JP13 6 or Majesty 6? The Big Dilemma

[Illuminated]

Hi guys,

first of all, nice to meet you!
I 'm finally going to buy a Music Man Petrucci. I really love the Illuminators, so yesterday i decided to test the Jp13 and The Majesty, (and other two JP's).
They are both beautiful, another world when compared to high ends Ibanez i used to use until now. I love all of these two guitars: but actually i can buy only one of them.
I played a GF Maj first: light, modern, amazing, incredible access to the last frets, great sustain. A piece of art.

Then , in the meantime , as I am new to the MM world, i decided to play also a JPXI and a JP6: i really preferred the Majesty.

My doubts began when i tried the JP13. Another piece of art. Playing it more and more, I found myself more and more comfortable. So i put it down, and i returned to play the Majesty: and the again i switched to 13.

Now i'm really confused: i felt the incredible comfort of Maj, but i felt the 13 neck a bit narrower. Maybe i was dreaming? I know that the neck dimensions and neck shapes are the same, (as also confirmed by EBMM support), but i would have your opinions, considering the fact that one of this guitars will become my main axe.

Thank you!!

 

[mikeller]

Welcome!

Yeah, that's a tough decision and both great instruments!!!

I will comment on the necks - even though the dimensions are basically the same, they are never exact. I have a standard JP6, and JPX and a Majesty. For me, the Majesty is my holy grail, the neck has just a little more girth and it is delightful. The JPX feels the widest and thinnest of them all with the JP6 falling inbtween.

You can't go wrong - just follow your heart and instincts and play that sucker!!!!

Cheers

 

[Magic Jason]

Solution is dead simple : buy both!

 

[bhull]

Welcome to the forum!

First off, you can't go wrong with either one. Both are excellent instruments and will serve you well.

Having said that, the JP13 and Majesty have very similar specs except for the following:

Body/neck finish - JP13 has a high gloss polyester, Majesty is matte.
Fretboard - JP13 is rosewood, Majesty is ebony
Neck Attach - JP13 is bolt on, Majesty is through neck.
Weight - Majesty is 8 oz lighter
Design - JP13 is more traditional shaped, Majesty is a departure with ergonomics dictating shape.

It's possible what you were feeling different in the neck on the JP13 is your perception of the rosewood/gloss vs the ebony/matte. The neck attach might have been influencing your overall impression too.

All else being equal, you would probably be better off going with the setup that "spoke" to you more, which based on your post would be the 13.

Hope this summary in differences helps. Good luck in your choice.

Don't forget, whatever you choose, come back here and show us some NGD pics!

 

[Illuminated]

Solution is dead simple : buy both!

Unfortunately i have to choose

 

[Illuminated]

Welcome to the forum!

First off, you can't go wrong with either one. Both are excellent instruments and will serve you well.

Having said that, the JP13 and Majesty have very similar specs except for the following:

Body/neck finish - JP13 has a high gloss polyester, Majesty is matte.
Fretboard - JP13 is rosewood, Majesty is ebony
Neck Attach - JP13 is bolt on, Majesty is through neck.
Weight - Majesty is 8 oz lighter
Design - JP13 is more traditional shaped, Majesty is a departure with ergonomics dictating shape.

It's possible what you were feeling different in the neck on the JP13 is your perception of the rosewood/gloss vs the ebony/matte. The neck attach might have been influencing your overall impression too.

All else being equal, you would probably be better off going with the setup that "spoke" to you more, which based on your post would be the 13.

Hope this summary in differences helps. Good luck in your choice.

Don't forget, whatever you choose, come back here and show us some NGD pics!

Thank you very much bhull, i agree with you, maybe is the combination of rosewood/gloss that spoke to me more: and of course i will post many photos very soon

 

[Illuminated]

Welcome!

Yeah, that's a tough decision and both great instruments!!!

I will comment on the necks - even though the dimensions are basically the same, they are never exact. I have a standard JP6, and JPX and a Majesty. For me, the Majesty is my holy grail, the neck has just a little more girth and it is delightful. The JPX feels the widest and thinnest of them all with the JP6 falling inbtween.

You can't go wrong - just follow your heart and instincts and play that sucker!!!!

Cheers

Thank you mikeller! "little more girth" are the right words!!It is something that has to do with the circumference, (or girth )!! I'm happy that you confirm this!!

 

[MajtasticVoyage]

Sounds like you went with the 13. Good for you. I had both a 13 and a Maj and ended up selling the Maj. It was truly incredible, but there was just something about the 13; it was fat, heavy, powerful, mean, sleek; the Maj is the metrosexual of the guitar world; you can't deny its sexiness and style, but something about it just doesn't satisfy that "Yeah, I'm holding a REAL guitar" urge. Perhaps it's too ahead of its time in terms of design. It almost reminds you on a profound level that you are in the Matrix. It scares my soul, I think, with its perfection.

