Sabre on EBay

[kilgore777]

Check this out.... Anyone know if these are really the stock pickups?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4713&item=3775210694&rd=1

 

[jongitarz]

They look like they could be.

 

[Aussie Mark]

Check this out.... Anyone know if these are really the sock pickups?

My boots make enough noise when I walk. I don't need pickups in my socks.

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

Originally the pickups had the exposed pole pieces up to circa 1983. From that point, to the end of the Pre-EB period, the pickups were of the soap bar type (pole pieces not visible) as shown in the pic. EB continued with the soap bar pickups until the Sabre was discontinued in 1991. There was never any reversion back to the original exposed pole pickups as far as I'm aware.

EDIT: as it's an EB Bass, they appear correct.

.

 

[fighterfire]

Mmmm, red Sabre.

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

Very Nice!

.

 

[kilgore777]

Originally the pickups had the exposed pole pieces up to circa 1983. From that point, to the end of the Pre-EB period, the pickups were of the soap bar type (pole pieces not visible) as shown in the pic. EB continued with the soap bar pickups until the Sabre was discontinued in 1991. There was never any reversion back to the original exposed pole pickups as far as I'm aware.

EDIT: as it's an EB Bass, they appear correct.

.

Gav,

It looks as if the electronics were changed as well, right?

Your pages are very informative!

http://myweb.ecomplanet.com/TOWN8019/MyStorage/Serial Page Pics/Ser5.jpg

BTW- FighterFire- that's beautiful!

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

When Pre-EB went to soap bar PUPs, they also changed the electronics to slide switching...as opposed to toggle switch. But it remained a 2 banger EQ.

Uncle Ernie kept the toggle switch electronics but, in addition to 2 band EQ, they threw in a 3 banger as an option. Same as Sting Rays...2 band is standard...3 band is optional extra...you actually pay a little more for three band 'Rays(according to the catalogues).

So, there's two versions of the EB Sabre...3 controll knobs (2 band) or 4 knobs (3 bander).

Pretty sure that's right

P.S. extra knob, of course, is the volume.

EDIT:

>>>>Uncle Ernie kept the toggle switch electronics

I made a typo...that should read "Uncle Ernie kept the slide switch electronics....."

 

[kilgore777]

Gav,

So I gotta ask....

Was a 3-band EQ an option on the Cutlass Series?

 

[puckwall99]

Here's Tony Levin with a 3 band Cutlass. If you look carefully, you'll see that he has two different pickups. One with exposed pole pieces (bridge) and one soapbar style without exposed pole pieces. I don't know if this was a custom option for Tony, or maybe he had to replace a pickup. I don't know, but I haven't seen another Cutlass or Sabre with this variation.

 

[kilgore777]

Here's Tony Levin with a 3 band Cutlass. If you look carefully, you'll see that he has two different pickups. One with exposed pole pieces (bridge) and one soapbar style without exposed pole pieces. I don't know if this was a custom option for Tony, or maybe he had to replace a pickup. I don't know, but I haven't seen another Cutlass or Sabre with this variation.

Nice!

 

[Aragorn35016]

GRRR this makes me want a sabre so bad I cant stand it! Did the last year of sabres have the oil/wax finished neck like the current MM basses have?

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

>>>Was a 3-band EQ an option on the Cutlass Series?

No. The Cutlass is a Pre-EB Bass. I believe 3 Band EQ was introduced by EB. Tony Levins must be a custom.

.

 

[kilgore777]

Gav,

Thanks again for sharing your vast knowledge.

BTW, the bass on EBay went for $750. Not a bad deal, although it looked a little beat up.

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

>>>>Thanks again for sharing your vast knowledge

Don't know about that....I just got lucky with you asking the right Qs

(I made a typo error above too...which I edited).

.

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

>>>Did the last year of sabres have the oil/wax finished neck like the current MM basses have?

I had a chat with Derek (some time back) about the introduction of the oil and wax.

I'm at work so I can't check my notes. From memmory the oil/wax was introduced circa 1992-93. Before that, the necks were satin for a short period. So, at the end of production (1991), the necks would have been high gloss poly or maybe satin. Anythings possible, but I don't think you'll find an oil/wax Sabre.

.

 

[prickly_pete]

I have a february 92 SR that has a high gloss neck.

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

You have to remember that the dates are introduction dates only. The introduction of satin doesn't put a full stop on gloss. EB would still use their existing stocks. The satin and high gloss would have run concurrently. Same as when the oil/wax was introduced. Any existing stocks of satin and high gloss would have still been used untill depleted. There may have even been a short period where it was luck of the draw as to which of the three neck finishes a certain Bass had.

.

 

[prickly_pete]

You have to remember that the dates are introduction dates only. The introduction of satin doesn't put a full stop on gloss. EB would still use their existing stocks. The satin and high gloss would have run concurrently. Same as when the oil/wax was introduced. Any existing stocks of satin and high gloss would have still been used untill depleted. There may have even been a short period where it was luck of the draw as to which of the three neck finishes a certain Bass had.

.

That's a good point. I've had a number of EB Stingrays -- 4s and 5s, but they have all been late 80s/early 90s, or late 90s to present. I need to get a mid-90s ray I guess

 

[RetepV]

GRRR this makes me want a sabre so bad I cant stand it!

Mine has the exposed pole pieces (1979 Sabre). Covered pole pieces definately make for a less painfull play if you like to slap and pop. But I think it does give a difference in sound. I imagine that with covered pickups, the pole pieces can not get as close to the strings as with the exposed pole pieces. I played around with them at one time (you can individually move them closer to or farther from the strings), and the distance certainly makes a difference in sound. I adjusted the pole pieces to get the sound I like. It also helps to even out any differences in volume between the different strings.

Hehehe, let me pimp it .

Edit:

I wish Music Man would make a new version. I don't like the flimsy bridges on the current Stingrays. If I would, I would have converted a Stingray to having two pickups and being able to put them in or out of phase.

Maybe I still would do it (the necks of the new Stingrays are much nicer), but then I would convert the bridge to a string-through-body design and change the electronics. The problem with the Stingrays is imo that the low frequencies of the string do not get transferred to the body enough. The sound would have become a little less aggressive with more natural sounding bass. Now the lack of bass gets compensated for in the electronics, and that just doesn't sound as nice as it could imo.

Ok, the Bongo bass also comes in a two-pickup version. But it still has the flimsy bridge. But maybe I should try one first before commenting on it . Haven't seen it here yet (The Netherlands).