Spring 2023

Introducing the Nitro Collection featuring the Dustin Kensrue Black Honey, the Cutlass Classic '58, the Axis Translucent Purple, and the StingRay Retro '76.

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Cutlass

Classic '58

The modern electric guitar has a rich history, rooted in the 20th century's "Golden Era" of instrument manufacturing. During this time, guitar manufacturing pioneers produced iconic solid body concepts, resulting in some of the world's most beloved designs. These techniques have garnered acclaim and appeal from guitar enthusiasts worldwide, paving the way for modern innovations. The Cutlass Classic Fifty-Eight celebrates this classic period with vintage-inspired specifications, including a 3-tone Sunburst finish, roasted alder body, and roasted maple neck. Nitrocellulose lacquer is thinly applied to protect the exquisite burst finish, while the electronics showcase three vintage single-coil pickups controlled by a 5-way switch with volume and separate tone controls. The Cutlass Classic 58 is a classic vintage-inspired instrument that offers a nostalgic vibe with modern touches for reliability and playability.

Limited to 100 pieces worldwide

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Model	Cutlass Classic
Size	12-7/8" wide, 1-5/8" thick, 38-1/8" long (32.7 cm wide, 4.1 cm thick, 96.8 cm long)
Body Wood	Roasted Alder
Body Finish	Nitrocellulose (additional information below)
Body Colors	'58 Burst
Body Bindings	N/A
Bridge	Music Man® Modern tremolo with vintage bent steel saddles
Pickguard	Single Ply Parchment
Scale Length	25-1/2" (64.8 cm)
Neck Radius	10" (25.4 cm)
Headstock Size	6-3/8" (16.2 cm) long
Frets	22 - High profile, medium width, Nickel
Neck Width	1-5/8" (41.3 mm) at nut, 2-1/4" (56.9 mm) at last fret
Neck Wood	Roasted Maple
Fingerboard	Roasted Maple
Fret Markers	1/4" Black Face Dots
Neck Finish	Nitrocellulose (additional information below)
Neck Colors	Natural
Neck Binding	N/A
Tuning Machines	Schaller M6LA
Truss Rod	Adjustable - no component or string removal
Neck Attachment	5 bolts - Sculpted neck joint allows smooth access to higher frets
Controls	Passive 250kohm volume, tone and tone
Switching	5-way lever pickup selector
Pickups	50's style single coil wound with Heavy Formvar .42 AWG wire and Alnico V magnets.
Left Handed	No
Strings	9p-11p-16p-24w-32w-42w (RPS 9 Slinkys #2239)
Additional Notes	Nitrocellulose Lacquer, or simply “Nitro,” is a coveted paint finish in the guitar world due to its beautiful aging qualities, its effect on the tone of the instrument, and its period-correct properties for the golden age of guitars. In many ways, Nitro is a more organic substance than modern Polyester and Urethane paints, and the lacquer drying process results in a thinner coating. For these reasons, it is therefore believed by the vintage guitar community that the inherent resonance of the wood is allowed to shine through best with Nitro. The distinct properties of this finish are important to understand as a Nitro instrument owner for maintenance and care purposes. Every material used on a guitar will expand and contract with temperature and humidity fluctuations, but the wood will have the most drastic rate of movement. When the change in temperature happens quickly, the Nitro paint can crack or “check” because it will not expand or contract as quickly as the wood. Over time wood loses its moisture and shrinks, which can also cause the Nitro to sink into the wood grain or glue seams. Similar to every piece of wood, every Nitrocellulose Lacquer paint job has its own unique characteristics. The environment in which these instruments live and the attention by the owner will determine how they age. Chemical reactions will occur if the Nitro is brought in contact with certain Silicone, Vinyl, Plastic, or Rubber products. Be very careful to use the correct type of wall hangers, guitar stands, and guitar polishes to avoid degradation of the finish. Nitro disclaimers will usually be attached to guitar products/accessories for this very reason.

Classic 58 Burst

3-Tone Sunburst finish with a roasted alder body
Vintage Single-ply pickguard

Single-ply pickguard, 5-way switch with separate volume and tone controls
Vintage style Maple Neck

Roasted maple neck with maple skunk stripe and headstock plug

Roasting accelerates the drying process, allowing the instrument to breathe and vibrate for maximum resonance due to its low moisture content.

