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Musicman Sabre

V

ValveLover78

Guest
Aug 13, 2011
4
1
#1
Hi everyone, I'm interested in how the new Musicman sabre stands up to the old one? I've got two originals, one of which is for sale on ebay at the moment, to raise funds for a new Musicman and I'm just interested in how the new one sounds.

With all the music shops disappearing in london at the moment, it's harder and harder to actually try these things out, any experience you can share would be greatly appreciated.

Good Basses are hard to find....
 
#3
Old instruments are great, but new instruments set up better, play faster and feel great, I don't want to get into a vintage verses new, I have a lovely old 66 p-bass, but new stuff is great too, and as I have 2, I can afford to get rid of one.
 
#4
I wish I had the spare cash for your old one! Years ago I had a '79 fretless Sabre and didn't know what I had at the time and foolishly let it go. It's the last Sabre I've seen in person.
 
#5
Here's what I posted in a totally unrelated thread that I started several days ago. I was talking about a P-Bass I had played. A couple folks asked me about the new Sabres I played on that same GC visit......

If I didn't already have 2 pre-EB Music Man Sabres, I would've taken one home. Very hot basses. If you don't like active basses, walk away. If you like active basses with a vibrant finger tone and a killer slap tone, here's your bass. Southfield, MI GC has a sunburst and an ash, both with rosewood boards. I prefer maple board but would've taken either of these home in a heartbeat.
Click to expand...

As I alluded to in that original post, I would not have traded either of my Sabres ('79 sunburst / maple & '80 ash / maple) for the new one, but I would certainly have bought it ahead of any of the Fender, Ibanez, or other Music Man basses at GC Southfield.

I would actually say that the new one is marginally better than my vintage pieces, but not enough to make me part with instruments that just feel right to me.
 
#6
I played one yesterday too. Great bass, but I also have a minty original 1980 for comparison, and it even happened to be the same natural ash finish and rosewood board combo as mine. I liked it and thought it played fantastic, but I would not sell mine just to buy the newer version of it...I still think the preEB necks are slimmer and more comfy.
 
#7
I played one today at bass central. I'd love to post my full impressions, but I'm on vacation with the family in wonderful Orlando. quick review, a great fat sounding musicman bass that has an inherently great musicman tone in positions 1,2 and 3. positions 4 and 5 I couldn't find much use for other than reggea. fat but comfortable neck and boutique build quality.
 
#8
Just played one yesterday. Really cool basses. I felt like the 5 way switch let me go from the stingray tone to a more fender jazz and pbass tone really easily. Also a slapping monster. It was tagged at 1869.00 so not light on the pockets but I'd recommend it over the standard stingrays and sterling's for sure.
 
#10
Check out this link from a german music website "Bonedo" featuring a test review of the new Classic Sabre Bass. Written in german, but listen to the soundfiles. They give a good impression on all the different settings plus using the mutes.

Invalid Link Removed
 
#11
IMHO, the new "Sabre" is nothing like the original apart from having two humbuckers. I was hoping it would be like the original with updated electronics. Unfortunately, the neck is like a Stingray neck and nothing like the original --which I think was the fastest and most comfortable neck on any bass I've ever played. I had a '79 and it weighed a ton; I sold it because the tone just didn't sit well in the mix of my music. The new one is a nice instrument for sure, but it's only a Sabre in name.
 
#12
Saint said:
IMHO, the new "Sabre" is nothing like the original apart from having two humbuckers. I was hoping it would be like the original with updated electronics. Unfortunately, the neck is like a Stingray neck and nothing like the original --which I think was the fastest and most comfortable neck on any bass I've ever played. I had a '79 and it weighed a ton; I sold it because the tone just didn't sit well in the mix of my music. The new one is a nice instrument for sure, but it's only a Sabre in name.
Click to expand...

I get what you are saying here. Thing is I just recently found out that the "standard" neck on even the pre-EB Sabre was the same as the Stingrray.

Every Sabre I've ever had my hands on since '79 has had a thin J-Bass type neck, so I thought for all these years the thin neck was model specific.
Correction: every pre-EB Sabre. The new ones I've played at GC had the standard width neck. Wasn't a problem for me.
 

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