[@Louis_Rain]

After just the first tone demo I will say Y is the Fender. X sounds brighter (maple neck?) and like it has a cheaper made pickup to me..........sure was wrong on that one, bad ear!

[@sweetnsourchick1761]

The Sire sounds great! I just ordered one of their basses because of all the great things that I've heard about the company.

[@markmilner842]

I own two of their basses. Fantastic instruments.

[@sweetnsourchick1761]

@@markmilner842 👍

[@landonbailey]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@sweetnsourchick1761]

@@landonbailey Thanks, Landon!

[@jamesb44]

I was driving while watching this, so I wasn’t really paying attention to the sound. However, that paint job on the Fender is near impossible to beat!

[@Hungrykittynomnom]

As much as I also love to see the underdog win imo the telecaster definitely proved itself the higher quality instrument with sound here 👌 great stuff love the Bends riff

[@SticksAandstonesBozo]

Everytime I have a question Landon did the exact video a few months back .

[@anthonycashero7605]

No dog in this hunt. But the Fender sounded Fenderish. Both nice sounds. Just preference. Play TV Jones Starwoods in my Telecaster. Highly recommend. Very musical, really.

[@gabrielcaleb9277]

Got it right . I got me ( today ...🥳) thé exact same sire for 350 euros . Thé Fender did seem a little clearer to my ears , BUT paying 4 Times more is out of thé question for me 🤞🍀

[@landonbailey]

Very nice!

[@areyouabus]

note definition far better with the pro 2. With a bit of gain the sire sounds harsh compared to the Fender

[@landonbailey]

🎸👍

[@josephdanko7451]

I liked Y more and I’m happy about it considering the price.

[@davidconboy5822]

Well,I managed to get it right. Maybe it was easy becuse I own a Sire T7 and an L7 that is as equally impressive. That Fender in you video is gorgeous though. $$$

[@GrandaddyJeff]

Could hear a difference, wasnt sure which was which, though kinda leaned towards Y being the Sire on the neck. Overall, no preference, though I didnr love the middle position/light gain on the Sire. Definitely would not spend the $1000 difference after hearing this.

[@xcodychaosx]

Seriously i be needing that t7 I couldn't hear any difference on the cleans soon as you added distortion you can hear the fender is a little tighter and cleaner but for the price id deffinitely go with the sire and if you wanna swap out pickups your still gonna be at about half the price of that fender

[@mikeblue385]

i'm digging the sire. haven't played one yet.

[@jackblack2321]

I know you told us the cost of each but how much to buy both guitars?

[@landonbailey]

probably a delivery truck full of flipstix

[@norseman61]

Love my Sire, so I’m biased. But even so, someday I intend to own a true Fender Tele. But even then, my Sire ain’t going anywhere.

[@angrypickle]

It's not all loving the underdog. It's also loving the one that you might have a better chance of affording :)

[@raymondarthur5937]

I'm weary of Sire and sound clips from KZbin. I purchased a new Sire M5 sight-unseen based on KZbin reviews and sound demos. Unfortunately the bass had very cheap hardware for the price, a tone knob that didn't really do anything, an EQ that failed to changed the tone in a meaningful way to my ears, and had a variety of blemishes on various parts of the body. Neck was excellent though. I learned a valuable lesson - don't trust the hype on KZbin 😅 EDIT: mistakenly referred to M4 when I meant 4 string M5

[@landonbailey]

I haven't heard of that model

[@raymondarthur5937]

@@landonbailey sorry I meant Sire M5 4 string ( I had the 4 string, hence the confusion lol)

[@2000SkyView]

sound the same to me, but I heard say once that KZbin guitar comparisons are fake or something like that.

[@jasonswitzer1748]

I thought the Site was brighter and more what I expected a Tele to sound like. I’m surprised!

[@Voxguitarsrock]

I preferred one. Not sure " Y " though,,,,?

[@danpalmer4683]

The biggest takeaway here is (since I own both) the Sire (which I like best) with a pickup height adjustment and a slight tone adjustment sounds way better, is more versatile and feels like warm butter in my hands--anyone in the market for a Fender?

[@TheCave99]

I thought x has more clarity, y a bit muddy/muted. So I picked x as the fender.

[@michaeljohnson3383]

Got it right. Preferred the Sire.

[@Donnybrook10]

The Fender is far superior. I could tell it was X early. I'd rather pay the extra for the real deal. Especially given that it holds its value at resale

[@erikkorhonen]

the Sire seemed really nice but if im going with a non tele heahstock shape , this isnt the one

[@landonbailey]

👍🎸

[@brisson182]

Why is it called T7 but only has 6 strings?

[@landonbailey]

good question!