Just a thought..

[JPMotorSport]

I've recently purchased an '05 JP6 fully loaded in Teal Pearl, and I can't sing it's praises enough. I am absolutely in love with this guitar, and every other guitar I have literally sits and collects dust now that I have discovered the Music Man magic.

All my friend's noticed the change in guitars I made, and some of my guitar player friends are considering EB/MM's now after hearing my praises and looking for something different from their LP's and Ib@nez's.

When I first read about the BFR's and checked out their specs, I was floored. I thought, they finally done it - combined the Music Man quality and feel with traditional tone woods for players looking for that thicker "Mahagony body/Maple Cap" tone, but with EB/MM feel and style. Then I saw the price.

Needless to say, me being a 21-yr old fresh out of college, I can't shell out that much for single guitar.

Now I write this post, to kind of put in a thought. I know that signature models are completely up to the artist's discretion, and that EB/MM must follow their wishes, but d@mn, I wish there was a more affordable BFR.

I guess what I'm trying to suggest is, I think the concept of the BFR was more than just making a beautiful piece of wood art (which it is, one of the best in the Guitar world), I think it was trying to combine traditional tone woods for that vintage/thick sound, but with EB/MM style.

What I'm trying to suggest is, why not make a non-BFR, BFR? I'm by no means a luthier, or a businessman, but im sure more enlightened guitar players would definitely appreciate a more stripped down BFR, one with the tonewoods previously used, but maybe without all the frills. Non-matching headstock, ability to order without piezo, without inlays, plain tops, more inexpensive solid finishes.

Again, I know most of the BFR models are again up to the players discretion, but the artists who play these instruments we're, once upon a time struggling musicians themselves, and would appreciate a guitar thats more business, rather than show.

Those are just ideas from a young, enlightened player (enlightened that there's other guitars besides what you see at guitar center) looking to spread the EB/MM magic.

 

[Sub1 Zero]

All things aside... you are 21 and already out of college

I'll be nearly 24 when I graduate

 

[JPMotorSport]

Thanks. I'm pretty proud of myself that I was able to stick with it and finish. Most of my friends are taking their sweet time.

 

[peedo_deedo]

you are lucky you're done at age 21 and owned a Musicman JP. i didnt graduate til i was 25 and my first JP was not til i was 27.

 

[the24thfret]

The entire idea of a BFR is an upgraded, expensive instrument, though, so what you're suggesting is actually a pretty backwards idea. I'm like you with a tight budget, and I think a "standard" JP is much more guitar for the money than any other brand...

That being said, I'm sure you could somehow, somehow afford a BFR if you really wanted it. There is always a way to make that stuff work. Example being you coul always order one and sell the JP you have when it arrived.

 

[beej]

JPMotorSport- that's a really well written post.

I think a lot of people share your concern on price. I think if you look at the market for made-in-the-USA guitars of this calibre you'll find all the MMs to be extremely reasonably priced, and that includes the BFRs. Though I'm sure that doesn't ea$e the pain.

As Sterling explained it, The "Ball Family Reserve" concept was to allow consumers access to the one-offs and prototypes that only artists and family previously had access to. There have been some wild prototypes from the lab that we'd all love to own- it's not just about the mahogany tone block, but any design they want to try out.

Again, given the high quality of materials and engineering in the BFR, I think you'll find that the prices are reasonable if you compare them to other high-end manufacturers in the same vein.

Who knows, maybe the tonewood combo that worked so well in the 20th and BFR Pet/Lukes will make its way into a non-BFR guitar with more customizable options down the road. But for now these are special instruments from a company with a 6-month backorder period.

 

[roburado]

After the 20th Ann. Silo and the first JP/20th hybrid appeared, I hoped there would be a "trickle down" effect of some of the things we see going into the 20th Anniversary Silhouette and 20th Ann. StingRay5s, and the BFRs. That was something I hoped for. What we're getting isn't a trickle down of features into the regular line, but we're getting a lateral spread, if you will. The tone block is finding it's way into other instruments at the high-end of the EBMM line instead of coming down into the "regular" models. Perhaps, that's the only way it can work. We're already seeing BFR production kind of limited by wood availability.

Is it possible to get wood that's not so pretty to do more opaque-finish maple tops? I have no idea. Is it possible to get enough mahogany for both BFRs and some almost-but-not-quite BFR guitars? I have no idea. Can what you're suggesting, JPMotorSport, be done? I have no idea. Will such guitars make the backorder period even longer? I have no idea. Will the hypothetical not-quite-BFR guitars dilute the perceived value of a BFR? Who knows?

I think, however, that BP, Dudley, & Co. probably have some things up their sleeves. Maybe, what you're suggesting has been part of the plan all along. We'll just have to see. These guys seem to have no shortage of ideas.

 

[brasco68]

Dude...you're 21 and just got your first EBMM!!!

I didn't get my first until I was 38 (last year). Until then I was a F3nder guy...what an idiot I was!! HAHA

 

[Sub1 Zero]

I was lucky, got my Sub when I was 19 (now 20)

 

[Pablo]

I know the BFR represents the pinnacle of what EBMM is about with regards to both tone and visuals, but like most of you guys, I hope for some of the BFR specs to work their way down the various lines of instruments.

The main model I'm interested in is the JP7 - as I simply love the look and feel of this instrument... In this case, a relatively easy way for EBMM to do an update on the standard JP model, would be to use the same sandwich construction for the body as on the BFRs, but use the "old" body shape and only offer the standard solid colours... Add to that the standard maple/rosewood neck and you'd have a guitar closer to what John is using these days, but still very different to the BFR...

I know we are only dreaming, and understand fully why some might feel that such an update would bring the standard model too close to the BFR...
But as I've stated quite a few times on this site, the best sounding guitar I have ever played was a maple neck 20th - so I guess it's only natural to hunger after those kinds of specs in other guitars... and being a 7-string player the 20th sadly wasn't a real option to me (or I would have tracked one down by now).

All I can say is that such an updated standard JP model would see my order going in the moment it was offered.

Cheers

Eske