Checking Out The Sterling By Music Man Sabre

[@stevenkenny6586]

If sterling ever makes a sabre with a tunomatic and stop tail I would buy it in a heartbeat. Great video and guitar. Maybe fluff can let sterling know! Cheers

[@madmikemike]

This is my thought as well. A lot of budget type guitars limit this. If they would offer non term versions, it would be amazing. Most that are looking for a trem know where to find them cuz there’s a million

[@Kami_81]

Was thinking the same thing, it would be an insta buy.

[@Turbo-D]

"this is not a sponsored video" and all of your subscribers just love your for that phrase 😚❣

[@craigsmith7457]

I always have time for an ETID riff!

[@sb632]

Glad to see a demo out. Love the specs on this one. The fishmans make it perfect for tuning down in drop c# to drop B which is what I've found I like most tuning wise.

[@BrianBrazilHarmonica]

Hey Ryan, I bought a Sterling by Music Man Guitar Albert Lee HH signature model. It's light, ergonomically designed with a great set of pickups, a 5 way switch, neck and fretboard. I like the fact it doesn't have a Tune O Matic bridge and stop bar tail piece. The bridge and bridge saddles can be adjust for height and intonation easily. Without having excessive hardware. It's a lot more comfortable to play.

[@draleigh8881]

Since I seen this on that digital whammy video I've been drooling over this guitar! Haha that finish and the roasted neck is too gorgeous

[@Joey.Darkwoods-Studio]

Your EB Sabre guitar is on my wish list for a while now... ill look into this one for sure!

[@talkychris]

My #1 is an Ibanez Prestige RG5121. It has the same Fishman pickups. They are incredible. They have the best note separation of any pickups I've ever heard. The neck in particular is super versatile with balance and warmth and it cleans up beautifully. I don't care for a tremolo a great deal and having 24 frets on the Ibanez is a bonus. But this Sterling is a fine guitar and if the Ibanez didn't exist this would be on my radar for sure.

[@CSgtrain]

As a Buffalonian im happy you played ETID. RIP

[@brianbrazil4426]

It also has a "Roasted Maple Neck, Roasted Maple Fretboard, Locking tuners" and as you mentioned the Stainless Steel Frets. All of those are things you won't hardly find in a budget level guitar below $1,000.00 dollars. 🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑

[@Andrew_182]

I’m sure it’s nice, but fishmans are $250 (not $350 as stated in the video) and can be found on guitars with similar specs (or better) for less money. Hell, you can get an LTD1000 series with fishmans, an ebony board, stainless frets, and an evertune for less than this sterling. Like I said, I’m sure it’s a nice guitar, but I just don’t see the value proposition personally.

[@talkychris]

I played the LTD MH-1000 guitar in December. It felt heavy, unbalanced, it looked and felt cheap. I played an Ibanez Prestige RG5121 too, I bought the Ibanez. Everthing about it just felt, looked and sounded better than the LTD even though both have the same Fishman pickups. This Sterling looks great and I'm sure it's a fine guitar. But it costs several hundred £more than the Japanese made Ibanez Prestige. I'd take the Ibanez all day. This is just too expensive and I think Music Man will struggle to sell these in high numbers. I think it's by far the most expensive Indonesian made guitar I've seen.

[@ibanezman1025]

I think most expensive Indonesian made guitars go to Strandberg.

[@Sodacake]

they're out of their minds charging over €2000 for this. may as well save for the real thing at that point.

[@willowtree4450]

This guitar is very much a real thing haha

[@jsullivan2112]

I could be wrong but I don't think Ernie Ball is to blame for that price. It's only $2000 in Canada, which translates to 1300 Euros. You might wanna find a new place to shop, because mark-up and import fees for your country are most likely the culprit. Having said that, $2000 CAD is still about $400 too much.

[@Joey.Darkwoods-Studio]

@@jsullivan2112 I agree... at $2000 Canadian, that's pretty high for a veneer top... imo. Its at least 500-600 to high.

[@talkychris]

£1769 at Andertons here in the UK. Some retailers have this at £1899. In December I bought a new Ibanez Prestige (Japanese made) RG5121 with the same Fishman pickups for £1500. The Sterling Sabre is undoubtedly a fine guitar, but it is very expensive for an Indonesian made guitar with a veneer top.

[@patrickkeating5329]

Too expensive for the specs, great pickups notwithstanding.

