Ernie Ball Introduces Classic Sabre Bass

After a limited release for their Premier Dealer Network, Ernie Ball has reissued the Music Man Sabre as a standard model. The original Sabre, first introduced in 1978, was Music Man’s first dual humbucking bass. The new Classic Sabre is the first production of the instrument in twenty years and brings back the vintage design with updated electronics, classic mini humbuckers, mute pads and more.

Ernie Ball Music Man Classic Sabre

The Classic Sabre is built with an ash body and a neck of either birdseye or flame maple. You also have a choice of a maple or rosewood fingerboard. Standard pickups include a 16 pole humbucker with Alnico magnets in the bridge position and an 8 pole humbucker with Alnico magnets in the neck position. The pickups are wired in parallel with a 5-way toggle switch that offers different combinations of the four coils. Further electronics include a 2-band active EQ and the Music Man “Silent Circuit,” which reduces hum and retains single coil sound.

Hardware on the Classic Sabre includes a top loading, chrome plated, hardened steel bridge plate with stainless steel saddles, adjustable mute pads, and Schaller BM tuning machines. The basses will come in six colors: Black, Classic Natural, Candy Red, Diego Blue, Trans White and Mayan Silver.

Ernie Ball is taking orders now for Music Man Classic Sabre with a street price of around $1,869. The Premier Dealer Network Tony Levin Sledge Sabres will be shipping next month, while the Classic Sabre will be out in April.

Ernie Ball Music Man Classic Sabre Specs:

  • Dimensions: 13? wide, 1.75? thick, 45? long (33cm wide, 4.5cm thick, 114.3cm long)
  • Weight: 10 lbs, 8 oz (4.77 kg) – varies slightly
  • Body Wood: Ash
  • Body Colors: Standard Classic Collection colors
  • Bridge: Music Man top loading chrome plated, hardened steel bridge plate with “Classic” stainless steel saddles and adjustable mute pads
  • Pickguard: Standard – black or white; optional – shell
  • Scale Length: 34? (86.4cm)
  • Neck Radius: 11? (27.9cm)
  • Headstock Size: Only 8.25? (21cm) long
  • Frets: 21 – High profile, wide
  • Neck Width: 1.625? (41.3mm) at nut 2.5? (63.5mm) at last fret
  • Neck Wood: Choice of birdseye or flame maple
  • Fingerboard: Fretted – maple or rosewood
  • Neck Finish: High gloss polyester
  • Neck Colors: Natural aged yellow finish
  • Tuning Machines: Schaller BM, with tapered string posts
  • Truss Rod: Adjustable – no component or string removal
  • Neck Attachment: 6 bolts – perfect alignment with no shifting
  • Controls: 2-band active preamp; vol, treble, bass
  • Switching: 5-way lever pickup selector
  • Pickups: Standard – neck pickup – 16 pole humbucker with Alnico magnets and solid black cover, bridge – 8 pole humbucker with Alnico magnets and solid black cover, with patented Music Man “Silent Circuit”, which reduces hum and retains true single coil sound
  • Left Handed: No
  • Strings: 45w-65w-80w-100w (Super Slinky Bass #2834)

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Leave a Reply to Tom Yoder Cancel reply

  1. WHY NO LEFT-HANDED MODEL?

    • hey Jeff – U don’t need no stinkin’ left hand model b/c you play great just by flipping the righty upside down & wailing away …!!!

  2. Made in U.S.A. I hope so.

  3. MusicMan makes some of the best guitars and basses right now and this rocks my friend…

  4. The original did not have a lever switch it had three separate switches close though the later model had lever but hey who knows its probably. Cool