Since 1984, Ernie Ball Music Man has dedicated itself to creating guitars that offer unparalleled playability, beauty, and consistency. By harmonizing traditional hand-craftsmanship with cutting-edge robotic technology, we’ve refined the art of building some of the most sought-after and best-sounding guitars for the discerning musician. Our commitment to quality and innovation makes each instrument a testament to the dedication of the Musician Man Guitar creator.
Our journey begins in San Luis Obispo, California, where we meticulously select the finest tonewoods from around the globe. Alder, ash, poplar, basswood, mahogany, and maple bodies are chosen not just for their visual appeal, but for their inherent tonal richness and consistent grain. Each piece is hand-selected for weight and then kiln-dried to achieve optimal moisture levels, ensuring maximum stability and resonance. This careful selection process is the first step in creating a truly exceptional musician man guitar.
In our state-of-the-art sanding shop, the necks and bodies of every Ernie Ball Music Man guitar undergo multiple stages of hand sanding. This meticulous process is essential for creating flawless finishes and guaranteeing supreme playability. We understand that the feel of the neck is paramount for any musician man guitar player, which is why each neck is carefully matched to its body. Finish options include a smooth polyurethane or a hand-rubbed gunstock oil and wax treatment that preserves the natural wood feel. Furthermore, every fret is individually hand-leveled and crowned by our skilled craftsmen, ensuring ultimate comfort and effortless playability for the musician.
Our master painters utilize custom-mixed color coats to achieve the vibrant and distinctive finishes Ernie Ball Music Man is known for. Three layers of high-gloss polyurethane are then applied to each body, resulting in a luxurious, state-of-the-art finish that is both beautiful and durable. Finally, before each musician man guitar leaves our factory, it passes through the hands of our expert setup technicians. They meticulously set up and intonate each instrument, ensuring it arrives at your local store ready to play, strung with a fresh set of Ernie Ball premium strings.
The world’s stage resonates with the sound of Ernie Ball Music Man guitars, played by iconic guitarists across genres. From the progressive metal mastery of John Petrucci and the versatile virtuosity of Steve Morse, to the country finesse of Albert Lee, the innovative sounds of St. Vincent, and the modern rock of James Valentine and Jason Richardson, countless musicians choose Ernie Ball Music Man for its unparalleled quality and performance. These artists represent the diverse range of musicians who rely on the exceptional craftsmanship of the musician man guitar.
Instruments for Guitar Players Who Demand Perfection
Ernie Ball Music Man’s commitment to innovation is evident in our long-standing collaborations with renowned artists.
Our 20-year partnership with John Petrucci has yielded some of the most groundbreaking guitar designs. The Majesty electric guitar, born from John’s relentless pursuit of performance and cutting-edge design, stands as a prime example. This instrument redefines ergonomics and balance, offering unparalleled fret access, intuitive control placement, and advanced digital pickup switching for instantaneous tone changes. The Majesty truly embodies the innovative spirit of a signature musician man guitar designed for peak performance.
The Luke III Ball Family Reserve guitar represents the evolution of a design journey that began nearly three decades ago with the original Luke model. Developed in close collaboration with Steve Lukather, this signature guitar directly addresses the needs of a touring musician. Features like the mahogany tone block, on-board 12db boost, exquisite A++ maple top, and roasted birdseye maple neck combine to create an instrument of superior tone and versatility. Strung with Ernie Ball Super Slinky strings, the Luke III is a testament to the player-focused design of the musician man guitar.
Steve Morse, the legendary guitarist from Deep Purple, joined the Ernie Ball Music Man family in 1985. Since 1987, the Steve Morse signature electric guitar has been a cornerstone of our artist lineup. Featuring a poplar double-cut body, custom Dimarzio pickups, and versatile pickup switching, the Morse model is adaptable to genres from rock and country to jazz. The Y2D variant adds a maple top, enhancing both aesthetics and tonal characteristics, further showcasing the breadth of the musician man guitar‘s capabilities.
Albert Lee, celebrated in Guitar Player’s Gallery of Greats, has been part of the Ernie Ball Music Man family since 1971. In the late 1980s, Albert received a prototype that would become the Ernie Ball Music Man Albert Lee signature model. Its unique design and functionality perfectly complement Albert’s lightning-fast “chicken pickin’” style. Available in SSS with a swamp ash body and HH with an Okoume body, the Albert Lee signature offers diverse tonal options for the discerning musician man guitar enthusiast.
The St. Vincent signature model, conceived by Annie Clark (St. Vincent), is designed to inspire musicians seeking a comfortable, lightweight guitar with complete tonal flexibility. Crafted from lightweight Okoume, with a roasted maple neck and rosewood or ebony fretboard, this unique instrument is tailored to her form and playing style. The gold foil pickups provide a wide array of tonal options, making the St. Vincent a versatile and inspiring musician man guitar for any musical landscape.
The Axis guitar embodies hard rock perfection with its two Di Marzio humbuckers mounted on a lightweight basswood body and figured maple top. This tonewood combination delivers the quintessential hard rock sound. A locking MM Floyd Rose tremolo ensures tuning stability even with heavy tremolo use. The asymmetric hard rock maple neck and 22 frets complete this instrument, making the Axis a powerful and reliable musician man guitar for rock musicians.
Modern Classic Electric Guitars
Every Company Has Its Roots
The legacy of Ernie Ball Music Man is deeply intertwined with the history of guitar innovation. Following Leo Fender’s sale of Fender to CBS in 1965, a non-compete clause restricted his guitar design work for 10 years.
In 1972, Leo Fender, alongside two ex-Fender employees, founded Music Man. The original MM Cutlass and Stingray guitars emerged in 1977. While the Cutlass drew inspiration from the Fender Stratocaster and the Stingray echoed the Fender Jazzmaster, these initial models, produced from 1977 to 1980, were not widely embraced. Their bright tonality, combined with features like unstable three-bolt necks, small frets, and heavy ash bodies, contributed to their lack of popularity. Despite this initial setback, the spirit of innovation that drove these early models laid the groundwork for the future success of the musician man guitar.
Electric Guitar Updates
The modern Ernie Ball Music Man Cutlass and StingRay guitars honor the vintage styling of Leo’s original designs while incorporating crucial modern updates. Vintage-spec electronics, a smooth tremolo system, and a lightweight alder body are significant improvements. The ergonomic 4+2 headstock, ensuring straight string pull for superior tuning stability, and flawless craftsmanship throughout, solidify these modern classics as a perfect fusion of vintage aesthetics and contemporary playability. These updated models represent the evolution of the musician man guitar, blending classic style with modern performance.
Artist Series Guitars
The Ernie Ball Music Man artist series guitars showcase customized versions of our standard models, developed in collaboration with our endorsed artists. Starting with stock instruments, these collaborations result in custom versions tailored to the specific needs and preferences of the artist, often appealing to a wider range of players. While retaining the core elements of the standard models, the Artist series guitars feature unique pickup options, custom electronics, hardware, and exclusive finishes not found on stock models. This series highlights the personalized touch that can be achieved with a musician man guitar, reflecting the individual needs of top musicians.
Ernie Ball Music Man offers a diverse range of guitars, each with unique specifications and characteristics to suit any musical aspiration and style. We take pride in every guitar and bass that leaves our factory. Each instrument embodies our vision of what a guitar should be, down to the smallest detail. Because at Ernie Ball Music Man, we believe that the difference between a great guitar and the perfect guitar lies in those details, crafted with passion by the dedicated musician man guitar creators.
