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Musicman Sabre Club

#22
Titania said:
I don't need a number, but I have a 2013 Sabre Classic. It's currently unplayable due to putting DR Black Beauties on it...apparently the Classic requires a string ground to not be a hummy mess, and the BBs are non-conductive. I just bought Roto 55s to try out on it. Haven't gotten around to installing them yet.


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That's interesting. Though it's a good thing that I hate coated/wrapped strings.

I put some GHS Brite Flats on mine today because, well I wanted to hear it with flats/grounds, but I also want to compare it to my Carvin PB4 which will be arriving next week with Brites. It sounds really nice with the Brites. It's thumpy of course, but it still has some growl to it, which is exactly what I've wanted in a bass. The only thing I miss about the nickel rounds that were on there before is I prefer the aggressiveness that those strings give to the bridge pickup. I can get most of it back by boosting the treble, but that pickup definitely loves rounds.

I'm actually a little paranoid about the neck. I've generally avoided maple necks because they tend to sprout up here and I'm concerned that if it happens it will crack the finish. But, out of all three maple necks I've ever had, the only one that didn't sprout was the gloss neck on a Squier CV 51 P. So maybe the finish will help that some. Though I asked that question on here a few days back and most people were of the opinion that the finish won't matter.

I'm also trying to stop my brain from yelling at me that I prefer oiled necks. I do and I usually avoid gloss necks, but this neck is so gorgeous and it feels really nice, so I need to get over it. I've come to realize anyway that I tend to lift my thumb up when I slide or when I change positions in a certain way, so if a gloss neck IS slower, it technically isn't noticeable when I'm playing. I think it's only when I sit there and rub my hand up the neck that I stop to analyze my finish preferences.
 
#23
I love gloss necks. All of my basses, with the exception of my Brute, have them. I find them much more pleasant under my hands than oiled finishes.

I haven't tried GHS strings on any of my basses yet. Might have to give those a try if I don't like the Rotos. I hate the stock strings that come on the Sabre, as I find them too floppy for my taste. I like high-tension strings.
 
#24
Titania said:
I love gloss necks. All of my basses, with the exception of my Brute, have them. I find them much more pleasant under my hands than oiled finishes.

I haven't tried GHS strings on any of my basses yet. Might have to give those a try if I don't like the Rotos. I hate the stock strings that come on the Sabre, as I find them too floppy for my taste. I like high-tension strings.
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Yeah I think the stocks are medium-lights. I didn't like them either.
 
#25
count me in...
I bought one in Myan Silver a couple of weeks ago. I am out all weekend but will post pics next week.

I tend to agree with oiled/Satin necks being nicer to play than gloss necks, but this Sabre is the first bass to make me enjoy playing on a glossed neck. It plays so fast and I cant feel a sticky spot anywhere when I play.

getting used to the 2 band EQ is a little different but I like how it sounds less harsh/biting, and more smooth than the 3 band EQ.
I also like the pickup switch choices, each one sounds different and I have used each one for a different song already in our cover band. I think I still like the sound of my P bass when playing with certain bands, but this bass is so much more versitle that I don't have to switch basses mid set. I see them both splitting time in my playing.

really diggin it so far. the build quality reminds me of Mesa... Rock solid.
 
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#26
I haven't tried the 3 band yet. I have a fretless Stingray waiting for me at the UPS store that I have to head out and go get, so that will be my first experience with it. But it's a fretless, so I think that if it is a bit more aggressive, that will be a good thing.

It's actually my first active bass in years and at first I was worried I'd miss the passive tone control but I find the treble control a bit more versatile in some ways. This treble control makes the bass more aggressive where a tone control just makes things brighter but not necessarily more growly and aggressive. I've also had a hard time finding a tone control where it doesn't turn to mud if turned all the way down.
 
#27
The Sabre is far and away not the only bass that will suffer grounding issues with coated strings.
Sadowsky, among others, recommend against them for this reason.
 
#30
OK. Sabres round II.
Here's some pics of my SUPER FINISH CHECKED walnut Sabre.
Again, played hard and battle scarred. It's in better shape than my natural '79 though. ;)

BTW, I LOVE checked finishes. =)

DSC03736.jpg


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#32
i think Leo definitely had a soft spot for the Sabre bass, as it seemed to be a big influence in the development of his next big thing, the G&L L-2000. if you can dig up the 1980 flyers for the L2K, the pickup placements were even quite similar, before they were pushed back into the current placement. btw, not pimping G&Ls, just commenting on the connection between the two. i'd love to get my hands on an old Sabre, but lefties are hard to come by.
 
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#33
hasbeen said:
you guys are killing me. I bought one new in '79 and don't have it anymore. I wish I did.
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No doubt. I picked up a '79 fretless, black/black with a rosewood board, in highschool. I didn't know what I had and wasn't ready for fretless yet and let it go. Now I primarily play fretless and I so wish I still had it.

This isn't it, by mine was identical to this one:

Ser6.jpg
 
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#35
So does the original Sabre have basically an early G&L style bridge? It looks real similar, and it's neat seeing it on a MM instrument. If it is, does it have the locking saddles, and is it routed into the body? Beautiful basses, btw! I love how the pg/control plate isn't symmetrical. Really a unique animal.
 
#36
I can attest that the bridge does have a protruding piece on the bottom, that has been routed for on the body. Very similar to the G&L bridge. Definitely the precursor to the G&L bridge. The control plate on some of the early G&L basses also seem take their design cue from the Sabre.
 
#38
handofseven said:
I can attest that the bridge does have a protruding piece on the bottom, that has been routed for on the body. Very similar to the G&L bridge. Definitely the precursor to the G&L bridge. The control plate on some of the early G&L basses also seem take their design cue from the Sabre.
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Thanks for that. I find it really cool how one can see Leo's evolution from his past designs, onto what he was thinking with MM, and towards where he was going eventually with G&L, all with this one model. It's awesome that it's being rediscovered as an instrument.
 

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