EBMM Sabre Guitar Pickups, increase brightness and clarity, 1 MEG Pots?

[Adam]

Hello all,

I have been looking at this forum for awhile, I finally joined and and I am making my first post!

I have had a Sabre guitar for just over a year now, and I love the guitar! I am however finding it voiced a bit darker than I would like it to be, with the volume and tone at full, in particular on the humbucker settings. I usually play clean or with very minimal gain, and minimal effects. I am trying to first adjust other parts of my set-up, but compared to my other guitars and with everything else being equal, the Sabre is voiced so much darker. Even then with the treble on my amp maxed, I find the guitar cannot get quite as much brightness and clarity as I would like it to on the neck humbucker pick-up. I realize that this is how neck humbuckers will always sound, to a certain extent. The best way I can describe it is that I am looking for that sweet sounding balance of warmth and clarity, like when the strings of an acoustic guitar are played right beside the fretboard, where the neck pickup would be on a 22-fret electric.

I am not worried about "overdoing" the brightness, as I can always dial it back with the guitar's tone control, reduce the amp's treble, etc.. To be fair, I generally gravitate towards single coils, but I do love the sound and playability of this guitar, and appreciate it for what it is.

Has anyone tried changing to 1 MEG pots on the Sabre? My understanding is that this would accomplish what I am looking for. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you and kind regards,

Adam

 

[pkdawg]

You got me curious since I have one being shipped to me this week and most videos I've seen are actually overly bright, but to me in person it seemed more balanced. Then again I haven't spent a lot of time with one yet especially at gig volumes which is where it really counts. What amp are you playing through?

 

[pkdawg]

I hear what you are saying about this now after getting one recently. I need to play around with it more since I'm so used to he LP growl. The Sabre seems more tamed and maybe just needs a bit more push from the amp if comparing it to something else. I find dirty rhythms riffing is great and clear, but dirty leads just are lacking and seem to need that little extra. It sounds good either way, but I'm still on the fence since it's soo different. Beautiful guitar though and cleans up great. I can't stop looking at it though. Damn.

 

[Micheal D Lord]

I hear what you are saying about this now after getting one recently. I need to play around with it more since I'm so used to he LP growl. The Sabre seems more tamed and maybe just needs a bit more push from the amp if comparing it to something else. I find dirty rhythms riffing is great and clear, but dirty leads just are lacking and seem to need that little extra. It sounds good either way, but I'm still on the fence since it's soo different. Beautiful guitar though and cleans up great. I can't stop looking at it though. Damn.

I’ve try a Sabre out and the neck feels real good....I’m hesitant to buy since I’ve read the pickups are underwhelming....for a top quality guitar was hoping not to have a pickup change...that said, 90% of the guitars I own don’t have stock pickup lol

 

[DrKev]

I’ve try a Sabre out and the neck feels real good....I’m hesitant to buy since I’ve read the pickups are underwhelming....for a top quality guitar was hoping not to have a pickup change...that said, 90% of the guitars I own don’t have stock pickup lol

Do you prefer ketchup or mustard or with your hot dogs? I know a lot of people who prefer mustard, equally many who like ketchup, and I myself prefer pickle relish and hot sauce. Pickups in guitars are like sauce on hotdogs, one person's awesome may be another person's underwhelming.

Don't put any weight on things people say about manufacturers' in-house pickups. Music Man have been in this business a long time, they know what they are doing and chose really good pickups to put in these guitars. The pickups are NOT underwhelming. They are truly excellent pickups, as good as anything anybody else makes. Now, will they be the ketchup to your hot dog, or the mustard? You have to try them to find out. Just try to go into the experience with an open mind first and see what they can do for you.

 

[Fusionman]

Changing out potentiometer values isn’t going to do that much. Try to adjust pickup or pole piece heights. You don’t say what kind of amp you have but I’d recommend using a eq pedal with the gtr to add or subtract what you want or dont want to hear. Lastly change pickups if it comes to that or simply move the gtr for something else. Sounds like you might be better off w single coil pickup gtrs.

