Sterling by Music Man Rabea Artist Series Sabre | CMC Music | RRP $3295
British guitarist, songwriter, and producer Rabea Massaad has built a reputation on tone—not just “YouTuber bedroom tone”, but thick, saturated, distorted tones that survive real volume, actual stages and full band mixes. So when he puts his name on a guitar, you can bet the design and technical decisions aren’t just branding exercises, but the product of someone who has had to actually live with an instrument on tour and in the studio.
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Out of the box, the figured maple veneer catches your eye immediately. The finish is definitely striking, though the matte finish won’t be for everyone (personally, I prefer a bit more shine). That said, it’s beautifully executed and feels premium to the touch. Whether you fall in love with the look comes down to personal taste, but if you want something that stands out on stage, this finish absolutely delivers.
Playability is where this model really shines. The roasted maple neck is the standout feature here. Many modern metal guitars go extremely thin or coat everything in gloss, which can make the neck feel sticky. The Sabre avoids both pitfalls entirely. Movement across the fretboard is smooth and effortless, and the guitar doesn’t feel flimsy in the slightest. The roasted maple adds stability and a dry, smooth texture that just feels right under your hand.
Hardware-wise, the Sabre is all about practicality. Locking tuners keep tuning rock-solid through bends or tremolo abuse, while the modern tremolo system is closer to a well-set Strat bridge—smooth and reliable for vibrato or big dives, returning to pitch beautifully. It’s not trying to be a Floyd Rose, and it doesn’t need to be.
The electronics give the Sabre its own distinct character. The custom-voiced Alnico V humbuckers aren’t just loud for the sake of it. The bridge pickup delivers a strong midrange focus that keeps riffs defined, especially with palm muting or stacked gain. It doesn’t collapse into mush unless you really push it there with excessive external processing. The neck pickup is round without being muddy—cleans stay articulate, and slow melodic playing feels controlled rather than boomy.
Plugged in, this guitar sits perfectly in the heavy rock and metal territory. It handles thick distortion without choking and responds to dynamics impressively well—better than many guitars aimed at the same player base. Soften your picking, and it’ll stay clean; dig in hard, and it’ll growl back at you, rather than compressing everything into the same lifeless volume. For players who rely on feel and articulation, this is the difference between a serviceable instrument and something really special.
Comfort is excellent whether you’re sitting or standing. Unlike some aggressively shaped bodies, there’s no learning curve required to settle in and start playing. The Sabre sits naturally in your lap, doesn’t dig into your picking arm and balances beautifully on a strap. It has some weight to it, but doesn’t reach the shoulder-numbing territory that some metal guitars unfortunately inhabit.
What you don’t get with the Sabre is pointless complication. It features two pickups, a coil split and a trem that behaves—that’s it, and it absolutely works in its favour. There are no extra switches or unnecessary electronics cluttering things up. There’s something genuinely refreshing about a guitar that focuses on the handful of functions most players actually use instead of chasing marketing bullet points and gimmicks.
Taken as a whole, the Sterling by Music Man Rabea Artist Series Sabre feels like something shaped by someone who has toured, recorded and worked with real gear long enough to know what matters. It’s comfortable, stable and has a sound that suits heavy music without being a one-trick pony. There are no flashy gimmicks at play—just a modern instrument that handles demanding tones brilliantly and gets out of your way so you can play. This model carries a significant price tag, so it’s best suited to serious players who can extract the most out of its subtleties and high-end components.
If you’re looking for something that delivers crushing rhythm tones, keeps up with expressive leads and responds to how you actually play, the Sabre is absolutely worth serious consideration. You don’t need to be a Rabea fan to appreciate it—just a player who values feel and substance over flash.
Check Sterling by Music Man’s Rabea Artist Series Sabre here. For local enquiries, head here.
