Since 1984, Ernie Ball Music Man has stood as a beacon of innovation and quality in guitar manufacturing, harmonizing human artistry with robotic precision. Our San Luis Obispo, California factory is dedicated to creating instruments that offer unparalleled playability, stunning aesthetics, and consistent performance. By carefully balancing hand-craftsmanship with cutting-edge digital technology, we have honed the formula for producing some of the finest guitars in the world, a fact endorsed by legendary musicians like John Petrucci.
Alt text: Inside the Ernie Ball Music Man factory, showcasing the meticulous guitar crafting process with a focus on quality and precision, essential for artists like John Petrucci.
Our process begins with sourcing the most exquisite tonewoods from around the globe. We hand-select alder, ash, poplar, basswood, mahogany, and maple bodies, chosen for their unique tonal properties, consistent grain, and natural beauty. Each piece of wood is meticulously evaluated for weight and then kiln-dried to achieve optimal moisture levels and ensure maximum stability, a crucial step in creating instruments that meet the exacting standards of guitarists like John Petrucci.
In our sanding workshop, skilled artisans meticulously hand-sand Ernie Ball Music Man necks and bodies through multiple stages. This painstaking process results in flawlessly smooth finishes that enhance playability. Necks are carefully matched to their bodies and finished with either a durable polyurethane coating or hand-rubbed with gunstock oil and wax, preserving the natural feel that discerning players like John Petrucci appreciate. Each fret is individually leveled and crowned by hand, guaranteeing ultimate comfort and effortless playability across the entire neck. Our master painters apply an exclusive, custom-mixed color coat followed by three layers of high-gloss polyurethane, creating a state-of-the-art finish that is both luxurious and resilient. Finally, before each instrument leaves our factory, our expert setup technicians meticulously adjust and intonate it, ensuring it arrives at your local store ready to play with a fresh set of Ernie Ball premium strings.
The dedication to quality and innovation at Ernie Ball Music Man has attracted a roster of iconic guitarists from diverse genres, including luminaries such as John Petrucci, Steve Morse, Albert Lee, Steve Lukather, St. Vincent, James Valentine, Jason Richardson, and Dustin Kensrue. These artists choose Ernie Ball Music Man for instruments that meet their demanding performance needs.
Instruments Designed for Guitarists Who Demand the Best, Like John Petrucci
The collaboration between Ernie Ball Music Man and John Petrucci spans over two decades, a testament to our shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of guitar design and technology. This enduring partnership has yielded some of the most groundbreaking instruments in modern guitar history. Our most recent creation, the Majesty electric guitar, is a direct result of John Petrucci’s relentless pursuit of perfection in performance, playability, and innovative design.
Alt text: A striking image of the John Petrucci Majesty signature guitar, highlighting its ergonomic design, sleek lines, and innovative features that cater to the high performance demands of virtuoso guitarists.
The Majesty stands as one of the most ergonomically advanced and perfectly balanced guitars available today. It boasts unparalleled access to both upper and lower frets, intelligently positioned in-line control knobs, and cutting-edge digital pickup switching. This advanced switching technology virtually eliminates any delay when changing pickups, offering seamless tonal transitions that are essential for John Petrucci’s complex and dynamic playing style. The Majesty epitomizes everything that defines a John Petrucci signature model: groundbreaking technology, versatile performance capabilities, and a sleek, modern aesthetic that reflects his progressive musical vision.
Another example of our artist-driven innovation is the Luke III Ball Family Reserve guitar, representing the ongoing evolution of the original Luke model, developed in collaboration with Steve Lukather over 28 years. Addressing Steve’s specific needs as a touring guitarist has been paramount in the design of this signature instrument. Features such as an added mahogany tone block, an on-board 12db boost, a beautifully figured A++ maple top, and a roasted birdseye maple neck elevate this signature edition to new heights of tonal richness and versatility. Typically strung with Ernie Ball Super Slinky electric guitar strings, the Luke line offers a wide array of colors and options, making them a joy for any guitarist to play.
