Buying my 2nd MM soon and have a couple of questions...

[alpjr]

With the help of you all here in the forum, I picked up my first Musicman guitar (Luke) in December. At the time, I was looking for a certain neck type and the smaller v shape of the Luke was exactly what I was looking for. I have been 100% pleased with my purchase, but recently tried a few other MM guitars and now I think I'm ready to move on from the Luke. The one thing that I wish was different on the Luke is the small frets. I've adjusted to them but have realized that I prefer taller ones.

Recently, I had the opportunity to try an Albert Lee, Silhouette and a JP6. To my surprise, I loved the JP6! I know it has the widest nut width of the MM guitars and is the opposite of what I thought I'd like, but I really loved it. I've tried that particular one (BFR, black with roasted neck) twice now and it is no fluke. The frets were taller and I don't know if it is the flatter radius, the frets, the string spacing or just all combined, but my playing was just cleaner and faster than ever. It was one of those experiences where I felt the guitar was almost playing itself!

My main question is tonally, how different is the JP from the Luke? I play a lot of Satriani material and similar types of music. I could get pretty close with the EMG's in the Luke. I was also considering an Ibanez JS series at one point before trying the MM. Now I really would like to stay with MM as every one I have picked up has been top notch quality; Ibanez, not so much. Also that JP neck is what really got me! Are the pickups in the JP a good match for that style of music?

I also play a lot of Bluesy stuff and still own a Fender Strat. How is the JP for bluesy tones?

Are there any other Musicman guitars that I should try or is the JP radically different from all of the other models?

Anyway, I just cannot justify keeping the Luke and spending $2000 on the JP6. I had listed the Luke here but unknowingly broke the rules as I did not realize that I am still too new here so it was removed. I apologize for that. I'll go the ebay route for this one.

Thanks in advance for any help. I've found this to be one of the more helpful forums on the internet and I appreciate your responses. I only discovered MM guitars in November after almost 30 years of playing so I'm still a newbie with these

 

[Hoosierjammer]

If the JP feels best to you then you can always change things like pick ups and what not to get the sound you are after. I can't comment on a Luke, but when I finally tried a Petrucci model (just 2 weeks ago! lol) I got HUGE variety of tones out of it, bluesy included. The blues is what started me on guitar, and I played fender strats for my entire guitar playing career, but the JP was so nice that I sold most of those off to just buy one baddass Petrucci model (which I'm still eagerly waiting for!). I agree about the wider string spacing and how comfortable it is...IMO it helps me play cleaner. It sounds wierd to say this but the neck on the JP was so easy to play that it really did make me more creative (I love improv) and spontaneous and the ideas just kept pouring out!

 

[brokenvail]

Are you sure the roasted you played was a JP6 and not the BFR JP with tone block or the JPX? Easy way to narrow it down a bit is this, did it have a forearm scoop? Did it have a 5 way pickup switch? Although they will all have the same neck profile and same pups they have different tone woods which will affect tone.

 

[alpjr]

Thank you for the replies. It was the BFR JP so I assume it had the tone block. It had the logo on the 12th fret. I found this one online that appears to be the exact same one I played: Music Man John Petrucci BFR in Black Sugar with Roasted Neck at The Music Gallery

I will make sure that I try it again before I by it. It belongs to the friend of a friend of mine and when I tried it, it was plugged into some Mesa amp with massive gain. I really got nothing from the "tone" as that is not my kind of stuff and I was not able to adjust anything. What I did get out of it was the neck just played like butter to me! That's all I have to go on right now which is why I was asking about tone. For me, the playability of the guitar is my number 1 requirement. I really need to find one that I can try with different amps so I can get a handle on the tone.

Thanks again.

 

[TheShreddinHand]

That's a standard JP with roasted neck.

-Eric

 

[alpjr]

Ok, thanks Eric. I'm learning here. I thought that all the 6 string JP's were JP6's! There are so many different models, JP6, JP Standards, BFR, etc. Is there a good site that details all of the JP models and differences? I looked on the MM site and didn't see them. I'll try again.

