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EricW

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2008
Messages
9
Location
Minneapolis
Hey everybody, I just wound up with a Sub 1 ( I know, not a very auspicious start :p, but I got a great deal on it)....and I've got a couple questions.
I understand that its about the cheapest model you could get and I'm pretty surprised that its a damn good guitar......other than the bridge saddles and the finish, it ain't nearly as CHEEP as I expected!!! In fact, it kinda kicks ass :D.

I'm used to good guitars, as all my gigging axes are Hamer USA, but I needed a longer strat scale guitar w/hardtail to play at C tuning. I've played a friend's Petrucci for a few tunes at a jam last year and was pretty blown away, so I took a shot and bought the Sub online.....I widened out the string slots, tweaked the truss rod, strung it w/ 13s and now I've got a MONSTER..It holds the low tunings better than any of my other guitars....best $300 I've ever spent.

I'm wondering what that splattered finish is (poly?) and what the pickup (bridge only) would be comparable to...I've got a bunch of Duncans , Dimarzios and Rios in my Hamers and I'm going to give the Sub a few gigs to see if that pickup has enough grunt...but if it doesn't what would you all recommend??

Thanks, Eric
 

5Stringer

Ernie Ball Customer Service
Joined
May 21, 2004
Messages
3,386
Location
San Luis Obispo, Ca
Hey Eric, nothing to be ashamed of here. The SUBs are cool guitars (OK - I admit I am biased) The finish is just a textured polyester matte (dull-rub). The pickups were shooting to be Silhouette-like PAF types. Glad you like it.

Dan
 

Slingy

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 15, 2007
Messages
1,526
Location
Fair Oaks, CA
I've been playing mine for a few years and really have never thought of changing the pickups, I like the sound of it. It's also my favorite neck to play on.
 

andynpeters

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 28, 2004
Messages
1,378
Location
Wonderland
$300!!!! $300!!! What a steal. Personally I'd love a Sub, but they'd be 3 times that over here....if they still made them....if they existed lefty.
Nothing to be ashamed of at all, I've read nothing but positive comments about them....EBMM don't make bad guitars
 

Eilif

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 9, 2004
Messages
1,131
Location
Mililani, Hawaii
Welcome, Eric! You'll find that this is a friendly place and a great stop on the Web.

You've already found that the Sub is a great guitar, especially for the price. I was very pleasantly surprised, when I got mine, to discover how good it is. It's a solid guitar with a great feel. I took out the stock pickups and replaced them with EMGs...then I put the stock pickups back in. I think they sound that good. :)
 

koogie2k

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 28, 2002
Messages
5,859
Location
Moyock, NC
Hey everybody, I just wound up with a Sub 1 ( I know, not a very auspicious start :p, but I got a great deal on it)....and I've got a couple questions.
I understand that its about the cheapest model you could get and I'm pretty surprised that its a damn good guitar......other than the bridge saddles and the finish, it ain't nearly as CHEEP as I expected!!! In fact, it kinda kicks ass :D.

I'm used to good guitars, as all my gigging axes are Hamer USA, but I needed a longer strat scale guitar w/hardtail to play at C tuning. I've played a friend's Petrucci for a few tunes at a jam last year and was pretty blown away, so I took a shot and bought the Sub online.....I widened out the string slots, tweaked the truss rod, strung it w/ 13s and now I've got a MONSTER..It holds the low tunings better than any of my other guitars....best $300 I've ever spent.

I'm wondering what that splattered finish is (poly?) and what the pickup (bridge only) would be comparable to...I've got a bunch of Duncans , Dimarzios and Rios in my Hamers and I'm going to give the Sub a few gigs to see if that pickup has enough grunt...but if it doesn't what would you all recommend??

Thanks, Eric

Welcome to the Addiction!

Bro...nothing what so ever is wrong with the SUB. It is a great axe. It is the "cheaper" in price point of the EBMM line...but...the quality is right up there with all the others. Great buy and enjoy the forum. :cool:
 

Tim O'Sullivan

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 22, 2003
Messages
5,867
Location
Christiansburg, VA
$300!!!! $300!!! What a steal. Personally I'd love a Sub, but they'd be 3 times that over here....if they still made them....if they existed lefty.
Nothing to be ashamed of at all, I've read nothing but positive comments about them....EBMM don't make bad guitars

I would expect they would cost even more!
 

