Digging Into the MusicMan StingRay II: Cory Wong’s New Guitar

Been a minute since I last wrote—work’s been eating my time, but I’ve still been messing with my guitar at home. Anyway, something dropped in January that’s got me interested: the Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay II guitar, built with Cory Wong. I’ve been a fan of his playing since the early Vulfpeck days, and this guitar’s kind of a curveball coming from him. It’s not a Strat—his usual choice—but a six-string take on the StingRay bass design. I’ve spent some time digging into it, watching demos, and reading up, so here’s my take on what it’s all about.

How This Thing Came to Be

Cory Wong’s a name you probably know if you’re into funk or just good guitar playing. Born in ’85, he’s a guy from Minneapolis, who’s made waves with Vulfpeck and his solo stuff. He’s usually glued to his Fender Strat—got a signature model and everything—but he’s stepped out with MusicMan for this one.

The story goes he was messing around with the Joe Dart Jr. StingRay bass, liked the feel, and half-joked about turning it into a guitar with humbuckers. MusicMan took it seriously, and after some back-and-forth, they unveiled the StingRay II at NAMM 2025. What I like is how he’s upfront about it. He’s not abandoning Fender. He even said they were fine with him doing this side project. I get that. I’ve got my Strat I’ve been playing forever, but I’m always curious about new tools. This feels like Cory scratching that itch, and it’s cool to see Music Man roll with his idea.

The Build: What It’s Made Of

So, what’s this guitar actually like? It’s got an alder body, double-cut, with that big oval StingRay pickguard you’d recognize from the bass. It’s shaped to sit comfortably—contoured edges, not too heavy. I haven’t held one yet, but it looks like something I could play for hours without my shoulder complaining. The neck’s roasted maple, finished with oil and wax, and it’s a C-shape. Cory’s said it’s the smoothest neck he’s played, which is a big claim. Rosewood fretboard on the standard model, roasted maple on the Deluxe version, 22 stainless steel frets either way.The headstock’s bigger than usual for MusicMan, with a 4x2 tuner setup and gold hardware. And there’s a custom neck plate with Cory’s name on it, as you'd expect from a signature guitar.

Pickups are two humbuckers—called Cory Wong HTs, wound special for him. You’ve got a 5-way switch, volume, and tone knobs. Nothing crazy complicated. Finishes are Charcoal Blue or Cashmere for the standard (Cashmere’s like a beige color), and Pine Green or Polaris White for the Deluxe. That white one’s a Vault exclusive, only 30 made, so it’s probably already gone. Price is $2,999 for the standard, $3,299 for the Deluxe. Not cheap. Still, Music Man stuff holds value, and this isn’t some mass-produced thing.

What It Looks Like

The StingRay II’s got a vibe. That pickguard and rounded body are straight out of the StingRay bass playbook, but it’s clearly a guitar—double-cut, bigger headstock. It’s not subtle, especially with the gold hardware. I’m usually not big on flashy looks but this pulls it off without feeling overdone. The body’s practical too, cut so you can reach the high frets easy. I’d probably go for the Charcoal Blue if I was picking.

How It Sounds

The pickups are where it gets interesting. These HT humbuckers are custom for Cory, built for clean tones with some punch. If you’ve heard his playing—tight, funky rhythms, clear chords—that’s what they’re going for. I’ve watched a few demos online (Music Man’s got a good one up, link down below), and the cleans sound sharp, articulate. Like, you could play “Dean Town” riffs and not lose any notes. Push them with some gain, and they thicken up—rock territory, not metal, but enough to dig into. The 5-way switch gives you options: bridge, bridge+neck, neck, and two coil-split spots that thin it out like single-coils. It’s not as bright as a Strat’s single-coil bridge pickup, but it’s versatile. I’d plug this into my AC15, maybe run it through a clean amp sim with some delay, see how it sits in a mix.

Compared to the Strat he usually plays, this is beefier, less jangly. Makes sense—he wanted something different.

What I Think About It

That neck’s the thing I keep hearing about. Roasted maple, hand-finished, stainless frets—it’s built for speed. I like a neck that doesn’t fight me, and this sounds like it’d be smooth to move around on. The C-shape’s standard, fits my hand fine, and 22 frets means I could stretch out on leads or funk stuff without running out of room. I play a lot sitting down, recording into Logic, and this seems like it’d hold up for long takes. Fretboard radius is 10”. That’s a little on the flatter side for me which I don't like much. Cory’s a rhythm guy first, so I bet it’s dialed in for that choppy funk style he does.

Who’d Want This?

We all want all the gear on Earth but this guitar’s probably more suited to people who likes Cory's sound but wants something beefier than a strat. With these humbuckers, you could play rock or even some jazzier stuff. It’s not a beginner thing—three grand’s a lot, more than I’d drop without thinking hard. I’d see it for gigging players who need a solid guitar with humbuckers in their arsenal (like Cory Wong) or studio people like me who want something reliable to track with. It won't replace my Strat, but it's not intended to. That’s how Cory’s pitching it too—a second option, not the only one.

Here’s where I land: the StingRay II looks solid. It’s got a clear identity—takes the StingRay bass shape, mixes in Cory’s style, and comes out with a guitar that’s got character. The tone’s got range, the neck sounds like a winner, and it’s built to last. Downsides? Price is steep, and if you only love single-coils, it might not click. Me, I’m tempted. Haven’t played one—hoping to try it at a shop soon—but on paper, it’s a 10/10. If I had the cash lying around, I’d be halfway to the checkout.Anyone else looking at this? Played it yet? Let me know what you think—I’m curious if it lives up to the buzz.

Later,
Burak