NAMM 2018: Ernie Ball Music Man releases 2018 guitar and bass range

NAMM 2018: Ernie Ball has announced its guitar and bass range for 2018, including redesigned Stingray basses and the Expression Tremolo pedal.

On the guitar front, fresh pickup configurations breathe new life into St. Vincent and Albert Lee models, while there are finish tweaks aplenty. Read on for all the info.

2018 Stingray Guitar

The 2018 Stingray RS features a new roasted figured maple neck with Ebony, Rosewood or Maple fingerboard (fingerboard option depends on body color).

The Stingray’s sound is big and bold when needed but smooth as glass if desired – thanks to the perfectly voiced custom pickups. 3-way switch accesses versatile coil combinations while oversized 4 over 2 headstock with straight string pull provide superior tuning stability.

The flawless craftsmanship throughout the Stingray makes a perfect culmination of old-world aesthetics and styling with modern design and playability. Available April 2nd worldwide.

2018 Cutlass

The 2018 Cutlass features a brand new figured roasted neck with rosewood or maple fingerboard (fingerboard option depends on body color).

The Cutlass retains all original specifications including vintage spec electronics, a super smooth modern tremolo system, and lightweight alder body.

Oversized 4 over 2 headstock with straight string pull provide superior tuning stability and flawless craftsmanship throughout, makes the Cutlass a perfect culmination of old-world aesthetics and styling with modern design and playability. Available April 2nd worldwide.

2018 Cutlass HSS

The 2018 Cutlass HSS features a new roasted figured maple neck with ebony, rosewood or maple fingerboard (fingerboard option depends on body color).

HSS model retains all of the familiar elements of the original Cutlass including an alder body, super smooth modern tremolo and oversized 4 over 2 headstock.

The bridge pickup in the HSS is a custom wound Music Man ceramic humbucker with a vintage sound that compliments the single coils yet has plenty of crunchy rhythms and biting lead tones. Available April 2nd worldwide.

2018 Luke III

The Luke III features an alder body, hard rock roasted maple neck with East Indian rosewood fingerboard.

The LIII is powered by DiMarzio transitions passive humbuckers and custom voiced single coil pickups. Smooth action Ernie Ball Music Man floating vintage tremolo, 5-way pickup selector and 15db adjustable active boost give the Luke III a variety of tonal combinations suitable for any musical style.

Now offered in Firemist Purple and Buttercream with black hardware. Available May 1st worldwide.

2018 Luke III BFR

The Luke III Ball Family Reserve signature edition is an instrument of superior tone and versatility.

Featuring a mahogany tone block, on-board 15db adjustable boost, beautifully figured A+++ maple top and roasted birdseye maple neck.

New for 2018, the Luke III BFR is now available in an exclusive Boysenberry finish. Available May 1st worldwide.

2018 Valentine

The Ernie Ball Music Man “Valentine” signature guitar features a slab ash body, two Ernie Ball Music Man designed pickups (1-humbucker/1-single coil), with oil and wax rubbed figured roasted maple neck.

New for 2018, the Ernie Ball Music Man Valentine will feature 3 exciting new finishes: Saturn Gold, Husker Red, and Toluca Lake Blue.

An optional Ernie Ball Music Man super smooth modern tremolo is also offered with vintage bent steel saddles. Available May 1st worldwide.

2018 JP15

The JP15 features a lightweight African mahogany body with a figured maple top. Roasted figured maple neck and fingerboard add just the right amount of snap and brightness while providing more stability in ever changing climates.

The JP 15 is powered by twin custom DiMarzio Illuminator pickups, piezo bridge system and onboard 20db gain boost. Available in 6 or 7 string with Ernie Ball Music Man JP tremolo, 3-way toggle pickup selector, and Music Man hardshell case.

Now available in a translucent matte black finish. Available May 1st worldwide.

2018 JP 6 & 7

From John Petrucci’s signature line comes the JP. Featuring premium tone woods with non-chambered body provide for a more focused sound while the sculpted lower horn allows more access to higher frets.

Most notably, the JP neck has been streamlined to a symmetric, extra slim profile featuring a flatter 15″ radius with medium jumbo stainless steel frets. The JP guitar is also equipped with DiMarzio Crunchlab and Liqifire pickups, Piezo bridge, and Ernie Ball Music Man synchronized floating tremolo.

