Help! Sterling MM Petrucci Majesty Iced Crimson.

[DaHa111]

Hi all, hope I'm on the right forum for this question!
I've been looking at the MM range of John Petrucci (Dream Theater) signature models for a while now, and am strongly drawn to the Majesty series. Whilst I'd love to be able to afford the U.S versions unfortunately my pockets are only deep enough for the Sterling MIJ100 ones. Namely the Iced Crimson Red model. There are many things that attract me to this particular piece so I won't bore you with the details, but it's safe to say I'm ridiculously close to clicking "buy"!!!

HOWEVER, after a bit of research I've unearthed a definite thread of cases of build quality and quality control issues. Things like pickup binding/strapping being forced into place and bridge positioning not being drilled/set right. Even to the point of a YouTube video where the matte lacquer finish actually rubs off with only the slightest touch!

So I'm reaching out to the online community to ask if this is a common thing with these particular guitars, or it's just a few very isolated cases? Granted I don't expect the same "quality" as the £4 to £5 thousand pound versions, however a grand is still a grand!!!

Many thanks, hope to get some feedback

 

[jayjayjay]

I don't have a Majesty, but I do have a couple of Sterling Axis models, which are around half the price of the Majesty. My understanding is all SbMM guitars are made in Indonesia, so possibly in the same plant.

For my two models, the QC is OK. Not perfect, but OK. One of my Axis guitars is basically good. I bought it back in 2020, if I recall right. The binding appears to be painted on (although it doesn't look bad), the tuners are somewhat chintzy, and the trem arm always has some slop in it unless you wrap the threads with pipe tape (it doesn't press into place like the EBMM bars). But otherwise, it played fine out of the box - one spot of fret buzz suggests there might be a high spot, but when I got done floating the trem and adjusting the action, it went away.

My second Axis, bought at the start of 2021, had the chintzy hardware issues, and the fret work felt like sand paper. On close inspection, I think, they used a sanding bar to level the frets (which is a legitimate technique for the job), but then stopped there - they didn't bother to finish the job with a proper polish. I had to spend a few hours with some fret erasers and polish cloth to get rid of the sandy feel. I've also felt a JP150 (I believe that's what it was) that had those "sandy" feeling frets, so I think that may be a cost-cutting measure - they don't polish frets. I think I got lucky on my first Axis that it probably didn't need to be sanded. Finish-wise, it's OK on my second Axis, although there are a few spots it's clear they didn't fully buff, and you can see polish marks. I may get a polish wheel for my drill eventually and fix those.

I would hope the Majesty has slightly better QC control for the increased price, but it sounds like the delta in price is more for better pickups (I think the Majesty may use DiMarzio pickups!), I think it has a nicer trem unit, and a gig bag. I haven't noticed a problem w/ bridge positioning, mostly the QC are relatively minor points like lower grade hardware and incomplete finish jobs.

So, to sum, yeah, you may find some issues. It looks like they saved money mostly on the final fit and finish steps, which makes sense - those are arguably the most time consuming parts. I'd expect to need to do a setup and fret polish at least for a new instrument. For me, the price seemed reasonable - it's a solid guitar once you get the final work in.

I also have a couple of EBMM guitars - the finish is superlative in every respect, and the instruments are next level. There's a reason why they command the prices they do.

 

[DaHa111]

I don't have a Majesty, but I do have a couple of Sterling Axis models, which are around half the price of the Majesty. My understanding is all SbMM guitars are made in Indonesia, so possibly in the same plant.

For my two models, the QC is OK. Not perfect, but OK. One of my Axis guitars is basically good. I bought it back in 2020, if I recall right. The binding appears to be painted on (although it doesn't look bad), the tuners are somewhat chintzy, and the trem arm always has some slop in it unless you wrap the threads with pipe tape (it doesn't press into place like the EBMM bars). But otherwise, it played fine out of the box - one spot of fret buzz suggests there might be a high spot, but when I got done floating the trem and adjusting the action, it went away.

My second Axis, bought at the start of 2021, had the chintzy hardware issues, and the fret work felt like sand paper. On close inspection, I think, they used a sanding bar to level the frets (which is a legitimate technique for the job), but then stopped there - they didn't bother to finish the job with a proper polish. I had to spend a few hours with some fret erasers and polish cloth to get rid of the sandy feel. I've also felt a JP150 (I believe that's what it was) that had those "sandy" feeling frets, so I think that may be a cost-cutting measure - they don't polish frets. I think I got lucky on my first Axis that it probably didn't need to be sanded. Finish-wise, it's OK on my second Axis, although there are a few spots it's clear they didn't fully buff, and you can see polish marks. I may get a polish wheel for my drill eventually and fix those.

I would hope the Majesty has slightly better QC control for the increased price, but it sounds like the delta in price is more for better pickups (I think the Majesty may use DiMarzio pickups!), I think it has a nicer trem unit, and a gig bag. I haven't noticed a problem w/ bridge positioning, mostly the QC are relatively minor points like lower grade hardware and incomplete finish jobs.

So, to sum, yeah, you may find some issues. It looks like they saved money mostly on the final fit and finish steps, which makes sense - those are arguably the most time consuming parts. I'd expect to need to do a setup and fret polish at least for a new instrument. For me, the price seemed reasonable - it's a solid guitar once you get the final work in.

I also have a couple of EBMM guitars - the finish is superlative in every respect, and the instruments are next level. There's a reason why they command the prices they do.

Nice response that, cheers my good man.

It's like everything else in life I suppose, you get what you pay for. Although I've always been pleasantly surprised by some of the cheaper versions of premium guitars. I own two Adrian Smith Jackson's albeit the SDX versions and for £450/£500 a piece (versus £2000 for the U.S ones) they are both very impressive. The build quality and finish on both are top notch and sound wise/playability they certainly cut the mustard. As does my Esp/Ltd Kirk Hammett 202 and Ibanez Steve Vai Jem Junior, although the Jem is quite a light guitar, and a very polished white so in certain lights it can look like it's made of perspex, again both are built and finished very well and play very cleanly. Ive also got a couple of Jackson JS32's, an ESP LTD M100FM, and an Epiphone Les Paul 59. I'm not exactly what you'd call proficient but I know what's good and what's not, they all certainly stand up to the higher end stuff I've got. Namely a Dave Murray U.S Strat, a BMG Brian May Red Special and an EVH 5150.......yep, I'm a sucker for those signature models!!

None of them needed any real tweaking when they were out of the box, but that could always be down to my level of playing as apposed to their level of QC.

The biggest surprise I've ever had with that kind of thing is a mint condition Fender Squire Affinity Telecaster I got off Reverb. That thing cost me £150 and I defy anyone that isn't a professional luthier to tell the difference, the overall quality and sound on those things is ridiculously good for their price tag!!!!!

Thanks again for the advice mate, I'll probably do a bit more research then make my decision. There's always the fallback of the retailers returns policy if it seriously sucks!!!!!!!