That said, I'm definitely gonna buy another one at some point, but I'm still head-over-heels in love with my 13 (and 15 - same guitar, really, with different aesthetics).

At least your dilemma wasn't between a 13 and a 15...

 

[QuietSpike]

I was just going to say.... If you like the 13, you'll ****LOVE**** the 15!!!

 

[Guitarshreda]

I've played all the models, and I can honestly say that the Majesty feels like an extension of my body. I own an Artisan Majesty and things are just "easier". I play faster, cleaner -- playing is effortless. The neck joint is great (thanks neck-through body), and it balances perfectly. It's also super light which is nice when you are doing 4 hour cover show gigs.

As for the neck, it feels a bit beefier to me then some of the other necks in the JP line. However, for me that's not a bad thing. The contour of the back of the neck seems to be more of a C shape (which I like). It reminds me of my Silhouette Special neck.

 

[gurtejsingh]

I was just going to say.... If you like the 13, you'll ****LOVE**** the 15!!!

Exactly my words! The 15 is just something else try it out of you can


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Illuminated]

I've played all the models, and I can honestly say that the Majesty feels like an extension of my body. I own an Artisan Majesty and things are just "easier". I play faster, cleaner -- playing is effortless. The neck joint is great (thanks neck-through body), and it balances perfectly. It's also super light which is nice when you are doing 4 hour cover show gigs.

As for the neck, it feels a bit beefier to me then some of the other necks in the JP line. However, for me that's not a bad thing. The contour of the back of the neck seems to be more of a C shape (which I like). It reminds me of my Silhouette Special neck.

Thanks Guitarshreda: yes, Maj it's incredibly light and comfortable. Glad to hear that also for you the Maj neck feels a bit beefier. So it was not my imagination: of course i didn't notice a big difference between the two necks, but a difference. And your confirmations are really important to me to choose.

 

[Illuminated]

Exactly my words! The 15 is just something else try it out of you can


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Another beautiful beast!

 

[Illuminated]

I was just going to say.... If you like the 13, you'll ****LOVE**** the 15!!!

15 is beautiful! Love it aestethically, but i also love the Mercedes look of the JP13. That Platinum Silver started to growing on me in these days. Plus, this polyester finish is incredibly smooth and fast: i used generally unpainted neck guitars, so i was a bit skeptical. But MM are really superior instruments. 13/15 are really sexy guitars: and that BFR plate on the back....
I wanted to try also an amazing JP15, but in Italy is a really expensive instrument actually, so i stay away from her for economic reasons

 

[Illuminated]

Sounds like you went with the 13. Good for you. I had both a 13 and a Maj and ended up selling the Maj. It was truly incredible, but there was just something about the 13; it was fat, heavy, powerful, mean, sleek; the Maj is the metrosexual of the guitar world; you can't deny its sexiness and style, but something about it just doesn't satisfy that "Yeah, I'm holding a REAL guitar" urge. Perhaps it's too ahead of its time in terms of design. It almost reminds you on a profound level that you are in the Matrix. It scares my soul, I think, with its perfection.

That said, I'm definitely gonna buy another one at some point, but I'm still head-over-heels in love with my 13 (and 15 - same guitar, really, with different aesthetics).

At least your dilemma wasn't between a 13 and a 15...

Thanks Majtastatic for your advice: when i was in the guitar shop, the first guitar i tried was the GF Maj: and i immediately loved it. Then the xi and the Standard. When i switched to the 13, i perceived as you said something really wild in this guitar. And this wildness was spreaded through all the guitar. When i returned to Maj, i felt a bit beefier neck. It's also your impression? Thanks a lot!!

 

[bhull]

the Maj is the metrosexual of the guitar world; you can't deny its sexiness and style, but something about it just doesn't satisfy that "Yeah, I'm holding a REAL guitar" urge. Perhaps it's too ahead of its time in terms of design. It almost reminds you on a profound level that you are in the Matrix. It scares my soul, I think, with its perfection.

That is an incredibly interesting observation. I would have to agree it is correct on many levels. It also ties into some conversations I've heard on the Joe Rogan podcast regarding Porsche's.

Rogan's into Porsche's and has a GT3 that's been hopped up by a tuner. He loves that car. It's modern, high tech and has ridiculous levels of performance.

Then somewhere along the line, he hears of a guy name Magnus Walker who was featured in a documentary called Urban Outlaw. Walker is really into 1970s era Porsche's. He has plenty of resources available to purchase new cutting edge cars, but he just really loves the visceral lower-tech vibe of that era Porsche. After having him on the podcast, and test driving older model cars, Rogan agrees there's just something about driving older sports cars that didn't translate over to the modern era.

