New Ernie Ball Music Man for 2020 announced!
NAMM 2020 is here and Ernie Ball Music Man is kicking off with an announcement of all the 2020 Ernie Ball Music Man instruments launching throughout the year. Make sure to follow along on their social media channels starting Thursday January 16 as a destination for everything NAMM. They’ll be sharing detailed product news, artist demos and reviews, and live footage at the NAMM show.
2020 SABRE GUITAR
The Ernie Ball Music Man Sabre guitar features an okoume body, a carved maple top, and custom Ernie Ball Music Man humbucking pickups, delivering lively, dynamic sound with a striking clarity and sustain. Aesthetically, the Sabre is equally compelling. Its bookmatched premium top is adorned with natural binding, which elegantly highlights the raw beauty of the figured maple wood grain. Crafted with a slender, contoured body and slightly wider neck (1 11/16″ at the nut), the Sabre guitar provides unmatched playability. Equipped with a roasted figured maple neck, Schaller locking tuners, a 5-way switch, and Ernie Ball Music Man’s super smooth modern tremolo system. The Sabre is truly the player’s guitar. Offered in the Cobra, Boujee Burst, Honey Suckle, and Blue Moonstone finish options.
MAJESTY GUITAR
NEW COLORS
The Ernie Ball Music Man Majesty guitar is the result of John Petrucci’s unwavering demand for high-performance and playability. The Majesty features a flamed maple shield seated in a lightweight okoume body (the Stealth Black, Kinetic Blue, and Sunstone Shift color options come standard with basswood body and no maple shield). Offering a glossy translucent finish on the front and back which showcases the beautiful wood combination for a striking appearance. Signature DiMarzio Dreamcatcher (bridge) and Rainmaker (neck) pickups combined with an onboard piezo bridge system, give this guitar a focused and highly versatile palette of tones. The Majesty is the exemplification of everything they know a John Petrucci signature model to be – innovative technology, versatile performance, and a sleek modern feel. New for 2020, the Majesty will feature 4 new finishes including Pink Sand, Red Phoenix, Smoked Pearl, and Ember Glow.
JP15 GUITAR
NEW COLOR
The JP15 from John Petrucci’s signature collection features a lightweight okoume body with a figured maple top. Offering a figured roasted maple neck and fingerboard add just the right amount of snap and brightness while providing more stability in ever changing climates. The JP15 is powered by twin custom DiMarzio Illuminator pickups, a piezo bridge system and onboard 20dB gain boost. Available in a 6 or 7 string with a custom Ernie Ball Music Man JP tremolo, and a 3-way toggle pickup selector. New for 2020, the JP15 will feature the new Cerulean Paradise finish.
2020 LUKE III GUITAR
The Luke III guitar has been revamped with all-new custom Ernie Ball Music Man electronics. The latest evolution of Steve Lukather’s signature guitar features an alder body with a figured roasted maple neck and rosewood fingerboard. The HH model is outfitted with newly designed Ernie Ball Music Man high-output hum bucking pickups. The HSS model, equipped with the same new bridge humbucker, also sports Ernie Ball Music Man’s renowned Cutlass single coils, providing players with amazing tonal versatility. Both pickup configurations are furnished with a 5-way switch and a 20dB boost push/push volume knob. The Luke III comes standard with a super smooth floating Ernie Ball Music Man vintage tremolo system. Offered in the Ocean Sparkle, Fuchsia Sparkle, Olive Pearl, and Bodhi Blue finish options.
2020 LUKE III GUITAR
MAPLE TOP
The all-new revamped Luke III guitar also has the option for a premium figured maple top along with its updated light-weight okoume body and custom Ernie Ball Music Man custom electronics. This latest evolution of Steve Lukather’s signature guitar perfectly fuses comfort, beauty, and tonal versatility. The HH model is outfitted with newly designed Ernie Ball Music Man high-output humbucking pickups. The HSS model, equipped with the same new bridge humbucker, also sports Ernie Ball Music Man’s renowned Cutlass single coils, providing players with a variety of tonal options. Both pickup configurations are furnished with a 5-way switch and a 20 dB boost push/push volume knob. Other features include a roasted maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, and a floating Ernie Ball Music Man vintage tremolo system. Offered in the Cherry Burst and Luscious Green finish options.
STINGRAY SPECIAL BASS
NEW COLORS
First introduced in 1976, the StingRay has been revered as one of the most iconic bass guitars in history. The StingRay bass was the first production 4-string bass to have onboard active equalization and remains the flagship of the Ernie Ball Music Man line today. Today, the StingRay bass (now known as the StingRay Special) features lightweight aluminum hardware, elegant and comfortable contours, and a sculpted neck joint for uninhibited access to all stainless steel frets. Through the decades, the StingRay has maintained the same solid roadworthy construction, with a distinct oval pickguard, a 3+1 tuning key configuration, and the ever-popular Ernie Ball Music Man humbucker — all of which combine to produce a look, feel, and sound that’s remarkably unmistakable.