 

[Astrofreq]

I'm with Dr. Kev on this one. Hot sauce on hot dogs is quite a tasty treat!

 

[racerx]

Don't put any weight on things people say about manufacturers' in-house pickups.

There's always been a mystique to DiMarzio/Seymour but it seems like the cavalcade of aftermarket boutique makers + YouTube (& etc.) marketing has really skewed the perception of what pickups are and what they do. At the end of the day, pickups aren't THAT magical and the formula was mostly figured out many many moons ago. The devil is in the details, sure, but I think some people get hung up on selling themselves on something they don't understand.

I've heard great stuff from Fender (their newer Shawbucker is great), Gibson ('57 Classics are awesome), and of course Music Man. I absolutely love the spank of my Cutlass, the vintage vibe of my StingRay, and the Luke is just a total do-it-all hog. This isn't a dig at the boutique guys and they certainly make awesome stuff, but I've never heard anything that I couldn't do equal/better with a good amp, parameter control, and understanding of the sound I'm going for. I think its crazy that people believe the major manufacturer's can't figure out how to make a premier pickup. I've never had a desire to rip the pickups out of anything unless it was a project/beater guitar.

/end jaded internet guy rant

 

[pkdawg]

After being underwhelmed by the pickups I realized they were lower than all my other guitars. I know that is by design, but I’m used to a certain feel from the height I guess so I took a 1mm pick and cut small pieces of them and drilled holes and installed them as shims under the pups. This guitar is now much more on par with my other guitars.

My guess is that if someone is used to low output pickups the stock height probably sounds and feels right, but for me I want the pup to push the amp just a tiny bit and raising these took out the sterileness I was finding out.

Now I have a much better feeling about this guitar. Distorted rhythms are Les Pauling, but slight less full for better or worse and leads sound more like a 498 vs 57 Plus. Less high end scratchyness high end that I find in 57s. I like that too, but these are a bit more smooth.

The neck pup is a blend between a LP and strat. For someone who can’t make up their mind on what they want this guitar rides down the middle of both. It won’t outdo a LP or Strat, so my guess is it’s closer to a PRS?!? I don’t have one, but just saying.

If you are underwhelmed by the pups try raising them 1mm before you return it or sell it. It might make the difference for you.

Btw. This is the best guitar I’ve ever played unplugged. Loud and resonate. More so than my LP. Even family members noticed unsolicited.

Most ergonomic guitar I’ve ever played too. It makes you forget about the neck. Every guitar I love has usually had something a little quirky about the neck I feel I’d change in a perfect world.

As I get older that ergonomics really matters to my wrist and fingers.

 

[GarysGuitarRoom]

After being underwhelmed by the pickups I realized they were lower than all my other guitars. I know that is by design, but I’m used to a certain feel from the height I guess so I took a 1mm pick and cut small pieces of them and drilled holes and installed them as shims under the pups. This guitar is now much more on par with my other guitars.

My guess is that if someone is used to low output pickups the stock height probably sounds and feels right, but for me I want the pup to push the amp just a tiny bit and raising these took out the sterileness I was finding out.

Now I have a much better feeling about this guitar. Distorted rhythms are Les Pauling, but slight less full for better or worse and leads sound more like a 498 vs 57 Plus. Less high end scratchyness high end that I find in 57s. I like that too, but these are a bit more smooth.

The neck pup is a blend between a LP and strat. For someone who can’t make up their mind on what they want this guitar rides down the middle of both. It won’t outdo a LP or Strat, so my guess is it’s closer to a PRS?!? I don’t have one, but just saying.

If you are underwhelmed by the pups try raising them 1mm before you return it or sell it. It might make the difference for you.

Btw. This is the best guitar I’ve ever played unplugged. Loud and resonate. More so than my LP. Even family members noticed unsolicited.

