Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
A woman plays an MPC XL and synthesizer in a home studio
Tech After years of covering the NAMM cycle I've never seen flagship gear hit the shelves so quickly - here are 6 of the hottest NAMM 26 releases you can pick up right now
All the best guitar gear from this year's NAMM Show
Guitars The best new guitar gear of NAMM 2026: More effects, more amps, more guitars and more tech than ever
A glam shot of a cherry red Epiphone Inspired By Gibson Firebird Les Paul Special in action
Guitars Epiphone revamps core lineup with the Inspired By Gibson series
NAMM 2026
Tech NAMM 2026: rolling news from the world's biggest music-making gear show
Faith Guitars Nexus Neptune and Venus 2026
Acoustic Guitars “For those seeking acoustic power, projection and an enormous amount of volume": Faith unleashes a slew of updates and new models at NAMM
Deals of the week
Gear & Gadgets MusicRadar deals of the week: Score $220 off a stunning Gretsch, $150 off a unique Les Paul Custom Widow, as well as hundreds off pianos, interfaces, and headphones
Abasi Córdoba Stage 7 nylon string guitar press image
Guitars “Engineered for modern electric players seeking authentic nylon tine without the traditional limitations of classical instruments”: Abasi’s nylon 7-string opens for pre-orders
A lifestyle press image of the Sterling By Music Man StingRay Baritone SR50 in Toluca Lake Blue leaning against a Marshall amp in an empty room with concrete walls
Guitars “A deeper low-end presence within the StingRay lineup”: Sterling by Music Man launches its first ever baritone electric guitar
Two guitars and a pedal on a blue and white background
Guitars Thomann just carved some serious cash off Harley Benton guitars, pedals and accessories for Black Friday - here's 4 of my favourite deals for you
Close up of Squier Classic Vibe '50s Telecaster
Electric Guitars Best electric guitars under $500/£500 2026: Affordable electrics
Man presses acoustic bridge pin into an acoustic guitar
Guitar Strings Best acoustic guitar strings 2026: Find your favourite acoustic strings
Close up of a Taylor GS Mini acoustic guitar lying on a wooden floor
Acoustic Guitars Best acoustic guitars: Super steel string acoustics for all players and budgets
YouTuber Carlos Asensio presents his brand-new Harley Benton ST-Modern signature model, which is offered in Cactus Green Metallic Gloss and Ice Blue Metallic Gloss finishes
Guitars Harley Benton just put a Vega-Trem on YouTuber Carlos Asensio's $700 signature guitar: is this the best-value S-style on the market?
A close-up of the new Arc Tilt tremolo bridge on a Strandberg guitar
Guitars "Rethinking motion, balance, and response": Strandberg’s new Arc TILT tremolo has been designed from the ground up for a more natural, expressive and inspiring playing experience
fender
Tech PreSonus Studio One Pro is dead, long live Fender Studio Pro: Fender launches “music production ecosystem” with rebranded DAW, interfaces and new controller
More
  • NAMM 2026: as it happened
  • Best NAMM tech gear
  • Joni's Woodstock
  • 95k+ free music samples
  1. Guitars

Ernie Ball Music Man introduces HSS Cutlass guitar and new finish options

News
By Michael Astley-Brown ( Guitarist, Total Guitar ) published 16 February 2017

StingRay and Cutlass models get new looks

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

We're big fans of Ernie Ball Music Man's StingRay and Cutlass, so news of new pickup configurations and finishes for these top-spec models is very welcome indeed.

Updates include two new colours for StingRay models, and the introduction of an HSS pickup line-up for the Cutlass.

Head on through the gallery for a closer look, and see Ernie Ball Music Man for more.

Page 1 of 4
Page 1 of 4
Ernie Ball Music Man HSS Cutlass

Ernie Ball Music Man HSS Cutlass

PRESS RELEASE: The highly anticipated HSS edition Cutlass guitar retains all of the familiar elements of the original Cutlass with the addition of a humbucking bridge pickup.

Features include alder body, oversized 4-over-2 headstock and super smooth modern tremolo. The Ernie Ball Music Man custom-wound ceramic humbucker is a medium output pickup that complements the single coils perfectly yet has plenty of crunch for heavy rhythm work and biting lead tones.

Now available in two new color options: Coral Red and Charcoal Frost. Pre-sale begins May 11, with SRP/MAP starting at $1,649.00.

Page 2 of 4
Page 2 of 4
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay

Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay

PRESS RELEASE: The Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay guitar pays homage to the vintage styling and cosmetic appeal of Leo Fender’s original Music Man models.

Updated vintage spec electronics, super smooth vintage tremolo system, and lightweight African mahogany body is a welcome refinement to this new modern rendition.

Oversized 4-over-2 headstock with straight string pull for superior tuning stability and flawless craftsmanship throughout make this new modern classic a perfect culmination of old-world aesthetics and styling with modern design and playability.

New Coral Red and Charcoal Frost colors have been announced. Currently available, with SRP/MAP starting at $1,599.00.

Page 3 of 4
Page 3 of 4
Ernie Ball Music Man Cutlass SSS

Ernie Ball Music Man Cutlass SSS

PRESS RELEASE: The Ernie Ball Music Man Cutlass guitar pays homage to the vintage styling and cosmetic appeal of Leo Fender’s original Music Man models.

Updated vintage spec electronics, super smooth vintage tremolo system, and lightweight alder body is a welcome refinement to this new modern rendition.

