# EBMM Artisan Series Majesty



## JLocrian (Oct 14, 2014)

This was just posted over on the EBMM forums by Sterling Ball. No info has been released as of yet, but let's discuss!! 

A teaser of the Artisan Series Majesty:


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## MetalBuddah (Oct 14, 2014)

The flamed maple shield looks sooooooooo classy


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## JLocrian (Oct 14, 2014)

MetalBuddah said:


> The flamed maple shield looks sooooooooo classy



The old shield is what has kept me from getting one, but now.....goodbye savings


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## Opion (Oct 14, 2014)

Whaaaaaat....!?!?

That is crazy beautiful.


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## DeathPaupiette (Oct 14, 2014)

NEED.


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## BucketheadRules (Oct 14, 2014)

Wow, props to them for actually making it look good this time


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Oct 14, 2014)

BucketheadRules said:


> Wow, props to them for actually making it look good this time



 The lack of shovel makes this guitar look 10x better.


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## Jake (Oct 14, 2014)

I still...don't know how to feel about it 


I think as a small guy the giant upper horn just scares me a little bit but I haven't yet been able to play one to see if it's all in my head.

I think I'd still take a jpx or jpxi over it first


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## 7 Strings of Hate (Oct 14, 2014)

Still hideous to me


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## HighGain510 (Oct 14, 2014)

Even on the "Artisan" version the first fret inlay still has the black block outline deal?  Makes it looks less-than-classy, IMHO.


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## JLocrian (Oct 14, 2014)

HighGain510 said:


> Even on the "Artisan" version the first fret inlay still has the black block outline deal?  Makes it looks less-than-classy, IMHO.



Yeahhhhh, that first fret inlay bugs the crap out of me


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## Black Mamba (Oct 14, 2014)

Certified Sexy.


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## feraledge (Oct 14, 2014)

Kudos EBMM.


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## AkiraSpectrum (Oct 14, 2014)

loving it.


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## InfestedRabite (Oct 14, 2014)

The shield just looks like a weird camera focus effect now. Still better than the shovel tho.


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## Jarmake (Oct 14, 2014)

Yeah, no... I still hate that shape, even though this is way better than the normal shovel.


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## redlol (Oct 14, 2014)

better but still hideous.


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## ihunda (Oct 14, 2014)

Damn sexy, no more fake carbon fiber = WIN


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## decreebass (Oct 14, 2014)

Not crazy about the color, but it sure is beautiful; I knew it was only a matter of time... I said they'd do a BFR version, but "Artisan" is basically the same thing. We'll see what other colors they come up with before I start drooling.


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## yingmin (Oct 15, 2014)

I liked the original Majesty, but damn, this is hot.


HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> The lack of shovel makes this guitar look 10x better.



The shovel is still there, it just looks classier.


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## Solodini (Oct 15, 2014)

I feel like this is the one EBMM guitar the headstock doesn't quite suit. It could do with being subtly redesigned to match the horns.


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## MemphisHawk (Oct 15, 2014)

make it a Seven string and then we can talk.


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## HighGain510 (Oct 15, 2014)

I'm guessing their thinking was that by adding the term "Artisan" and making the "shovel" piece *flamed* maple, that EBMM was thinking of another way to jack the price up through marketing. If you remember, the middle faux carbon fiber piece on the standard Majesty model is *LASER-ETCHED MAPLE* already.  All they've done is taken a tiny, THIN piece of flamed maple and replaced the non-figured maple that normally goes in that spot.  BFR/Majesty tags aside, there's really nothing setting this one off besides the tiny piece of flamed maple in the center of the body, you get more surface area covered with expensive woods on the standard BFR JP's, so hopefully people are smart enough to realize that and EBMM doesn't try to raise the prices to trick people into thinking it's a substantially "fancier" guitar or whatever.


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## MaxOfMetal (Oct 15, 2014)

HighGain510 said:


> I'm guessing their thinking was that by adding the term "Artisan" and making the "shovel" piece *flamed* maple, that EBMM was thinking of another way to jack the price up through marketing. If you remember, the middle faux carbon fiber piece on the standard Majesty model is *LASER-ETCHED MAPLE* already.  All they've done is taken a tiny, THIN piece of flamed maple and replaced the non-figured maple that normally goes in that spot.  BFR/Majesty tags aside, there's really nothing setting this one off besides the tiny piece of flamed maple in the center of the body, you get more surface area covered with expensive woods on the standard BFR JP's, so hopefully people are smart enough to realize that and EBMM doesn't try to raise the prices to trick people into thinking it's a substantially "fancier" guitar or whatever.