 

[Jack FFR1846]

Playing that variety of guitars in Mass, I have to think you were in the Boston GC, right? I don't have a JP, but you're welcome to try any of mine at my house in Hopkinton. Al SSS, Axis, Axis Supersport MM90 and a modified sub 1, which should be very close to a silo spec. Another good place to take a road trip, if you need to get more models or samples to try is down to Manchester, CT to Beller's. Pete DuBaldo can set up whatever you want to try in advance. When I was starting out and wanted to understand better how different EBMM guitars were, I took a couple hours and went down there. It's about 2 hours from Boston. Also, I believe that Natick GC had a used JP in stock and I know they have a number of Luke, Silhouette, and I think a hot rod Axis and a Reflex in stock.

 

[paranoid70]

Hey bro just make a few more posts and the mods will let you list your guitar for sale. I think you only need 25. They probably do that so guys don't join only with the intention to sell gear. This doesn't seem to apply to you.

 

[alpjr]

Thank you very much for the offer Jack. I am in Worcester. I have not been to GC Boston yet but hope to visit this summer. I had a chance to try the guitars when I went to a local jam session with a friend of mine. I was only a spectator but one of the guys he plays with had the guitars. The only one I had a chance to try plugged in was the JP. The other two I got to play unplugged but it was good enough to get a feel for the necks. I found the Silo and AL very similar to a standard strat neck, just slightly different, maybe smaller. We went back the next day to pick up his amp and I played around with the JP again but unplugged. It again felt great. I had assumed that the JP neck was similar to an Ibanez wizard neck which I don't like. I was very wrong! Anyway, thanks again for the offer and sorry for the long winded response!

 

[alpjr]

Playing that variety of guitars in Mass, I have to think you were in the Boston GC, right? I don't have a JP, but you're welcome to try any of mine at my house in Hopkinton. Al SSS, Axis, Axis Supersport MM90 and a modified sub 1, which should be very close to a silo spec. Another good place to take a road trip, if you need to get more models or samples to try is down to Manchester, CT to Beller's. Pete DuBaldo can set up whatever you want to try in advance. When I was starting out and wanted to understand better how different EBMM guitars were, I took a couple hours and went down there. It's about 2 hours from Boston. Also, I believe that Natick GC had a used JP in stock and I know they have a number of Luke, Silhouette, and I think a hot rod Axis and a Reflex in stock.

I just checked out the Dubaldo website and it looks like he has a Black BFR roasted in stock. Thanks for the tip! I might just do as you suggest and give him a call.

 

[brokenvail]

Bfr does not equal tone block. Tell us if it has a forearm scoop and of there is a 3 or a 5 switch and we will tell you what model it is.

 

[alpjr]

Hey bro just make a few more posts and the mods will let you list your guitar for sale. I think you only need 25. They probably do that so guys don't join only with the intention to sell gear. This doesn't seem to apply to you.

Thanks. I understand why they do that, it makes sense. If I find the right JP and buy it, it won't kill me to hold onto the Luke for a little while. I still may put it on ebay but I like the idea of selling it here. The only reason I don't consider keeping it is that I'm also thinking about buying an Axe-fx, again. I really need to sell a few things first!

 

[alpjr]

Bfr does not equal tone block. Tell us if it has a forearm scoop and of there is a 3 or a 5 switch and we will tell you what model it is.

It did have the "scoop" but I really didn't notice what the switch was. I'm not sure that I even tried the switch. I think I am going to take the other posters advice and drive to Dubaldos for a bit of a Musicman "education".

 

[TheShreddinHand]

Ok, thanks Eric. I'm learning here. I thought that all the 6 string JP's were JP6's! There are so many different models, JP6, JP Standards, BFR, etc. Is there a good site that details all of the JP models and differences? I looked on the MM site and didn't see them. I'll try again.

