Vintage 1978 Music Man Sabre 1 Sunburst with Gig Bag

 

 

Behold the Sabre.  Specfically the Sabre 1, the more desirable version that's a bit of a rare beast in the wilderness of the guitar world that resulted from late 70's design.  Developed by Leo Fender, this model was originally released in 1977 and only made for a few years.  It's become a bit of a classic cult hit and is getting harder and harder to find.

The Sabre 1 features a 12" radius and jumbo frets (much more player friendly than the Sabre II, which mimiced an old school Fender with it's a 7.25" radius and small frets).  The construction is top notch, and the 3 bolt neck design is as stable as any 4 bolt - this is the version that was done right.  While the body is familar to anyone that has held a Strat, it has it's own feel and aesthetic - this is not a copy.  It's slightly elongated and narrower, and very comfortable to hold.  It also has a patented bridge design with a sustain-enhancing brass base and invidually adjustable saddles.

The pickups are low-impedence humbuckers, powered by an active, buffered low-impedance preamp.  The 9v battery is easily accessible via the compartment on the back.    Controls include a 3-way blade switch, a brite switch, active treble, bass and phase switch.  This gives you a variety of tonal options - all of which sound good.  It's truly a versatile guitar.

This guitar is in excellent condition, especially considering the age.  Of course it has a bit of player wear on the finish, but nothing heavy, and it's suprisingly clean.  The guitar been setup to play perfectly by the techs in our shop, and it's a winner!