Musicman Sabre

[phil_the_bassist]

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320324270662&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.co.uk%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dm38%26_nkw%3D320324270662%26_fvi%3D1"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...0662%26_fvi%3D1[/url]

*Edited to remove Sunday Morning Grouchiness*


A musicman Sabre here, whatcha think!

Edited December 14, 2008 by Crazykiwi

[Musky]

Looks good to me - though not for a Stingray. It's an old Musicman Sabre.

Edit: Mind you, I'm wondering how genuine the sale is - the picture looks as if it's in a guitar shop and has been lifted from the web.

Edited December 14, 2008 by Musky

[Kiwi]

I think you're a bit quick to judge there Phil and I hope the reference to Basschat Angry Mob was tongue in cheek.

[phil_the_bassist]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='354086' date='Dec 14 2008, 10:21 AM']I think you're a bit quick to judge there Phil and I hope the reference to Basschat Angry Mob was tongue in cheek.[/quote]

Incredibly tongue in cheek! as was pointed out by musky, its a Sabre and Phil was too grouchified to notice!


I'm still gonna see if he can get some better photos for me, as it could still be sus....


*lesson learned: think before posting* ^_^

Edited December 14, 2008 by phil_the_bassist

[Kiwi]

Sabres are highly under rated basses though, more versatile and funky than a Stingray IMO but you won't get the same depth and power from the bridge pickup. That looks to be an early one (pre 1983-ish) with the exposed pole pieces in the pickups, so I would be wary about the neck pickup magnetically choking the strings a bit. The later ones had covered pickups because the neck pickup had been redesigned to be like jazz pole pieces (2 pairs per string) to reduce the choking effect.

[phil_the_bassist]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='354088' date='Dec 14 2008, 10:24 AM']Sabres are highly under rated basses though, more versatile and funky than a Stingray IMO but you won't get the same depth and power from the bridge pickup. That looks to be an early one (pre 1983-ish) with the exposed pole pieces in the pickups, so I would be wary about the neck pickup magnetically choking the strings a bit. The later ones had covered pickups because the neck pickup had been redesigned to be like jazz pole pieces (2 pairs per string) to reduce the choking effect.[/quote]


What sorta prices do they go for? if nothing else, this erroneous thread has served as a forum for you to educate me on Sabres!

[Kiwi]

[quote name='phil_the_bassist' post='354089' date='Dec 14 2008, 10:29 AM']What sorta prices do they go for? if nothing else, this erroneous thread has served as a forum for you to educate me on Sabres![/quote]
Sure! Glad to help if I can!

The preEB Sabres don't generally go for anywhere near the same prices as Stingrays but offer greater value (imo) because of their versatility. That's why I think they're so under rated. You could expect to pay up to £800 for one privately, perhaps up to £1200 if a store was trying to winkle extra margin out of you. They were made until about 1988 I believe. The neck pickup is nice and flabby in sound ([url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLmE4lby_fI"]think the slap sound from that Citroen transformers ad[/url]), not quite punchy enough for p-bass but still pretty disco-y. Same neck as a stingray, the body is slightly reduced in width, greater versatility in the eq with the first switch for selecting pickups, second is for the pickup phase and the third is a treble boost in addition to the treble and bass controls. This was revised in the later models to a 5 way selector switch which just offered various coil tap options in a very illogical order. The bridge is a lot more solid than the stingray, more in keeping with bridges on G&Ls. I can't remember whether the bridge is through body anchoring but its not going to make much difference to the sound. Pair a sabre up with a valve amp or maybe put a sansamp in the signal chain and it will fatten up nicely I'm sure.

If I was in the market for an older 2 pickup bass that I could use on funky early 80s/late 70's tunes I'd go for a later Sabre if it was less than £850. Above £900 maybe if I really liked the instrument and it had a lot of growl. You might even make a bit of pocket money on it if you decided to flick it on later to a collector. A super mint one might go for up to £1600, but I personally would avoid those as gigging instruments. Kiwi's top tip for bass shopping: give me a bass with loads of player wear any day. The more worn out, the better so long as there are no signs of abuse.

[griffonite]

[quote name='Musky' post='354077' date='Dec 14 2008, 10:12 AM']Looks good to me - though not for a Stingray. It's an old Musicman Sabre.

Edit: Mind you, I'm wondering how genuine the sale is - the picture looks as if it's in a guitar shop and has been lifted from the web.[/quote]
I contacted the seller of this bass and he told me he is selling an Ernie Ball Musicman Stingray!!! I pointed out that the photo' he has up is a pre Ernie Sabre but no response. He hasn't amended the ad'. As to whether it is dodgy or not I couldn't say but he was ok about me coming to take a look at it?

[Kiwi]

[quote name='griffonite' post='354132' date='Dec 14 2008, 11:30 AM']I contacted the seller of this bass and he told me he is selling an Ernie Ball Musicman Stingray!!! I pointed out that the photo' he has up is a pre Ernie Sabre but no response. He hasn't amended the ad'. As to whether it is dodgy or not I couldn't say but he was ok about me coming to take a look at it?[/quote]
If he's sure about that and doesn't mind you checking it out in person, I wouldn't argue if it means you're getting a cheaper bass.

[Neil H]

A 78 sunburst Sabre sold on its BIN for £1099 the other day on UK ebay.

Neil

[dub_junkie]

CK,minor point I know,they were made through to '91.

Long time ago I had a 1989 natural finish Sabre fretless with the covered p/ups and the 5 position switch. I also had a pre EB Stingray at the time and in summary I'd agree 100% with your take on the tonal differences between the two.

Looks wise I preferred the slimmer outline of the Sabre to the Ray's roundness(like the older G&L L2K before they were changed and given more curves).I'm kind of tempted with this but have plans on one day aquiring another late 80s EB Sabre in trans red/maple or blueburst/maple if I can ever find one

[joegarcia]

Paid about £1100 for my '79 Sabre in chocolate (not sh!t) brown a year ago. Above average it seems but I'm still over the moon with it.

[Kiwi]

[quote name='dub_junkie' post='354432' date='Dec 14 2008, 06:27 PM']CK,minor point I know,they were made through to '91.

Long time ago I had a 1989 natural finish Sabre fretless with the covered p/ups and the 5 position switch. I also had a pre EB Stingray at the time and in summary I'd agree 100% with your take on the tonal differences between the two.

Looks wise I preferred the slimmer outline of the Sabre to the Ray's roundness(like the older G&L L2K before they were changed and given more curves).I'm kind of tempted with this but have plans on one day aquiring another late 80s EB Sabre in trans red/maple or blueburst/maple if I can ever find one[/quote]
91?! Awesome, the later the better! If ever a post-EB sabre with a birdseye neck came up I'd snag it without a second thought, especially if they've improved the design like they did with the Stingrays.

Squarepusher used a sabre for a while as well IIRC.

[bw_user_name]

Just seen this on a german website, looks familiar, did anyone here buy it ?

[url="http://www.oldenburger-music-station.de/Music-Man-Sabre-Bass-1997.htm"]http://www.oldenburger-music-station.de/Mu...e-Bass-1997.htm[/url]

[ahpook]

[quote name='joegarcia' post='354917' date='Dec 15 2008, 12:05 PM']Paid about £1100 for my '79 Sabre in chocolate (not sh!t) brown a year ago. Above average it seems but I'm still over the moon with it.[/quote]

i pay £550 for my 79 about 8 years ago

good old howard's bass place !!