Sterling by Music Man Affordable Kaizen 6 & 7 Strings
Available in Firemist Purple Satin and Stealth Black
3,8 / 5,0 | 
Sterling by Music Man has partnered with acclaimed guitarist Tosin Abasi of the band Animals as Leaders to release the new Kaizen guitar, a standard-scale version of the multi-scale Ernie Ball Music Man model.
Affordable Kaizen
Starting at just $849.99, the Sterling by Music Man Kaizen brings Abasi’s forward-thinking design to a wider range of players. We saw the EBMM Kaizen Black Limba limited run models earlier this year, and now, there is this new affordable version of these standout models.
Developed in collaboration with Abasi, the Kaizen translates his vision of speed, comfort, and innovation into a more traditional playing experience with a fixed scale length.
“I want the guitar to play fast, I want it to wear close to the body, and I want it to communicate a degree of aggression and forward-thinking—and I think the Kaizen really embodies that.” “There’s a foundational shape to the Kaizen that’s really bold and impactful, but it doesn’t depart too far from what a guitar should look like. I like when the form is informed by the function.” – Tosin Abasi
Key Differences
This new affordable guitar maintains key features from the original Ernie Ball Music Man model, including a lightweight contoured body and a 5-bolt roasted maple neck design. This version uses nyatoh rather than alder for the body, and also swaps the original ebony of the Ernie Ball models for rosewood fretboards instead.
This overall modern design ensures exceptional comfort and smooth playability across all 24 frets on these necks. They are not the same multi-scale necks as the original models from Ernie Ball Music Man, so I guess they will be far cheaper to produce.
The Kaizen is equipped with dual uncovered ceramic humbuckers, delivering a raw, powerful tone with an aggressive midrange that cuts through dense mixes. They are controlled by a Volume, Tone, and a 3-way toggle pickup selector.
A floating tremolo system allows for expressive pitch control, while the Steinberger Gearless Tuners ensure rock-solid stability and effortless tuning accuracy.
Two Models
Available in 6-string and 7-string configurations, the guitar comes in two bold matte finishes: Firemist Purple Satin and Stealth Black, each with a colour-matched headstock for a striking modern aesthetic.
Pricing
These two new models are both listed officially at sub $1000, which is pretty good for such a unique design. The 6-string is listed for $849/£999, and the 7-string version is listed for $899/£1099.
They are certainly more affordable than the standard 7-string Kaizen model available at Thomann. We’ll update you as soon as they are available at Thomann, as the price point is excellent!
More Information
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One response to “Sterling by Music Man Affordable Kaizen 6 & 7 Strings”
I’ve been interested in trying one of these guitars, but not $4000 worth of interest.
But $900? Yeah, I’ll pay that to check out the 7-string.