“Inspired by over a decade of electric guitar string research”: Ernie Ball Music Man’s new Sabre HT features pickups inspired by its guitar string innovations
Ernie Ball Music Man says its potentially groundbreaking Heat Treated humbuckers were made using the insights that helped innovate the Cobalt and M-Steel Slinky strings
Ernie Ball Music Man has continued to make its potentially game-changing Heat Treated humbuckers a mainstay of its standard lineup with the launch of the upgraded Sabre HT.
Distinguishing itself from Sabres of yesteryears thanks to its HT configuration, the new-for-2024 Sabre HT now arrives in four absurdly good-looking finishes – Slymer, Grape Slushie, Blackout and Honey Bear – and follows its ancestor’s core spec sheet while introducing some new features to the table.
Chief among those are, of course, HT pickups. Each Sabre HT variant offers an HH configuration, which reserves the bridge spot for a Heat Treated unit. The neck, meanwhile, has been badged as a “Music Man Custom Wound” alternative.
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Ernie Ball Music Man Sabre HT in Slymer(Image credit: Ernie Ball Music Man)
Ernie Ball Music Man Sabre HT in Grape Slushie(Image credit: Ernie Ball Music Man)
Ernie Ball Music Man Sabre HT in Blackout(Image credit: Ernie Ball Music Man)
Ernie Ball Music Man Sabre HT in Honey Bear(Image credit: Ernie Ball Music Man)
EBMM first debuted HT pickups in 2022, and at the time heralded them for their potentially game-changing approach to tone. They were “inspired by over a decade of electric guitar string research”, and notably incorporated the insights that helped innovate the Cobalt and M-Steel Slinky strings.
In practice, they promise to “outperform normal spec pickups” by providing extra output, improved touch sensitivity and a more powerful bass response.
Other notable electronic appointments include a push-push volume knob that operates as a preamp boost. Via a trim pot, the boost can be adjusted up to 20dB.
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Otherwise, these are standard Sabres, with a figured maple-topped okoume body, roasted figured maple neck, and roasted figured maple or rosewood fretboard depending on the chosen finish.
These are joined by 22 stainless steel frets, Schaller locking tuners, and a Music Man Modern tremolo with crescent cover and bent steel saddles. It all looks to result in what is perhaps the finest iteration of the Sabre yet.
The Sabre HT has been joined by an overhaul of the standard Sabre family – now called the Sabre RS – which also brings new finishes to the table: Afterburn, Purple Lotus, Backdraft and the superbly named Blurple.
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Ernie Ball Music Man Sabre RS in Afterburn(Image credit: Ernie Ball Music Man)
Ernie Ball Music Man Sabre RS in Purple Lotus(Image credit: Ernie Ball Music Man)
Ernie Ball Music Man Sabre RS in Backdraft(Image credit: Ernie Ball Music Man)
Ernie Ball Music Man Sabre RS in Blurple(Image credit: Ernie Ball Music Man)
These follow the base Sabre schematics, but dispense of the HT humbucker in favor of two Music Man custom-wound pickups.
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