 

Just like when they added the BFR labeling to the JPs, prices soared to almost twice as much as the original JP models and all you really got was a more plain carved body with a veneer top in different colors. They were still great guitars, but no better than the less flashy models. In fact, you could order more unique colors and different neck woods on non-BFR guitars for less if you wanted.


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## Musiscience (Oct 15, 2014)

This is definitely a step up from the original majesty, but for some reason I just can't get into the looks and shape of the guitar. It just leaves me uninspired . Different blokes different strokes. 

But please EBMM, never, ever, discontinue the original JP.

Edit : 



HighGain510 said:


> I'm guessing their thinking was that by adding the term "Artisan" and making the "shovel" piece *flamed* maple, that EBMM was thinking of another way to jack the price up through marketing. If you remember, the middle faux carbon fiber piece on the standard Majesty model is *LASER-ETCHED MAPLE* already.  All they've done is taken a tiny, THIN piece of flamed maple and replaced the non-figured maple that normally goes in that spot.  BFR/Majesty tags aside, there's really nothing setting this one off besides the tiny piece of flamed maple in the center of the body, you get more surface area covered with expensive woods on the standard BFR JP's, so hopefully people are smart enough to realize that and EBMM doesn't try to raise the prices to trick people into thinking it's a substantially "fancier" guitar or whatever.



This is exactly the first thing I thought when I opened the thread  : «wasn't the shield already maple and not real carbon fibre? And now they are boosting the price because it's flamed?»


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## HighGain510 (Oct 15, 2014)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Just like when they added the BFR labeling to the JPs, prices soared to almost twice as much as the original JP models and all you really got was a more plain carved body with a veneer top in different colors. They were still great guitars, but no better than the less flashy models. In fact, you could order more unique colors and different neck woods on non-BFR guitars for less if you wanted.



Exactly! I'm not saying they won't be great guitars, far from it as I still haven't had the chance to play one myself yet to form an informed opinion about the model itself, I just recognize the repeated attempt to take what should be a $1500-2K guitar and try to make it a $3K+ model with a different label and a slight cosmetic modification. All brands do it (PRS is also guilty of this, I have no qualms openly-stating that either despite my unadulterated love for the company and guitars ) but stuff like this just sets me off I guess since it's so blatant.  

EBMM makes a fine instrument, just wish they would stick to doing something a little more innovative beyond their typical "Release model -> Change top/body wood material and slap BFR/Artisan label -> Tack on $1K" cycle that they developed over the last several years. 

I'm also still rather miffed that this is supposed to be the upper tier version of the Majesty line and yet they still won't make the first fret an actual INLAY instead of continuing to go with the rather cheap-looking black block deal again like they did on the standard Majesty. I saw a few of the macro shots of that and it just looks awful IMO, and I have actually come to dig the shape of the majesty overall (shovel jokes aside ), so it's not like I'm hating on the new model. Aesthetic tweaks like that might help it not look as cheap though, that's for sure.  I came thiiiiiiis close to pulling the trigger on a Majesty 7 but when I saw the macro of the first fret I immediately went "NOPE!"


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## MaxOfMetal (Oct 15, 2014)

I couldn't agree more, Matt. 

It's not like EBMM doesn't make great guitars, much like PRS, but damn do they hate actually doing anything new without calling it "special" and making the price kind of stupid. 

They're totally taking advantage of their pretty devoted fanbase, not that they're complaining.  One of the few brands where you'll find tons of folks who own multiples of the EXACT same guitar, just in a different color. 

We can't forget though, this is a signature model so perhaps we're all complaining about something JP himself wanted.


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## WillDfx (Oct 15, 2014)

Just different flavors I suppose. I mean the one good thing to remeber is that EBMM keeps all the models that have been available in production. That way people who believe that the guitar is only worth $1500-$2k buy an unloaded standard JP. And for the people who enjoy the aesthetics and playability of the higher priced models, they're available as well. Now for the Majesty fans, they have some different flavors to choose from. Even if it's a different pattern "shovel", it's still different.


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## MaxOfMetal (Oct 15, 2014)

WillDfx said:


> That way people who believe that the guitar is only worth $1500-$2k buy an unloaded standard JP.



Even fully loaded JP6s and JP7s are about that much. I got my fully loaded JP7 for a hair over $1900 delivered, new from an authorized dealer. 



> And for the people who enjoy the aesthetics and *playability* of the higher priced models, they're available as well.



