Help! Sabre HT sound degrade/ static in 5th switch position.

[Jmondo123]

I have an Sabre HT bought in early 2024 new.

In April of 2025 I experienced static and sound degrading/fading when the guitar was in th 5th position (bridge). Fist guitar center then the vendor repair shop had an go at it. They all report the looked over the wiring, the switch, cleaned things even though they could did not see anything wrong with it. Each time after they returned it to me the sound degraded and I was hearing mostly static. I use both a Katana Air Wireless and a Vox amp to practice. I have two different rooms in my house to practice. Both have dimmers on the lighting if that makes any difference.

The Sabre is presently at the vendor’s shop for the second time, in which they again looked at everything and sent me a video demonstrating no static and no sound degrade after they had a look. It sounded just fine. They have the guitar and are awaiting my decision to their offer to either send the Sabre back to me as is, or exchange it with another guitar at a similar price point e.g. presumable something like a PRS USA made.

In summary, no one I have sent it to for repair has found anything wrong with it, three times, and still the sound has degraded /become static a few weeks after I received it back.

I love this Sabre HT. I prefer not to give it up. What could possibly be the problem? Why only at my house? Unfortunately I did not test this in someone else’s house but after all it was tested in two different repair centers. The grounding tester I used tonight on the sockets I have plugged into shows no such issue…

Thanks in advance.

 

[Rbg]

can you exchange it with the same sabre ht if you like it? I don't think there is a PRS that will feel the same and sound the same. Also, I would not change EBMM with S2, only with core models, but those may be more expensive if new.

 

[DrKev]

I have an Sabre HT bought in early 2024 new.

In April of 2025 I experienced static and sound degrading/fading when the guitar was in th 5th position (bridge). Fist guitar center then the vendor repair shop had an go at it. They all report the looked over the wiring, the switch, cleaned things even though they could did not see anything wrong with it. Each time after they returned it to me the sound degraded and I was hearing mostly static. I use both a Katana Air Wireless and a Vox amp to practice. I have two different rooms in my house to practice. Both have dimmers on the lighting if that makes any difference.

The Sabre is presently at the vendor’s shop for the second time, in which they again looked at everything and sent me a video demonstrating no static and no sound degrade after they had a look. It sounded just fine. They have the guitar and are awaiting my decision to their offer to either send the Sabre back to me as is, or exchange it with another guitar at a similar price point e.g. presumable something like a PRS USA made.

In summary, no one I have sent it to for repair has found anything wrong with it, three times, and still the sound has degraded /become static a few weeks after I received it back.

I love this Sabre HT. I prefer not to give it up. What could possibly be the problem? Why only at my house? Unfortunately I did not test this in someone else’s house but after all it was tested in two different repair centers. The grounding tester I used tonight on the sockets I have plugged into shows no such issue…

Thanks in advance.

Intermittent faults are extremely frustrating for everyone involved.

If the fault is immediately obvious to you at home, as soon as you plug in, but the shop cannot find it, that suggests to me that it's not the guitar, it's something else. First, go direct to the amp with a cable at home. Problem still there? Can you plug in to something in the shop and demonstrate the issue to them?

 

[Jmondo123]

Intermittent faults are extremely frustrating for everyone involved.

If the fault is immediately obvious to you at home, as soon as you plug in, but the shop cannot find it, that suggests to me that it's not the guitar, it's something else. First, go direct to the amp with a cable at home. Problem still there? Can you plug in to something in the shop and demonstrate the issue to them?

Thank you. I am located a very long away from the shop. I did plug it into my Vox and even into a Fishman acoustic amp and the problem persisted. The shop did plug it into one of their amps and made a video showing no issue. Sounded fine.

A thought, If I am plugging too many things into one socket at home, will that cause this problem?

 

[Jmondo123]

can you exchange it with the same sabre ht if you like it? I don't think there is a PRS that will feel the same and sound the same. Also, I would not change EBMM with S2, only with core models, but those may be more expensive if new.

Thanks for replying. The tech made the offer excluding another Sabre HT. But I suppose I can ask about that. The PRS custom 24 a core model? it’s a similar price to the MM Sabre HT….

 

[Afireinside7444]

I would contact EBMM tech. Probly a bad PCB board or switch. If bought new its under warranty. I wouldent deal with local techs. Worst case send it to EBMM

I tried every core PRS under the sun and all were lackluster in the end. Feel funny, not great neck profiles ect. I say PRS is a step back

Once I got my used Sabre HT it was a wake up. Bought a Cutlass HT and Jason Richardson HT Cutlass and am selling off other brands now......

 

[DrKev]

Thank you. I am located a very long away from the shop. I did plug it into my Vox and even into a Fishman acoustic amp and the problem persisted. The shop did plug it into one of their amps and made a video showing no issue. Sounded fine.

OK. Remember, they can't help with an issue they can't reproduce. Find a guitar tech or luthier nearer to home for diagnosis. Also, pick up the phone and call Music Man customer service.

A thought, If I am plugging too many things into one socket at home, will that cause this problem?

That's easy for you to test. But my thought is almost certainly not. Do try in multiple other rooms though too. Try with other cables too.

 

[Rbg]

If you have a chance can you record this problem for us. It will be much easier for us to try to understand what exactly is happening.

 

[Jmondo123]

can you exchange it with the same sabre ht if you like it? I don't think there is a PRS that will feel the same and sound the same. Also, I would not change EBMM with S2, only with core models, but those may be more expensive if new.

Working on point one now, and will fall back to your second suggestion to call MM should I get an undesired response on point 1. And thanks for the feedback. I am not deeply experienced in electric guitars ( I am a 35 years an acoustic fingerpicker, so I know Martins Gibsons and Nationals), but I chose the Sabre HT as a bucket list guitar and now am wondering why I didn’t buy that guitar 20 years ago. Incredibly quality, great looking, and perfect fit for me as soon as I picked it up.

 

[Jmondo123]

If you have a chance can you record this problem for us. It will be much easier for us to try to understand what exactly is happening.

Thank you. I willl do if I end up taking the guitar back and it encounter the same trouble.