The Sire Larry Carlton H7
Рет қаралды 226,144
Күн бұрын#knowyourgear #deepdive # thegeekystuff
You can become a Patreon and support more videos like this
www.patreon.com/phillipmcknig...
00:00 Specifications
02:00 The Geeky Stuff
09:56 Sound Demo
14:11 My Thoughts
The Epiphone 1959 Les Paul video
• Limited Edition 1959 E...
What is a Treble bleed?
• How To Use A Treble Bl...
Some of the links below are affiliate links and when you use them your purchase helps support the channel.
Support this channel by checking out our Know Your Gear merch
know-your-gear-shop-2.creator...
Epipehone 1959 Les Paul
imp.i114863.net/BXVq9J
My Favorite set up tools
stewmac.sjv.io/RyQ2nX
Friedman Dirty Shirley Mini
imp.i114863.net/WDvBze
Fender 65 Deluxe Reverb
imp.i114863.net/XxNMma
The pedal boards I use
imp.i114863.net/DVnrJ2
The strings I use in this video
imp.i114863.net/oYXBn
The cable I used in this video
imp.i114863.net/e4eqDj
The picks I use
imp.i114863.net/QMJXMMusic Nomad Set Up Kit
imp.i114863.net/e4Xngr
Al Music Nomad tools
imp.i114863.net/qn9WZy
My suggestion for set up tools
stewmac.sjv.io/RyQ2nX
Electronic Cleaner
stewmac.sjv.io/XxJrWG
The Snark tuner I'm using in this video
imp.i114863.net/N1e5O
Radius Gauge with slots
stewmac.sjv.io/15JN59
Fret Rocker
stewmac.sjv.io/Xx7exX
Precision Notched Straightedge
stewmac.sjv.io/Ea7Na2
The Music Nomad gauge I use
imp.i114863.net/vn2d0v
Digital Caliper
stewmac.sjv.io/vnYanv
Digital Multimeter
stewmac.sjv.io/Yg7agP
Clip On Tuner in this video
imp.i114863.net/RyVm3b
Here are some other products from a dealer I trust and buy from online
imp.i114863.net/c/2224555/791...
Sire H7s actually in stock
reverb.grsm.io/h7
Sire H7s at Sweetwater
imp.i114863.net/4enyZ0
Join me on Instagram for cool giveaways and more guitar content
/ phillip_mcknight
Join Know Your Gear Facebook for other videos and posts
/ knowyourgear
Want to have your product on an episode ? Contact us here
mgclessons@gmail.com
iTunes: smarturl.it/KYGitunes
Spotify: smarturl.it/KYG-Spotify
KZfaq: smarturl.it/KYGyoutube
iHeart Radio: smarturl.it/KYGiheartradio
By clicking some of the links above you are supporting the channel with the purchases you make. Thank you
@KittyKatMan93 2 жыл бұрын
I've loved watching the evolution of the sock test. The photo negative is the perfect illustration.
@jazzsounds8159 Жыл бұрын
Could you please review the new Sire H7V for a thicker neck? P90's. Thanks.
@trushack 2 жыл бұрын
Going with unpotted pickups gets a tip of the hat from me...that's some real attention to detail (if the goal is to get as close to vintage spec as possible).
@Jack-zc1qp 9 ай бұрын
I think you’re one of the few reviewer on KZfaq that I can trust. Thanks for doing these honest reviews!
@1967whaley Жыл бұрын
My exact guitar. It's great, powerful pick ups...louder than my PRS on same amp volume. Neck is defo narrow...Great for lead playing. It bites, it sings, it cries...love it.
@barondavis5692 4 ай бұрын
Do you like the Sire more than the PRS? Which has better “playability?” Thanks
@alexandereisen3486 2 жыл бұрын
Was at guitar center the other day. Picked one of these off the rack and plugged it. Fell in love with it immediately. Bought it on the spot. Awesome guitar for the price.
@henrysmith187 2 жыл бұрын
Low output humbuckers are such a dream in a 335 style guitar.... or any guitar for that matter. They will hit the front of a pushed amp just fine. Much more articulate and just better overall than higher output pickups. Great demo.
@jfar3340 2 жыл бұрын
Articulate for some is bright city for others.