I can't really get behind that. I've owned three JP7s and have played and worked on more, and have handled a lot of BRF models, including the nearly $4k models and there is no appreciable difference in quality or playability. The fretwork is damn near identical and the hardware is the exact same, same with the electronics. 

Totally agree otherwise, it's great of EBMM to keep everything in production. Granted I'm sure they do that because it sells.


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## WillDfx (Oct 15, 2014)

I guess when I say playability it's comes from a personal opinion. I personally find the bfr body shape much more comfortable, and natural for my picking hand. I do like the standard jp model, but the forearm scoop always gave me a bit of an issue for my picking hand. It's just a matter of opinion and preference. I know most people love the standard forearm scoop, but I just never liked it. So the same must apply here with the majesty. While the Artisian doesn't appear to have any other changes except the aesthetics, it's still just another option for majesty fans.


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## JLocrian (Oct 15, 2014)

HighGain510 said:


> I'm also still rather miffed that this is supposed to be the upper tier version of the Majesty line and yet they still won't make the first fret an actual INLAY instead of continuing to go with the rather cheap-looking black block deal again like they did on the standard Majesty. I saw a few of the macro shots of that and it just looks awful IMO, and I have actually come to dig the shape of the majesty overall (shovel jokes aside ), so it's not like I'm hating on the new model. Aesthetic tweaks like that might help it not look as cheap though, that's for sure.  I came thiiiiiiis close to pulling the trigger on a Majesty 7 but when I saw the macro of the first fret I immediately went "NOPE!"



YES!  

I would much rather have just a regular shield on the first fret than that thing


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## decreebass (Oct 15, 2014)

^^ Yea when I got banned from the EBMM forums for questioning the BFR designation (Big Poppa wasn't thrilled I thought of it as a marketing gimmick) I participated in a thread over here asking about what the big deal with BFR was/is; one or two people chimed in with their experience; stating that "BFR" guitars were in fact better and more well made.

But you gotta consider; they have their "BFR" guitars and they also have their standard models that they tack the "BFR" designation on. Supposedly my JP13 7 is a BFR (engraved neck plate) and so is my JPXI (badge at 12th fret) but this is in contrast to "BFR" guitars with "BFR" in the name - ie JP6 BFR - which typically have an altered body shape and fancy schmancy top wood. So there's BFR, _real_ BFR, PDN, and now Artisan.

I mean, the Majesty is already on back-order, and already super expensive - and now they make it even MORE desirable (and expensive). I am so confused with my emotions for EBMM. I love them and I hate them at the same time...


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## decreebass (Oct 15, 2014)

Also, it is rather curious why they don't make a regular inlay; though I suppose it has to do with glass not liking to be cut without splintering or shattering. I'm sure they COULD do a regular inlay if it wasn't a mirror. Hell, I don't NEED mirror inlays - I think the whole thing should be replaced with abalone and make the first fret inlay an actual size-fit inlay, not essentially a block. Now THAT would class this up a ton.


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## MaxOfMetal (Oct 15, 2014)

decreebass said:


> ^^ Yea when I got banned from the EBMM forums for questioning the BFR designation (Big Poppa wasn't thrilled I thought of it as a marketing gimmick) I participated in a thread over here asking about what the big deal with BFR was/is; one or two people chimed in with their experience; stating that "BFR" guitars were in fact better and more well made.
> 
> But you gotta consider; they have their "BFR" guitars and they also have their standard models that they tack the "BFR" designation on. Supposedly my JP13 7 is a BFR (engraved neck plate) and so is my JPXI (badge at 12th fret) but this is in contrast to "BFR" guitars with "BFR" in the name - ie JP6 BFR - which typically have an altered body shape and fancy schmancy top wood. So there's BFR, _real_ BFR, PDN, and now Artisan.
> 
> I mean, the Majesty is already on back-order, and already super expensive - and now they make it even MORE desirable (and expensive). I am so confused with my emotions for EBMM. I love them and I hate them at the same time...



Guitars can only be so well made and the standard JP7s are pretty much as good as you can get. The materials are top notch, the woods are well cured, the fret work is flawless, the neck joint in tight and well aligned, the hardware is high end, the electronics are perfectly installed and well thought out (soldering is perfect), and the instruments themselves are perfectly well balanced seated and on strap. What is there to improve from a quality perspective? Nothing. Everything after that is going to come down to personal preference. 

I don't love or hate EBMM, I_ respect_ them. Sterling Ball is an asshole. Full stop. Though, that level of not giving a shit about what others think is what makes EBMM great at putting out unique guitars in the market place. They could easily sit back and make a couple Strat-esque guitars till the end of time, but they do put out some cool stuff. 

