Sire Acoustics – the best acoustic preamp for your money?
One of the most popular traits of their bass range was the quality of the preamps. Pro-grade sound without the associated price tag. Naturally, Sire applied followed the same path with the acoustic range. These instruments aren’t just well designed and built – the electronics are top-notch too. There are two systems to choose from:
Sire Zebra SIB Preamp
This stands for Simple Is Best. An internal mic is combined with an under-saddle piezo pickup for a natural but clear sound. You’ve then got three simple controls; volume, EQ search and microphone blend. The SIB is voiced to suit acoustic music – smooth and dynamic. Easy!
Sire Zebra 7 Preamp
This system combines a piezo pickup with a (removable) soundhole pickup. But the real star of the show is the outboard preamp, which you connect the guitar to using a guitar cable. The belt-clippable unit offers unprecedented control, including 3-band EQ, gain, phase switch and more.
Mr. Kim is adamant that these systems alone are worth the amount that you pay for the guitar – but they come included. There are few acoustic manufactures (at any price point) that offer such value and choice.
Acoustic guitar pick and mix
As mentioned earlier, the Sire acoustic range is both versatile and easy to navigate. Two shapes, two finishes, two preamp choices, two prices. Tick the boxes you like, and you’ll find the guitar that works for you. The R3 is the more affordable of the two, priced around the £300 mark. The R7 is the more premium model, around £700. Once you’ve picked your budget, you can choose between natural and vintage sunburst, dreadnought and grand auditorium, Zebra SIB and Zebra 7 – and you’re there!
Affordability meets quality
Instrument manufacturers, for the most part, are always striving to strike the perfect balance between quality and price. Very few are successful in this endeavour; Sire are one of those rare cases.
They achieve this by manufacturing everything in-house, buying materials and components in high volume and by cutting out unnecessary distribution. This means they have full control over the design and quality of their instruments. They know exactly what materials are being used and why. They know exactly where all their instruments are destined. This attention to detail and commitment to quality is what sets them apart!