@AAllinsonNN 2 жыл бұрын
Couldn’t agree more. As someone that grew up playing metal, I’ve found that low output pickups can give you everything you want, if the rest of the rig is tuned in well. High output pick ups push everything too much, and by the time it hits the amp, it’s just a mess. && dang - if only there was something you could put between a guitar and an amp that tuned the EQ…. 😮💨
@rickc2102 2 жыл бұрын
And if you really need it, just use a boost.
@jfar3340 2 жыл бұрын
@@rickc2102 boost color everything and tend to make things muddy. Outside of a mix or band situation, I avoid boosts. Once my pickups were so low output that I could hear anything even with the amp on 10.
@StayHomeEatGreat Жыл бұрын
Good observation. Yes this is one of the very few humbuckers that I like. All the other I've tried have been Duncan's and just too muddy.
@andreapasillas5803 2 жыл бұрын
I played a sunburst Sire H7 two days ago at a big box store. I really liked it. Great sounding and easy to play with my smaller hands. I plan to purchase one later this year.
@kjguitarman 2 жыл бұрын
You set the standard for guitar reviews. The detail is truly top notch. Well done!
@Andrew_182 2 жыл бұрын
I appreciate you touching on the string spacing and all that. Im a big guy with very big hands (can easily palm a basketball) and had kind of been considering trying one of these to see how it stacks up to my Epiphone. But now knowing it is a narrower one makes it easier to keep the GAS at bay, or really just means maybe I'll have to try out a different Sire instead lol. Thanks Phil!
@garrettmundy4914 2 жыл бұрын
Yeah I'm one of those that likes a chunkier neck also. I would have to really see if this one felt comfortable. Sure is a nice instrument though.
@bradwebber3211 2 жыл бұрын
All the Larry Carlton models have the narrow nut, he prefers it as he can play some really stretchy chords easier. It's the same size as his 1968 Gibson.
@Andrew_182 2 жыл бұрын
@Brad Webber Well, shoot. Thanks for the heads up.
@StayHomeEatGreat Жыл бұрын
Super comfortable neck. True to Larry it's a soloists dream.
@stevieboy444 2 жыл бұрын
I bought one. I love it. If it gets stolen I'll buy another one. I don't want to change the pickups, they sound great on their own & they play nicely with my Strat biased pedal-board. It looks exactly as presented in Phil's excellent review. If the 3 way switch broke I'd replace it with a switchcraft but as the soldering's so good I won't. My hobby is building partscasters. This is a great buy for the price.
@davedavem 2 жыл бұрын
That seems extremely high quality! Great deep dive, Phil, and well done, Sire!
@Beatedelic_Records Жыл бұрын
Wow...what a great review and very nice enjoyable playing! I bought the same guitar last year, but mine had string buzz, many dead spots and the frets were uneven like a mogul field. I had to invest some money and now it is perfect....no buzz, no dead spots and a perfect intonation! The guitar looks beautiful and sounds great!
@amessica 11 ай бұрын
It is the best guitar review I have watched ever. Very very informative & professional. Chapeau.
@mattevans060972 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for doing this. I bought an L7 partly due to your review and I love it. (Only my second guitar ). I’ve been thinking of getting one of those semi hollows too. It’s Larry Carlton after all! So great timing for this review.
@vince8081 2 жыл бұрын
Love the sound of these pickups, very sweet on cleans and creamy on overdrive, sounds so good. Great guitar.
@el0blaino Жыл бұрын
Excellent review. No dilly-dallying, just awesome information, sensibly chosen playing to reveal the tones - much appreciated! Sire sounding like a great brand!
@thoughtprovoking001 Жыл бұрын
Super detailed review. This helped a lot and filled the gaps in the manufacturers info 👍
@rexrathtar3893 2 жыл бұрын
Excellent review, Phil. Very thorough and useful for anyone considering a 335 style guitar. Fantabulous bit of Van Morrison you slipped in there.
@deeman1 2 жыл бұрын
So concentrated qualifiyng stuff, man that is really professional. Great videos here, so much info in short time, thanx !
@jackhargreaves1911 Жыл бұрын
First time watching your channel, and I find…. the perfect review! You really do set the standard (not just detail but style).
@cpanaretou 2 жыл бұрын
I’ve had a H7 in Red finish for nearly 9 months from Andertons in Guildford UK and am blown away by everything about it. Is a great all round guitar for most styles, Great job Sire.