When the BFR guitars first came out they were being marketed as super exclusive and limited. Something special that not everyone could get. They teamed up with Guitar Center's Platinum Service to add to that vibe. Now, you can grab them anywhere and they are FAR from limited in production, minus a couple models that were store runs. It went from being special to a marketing tool, like you said.


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## Negav (Oct 15, 2014)

I would get it if they made the body half flamed maple (top) half mahogany. Seems the same to me.


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## decreebass (Oct 15, 2014)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Guitars can only be so well made and the standard JP7s are pretty much as good as you can get. The materials are top notch, the woods are well cured, the fret work is flawless, the neck joint in tight and well aligned, the hardware is high end, the electronics are perfectly installed and well thought out (soldering is perfect), and the instruments themselves are perfectly well balanced seated and on strap. What is there to improve from a quality perspective? Nothing. Everything after that is going to come down to personal preference.



Yes!  That was indeed EXACTLY my point (original thread here). I mean, you can only "improve" so much when you make one of the best guitars money can buy. It's like Carvin - their lowest-end guitar is just as well made as Kiesel edition- but it all comes down to aesthetics and preference. But like I said, there were still some who truly believed there was a noticeable jump in quality, playability, and sound. I would call shenanigans, but I know one of the guys has about a thousand JPs, so I had to defer to their wisdom/experience. Here's what SSo user Jonathan20022 had to say in the matter - and he's pretty much the authority in the matter:



Jonathan20022 said:


> Every model has a significant tonal difference from each other. I could list several features and wood types to you but let's be honest, unless you're a firm believer that tonewood has no effect on the end result, then you already know that different wood DOES sound different.
> 
> Superior? No, the BFRs aren't tonally nor structurally superior to the cheaper models in any way. This is because the same people making the more expensive models are putting the same care/attention/skill into the more affordable models.
> 
> ...


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## HighGain510 (Oct 15, 2014)

decreebass said:


> Yes!  That was indeed EXACTLY my point (original thread here). I mean, you can only "improve" so much when you make one of the best guitars money can buy. It's like Carvin - their lowest-end guitar is just as well made as Kiesel edition- but it all comes down to aesthetics and preference.



Well technically that analogy doesn't quite stack up here though, the Kiesel Edition Carvin guitars are being built by Jeff and not the standard Carvin assembly line team. There could very well be a slightly different feel overall depending on how close his fretwork is to the guys who normally do fretwork on the production stuff, unless Jeff is only doing the woodwork and nothing else on the KE guitars. I don't think he's really gone into detail as to how much of the overall work on those guitars is done by him vs the normal production team. Does he do the fretwork? Does he do the finish? etc. Not sure, but if he does in fact handle fretwork on those pieces and fretboard edge finishing (i.e. does he roll the edges at all vs a normal Carvin fretboard edge which usually isn't rolled too much, if at all), that could lead to an appreciable difference or "improvement" if you considered it one.


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## musicaldeath (Oct 15, 2014)

My favorite guitar ever was my Egyptian smoke JP7. Sadly, that is now long gone, and they have discontinued that colour. I went to the local guitar store this past weekend and played a majesty side by side a JP6 and I still prefer the JP over anything for comfort and what not. Majesty was still a pretty solid player though.

This to me, eh. It's not my thing. I prefer the matte black majesty over that. Or the white one. YMMV.


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## Jonathan20022 (Oct 15, 2014)

I thought it was common knowledge at this point that EBMM doesn't make "better" guitars than anything in their catalogue. They're all different and priced differently based on several factors.

The JP6/7 is still one of the best guitars in the production world giving you the un-sacrificed quality and a set of awesome features that the higher end guitars have as well.

I gotta say though I'm not a fan of this, I actually quite prefer the original Majesty over this because I think this just clashes. The Carbon Fiber etching looks sleek with most of the colors on the original and is incredibly well made in person. I had the red one in a 7 string very briefly and the inlay looked fine to me, would be better if it was cut perfectly. Clearly a non issue since the guitar is just as well made as any of the other EBMMs. I would actually prefer this with dot inlays or a blank board but it's not my signature guitar to nitpick either way.

And like HighGain said, there's no company out there that doesn't just plug their own guitars with aesthetic appointments. And then tell them that a whole new "level" of quality is being used on them that consumers are supposed to just believe. There's no "tiers" with EBMM, and that's what I like about them.

This isn't a huge difference over the regular Majesty either way just like I've said on Facebook, Hardware color change/Flame or Quilt Top Option (?)/Different wood combo (?). No price has been announced, but I'm sure it'll be a couple hundred above the cost of the regular Majesty. Fully expecting 3-4k in the price range though.


