one two or three?

[stingray96191]

how many pieces of ash do you guys think were used to make the body blank for this bass? i'm thinking three... but maybe its one?

i'm also curious as to which bridge i have.. i see lots of talk about transitional bridges and flea bridges. i would like to know what mine is. its got a super low action strung with flats.. its quickly becoming my go to axe. And yes i know the strings aren't seated in the saddles. I fixed that shortly after the pictures were taken..

Erin

 

[maddog]

3.

 

[MrMusashi]

looks like 2 to me..
easiest way to find out on translucent finishes is to look at it from the rear (at the same side the strap-pin is attached at the bottom)
the wood figures will go in different directions at the joint..

as for the bridge; rod trussbroken has an excellent site for info on lots of musicman basses. there is a bridge section on its own which will help you date your version.
shortshort version: the mute bridge had some sharp edges and to "promote public safety" the thumbscrews, the mutes and the metal strips were removed and replaced with small bolts.
ps: if im wrong about this please do correct this.. i dont want to spread internet myths

MrM

 

[J Romano]

Looks like either 2 or 3 pieces. Hard to tell in this picture. What is interesting is that it looks like it was joined on an angle, rather than straight across as is the usual way of doing it. But the bottom line is the grain is really nice, especially the grain in the neck!!!

 

[trunkshope6]

Don't know if people really got injured by mutes,I think maybe the mutes were a nostalgic feature after a while,in the 90s the ray was used about every style but was a go to slap bass and I'm thinking eb thought it was just obsolete?

And urs is not the flea bridge,that bridge has the strings off to the side a lot more on the barrels.urs is like the standard type spacing of today, but I have noticed the new sterling by musicman have the old flea spacing

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

For years I thought my trans white SR5 was a one-piece, but only recently noticed at the rear (where the strap pin is) that it's actually three.

 

[danny-79]

I can see three in the pic

 

[fly]

looks like 3 to me too......

 

[stingray96191]

on close inspection today i'm pretty sure its one piece.. i have some pics ill post when i get a second..

 

[Manfloozy]

One piece

Ive had the honor of seeing a particularly beautiful Natural Sabre in person and yeah it was a single piece of beautiful iridescent Ash. So so so pretty.

 

[oli@bass]

One piece

Ive had the honor of seeing a particularly beautiful Natural Sabre in person and yeah it was a single piece of beautiful iridescent Ash. So so so pretty.

If you're talking 'bout the one that's right next to me... that's made of two pieces. Hard to believe if you look at the top or back, but the seem is quite clear at the neck pocket.

 

[oli@bass]

And urs is not the flea bridge,that bridge has the strings off to the side a lot more on the barrels.urs is like the standard type spacing of today, but I have noticed the new sterling by musicman have the old flea spacing

AFAIK, all Music Man 4 string bridges have and always had the same string spacing: 19mm (oh, and I just cross checked bridges from 1981, 1987, 1996, 2009)

 

[drTStingray]

That is a v nice bass, Erin - I would love one in that colour - is it a maple or rosewood board?

Looking at the grain I think there is likely to be a joint along the body about a third of the way down from the top - roughly along the line through the bottom of the back contour cutout. The grain is spookily like that on my 93 bass - it took me about six months before I noticed the joint in the back end of the bass.

AFAIK, all Music Man 4 string bridges have and always had the same string spacing: 19mm (oh, and I just cross checked bridges from 1981, 1987, 1996, 2009)

The change in the early nineties affected the angle the strings go over the saddles and the size of the string cut in each saddle I think - a certain player with an aggressive style was apparently known to pull the strings out of the saddles whilst playing - the modified bridge countered this - and seems to have been unofficially (?) named after him. I guess yours is one of those early 90s bridges?

 

[keko]

First I thought it's an one-piecer, but after more careful look again I'm almost sure it's a 3 piecer!

Wood grain in the middle is more thick than by horn sides!