Oversized 4-over-2 headstock with straight string pull for superior tuning stability and flawless craftsmanship throughout make this new modern classic a perfect culmination of old-world aesthetics and styling with modern design and playability.

New Coral Red and Charcoal Frost colors have been announced. Currently available, with SRP/MAP starting at $1,599.00.

Page 4 of 4
Page 4 of 4
Michael Astley-Brown
Michael Astley-Brown
Social Links Navigation

Mike has been Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com since 2019, and an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict for far longer. He has a master's degree in journalism from Cardiff University, and 15 years' experience writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as 20 years of recording and live experience in original and function bands. During his career, he has interviewed the likes of John Frusciante, Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, Matt Bellamy, Kirk Hammett, Jerry Cantrell, Joe Satriani, Tom DeLonge, Radiohead's Ed O'Brien, Polyphia, Tosin Abasi, Yvette Young and many more. His writing also appears in the The Cambridge Companion to the Electric Guitar. In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock as Maebe.

The magazine for serious players image
The magazine for serious players
Subscribe and save today!
More Info
Read more
A lifestyle press image of the Sterling By Music Man StingRay Baritone SR50 in Toluca Lake Blue leaning against a Marshall amp in an empty room with concrete walls
“A deeper low-end presence within the StingRay lineup”: Sterling by Music Man launches its first ever baritone electric guitar
 
 
YouTuber Carlos Asensio presents his brand-new Harley Benton ST-Modern signature model, which is offered in Cactus Green Metallic Gloss and Ice Blue Metallic Gloss finishes
Harley Benton just put a Vega-Trem on YouTuber Carlos Asensio's $700 signature guitar: is this the best-value S-style on the market?
 
 
PRS Mark Lettieri Fiore HH, pictured here in its blue gloss and red satin versions against a pair of PRS tube amp stacks.
“It’s been on stage with everyone from Deep Purple to Janet Jackson. It kind of blows me away that people ever responded in that way”: PRS reworks Mark Lettieri’s signature Fiore as super-versatile dual-humbucker model with serial/parallel switching
 
 
Squier Sonic Series: featuring mini-Stratocasters, single-humbucker Esquires and cult offsets too, the Fender-owned budget brand has made a big play for the beginner market in 2026
Squier unveils huge Sonic Series refresh – super-affordable, beginner and child-friendly versions of classic Fender models
 
 
Johnny Marr demoes his new signature Jaguar Special with its trio of custom-wound lipstick pickups.
Fender and Johnny Marr reimagine the Jaguar with signature stunner featuring three custom-wound lipstick single-coils
 
 
Fender and Jackson's Iron Maiden 50th Anniversary Collection: FMIC has unveiled a signature guitar and bass collection to celebrate 50 years of the British metal institution.
Fender and Jackson celebrate 50 years of Iron Maiden with limited run signature collection
 
 
Latest in Guitars
EarthQuaker Devices ZEQD-Pre Tube Pre Amp
"The EF86 tube is often described as hi-fi, and honestly, that's the perfect way to describe what's coming out of this thing": EarthQuaker Devices EQD ZEQD-Pre review
 
 
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: Score $220 off a stunning Gretsch, $150 off a unique Les Paul Custom Widow, as well as hundreds off pianos, interfaces, and headphones
 
 
Dave Mustaine and Marty Friedman trade solos as Megadeth play live in 1990
Dave Mustaine admits he nearly passed on Marty Friedman for Megadeth because he didn’t like his hair
 
 
A glam shot of a cherry red Epiphone Inspired By Gibson Firebird Les Paul Special in action
Epiphone revamps core lineup with the Inspired By Gibson series
 
 
Harley Benton ST-80 FR MN
“This has been a difficult decision for us”: Harley Benton is closing its US store on Reverb
 
 
All the best guitar gear from this year's NAMM Show
The best new guitar gear of NAMM 2026: More effects, more amps, more guitars and more tech than ever
 
 
Latest in News
South Korean-New Zealand singer Rose (L) and US singer-songwriter and record producer Bruno Mars perform on stage during the 68th Annual Grammy Awards at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 1, 2026. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP via Getty Images) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE --
Bruno Mars and Rosé deliver a hard rock version of APT at the Grammy Awards
 
 
A pixellated 8-but style picture of an orchestra
“Another huge win for video game music”: 8-Bit Big Band pick up Grammy for their Super Mario medley
 
 
 Dave Mustaine of Megadeth visits SiriusXM Studios on January 16, 2026
“I wanted to be heavier and faster than they were”: Dave Mustaine on – guess what? – his split from Metallica
 
 
LOS ANGELES - FEBRUARY 1: Justin Bieber at The 68th Annual Grammy Awards, broadcasting live Sunday, February 1, 2026 on the CBS Television Network, and streaming live and on demand on Paramount+*. (Photo by Francis Specker/CBS via Getty Images)
Justin Bieber played an ‘80s Yamaha electric guitar and an Akai MPC Live III in his underwear at the Grammys
 
 
cirkut
"Once upon a time I was a kid making beats in his bedroom in Canada and now I'm here": Cirkut takes home Producer of the Year, Non-Classical at the 2026 Grammy Awards
 
 
Bad Bunny receives the award for Album of the Year at The 68th Annual Grammy Awards, broadcasting live Sunday, February 1, 2026
"If we fight, we have to do it with love”: Kendrick Lamar, Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish all win big at 2026 Grammys
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...