Most ergonomic guitar I’ve ever played too. It makes you forget about the neck. Every guitar I love has usually had something a little quirky about the neck I feel I’d change in a perfect world.

As I get older that ergonomics really matters to my wrist and fingers.

I’m in the process of raising my pups now. I’m going to place short springs (like for a strat) under the mounting holes. Seems simple enough.
This way one can adjust pup height then adjust poles as one can with any spring screw adjustable pups.
The Ability to have this option is nice and simple to do. It takes nothing away from the guitar at all. I personally believe this would be a great improvement to the OEM build from EB.

 

[pkdawg]

I’m in the process of raising my pups now. I’m going to place short springs (like for a strat) under the mounting holes. Seems simple enough.
This way one can adjust pup height then adjust poles as one can with any spring screw adjustable pups.
The Ability to have this option is nice and simple to do. It takes nothing away from the guitar at all. I personally believe this would be a great improvement to the OEM build from EB.

Let us know how it goes and if you find it makes a big difference too. It's sad to see so many people discount this guitar when a simple pu adjustment is likely the fix.

 

[GarysGuitarRoom]

Let us know how it goes and if you find it makes a big difference too. It's sad to see so many people discount this guitar when a simple pu adjustment is likely the fix.

Wow! Yes it did make a huge difference. I can use the comparison it was like the difference between talking wearing a mask vs taking the mask off.
Now I can ( have) properly adjusted the pup height to string and haven’t adjusted poles yet “if I even really need to “. I got excited and put my crunch lab (DP228FBK) in the bridge position. 2019 EBMM 6. By creating a base template For the F spaced humbucker low/flat profile. Cut, bend and drill. Check cavity fitment Checked alignment of pup. Cut wires short to @1.5” removed outer shield ground to plate (soldered) Mounted pup to base plate. Put DuPont male connectors on the pup leads matching up colors on the female plug. Ran mounting screws through base plate, installed shorty strat springs on bottom side of base plate over mounting screws starting screw points through “keeper washers” I cut out from a thin clear plastic screw container. ( holds screws and springs in place while turning it over to mount to body.
Day and night!!! I can’t wait to take it over to my buddy’s studio for him to try without me telling him what I did. He sold his because he couldn’t deal with the lack of clarity and punch. Mine has it now. It’s a beast and a classic sounding guitar all in one. I hope this helps someone.
Hardest part was manufacturing the base plate because I refused to pay $26 or more for one. It would have been easier but, I believe that’s a steep price for a base plate.

 

[Micheal D Lord]

Wow! Yes it did make a huge difference. I can use the comparison it was like the difference between talking wearing a mask vs taking the mask off.
Now I can ( have) properly adjusted the pup height to string and haven’t adjusted poles yet “if I even really need to “. I got excited and put my crunch lab (DP228FBK) in the bridge position. 2019 EBMM 6. By creating a base template For the F spaced humbucker low/flat profile. Cut, bend and drill. Check cavity fitment Checked alignment of pup. Cut wires short to @1.5” removed outer shield ground to plate (soldered) Mounted pup to base plate. Put DuPont male connectors on the pup leads matching up colors on the female plug. Ran mounting screws through base plate, installed shorty strat springs on bottom side of base plate over mounting screws starting screw points through “keeper washers” I cut out from a thin clear plastic screw container. ( holds screws and springs in place while turning it over to mount to body.
Day and night!!! I can’t wait to take it over to my buddy’s studio for him to try without me telling him what I did. He sold his because he couldn’t deal with the lack of clarity and punch. Mine has it now. It’s a beast and a classic sounding guitar all in one. I hope this helps someone.
Hardest part was manufacturing the base plate because I refused to pay $26 or more for one. It would have been easier but, I believe that’s a steep price for a base plate.

I have Sabre inbound and will keep this in mind

 

[wired]

I think the Sabre pickups are some of the best I’ve played in years. I don’t find them mellow at all & have great clarity. I’ve never heard anyone describe them as dark.