Music Man Sabre Basses

[Prosebass]

With me knowing bugger all about these basses is there anybody out there knowledgeable with regard to them ?

Reason I ask is I have been offered one without its neck !
I have no idea on values or spec but may have this one and put one of my own necks on it if it would be worthwhile.

thanks in advance.....

Paul

[Ou7shined]

Hi Paul.
Sounds like you might be getting the best bit - Sabre necks were notoriously wonky.
Nip over to the [url="http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-basses/"]EB forums[/url] and you'll pick up most of what you need to know.
They are rare and good ones are very sought after.... and I'm jealous already.

[Prosebass]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='863815' date='Jun 10 2010, 10:53 PM']Hi Paul.
Sounds like you might be getting the best bit - Sabre necks were notoriously wonky.
Nip over to the [url="http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-basses/"]EB forums[/url] and you'll pick up most of what you need to know.
They are rare and good ones are very sought after.... and I'm jealous already. [/quote]

thanks for that

[roonjuice]

wot outshined sed!
if u dont want it ill have it!!!!!!!

[dlloyd]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='863815' date='Jun 10 2010, 10:53 PM']Hi Paul.
Sounds like you might be getting the best bit - Sabre necks were notoriously wonky.
Nip over to the [url="http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-basses/"]EB forums[/url] and you'll pick up most of what you need to know.
They are rare and good ones are very sought after.... and I'm jealous already. [/quote]

Not to be argumentative, but Sabre necks are no more or less wonky than Stingray necks of the same period (the only difference is the decal).

[Spoombung]

I used to have one years ago. They weigh a TON! Active electronics (bass and Treble). Didn't keep it for long because of the weight.

[Cairobill]

Here is a sabre being played by a very talented musician, Tom Jenkinson. He describes it as the perfect bass. I would like one if I could find one. I used to have a stingray but hated the neck. Apparently the sabre has a more 'jazz bass' profile.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLcxve603-4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLcxve603-4[/url]

It gets going about 3 minutes in...

N

[Conan]

[quote name='Cairobill' post='863990' date='Jun 11 2010, 08:32 AM'][url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLcxve603-4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLcxve603-4[/url]

It gets going about 3 minutes in...

N[/quote]

That's interesting stuff! Never heard of him before. Love the tone of the bass. Tony Wall from eighties hair and spraypaint band King used to play one of these... always liked his tone too.

[4 Strings]

There are quite a few differences to the Stingrays of the time apart from the extra pickup. The bodies are dressed away for the forearm and beer gut like Fenders whereas the early Stingrays were slabs, adopting the dressed bodies after a couple of years of Sabre production. The bridges are top loading (Stingrays of the time were string-through-body) and different to even top-loading Stingray bridges. The electronics were also different having coil taps and lots of other little switches with options for 3 band eq.

If a Stingray is like having a 5litre Chevy then a Sabre is the 8 litre model. Its going to be powerful. I crave a good Sabre.

I think its rather odd that MM didn't call it a 'Saber'.

If you can possibly find one, link it to a Sabre neck (hen's teeth etc) or a Stingray neck (the necks are the same apart from a transfer) and you should have a very fine bass for yourself.

(Can you see the serial no. on the bridge? Are there any stamps on the neck pocket?)

[Prosebass]

Thanks for all the info guys, it never ceases to amaze me what knowledge is out there.

I have not seen the bass yet as I will be going in the morning and there may be some other bits and pieces so I will report back.
Squarepusher is great, but having never seen a clip didn't realise he played a Sabre.

cheers

[Prosebass]

[quote name='4 Strings' post='864018' date='Jun 11 2010, 09:00 AM']If you can possibly find one, link it to a Sabre neck (hen's teeth etc) or a Stingray neck (the necks are the same apart from a transfer) and you should have a very fine bass for yourself.

(Can you see the serial no. on the bridge? Are there any stamps on the neck pocket?)[/quote]

There is one on ebay at the moment at £650.00 BIN

Will an OLP neck fit directly ? I have played and modded a few OLP's and apart from the weight thought they were nice basses.

Edited June 11, 2010 by Prosebass

[Ou7shined]

I'm sure a man of your talents will make it fit if it doesn't.

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230446385172&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.co.uk%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp3984.m570.l1313%26_nkw%3D230446385172%26_sacat%3DSee-All-Categories%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1"]This[/url] body was on the bay a wee while ago. I wonder if it's the same one?

[ahpook]

i've got a sabre, so if you need any advice (other than the excellent words already), ask away.

[dlloyd]

There were a couple of changes through the Sabre's lifetime. Early ones had exposed pole pieces on the pickups, but later ones were covered and had a 3 way switch instead of the toggles. The later ones also adopted the stingray bridge of the time:

[Ou7shined]

That bottom one is gorgeous - just needs some frets and p/g screws.