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## FantasyMetal (Oct 15, 2014)

MaxOfMetal said:


> They're totally taking advantage of their pretty devoted fanbase, not that they're complaining.



How is offering more options to an existing line taking advantage of the fanbase?


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## decreebass (Oct 15, 2014)

FantasyMetal said:


> How is offering more options to an existing line taking advantage of the fanbase?



Taking advantage of something or someone isn't always as nefarious as it sounds; of course they KNOW devoted EBMM buyers will snap these up - that's taking advantage, but not in any sort of way that either party loses or is duped. But I gotta agree with Jonathan - I like the carbon fiber; maybe if the guitar was all quilt or all flame or whatever - I don't think the Artisan series even needs the body shield; though I suspect they do this because due to the contours, it'd be nearly impossible or overly expensive to built the whole guitar out of flamed/quilt maple and the shovel is the only portion that can realistically have the top wood without it looking seriously out of proportion.

I would dig an all natural tung oiled Majesty - maybe ash with the flamed shovel - no color, no burst... the Majesty is just ridiculously comfortable that honestly, if I didn't already have one, nothing would stop me from getting one


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## Jonathan20022 (Oct 15, 2014)

I still have one in Glacial Frost on order 

I got a text from a good friend telling me there was some sort of BFR version now available and I got excited and almost cancelled the order I have. 

And yeah if they did go with a top covering the entire front, it would have to be insanely thick to handle the carves on the front. I'm not sure if Maple can be "bent" but that may have also been an option, I'm not familiar with woodwork so correct me if I'm wrong 

And yeah, there's always going to be Petrucci fans and EBMM fans in general who are ready to pick up anything they offer. I mean, look through the post on the MM forums


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## MaxOfMetal (Oct 15, 2014)

FantasyMetal said:


> How is offering more options to an existing line taking advantage of the fanbase?



Adding options is great, throwing on a different inlay (if that), and an extra $200 to $1000 is something else. If the quality is identical, and quantities aren't limited, where is the extra cost coming from? Nowhere. They just look more special, supposedly, so they want more money for them.

Keep in mind, I dig the heck out of my EBMM guitars. Just being real.


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## decreebass (Oct 15, 2014)

Jonathan20022 said:


> And yeah if they did go with a top covering the entire front, it would have to be insanely thick to handle the carves on the front. I'm not sure if Maple can be "bent" but that may have also been an option, I'm not familiar with woodwork so correct me if I'm wrong



They can, and that's how Carvin does it for their forearm scoops, but I don't think it's quite malleable enough for the Maj top. Here's a vid (go to 4:44):


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## Jonathan20022 (Oct 15, 2014)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Adding options is great, throwing on a different inlay (if that), and an extra $200 to $1000 is something else. If the quality is identical, and quantities aren't limited, where is the extra cost coming from? Nowhere. They just look more special, supposedly, so they want more money for them.
> 
> Keep in mind, I dig the heck out of my EBMM guitars. Just being real.



Yeah of course, I think that was actually brought up when the BFRs were first released and there was a lot of confusion about it. 

I love EBMM's guitars, I only played them for the longest time. Nowadays I'm more eager to try stuff I've never played before though. 



decreebass said:


> They can, and that's how Carvin does it for their forearm scoops, but I don't think it's quite malleable enough for the Maj top. Here's a vid (go to 4:44):




That's awesome, I didn't think of that but that would have been a better option IMO instead of just replacing the shield with the flame maple.


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## TauSigmaNova (Oct 15, 2014)

I always dug the original Majesty, especially the Horizon-III esque shape it had going on and I never really minded the shovel.


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## will_shred (Oct 15, 2014)

I love everything about this guitar, but i'm sure it will be unreasonably expensive. I feel like i'm in a small minority of people who actually like the majesty series


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## Andromalia (Oct 16, 2014)

I like it but the golden inlays are too much. There's a possibility I'll buy a majesty some day, but it will not be this one I think.


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## Benjyy (Oct 16, 2014)

Oh, wow! The first majesty i actually like the look of!


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## FantasyMetal (Oct 16, 2014)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Adding options is great, throwing on a different inlay (if that), and an extra $200 to $1000 is something else. If the quality is identical, and quantities aren't limited, where is the extra cost coming from? Nowhere. They just look more special, supposedly, so they want more money for them.



