My EBMM SUB1 "review"

[Junior]

So I went to the local EB dealer today. First off, I want you to know that the "review" isn't written with proffesional somments or such, just my feelings and thoughts about this guitar.

White SUB1, black pickguard, dual humbuckers, tremolo bridge, non-locking tuners!!! (they had nothing special on the back side, and they were very large on the front side. I don't know if those were locking tuners. I doubt.. HELP!)

I was plugged into a L|N3 6 amp. I played it for about 10-15 minutes.

The whole guitar / body - kinda small --> very comfy. My right hand (picking hand) started to hurt after a few minutes of playing 'cause I usually play guitars with the hand contour, but I would like to switch to the contour-less ones 'cause I feel that my picking is much better when the angle of my hand is not changed by the contour.

The neck - extremely comfortable to play and suits my hand very well, but there were some very old strings and the neck was kinda dry. I think some F4st Fr3t would solve this problem.

Finish, cosmetics, etc. - yuck! Apparently the guitar is the last one of the SUB1's they had and a lot of people played it etc. The textured white finish has uncleanable stains on the part where the hand contour usually is and on the part by the neck humbucker. The back of neck and headstock look very cool with the black, but doesn't fit with the rosewood fretboard (black next to brown - yuck) Overall the guitar looks horrible and if I'd buy it I'd have it refinished as soon as I'd get the money!

Bridge, tuners, pickups - I'm amazed by the tremolo bridge! It's damn great! I just couldn't believe how good it was! I abused the tremolo quite a lot and it stayed in tune perfectly. But that's probably 'cause I was only playing for about 10-15 minutes. The tuners - I'm confused! What do locking tuners on the SUB1 look like? These tuners didn't have those big screws in the back of the headstock. But they are very large (long) in the front. The pickups - I don't know what to say really. Seems to me that the pickups in my $quier are better! But that was probably because of the amp. I was kinda close to the amp and it would always buzz. The thing was that the difference in the sound between the neck and the bridge humbucker was very small! Almost unnoticable! I don't know what's the cause of that.

Overall - I don't know what to say really! The looks on this particular one are terrible and I can't figure out how they intend to sell that particular one as a NEW! guitar. It sure doesn't look new. The bridge and tuners in combination were awesome. The pickups - I don't have a comment. Probably an amp issue. The neck and body are very good and I like the tones I got from this one. Basically, with some new pickups and cosmetic changes (not so important), a very serious proffesional guitar!

The worst thing is that they're asking 850$ cash or 970$ on credit
and smilar stuff.

Thoughts? Opinions? Reccomendations?

I'm kinda stuck on EBMM's again now! (the LP thing has gone away mostly - that's called mood swings ) I'd really like to have a good US guitar which would be suitable for hard rock and lots of solo's (tremolo abusing )

 

[kbaim]

Sounds like you should pass on this particular model.

Problem is (as has been stated often on the forum) that ebmm guitars are so hard to find in music stores that it's just by sheer coincidence many of us have found these guitars we've grown so attached to. This mostly pertains to the regular music mans and not the subs which are generally more plentiful.

I'd keep looking for one that keeps you coming back to play it.

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

So I went to the local EB dealer today. First off, I want you to know that the "review" isn't written with proffesional somments or such, just my feelings and thoughts about this guitar.

White SUB1, black pickguard, dual humbuckers, tremolo bridge, non-locking tuners!!! (they had nothing special on the back side, and they were very large on the front side. I don't know if those were locking tuners. I doubt.. HELP!)

....


Bridge, tuners, pickups - I'm amazed by the tremolo bridge! It's damn great! I just couldn't believe how good it was! I abused the tremolo quite a lot and it stayed in tune perfectly. But that's probably 'cause I was only playing for about 10-15 minutes. The tuners - I'm confused! What do locking tuners on the SUB1 look like? These tuners didn't have those big screws in the back of the headstock. But they are very large (long) in the front.

Those are indeed the locking tuners - they have the locking mechanism on the front instead of on the back. They look funky, but the sure do a good job!


On the whole, I'm impressed with the SUBs that have come through here, and I wish I could sell more

 

[Junior]

Cool, so they are locking. Big +

Can SUB1's be ordered? Like, I tell the dealer to get me a dual humbucker, tremolo bridge, black pickguard, blue finish body SUB1... Then they send the order to EB in SLO, then they do one like that, right?

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

Yup!

 

[Junior]

Well this is apparently a one that's not worth giving 900$ for. Oh, at least I won't feel bad when they sell it .. I'd much rather get a FR Steve Morse EBMM, though

 

[fogman]

Junior,

It sounds like this SUB1 has been around the block. I'd stack away.
The SUB1 is a great guitar, but it's not for me. I agree with you on the pickups. I also tried the guitar with many amps trying to achieve a specific sound. I just couldn't get it. Maybe a modeller would help? I think if it were re-wired to accomodate a 5 way switch as apposed to the standard 3 positions, then it could be killer. I think the pups are so to cater to the younger players that are into nu-metal (not for me).
The blue with black is nice! I actually like the way the SUB looks. I didn't at first, but the more I thought about it, then the more I liked it!!!

 

[Junior]

That's a very nice one. I think I'll go with the blue or black one when I'll be getting it.

I've already thinked about a third pickup a single coil or another humbucker ! Then adding a 5 way switch

But I'll leave that alone for now ...I don't even have it.

 

[fogman]

That's a very nice one. I think I'll go with the blue or black one when I'll be getting it.

