Marcus Miller V5 Alder-5 TS

Looking for a reasonably priced passive 5-string jazz bass? This could be the one for you. Important side note: the neck on this 5-string is stable, comfortable and a beauty, but it's also really heavy. Tricky to balance, in my experience. I tried it out extensively and found the following:

5 out of 5 in terms of features, especially taking the price into account. The roasted maple neck is sooo comfortable, and it looks really tasty on top of that. Body shape and color exceed their price range as well if you ask me, definitely more impressive in real life than on the promo photo's.

Sound: 3/5. This is a passive bass so the output level and versatility might leave a bit to desire compared to the rest of the Sire V7 for instance. It is okay, but for me it just didn't cut it. This was supposed to be my main 5-string, as I usually play 4, but I couldn't quite get the sound I wanted. 100% down to taste. Credit where credit's due: it does sound like a Jazz.

Build quality: 4/5. As mentioned, the neck feels GREAT. Rolled edges for. the. win! The only thing keeping it from being 5/5, is fine detail.

All in all, I would recommend the V5 but I would also absolutely mention the weight of the neck as the main weak point, which made me decide to return it.

Decent looking bass. The body colour is more brown than shown on this site. The pictures on the Sire website are more accurate.
The Sire V5 has the basic features a passive jazz bass should have. I´ve only played it sitting down, in the classical guitar position, and in this position there´s not even a hint of neck-dive.
The sound isn´t to my liking at all. It has a trebly quality to it that remains very audible even with tone turned quite a bit down. It sounds nicer at 20 % tone than 100%, but not good in my ears. I´d have to replace the pickups and possibly the control plate to be happy with it. If you, unlike me, dig Marcus Millers trebly slap-tone, then this could be a bass for you.
The quality of the bass seems good. The neck pocket looks well routed and the neck plays comfortably. The fret edges have been filed quite well, and cannot be felt while playing.
I can´t really recommend the V5, for reason stated. There´s another passive Sire bass I can recommend, namely the P5 R vintage P-bass. It has a darker sounding pickup than the regular P5 and a rosewood fingerboard. I think it´s great, and probably the only reason I´m not buying it, is that I want a two-pickup bass.