Help! Info on fretless Sabre

[alkal]

Hello everyone,

I’m a new fan of MusicMan basses, and that’s because I recently bought a fretless MusicMan Sabre (S/N: 32017, June 91) from a second hand guitar shop in Amsterdam.

I’d like to ask for some info that I couldn’t find by myself on this forum or any other resource on the net:
- What kind of finish was used originally on those instruments?
- What kind of wood is used for the fretboard? (check out the pics, it doesn't seem to be rosewood...)
- Where could one find original MusicMan parts outside the US, except ebay? I’m asking this because the bass didn’t have its original black screws on the pickguard (!!!). ErnieBall.com doesn't ship to Greece (yes I live in Greece), and I've also tried WD Music Products, but they had screws only for Fender guitars.

Here are some pics of the bass:
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/alkal78/MusicMan/MusicManSabre91Fretless_01.jpg
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/alkal78/MusicMan/MusicManSabre91Fretless_02.jpg
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/alkal78/MusicMan/MusicManSabre91Fretless_03.jpg
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/alkal78/MusicMan/MusicManSabre91Fretless_04.jpg
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/alkal78/MusicMan/MusicManSabre91Fretless_05.jpg
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/alkal78/MusicMan/MusicManSabre91Fretless_06.jpg
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg137/alkal78/MusicMan/MusicManSabre91Fretless_07.jpg

Thank you for your time

 

[Duarte]

Wow beautiful! That looks like the cousin of my fretless ray, natural with black pickguard and a good bit of birdseye by the looks of it.

I can answer the fingerboard question, that would appear to be pau ferro, a much denser wood than rosewood but with similar tonal qualities. Truly stunning wood. I know that pre-ernie ball fretlesses have had rosewood but I think all ernie ball ones have pau ferro. It is much more durable.

Welcome to the forum!

edit: And if you ever want to sell that bass...you come to me first.

 

[mynan]

Wow, the grain on that body is really nice!

 

[Spudmurphy]

I LOVE the look of your bass - hope you get the screw issue sorted out.

 

[Caca de Kick]

I want that Sabre!!!!! wow, very nice bass you got yourself there.

The pickguard screws are the same size as the Fender ones, so you're okay if that's what you found.

The fretboard is pau ferro, and a very nice looking slab at that.

 

[oli@bass]

Wow.... that's a REALLY nice one... where do you guys find all those Sabres?!

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

NICE!

Here's another shot of your Bass. It used to belong to a forum member (handle "Evil Ernie Ball").

The 1990 Catalogue refers to fretless boards as "Pau Ferro" and the body finish as "Catalyzed Laquer High Gloss". I don't know if the finish was the same in 1991.

 

[alkal]

Thank you all very much for your response and your kind words.

It's a pity that the previous owner "separated" this unique bass from its original case, and also lost its screws. Right now I'm doing a little research, in order to proceed in a slight "restoration". I wanted to know the kind of laquer used on it so to avoid any unwanted "reactions" in the case I'd have to use light chemicals to clean it. It seems that it was treated with common furniture wax... And the knobs and switch sound like the could use a good inside cleaning, to restore their good function. Those and just one "medium weight" ding on the neck, are the only things from which this bass suffers.

 

[Spanky(Andy)]

Congatulations!

Congratulations alkal on your beautiful Sabre bass. Wow, that is stunning.

Cheers

Andy