Why MM SUB instead of EBMM SUB?

[Luc]

Maybe a stupid question, and i don't know if it's been asked before, but why does the headstock say it's a Music Man SUB instead of Ernie Ball Music Man SUB?

Haha, must be addicted to these guitars that I ask myself this sort of questions

 

[Phrat]

I was wondering this myself the other day!

 

[Phrat]

Also, why doesnt the trem unit say "Musicman" on it like the others?

I love my SUB, its such a great guitar...just hope it still gets a look in after tomorrow

 

[BetaCAM]

Hey!

I was wondering about the trem thing myself!
I didn't notice the headstock thing though, It doesn't really bother me anyway,
I love my SUB.

 

[poiter]

thats a very intresting question, ive been looking at purchasing one of these subs, do they make them with mapel fret boards by any chance?? thant would be the best.

 

[Phrat]

thats a very intresting question, ive been looking at purchasing one of these subs, do they make them with mapel fret boards by any chance?? thant would be the best.

I am pretty sure EBMM only made the SUB with a rosewood neck....but what a neck!!

 

[fogman]

As far as the headstock, I think originally the effort to distance from the "Ernie Ball" brand was originally the plan. There was talk of the whole line just being Music Man. The Bongo also does not carry the Ernie Ball badge.

As for the trem, it doesn't say Music Man because it's not a Music Man Vintage Trem! I believe it's a generic trem purchased from elsewhere. The reason was to keep the costs down on the Sub to make it an Americal Made guitar that was affordable.

 

[fogman]

I am pretty sure EBMM only made the SUB with a rosewood neck....but what a neck!!

Yes, and yes!

Now I question if it's actually rosewood too! There's a Sub at the local dealer that I meddle on whenever I go there, and I can almost swear that the colour is coming off the fretboard!!! Maybe it's just in need of some TLC, or it's a lower grade rosewood? It almost seems as if though it's a different wood stained to look like rosewood?! Weird.

 

[SteveB]

As fogman mentioned, I believe Sterling said that all of the instruments will eventually drop the "Ernie Ball" from the headstock (a la Bongo).
Of course, maybe that plan has changed.

It makes sense to me if they want to differentiate the Ernie Ball brand (being for strings, picks, straps, and other accessories) from the Music Man brand (being the finest instruments anywhere).

 

[Big Poppa]

Foggie was hitting on all cylinders untile he thought we may use faux rosewood. Ti is the same rosewood and the exact quality...

It is in fact a branding issue

 

[TonyEVH5150]

The SUB 1 is a great guitar. Great design too!! It's about as maintenance-free as you can get with a guitar.

I had wondered as well about the "Music Man" logo, and didn't even realize that the brand is moving into it's own.

Cool stuff.

 

[uvacom]

The branding thing makes total sense. Especially if it makes my "EBMM" instrument a collectable.

 

[jamminjim]

Whoa!!

I don' t know how much closer a tremolo assy. can get to being an authentic Music Man trem , than the one that is on the Sub1 does

Maybe instead of stating it isn't a real one, we could be enlightened as to what the differences are (other than a name stamping) ??

 

[Luc]

Thanks Foggy and BP for the answers!

 

[fogman]

rosewood. Ti is the same rosewood and the exact quality...

Glad to know! I didn't think it was fake rosewood! But I didn't know how else to describe this particular guitar.
It most likely needs some serious TLC, or has been exposed to Pete D's KFC treatment!? I don't think it's been there long enough to get that much wear!

 

[MikeVt]

Glad to know! I didn't think it was fake rosewood! But I didn't know how else to describe this particular guitar.
It most likely needs some serious TLC, or has been exposed to Pete D's KFC treatment!? I don't think it's been there long enough to get that much wear!

Nah....as BP said, mine is clearly good quality rosewood. However, there is a noticeable color shift when it gets really dry (it takes a lot of abuse as my beater guitar). My JP doesn't take nearly as much abuse, and I keep the fretboard nice and 'healthy', so I've never noticed it there. ;-)

Mike

 

[fogman]

However, there is a noticeable color shift when it gets really dry
Mike

That's probably the problem! Lack of TLC from hanging 16ft high from the floor level! All the heat is up there!

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

I personally like the EBMM name rather than just MM. But thats just me, and I am not a guitar marketing expert!

 

[uvacom]

I personally like the EBMM name rather than just MM. But thats just me, and I am not a guitar marketing expert!

For me, it's a name I look upon affectionately since it's the badge which my favorite guitar carries, but from a branding standpoint it's really cumbersome. Er-nie Ball Mu-sic Man is already six syllables, even the abbreviated EBMM is four and it doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. A good brand should ideally be between one and three syllables. Look at Fen-der, Gib-son, Tay-lor, Mar-tin, P-R-S, O-va-tion, I-ba-nez, and so on. Plus branding-wise, a lot of people associate "Ernie Ball" with strings and such.

On the other hand, Ernie Ball Music Man is genuinely a class apart from other guitar companies, so maybe homogenizing the brand name is a step in the wrong direction. The name seems to have done alright for them so far. After all, if EBMM has a problem, it's making enough guitars, not selling them!

 

[jamminjim]

PSSSST... hey you..

do you see how they are cleverly and purposefully neglecting and ignoring my previous invitation to explain the difference between the MIGHTy EBMM temolo and the lowly Sub 1 tremolo. Maybe they just don't have the required knowledge to answer in detail. Or maybe this just goes to prove that a Sub 1 is considered a bastard child of the EBMM line, viewed with disdain and contempt by all these people as an inferior product ....