MYSTERIOUS: Music man - What They Never Told You

“It was like, ‘Here’s what we need.’ They said, ‘But you have to use Fender parts.’ I said, ‘Alright, I’ll see you guys later’”: Steve Morse on why his ill-fated Fender signature guitar never got off the ground

Before partnering with Ernie Ball Music Man for his now-iconic signature, Morse was courted by Fender – but the project didn’t get far

Guitar World · Apr 16

“I’m not an amp snob. I’m gonna give everything a try. Some of the oddest guitars and amps I have are ones I’ve used on my favorite songs”: Joe Perry gives us a decade-by-decade guide to the amps behind his Aerosmith tone

Is Joe Perry a Marshall guy, Fender guy, boutique guy, pedal amp guy? Answer: he’s all of the above

Guitar World · Mar 27

“It was like, ‘Congratulations, you just bought Leo Fender’s company. Now you gotta learn how to make guitars’”: The origins of Ernie Ball Music Man – and how it all started with a bass

The StingRay was worked on by Sterling Ball, Leo Fender and others, initially under the Music Man brand name

Guitar World · Feb 27

"When I got my first signature, I was probably too young. I was really excited, but I also felt maybe a little bit of imposter syndrome – I don't know if I'm a real guitar player": Benji Madden on the gear that made him, and his forthcoming signature Suhr

The Good Charlotte guitarist lifts the lid on the secrets of his tone, the multi-effects unit that he thinks is a “game-changer,” and why he was “too young” for his first signature model

Guitar World · Oct 22, 2025

“Scoring especially highly for its superb ergonomics”: Sterling By Music Man Kaizen 7 review

Progressive guitar icon Tosin Abasi's dramatic Music Man custom seven-string, re-imagined for those with lighter wallets

Guitar World · Oct 16, 2025

“I said to my tour manager, ‘I need 350 bucks,’ which he wasn’t happy about. That bass changed my career”: In 1981, Pino Palladino bought a fretless StingRay that altered the course of his musical life – now it’s been recreated as a signature model

In 1981, Pino Palladino bought a fretless StingRay that altered the course of his musical life – now it’s been recreated as a signature model

Guitar World · Jul 10, 2025

“It’s built to reflect how I play”: Ryan “Fluff” Bruce’s Sterling by Music Man signature is finally here – and it’s more than $2k cheaper than the premium model

Fishman Fluence humbuckers make way for “do-it-all” Seymour Duncans, but otherwise, it’s a faithful recreation of the YouTuber’s Swiss Army riff machine

Guitar World · Jun 23, 2025

“I love my Strat; I’m a Strat guy through and through, but I just needed a guitar with humbuckers”: Cory Wong on the making of his signature StingRay and how Vulfpeck just, y’know, made an album during a show

The funkmeister guitarist is back with a whirlwind of new recording projects in his wake, and a fresh new signature guitar by his side

Guitar World · Jun 4, 2025

“Every time I put one of these guitars on it’s just a reminder of the relationship with my friends”: Ernie Ball Music Man shakes up Steve Lukather’s L4 signature series with new pickup options, finishes and a BFR HSS dream machine

But if these high-end electrics are a bit out of your price range, Sterling By Music Man has you covered with its $649 Lukather signature model in all-new finishes

MusicRadar · Mar 21, 2025

“Any bass guitar for under $250 with this sort of pedigree…how can you go wrong?”: Sterling By Music Man Intro Series StingRay Ray2 review

As a budget-friendly version of the US-made original, can this wallet-friendly StingRay really do the business?

Guitar World · Feb 22, 2025