New for 2018 the JP will be offered in 4 exciting new colors, Stealth Black, Pearl Redburst, Firemist Purple, and Mystic Dream. Available May 1st worldwide.

2018 Albert Lee HH

The Albert Lee HH is an updated variant of the original Albert Lee model. Sharing the same modern retro aesthetics, the HH model comprises a lightweight African mahogany body, rosewood neck, and fingerboard giving the Albert Lee HH its signature rich warmth.

Dual custom wound DiMarzio humbuckers and 5-way switch deliver a full range of tonal options, from full on humbucker thickness to a chimey clean single coil bite.

New for 2018, the Ernie Ball Music Man Albert Lee HH will feature 2 exciting new finishes in Powder Blue and Charcoal Frost. Available May 1st worldwide.

2018 St. Vincent HH

New for 2018, the St. Vincent signature model will now be available in an Ernie Ball Music Man designed dual humbucking pickup configuration.

The new St. Vincent HH package features lightweight African mahogany body, roasted figured maple neck with ebony or rosewood fingerboard (depending on color), black or chrome hardware, matching pickup covers, and 5-way switch.

Available in 4 finishes: Charcoal Sparkle, Blue Dawn, Stealth Black, and Sea Breeze. Available June 1st worldwide.

2018 St. Vincent HHH

The 2018 St. Vincent signature guitar features an African mahogany body, Ernie Ball Music Man tremolo, and new roasted figured maple neck with rosewood or ebony fretboard.

The standard electronics package includes 5-way pick up selector and 3 custom DiMarzio mini humbuckers. The color options for 2018 include Stealth Black, Polaris White, Tobacco Burst and St. Vincent Blue. Available June 1st worldwide.

2018 Stingray 5 Bass

For 2018, the StingRay 5 has been reimagined with new features and appointments that provide a new level of playing comfort while retaining that revered iconic StingRay 5 sound.

Featured revisions include an enhanced contour that is rounded for more comfort in any playing position, a sculpted neck joint for uninhibited upper fret access to all 22 stainless steel frets, and lightweight aluminum hardware providing a lighter more balanced instrument.

The new and improved StingRay electronics feature more powerful neodymium magnets for increased output and a new 18-volt preamp for extra clean headroom without clipping.

Solid roadworthy construction, elegant pickguard, 4+1 tuning key configuration, and the ever popular Ernie Ball Music Man humbucking pickup, all of which combined produce a look, feel and sound that is remarkably unmistakable. Available July 20th for North America.

2018 Stingray 4 Bass

For 2018, the StingRay 4 has been reimagined with new features and appointments that provide a new level of playing comfort while retaining that revered iconic StingRay sound.

Featured revisions include an enhanced contour that is rounded for more comfort in any playing position, a sculpted neck joint for uninhibited upper fret access to all 22 stainless steel frets, and lightweight aluminum hardware providing a lighter, more balanced instrument.

The new and improved StingRay electronics feature powerful neodymium magnets for higher output and a new 18-volt 3-Band preamp for extra clean headroom without clipping.

Solid roadworthy construction, elegant oval pickguard, 3+1 tuning key configuration, and the ever popular Music Man humbucker, all together produce a look, feel and sound that is remarkably unmistakable. Available July 20th for North America.

Expression Tremolo

The world's premier manufacturer of guitar strings, musical instrument accessories and volume pedals, introduces the new Ernie Ball Expression Tremolo Pedal, designed specifically to deliver foot-sweepable tremolo control, all without taking your hands off your guitar.

The Expression Tremolo Pedal gives players more sonic expression than traditional stomp pedals in a roadworthy stunning violet and gold gloss metal casing.

The Expression Tremolo Pedal features a sleek, compact design that maximizes playability, while providing a minimized footprint on stage or as part of a pedal board.

Incorporating a virtually limitless tonal palette that simply can't be matched by traditional "on/off" stompboxes, the Expression Tremolo Pedal is constructed with a sealed aircraft-grade aluminum chassis that offers improved mechanical and electrical protection.

Features include:

Five different tremolo waveforms: Slow Rise, Slow Fall, Sine, Square, Harmonic

Control depth, rate, or both simultaneously with foot control

Spring reverb level adjustment

Mono Input/Mono Output

9V Input (power supply not included)

Head over to Ernie Ball for more info on all of this year's new products.