The Sire Larry Carlton S3 SSS in Mild Green is a modern S-style electric combining traditional three-single-coil versatility with several player-focused features normally associated with more expensive instruments.

A lightweight mahogany body is paired with a hard maple C-profile neck and Sire's excellent EDGELESS rosewood fingerboard, which uses rolled edges to give the neck a smooth, comfortably played-in feel.

Three Sire Standard-ST single-coil pickups and conventional five-way switching deliver the familiar range of bright bridge tones, hollow intermediate sounds and warmer neck pickup voices expected from a classic S-style guitar.

Finished in distinctive Mild Green with a tortoise pickguard, this Pre-Owned example is offered in Very Good condition and is supplied without a case or gigbag.

At A Glance

Key Detail	Information
Brand	Sire
Signature Artist	Larry Carlton
Model	S3 SSS
Finish	Mild Green
Body	Mahogany
Neck	Hard Maple
Fingerboard	Rosewood EDGELESS
Scale Length	25.5"
Pickup Configuration	SSS
Pickups	Sire Standard-ST
Bridge	2-Post Tremolo
Condition	Pre-Owned, Very Good
Main Appeal	Comfortable modern S-style guitar with rolled fingerboard edges
Best For	Blues, rock, funk, pop, indie and studio work

Pre-Owned Condition Report

Very Good Condition

This Sire Larry Carlton S3 SSS Mild Green is offered in Very Good condition.

Very Good condition means the guitar shows some cosmetic wear consistent with careful previous ownership while remaining fully functional and suitable for continued home, rehearsal, studio and live use.

No faults, repairs or modifications have been supplied for this listing.

What’s Included?

✔ Sire Larry Carlton S3 SSS Mild Green

✘ No Case Included
✘ No Gigbag Included
✘ No Additional Accessories Included

Condition Notes

This individual S3 SSS has been graded Very Good, making it an appealing choice for somebody wanting the playability and specification of Sire's Larry Carlton range while benefiting from Pre-Owned value.

The Mild Green finish is paired with a tortoise-style pickguard, giving this version a distinctive vintage-influenced appearance.

Fair Deal Quality Control Assessment

This Pre-Owned Sire has been inspected and assessed by the Fair Deal Music team before sale.

Our checks include:

• Neck single-coil pickup
• Middle single-coil pickup
• Bridge single-coil pickup
• Five-way selector
• Master volume
• Tone controls
• Output socket
• Frets
• Rosewood fingerboard
• Neck condition
• Tuning machines
• Two-post tremolo
• Hardware
• Intonation
• Tuning stability
• Overall playability

Service / Setup Work

All Pre-Owned electric guitars at Fair Deal Music are set up and checked before leaving the shop.

Our assessment includes action, neck relief, fret condition, intonation, tuning stability, electronics, pickup balance, tremolo setup, hardware and overall playability.

Please remember that wooden instruments can respond slightly to temperature and humidity changes during transportation.

Why Choose The Sire Larry Carlton S3 SSS?

Traditional SSS Pickup Layout

The S3 SSS uses three Sire Standard-ST single-coil pickups.

This gives it the familiar tonal spread associated with a classic three-single-coil guitar, ranging from bright bridge sounds to warmer neck tones and the distinctive scooped character of the intermediate positions.

Five-Way Switching

A conventional five-way lever keeps operation straightforward.

The available combinations make the guitar particularly flexible for players covering multiple genres within a single set.

EDGELESS Rosewood Fingerboard

One of Sire's most popular features is its EDGELESS fingerboard treatment.

The fingerboard edges are rolled to remove the sharper feel commonly found on new guitars, giving the neck a smoother and more mature feel in the fretting hand.

Bone Nut

The S3 uses a genuine bone nut, a particularly welcome specification at this level.

It provides a solid contact point for the strings and contributes to consistent tuning and open-string response.

Two-Post Tremolo

A two-post Sire Standard tremolo provides expressive pitch control while maintaining a cleaner, more modern pivot design than a traditional six-screw vintage bridge.

