Since 1984, Ernie Ball Music Man has stood as a beacon of American guitar innovation, dedicated to crafting instruments that offer unparalleled playability, stunning aesthetics, and unwavering consistency. At the heart of every Music Man guitar lies a philosophy that harmoniously blends human artistry with cutting-edge robotic precision. This meticulous approach, applied throughout our state-of-the-art facility in San Luis Obispo, California, allows us to create some of the most sought-after and exceptional sounding guitars in the world.
Our journey begins with the careful selection of premium tonewoods, sourced from the globe’s most reputable suppliers. We hand-pick alder, ash, poplar, basswood, mahogany, and maple, each piece judged on its unique tonal properties, consistent grain, and inherent beauty. Beyond visual appeal, every body and neck is chosen for its weight and meticulously kiln-dried. This crucial step ensures optimal moisture content, guaranteeing maximum stability and resonance for years to come in your Music Man guitar.
In our dedicated sanding workshop, the necks and bodies of Music Man guitars undergo a multi-stage hand-sanding process. This painstaking attention to detail creates flawlessly smooth surfaces, essential for achieving the renowned playability that Music Man instruments are known for. Each neck is then expertly paired with its body and finished to perfection. We offer options ranging from a durable polyurethane finish to a hand-rubbed gunstock oil and wax treatment, the latter preserving the natural tactile feel of the wood.
Further enhancing playability, every fret on a Music Man guitar is individually hand-leveled and crowned by our team of highly skilled craftsmen. This meticulous fretwork ensures ultimate comfort and effortless performance across the entire fretboard. Our master painters then apply an exclusive, custom-mixed color coat, followed by three layers of high-gloss polyurethane to the bodies. This results in a luxurious, state-of-the-art finish that is as durable as it is beautiful. Finally, before each Music Man guitar leaves our factory, it passes through the hands of our trained setup technicians. They expertly adjust and intonate each instrument, ensuring it arrives at your local store ready to play, strung with a fresh set of premium Ernie Ball strings.
The exceptional quality and playability of Music Man guitars have resonated with a diverse array of iconic guitarists across genres. From progressive metal virtuoso John Petrucci and rock legend Steve Morse, to country master Albert Lee and indie innovator St. Vincent (Annie Clark), the list of Music Man guitar devotees is a testament to the instruments’ versatility and appeal. Other notable players include Steve Lukather, James Valentine (Maroon 5), Jason Richardson, Hunter Hayes, Dustin Kensrue (Thrice), and countless others who demand the very best from their instruments.
Artist Series Guitars: Innovations Born from Collaboration
John Petrucci Majesty
The enduring partnership between Ernie Ball Music Man and John Petrucci, spanning over two decades, has yielded some of the most groundbreaking guitar designs and technologies. The Majesty electric guitar stands as the pinnacle of this collaboration, born from John’s relentless pursuit of performance, playability, and cutting-edge design. As one of the most ergonomic and perfectly balanced instruments available, the Majesty provides unparalleled access to both upper and lower frets. Its streamlined in-line control knob placement and innovative digital pickup switching capabilities, which virtually eliminate delays when changing pickups, further enhance its performance-focused design. The Majesty truly embodies the essence of a John Petrucci signature Music Man guitar: innovative technology, versatile performance, and a sleek, modern aesthetic.
Steve Lukather Luke III Ball Family Reserve
The Luke III Ball Family Reserve guitar represents the latest evolution in the design journey that began with the original Luke model nearly three decades ago. Developed in close collaboration with Steve Lukather, this signature Music Man guitar is meticulously crafted to meet the demanding needs of a touring guitarist. Key features like the added mahogany tone block, an on-board 12db boost for added sonic versatility, a stunning A++ figured maple top, and a roasted birdseye maple neck elevate this signature edition to a new level of tonal richness and performance. Strung with Ernie Ball Super Slinky electric guitar strings, the Luke line of signature instruments is available in a range of colors and options, offering a truly exceptional playing experience.
