I
ntroduced in 2014 – in addition to the
long-running and much vaunted JP
series – the Majesty entered its fifth
year of production with tweaked range
for 2019, including new DiMarzio signature
pickups and new finishes. Conceived out of
Dream Theater mainman John Petrucci’s
desire to include a neck-through guitar in
his arsenal, rather than tweak the tried,
tested and successful formula of the long-
standing JP signature, a completely new
design emerged – one that was ergonomic,
balanced, and sonically versatile.
Though not yet quite as ubiquitous on
the prog-metal scene as the JP series, the
Majesty seems to be in John’s hands morethan ever, and apparently what we’ll refer
to as the ‘Tiger Eye’ model reviewed here
was used extensively on the new Dream
Theater album, Distance Over Time.
The Tiger Eye is the flagship of the 2019
Majesty range. Limited to a run of just 300
and available in both six- and seven-string
versions, it’s the only Majesty in the range
to feature a maple top, flamed maple neck
and an alder body. The other Majestys have
either a mahogany or basswood body and
are priced at around two thirds of the cost
of the review model.
Over time, the Majesty’s ongoing
development has yielded much
improvement to its appearance. Whenfirst introduced, its finish was designed to
exude a race-car vibe – appropriate for the
high-octane speed-picking pioneer it was
designed for – with two-tone colouring
and a maple ‘shield’ intended to mimic a
sheet of carbon fibre. However, with its
stark ergonomics, extended and protruding
upper horn, the finishes accentuated
unusual aspects of the design and perhaps
diminished its potential to appeal to a more
conservative audience. The 2019 models
have dropped the two-tone colours in
favour of new, more conventional finishes.
The figured maple on the body and
headstock here imports a genuine elegance.
Flip the guitar over and the theme
continues with a three-piece neck with
mahogany sides and a strip of matching
flamed maple through the middle. Again,
it’s elegant and eye-catching and the gloss
black sides give the impression of a sunburst
finish, mirroring the body. The through-
neck is seamless and the recessed neck heel
has been designed to offer unencumbered
access to all 24 frets.ERNIE BALL MUSIC MAN
JOHN PETRUCCI MAJESTY
WORDS DARRAN CHARLESMusic Man’s Majesty model has always been built for speed, but 2019’s
limited-edition Tiger Eye model offers progressive metal players a ride
with unprecedented luxury. Time to rev up this magnificent seven...REVIEWS102