Sterling today announced the StingRay II, developed in collaboration with acclaimed guitarist Cory Wong, best known for his work with Vulfpeck and Fearless Flyers, as well as his extensive career as a solo artist, producer, and collaborator. This highly anticipated model marks the debut of the StingRay II in the Sterling lineup, bringing the guitar design to a more accessible price point.
Inspired by the iconic StingRay bass, the StingRay II guitar carries forward the distinctive design elements that made the bass so beloved, including its signature ergonomic body, oval-shaped pickguard, and oversized headstock, while reimagining the design specifically for guitarists.
Featuring a double-contoured alder body and roasted maple neck, the StingRay II is designed for comfortable playability and unrestricted access to the upper frets. Dual humbuckers voiced for versatility deliver a full low end and punchy highs, offering a dynamic range of tones suited to a wide variety of playing styles. A 3-way toggle switch and dedicated volume and tone controls provide intuitive control over the guitar's sound.
A vintage-style tremolo and locking tuners, paired with the roasted maple neck, deliver an exceptionally smooth and stable playing experience. The result is a complete package built for clarity, versatility, and precision in every performance.
“I am known by a lot of people as somebody who plays a single-coil guitar. That’s a big part of my sound. But there was a lack of just a fatness in some of the things I wanted to play. So I was talking to the cats at Music Man about what kind of humbuckers they had, and they’re like, ‘Well, we’re talking about maybe doing the StingRay thing, so why don’t you just help us with the design process?’ I was telling them the things I was looking for sonically and visually, and the collaboration was born,” said Cory Wong.
“I have more to work with now. I have more colors to paint with. I really hope people are inspired to just pick this instrument up and make new music that they haven’t played before. Everything from hard rock, indie rock, alt rock to jazz and R&B.”
The StingRay II is priced at $749.99 and will be available at sterlingbymusicman.com and through dealers worldwide. For more information on Cory Wong, visit corywongmusic.com.
