MusicMan Sabre not popular?

[hands5]

I can't say anything about the new Sabres since I've never played one of them but the late 70s example that I owned back in the 80s was a stellar instrument in just about every conceivable way and would likely make the "top 10 basses" list pushing out some far more expensive pieces that I've owned over the past four decades or so. It was almost impossible to get a bad sound out of that bass. I will, however, agree that none of these sounds matched what one would get from a StingRay 100%.

This exactly the way I felt about mine and I still have yet to hear a bass that sounds like the late 70's Sabre but I've heard a plethora of basses that sounds like the Stingray.

 

[Wood and Wire]

and even the pic of this one isn't the same as my 78 Sabre

The 78 had the string tree over the D & G strings, the bullet truss rod on the headstock, uncovered 8 pole pickups, mode switches, and the ashtray bridge.

Those are the aesthetic differences you're seeing, and when Ernie Ball revised the instrument in the 80's, they moved the string tree, changed the bridge for the regular Stingray mute Bridge, and eventually replaced the mode switches with the blade selector (and in the process changed some of the modes to something actually useful).

The "Classic" is a reissue of that Ernie Ball era Sabre, but with the advantage of the 16 pole neck pickup (hence the covers), and the truss rod wheel.

From an aesthetic point of view, I don't get the HH Stingray. It looks wrong to me.

I get that most people that want a Stingray, haven't heard of, or experienced the Sabre (which is in part why it has always struggled). So an HH Stingray seems like a case of "can't beat 'em, join 'em."

Of course the Sabre doesn't quite get the Stingray sound, so there is that aspect.

It is strange though, that with the Stingray & the Sabre, and the Cutlass & Caprice, EBMM offer their own spin on a Precision & Jazz, but avoid marketing them as such.

Fender manages to celebrate the distinction between the two instruments, with both having their own unique sonic identity.

But for some weird reason, it seems prospective MM buyers expect one to do the job of both, and the other eventually slips into retirement.

 

[Dluxe]

LJ used a Sabre Bass on Stomp and it was all over Michael Jackson's Thriller LP. I haven't owned a Sabre in 32 years but used it to great effect with the cover band that I played in at the time. I still have my '78 Sting Ray though.

 

[LoTone]

Tony Franklin with a Fretless Sabre back in the day.

I will be damned! I always thought that Tony Franklin was playing a 4HH Stingray fretless on that song.

 

[Wood and Wire]

I will be damned! I always thought that Tony Franklin was playing a 4HH Stingray fretless on that song.

Isn't that about 20 years before the HH Stingray existed?

 

[Marc DLarosa]

Here's a few of My "Babies."
They will be left to my Daughter.

My Sabre, gets buried/burned WITH ME!!! Nothing compares. Not even My Stingray...

 

[Papz]

When I was a moneyless kid and started playing bass in the late 80s, I played a used 70s StingRay in a store and really loved it. A few years later, having my first job, I did a credit at the bank to buy a new EB StingRay. I ordered it from the catalog at the store, so didn't test it before it came. I get to say I never was really happy with and couldn't find THE sound that made me want a StingRay and it was not very stable, I remember moving from home to the rehearsal room was enough to get it out of tune, unlike my Precision or Jazz Bass. I sold it 15 years ago or so to fund a doublebass, without any regret.
Recently, someone offered me a 1978 Sabre for sale (the early type with 3 switches and visible pick up plots). It was very easy to get this holy unobtainable StingRay sound I loved 30 years ago from it and I bought it immediately. It's an amazing bass but the preamp settings are very sensitive, even a small rotation of a pot may cause a drastic change in the sound, which can be annoying if are moved accidently. From memory, my EB StingRay was not so sensitive. Therefore I rather use my Precision than the Sabre on stage. Maybe a reason why this great bass is not so popular ?

 

[nartsak]

Is anyone out there using TI flats on their Sabre? I use them on many of my basses and love ‘em to death, but I’d like to hear from others to see if they’ve tried them on a Sabre. Any other string recommendations?

 

[fourstringdrums]

Is anyone out there using TI flats on their Sabre? I use them on many of my basses and love ‘em to death, but I’d like to hear from others to see if they’ve tried them on a Sabre. Any other string recommendations?

I had a Sabre for a while. I never got around to using TI's but I loved GHS flats on them.

 

[Killing Floor]

Is anyone out there using TI flats on their Sabre? I use them on many of my basses and love ‘em to death, but I’d like to hear from others to see if they’ve tried them on a Sabre. Any other string recommendations?

I use TI JF on almost every bass I own but my Sabre wears DR HiBeams or Dunlop Super Brights (I honestly can’t tell them apart). Have thought about Jazz Rounds on it. Maybe next time in need to do maintenance.

 

[Mrtoodamnsabre]

Is anyone out there using TI flats on their Sabre? I use them on many of my basses and love ‘em to death, but I’d like to hear from others to see if they’ve tried them on a Sabre. Any other string recommendations?

deep talking flats on mine, really love those strings, even though they're on the bigger side guage wise. sounds unbelievable!

 

[Goodnight Cody]

I use TI flats on all my basses & most of my guitars. They sound and feel great on my Sabre, though I really love the sound of rounds on that bass too. I wish I had 2 of them !

 

[selowitch]

I’ve tried a few EBMM Sabres and I find that I like the sound and the substantial neck.
The only reason I don’t own one is that they are often 11lbs. or heavier.

 

[dougjwray]

I had a late '70s Sabre briefly around 1991. It was one of those cases where I heard someone else play one and it sounded fantastic, but then when I got one, I couldn't bond with it. Something about it sounded dull or muffled, or something. I had been accustomed to a very bright Fender Precision Elite II. The Sabre had an incredibly fine neck. I wish I'd kept it and experimented more with it.
Live & learn!

 

[Killing Floor]

Countless gigs and still somehow have the original mute pads.

 

[nartsak]

Thanks to all of you for your input on my strings question. I bought my Sabre about a month ago and am still tweaking and experimenting with strings and adjustments.

 

[Mrtoodamnsabre]

Thanks to all of you for your input on my strings question. I bought my Sabre about a month ago and am still tweaking and experimenting with strings and adjustments.

if its a three bolt those can be tricky to set up and get right, and i reccomend bringing them in, if its a 4 bolt or a 6 bolt though, super easy to deal with, if its a bullet truss rod might wanna check that nut and see if its in good shape too and pre-empt it eventually stripping by buying a replacement one over at musicman from their customer service dept

 

[nartsak]

Countless gigs and still somehow have the original mute pads.
View attachment 5045039

That is beautiful? Those strings look like flatwounds. Are they, and if so, what brand?

 

[Killing Floor]

That is beautiful? Those strings look like flatwounds. Are they, and if so, what brand?

Thanks.
I think it’s just the image, resolution. Those are HiBeams. They’re not flats. If they were, I use flats on almost everything though. Better image:

 

[Tanner5382]

I don't think I've ever seen anybody playing a Sabre in person.