Thinly applied coats of nitrocellulose lacquer protect the finish, allowing maximum vibration while providing a brilliant “Wet” showroom shine.

The Cutlass 58 features three vintage wound classic single-coil pickups with Heavy Formvar .42 AWG gauge wire and Alnico V magnets. Several late-fifties pickups were tested and examined to reproduce that warm sparkle, robust low-end, and crystal clear highs.

Like most 50s-era bolt-on instruments, the Cutlass’s maple neck is constructed from one piece of maple, and the truss rod is installed from the back of the neck. A maple wood plug and “skunk stripe have been implemented, covering the routes left after the rod has been installed.

Quality G&G case with Orange plush lining

Dustin Kensrue

Black Honey

The BFR Dustin Kensrue "Black Honey" signature guitar features a stark black nitro-finished Okoume body beautifully adorned with all gold hardware. Electronics include a simplified humbucking-single coil layout with a stacked tone and volume pot, mono/stereo switch and a three-way pickup selector switch that elicits a variety of humbucking and single coils options. Other specifications include a hard rock maple neck with an ebony fretboard with white binding and white pearl block inlays. The neck also features 22 stainless steel frets, matching painted headstock, gold Music Man tremolo, gold Schaller locking tuners, and an asymmetric neck carve with a 10" radius. The neckplate is laser etched with a custom Kensrue logo to signify its Artist Series designation. Limited production of 50 pieces worldwide.

Limited to 50 pieces worldwide

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Model	Dustin Kensrue StingRay Guitar
Size	14-1/16" wide, 1-5/8" thick, 39-1/4" long (35.7 cm wide, 4.1 cm thick, 99.7 cm long)
Body Wood	Okoume
Body Finish	Nitrocellulose (See additional note below)
Body Colors	Gloss Black
Body Bindings	N/A
Bridge	Gold plated Music Man® Modern tremolo with vintage bent steel saddles
Pickguard	5 ply - Black/Cream/Black/Cream/Black
Scale Length	25-1/2" (64.8 cm)
Neck Radius	10" (25.4 cm)
Headstock Size	6-3/8" (16.2 cm) long
Frets	22 - High profile, medium width, Stainless Steel
Neck Width	1-5/8" (41.3 mm) at nut, 2-1/4" (56.9 mm) at last fret
Neck Wood	Maple
Fingerboard	Ebony
Fret Markers	White Pearl Atlante Blocks
Neck Finish	Nitrocellulose (additional note below)
Neck Colors	Gloss Black
Neck Binding	Cream
Tuning Machines	Gold Schaller M6-IND locking
Truss Rod	Adjustable - no component or string removal
Neck Attachment	5 bolt, sculpted neck joint
Electronic Shielding	Graphite acrylic resin coated body cavity and aluminum control cover
Controls	Passive Concentric 500kohm Volume/Tone POT - 0.022uf tone capacitor; 3-way pickup selector switch; mode switch to bypass controls (stereo)
Switching	3-way toggle, mono/stereo mode button
Pickups	Gold covered StingRay RS bridge pickup & custom wound alnico neck single coil with gold pole pieces
Left Handed	No
Strings	11p-14p-18p-32w-44w-58w (RPS Slinky), D Standard Tuning
Additional Notes	Nitrocellulose Lacquer, or simply “Nitro,” is a coveted paint finish in the guitar world due to its beautiful aging qualities, its effect on the tone of the instrument, and its period-correct properties for the golden age of guitars. In many ways, Nitro is a more organic substance than modern Polyester and Urethane paints, and the lacquer drying process results in a thinner coating. For these reasons, it is therefore believed by the vintage guitar community that the inherent resonance of the wood is allowed to shine through best with Nitro. The distinct properties of this finish are important to understand as a Nitro instrument owner for maintenance and care purposes. Every material used on a guitar will expand and contract with temperature and humidity fluctuations, but the wood will have the most drastic rate of movement. When the change in temperature happens quickly, the Nitro paint can crack or “check” because it will not expand or contract as quickly as the wood. Over time wood loses its moisture and shrinks, which can also cause the Nitro to sink into the wood grain or glue seams. Similar to every piece of wood, every Nitrocellulose Lacquer paint job has its own unique characteristics. The environment in which these instruments live and the attention by the owner will determine how they age. Chemical reactions will occur if the Nitro is brought in contact with certain Silicone, Vinyl, Plastic, or Rubber products. Be very careful to use the correct type of wall hangers, guitar stands, and guitar polishes to avoid degradation of the finish. Nitro disclaimers will usually be attached to guitar products/accessories for this very reason.