[dlloyd]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='864123' date='Jun 11 2010, 10:35 AM']That bottom one is gorgeous - just needs some frets and p/g screws. [/quote]

Maybe also a clear pickguard like this one:

[Shaggy]

I used a Sabre as my main gigging bass for a decade or so, they’ve a name for being heavy but TBH I didn’t find it any worse than the average Fender, maybe as mine was alder body rather than ash. Necks are solid, no issues at all. Always been cheaper than 'Rays simply because they're not as well known, but do [b]so[/b] much more

Pros;
Very cool looks,
Rare and exclusive
Very “Fender-ish” in feel (more like a P than a J), so instantly familiar feel to most players.
Nice fast neck
Built like a tank
Huge range of tones available between the switching and the EQ – more low end and top end available than any other bass I’ve tried.
Slap tone on the neck p/up is to die for………

Cons
Basic tone is fairly unsubtle “old school” – not a hi-fi bass
Treble EQ control will cut glass if you overdo it
Fairly heavy on battery drain and no passive option (so always carry a spare battery!)
Treble boost switch does so little it’s redundant. Out of phase switching wasn't a tone I personally found usable either
Mine had the nototious MM "weak G string syndrome" too (much like the wife... ), don't know if if was that particular bass, and wasn't a big problem

Edited June 11, 2010 by Shaggy

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='dlloyd' post='864135' date='Jun 11 2010, 10:49 AM']Maybe also a clear pickguard like this one:[/quote]
Sweet.
I prefer the grain on the other one though. I wonder what wood it is? They are obviously very different.

Edited June 11, 2010 by Ou7shined

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='Shaggy' post='864143' date='Jun 11 2010, 10:54 AM']..
Very “Fender-ish” in feel (more like a P than a J), so instantly familiar feel to most players.
Nice fast neck...[/quote]
They were actually available with a choice of J or P width necks as well as maple or rw although the choice was limited by date.

[quote name='Shaggy' post='864143' date='Jun 11 2010, 10:54 AM'].....Basic tone is fairly unsubtle “old school” – not a hi-fi bass...[/quote]
From what I read this seems to be the most contentious point with Sabres.
The prices they command are based more upon desirability, rarity, pedigree and good looks rather than a great tone.

[dlloyd]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='864145' date='Jun 11 2010, 10:55 AM']Sweet.
I prefer the grain on the other one though. I wonder what wood it is? They are obviously very different.[/quote]

I'd say they're both ash... just different trees.

[dlloyd]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='864164' date='Jun 11 2010, 11:09 AM']They were actually available with a choice of J or P width necks as well as maple or rw although the choice was limited by date.[/quote]

Stingrays were as well... very difficult to find though, most went for the standard profile (P)... maybe those who'd want a J profile neck would be more likely to go for the additional options of the Sabre.


[quote]From what I read this seems to be the most contentious point with Sabres.
The prices they command are based more upon desirability, rarity, pedigree and good looks rather than a great tone.[/quote]

I'm surprised that they would command a price premium. A few years back, nobody wanted them and they were cheaper than Stingrays (pre-EB, even more so).

Edited June 11, 2010 by dlloyd

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='dlloyd' post='864187' date='Jun 11 2010, 11:39 AM']I'd say they're both ash... just different trees.[/quote]
That's amazing, they're like chalk and cheese. My 'ray's grain is somewhere between the both.

[geoffbyrne]

[quote name='Prosebass' post='864043' date='Jun 11 2010, 09:26 AM']There is one on ebay at the moment at £650.00 BIN

Will an OLP neck fit directly ? I have played and modded a few OLP's and apart from the weight thought they were nice basses.[/quote]

(a) I'm not sure the OLP has the same heel dimensions - I recollect reading somewhere that they were deliberately made differently so as to avoid this kind of substitution, and

( the neck on the OLP (5er) I've got is a *very* clubby/baseball bat affair, and you wouldn't want to be putting it on a nice Sabre body. Funnily enough the neck on my mate's Tony Levin 5 is a much shallower affair & much more acceptable.

G.

[dlloyd]

[quote name='geoffbyrne' post='864248' date='Jun 11 2010, 12:42 PM'](a) I'm not sure the OLP has the same heel dimensions - I recollect reading somewhere that they were deliberately made differently so as to avoid this kind of substitution, and

( the neck on the OLP (5er) I've got is a *very* clubby/baseball bat affair, and you wouldn't want to be putting it on a nice Sabre body. Funnily enough the neck on my mate's Tony Levin 5 is a much shallower affair & much more acceptable.

G.[/quote]

I'd be tempted to put on a Status neck.

[Conan]

[quote name='Cairobill' post='863990' date='Jun 11 2010, 08:32 AM']Here is a sabre being played by a very talented musician, Tom Jenkinson.[/quote]

Talented indeed!

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7qjuv2iFnY&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7qjuv2iFnY...feature=related[/url]