First off, thanks for responding to my question without circular logic. I appreciate the response. However, I disagree about whether or not this is taking advantage of the fan base. They are offering new options on this model. The flamed maple "shield" is an option. The gold inlays and gold hardware would be options. The translucent finish (which even Carvin upcharges for on most models) is an option. Would you then say that Carvin is taking advantage of the fan base by charging more for these things? What about PRS Artist Package? To me that is a far worse offender than the designation between BFR and non-BFR.


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## MaxOfMetal (Oct 16, 2014)

FantasyMetal said:


> First off, thanks for responding to my question without circular logic. I appreciate the response. However, I disagree about whether or not this is taking advantage of the fan base. They are offering new options on this model. The flamed maple "shield" is an option. The gold inlays and gold hardware would be options. The translucent finish (which even Carvin upcharges for on most models) is an option. Would you then say that Carvin is taking advantage of the fan base by charging more for these things? What about PRS Artist Package? To me that is a far worse offender than the designation between BFR and non-BFR.



I guess we'll have to see what the options and pricing come out on this one, but I was referring to the JP BFR models specifically. 

Charging a $1000 premium for a thin veneer isn't the same as Carvin charging for a full, "AAAA grade" top. Though, you can't really compare stuff like Carvin and PRS to what EBMM is doing. When you select options with Carvin you're building a guitar from the ground up that will be limited and unique to you, and with PRS the Artist Package has a whole host of options to choose from and adds even more to the uniqueness of the options chosen. 

Though, pricing aside, what really rubs me the wrong way about the BFR stuff is the bait and switch. Like I said, when the BFR models were first released they were being sold on the auspice that they were be limited and have premium features not found on the regular models. That didn't last long, maybe about a year, before it stopped being limited and they offered more options on the regular models, yet the prices for the BFR branded ones didn't go anywhere. A good example are the JPs with Rosewood necks pre and post BFR branding. 

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree, which is totally fine.


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## FantasyMetal (Oct 16, 2014)

MaxOfMetal said:


> I guess we'll have to see what the options and pricing come out on this one, but I was referring to the JP BFR models specifically.
> 
> Charging a $1000 premium for a thin veneer isn't the same as Carvin charging for a full, "AAAA grade" top. Though, you can't really compare stuff like Carvin and PRS to what EBMM is doing. When you select options with Carvin you're building a guitar from the ground up that will be limited and unique to you, and with PRS the Artist Package has a whole host of options to choose from and adds even more to the uniqueness of the options chosen.
> 
> ...



Fair enough. I think the original intent with BFR was that they would be limited, because EBMM didn't expect them to be so successful, but obviously once the cash started rolling in it was hard to say no to making more. I agree that they are probably overpriced for what you get, but I still think compared to guitars at similar price points (Jackson USA Soloists, Rhoads, etc., Ibanez JEM7V, JS2400, PRS Custom 24) you are getting a better bargain with EBMM. I know that my $1500 Steve Morse with rosewood neck is a way better sounding and playing instrument than my $3500 PRS Custom 24 Limited with Rosewood Neck. But one thing that we can all agree on as guitar players is that we are paying WAY too much these days to get a good quality instrument.


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## MaxOfMetal (Oct 16, 2014)

FantasyMetal said:


> Fair enough. I think the original intent with BFR was that they would be limited, because EBMM didn't expect them to be so successful, but obviously once the cash started rolling in it was hard to say no to making more. I agree that they are probably overpriced for what you get, but I still think compared to guitars at similar price points (Jackson USA Soloists, Rhoads, etc., Ibanez JEM7V, JS2400, PRS Custom 24) you are getting a better bargain with EBMM. I know that my $1500 Steve Morse with rosewood neck is a way better sounding and playing instrument than my $3500 PRS Custom 24 Limited with Rosewood Neck. But one thing that we can all agree on as guitar players is that we are paying WAY too much these days to get a good quality instrument.



Yeah, the cash grab you mention is what I was referring to. They never officially retracted any of the stuff about the BFRs being limited, they just kinda kept making more and more and eventually watered it down to need to use different branding to show that something is more upscale, like "Artisan". 

I'm not saying they're overpriced compared to other makes, I'm saying they're overpriced compared to EBMM's own lineup. Though, to clarify further, they are worth every penny if what you want is a great instrument, even at the inflated BFR pricing, but it is just that, incredibly inflated. That's where I take issue. If there was a quality or availability latter it would be justified. 

Honestly, looking at what I can get today compared to even ten years ago is amazing. Some stuff has gone up, but a lot has gone down. Quality control overseas is so much better than it once was. Adjusting everything for inflation and we're paying close to half what we once played for gig-ready gear. I love the future!