Black Honey Nitrocellulos Finish

Okoume body finished in black nitrocellulose
Proprietary Pickups

Custom wound humbucking/single coil pickups with unique gold pole pieces
MATCHING HEADSTOCK

Black matching headstock with gold Schaller locking tuners

Hard rock maple neck loaded with white pearlescent blocks inlays and white bound ebony fingerboard.

Stacked volume and tone control W/3-way pickup selector & optional stereo output.

Custom 4-ply black/cream/black/cream pickguard.

Quality G&G case with black leather ends and plush lining

StingRay

Retro '76

The rich history of the modern electric bass guitar is rooted in the 20th-century "Golden Era" of instrument manufacturing. During this time, guitar and bass manufacturing pioneers produced legendary solid body concepts, crafting some of the world's most beloved Instrument designs. In celebration of these time-honored designs, we bring you the BFR Stingray Retro '76. The all-new Stingray Retro '76 is loaded with many vintage-inspired specifications celebrating Music Man's 70's era of American craftsmanship. This Stingray BFR edition features a beautiful nitro-finished 3-tone Sunburst ash body with vast black, yellow, and red swatches, capturing the look and feel of Music Man's flagship 4-string bass. A faithful reproduction, this retro edition bass reproduces the Stingray's original specifications, including an Alnico-loaded humbucking pickup, 2-band preamp, 21-fret 3-Bolt maple neck with micro-tilt adjustment, and a strings-thru-the-body-bridge with adjustable mute pads. Overall a classic feeling and sounding vintage-inspired instrument that offers the best of old-world craftsmanship with contemporary playability and reliability. The BFR Stingray Retro '76 bass comes with a period correct tolex case, certificate of authenticity and is limited to 100 pieces worldwide.

Limited to 100 pieces worldwide

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Model	StingRay Retro
Size	13-1/2" wide x 1-5/8" thick x 44-7/8" long (34.3 cm wide, 4.1 cm thick, 114.0 cm long)
Body Wood	Ash
Body Finish	Nitrocellulose (See additional notes below)
Body Colors	76 burst
Body Bindings	N/A
Bridge	Pre-EB Geometry Music Man® chrome plated, steel bridge plate with vintage stainless steel saddles
Pickguard	3 ply - White/Black/White
Scale Length	34" (86.4 cm)
Neck Radius	7.5" (19.1 cm)
Headstock Size	8-3/4" (22.2 cm) long
Frets	21 - Low profile, wide, nickel
Neck Width	1.686" (4.282 cm) at nut; 2.466" (6.264 cm) at last fret
Neck Wood	Maple
Fingerboard	Maple
Fret Markers	5/16" Dot
Neck Finish	Nitrocellulose (See additional notes below)
Neck Colors	Slight yellow tint
Neck Binding	N/A
Tuning Machines	Schaller Bass
Truss Rod	Bullet truss rod adjustment at headstock
Neck Attachment	3 Bolt, Pre EB Music Man Design with Micro-Tilt Neck Shim Adjustment
Controls	Custom 2-band active preamp; vol, treble, bass
Pickups	Vintage style alnico humbucking pickup with long alnico 5 magnets and wound with original single poly-nylon wire.
Left Handed	No
Strings	45w-65w-80w-100w (Super Slinky Bass #2834)
Additional Notes	Nitrocellulose Lacquer, or simply “Nitro,” is a coveted paint finish in the guitar world due to its beautiful aging qualities, its effect on the tone of the instrument, and its period-correct properties for the golden age of guitars. In many ways, Nitro is a more organic substance than modern Polyester and Urethane paints, and the lacquer drying process results in a thinner coating. For these reasons, it is therefore believed by the vintage guitar community that the inherent resonance of the wood is allowed to shine through best with Nitro. The distinct properties of this finish are important to understand as a Nitro instrument owner for maintenance and care purposes. Every material used on a guitar will expand and contract with temperature and humidity fluctuations, but the wood will have the most drastic rate of movement. When the change in temperature happens quickly, the Nitro paint can crack or “check” because it will not expand or contract as quickly as the wood. Over time wood loses its moisture and shrinks, which can also cause the Nitro to sink into the wood grain or glue seams. Similar to every piece of wood, every Nitrocellulose Lacquer paint job has its own unique characteristics. The environment in which these instruments live and the attention by the owner will determine how they age. Chemical reactions will occur if the Nitro is brought in contact with certain Silicone, Vinyl, Plastic, or Rubber products. Be very careful to use the correct type of wall hangers, guitar stands, and guitar polishes to avoid degradation of the finish. Nitro disclaimers will usually be attached to guitar products/accessories for this very reason.

