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Musicman Sabre is back

#81
I got a quote from a big retailer today, they expect them to be in stock in about 3 months and quoted me a price roughly equal to the street price of a new stingray classic. think 1800-ish.

colors are black, trans white, blue, silver metallic, sunburst and natural. choice of Birdseye or flame neck with maple or rosewood board.
 
#87
Nobody said:
I figured more people would care about this...
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I happen to care about it. I have a 1980 Sabre and just acquired a 79 that I will need to work on. In my opinion, this is the best bass ever made.

I'm actually surprised to see this from EB because as far as I knew, Sterling Ball was not going to re-issuing the Sabre. He even said he didn't like them on the EB forum in 2010-ish.

But he came around on this and that's a good thing.

There is a difference in sound between the early pre-EB Leo made Sabres with the small switches and pole pickups, verses the evolved ones with the 5-way lever. My freind has the latter and it has a more modern tone. Though that's my personal opinion.

I'm sure the new Sabre in 2013 will be awesome! It's based on the model they built near the end of the Sabre production in 1988. But I am not ready to buy the new one today. For sure will check it out when it shows up here in MN.
 
#91
jazzyitalian said:
I happen to care about it. I have a 1980 Sabre and just acquired a 79 that I will need to work on. In my opinion, this is the best bass ever made.

I'm actually surprised to see this from EB because as far as I knew, Sterling Ball was not going to re-issuing the Sabre. He even said he didn't like them on the EB forum in 2010-ish.

Maybe he decided to address the audience of bassists who disagree with him and happen to like the Sabre. (Market demand will usually change the business behavior of the company owners.) He came around on this. That's a good thing.

There is a difference in sound between the early pre-EB Leo made Sabres with the small switches and pole pickups, verses the evolved ones with the 5-way lever. My freind has the latter and it has a more modern tone. Though that's my personal opinion.

I'm sure the new Sabre in 2013 will be awesome! It's based on the model they built near the end of the Sabre production in 1988. But I am not ready to buy the new one today. For sure will check it out when it shows up here in MN.
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I was in that EXACT SAME situation! I picked up a 1980 Sabre, natural finish, in pretty decent condition. Then I happened upon a sunburst '79 that was beat all to hell. Sent it to Pat Wilkins for a refret / refinish and got it back in almost new condition.
 
#92
Bottoms_Up! said:
Hmmm...I'm most likely wrong, but I was under the assumption that the Sabre was to the Stingray like the Jazz was to the Precision as far as neck profiles go.
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Apparently maple neck Sabres had an option for a narrow width. Every Sabre I've owned ('79 Root Beer [sold], '80 Natural, '79 Sunburst) had the narrow neck, so I thought it was all of them. A couple folks on this site as well as folks on EBMM newsgroup have informed me that the narrow neck is actually an option on maple board Sabres.

I think the rosewood board Sabres are all the standard width. Someone please correct me if I am wrong.
 
#94
Bottoms_Up! said:
Hmmm...I'm most likely wrong, but I was under the assumption that the Sabre was to the Stingray like the Jazz was to the Precision as far as neck profiles go.
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Yes, that is an incorrect assumption. Both basses had standard 1-5/8" wide nuts, same profile. My preEB Sabre has the standard width same as my PreEB Ray, so did the preEB Sabre I shipped to Oli@bass.
The 1-1/2" was a more popular option on the Sabre, but it seems it was also offered on the Ray as a TB'er has one.
 
#97
#100
As a Ray 4HH owner, this question also crossed my mind - but the Sabre has the 2 band EQ and that neck H is likely to sound different. And one of the settings apparently does HS - so possibly quite different - and that's before the Classic line elements like figured necks, and the colours available. Yes a GAS worthy experience for me (along with one or two of those AV Fenders!)
 

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