@PDXDrumr 8 ай бұрын
Just bought one, and what impressed me is that they made a lefty version for the same price, which isn't always the case. It's a good guitar.
@pdlawson-venusloon359 7 ай бұрын
Yeh, I recently got a lefty H7 too and I absolutely love it.
@chancemiller9340 2 жыл бұрын
So much more thorough than anyone else who reviews guitars. Sounds like that guitar was created with jazz solos in mind. Thanks again.
@jfar3340 2 жыл бұрын
Really? It doesnt sound like jazz at all (or maybe very very modern jazz)
@AAllinsonNN 2 жыл бұрын
@@jfar3340 you don’t think that had more to do with Phil’s amp choice? Gibson ‘57s should be really nice for jazz w/ the right amp.
@jfar3340 2 жыл бұрын
@@AAllinsonNN Funny that you mention that because blackpanel type amps are ideal for jazz, and he's playing on a stock deluxe reverb. What tube amp would you have been ''the right amp''? Unless you are referring to solid state henricksen polytone etc.
@bartm5485 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Phillip, I always like your videos... I've purchased items you have reviewed, and always been very pleased...
@yesto9676 2 жыл бұрын
I have one just like this and honestly I LOVE the look of it. I also really enjoy the tones coming straight out of the guitar, I can get a nice jazz tone just by DI'ing and turning the tone knob down.
@44totalmassretain Жыл бұрын
Have one. You’re spot on. Loved it out of the box. I have options. This one is right at the top. Would definitely buy again. My hands a pretty good sized and usually I don’t like smaller necks. This one’s a keeper.
@Anjohl Жыл бұрын
Watching this again, this guitar sounds *magnificent* Phil!
@josephzita 2 жыл бұрын
Those are some of the sweetest sounding pickups I've ever heard. Like a less angry P90
@drvee1983 Жыл бұрын
You do great, short, concise reviews. Thanks for posting.
@ron.v Жыл бұрын
I love your reviews. This one is a topper. I once had a vintage '60 ES-335 but, sadly, let it go several years ago. As you played the Sire H7 clean, I heard what (to me) was the classic sound I grew to love from my old Gibson ES. That's a pretty amazing guitar.
@marklawrence8518 Жыл бұрын
Well rounded review. Nice playing on that neck pickup demo, too! Sounds nice. Thx
@jamescoughlan8193 Жыл бұрын
Wow what a very thorough honest review , well done.
@crabbybastardguitars9955 Жыл бұрын
Phil is a great reviewer. I have one of these in red. It has a great looking top and very good fretwork. The nut is slightly more narrow than most guitars but after a few minutes of playing you adjust to it. No guitar is perfect and you manage to find work-arounds to their imperfections. That is all guitars.
@ernieb3626 2 жыл бұрын
great review thanks Phil. I have been looking for a while. when I find one I will probably pick it up. thanks again
@swordfan1330 Жыл бұрын
Very thorough reviews, I'm enjoying your attention to detail!
@rogerdat7807 2 жыл бұрын
What a great resource you provide. Much appreciated. SUBSCRIBED!
@Spahr62 11 ай бұрын
Very helpful information! I haven't found any Sire guitars near me to play... I think the guitar is beatiful and am impressed with the build quality, but the darn neck is much thinner than I like or want. This is where you shine with this grat info! Thank you!
@seangoddard5800 Жыл бұрын
I just bought one, ,trusted Phillp and am not disappointed at all, wonderful guitar
@tramlad2 2 жыл бұрын
I have the S7 fantastic in the Blue flame, such a brilliant guitar for the money, leaves the Epiphone and Squire standing, these will become collectable, such a user friendly guitar, your model was so nice had a great finish
@Russell_Optics 2 жыл бұрын
I have the white one and like it a lot. It plays good and the pickups sound great. The stock tuners & hardware are fine and do need to be changed. I like the neck and while having a narrower nut width, the neck carve is nice and full and fills your hand. It took me 9 months before I found a white one in stock to buy.
2 жыл бұрын
I bought this model in February of this year 2022 at the Hollywood California Guitar Center. I'm a sucker for ES type and yes as you point out Phil. It has a thin neck. I didn't like it at first but I got use to it. Great for that clean sound! Good affordable guitar. I bought the case at Sweetwater. Perfect fit!
