Music Man Sabre I

[mo2v8ed1]

I've just gotten a '79 Music Man Sabre I and have heard that it was made by Leo Fender for Music Man. Does anyone know the history of these guitars? I'd love to know more. I'm also curious as to it's reception when first introduced and it's value today.

[Craig]

I've just gotten a '79 Music Man Sabre I and have heard that it was made by Leo Fender for Music Man. Does anyone know the history of these guitars? I'd love to know more. I'm also curious as to it's reception when first introduced and it's value today.

You aren't the first to ask about this, see: New member seeking MusicMan Sabre I info.
Hopefully this will point you in the right direction to go regarding your MM information quest.

Hope this helps.

[Miles Smiles]

Have a look at an old F-100 and you know where the Sabre went to.

[Fred Finisher]

Hello mo2v8ed1,
Your guitar was made at CLF Research in Fullerton. It was one of the four instruments we made before becoming G&L. If you would like to see a transitional prototype between the Sabre and the F-100, you can look at my gallery pictures under Fred Finisher. If I had time to figure out how to move it here i would but I am at work right now and somewhat technically challenged about these things. Maybe Craig, (Thanks in advance) could move the picture here so you don't have to look it up. Prior to this and a few other protos like it being built, we did not have a guitar that did not have a preamp built in. The Sting Ray guitar and bass as well as the Sabre guitar and bass all had preamps. Leo was experimenting with a less expensive model when the proto was built but it was never made for Music Man because we changed over to G&L and the pickup designs were used for the F-100 instead. I was fortunate enough to purchase the proto at the first of the proto sales we had when Leo ran out of room in his office.
Fred

[Miles Smiles]

You mean theese one?

[Fred Finisher]

Thanks Miles,
As you can see, this guitar was the attempt at a less expensive model. The controls were not active which was going to be the first Music Man to be passive. The bridge is from the Sting Ray which was less expensive to make. I played this thing a lot and lent it out several times so between the testers in the factory and the abuse I gave it over the years, this guitar has been well worn. I always liked the way it sounded but I haven't plugged it in in years.
Fred

[Boogie Bill]

For me the MM Sabre is Leo's crowning glory, his best guitar design. From the pickups, to the bridge, to the preamp, to the tuners to the strap buttons...this guitar is nearly as revolutionary as it it is evolutionary. I think it was really ahead of its time, probably too far ahead of its time. Sadly, the Sabre never achieved the success and acceptance of the Sting Ray bass, or the amps.

I have two Sabre IIs. I bought the first one circa 1979...probably one of the first to be sold in the Seattle area. The second one was built for me by a luthier who'd bought parts when Music Man's assets were sold at auction. This was circa 1985. The second guitar has a second Sabre bridge pickup added to the middle position. Both are sunbursts with maple necks. As II versions, they have the 7.25" radius necks and vintage frets; the I models have a bigger fret and a 12" radius neck.

The pickups are low impedence and low output; the preamp boosts the signal and buffers the output...it is possible to drive a full pedalboard and 100 feet of cable with minimal signal loss. The active tone controls can effect a wide range of tones. The neck and bridge pickups have different dimensions--the neck can sing with sweet woman-tone, the bridge can twang like a tele,and the whole thing is dead-quiet. The mini switches provide a treble boost and a phase switch that gives quack in any position of the three-way switch.

Othe than me, LOL, the guitar was used by a few famous guitarists....notably Jeff and Randy of country mega-band Alabama, and Neil Levang and Buddy Merrill, Lawrence Welk's guitarists. Ah one and a two....

The G&L F-100 is the direct descendant of the Sabre, but it seemed to me at the time that the F didn't have a lot of the cool features of he Sabre. I have always preferred the Sabre, and I know several people who feel the same. According to my 2010 Vintage Guitar Price Guide Sabres in excellent condition are worth between $1100--$1400. I think that figure is high...I'm seeing them go for $650--$850. I've seen them in white, black, silver, natural, burst and I think they also came in walnut. Bodies of ash or poplar.

I love my Sabres...I think they are great guitars. Once you figure out how to use the tone controls, there are a wide range of tones at your fingertips.

Enjoy!

Bill

[Miles Smiles]

but it seemed to me at the time that the F didn't have a lot of the cool features of he Sabre.

Which? I always thought, they are pretty much the same.

[neon666]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/291070024887?ss ... 1555.l2649Hi there ! Can anybody help me with this guitar that knows it first hand.thank you !

[Craig]

neon666 sent me photos of this guitar:











Hopefully, Fred Finisher will see this and might be able to help.

[Fred Finisher]

Neon,
I just saw this and I will be happy to give you my opinion.
The neck appears to be in original condition. The body however has been modified and in my opinion, none of this work was done at CLF.
Unless Geoff Fullerton can confirm that this guitar was done for his dad, and came from his personal collection, I would have to disagree with the notion that anyone at CLF finished this instrument. At the time this instrument was built, there were four finishers on the line. Myself, Wayne Copeland, Steve Preheim and the fourth name escapes me. John Quarterman ( Supervisor ) and I did all the proto work and this was not one of them. Although there was a Harvey at CLF, his last name was Kristian and he worked in the wood shop. If I had to guess, this guitar was taken out of the factory in parts and finished by an airbrush artist or a car painter.
I would like to see pictures of the neck pocket to see if the telltale signs of a factory finish exist. Based on the gaps around the heel of the neck, it is more likely to have been done in a garage shop. That should make it easy to remove the neck without damaging the finish.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I was there when we painted the first Sabres and I was involved in the experimental colors. A finish like this would take a lot of time to produce and we were trying to produce profitable guitars not one-offs.
Sorry, but I have to call it as I see it.
Fred

[neon666]

harvey st james painted it,does that ring a bell ?

[neon666]

i believe it is flat grey in the neck pocket,i think

[Fred Finisher]

Neon,
There was no Harvey St. James in the finishing department during the time that the Sabres were produced. I spent my entire eight years in the finish department starting Feb. '78 through the end of December '85. I'm not sure where this info came from but it is not the first time I have seen modified MusicMan guitars with questionable provenance. The flat gray neck pocket would be further reason to believe that it was not done at CLF. Have you tested the finish to see what it is? My guess is that it is some kind of acrylic lacquer and not Nitrocellulose. We were using 100% nitro at the time.
Once again, Sorry
Fred

[Boogie Bill]

I agree with Fred, and I didn't work at the factory--that is not a factory finish.

Bill

[neon666]

now i have received information that it was a proto to an F 100 g&L THAT CAN AFTER ?

[Fumble fingers]

factory paint or not .... that thing is soooo cool !! ....

[fianoman]

factory paint or not .... that thing is soooo cool !! ....

Que the wah pedal and the 'shaft' theme music

Did they cut the nut slots for bass strings.