Sunburst Nitrocellulose Finish

Ash body with vintage Sunburst finish featuring thinly applied coats of nitrocellulose lacquer to protect the finish, allowing maximum vibration while providing a brilliant “Wet” showroom shine
VINTAGE STYLE ALNICO PICKUP

Humbucking pickup with longer alnico 5 magnets wound with original single poly-nylon wire
Vintage Control Knobs

Classic Inspired 1976 “Radio” volume and tone knobs

Original pre-EB StringRay bullet truss rod adjustment for proper neck action.

3-Bolt chrome plated neck attachment with Micro-Tilt provides neck angle adjustment without the need for shims. Firm neck and neck pocket tolerances ensure a tight fit with no shifting.

String-through body bridge with stainless steel saddles replicates the classic Stingray design. The original rubber mute pads have been added for a desired muted tone on demand.

The 2-EQ preamp is a hand-soldered circuit board constructed with high-quality components using vintage correct ceramic disc capacitors.

Quality Cream G&G case with Orange Plush lining

Nitro Axis

Translucent Purple

The all-new BFR nitro-finished Axis Purple harkens back to Ernie Ball Music Man’s initial production period celebrating one of Music Man’s earliest artist-inspired guitar designs. The BFR Axis features a beautiful nitro-finished hand-stained translucent purple figured maple top over a lightweight basswood body. Contrary to the original black back, a unique purple-shaded back and sides are beautifully accented with cream binding. The electronics package includes dual proprietary Dimarzio Zebra pickups, a 3-way toggle switch, and a single 500k volume knob. Each guitar has a numbered certificate of authenticity and a G&G hardshell salt and pepper case.

