The Ernie Ball Music Man Thread

[joshuak]

Sure bro! Sinamex has a reason for their pricing man. You buy from them, you are paying for warranty and customer support. I not going to talk much on these well-discussed things..

Anyway you are right about $500 bucks workhorse guitars. But I would pay a bit more for those MIJ Strats you mentioned. Anyway I have now look the EBMM way for something non-conventional to the strat style guitars.

You've never owned an EBMM right? :twisted: And I think you really don't know what one consists of. To compare it to a MIJ Fender? Or even an MIA? erm... okay... It's a free society...

....

So. Does a $500 MIJ or even a $4,500 MIA Fender or any other brand give you this? For the price, you can't even get a Suhr or Tyler to give you all this!!!

Whitestrat bro, I was not comparing quality you get per dollar spent. I totally agree with you that, to the right person, a well-chosen EB axe is really worth the money.

The way you give comment ah... like some of the workhorse guitars I was talking about. You are right about what you say but the feeling people get in the process is not very comfortable. With some "upgrades" to the way you write, you can be like a more luxurious EBMM. :mrgreen:

Check how how bro Ripper replies. He is not exactly agreeing with me but the feeling you get from it is shiok. Probably one of the same reasons why people buy more expensive guitars like EBMMs.

 

[Ripper]

Yup bro josh - I in fact TOTALLY disagree to what you said! Haha. Honestly speaking, there's no right or wrong here. You get what you pay. Quality comes at a price. I think you agree with me on this one, right?

I loves Ibanez, but I only loves the old stuffs. Look at what happened to the MIK, MII items now? I dont care what people say but you don see what's covered under the finish. To be exact, vintage ibanez stuffs that I like are not all that good in their built too. Just look at those coloured paper inlay on the old jem.. And since we are making money now (compared to the times when we were student and were bloke), I think we should reward ourselves with better quality stuffs using the hard earned money we have. Fender to me is very conventional, PRS and Suhr are priced and targeted at the upper income group. EBMM is the balance between both - a mid-range but good quality product that average working adults can afford. Plus, many virtuoso endorsed the brand. So this more or less sums up my decision of purchasing the guitar.

But I dont follow blindly though - as much as I loves those figured top found in the top range models, I find the price unjustified. Simply too much $$ for that piece of wood....

You must try a EBMM someday. There will be no turning back.

 

[Whitestrat]

Whitestrat bro, I was not comparing quality you get per dollar spent. I totally agree with you that, to the right person, a well-chosen EB axe is really worth the money.

The way you give comment ah... like some of the workhorse guitars I was talking about. You are right about what you say but the feeling people get in the process is not very comfortable. With some "upgrades" to the way you write, you can be like a more luxurious EBMM.

Check how how bro Ripper replies. He is not exactly agreeing with me but the feeling you get from it is shiok. Probably one of the same reasons why people buy more expensive guitars like EBMMs.

You made a wrong statement about EBMMs without understanding what you were really saying and in an EBMM appreciation thread to EBMM appreciators.:???: Of course I would have to correct you about this. I'm not here to make you feel happy or sad. I'm simply here to give you the facts, and to clarify perceptions on EBMM guitars.

How Ripper replies you is his perogative. If he wants to be nice about telling you off then that's his choice. I choose to give you a no bullshit assessment.If that doesn't work for you, then I'm sorry, but I don't have Ripper's patience.

Oh, and there is no such thing as a well chosen EBMM. They are all the same levels of quality and construction. You can literally buy them blind. AND, EBMMs aren't a luxury. Once you own one, you realise that they are a necessity. That's the part you don't get. Once you do, you don't call them EBMMs anymore.

You call them Balls.:mrgreen:

 

[leecs]

So how bro? you coming?

 

[Whitestrat]

So how bro? you coming?

But... but... but... you also neber tell me where?:mrgreen:

 

[Ripper]

Hot!!!

I would never buy a BFR JP myself, but this is HOT!!!



Pics courtesy Wild West Guitars.

 

[leecs]

But... but... but... you also neber tell me where?:mrgreen:

PM U already

 

[penta-tonic]

which company offers steel tremblock as standard option is suhr guitars which also happen to offer buzz feiten system on their guitars which is the best compensated nut system. btw quartersawn has its strengths and weaknesses. when it warps the guitar is pretty much wrecked.

not a fair comparison cos the difference in price shows how customisable the guitar is. and ebmm tho being superb guitars have kinda few options on their guitars. only the varying models. a fairer comparison would be guitars like esp which do come with the earvana compensated nut and superb bridges and pickups and also craftsmanship.

 

[savedbygrace]

You must try a EBMM someday. There will be no turning back.