Sorry, I should have been clearer. I refer to the standard JP6 as the basswood body with the forearm scoop. It gets confusing with the term BFR, because that USED to only apply to the alder body, maple top, mahogany neck/toneblock JPs without the forearm scoop, but, it's EB's call and they put BFR on any guitar that is kind of a special one off type deal like the Roasteds. So, you can get a Roasted Standard JP (basswood body, forearm scoop), these are around 2200-2300, A JPX Roasted (alder body, chambered, mahogany toneblock, with no forearm scoop and a 5-way switch) around 2700, and the full on BFR Roasteds (alder body, maple top, mahogany toneblock, 3-way switch, no forearm scoop) around $3kish +. Hopefully that helps ya a little, but you should be able to find all this on the musicman site.

-Eric

 

[Jack FFR1846]

If you want to check closer, the Natick GC has a used basic non-piezo Mystic Dream JP. It's closer, but you'll have far less choice. Before you head to Bellers, send an email to Pete DuBaldo and let him know what you're looking to try and when. They have 2 stores and guitars are in both. They're only a few miles apart. There's also a Guitar Center in Manchester CT, right off 84 and they always have an impressive number of EBMM models that I don't usually see at GC's in Mass. Lots of Lukes, Al HH's, etc.

The Daddy's Junky Music over the bridge in Shrewsbury gets used Musicmans on rare occation. I was there today and they had nothing.

 

[alpjr]

Quick update: I found out that it was a roasted standard JP that I tried and not the more expensive ones with the toneblock. Eric, thanks for the descriptions. My friend asked the guy who owns it and when he heard that I was interested he's now thinking about selling it to me. Does $1800 sound like a fair offer for it or is that too low? It is about a year old and in great condition from what I could see. It wasn't the greatest lighting so I'll have to check it more closely.
If I don't get it, I'm on vacation at the end of May and I'm going to drive all over to try as many out as I can. Thanks again for the help.

 

[PaoloGilberto]

1800$ for a 1 year JP is too much I'll say, as far as I've seen prices for the JPs in US are lower for a used one.
I had a JP 6 and recently bought a Luke fully loaded.
no reason for the second purchase, can't justify it LOL, but it was a good deal and I said what the hell ))
I was pretty different compared to my JP, I'm still learning to like it, but overall I think I love more the JP

 

[alpjr]

1800$ for a 1 year JP is too much I'll say, as far as I've seen prices for the JPs in US are lower for a used one.
I had a JP 6 and recently bought a Luke fully loaded.
no reason for the second purchase, can't justify it LOL, but it was a good deal and I said what the hell ))
I was pretty different compared to my JP, I'm still learning to like it, but overall I think I love more the JP

Thanks. The Luke is a great guitar but the JP just felt better to me although I haven't had a lot of time with it. I'm going to demo a whole bunch of them in the coming weeks.

 

[TheShreddinHand]

Quick update: I found out that it was a roasted standard JP that I tried and not the more expensive ones with the toneblock. Eric, thanks for the descriptions. My friend asked the guy who owns it and when he heard that I was interested he's now thinking about selling it to me. Does $1800 sound like a fair offer for it or is that too low? It is about a year old and in great condition from what I could see. It wasn't the greatest lighting so I'll have to check it more closely.
If I don't get it, I'm on vacation at the end of May and I'm going to drive all over to try as many out as I can. Thanks again for the help.

It can't be a year old, the roasted JP standards starting getting to stores at the end of 2010 and if you look on guitar center platinum they sell for roughly $2200 new, so $1800 seems pretty fair to me if it's in great shape!

-Eric

 

[alpjr]

It can't be a year old, the roasted JP standards starting getting to stores at the end of 2010 and if you look on guitar center platinum they sell for roughly $2200 new, so $1800 seems pretty fair to me if it's in great shape!

-Eric

Eric,
I was told he bought it last year, that's why I said about a year old. I had no idea when they came out. If that's the case and he got it late 2010, that's great for me! Now I'm hoping to get a chance to demo it again soon and see if he'll sell. I asked about the $1800 because that is what I'm going to offer him if it is in great condition.

Thanks again.