Ernie Ball Music Man Previews Cutlass and Caprice Basses
Ernie Ball Music Man has unveiled their first fully passive basses with the Caprice and Cutlass models. The basses, which were debuted at the NAMM Show this year, feature brand new body styles that are influenced by old school design with modern playability.
Even with new body styles, players will be familiar with the necks as the Cutlass borrows the Bongo neck shape and the Caprice uses the Sterling bass neck. Each bass is fitted with a split-coil humbucker, with the Caprice adding an inline humbucker in the bridge position. A common feature is a new Ernie Ball Music Man top-loading bridge that is made from hardened steel.
Both basses are built with an alder body, select maple neck, and either a maple or rosewood fingerboard. Finishes include Black, White, Diamond Blue, and Heritage Tobacco Burst.
The Ernie Ball Music Man Cutlass and Caprice Basses will be available later this year with prices of $1,649 and $1,699, respectively. Pre-orders beginning July 1st.
Ernie Ball Music Man Cutlass Bass Specs:
| Weight: | 9 lbs. 0 oz. (4.08 kg) – varies slightly |
| Body Wood: | Alder |
| Body Finish: | High gloss polyester |
| Body Colors: | Black, White, Diamond Blue, Heritage Tobacco Burst |
| Bridge: | Vintage Music Man top loaded chrome plated, steel bridge plate with vintage nickel plated hollow steel saddles |
| Pickguard: | Shell (Heritage Tobacco Burst); Parchment (Diamond Blue); Black (Black); Mint (White) |
| Scale Length: | 34″ (86.4 cm) |
| Neck Radius: | 7.5″ (19.1 cm) |
| Headstock Size: | 9″ (22.9 cm) long |
| Frets: | 21 – High profile, narrow width |
| Neck Width: | 1-5/8″ (41.3 mm) at nut 2-15/32″ (62.7 mm) at last fret |
| Neck Wood: | Select maple neck |
| Fingerboard: | Select maple or rosewood |
| Fret Markers: | 5/16″ Black or White dots |
| Neck Finish: | Ultra-light satin polyurethane finish |
| Neck Colors: | Natural aged yellow finish |
| Tuning Machines: | Schaller BM, with tapered string posts |
| Truss Rod: | Adjustable – no component or string removal |
| Neck Attachment: | 5 bolts |
| Electronic Shielding: | Graphite acrylic resin coated body cavity and aluminum lined pickguard |
| Controls: | 250kohm volume and tone – .1µF tone capacitor |
| Pickups: | Music Man offset humbucking |
| Left Handed: | No |
| Strings: | 45w-65w-80w-100w (Super Slinky Bass #2834) |
Ernie Ball Music Man Caprice Bass Specs:
| Weight: | 8 lbs. 8 oz. (3.86 kg) – varies slightly |
| Body Wood: | Alder |
| Body Finish: | High gloss polyester |
| Body Colors: | Black, Ivory White, Diamond Blue, Heritage Tobacco Burst |
| Bridge: | Vintage Music Man top loaded chrome plated, steel bridge plate with vintage nickel plated hollow steel saddles |
| Pickguard: | Shell (Heritage Tobacco Burst); Parchment (Diamond Blue); Black (Black); Mint (White) |
| Scale Length: | 34″ (86.4 cm) |
| Neck Radius: | 7.5″ (19.1 cm) |
| Headstock Size: | 9″ (22.9 cm) long |
| Frets: | 21 – High profile, narrow width |
| Neck Width: | 1-1/2″ (38.1 mm) at nut, 2-1/2″ (63.5 mm) at last fret |
| Neck Wood: | Select maple neck |
| Fingerboard: | Select maple or rosewood |
| Fret Markers: | 5/16″ Black or White dots |
| Neck Finish: | Ultra-light satin polyurethane finish |
| Neck Colors: | Natural aged yellow finish |
| Tuning Machines: | Schaller BM, with tapered string posts |
| Truss Rod: | Adjustable – no component or string removal |
| Neck Attachment: | 5 bolts |
| Electronic Shielding: | Graphite acrylic resin coated body cavity and aluminum lined pickguard |
| Controls: | 250kohm neck pickup volume, 250kohm bridge pickup volume, and tone – .1µF tone capacitor |
| Pickups: | Music Man inline humbucking; Music Man offset humbucking |
| Left Handed: | No |
| Strings: | 45w-65w-80w-100w (Super Slinky Bass #2834) |
For more information:
Ernie Ball Music Man
At these prices, I’m not sure I understand the point of these instruments. Why not just offer a Sterling with the split coil? Or for that matter, keep the neck pickup and add the single coil at the bridge. If these were being offered as lower-end instruments, which they look like btw, then the price is off.
“Each bass is fitted with a split-coil humbucker, with the Caprice adding an inline humbucker in the bridge position”
I don’t agree, read https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/bongo-bass