@user-ok1es2yl3h 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for a deep and interesting dive. Great guitar. Acceptable price. Made well. Apparently at the Cort factory. Although they do not produce semi-acoustic models under their own brand. Larry is a great musician. And if he made an effort to create this brand, you can hope that there will be no disappointments. Moreover, he himself played on the Gibson 335 model and may have made some adjustments based on his experience. Good luck.
@rjb7569 Жыл бұрын
Very knowledgeable review! Enjoyed the full breakdown before playing. Particularly the neck description emphasis as this neck would be right for me, based on your detailed commentary.
@Claimjumper55 2 жыл бұрын
Nice review. I think I'll keep an eye out for one of these once they become available. I have a couple Sire bass guitars and they've been great.
@rufusevans7844 2 жыл бұрын
Phil this level of information is like a dream for me! Love this format!
@wesboundmusic Жыл бұрын
Sweet presentation and compared to other presentations of this very model, it would even rate as a deep dive where I'm concerned. The thin, smaller neck wasn't even mentioned in the other demos I watched. Great, thanks, I've entered the give away somewhere already, so I'm good there. 😇
@rrrripbing 2 жыл бұрын
Great review Phil. I love your format of going through 'specs', 'geeky stuff', etc. Sub'd.
@stringbender57 2 жыл бұрын
Very good look at the Sire! These guitars have caught my eye. Very nice guitar at that price point. I sincerely appreciate and value your opinion...well done!
@barrywinter8770 2 жыл бұрын
I have one in red and love it. The is narrow and open chords need more precision than say on a tele, but get past fret 5 and the magic starts. It looks great, it feels quality.
@hlyangel1 2 жыл бұрын
Hi Barry how is the nut height? Mine is a bit high and I’m hoping lowering it a bit will make those first frets a bit easier to negotiate
@cruzincondo3395 2 жыл бұрын
With all of his inside knowledge of build quality it’s safe to say ‘this dude is a guitar’ Great vid per usual.
@patrickcolclough2423 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you Phil, exemplary as always. You'll have to do the Sire S7 next, personally I'm blown away. :)
@luigizanellato2959 2 жыл бұрын
Definitely a smooth sounding axe for jazz playing. Very nice, great review Phil!
@daviddalziel884 Жыл бұрын
Thanks for this review . Just recently heard that these have a really narrow neck and many other reviews had never mentioned this but glad you’ve pointed this out too . I was lucky to play 66 Gibson 335 but it too had a really narrow neck and I believe they only made them like this for a year . Hard for bends as you clunk really quickly into the other strings . There’s a lot of competition at this price point eg Epiphone but it’s difficult to find a store which stocks both .
@Time-Trvlr 2 жыл бұрын
impressed upon me your use of closed cell foam to protect the finish from scratches.
@fernandog9684 2 жыл бұрын
Damn. I’m not even in the market for this but it looks and sounds amazing. I think I would enjoy that smaller neck too. Great review/demo!
@monmixer 2 жыл бұрын
Hey there it is. I asked, you did with the L-7. thank you!! they are making some nice guitars. I'm so tempted. Back to work now. Live entertainment workers really suffered. time to buy now!! I have small hands and am not into shredding.
@mpf44 Жыл бұрын
Great review. Very in-depth, which we need to make an informed decision.
@kq6878 2 жыл бұрын
thanks Phil, insightful detailed review as always..you're the best good sir
@claudehopper9813 Жыл бұрын
Good honest review . I've played other " Indo " built guitars they were very good instruments . They were very light in weight and the fit and finish was spot on .
@davidharris794 Ай бұрын
Fantastic review, Philip, as usual. The point you make about the neck width at the nut is interesting. Other reviewers have also commented about that. For some it's an advantage, but for me it would probably be a deal killer. I have broad fingers with broad tips and pads and need that extra space that a 43mm nut provides. As a lefty, it's almost impossible to find one of these H7s in a shop to try out the neck, so reviews really help. This guitar has many excellent features, it seems.
@markseverson3358 2 жыл бұрын
GREAT REVIEW AS USUAL PHIL, BEEN LOOKING FOR A LEFTY L7 👍
@6stringedpsycho718 2 жыл бұрын
Best review ever of this instrument, i just pulled the trigger on a black one and will be delievered 1 week from now.
@lazvt8469 Жыл бұрын
...how did you like the guitar????
