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NBD - Neptune Blue Classic Sabre

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drTSTingray

Apr 22, 2012
1,477
1,940
England, United Kingdom
#1
This arrived today - it's quite stunning with a roasted flamed maple neck and mahogany body. Initial thoughts are its got a very focussed sound in all settings - I'm particularly liking setting four on the switch which is bridge humbucker with single coil neck also. It sounds like a 2 band Stingray with more warmth in that setting.

As you would expect with a Musicman bass the construction and fit and finish is great but the neck is something else. Definitely the fastest I've played - all except the headstock is smooth with no lacquer - the headstock is lacquered in matt finish - it's incredibly fast to play.

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#9
drTSTingray said:
This arrived today - it's quite stunning with a roasted flamed maple neck and mahogany body. Initial thoughts are its got a very focussed sound in all settings - I'm particularly liking setting four on the switch which is bridge humbucker with single coil neck also. It sounds like a 2 band Stingray with more warmth in that setting.

As you would expect with a Musicman bass the construction and fit and finish is great but the neck is something else. Definitely the fastest I've played - all except the headstock is smooth with no lacquer - the headstock is lacquered in matt finish - it's incredibly fast to play.

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Wow! The whole bass is beautiful, but that neck is exceptional looking. Congrats!
 
#17
I was only thinking of mailing you last week to see if your Sabre had arrived. It really is stunning. I was playing mine at a theatre job last night and thinking the same about the neck. It's not as fast as the graphite neck on my Status, but of all the wooden necks I've played, it's right up there. The glassy full varnish job on these is excellent.

You're right about the (position 2 - I think they count from the back to front for some reason, but hey :) ) back pickup with the added front single coil. I use that for more articulate lines, and the middle setting for the ultimate tone monster twin humbucker sound. I also like the P-bass killer single coil sound next to it.

There's nothing not to like on the Classic Sabre.
 
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#18
OutToPlayJazz said:
I was only thinking of mailing you last week to see if your Sabre had arrived. It really is stunning. I was playing mine at a theatre job last night and thinking the same about the neck. It's not as fast as the graphite neck on my Status, but of all the wooden necks I've played, it's right up there. The glassy full varnish job on these is excellent.

You're right about the (position 2 - I think they count from the back to front for some reason, but hey :) ) back pickup with the added front single coil. I use that for more articulate lines, and the middle setting for the ultimate tone monster twin humbucker sound. I also like the P-bass killer single coil sound next to it.

There's nothing not to like on the Classic Sabre.
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Agreed - v versatile and the single coil sound is nice. This limited edition version of the Classic Sabre has an oil and wax finished neck, with the headstock only matt varnished, so feels quite different. But I know what you mean - the varnished neck on my Classic Ray is great and completely lacks that stickiness you get with some varnished necks. I think the Musicman necks are amongst the best out there.
 
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#19
drTSTingray said:
Agreed - v versatile and the single coil sound is nice. This limited edition version of the Classic Sabre has an oil and wax finished neck, with the headstock only matt varnished, so feels quite different. But I know what you mean - the varnished neck on my Classic Ray is great and completely lacks that stickiness you get with some varnished necks. I think the Musicman necks are amongst the best out there.
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I completely agree about MM's gloss necks not being sticky. If I originally had the choice, I would have taken your neck over the gloss, but now that I have a gloss neck on my Sabre, I don't think I'd give it up. It's fantastic feeling.
 

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