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Musicman Sabre Club

Same here

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87 with flats
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2014 Classic wit rounds.
 
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Could you guys help me. I just bought this 1988, the previous owner refinished, but white was the original color. Came with two pickguards. Two-ply white (the one he said was the original), and three-ply black. The question is: Ernie Ball used to make two-ply pickguards? What color they use in the white bass, in 88?
Thanks in advance.
 

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View attachment 3279764 View attachment 3279765 View attachment 3279766 Could you guys help me. I just bought this 1988, the previous owner refinished, but white was the original color. Came with two pickguards. Two-ply white (the one he said was the original), and three-ply black. The question is: Ernie Ball used to make two-ply pickguards? What color they use in the white bass, in 88?
Thanks in advance.
Wow! I don't think I've ever seen a two ply pickguard on an EBMM bass... Could be an aftermarket repro?

Nice bass!
 
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Wow! I don't think I've ever seen a two ply pickguard on an EBMM bass... Could be an aftermarket repro?

Nice bass!

I hadn't either, until I saw the original pickguard Marco has. I then did a little research, and it does seem like a two-ply pickguard was in use at the time. Maybe we're so used to seeing three-ply guards that we automatically assumed that the two-ply pickguards were three-ply as well?

CE56F9D1-1D2D-49D6-8100-440955600787.jpeg
 
Could you guys help me. I just bought this 1988, the previous owner refinished, but white was the original color. Came with two pickguards. Two-ply white (the one he said was the original), and three-ply black. The question is: Ernie Ball used to make two-ply pickguards? What color they use in the white bass, in 88?
Thanks in advance.
Wow, another Sabre?
Your knobs looks like flat pre-ernie ones on this one.

Only remember 3ply white, 3ply black and clear for that era.
1989 Ernie Ball Music Man Sabre (Olympic White) | Echo Tone

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I hadn't either, until I saw the original pickguard Marco has. I then did a little research, and it does seem like a two-ply pickguard was in use at the time. Maybe we're so used to seeing three-ply guards that we automatically assumed that the two-ply pickguards were three-ply as well?

View attachment 3279979

I'm not saying you're wrong, but the bass pictured, if you look closely, has a 3 ply guard... There are places where it looks 2 ply, but there are more places where you can distinctly see the 3rd layer (black) and the difference between the shadow cast by the bright light... I'm curious though. I'll have to do some more research...
 
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I'm not saying you're wrong, but the bass pictured, if you look closely, has a 3 ply guard... There are places where it looks 2 ply, but there are more places where you can distinctly see the 3rd layer (black) and the difference between the shadow cast by the bright light... I'm curious though. I'll have to do some more research...
I respectfully beg to differ.

Since the pickguard is chamfered around its entire outer edge, the bottom layer would be equally visible around the entire pickguard, except where it meets the control plate. This is clearly not the case. Not only that, but if you look at the direction of the light source, it's obviously coming from the behind and above the camera lens. This is borne out by the position of the highlights on the body, and the cast shadow on the wall behind. The dark edges you refer to correspond exactly with the direction of the light source, revealing them as shadows. Finally, if you look at the enlarged section at the top left in the photo, you can clearly see the white bottom layer of the pickguard being reflected in the finish. With a black bottom layer and chamfered edges, this would not be possible.

Whether this is the original pickguard or not, I do not know. But the fact that our friend Marco is in possession of an original one that is in fact two-ply, it would seem fairly likely, given the fact that his bass and the one in the picture are of the same model year. I'm sure it would be possible to find out for sure whether two-ply pickguards were standard and what model years had them by asking on the Ernie Ball forums.

SabreMag.jpg
 
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I respectfully beg to differ.

Since the pickguard is chamfered around its entire outer edge, the bottom layer would be equally visible around the entire pickguard, except where it meets the control plate. This is clearly not the case. Not only that, but if you look at the direction of the light source, it's obviously coming from the behind and above the camera lens. This is borne out by the position of the highlights on the body, and the cast shadow on the wall behind. The dark edges you refer to correspond exactly with the direction of the light source, revealing them as shadows. Finally, if you look at the enlarged section at the top left in the photo, you can clearly see the white bottom layer of the pickguard being reflected in the finish. With a black bottom layer and chamfered edges, this would not be possible.

Whether this is the original pickguard or not, I do not know. But the fact that our friend Marco is in possession of an original one that is in fact two-ply, it would seem fairly likely, given the fact that his bass and the one in the picture are of the same model year. I'm sure it would be possible to find out for sure whether two-ply pickguards were standard and what model years had them by asking on the Ernie Ball forums.

View attachment 3280529

That's cool. Respectfully, I disagree. IMO, the parts you are highlighting are actually reflections of light, as also reflected on the radius of the body. There are more parts of the photo where it is clearly, IMO, showing it to be a 3 ply guard. You are right, the light source is above, meaning the glaring reflections show on the upper parts, and shadow is cast below, which as per you highlighting at the bottom, near the control plate, shows the difference between the visible (IMO) 3rd layer and the shadow. Also, I have seen many pickguards where the ply materials are of unequal thickness, where the bottom ply is so thin you can barely see it. Looking closely at Marco's 2 ply guard, the bevel angle also looks different to me. That said, doesn't mean they never, ever, used 2 ply material. I'm sure if you asked on the EB forum, someone would answer with much clearer photo proof.

Marco says his bass came with two guards... Why would it come with two? IMO, his 3 ply B/W/B is probably the original, and the 2 ply W/B is probably an aftermarket repro, made by a previous owner.

Cheers!
 
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That's cool. Respectfully, I disagree. IMO, the parts you are highlighting are actually reflections of light, as also reflected on the radius of the body. There are more parts of the photo where it is clearly, IMO, showing it to be a 3 ply guard. You are right, the light source is above, meaning the glaring reflections show on the upper parts, and shadow is cast below, which as per you highlighting at the bottom, near the control plate, shows the difference between the visible (IMO) 3rd layer and the shadow. Also, I have seen many pickguards where the ply materials are of unequal thickness, where the bottom ply is so thin you can barely see it. Looking closely at Marco's 2 ply guard, the bevel angle also looks different to me. That said, doesn't mean they never, ever, used 2 ply material. I'm sure if you asked on the EB forum, someone would answer with much clearer photo proof.

Marco says his bass came with two guards... Why would it come with two? IMO, his 3 ply B/W/B is probably the original, and the 2 ply W/B is probably an aftermarket repro, made by a previous owner.

Cheers!
I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree. :)
 

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