[@Shaunquirk89]

I didn’t buy the USA version because it was a 10” radius so the 12” is a really good call! I’m tempted haha

[@BkBk-gy6vr]

Dont do it before you try. I just played this exact guitar 3 days ago and it looks fantastic but plays no where near as good and the genuine Mudic Man . I understand the price difference but its dramatic. It sounded ok nothing special but Ive had Squiers that feel and play better. Its all subjective but I was not wowed while playing it just wowed by the looks.

[@BkBk-gy6vr]

Feels like the USA Sabre your a liar. Ive played both no they do not feel or play the same your just biased to them.

[@S-T-E-V-E]

Maple veneer? They are taking the piss at that price!

[@2015IeepWranglerJK]

Love this guitar but it seems to have a top end fizzle. The semi clean sound is great on both pickups. The Vic amp sounded somewhat better. I always enjoy your videos, thanks for always bringing the info and the humor (eBay listings). It cracks me up.

[@hebguy420]

Is this something you would bring on the road instead of your USA version?

[@SinjaEs]

one of a very few serious gear channels left that has not just become a commercial supernova, thank you for that again! 💎💎

[@emimele]

Are you kidding? I mean, Fluff is very professional, but his videos have become spots for gear and plugins, he never tell us what he think about the stuff he tries (so technically these are not reviews but commercials).

[@SinjaEs]

@@emimele don't care but thanks 🤷

[@Turbo-D]

yes 💪❗

[@andrewbecker3700]

Sweetwater is carrying Sterling guitars now, and it's obvious why. I was forced to buy the two I have elsewhere recently. Hard to beat what they're offering spec wise for the price. I'm also not a fan of the pickups in most MM guitars. I'm happy with my modded Sterlings. You get 90% of the MM experience without as hefty a price. The bonus of not having the battery compartment, and curcuit boards cluttering up the loaded pickgaurd, make modding them more practical. It would seem counterproductive to strip a loaded MM of all its bells and whistles. But a mid teir Sterling like the Cutlass CT50 HSS can only benefit from a complete electronics upgrade. Now it's as good or better than anything $1500 or under being currently built.

[@1NathanielBowden1]

This video made me want to buy one of these guitars, and Miss ETID

[@michaelsinAWE]

I loved the USA sabre until I played one. The neck is so wide at the first fret to me it feels awkward. Is this neck profile the same width at the first fret?

[@kitoyobeni1]

I think the PAF-y pickups would've been more to my personal taste.

[@xPanDaemonx]

Is the top carved like the USA model?

[@casslanesmith1969]

Nice!

[@marcuswalmsley1529]

I'm Aussie, and i'm seeing 4 grand retail :( for a sterling made in indonesia that's a bit how ya goin

[@Andrew_182]

Wow. Even accounting for exchange rates that’s nearly double the asking price here in the US. $1500/$2700. I’d had to see how much an EBMM is.

[@marcuswalmsley1529]

It’s awful, over 5 grand every time, the only real option here is buying used unless you’re hella rich

[@Andrew_182]

@@marcuswalmsley1529 Im sorry to hear that man. I'll have to keep that perspective next time I'm bummed by the cost of a guitar here in the US

[@zanzabar4ky7]

Did you just explain it was a sponsored video after saying that it wasn't since they did not pay you in money? If they provided product it is sponsored even if you don't get to keep it. I notice a lot of gear channels do things like that and are not compliant with ftc disclosure rules. Anyways great video as alway

[@ShaneStoneOfficial]

I always get skeptical when people demo a guitar with a tremolo, without using the tremolo. I’ve heard these sterling 2 points suck and this isn’t helping 😅

[@S-T-E-V-E]

These are £1800 in the UK for some reason! That money could buy you pretty much any American made non-Custom Shop Guitar you choose! The fact that it's a Veneer top and is made in Indonesia is scandalous! It has a Baked Maple neck, who cares, you can get that on a £280 Ibanez Gio these days! Not to mention Squier and other actual affordably brands!

[@Emogal1991]

£1800? I thought Fluff said something about it being budget friendly!

[@talkychris]

£1770-1900 depending on the retailer. Crazy money for an Indonesian made guitar with a veneer top. I'm not sure about "any American non-Custom Shop guitar" though. That's PRS S2 money and it will get you most US made Fenders. But a PRS CE or core model, most Gibsons, a Suhr, a Collings or even a US made Music Man will cost you a lot more than £1800 in 2023.

