Factory Tour: Ernie Ball Music Man

Led by Ernie Ball Music Man's Tomas von Engel, PG goes inside the SLO-based factory to see how this talented crew turns piles of wood into impeccable instruments.

The tour starts in the wood shop where Tomas explains EBMM process of grading and sorting tonewoods for opaque or translucent. He then discusses the struggles sourcing wood during the pandemic and how the company has been able to keep up with demand. After that we get introduced to Ernie Ball's first major machine "Big Bird" that takes the glued blanks and trims them down into bodies.

Following that scene we check out some of their beautiful quilted maple and buckeye burl tops. From there we check out how a neck-through Petrucci Majesty is cut into shape in less than 45 minutes. The next stop puts us into the neck carving location and fretboard area were frets are inserted and the radius is shaved down.

The final stops of the process breeze us through sanding, painting, buffing, setup, and final assembly. In under 20 minutes you'll witness the dedication, skill, and machines that make these impressive instruments.