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Jens1969

New member
Joined
Nov 24, 2024
Messages
4
Location
Ireland
Hi Everyone, my name is Jens, Im a German guy living in Ireland.
I've signed on here trying to find out more about my late dad's Sabre bass. It was one of his most cherished possessions, he played it in several bands over the years, and it's still in great condition and absolutely original, it also still has the original Music Man soft shell case with it.
He bought it in late 1979 or early 1980 of another bass player in or around Frankfurt in Germany. If anybody has some more information I would love to know more about it. Greetings from Ireland, all the best Jens 20241124_223806.jpg 20241124_224153.jpg 20241124_224220.jpg 20241124_224110.jpg 20241124_224315.jpg
 

Rod Trussbroken

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Jul 25, 2002
Messages
5,193
Location
Bris Vegas. AUSTRALIA.
Hi Jens and welcome to the Forum.

The Sabre was introduced at the 1979 Spring NANM Show. As some pre-production parts were ready by the end of Oct 1978, a few early Basses could be dated 1978 rather than 1979. Initially, a 3 bolt neck plate (similar to your Bass) was used but a "C00" prefixed four-digit serial was located on the bridge (and not the plate) eg C00xxxx. However, a few early Sabres used a 3 bolt neck plate made for the Sting Ray Bass engraved with a "B00" prefixed four-digit serial eg B00xxxx.

Your Bass has a Sting Ray neck plate. Perhaps the original plate needed replacing and only a Sting Ray plate was handy. Is there a serial number on your bridge between the string saddles and the end of the bridge?

Dates can be found on the neck heel and in the neck pocket on the body, but the neck has to be removed to view them. A guitar tech will do this for you.

I can explain the controls and switches if needed.
 

Jens1969

New member
Joined
Nov 24, 2024
Messages
4
Location
Ireland
Hi Rod,
Thank you for taking the time to get back to me and for all the information, great!!! thank you so much!!!
I still remember the last time my late dad took the bass out of the case and played it. This is now a good few years ago and it had been sitting in the corner in the case for at least 5 or six years before that, not having been played. I can still see the amazement in his face as he said " That thing is still in tune, wow".
After reading your response I did another bit of research myself online. I looked at a few different websites about the history of Music Man and the Sabre Bass and I came across an ad poster on vintageguitarsandbass. It shows a picture of a Sabre bass and I showed it to my wife ( she is a photographer and she looks at pictures in a different way than myself). She immediately said that looks exactly like your dad's bass. We compared the ad picture with pictures of my dad's bass. Looking at the wood grain on the body it was like one of those "Spot the difference "pictures, only that we couldn't find no difference. I find this very intriguing.
Regarding the Stingray neckplate you have mentioned with the B00xxx number, this is the original plate. It has never been replaced. The bridge has no numbers on it as you can see in the picture of dad's bass.
I came across another website, 20241125_220427.jpg musicmanglobal and there it explains that the first Sabre bass was assembled in 1978 for catalogue pictures. Could that have been the one in the ad picture?
Screenshot_20241124_230826_Gallery.jpg 20241125_131043.jpg 20241125_204144.jpg 20241125_200636.jpg Screenshot_20241125_135705_Samsung Internet.jpg 20241125_131015.jpg Screenshot_20241125_134948_Samsung Internet.jpg

20241125_204144.jpg
 

Rod Trussbroken

Moderator
Joined
Jul 25, 2002
Messages
5,193
Location
Bris Vegas. AUSTRALIA.
Hi Jens.

I wrongly indicated above that a few Sabre Basses had been assembled using Sting Ray neck plates (along with related Sting Ray serial numbers). However, this was only done with the first Sabre Bass assembled in Dec 1978 and used for catalogue pics.

I agree that the wood grain on your Bass matches the grain of the Sabre used for the catalogue pics. The Sting Ray serial number (B005532) is also consistent with the latter part of 1978.

MUSICMANBASS /GLOBAL is my website. The info I have there about your Bass came from Pre-EB records.

I've often wondered what the serial number was, but now I know(y)
 

Jens1969

New member
Joined
Nov 24, 2024
Messages
4
Location
Ireland
Hi Rod,

Thanks again for your reply, I'm absolutely gobsmacked by how this has turned out!!! Dad's Sabre bass the very first one made,wow.
Only for my wife spotting the likeness of the look of the Sabre bass on the old ad poster and my dad's.
Im not sure what the right thing is for me to do now. On the one hand I'd like to keep it for the memory, but on the other hand, I don't play bass myself.
I've watched now a few videos featuring Ernie Ball, Music Man headquarters with Dudley Gimpel. He was presenting all the old bass guitars so proudly, like the Old Smoothie or a turquoise custom Sabre Bass.
It made me think that the bass my dad left to me may be an important part of the Music Man history, being the first of the Sabre's to have been made.
And also with the Sabre Bass being re- introduced by Music Man a few years ago, maybe they would like to have my dads bass as part of their collection?
 

Golem

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2005
Messages
2,251
Location
My Place
Hi Rod,

Thanks again for your reply, I'm absolutely gobsmacked by how this has turned out!!! Dad's Sabre bass the very first one made,wow.
Only for my wife spotting the likeness of the look of the Sabre bass on the old ad poster and my dad's.
Im not sure what the right thing is for me to do now. On the one hand I'd like to keep it for the memory, but on the other hand, I don't play bass myself.
I've watched now a few videos featuring Ernie Ball, Music Man headquarters with Dudley Gimpel. He was presenting all the old bass guitars so proudly, like the Old Smoothie or a turquoise custom Sabre Bass.
It made me think that the bass my dad left to me may be an important part of the Music Man history, being the first of the Sabre's to have been made.
And also with the Sabre Bass being re- introduced by Music Man a few years ago, maybe they would like to have my dads bass as part of their collection?
In the art world, its normal for the owner of something special and valuable to maintain their actual ownership but place the item on long term loan to an appropriate museum or other institution.
 

bovinehost

Administrator
Joined
Jan 16, 2003
Messages
18,190
Location
Dall-Ass, TX
I would agree that your bass is the one in the advertisement. I’ll ask if the company might be interested in the bass - but I would also, were it me, keep it for the sentimental value.
 

Jens1969

New member
Joined
Nov 24, 2024
Messages
4
Location
Ireland
In the art world, its normal for the owner of something special and valuable to maintain their actual ownership but place the item on long term loan to an appropriate museum or other institution.
Hi Golem, thank you for your advice 👍
 
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