Deep Purple’s Steve Morse, a world-renowned virtuoso in his own right, joined the Ernie Ball Music Man family in 1985. Since 1987, the Steve Morse signature electric guitar has been a cornerstone of our signature instrument lineup. Constructed with poplar double-cut bodies, custom Dimarzio pickups, and sophisticated pickup switching systems, Morse guitars are versatile enough to excel in genres ranging from rock and country to jazz and beyond. The Y2D model, a maple-top variant, offers the same tonal palette with enhanced visual appeal.
Albert Lee, celebrated as one of Guitar Player’s “Gallery of Greats,” has been an integral part of the Ernie Ball Music Man family since 1971. In the late 1980s, Albert received a Music Man prototype that would evolve into the Ernie Ball Music Man Albert Lee signature model. With its unique design, form, and function, the Albert Lee signature model is perfectly tailored to Albert’s signature lightning-fast “chickin’ pickin'” style, admired and emulated by countless influential guitarists. The Albert Lee is available in two configurations: the SSS model with three single-coil pickups and a swamp ash body, and the HH model featuring dual humbuckers and an Okoume body for a richer, deeper tone.
Annie Clark, known as St. Vincent, collaborated with us to create her signature model, designed to inspire musicians seeking a comfortable, lightweight guitar with complete tonal flexibility. Crafted from the finest materials, the St. Vincent signature electric guitar is ergonomically designed to fit her playing style and personal aesthetic. Constructed from lightweight Okoume with a roasted maple neck and rosewood or ebony fretboards, and equipped with gold foil pickups, it offers a diverse range of tonal options suitable for any musical performance.
The Axis guitar, another popular model, features two DiMarzio humbuckers mounted on a lightweight basswood body with a figured maple top. This tonewood combination delivers the quintessential hard rock sound. A locking MM Floyd Rose tremolo system ensures exceptional tuning stability even under heavy tremolo use. The asymmetric hard rock maple neck with 22 frets and a 3-way toggle switch completes the key features of this rock-ready instrument.
Modern Classic Electric Guitars: Honoring the Legacy, Embracing Innovation
Rooted in History
The story of Ernie Ball Music Man is intertwined with the history of guitar innovation itself. After Leo Fender sold Fender to CBS in 1965, a non-compete clause prevented him from guitar design work for a decade. However, his passion for instrument design led him to establish Music Man in 1972 with two former Fender employees. The original MM Cutlass and Stingray guitars emerged in 1977. While the Cutlass drew inspiration from the iconic Fender Stratocaster, and the Stingray echoed the Fender Jazzmaster, these initial models, despite being featured in catalogs until 1980, were not widely embraced by guitarists. Their overly bright tonality, coupled with features like unstable three-bolt neck joints, small frets, and heavy ash bodies, contributed to their lack of popularity.
Reimagining Classics for Today’s Guitarist
The modern Ernie Ball Music Man Cutlass and StingRay guitars are a testament to our commitment to honoring vintage aesthetics while incorporating modern enhancements. These updated models retain the vintage styling and visual appeal of Leo’s originals but feature refined vintage-spec electronics, a super-smooth tremolo system, and lightweight alder bodies. The ergonomic 4+2 headstock design with straight string pull ensures superior tuning stability, and the overall flawless craftsmanship makes these modern classics the perfect fusion of old-world aesthetics and contemporary playability.
Artist Series Guitars: Personalized Instruments for Unique Voices
Our Artist Series collection showcases standard Ernie Ball Music Man models that have been customized in collaboration with our endorsed artists. Starting with stock instruments, we work closely with musicians to create personalized versions tailored to their specific needs and preferences. These Artist Series models often feature unique pickup configurations, custom electronics, specialized hardware, and exclusive finishes not found on standard models. They provide players with access to instruments that embody the sonic and aesthetic visions of their favorite guitarists.
Ernie Ball Music Man offers a diverse range of guitars, each with its own unique specifications, options, and characteristics to suit any musical style or performance aspiration. We take immense pride in every guitar and bass that leaves our factory. Each instrument represents our unwavering commitment to crafting the perfect guitar, 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, a philosophy shared by artists like John Petrucci who demand nothing less than perfection.
