Sterling - Could they produce a Big Al or Sabre bass?

[petebretzke]

A few years back, EBMM decided to stop producing the Big Al and Sabre Classic basses. Its a sad reality, but there were several reasons and I completely understand the decision to do so; if it doesn't sell, it doesn't make money. EBMM is a business and businesses are in business to make money. It's the truth and there's total merit in the decision to stop producing something that doesn't sell.

To be honest, it broke my heart a bit. My heart was set on a Big Al 5 SSS but money was scarce and I couldn't afford it when it was still in production. Times are better and I now have a little more fluid cash flow, but those basses now command prices that are sometimes double what they sold for originally - that is if you can find them on Reverb or EBay.

What if....? The Sterling line of guitars and bases are proving to be incredible instruments at a lower cost of entry into the Music Man world. Would (could) EBMM and Sterling be able to financially bring these basses back under the Sterling banner at a lower cost than their original EBMM forefathers? Would interest in these basses re-perk or be greater than before if the cost for those instruments was lower?

What do you say, Big Poppa? Would you entertain the idea of resurrecting some of these iconic basses under the Sterling nameplate?

 

[danny-79]

I hear what you are saying. The Big Al was for me one that I totally overlooked, it didn’t appeal to me at the time but now I’ve serous gas for a 4H. Can’t find one anywhere.

 

[muggsy]

Be patient. The Big Al pops up in online classifieds, and the prices I've seen over the past few months at TB aren't much different from when they were still in production. I originally bought a 4H new but sold it to buy a 4SSS, which I still have.

I've always assumed the lack of sales wasn't so much a pricing issue, but rather the bass community's general reluctance to embrace innovation. But I certainly have no inside knowledge on that.