[@stephanewelti8816]

Sabre sterling is not bad, except that the microphones are placed too high in the midrange and require a new battery every fortnight. What's more, it's recommended to have it checked by a real luthier. At that price, it's a real shame..Similarly, the vibrato rod is too low, reducing the amplitude of its play, and the neck pickup has an output level that is too high compared with that of the bridge. Thanks for your video

[@mattlombardi54]

Is it better than the ltd jm-2

[@mariogarza1563]

Hey Fluff shouldn’t the name of the video be checking out a Sabre from Sterling Music Man? 👀

[@brooksroman2918]

From a business point of view it probably would’ve been smarter to put a hot set of proprietary humbuckers in it and charge $200 less rather than the fishmans. That opens the price point up to more customers and then allows them to decide for themselves if they want the fluences.

[@talkychris]

For me the Fishmans are the most desirable set of pickups around. But nonetheless this is too expensive. There are Japanese made Ibanez Prestige models with Fishtman Fluence going for a fair bit less money.

[@richardjones2811]

Bolt on necks at that price is shocking.

[@IDGAF_PLUS]

Didn't Ibanez actually call their "S" series Sabres back in the 80's?

[@rabbleinarms5742]

I don't believe so. I know Music Man was making Sabre I and Sabre II models up through the early 80's...... not as nice looking as these and had a crazy active system in them.

[@IDGAF_PLUS]

@@rabbleinarms5742 I went ahead and looked it up. 1987 Ibanez Saber (as opposed to Sabre).

[@rabbleinarms5742]

@@IDGAF_PLUS HAHAHA! Sneaky of them. I actually just looked and found a 450S Saber. So looks like neither of us were technically wrong.😊

[@KevinNolin]

Over 2k in Canada. Budget friendly 😂

[@tomdecuca3627]

Yes it's good, but that thing sells for 1500 dollars discounted. What's the point of buying the sterling?

[@Game4Lord]

"More budget friendly guitar" $2069 CAD. In what world is this considered "budget friendly"?

[@mudzera]

🇧🇷👇✌️

[@anthonybouldin255]

While I do love the Ernie Ball Music Man line of guitars. This is a bit out of my price range. When you say affordable, I think under $1000. To me $1500 is not affordable for an every day guy like myself. Just saying.

[@jsullivan2112]

Totally agree. It's about as affordable as a $3000 Les Paul is compared to an $8000 Les Paul these days. Absurd.

[@angrychivafan]

Is it worth $3.5K?

[@S-T-E-V-E]

It's not exactly cheap!

[@anthonystark5412]

Right? $1500 isn't a "tight budget" instrument. On the face of it, this is 1000% desirable, but it's competing against ESP Eii instruments; some of Schecter's best, and even PRS S2s. There is no frigging way.

[@S-T-E-V-E]

@@anthonystark5412 These are £1800 in the UK for some reason! That money could buy you pretty much any American made non-Custom Shop Guitar you choose! The fact that it's a Veneer top and is made in Indonesia is scandalous! It has a Baked Maple neck, who cares, you can get that on a £280 Ibanez Gio these days! Not to mention Squier and other actual affordably brands!

[@neeravmusic]

@@anthonystark5412 $1500 gets you Ibanez Prestige gear. This price just doesn't make sense. Should've been $1000 (look at Mexican Charvels for reference). Leave that aside, look at Cort's G290 v2, that even resembles Sabre and is less than 1/2 the cost (can use a part of it to get SS frets and buy a Fishman set if needed)

[@EulogyfortheAngels]

@@neeravmusic most Prestige don’t even have stainless steel frets, and many have meh pickups.

[@neeravmusic]

​@@EulogyfortheAngels RG5320C RG5320 RG5170B RG5170G RGR5221RG5120M RG5121 all have SS frets and high-end pickups

[@SlackWi]

There is no reason this should cost $1500

[@BNA_Est.1988]

🤌🏾🔥the 1987

[@VMinoda]

Thomann has one B-Stock for 1899 EUR. who would buy it for this amount of money is a mystery to me. the pricing of this guitar is a joke.

[@AmericanNationalist852]

Don't hear much about music man anymore

[@dildojizzbaggins6969]

What's a "sab-ree"?!