@MrTraewilliams 2 жыл бұрын
I liked the new pricing info part but as with the Epiphone Les Paul 59. IMO I do see the need in pointing out the joints . Love the channel
@davva360 2 жыл бұрын
Saw one in guitar center a couple months ago. Was very impressed with quality and fretwork. Just wasn’t the guitar I was looking for I was actually looking for an L7.
@BrianSGuitars 2 жыл бұрын
Loving the Deep Dive format!
@skwissgaar_skwigelf_kdz3251 2 жыл бұрын
i tried one of the sire strats and it was very easy playing and looked great
@JazzGuitarScrapbook 10 ай бұрын
Given Larry’s 335 is a 1968 it makes sense. I have a 68 ES175 and the neck is super narrow. The guitar sounds like a Gibson, it has that distinctive upper mid nasality! I think I’ll have to try one ….
@Barbarapape 2 жыл бұрын
Sire are making good quality guitars at sensible prices, and well below the big names ever increasing prices. I bought a Sire Larry Carlton S7 last year, and it realy is a great guitar that played well out of the box, with only a few tweaks required. The spec is way above most other brands, if than can keep the quality consistent, they will do well.
@brett1965ge Жыл бұрын
Damn cool demo vid. Thanks for your work.
@elguapo9628 10 ай бұрын
Really nice guitar! Digging that Vans t shirt, too 👍
@danparry834 2 жыл бұрын
Nice to hear a bit of Van Morrison there Phil! Awesome video as always!
@dennischurgovich1904 9 ай бұрын
Recently purchases a H7V. Price was just under $750. Looks good and the tone is marvelous. Very good quality for the price.
@Zilegil 2 жыл бұрын
It's been my main guitar for like a year now. It's a lovely guitar!
@SiddharthKarunakaran 18 күн бұрын
What do you like and hate about it? Do you like its playability?
@KSETONMTL 2 жыл бұрын
Adding a few notes what is already a great in-depth review, that smaller neck profile-shape is modelled directly from LC's guitar, and matches the typical 33x-series necks circa '67 through '70. For the mahogany necks, my H7 is a 1-piece completely including the heel. Sire has made a point of these being 1-piece mahogany neck as per LC's, and any other review I've seen so far have 1-piece mahogany necks as well. Looking at the grain on yours in the posting I'd suggest that what you might be looking at is simply the natural curve of the mahogany's grain lines? Also, the ebony fretboard is more appropriate in hardness and density to the brazilian rosewood boards used at the time as well - modern rosewood in-use today is a different species and is not as hard or dense. Last note, according to Elantric on the vguitar forum, who worked at Valley Arts and on Larry's guitar, LC's pickups were/are neck= 7.32 ohms, and the bridge= 7.03 ohms. Sire then, has done a stellar job! I've got quite a few G's myself, but after playing the Sire H7, bought it on the spot! I added Schaller tuners, M4/M8 bridge post converters and a Nashville bridge with titanium saddles, a TP-6 tailpiece, light-gold top-hat knobs, lowered the switch by removing the washer and using two underneath, and added a 60-degree bevelled 60's-style 335 pickguard with the 1' foot, and ... WOW I love my H7!
@joeschmoe1301 Жыл бұрын
Your guitar reviews are in a class by themselves!!!
@deannafisher2658 2 жыл бұрын
Have this in red and absolutely love it
@davidpatrick1813 8 ай бұрын
Unbelievable great review.. helpful. I am looking for clean sound ... and my first semi-hollow
@lancetownsend6226 2 жыл бұрын
Love my sire bass. More than any fender J bass I've played
@ew6629 2 жыл бұрын
I've had the H7 for about a year and I love most everything about it except the volume knob. Once you go past around 4 or 5, not a whole lot of volume change.
@DavidHBurkart 2 жыл бұрын
These reviews are really valuable. Such a great guitar. Contemplating the purchase of one of these... or do I wait and spend more for the real deal?? Such a dilemna 😂😂
@jasonmccann257 2 жыл бұрын
I bought one of these last November, and sold it this past April and bought a 2022 ES-335. You get way more then what you pay for, for the price of this guitar, but the nut width, and the potentiometers are the "Achilles heal" on this guitar.
@tlister67 2 жыл бұрын
Larry made his name on a 1966 es335, that era was known for narrow nut width. I have a MIJ tokai es with block inlays and it too is narrow, like 42 mm. No problems except the first 3 frets are tight. You get used to it.