THAT IS WHAT I'M EXPERIENCING NOW!!!!!

 

[Ripper]

which company offers steel tremblock as standard option is suhr guitars which also happen to offer buzz feiten system on their guitars which is the best compensated nut system. btw quartersawn has its strengths and weaknesses. when it warps the guitar is pretty much wrecked.

not a fair comparison cos the difference in price shows how customisable the guitar is. and ebmm tho being superb guitars have kinda few options on their guitars. only the varying models. a fairer comparison would be guitars like esp which do come with the earvana compensated nut and superb bridges and pickups and also craftsmanship.

Penta, good point raised!

But I can tell you, my experience importing EBMMs tells me that the price of a Silo Spec HSS is a lot cheaper then, say, a Suhr Pro S1. (I think this is a fair comparison since both are standard no-frill models from both companies with comparable features Eg. no figure top capping that helps making them more affordable then their higher end counterparts..Yet you can customised them with the given but limited options) Here's the figures that may help me explain: EBMM Silo Spec: $1.1k - $1.4k usd. Suhr Pro S1: $1.6K - $1.8K usd.

 

[Ripper]

THAT IS WHAT I'M EXPERIENCING NOW!!!!!

Dude, can I make a guess now that you will end up having 4 Balls like me someday? I bet you will do that!

 

[joshuak]

You must try a EBMM someday. There will be no turning back.

Thanks!

I will probably buy one someday. Maybe after I sell off either the PRS, Gretsch or big amp... to create space in my room for other guitar gears.

You made a wrong statement about EBMMs without understanding what you were really saying and in an EBMM appreciation thread to EBMM appreciators.:???: Of course I would have to correct you about this. I'm not here to make you feel happy or sad. I'm simply here to give you the facts, and to clarify perceptions on EBMM guitars.

How Ripper replies you is his perogative. If he wants to be nice about telling you off then that's his choice. I choose to give you a no bullshit assessment.If that doesn't work for you, then I'm sorry, but I don't have Ripper's patience.

Oh, and there is no such thing as a well chosen EBMM. They are all the same levels of quality and construction. You can literally buy them blind. AND, EBMMs aren't a luxury. Once you own one, you realise that they are a necessity. That's the part you don't get. Once you do, you don't call them EBMMs anymore.

You call them Balls.:mrgreen:

Whitestrat, I believe you read too much between the lines and so misunderstood most of what I said.

Again, when I spoke about a well-chosen guitar or EBMM, I was not talking about the quality and construction. I was referring each person's own tonal preference and requirements for the types of music he plays.

I have tried and owned quite a number of guitars and none of them meet my requirements 100%. Right now, I choose the guitar to bring after looking at the selection of songs to be played. And then, I re-tweak my pedals before going to play music with the band - quite a hassle.

So now, I am still searching for that 1 very versatile guitar to end all these guitar switching.

 

[Ripper]

So now, I am still searching for that 1 very versatile guitar to end all these guitar switching.

Bro, an Anderson Drop Top with all the mini swiching options may end your quest. Seriously.

If not, a standard Morse (if u ask me for a EBMM for this) may do the job just fine. If you dont mind having no body contour to accomodate your arm..

 

[Whitestrat]

which company offers steel tremblock as standard option is suhr guitars which also happen to offer buzz feiten system on their guitars which is the best compensated nut system. btw quartersawn has its strengths and weaknesses. when it warps the guitar is pretty much wrecked.

not a fair comparison cos the difference in price shows how customisable the guitar is. and ebmm tho being superb guitars have kinda few options on their guitars. only the varying models. a fairer comparison would be guitars like esp which do come with the earvana compensated nut and superb bridges and pickups and also craftsmanship.

Suhr offers steel tremblocks, and so does the average American Fender. Steel isn't the unusual material to use as tremblocks, and actually is the norm and the industry standard. Zinc is used on the cheaper MIM and MIJ guitars. It's the brass blocks used by EBMMs that's usually considered an upgrade.:-D

The buzz feiten system is very similar to the compensated nut system and the earvana system. They all utilise differences in stringlengths... That's all good. As long as the guitar comes with it.

EBMMs are not boutique guitars like the Suhrs... That's why I said they're good for what you pay for. You get boutique features at production level prices. You're not paying the price tag of a Suhr, but you get the same and sometimes better features. This wasn't to run down Suhrs or Tylers or Andersons, but rather to show the logic in the EBMM decision.

Yes, comparing an EBMM to a well made high end ESP is the correct level, except that EBMMs are American made. Just depends on what you want. And ESPs aren't cheap either...:mrgreen:

P.S. Any neck that warps can be reheated back...

