My dad would set up all of the guitars that he sold. Players would come in from all over Southern California to buy Teles and Strats from us because of that Ernie Ball/Music Man has remained focused on meeting artists’ needs both by working closely with well-known touring and recording musicians and supporting up-and-coming talent. In 1997 the company started sponsoring its battle of the bands on the Warped tour and has held this event on every Warped tour since then. Guitarists knew my dad’s store was the place to go,” Sterling says. “My dad would set up all of the guitars that he sold. Players would come in from all over Southern California to buy Teles and Strats from us because of that. That’s something we still insist on doing today. We spend at least 45 minutes meticulously setting up every Music Man guitar and bass so it performs at its best before we ship them out, which is a lot more effort than most other companies make.” Around the same time, Music Man also introduced its first artist signature guitar, the Steve Morse model. An eye-catching solidbody featuring a modernistic compact angular design called the Axis was often seen in the hands of Albert Lee during this time as well, although that guitar wasn’t officially released until 1993 as the Albert Lee model. Don’t know where to get started? Wondering how to play guitar? Visit the Forum to connect with other guitar players and learn more about how to string a guitar, tuning your guitar, perfecting your tone, how to play guitar chords and more. Players of all skill levels can find resources to help take their sound to the next level. No matter your question, you’re sure to find an answer in the forums.

Leo wasn’t a musician, so I brought the player’s perspective to the StingRay’s design Sterling Ball However, the company’s emphasis on maintaining its highest standards throughout the production process – from the selection of quality materials through the finest details of fit and finish – kept output somewhat limited, and as a result Van Halen eventually jumped ship in 1995 to Peavey, who was more willing to deliver the higher sales numbers the superstar guitarist started to demand. Ernie Ball’s dedication to guitarists was inspired by his own experiences as a player at first and later as a music retailer. After returning from service in the United States Air Force during the Korean War, he played pedal steel in various bands around Los Angeles before becoming a member of the house band on KTLA television’s “Western Varieties” program and doing session work. With players like Lee, Morse and Richards enthusiastically supporting the brand, interest in Music Man guitars began to grow. However, the next artist to join the Music Man guitar roster – Eddie Van Halen – instantly transformed the response to the company from interested raised eyebrows to dropped-jaw, eyes-wide-open amazement.Many iconic guitarists throughout multiple genres of music play Ernie Ball Music Man electric guitars, including John Petrucci, Steve Morse, Albert Lee, Steve Lukather, St Vincent, James Valentine, Jason Richardson, Hunter Hayes, Dustin Kensrue, and many more. Instruments for Guitar Players who Demand Perfection. The Ernie Ball brand has earned international acclaim throughout the last century and this continues through to the present day. When you choose Ernie Ball, you’re guaranteed the satisfaction and greatly improved musical experience of a brand with heritage and integrity. The sole remedy for breach of the Guarantee and Limited Warranty shall be this express Guarantee and Limited Warranty. This Guarantee and Limited Warranty shall be governed by the laws of the State of California, U.S.A., without regard to principles of conflicts of laws. Any warranty that the Product is compatible with any product or instrument is expressly disclaimed. With this Guarantee and Limited Warranty, Ernie Ball grants the customer specific legal rights which do not restrict any statutory consumer rights. Music Man was going under,” Sterling says. “Leo had left a few years before to start G&L, and the partners were fighting with each other. I realized the company was probably going to end up in the hands of their Japanese distributor, so I went to my dad and suggested we buy the company. Ernie Ball started making their slinky strings with the now simple concept to offer musicians a set that you could bend easily! Since then they have built a wide variety of string choices to suit different tonal choices and playing styles; from the classic regular slinky sets, to titanium coated, ultra high output M-Steel, and Cobalt.

Shortly after the Van Halen model made its debut, Steve Lukather collaborated with Music Man on his first of many Luke signature models, introduced in 1993, the same year the Albert Lee model finally made its debut (with the Axis name later resurrected for the continuation of the Edward Van Halen model after Van Halen left), and both are still designing Music Man models today. During this period the company enjoyed an impressive spike in sales, thanks to the efforts of Ernie Ball’s son Sterling, who was still a teenager. “I had worked for my dad on and off since I was 9, when I first ran the store’s cash register,” Sterling says. “I started working for the company as a road rep in 1973. My dad had this car in the factory parking lot that no one was using. When we started doing the battle of the bands, a lot of people in the industry were saying that the guitar was dead,” Sterling says. “We got 32,000 tapes that proved they were wrong about that. The contest became even bigger when my son Brian got involved with it.

Strings

When finding the right fit for your acoustic guitar string needs, consider the body style of the guitar, your own playing style, the desired tone, and finally, the age and condition of your instrument. These will determine which material and gauge is best for you and your guitar. Experiment with what feels best to you and what sounds best for the kind of music that you want to produce. Also remember that lighter gauges are generally best for beginning musicians, while heavier gauges are used by more experienced musicians. Ernie Ball introduced its acoustic Earthwood brand in a literally big way in 1972. In addition to rolling out the new line of Earthwood acoustic guitar strings, the company also produced its very first instrument: the Earthwood acoustic-electric bass guitar.