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## decreebass (Oct 16, 2014)

FWIW, before I knew (or cared) about anything BFR, I had already ended up with two of them accidentally haha - so they can't be THAT prestigious and exclusive


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## SeditiousDissent (Oct 16, 2014)

It looks pretty good, but I'm still not a fan of the Majesty's aesthetics. Is it bad that the first thing I thought of when I saw that pic of the flamed maple shovel was this?







Oh well, the Majesty isn't terrible, but keep in mind, they could've done MUCH MUCH worse.


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## Alberto7 (Oct 16, 2014)

Eh... I like the regular Majesty a lot better. I got used to the shovel, I suppose. That piece of flamed maple in the middle looks very tacky to me. They might as well finish that part in fuchsia sparkle. At least the regular Majesty has some cool color contrasts between the body colors and the black faux-carbon shovel, and a cool shovel-burst on the black model. Maybe if they did a thick burst on this one so that I wouldn't be able to see that horrid sharp line contrasting the horizontal flame with the vertical grain of the rest of the body I'd be a lot happier.

Like Seditious said, though, it is still no Armada, so props to EBMM for that I guess.


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## katsumura78 (Oct 16, 2014)

I want to see what other colors they're gonna do. I'm really interested in this "artisan" series I just hope it doesn't cost significantly more.


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## Black Mamba (Oct 19, 2014)

Here's John with a copper Majesty:


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## Alberto7 (Oct 19, 2014)

You see, THAT I dig. A lot. I still find that 1st fret inlay pretty tacky though.


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## edsped (Oct 19, 2014)

Much better than the hideous carbon fiber shovel, but I'm not a big fan of all the gold/honey colored stylings. And it still looks kinda tacky having the center of the body with a completely different look than the rest of it. But it this goes for less than $3k I would actually consider getting one, which is more than I can say for the normal Majesty.


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## Black Mamba (Oct 20, 2014)

The Majesty pictured above is part of the "Precious Metal" Majesty Series:

Copper:







Silver:






Gold:


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## JLocrian (Oct 20, 2014)




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## Black Mamba (Nov 7, 2014)

John playing an Artisan:


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## Opion (Nov 7, 2014)

Wow, JP must really be a hulk of a man because he makes that guitar look tiny


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## Cloudy (Nov 7, 2014)

Sick affliction T shirt.

On a related note, I actually quite like the flamed maple block, this is a big step up from that weird carbon fibre maple thing. 

Also yeah...petruccis arms look huge with that guitar lol.


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## alchemyst (Nov 7, 2014)

...dat copper... Never would`ve thought I`d like a majesty someday


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## edsped (Nov 7, 2014)

Black Mamba said:


> John playing an Artisan:


This looks so much better than the normal Majesty that it's unreal. Now I'm legitimately interested in one.


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## iamnoah262 (Nov 7, 2014)

This has probably got to be the most reasonable I've seen a thread stay for three pages. Normally by now people would be calling each other names and getting banned. Good work team!

I like the artisan but I think it is somewhat contradictory to the original design of the guitar. Its supposed to have a racecar feel that the standard finishes give it and I'm not sure I like the natural woods. Feels like a step back from being what Petrucci wanted and more what will make people buy more guitars. Maybe that's just me, we would need Mr. P to speak on it.


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## Ari_VD (Jan 29, 2015)

1st of all, i'm sorry if my thread is a "repost"..

2 days ago I watched a video on Youtube about JP Majesty 2015 at NAMM..
the guy at EBMM booth showed a JP Majesty that *IMHO* very georgeus.. then I switched to m-m.com to see..

I Found this :





Majesty Artisan Series.. come with 6 n 7 strings..
neckthru configuration, honduran mahogany neck, african mahogany body..
gold hardware, the rest specifications are the same with the 2014 Majesty..

i do like the colors.. i meant the shield isn't black 
$2,4K for 6, $2,8/2,9K for 7


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## chassless (Jan 29, 2015)

well, now that i see it without the shield, i think it looks far better now.


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## narad (Jan 29, 2015)

Same - I don't think I can bring myself to buy one, but it's at least a little bit of a dilemma now.


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## Ari_VD (Jan 29, 2015)

narad said:


> Same - I don't think I can bring myself to buy one, but it's at least a little bit of a dilemma now.



go get it dude


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## HighGain510 (Jan 29, 2015)

Ari_VD said:


> 1st of all, i'm sorry if my thread is a "repost"..



It is a "repost", thread was started back in October FWIW.