 

[Whitestrat]

Whitestrat, I believe you read too much between the lines and so misunderstood most of what I said.

Heh... I really doubt I did. But nevertheless, perhaps we got off on a wrong foot. Lets start over ya?:mrgreen:

I have tried and owned quite a number of guitars and none of them meet my requirements 100%. Right now, I choose the guitar to bring after looking at the selection of songs to be played. And then, I re-tweak my pedals before going to play music with the band - quite a hassle.

So now, I am still searching for that 1 very versatile guitar to end all these guitar switching.

For this matter, (keeping on the very same topic) I find the EBMM Silo to be extremely well suited. But your pickups must be carefully selected. I'd actually rely on a HSS guitar myself, and that's why I'm waiting for my Silo Spec LE08 from Sinamex to arrive. Currently, I just use any of my EBMMs. (2 Silos and one JP6). Any one of them is good enough to play most songs. I do metal/pop/rock/ska/canto/indon covers. And I've never found any of my EBMMs lacking... Though this is more of a model outline than brand issue...

 

[Whitestrat]

Dude, can I make a guess now that you will end up having 4 Balls like me someday? I bet you will do that!

No, he'll end up with more... Like me...:twisted:

 

[Rossie]

Interesting post on the EBMM forum by the man himself...

Hi all...been a while since I connected but love getting involved in threads like these. Sounds like Charlie7 got a bad apple and thats not to say we only have one but I want to point out that over the last three years we have cut our sales staff turnover in half and today have one of the better turnover stats in retail. It was actually many interactions on this forum that nudged us to make the investment to correct this aspect of our buiness....so thanks.

As for stocking EBMM guitars......the fact is that MM guitars are a niche brand and too a degreee we would like them to stay that way. The brand has a very boutique appeal that drives up its value and if it was as available as Fender and Gibson it would lose its cache. If it got to that level the pressure to distribute it in mass merchants would diminish its appeal to us and most music stores. It is a unique brand that through great mangement has grown its value through carefully managing the supply. This means there will be many stores including some GC's that do not and cannot carry the instruments.

As always when any of you or your friends has a bad experiene at one of our stores we would love to hear about it so we can address the problem. We want all of you to feel like you own a piece of our stores and therefore can help us shape them to suit your needs.

I think it is also important to appreciate that 99% of all our sales staff are first and foremost musicians.....JUST LIKE YOU. They work in our stores to try to make ends meet while pursuing their dream of making music. Many go on to become successful musicians and many go on to become the management that helps us run our stores for you. While some may not have the best of intentions, I would wagger that the overwhelming majority want nothing more than to help you find and appreciate the best instrument for you. It is probably impossible to be an expert on all the instruments we carry and in many cases you know much more on any given instrument.....it may sound a little "apple pie and golly gee whiz" but if you treat them as you would liketo be treated we would all have better music stores to shop and work in. There is no value in leading a saleperson along just so one can demonstrate how little he/she knows......when you find a situation where you know more, tell the salesperson and maybe he/she will listen and learn from your knowledge and experience...then the next customer that comes in will have the benefit of the collective knowledge.

Granted that's not your job nor obligation but in the event you really want to help EBMM, you can assist us in the training of these instruements......just a thought.

EBMM does not employ sales reps in the field to help in training our staff but through the EBMM "training militia" you could make a difference.

Now that's assuming you really know your Balls.

PS: If you're wondering who Marty is... He's the CEO and president of Guitar Center...

 

[Whitestrat]

THAT IS WHAT I'M EXPERIENCING NOW!!!!!

This is the LE08 colour I'm awaiting arrival in Sinamex for... Supposed to be a 4 month wait. That was early march. Now May... should be soon!!!

But I didn't get a JP6... I got a Silo Special...:mrgreen:

 

[penta-tonic]

You get boutique features at production level prices. You're not paying the price tag of a Suhr, but you get the same and sometimes better features. This wasn't to run down Suhrs or Tylers or Andersons, but rather to show the logic in the EBMM decision.

erm get the same features and sometimes better features? for eg? no offence to you, im just wondering what those better features are. im a big believer that ebmm are really good guitars, but i just wanna know whats those features that are there for the money which would compare to suhr or those other boutique guitars.

 

[Whitestrat]

erm get the same features and sometimes better features? for eg? no offence to you, im just wondering what those better features are. im a big believer that ebmm are really good guitars, but i just wanna know whats those features that are there for the money which would compare to suhr or those other boutique guitars.

Read my posts a few pages back. No offense taken, but I always find it funny that everyone assumes they know what an EBMM guitar consists of, and then proceeds to pass judgement or comparisons before understanding more... That's why I posted those points... and still people don't read them...

Haiz...