I guess at the end of the day, have a Majesty if you want a date with Ginger, and a more traditional setup if you want a date with Mary Anne

 

[Illuminated]

That is an incredibly interesting observation. I would have to agree it is correct on many levels. It also ties into some conversations I've heard on the Joe Rogan podcast regarding Porsche's.

Rogan's into Porsche's and has a GT3 that's been hopped up by a tuner. He loves that car. It's modern, high tech and has ridiculous levels of performance.

Then somewhere along the line, he hears of a guy name Magnus Walker who was featured in a documentary called Urban Outlaw. Walker is really into 1970s era Porsche's. He has plenty of resources available to purchase new cutting edge cars, but he just really loves the visceral lower-tech vibe of that era Porsche. After having him on the podcast, and test driving older model cars, Rogan agrees there's just something about driving older sports cars that didn't translate over to the modern era.

I guess at the end of the day, have a Majesty if you want a date with Ginger, and a more traditional setup if you want a date with Mary Anne

I will check this video soon In other words, at least for me, the Majesty is something ultra modern but with a neck a bit "less modern" if compared with the rest of the guitar. The JP13 is more traditional in general, but with something "more modern" in the neck.

 

[Moosevfa27]

I understand your dilemma! When I tried my Majesty it was like an otherworldly experience. That guitar is so radical and is just absolutely incredible. I've always been a fan of the 13 but my finances didn't allow for one when it first hit the market. Then the Majesty came out... and then the 15 came out, and then the Blueberry 15 came out and I couldn't wait any longer lol. So while I don't have a 13 and Majesty, I do have a 15 to go along with it. I'm not sure just how the finished neck on the 13 feels, but I can tell you that the unfinished neck on the 15 is a joy to play. People ask me all the time which one I prefer and it really depends on my mood. I love the feel and comfort of the Majesty, but at the end of the day I actually prefer the neck on the 15. A combination of the 2 would be ridiculous. I know they're supposed to be very close in profile if not identical, but the bass side of the 15 neck feels a little more natural in my hand, and I have small hands. Whatever you decide to do, I don't believe you'll be disappointed. Before I jumped into the EBMM world I had been told that once you go with them, you'll never go back. I'm a firm believer in that now, and hopefully 2016 holds an LIII for me! Good luck!

 

[Illuminated]

I understand your dilemma! When I tried my Majesty it was like an otherworldly experience. That guitar is so radical and is just absolutely incredible. I've always been a fan of the 13 but my finances didn't allow for one when it first hit the market. Then the Majesty came out... and then the 15 came out, and then the Blueberry 15 came out and I couldn't wait any longer lol. So while I don't have a 13 and Majesty, I do have a 15 to go along with it. I'm not sure just how the finished neck on the 13 feels, but I can tell you that the unfinished neck on the 15 is a joy to play. People ask me all the time which one I prefer and it really depends on my mood. I love the feel and comfort of the Majesty, but at the end of the day I actually prefer the neck on the 15. A combination of the 2 would be ridiculous. I know they're supposed to be very close in profile if not identical, but the bass side of the 15 neck feels a little more natural in my hand, and I have small hands. Whatever you decide to do, I don't believe you'll be disappointed. Before I jumped into the EBMM world I had been told that once you go with them, you'll never go back. I'm a firm believer in that now, and hopefully 2016 holds an LIII for me! Good luck!

Hi Mossefva,
when you say "the bass side of the 15 neck feels a little more natural in my hand, and I have small hands", is another aspect i felt playing the 13, (I should learn English better to make me understand, but i don't want to use a translator ). With the Majesty neck, it seemed more difficult for me to do for example fast scales from sixth to first string: 13 neck seemed less harder, from this point of view.
Regarding the finished neck of 13...no problem: this finish is absolutely smooth and fast, and usually i played unfinished Ibanez necks. Usually i'm afraid that finished neck are sticky: but it's not the case of JP13. When i played it in the shop i did not have any problem: i played the 13 three or 4 times for 15 minutes per test.

 

[Moosevfa27]

It's not problem, I completely understand what you're saying! It feels like there's a little more wood on the 15 to wrap my thumb around and it helps a little with my control. Now having said that, there's absolutely nothing wrong with the Majesty neck and the matte finish on it. It plays wonderfully too. But when I'm writing or going for a long practice session, I find myself reaching for the 15 a bit more often.

One last difference between the 2 that I would mention, is the single, stereo output on the Majesty vs the dual output on the 13/15. I prefer the dual output myself. It's not particularly hard to split the signal out of the Majesty, but I just prefer to be able to plug and play with the duals on the 15. I actually run my Piezo into a Bose L1 and even though the end result sounds the same, I really like the ease of use of the dual jacks. Just something to remember if you're ever going to split your signal.

Like I said, it's hard to go wrong! Just make sure to provide us with some pics!