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/standard-guitars/281500-ebmm-artisan-series-majesty.html


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## technomancer (Jan 29, 2015)

Merged


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## ghostred7 (Jan 29, 2015)

I hated the 1st gens, but I'm digging that blue/dark teal/whatever Artisan w/out that carbon fiber/weird top plate thing of a different color


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## Fear (Jan 29, 2015)

The shape is so terrible, but nice appointments. I would rather see this treatment on the original JP6/7.


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## morbidus (Feb 9, 2015)

I know a lot of people hate on the shield and some the overall shape but I love this style with flamed or carbon fiber. I think it looks a lot better than the standard EB JP model. It just has something sleek and cool about it like it commands you to shred constantly!


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## Laimon (Mar 25, 2015)

feraledge said:


> Kudos EBMM.



Indeed, good job at hiding the shovel. Now, when are they ACTUALLY getting rid of that monstrosity and putting some nice maple top on these guitars? Then I'd be really sold.


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## MaxOfMetal (Mar 25, 2015)

I was finally able to track one of these down to try, and talk about underwhelming. The quality was there, and it felt great on a strap, but I still think the original JP is the more comfortable instrument to play.


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## yingmin (Mar 25, 2015)

Totally disagree, having owned a JP and played several more.


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## MaxOfMetal (Mar 25, 2015)

yingmin said:


> Totally disagree, having owned a JP and played several more.



All in my opinion of course.  

I really wanted to dig it as those new solid colors were growing on me. I will say, one of the things that I thought was going to be off putting, the goofy bridge plate, felt just fine under my hand. 

I'm not saying it's a bad guitar, because it's not. I guess I just went into it expecting more.


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## Laimon (Mar 25, 2015)

MaxOfMetal said:


> I was finally able to track one of these down to try, and talk about underwhelming. The quality was there, and it felt great on a strap, but I still think the original JP is the more comfortable instrument to play.



Elaborate. How's this less playable? They claim it's all about playability and access. 
Personally, I never played one. On the paper, I think I could like the better higher frets access, I like the shape even better than the BFRs actually, but I think I prefer BFRs for neck radius, not to mention the amazing tops and in general more congenial wood combinations for me (alder + mahogany + maple = FTW)


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## MaxOfMetal (Mar 25, 2015)

Laimon said:


> Elaborate. How's this less playable? They claim it's all about playability and access.
> Personally, I never played one. On the paper, I think I could like the better higher frets access, I like the shape even better than the BFRs actually, but I think I prefer BFRs for neck radius, not to mention the amazing tops and in general more congenial wood combinations for me (alder + mahogany + maple = FTW)



I wouldn't say it's significantly less playable, I'm just saying it's not at all better than a regular JP. 

The way I look at it, the Majesty is almost twice the price of a JP (unloaded), and I can't say it was twice the guitar from an ergonomic standpoint. 

The Majesty had great fret access, but I've never had an issue with my JPs. The switching and electronics felt identical. The bridge functioned identically. If anything the unique carve of the JP, which I love, made it feel a bit better in comparison. 

I can't really comment on sound, as I was playing it through a 5150 on rather low volume.


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## Laimon (Mar 25, 2015)

MaxOfMetal said:


> I wouldn't say it's less playable, I'm just saying it's no better than a regular JP.
> 
> The way I look at it, the Majesty is almost twice the price of a JP (unloaded), and I can't say it was twice the guitar from an ergonomic standpoint.
> 
> ...



Someday I'll also like to understand what they mean by "fully loaded", does it come with bullets? 
Anyway, I see your points. And I agree, these are nice features, but I would always go for a bodywood that suits my tastes better (alder, e.g.) rather than having those.


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## MaxOfMetal (Mar 25, 2015)

Laimon said:


> Someday I'll also like to understand what they mean by "fully loaded", does it come with bullets?
> Anyway, I see your points. And I agree, these are nice features, but I would always go for a bodywood that suits my tastes better (alder, e.g.) rather than having those.



It refers to the number of options added to the base JP. 

Unloaded:
-dot inlays
-natural headstock
-no piezo

When you add those things you get a "loaded" one and if you add them all you get "fully loaded".  

The quality is the same, you're just paying more for the look and the tonal abilities of the piezo.


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## technomancer (Mar 25, 2015)

I'll still take a Horizon III over these any day of the week... and actually did


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## MaxOfMetal (Mar 25, 2015)

technomancer said:


> I'll still take a Horizon III over these any day of the week... and actually did



Visually, in a heartbeat.


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## Jason2112 (Mar 25, 2015)

F*** no. I didn't think it was possible to make it any more ugly than it already was.


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