Why Choose An SSS Guitar?

The three-single-coil layout remains one of the most versatile electric-guitar configurations ever developed.

It provides five easily accessible sounds without additional switches or complicated controls.

The neck pickup works beautifully for blues and warmer cleans, the bridge position adds bite and definition, and positions two and four provide the characteristic scooped response widely used for funk, pop and clean rhythm work.

For players who rely heavily on clean, edge-of-breakup and lower-gain sounds, an SSS guitar remains difficult to beat.

Comparison Against Popular Alternatives

Sire S3 SSS vs Fender Player Stratocaster

Both follow the traditional three-single-coil S-style formula. The Sire distinguishes itself with its rolled EDGELESS fingerboard, bone nut and particularly strong value-focused specification.

Sire S3 SSS vs Sire S7

The S7 sits higher in Sire's range with upgraded hardware, pickups and construction details. The S3 retains much of the same playing philosophy at a more accessible level.

Sire S3 SSS vs Sire S3 HSS

The HSS version adds a bridge humbucker for greater output and thicker distorted tones. The SSS version remains the more traditional option for classic single-coil sounds.

Sire S3 SSS vs Yamaha Pacifica

Both brands are known for excellent value and reliable modern construction. The Sire particularly stands out through its rolled fingerboard edges and traditional three-single-coil layout.

Who Is It For?

Blues Players

The neck and intermediate pickup positions provide plenty of dynamic clean and edge-of-breakup character.

Funk And Soul Players

Positions two and four are ideal for crisp rhythm playing and clean chord work.

Indie And Alternative Guitarists

The three single coils work extremely well with modulation, fuzz, delay and reverb.

Developing Players

The comfortable neck and rolled fingerboard edges make the S3 particularly approachable.

Studio Musicians

Five clearly different pickup settings provide useful contrast when layering multiple guitar tracks.

Suitable Genres And Uses

The Sire Larry Carlton S3 SSS works particularly well for:

• Blues
• Rock
• Pop
• Funk
• Soul
• R&B
• Indie
• Alternative
• Country
• Clean rhythm
• Studio recording
• Home recording
• Session work
• Lead guitar
• Live performance

Why Rolled Fingerboard Edges Matter

A newly manufactured guitar can sometimes have quite defined edges where the fingerboard meets the neck.

On older, frequently played instruments those edges naturally become softer over time.

Sire's EDGELESS treatment intentionally rounds those areas during manufacture, creating a smoother transition around the sides of the neck.

It is a relatively small construction detail, but one that can make a noticeable difference to how comfortable the guitar feels during longer playing sessions.

Story & Context: Sire, Larry Carlton And The S3 SSS

Sire developed its guitar range in collaboration with legendary session and jazz-rock guitarist Larry Carlton, applying many of the value-focused ideas that had already made the company's Marcus Miller basses successful.

The original S3 launched in 2022, initially providing Sire's more affordable interpretation of the S-style platform.

Following customer requests for a more traditional three-single-coil version, Sire introduced the S3 SSS in 2023.

Mild Green was one of the launch finishes alongside Tobacco Sunburst and Dakota Red.

The result is a guitar that retains traditional S-style controls and sounds while incorporating Sire's characteristic rolled fingerboard treatment and modern construction approach.

Technical Specifications

Specification	Details
Product Type	Solid Body Electric Guitar
Brand	Sire
Artist	Larry Carlton
Model	S3 SSS
Generation	Original S3 SSS
Finish	Mild Green
Body Shape	Sire S-Style
Body Material	Mahogany
Neck Material	Hard Maple
Neck Profile	C-Shape
Neck Joint	Four-Bolt
Fingerboard Material	Rosewood
Fingerboard Treatment	EDGELESS Rolled Edges
Fingerboard Radius	9.5"
Scale Length	25.5"
Frets	2.7mm Medium Jumbo
Nut Material	Bone
Nut Width	42mm
Position Inlays	Ivory Dots
Pickup Configuration	SSS
Pickups	3 Sire Standard-ST Single Coils
Electronics	Passive
Controls	Master Volume, Tone 1, Tone 2
Pickup Selector	5-Way Lever
Bridge	Sire Standard 2-Post Tremolo
Tuning Machines	Sire Standard
Hardware Finish	Chrome
Pickguard	Tortoise
Condition	Pre-Owned, Very Good

Specification Note

This Mild Green S3 SSS belongs to the original generation introduced in 2023.