Limited to 100 pieces worldwide

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Model	Axis
Size	12-5/8" wide, 1-3/4" thick, 36-1/4" long (32.1 cm wide, 4.5 cm thick, 92.0 cm long)
Body Wood	Basswood
Body Finish	Nitrocellulose (additional information below)
Body Colors	Translucent Purple Top; Opaque Purple Back
Body Bindings	Cream
Bridge	Music Man® double locking tremolo with fine tuners; lowers pitch only
Pickguard	N/A
Scale Length	25-1/2" (64.8 cm)
Neck Radius	10" (25.4 cm)
Headstock Size	Only 5-7/8" (14.9 cm) long
Frets	22 - High profile, medium width stainless steel
Neck Width	1-5/8" (41.3 mm) at nut, 2-3/16" (55.6 mm) at last fret
Neck Wood	Figured Maple
Fingerboard	Figured Maple
Fret Markers	1/8" Black dot
Neck Finish	Gunstock oil and hand-rubbed special wax blend; Nitrocellulose Headstock
Neck Colors	Natural; Headstock matches body
Tuning Machines	Schaller M6LA with pearl buttons
Truss Rod	Adjustable - no component or string removal
Neck Attachment	5 bolts - Sculpted neck joint allows smooth access to higher frets
Electronic Shielding	Graphite acrylic resin coated body cavity and aluminum lined control cover
Controls	500kohm volume pot
Switching	3-way toggle pickup selector
Pickups	HH - 2 DiMarzio custom humbucking
Left Handed	No
Strings	9p-11p-16p-24w-32w-42w (RPS 9 Slinkys #2239)
Additional Notes	Nitrocellulose Lacquer, or simply “Nitro,” is a coveted paint finish in the guitar world due to its beautiful aging qualities, its effect on the tone of the instrument, and its period-correct properties for the golden age of guitars. In many ways, Nitro is a more organic substance than modern Polyester and Urethane paints, and the lacquer drying process results in a thinner coating. For these reasons, it is therefore believed by the vintage guitar community that the inherent resonance of the wood is allowed to shine through best with Nitro. The distinct properties of this finish are important to understand as a Nitro instrument owner for maintenance and care purposes. Every material used on a guitar will expand and contract with temperature and humidity fluctuations, but the wood will have the most drastic rate of movement. When the change in temperature happens quickly, the Nitro paint can crack or “check” because it will not expand or contract as quickly as the wood. Over time wood loses its moisture and shrinks, which can also cause the Nitro to sink into the wood grain or glue seams. Similar to every piece of wood, every Nitrocellulose Lacquer paint job has its own unique characteristics. The environment in which these instruments live and the attention by the owner will determine how they age. Chemical reactions will occur if the Nitro is brought in contact with certain Silicone, Vinyl, Plastic, or Rubber products. Be very careful to use the correct type of wall hangers, guitar stands, and guitar polishes to avoid degradation of the finish. Nitro disclaimers will usually be attached to guitar products/accessories for this very reason.

Nitrocellulose Laquer Finish

Hand-stained Translucent Purple maple top
Zebra Humbucking pickups

Exclusive dual Dimarzio humbucking pickups
Music Man Floyd Rose

Floyd Rose style double locking tremolo with fine tuners

Beautiful translucent purple maple veneer over lightweight basswood body

Rock solid maple neck with 22 stainless steel frets and Schaller non-locking tuners

The basswood body back is finished in Purple, complementing the translucent maple top

Quality G&G case with purple leather ends and plush lining

Ball Family Reserve is a celebration of our heritage in instrument craftsmanship which features some of the finest figured tone woods and finishes available. These rare pieces are offered in limited production runs and allow us to present instruments to the public that were previously reserved for family and our loyal artists.

Family Matters

The Ball family is the last of a dying breed, a family business making premium guitars and basses on the California central coast since 1984. Sterling Ball, alongside his sons Brian and Scott, combine the laser precision of robotics and old-world hand craftsmanship to develop innovative instrument designs that push the boundaries of performance and playability.

View Past Collections

New instruments premiering monthly

The Factory Tour

Since 1984, Ernie Ball Music Man has been crafting instruments in San Luis Obispo, California. Watch the factory tour and see how the difference is in the details.

Spring 2023

Cutlass

Classic 58 Burst

Vintage Single-ply pickguard

Vintage style Maple Neck

Roasted Body and Neck

Nitrocellulose Lacquer

Classic '50s-inspired Music Man pickups

One-Piece Maple Neck

Classic Tweed Case

Dustin Kensrue

Black Honey Nitrocellulos Finish

Proprietary Pickups

MATCHING HEADSTOCK

Finished Maple Neck

Custom Electronics

Wide Bevel Pickguard

Classic Black Tolex Case

StingRay

Sunburst Nitrocellulose Finish

VINTAGE STYLE ALNICO PICKUP

Vintage Control Knobs

BULLET TRUSS ROD

3-BOLT NECKPLATE WITH MICROTILT ADJUSTMENT

STRINGS THRU THE BODY BRIDGE

MICROPOWERED PREAMP

Classic Tolex Case

Nitro Axis

Nitrocellulose Laquer Finish

Zebra Humbucking pickups

Music Man Floyd Rose

Figured Maple Top

Figured Maple Neck

Purple Finished Basswood Body

CLASSIC SALT AND PEPPER CASE

Family Matters

View Past Collections

The Factory Tour