STINGRAY-5 SPECIAL BASS
NEW COLORS
With its first introduction in 1987, the StingRay5 has become one of the most iconic bass guitars in the industry. With its powerful punchy sound, the added flexibility of additional pickups, and a comfortably contoured body, the StingRay5 satisfies even the most demanding of players. Additional features include a sculpted neck joint for uninhibited access to all 22 stainless steel frets, lightweight aluminum hardware, 4+1 tuning key configuration, and the unmistakable Ernie Ball Music Man humbucker. New for 2020, the StingRay Special5 will feature 6 new finishes including Ghostwood, Ghost Pepper, Tectonic Blue Sparkle, Maroon Mist, Firemist Silver, and Burnt Amber.
SHORT SCALE STINGRAY SPECIAL BASS
NEW COLORS
The Ernie Ball Music Man Short Scale StingRay Special is back by popular demand. For 2020, this bass’ body is made from ash and the neck is constructed from roasted hard rock maple with either maple or rosewood fingerboard (depending on the finish option). A 30″ scale allows for easier playability due to the shorter spacing between the frets. The Ernie Ball Music Man humbucking pickup is equipped with higher output neodymium magnets and has been specially designed for the Short Scale StingRay bass, providing its signature warm tone. The electronics package includes a 3-way rotary switch featuring parallel, true single-coil, and series modes. All three pickup selections’ audio signals can be augmented by a boost when engaging the push volume knob pot. Like its big brother, the StingRay Special, this short scale bass comes standard with a modern classic bridge, 22 stainless steel frets, and new lightweight Ernie Ball Music Man tuning machine with a finer gear ratio. New for 2020, the Short Scale StingRay Special will feature 2 new finishes including Starry Night, and Vintage Sunburst.
CUTLASS RS GUITAR
NEW COLORS
Based on the original 1970s Ernie Ball Music Man designs, the Cutlass RS has been engineered to deliver unparalleled playability and performance. Featuring a roasted figured maple neck with rosewood or maple fingerboard, an alder body, a super smooth modern tremolo, and an oversized 4-over-2 headstock. The Cutlass RS is offered with either three Ernie Ball Music Man mid-60s style single coils (the SSS model) or a custom would Ernie Ball Music Man ceramic humbucker with two single coils (the HSS model). From biting lead to crunchy rhythms to classic single coil tones, the Cutlass has you covered. New for 2020, the Cutlass will feature 3 new finishes including Maroon Mist, Charging Green, and Ghostwood.
STINGRAY RS GUITAR
NEW COLORS
The StingRay RS features a roasted figured maple neck with rosewood or maple fingerboard. The StingRay retains all original specifications since it was designed in the 1970s, including vintage spec humbucking pickups, a super smooth modern tremolo system, and an off-set lightweight okoume body. The sound is big and bold when needed but smooth as glass if desired thanks to the perfectly voiced custom pickups. Offering 3-way switch to access its versatile coil combinations while the StingRay’s oversized 4 over 2 headstock with straight string pull provides superior tuning stability. Fashioned with the flawless craftsmanship you’ve come to expect from Ernie Ball Music Man, the StingRay guitar is the perfect confluence of classic aesthetics and modern design and playability. New for 2020, the StingRay RS will feature 3 new finishes including Ghostwood, Charging Green, and Maroon Mist.
VALENTINE GUITAR
NEW COLORS
The Valentine signature guitar featured a slab ash body, two Ernie Ball Music Man designed pickups (1-humbucker/1-single coil) with a 3-way custom wired lever switch, coil tap, 25.5-inch scale, an oil and wax rubbed roasted figured maple neck with a 10 inch radius maple fingerboard, 22 stainless steel frets, oversized 4-over-2 headstock and compensated nut, designed for superior tuning stability. New for 2020, the Valentine will feature 3 new finishes including Shell Pink, TV Yellow, and Classic Natural.
DUSTIN KENSRUE STINGRAY GUITAR
NEW COLOR
The Dustin Kensrue Artist Series StingRay guitar features a lightweight okoume body and a darkly tinted satin maple neck. The H-S combination of a hum bucking bridge and a single coil neck pickup adds new sonic variations to the StingRay’s palette of tones. Electronics include a unique control layout with a stacked tone and volume pot and a 3-way pickup selector switch that elicits a variety of humbucking and single coil options. Offering an added push button switch that toggles the signal between a mono output with volume and tone controls engaged, or a stereo output, where each pickup is sent directly to either the tip or ring. Other specifications include standard StingRay appointments with 22 stainless steel frets, Ernie Ball Music Man tremolo system, Schaller locking tuners and asymmetric neck carve with 10″ radius. New for 2020, the Dustin Kensrue Artist Series StingRay will feature the TV Blonde finish with rosewood fretboard.