Steve Morse Signature and Y2D
Since joining the Ernie Ball Music Man family in 1985, Deep Purple virtuoso Steve Morse has been instrumental in shaping the Music Man guitar legacy. The Steve Morse signature electric guitar, a mainstay in the Music Man lineup since 1987, reflects his diverse musical palette. Featuring a poplar double-cut body, custom Dimarzio pickups, and an elaborate pickup switching system, the Morse model is equally at home in rock, country, jazz, and everything in between. The Y2D variant offers the same tonal versatility with the added visual appeal of a maple top.
Albert Lee Signature
Guitar Player’s Gallery of Greats inductee Albert Lee’s association with Ernie Ball Music Man dates back to 1971. In the late 1980s, Albert received a Music Man prototype that would become the foundation for his signature model. Unique in its design and functionality, the Albert Lee signature Music Man guitar is perfectly tailored to Albert’s legendary “chickin’ pickin'” style. Available in two configurations, the SSS model features a swamp ash body and three single-coil pickups, while the HH model boasts an Okoume body and dual humbuckers for a richer, deeper tone.
St. Vincent Signature
Conceived by Annie Clark (St. Vincent), the St. Vincent signature Music Man guitar is designed to inspire musicians seeking a comfortable, lightweight instrument with unparalleled tonal flexibility. Crafted from premium materials, this distinctive electric guitar is meticulously shaped to complement her playing style and personal aesthetic. Constructed from lightweight Okoume with a roasted maple neck and a choice of rosewood or ebony fretboards, the St. Vincent model is equipped with gold foil pickups that offer a wide spectrum of tonal possibilities, suitable for any musical genre.
Axis
The Axis guitar embodies pure hard rock power. Featuring two DiMarzio humbucker pickups mounted to a lightweight basswood body with a figured maple top, this tonewood combination delivers the quintessential hard rock sound. The locking MM Floyd Rose tremolo system ensures rock-solid tuning stability even under the most aggressive tremolo use. Completing the package is an asymmetric hard rock maple neck with 22 frets and a versatile 3-way toggle switch.
Modern Classic Electric Guitars: Honoring the Legacy, Embracing the Future
Cutlass and StingRay: Reimagined for Today’s Player
Every company has its origin story. For Music Man, the roots trace back to Leo Fender’s post-Fender era. After selling Fender to CBS in 1965, Leo Fender, bound by a non-compete clause, couldn’t engage in guitar design for a decade. However, in 1972, he co-founded Music Man with two former Fender employees. The original Music Man Cutlass and Stingray guitars emerged in 1977, with designs that echoed the iconic Fender Stratocaster and Jazzmaster, respectively. Despite being featured in catalogs through 1980, these initial models faced lukewarm reception due to their overly bright tone, unstable three-bolt necks, small frets, and heavy ash bodies.
The modern Ernie Ball Music Man Cutlass and StingRay guitars pay homage to the vintage styling of Leo’s originals while incorporating crucial updates for contemporary players. Vintage-spec electronics, a super-smooth tremolo system, and a lightweight alder body are just some of the refinements that elevate these modern renditions. The ergonomic 4+2 headstock, designed for straight string pull and superior tuning stability, coupled with flawless craftsmanship throughout, makes these modern classics a perfect fusion of vintage aesthetics and modern playability.
The Music Man Difference: It’s All in the Details
The Ernie Ball Music Man artist series collection showcases a range of standard EBMM models, customized in collaboration with our esteemed endorsed artists. These instruments begin as stock models and evolve into bespoke versions tailored to the artist’s specific needs, often appealing to a wider range of discerning guitarists. While retaining the core DNA of the standard models, the Artist series guitars feature unique pickup configurations, custom electronics, specialized hardware, and exclusive finishes not typically found on stock instruments.
With a diverse range of models, specifications, and options, there’s a Music Man guitar to inspire every player and suit any musical style. At Ernie Ball Music Man, we take immense pride in each guitar and bass that leaves our factory. Every instrument embodies our unwavering commitment to quality and represents our vision of what a guitar should be – meticulously crafted down to the smallest detail. Because at Music Man, we believe that the difference between a great guitar and the perfect guitar truly lies in the details.