I've already thinked about a third pickup a single coil or another humbucker ! Then adding a 5 way switch

But I'll leave that alone for now ...I don't even have it.

Actually RAZ who use to post here (and will probably come back) had already modded a SUB for some single coils. Here's a pic. If you were considering used I think he's still willing to sell it. I think he was saying $500 CND? Here's a pic.
Let me know if you want his info. Maybe you could work a deal with him?

 

[Junior]

Thanks a lot for you help, but I live in Croatia which is very far from Canada. BTW It's a great deal and I'd really like but the shipping would probably cost me about 100$ or even more. Plus I want a neck humbucker too... and a single coil or another humbucker in the middle

Ungh... If I could only find a deal like that here in Europe... then I could ship it to my uncle in London or Amsterdam or Germany (depending on where he is at the moment) I'll be stalking the bay...

That's a really cool offer, though

 

[Brutalc]

Well, now that you mention that you live in Croatia... make a little trip to Slovenia, Novo mesto, there's a store called Bobencek and as far as I know they have plenty of SUB1s on stock and they are mostly in unplayed condition, also they have wide color selection. The price is 169.900 SIT

http://www.bolha.com/trgovina/kirakb/
http://www.bobencek.com

 

[Junior]

WOW MAN THANKS!!!

I'm calctulating the price

170 000 SIT / 3 = 5100 Croatian kunas. Which is 500 kunas less, and I think you even get some tax return at the border. Well, that's just great to know! Thanks a lot. Plus, it's only 80 km away from me. 20 km to the border and 69 from the border to Novo Mesto. If I wouldn't be in the postiion to order / buy a SUB1 I like here, I think I'll go get it there. Thanks, really

 

[Junior]

One question: How do you lock the tuners on the SUB1? I don't know how to lock the regular locking ones, but I guess you just tighten the screws in the back.

 

[Brutalc]

As far as I know you get tax refund at our side of the border, but you must pay tax to your country at your side of the border.
Ampak to itak ni problem, malo presvercas, pa je...

I think that Bobencek has one of the lowest European prices for Music Man. Used JP6 on German EBay costs equal ammount of money as I have payed for new JP6 here in Slovenia. And if you pay by cash, you even get some discount.

 

[John C]

One question: How do you lock the tuners on the SUB1? I don't know how to lock the regular locking ones, but I guess you just tighten the screws in the back.

It's been a while since I've looked at a SUB1, so someone please correct me if I'm wrong - I believe the SUB1s use the original style Gotoh Magnum Lock tuners, where the top part of that long post on the tuner is actually a screw that locks the string in place. You have to use a coin or screwdriver to loosen and tighten the top part of the post to lock it into place. I don't think these are the newer "self-locking" Gotohs where you just have to put the string through the hole and use a winder to make the cam mechanism lock.

 

[Junior]

As far as I know you get tax refund at our side of the border, but you must pay tax to your country at your side of the border.
Ampak to itak ni problem, malo presvercas, pa je...

I think that Bobencek has one of the lowest European prices for Music Man. Used JP6 on German EBay costs equal ammount of money as I have payed for new JP6 here in Slovenia. And if you pay by cash, you even get some discount.

LOL You rock man!

I've calculated some stuff. If I buy it in Slovenia (SLO LOL ) it will cost me much less.

I know these things don't mean much to you, but I've calculated the prices in Croatian kunas. (kuna - our money, like US Dolars)

New one in Croatia

for cash, credit card - 5600 kn (kn - short for kunas)
for other ways of playing - 6300 kn

New one in Sloveina

for cash - I don't know what+s the discount
for other ways of paying - 5100 kn (maybe that's the cash price, I don't know)

When I get the tax return at the border, I get 1122 kn back, so that's actually 3978 kn. Then I have to smuggle the guitar on our border. I can just say that's my guitar and that I had a gig in Slovenia So basically, that would be 612$

Thanks for the info on the tuners.

 

[Brutalc]

That way you save quite a lot of money and you have a nice little trip to Slovenia

For all the info about discount, guitar... I reccomend you, that you send an email to Bobencek

 

[Roubster]

Me thinks it would also be a cool experience getting your first EB guitar and an adventure sneeking it into the country . You should definatly do it, and you will have a nice experience and bond with the geetar after that.

 

[Junior]

Well that's probably what I'm gonna do when I'm gonna be buying the SUB1. It's only 80 km away from me, and I get the tax return at the border, then take it out of the box and put it in a gigbag and make some scratches and say it's my guitar. The only expense of that is paying the gas to go to the other country and paying the passport if it's unusable now (hmm that would be bad... let me check - YES 10th July 2007 ), but that's a minor expense considering the money that I would for the SUB1 here. Plus, if there's a discount for cash, I could make the guy write the check like there's no discount so I get a bigger tax return LOL

Any way I'm really grateful for the info on the Novo Mesto shop. And even if that doesn't work out, I found out my uncle can probably get it for me in Western Europe and bring it here when coming back on Friday (he goes to work monday morning and comes back thursday or friday night)

 

[Junior]

I gto the reply from Bobencek

He said that the price for paying in cash would be 672€

So that's like - 5600 croatian kunas here, 4900 croatian kunas there. Plus the tax return you get at the border - 3800 croatian kunas!!! That's like - 580 $!!!!!! And they were asking for 860 $ here!

This is the deal!

Also, my mom promised to give me 20% of anything that I want to buy! So that's like... great!