EBMM Sabre Opinions Wanted

Red Solo Cup

Red Solo Cup

Inspired
As a reward to myself for surviving some pretty unpleasant things this past year, I thought I might reward myself with a new high end guitar. I really like the look, sounds and specs of the EBMM Sabre. And I would also have it PLEK'd ... or is that something no longer considered needed on this type of guitar?

My question is, at $3400, are there better options to consider? I do not have a SSS in my collection, but if I am honest with myself, the HH configuration with the AXE-FX III and my Marshall amps would be best suited to me for how and what I play. I currently own a Strat HSS, LP and Ibanez HSH which all suit me fine. Again, just considering a totally unnecessary purchase, within a reasonable budget, that I can have as my "best of" in the collection.

I did perform a search but found nothing new since @ Dec 2020.

Thanks in advance,

Let's Have a Party!!!!
 
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Red Solo Cup said:
As a reward to myself for surviving some pretty unpleasant things this past year, I thought I might reward myself with a new high end guitar. I really like the look, sounds and specs of the EBMM Sabre. And I would also have it PLEK'd ... or is that something no longer considered needed on this type of guitar?

My question is, at $3400, are there better options to consider? I do not have a SSS in my collection, but if I am honest with myself, the HH configuration with the AXE-FX III and my Marshall amps would be best suited to me for how and what I play. I currently own a Strat HSS, LP and Ibanez HSH which all suit me fine. Again, just considering a totally unnecessary purchase, within a reasonable budget, that I can have as my "best of" in the collection.

I did perform a search but found nothing new since @ Dec 2020.

Thanks in advance,

Let's Have a Party!!!!
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What a cool task you've assigned yourself!

I was also shopping for a guitar I don't really need recently aroundthe same budget you've set. The Sabre was on my list.

I've never owned or even played an EBMM, but I've never heard anyone say anything bad about them. So, I can't weigh-in on that, but can add ...

Personally, I wouldn't get a guitar Plek'd that I hadn't played first and had the best setup possible. Then, I might think about Plek if there was an issue I couldn't fix myself.

When I was shopping for an unnecessary guitar, I was also considering Suhr and Tom Anderson. In my case, I was initially looking for an SSS setup.

I bought 4 guitars - not all at once - from places with good return policies. I tried 2 Suhrs, Paulownia Limited and Standard and 2 Andersons, a Classic S and Drop Top. 3 of the 4 were HSS.

All 4 were REALLY good! My favorite of them, overall, was the TA Drop Top. However, it's SO beautiful, I'd be afraid of taking it out of my home studio. (Hoping to gig again after I finish writing a few more songs.)

The guitar I decided to keep was the Suhr Standard. I'm really happy with this guitar! It's HSS, but the bridge/middle tone is very Strat-y. It has the SSCII, so it's very quiet. It plays and sounds great, looks great, too. And, for the price, I won't be so worried about it getting swiped or dinged. A player's guitar, for sure.

Bonus: I still have $1000 left over from my budget. Now, I'm eyeing some studio monitors.

Good luck in your search!
 
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Thank you. I also like the Suhr, PRS and Tom Anderson models but have not come across the one that catches my eye just yet. I am in no real hurry to buy something just for the bling effect as this will be more of a bucket list item for me. Thinking I need to go look over a few more geetars before settling down on one ... even looking at $300 pawn shop/used hahaha hoping to find "the one." But that's a whole other story :)
 
As an owner of 2 new Majesties in the last couple years, I'm a total convert to EBMM.
When you say "nothing new" you mean there are no new Sabres available right now?
 
TSJMajesty said:
As an owner of 2 new Majesties in the last couple years, I'm a total convert to EBMM.
When you say "nothing new" you mean there are no new Sabres available right now?
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No, not at all. I mean I have not seen much talk about them (Sabres) on forums in any detail regarding build or player satisfaction since threads started @ Dec 2020. I have one in my shopping cart now online and just want to make sure that folks with experience don't bring up anything that may point me towards another guitar.
 
DON'T PLEK A EBMM!
I personally say don't PLEK anything because a good luthier can give you much better results by hand, but definitely not a high end guitar with good fret work already.
Step away from the internet, PLEK is bullshit.
 
Everything over about $2kcad/$1700usd is in pretty good to epic territory, and then its about minute details after that. Ebmm has a reputation for very nice instruments provided you like the way they play.

What all have you tried?
 
Budda said:
Everything over about $2kcad/$1700usd is in pretty good to epic territory, and then its about minute details after that. Ebmm has a reputation for very nice instruments provided you like the way they play.

What all have you tried?
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Tried the usual suspects, which are in limited supply around here; Gibson /Fender Custom, PRS

Only hands on I have with MM is an Axis(?) I played a couple of years ago. Didn't care for the curves on that one much.
 
Musikron said:
DON'T PLEK A EBMM!
I personally say don't PLEK anything because a good luthier can give you much better results by hand, but definitely not a high end guitar with good fret work already.
Step away from the internet, PLEK is bullshit.
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This is utter rubbish
Plek is not just a CNC fret dressing tool. it can analyse the neck under string tension and you can interpret the results and apply them if you chose too. Yes I have operated a Plek and in conjunction with a good tech it can do things no luthier can by hand. And for your information the string tension jigs do not replicate the forces at all accurately.
 
Andy Eagle said:
This is utter rubbish
Plek is not just a CNC fret dressing tool. it can analyse the neck under string tension and you can interpret the results and apply them if you chose too. Yes I have operated a Plek and in conjunction with a good tech it can do things no luthier can by hand. And for your information the string tension jigs do not replicate the forces at all accurately.
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I disagree. Not to toot my own horn, but I've yet to see a plekd guitar with better fretwork than I do by hand. Granted, I've been a luthier for over half my life so have a fair amount of experience, and any tool is only as good as the 200lb gorilla using it. And I suspect most shops that bought into the PLEK thing have some kid just slapping guitars into and hitting run, which in all fairness, is kinda how they marketed that thing in the beginning.
 
You can't go wrong with EBMM. I've got Ibanez Prestige, Fender AO, vintage Guilds, Martins, and the EBMM hangs at the top of the pile. The feel of the neck and the pickups in that thing are a cut above.

Be aware that the EBMM's have a 1 5/8" nut width and that the skinny necks throw some players with bigger hands off. That said, the Sabre is the only EBMM production model that has the more common 1 11/16" nut width.
 
I loved my JP6, but the darn neck never stayed properly tuned. Which was well known at the the time I had it. So I sold it. The guitars are beautiful and sound great, but I couldn't get past the neck issue.
 
Musikron said:
I disagree. Not to toot my own horn, but I've yet to see a plekd guitar with better fretwork than I do by hand. Granted, I've been a luthier for over half my life so have a fair amount of experience, and any tool is only as good as the 200lb gorilla using it. And I suspect most shops that bought into the PLEK thing have some kid just slapping guitars into and hitting run, which in all fairness, is kinda how they marketed that thing in the beginning.
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So you haven't used one or realise what it can do. I am also a full time repair tech 32 years now and can do my own fretwork pretty well too (there are threads on here). It can for instance copy the exact relief of your favourite guitar and cut it on a different guitar, or cut a compound radius in the frets. Correct for a truss rod that doesn't have the relief in the right spot.ETC
But it's a tool and it needs a skilled knowledgable operator like any computer junk in junk out.
 
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