Music Man Dustin Kensrue Artist Collection StingRay | Evaluate

MSRP: (UK) £3,299 / (US) $2,999

Nick Jennison opinions the Dustin Kensrue Artist Collection StingRay—a stripped-back but revolutionary guitar from the oldsters at Ernie Ball Music Man, designed in collaboration with Thrice frontman Dustin Kensrue. With a light-weight okoume physique, roasted maple neck, and 22 stainless-steel frets, it presents clean playability and rock-solid tone. A customized humbucker/single-coil combo runs via a intelligent stereo push-button change for expanded routing choices. Accessible in Darkish Satin Tobacco, TV Blonde, and the new-for-2025 Daiquiri Ice. Fancy!



The brand new Dustin Kensrue Signature StingRay from Ernie Ball Music Man is an ideal instance of how an artist mannequin can strike a stability between classic aesthetics and fashionable performance. Constructed-in collaboration with the Thrice frontman, this guitar builds on the StingRay platform and provides a bunch of good, player-focused updates that make it greater than only a fairly face.

Let’s begin with the seems—as a result of let’s be trustworthy, it is exhausting to not. The end is known as Daiquiri Ice, and it is beautiful. Suppose someplace between surf inexperienced and Daphne blue, with simply sufficient sparkle to catch the sunshine with out going excessive. Paired with a mint pickguard, it nails that basic ’50s California vibe whereas nonetheless feeling recent and distinctive.

On the headstock, you will discover Music Man’s acquainted 4+2 tuner structure, designed for straight string pull and rock-solid tuning. Flip it over and you may see a set of Schaller locking tuners, which make restringing quick and fuss-free. The neck options an ultra-thin satin polyurethane end—a departure from Music Man’s typical oil-and-wax therapy, but it surely nonetheless feels clean and cozy within the hand.

The profile is just a little chunkier than you would possibly anticipate from Music Man, providing a bit extra grip with out ever feeling cumbersome. Whether or not you are digging in exhausting or enjoying one thing extra delicate, it is a neck that accommodates each. The rosewood fretboard has 22 medium frets and huge black dot inlays, persevering with the understated classic really feel.

Plug it in, and the customized HS pickup configuration reveals its flexibility. Designed particularly for this mannequin, the pickups are voiced to cowl quite a lot of floor. The management setup features a three-way selector change and a stacked concentric quantity and tone knob. However the standout characteristic right here is the bypass button, which sends the bridge humbucker straight to the output, bypassing the quantity and tone controls totally. It is not a lift within the conventional sense, but it surely does give the sound a bit extra brightness and chew—best for slicing via in a reside combine or bringing out the pure aggression of the pickup.

After which there’s the stereo routing choice. With a TRS cable and the bypass engaged, the guitar can ship the neck and bridge pickups to separate outputs. That opens up a ton of artistic prospects—operating every pickup into its personal amp, splitting them into completely different pedal chains, or utilizing one thing like an octave pedal on the neck pickup to create a pretend bassline beneath your essential guitar sound. It is a characteristic which will fly beneath the radar at first however has enormous potential in the best rig.

Across the again, the okoume physique retains the guitar light-weight and well-balanced. The Music Man two-point tremolo comes arrange for dive-only motion out of the field, however you may float it simply if that is extra your factor. There’s additionally a recessed backplate for straightforward trem changes and a battery compartment neatly built-in into the design.

Tonally, the guitar is simply as versatile because the specs counsel. Clear tones are crisp and clear, whereas the bridge humbucker delivers tight, centered drive with sufficient punch for heavier genres. The 22μF tone cap presents a refined, clean roll-off—good when you wish to fine-tune your highs with out dulling the sign an excessive amount of.

All in all, the Dustin Kensrue Signature StingRay is a severely well-thought-out guitar. It seems nice, performs effortlessly, and presents a stage of tonal management and adaptability that goes method past what you’d anticipate from most artist fashions. Whether or not you are a Thrice fan or simply somebody in search of a rock-solid offset with studio-ready smarts, this guitar hits the mark.

The brand new Dustin Kensrue Signature StingRay from Ernie Ball Music Man is an ideal instance of how an artist mannequin can strike a stability between classic aesthetics and fashionable performance. Constructed-in collaboration with the Thrice frontman, this guitar builds on the StingRay platform and provides a bunch of good, player-focused updates that make it greater than only a fairly face.

Let’s begin with the seems—as a result of let’s be trustworthy, it is exhausting to not. The end is known as Daiquiri Ice, and it is beautiful. Suppose someplace between surf inexperienced and Daphne blue, with simply sufficient sparkle to catch the sunshine with out going excessive. Paired with a mint pickguard, it nails that basic ’50s California vibe whereas nonetheless feeling recent and distinctive.

On the headstock, you will discover Music Man’s acquainted 4+2 tuner structure, designed for straight string pull and rock-solid tuning. Flip it over and you may see a set of Schaller locking tuners, which make restringing quick and fuss-free. The neck options an ultra-thin satin polyurethane end—a departure from Music Man’s typical oil-and-wax therapy, but it surely nonetheless feels clean and cozy within the hand.

The profile is just a little chunkier than you would possibly anticipate from Music Man, providing a bit extra grip with out ever feeling cumbersome. Whether or not you are digging in exhausting or enjoying one thing extra delicate, it is a neck that accommodates each. The rosewood fretboard has 22 medium frets and huge black dot inlays, persevering with the understated classic really feel.

Plug it in, and the customized HS pickup configuration reveals its flexibility. Designed particularly for this mannequin, the pickups are voiced to cowl quite a lot of floor. The management setup features a three-way selector change and a stacked concentric quantity and tone knob. However the standout characteristic right here is the bypass button, which sends the bridge humbucker straight to the output, bypassing the quantity and tone controls totally. It is not a lift within the conventional sense, but it surely does give the sound a bit extra brightness and chew—best for slicing via in a reside combine or bringing out the pure aggression of the pickup.

After which there’s the stereo routing choice. With a TRS cable and the bypass engaged, the guitar can ship the neck and bridge pickups to separate outputs. That opens up a ton of artistic prospects—operating every pickup into its personal amp, splitting them into completely different pedal chains, or utilizing one thing like an octave pedal on the neck pickup to create a pretend bassline beneath your essential guitar sound. It is a characteristic which will fly beneath the radar at first however has enormous potential in the best rig.

Across the again, the okoume physique retains the guitar light-weight and well-balanced. The Music Man two-point tremolo comes arrange for dive-only motion out of the field, however you may float it simply if that is extra your factor. There’s additionally a recessed backplate for straightforward trem changes and a battery compartment neatly built-in into the design.

Tonally, the guitar is simply as versatile because the specs counsel. Clear tones are crisp and clear, whereas the bridge humbucker delivers tight, centered drive with sufficient punch for heavier genres. The 22μF tone cap presents a refined, clean roll-off—good when you wish to fine-tune your highs with out dulling the sign an excessive amount of.

All in all, the Dustin Kensrue Signature StingRay is a severely well-thought-out guitar. It seems nice, performs effortlessly, and presents a stage of tonal management and adaptability that goes method past what you’d anticipate from most artist fashions. Whether or not you are a Thrice fan or simply somebody in search of a rock-solid offset with studio-ready smarts, this guitar hits the mark.

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