1979 Music Man Sabre Bass

Bassaria · **Posted:** September 30th, 2009, 1:01 pm

Hey All --
After much back and forth on this, I am once again putting this bass up for sale for a few reasons - funding more gas for a NYC Jazz and the plain fact that i haven't bonded with this ax - It is an awesome piece, just not my bag. Definately more of a jazz guy.
Here's the details;
79 Music Man Sabre (smaller body than a Ray - more like the modern Sterlings with the 2 pickups - just 28 years ahead of its time)
Maple neck (pro refret job done in early 09)
Black finish - a few dings here and there but nothing major.
All original hardware, including the famous preamp - all switches work 100%
Currently strung righty but I have the original nut and would be happy to reset it up.
Hardshell case - not original but a good G&G Fender case with a snug fit
Email me if you are interested or need more pics.....
robswansonmusic AT comcast DOT net
The Philly guitar show is in the first week of November - it goes there or the bay if I dont move it here.
I'll ship in the CONUS with a verified paypal address. International with buyer paying for all shipping.
Cash discount in and around Philly.
There arent too many of these out there - hit me with best offers - should be in the $1400 to $1800 range.

andrew · **Posted:** September 30th, 2009, 1:58 pm

Bassaria wrote:

There arent too many of these out there - hit me with best offers - should be in the $1400 to $1800 range.

I'm gonna bet you'll get way more offers at $1400 than you will at $1800. :mrgreen:

danomite64 · **Posted:** September 30th, 2009, 3:41 pm

Damn.....between this and the '76 Jazz, I have no choice but to buy some lottery tickets!

Bassaria · **Posted:** September 30th, 2009, 4:15 pm

I'm gonna bet you'll get way more offers at $1400 than you will at $1800.

probably TRUE on that! :lol:

andrew · **Posted:** September 30th, 2009, 8:00 pm

Beautiful bass though, i have one quite similar.

gravesbass · **Posted:** September 30th, 2009, 8:21 pm

Beautiful...... Man, I always wanted one of these and here it is.... Issue now is I don't have any more room... or disposable funds. :cry:

frankenjazz · **Joined:** July 31st, 2009, 1:21 am **Posts:** 232

correct me if im wrong but didnt leo take the design over to g&l and use the same formula for the asat and l2000 basses?

Jeroen · **Posted:** October 1st, 2009, 12:14 am

Yes, he was already producing G&L's when these Sabres were still being made. The Sabre already had a predecessor of the famous heavy Saddle Lock Bridge G&L still uses, whereas MM ceased using them when Ernie Ball took over the company. The preamp is very similar to that of the G&L's too, they share the 2 band EQ and coil switching options but I believe the Sabre has a phase switch instead of the passive/active/active + treble boost switch of the G&L?

Bassaria · **Posted:** October 1st, 2009, 5:06 am

yep - i think that is the difference - I had a G&L back a few years ago - no phase switch.
the Sabre has a Master Volume, Treble Boost, Bass Boost Knobs
The three toggles are TREBLE Boost, Phase Switch, and 3 way pickups selector
ALOT of sonic possibilities here - you can see where Leo was going with this as he transitioned to G&L...

andrew · **Posted:** October 1st, 2009, 8:01 am

When I play mine I tend to just use the neck pickup. It sounds BIG.

Andy · **Posted:** October 1st, 2009, 9:23 am

Too bad it's strung backwards.

Not that it really matters, just sayin'
Andy

danomite64 · **Posted:** October 1st, 2009, 9:32 am

I had a Sabre and an L-2000; there might be similarities in the design, but the L-2000 is a sonic wimp compared to the Sabre.

Matt R. · **Posted:** October 1st, 2009, 10:56 am

Do these sabres have the same weak/nonexistent G string volume issue as Stingrays do?

Bassaria · **Posted:** October 1st, 2009, 11:03 am

Matt R. wrote:

Do these sabres have the same weak/nonexistent G string volume issue as Stingrays do?

not this one....however when i got it, it had a "fender dead spot" about 7/8 frets up - it got a fret job and a rod tweek and now plays very evenly - if anyone is thinking about it and in the NYC/PHILLY/DC corridor, let me know and we can make a time to get hands on it...always up for a bass hang and a pint
for those of you on this thread but else where, a weeks time to try it out to see if it works for you is cool with me - just cover shipping back if its not for you.

Bassaria · **Posted:** October 15th, 2009, 4:16 pm

bass has now been set up correctly for a traditional lefty and reintonated in prep for the Philly guitar show....any takers before it goes to slaughter? (show or 'bay)

Bassaria · **Posted:** November 7th, 2009, 2:21 pm

OK - guitar show people were not interested in anything lefty this year....except for lowballing.....which i will not be a part of so - price reduckshun.......
$1375 + s/h
any takers?
christmas is coming up.....

Jeroen · **Posted:** November 8th, 2009, 11:09 am

You have no idea how frustrating this is becoming

I really want it, but I simply cannot afford it because I have bought too many other stuff lately (most recently a second Ibanez MC924 and a Stingray 5, and two months ago a very nice EBS halfstack).

Carmine · **Joined:** October 5th, 2008, 9:45 am **Posts:** 788

Jeroen wrote:

You have no idea how frustrating this is becoming

I really want it, but I simply cannot afford it because I have bought too many other stuff lately (most recently a second Ibanez MC924 and a Stingray 5, and two months ago a very nice EBS halfstack).

Are you perhaps looking to be relieved of the MC924? I've been on the hunt for one for quite awhile...

Jeroen · **Posted:** November 10th, 2009, 12:05 am

No, sorry. Both are great basses and very different tonally. One is a 1981 MC924 with the two big soapbars, and the other is a 1983 MC924 with the PJ-configuration and slightly different preamp and hardware, and they're two completely different beasts. I've quickly become attached to both of them and would hate to see either one of them go. But I'll keep my eyes open for you, they seem to pop up in Europe more often than they do in the US.

Phillip · **Joined:** April 4th, 2009, 5:01 pm **Posts:** 4

Hi there. I'm very interested in this bass. Could you please PM me so we could discuss details?
Thanks! Looking forward to hearing from you.

LeftyBassist.com

1979 Music Man Sabre Bass

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