@FarrellMcGovern 2 жыл бұрын
Nice guitar. The sounds it gave reminded me a lot of Randy Bachman's guitar sounds in The Guess Who.
@JohnFraserFindlay 5 ай бұрын
wow this is a serious review. probably the only one this detailed on the net.
@devilsguitaristmusic 2 жыл бұрын
Hey Phil, I really like the in depth look at the pickups of each guitar. One thing that would be cool, even though I don't know if it's possible, would be to let us know the quality of the components (magnets, pole pieces, wire, bobbins, etc) that are used in the pickups. I've noticed that higher quality pickups usually are more clear and seem to sing more than lower quality pickups, even when the pickup recipe is the same such as Gibson Burstbuckers vs Epiphone Probuckers and Seymour Duncan vs Seymour Duncan Designed. Also I can tell that certain Fender pickup models are of higher quality than others. The more affordable pickups definitely sound close to what they're emulating and they're good but most of the time they just aren't quite as good IMO. It would be cool to know the quality level of the pickups in these deep dives. If that's not something that's easy to do, maybe you could play the review guitar and then play a guitar that has the pickups that are being emulated. So for this guitar, you could play a guitar that has 57 Classics or Burstbucker 2 back to back with the review guitar.
@sober-southoftheborderever3591 Жыл бұрын
This is the best review I have seen!
@Capt-Cran Жыл бұрын
SUBSCRIBED ... great channel ... glad I found you!!
@brianh794 2 жыл бұрын
Reminds me of my Ibanez as83. These intermediate semi hollow guitars are so much bang for the buck
@benmeyers1203 2 жыл бұрын
Finally! I've been waiting for this review for months now! Of course I'm no longer in the market since I bought the CE24 I really wanted. NO REGERTS 😆
@johnnytruck2009 2 жыл бұрын
I have a Spear RD Blues that is very similar to this. I enjoy it. I would enjoy this guitar.
@jonconger3527 Жыл бұрын
Sounds great. Nice demo!
@forddriver8827 8 ай бұрын
I'm in Sydney, Australia and have my eye on one of these H7 in see through red. The Joe Bonamassa Epiphone es335 is $2800 where the Sire H7 is $1300. I can buy an amp with the change. Thanks for the great insight and I appreciate your neutral stance in the review. New subscriber.
@mikecullen6488 2 жыл бұрын
Got the L7. Have a Harley Benton 335 and was interested in learning more about the sire h7. Answered a lot of questions. Sounds great. I’m kinda on the fence about the neck. I’ve had a couple of schecters and I felt those necks were a little thin so there is my quandary. But great review and great info
@mikecullen6488 2 жыл бұрын
Did go ahead and get one with the red finish. Love it.
@briansimpson8116 2 жыл бұрын
My favorite style of guitar. This one was nice.
@Zilegil 2 жыл бұрын
One thing I have, Although mine is a lil older, is that it is a dyed ebony fret board. There's tiny bit of dye on the binding, and when you first get it your fingers go black at first. But after a bit of playing it goes away
@EvanBNW 2 жыл бұрын
Great looking semi hollow and sounds particularly nice through that Bad Cat.
@MrMrjauregui 2 жыл бұрын
I've been watching Phil's channel for so long I can pretty much tell how soon he will sell/return the product off Lol!! Not a knock by any means, love all your videos!
@alexanderwernet9881 8 ай бұрын
Great Review - just ordered one some minutes before and now waiting excited how the neck will suit me, I have not big hands...
@BazonBlades 2 жыл бұрын
I pretty much default to Ibanez Artcore models for semi-hollows as I have had very good luck with them. But I appreciate the look at other options. Especially when they are well done at an accessible price point.
@herbertmcgowan3080 Жыл бұрын
Ibanez AS-153 is outstanding at 1,000 $ with hard case
@picksalot1 2 жыл бұрын
Nice guitar, good for smaller hands, or doing a Richie Havens impression. 😉 I'm also not a fan of the strap button on the back of the heel, as it can get in the way when playing the high frets, and I find it makes the strap twist in uncomfortable ways. I hope Sire will consider using ball ends on their frets instead of beveling them. This will help the two E strings from slipping off the edge of the fretboard, and give as much as one millimeter of extra usable width on each fret end. Could be helpful on a thin width neck.