Ernie Ball Music Man updates the Jason Richardson Cutlass with spectacular Rorschach Red Buckeye Burl finish

Ernie Ball Jason Richardson Cutlass
(Image credit: Ernie Ball Music Man)

Ernie Ball Music Man has been doing a little housekeeping with its high-end signature electric guitar lineup, refreshing the Jason Richardson Cutlass for 2020 with a jaw-dropping Red Rorschach finish.

The trans red coats a highly figured buckeye burl top, which naturally gives each instrument its own distinct look. Some 3/16th inch flame maple binding and a gloss finish on this new stain adds a little visual TLC to the body.

Gold hardware and pole pieces? Well, why not, and elsewhere it is as you were with the spec is as per the previous Richardson Cutlasses. Once again, you can get it in six- or seven-strings, and the spec is stacked. This is one opulent guitar.

As with the Petrucci Majesty line, Ernie Ball Music Man has thrown the workshop at it. Richardson's Cutlass has a highly figured roasted maple neck that's given the finishing touches via Gunstock oil and a hand-rubbed special wax blend. 

There are two Music Man Custom humbuckers with a ceramic magnet in the neck and bridge positions, with a three-way selector, volume and tone. The push/pull on the volume control can add up to 20dB of boost to your signal, while the tone knob's push/pull splits the coils.

Prices as per the natural finish Richardson Cutlass: £3,699 / $3,299 for the six-string model, and £3,899 / $3,499 for the seven-string.

See Ernie Ball Music Man for more details.

Ernie Ball Music Man Jason Richardson Cutlass 2020

(Image credit: Ernie Ball Music Man)
Jonathan Horsley

Jonathan Horsley has been writing about guitars and guitar culture since 2005, playing them since 1990, and regularly contributes to MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitar World. He uses Jazz III nylon picks, 10s during the week, 9s at the weekend, and shamefully still struggles with rhythm figure one of Van Halen’s Panama.