Axilla

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 26, 2007
Messages
1,006
Location
Uelzen / Germany
Welcome onboard, Eric !

I second every positive thought about the SUB1. I had two of them but let one go because I needed some dough for another Ball. I however kept my 1HB non-trem SUB especially because I also intended to put on thicker strings for downtunings but haven't done so yet. Dan (5stringer) from Ernie Ball Customer Service is right. The PU sound a little PAFy but has a slightly higher output and a little more midrange to my ears. Cool PU for a dropped D tuning on rather light 009/042er Super Slinky set. If you wanna go C-tuning I guess your string choice for 013ers is just fine. Give the PU a try before thinking about exchange - it may well be worth remaining in there ;)

Rock on mate !

Axel
 

pjc812

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 25, 2006
Messages
420
Location
Evansville IN
The other beautiful thing about the stock p.ups is they are 4 conductor so your wiring options are limitless. I was rather impressed with them, think they sound great.
 

Jack FFR1846

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 17, 2008
Messages
2,176
Location
Hopkinton, MA
Nothing at all wrong with a sub1. I've got one. It is a gateway guitar. You'll become addicted and before you know it, you'll be using craigshelper to paruse the nearest 500 miles to get an Axis or Luke or Al or silo or........

(note my sig....I never even heard of Ernie Ball or Musicman 6 months ago)

jack
 

roburado

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 18, 2005
Messages
6,089
Location
Commerce, MI
Welcome. The Sub is a great guitar. I'm waiting for just the right one at the right price with the right amount of motivation on my part. I just keep thinking there are other EBMMs that I want first. :)
 

jamminjim

Well-known member
Joined
May 25, 2006
Messages
2,303
Location
Grand Junction, Colorado
Welcome Eric

Sub 1's are indeed great EBMM guitars, I especially like the necks on the buggers.
The stock pups are great too as mentioned above. The only changes I've considered is to rewire a double hummer Sub to be like a PRS McCarty or an ASS. And the only pup change I am planning on is to drop in a complete loaded Silhouette Special pickguard into one of mine, thereby creating a Sub Special... or something like that.. ;)
 

MikeVt

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 1, 2005
Messages
1,663
Location
Vermont
It is a gateway guitar.

What?!?!?:eek:

If you mean it's a great way to start with EBMM, then I agree. If you mean it's a throw away until you can afford a higher end EBMM, then I couldn't disagree more. Look at my sig....and I still play my Sub every day. I can get tone out of that thing that I can't replicate with any of my others. It's an outstanding guitar...albeit with a few less frills.

Mike
 

EricW

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2008
Messages
9
Location
Minneapolis
Welcome Eric

Sub 1's are indeed great EBMM guitars, I especially like the necks on the buggers.
The stock pups are great too as mentioned above. The only changes I've considered is to rewire a double hummer Sub to be like a PRS McCarty or an ASS. And the only pup change I am planning on is to drop in a complete loaded Silhouette Special pickguard into one of mine, thereby creating a Sub Special... or something like that.. ;)

I also got a Silo pickguard to load up and do exactly that :D it's gonna rip!!

I'm gonna gig it tonite and see how it matches up(volume-wise) with my other guitars. Peace, Eric
 

EricW

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2008
Messages
9
Location
Minneapolis
Here is the new kid...hanging with a couple old friends :D

Sub1.jpg


It may be barebones.....but its ALL RAWK :cool:
 
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Axilla

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 26, 2007
Messages
1,006
Location
Uelzen / Germany
Interesting turn here. I have two fully loaded Silo Special S/S/S pickguards here and am also about ot have the SUB1s body rerouted to fit them in.
I'll add a 9V block compartment as well as that sweet little quick connector jack for fast PG exchanges. It's gonna give another hell of a EBMM guitar - like you said - the EBMM SUB1 Special :D
 
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