Sire subsequently introduced a revised S3 New Gen with different colour options and some specification changes.

The technical information in this listing therefore relates specifically to the earlier Mild Green S3 SSS rather than the newer-generation model.

Power Requirements

No battery or external power supply is required.

The three Sire Standard-ST single-coil pickups and controls operate entirely passively.

Connect the guitar directly to an amplifier, pedalboard, modeller or recording interface using a standard 1/4-inch instrument cable.

Why Buy Pre-Owned From Fair Deal Music?

The S3 SSS already offers an impressive specification for its price, making a Pre-Owned example particularly attractive for players who prioritise playability and versatility.

Features such as the rolled rosewood fingerboard, bone nut, three single coils and two-post tremolo mean there is little immediate need for basic upgrades.

Every Pre-Owned guitar at Fair Deal Music is individually checked and assessed before sale.

Fair Deal Music Verdict

★★★★★ 5/5

The Sire Larry Carlton S3 SSS Mild Green demonstrates why Sire has developed such a strong reputation for value.

It takes a familiar three-single-coil formula and improves the areas the player actually interacts with, particularly the rolled rosewood fingerboard and comfortable C-profile neck.

The Mild Green finish is also one of the more distinctive colours offered on the original S3 SSS generation.

Best suited for: Blues, funk, indie, pop and rock players wanting a comfortable traditional S-style guitar.

Customers usually upgrade from: Entry-level Strat-style guitars, starter electrics and lower-priced S-style instruments.

Most commonly paired with: Clean or edge-of-breakup amplifiers, overdrive, compressor, chorus, delay and reverb.

Our tip: Positions two and four are particularly effective with a clean amp and light compression for funk, soul and polished pop rhythm sounds.

Showroom feedback: The rolled fingerboard edges are one of those features that may not look dramatic on a specification sheet but immediately make the neck feel more expensive in the hand.

Why Buy From Fair Deal Music?

When you buy from Fair Deal Music, you're choosing one of the UK's most established, independent family run music retailers since 1987.

You can buy with confidence thanks to:

• Expert advice from knowledgeable musicians
• Carefully checked new and Pre-Owned musical equipment
• Birmingham showroom
• More than 6,000 Excellent customer reviews
• Secure ordering
• Fast UK delivery
• Friendly support before and after your purchase
• Decades of experience with new and second hand musical equipment

Trade In. Trade Up. Save More.

Thinking about upgrading? Your next guitar could cost less than you think.

Fair Deal Music buys and part-exchanges a wide range of guitars, basses, amplifiers, keyboards and other musical equipment.

Your existing gear could help reduce the cost of this Sire Larry Carlton S3 SSS. Contact our team for a no-obligation valuation and we'll be happy to discuss your options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the newer S3 New Gen?

No. The Mild Green S3 SSS belongs to the original-generation model introduced in 2023.

What pickups does it use?

It uses three Sire Standard-ST single-coil pickups.

What is the body made from?

The body is mahogany.

Does it have a rosewood fingerboard?

Yes. It uses a rosewood fingerboard with Sire's EDGELESS rolled-edge treatment.

What is the scale length?

The guitar uses a traditional 25.5" scale.

Does it have a bone nut?

Yes. Sire specifies a 42mm bone nut.

Does it have a tremolo?

Yes. It uses a two-post Sire Standard tremolo bridge.

Is it active?

No. The electronics are entirely passive and require no battery.

Is a case included?

No. This Pre-Owned example is supplied without a case or gigbag.

What condition is it in?

It is offered in Very Good condition, showing some cosmetic evidence of careful previous ownership while remaining fully functional.