Finally a Musicman guitar I love

Gearjoneser

Gearjoneser

Gear Ho
I was killing some time in Hollywood yesterday, and stopped along Sunset Blvd's "Guitar Row" which is basically the best GC and Sam Ash, Mesa, Carvin, etc.

It's always a great opportunity to check out the hippest and newest stuff that you usually only see online. I tend to skip over the stuff I already know well.

At first, I spotted the new Musicman St. Vincent, but thought it was too wacky looking and it had no upper fret access. The other Musicman guitars don't interest me, either because of the tiny necks, short overall length, or association with Petrucci, Albert Lee, Lukather, etc.

Then I gravitated toward something I hadn't seen....the Armada.....specifically a black one marked $1999. There's also others with two tone figured tops that are in the $2700 ballpark. The first thing I noticed is that the neck is basically Gibson spec, so that was good......played beautifully. Not the usual midget finger neck. LOL
The body shape is probably a matter of opinion. I like it, but being odd shaped, it may not be everyone's cup of tea. It has nice classic lines, and has that art deco thing going on. The electronics are your basic 3 way toggle, volume, tone.

What do you think? Would you play one? I'm thinking of parting with my Gibson Elliot Easton Tikibird to get this. I think I'm done with Bigsby trems.

Music_man_armada_humbucker_1-750x750.jpg


slide-28.jpg


With P-90's
20585_Armada_MM_90_BCB_RW_N00482_1.jpg


Musicman-Armada-SB.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Re: Finally a Musicman guitar I love

Not tried the Armada model. Not even certain that it is offered in Europe.

I have tried the Axis Super Sport and Sterling-By-Musician AX40 and JP100 Koa. All these guitars play nicely - in spite of any artist signature associations. (I do not play guitar anything like Van Halen or Petrucci. Probably more like Jordan Rudess!) I understand what you mean about skinny necks. The MIA Axis is disappointingly slim.
 
Re: Finally a Musicman guitar I love

If the Rev Billy played a MM it would be that! I like it and would swap the Gib in a heartbeat.
 
Re: Finally a Musicman guitar I love

i like the look, never seen one in person to check out, but looks like something i could get into. i like a beefier neck than the mm ive tried. the last sunburst one looks great! fender scale?
 
Re: Finally a Musicman guitar I love

As usual, they look even better in person. They have a feel very unlike any MM you've picked up.
They feel more like a Gibson, PRS, or GMP......beefy neck and the size of a Firebird.
 
Re: Finally a Musicman guitar I love

The bursty ones make the wedge standout like it's a piece of pizza, I cant not see it.

The black is pretty nice looking, they play really well
 
Re: Finally a Musicman guitar I love

Definitely play like a dream, and the tones are great. Ergonomically, it's near perfect. Aesthetically, I'm not there yet with regard to the V and the overall body shape. When I was considering one, I ended up leaning towards the black-on-black, which I soon realized was because I wanted to de-accentuate the V. I passed.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Re: Finally a Musicman guitar I love

I think if I were to pull the trigger, it'd be the solid black, where the triangle is only accentuated by the white lines.

I have to admit, the black/red P-90 pictured above is sweet too.
 
Re: Finally a Musicman guitar I love

I sww one in person, and it actually turned me more off it.

The ONLY MM I could get into was that singlecut thing they wee doing recently with a flat top, basswood chambered body and mahogany center block. I think they may have been a GC/MF exclusive. The name escapes me.

As I always say-best built ugly ass guitars on the planet.
 
Re: Finally a Musicman guitar I love

I use Music Man guitars live- they are my favorite. But this one and the St Vincent one, nope.
 
Re: Finally a Musicman guitar I love

JeffB said:
I sww one in person, and it actually turned me more off it.

The ONLY MM I could get into was that singlecut thing they wee doing recently with a flat top, basswood chambered body and mahogany center block. I think they may have been a GC/MF exclusive. The name escapes me.

As I always say-best built ugly ass guitars on the planet.
Click to expand...

I think you mean the Reflex - it was the production model of the 25th anniversary, and has been discontinued aside from as a platform for the Gamechanger system. My Reflex is my number one guitar!
 
Re: Finally a Musicman guitar I love

I don't like that arbitrary line dividing the body for no technical reason.
 
Re: Finally a Musicman guitar I love

uOpt said:
I don't like that arbitrary line dividing the body for no technical reason.
Click to expand...

Same here. Other than that, I really like the outline. I'd prefer the black one just without the V line. It is a really classy shape IMO, remindig me of some supercar. Also it is great to see that the controls are not in the way for me.

Would I buy one, in case? No. I'd get an Axis/Reflex on opportunity.
 
Last edited:
Re: Finally a Musicman guitar I love

VinceT said:
I think you mean the Reflex - it was the production model of the 25th anniversary, and has been discontinued aside from as a platform for the Gamechanger system. My Reflex is my number one guitar!
Click to expand...

Thats the one

 
Re: Finally a Musicman guitar I love

I always wanted to check out the new Petrucchi. Changed from a bolt-on to a neck-through (how is that possible for an accurate signature model, anyway?). On the bolt-on model they had a wider nut but cut the string spacing on that wider nut right back to where I can't play like all their other guitars. Maybe they didn't repeat that. The bolt-on also had a 24 fret design with a regular Fender bolt and misplaced neck pickup which didn't quite work for me.

However, I have literally never seen a neck-through Petrucchi in or around Boston :-/
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top