St. Charles County guitarist Ryan Kuehner says the Majesty Premium Select Collection may be one of the finest modern guitar releases currently available for progressive metal players, studio musicians, and serious collectors.
“These guitars feel incredibly refined,” Kuehner explains. “The Majesty was already one of the best modern performance guitars on the market, but the Premium Select Collection pushes the craftsmanship, aesthetics, and overall feel even further.”
For players searching for elite-level playability, advanced electronics, premium finishes, and modern progressive metal tone, the Majesty Premium Select Collection delivers on nearly every level.
Ryan Kuehner Discusses the Legacy of the John Petrucci Majesty
Before examining the Premium Select Collection specifically, it’s important to understand why the Majesty became so influential among modern guitar players.
John Petrucci has long been considered one of the most technically respected guitarists in modern rock and progressive metal. As the longtime guitarist for Dream Theater, Petrucci helped redefine technical guitar playing through his precision, speed, rhythm complexity, melodic phrasing, and highly articulate tone.
His earlier signature models were already extremely popular, but the Majesty represented a complete redesign focused entirely on performance.
Ryan Kuehner says the Majesty immediately separated itself from traditional metal guitars.
“When the Majesty first appeared, it looked futuristic,” Kuehner says. “It wasn’t just another superstrat-style guitar. Everything about it was built around modern performance and ergonomics.”
The sculpted body, neck-through construction, advanced switching systems, piezo electronics, and sleek contours helped establish the Majesty as one of the most advanced signature guitars available.
What Makes the Majesty Premium Select Collection Different?
According to Ryan Kuehner, the Premium Select Collection takes everything players already loved about the Majesty and elevates it into even more premium territory.
“These models feel almost like custom shop instruments,” Kuehner explains. “The woods, finishes, craftsmanship, and detailing are all extremely high-end.”
The Majesty Premium Select Collection focuses heavily on:
- Highly figured maple tops
- Premium translucent finishes
- Elite fretwork
- Lightweight ergonomic construction
- Neck-through sustain
- Advanced electronic versatility
- Professional-level reliability
- Modern high-performance playability
The visual appearance of the guitars is one of the first things players notice.
Deep flame maple figuring combined with dramatic burst finishes gives the instruments a luxurious modern aesthetic.
Ryan Kuehner says the finishes look even better in person than they do in promotional photos.
“The figuring and depth in these finishes are incredible under lighting,” Kuehner says. “They really stand out on stage.”
Ryan Kuehner Reviews Majesty Build Quality
One of the strongest qualities of the John Petrucci Majesty Premium Select Collection is the consistency of the build quality.
Ernie Ball Music Man has built a reputation for precision manufacturing, and Ryan Kuehner says the Premium Select guitars showcase exactly why the company remains so respected among professional players.
“The craftsmanship is excellent,” Kuehner explains. “The fretwork feels flawless, the neck edges are smooth, and the guitars arrive feeling incredibly dialed in.”
The neck-through-body design creates exceptional sustain and resonance while allowing unrestricted upper fret access.
Unlike many bolt-on designs, the Majesty feels seamless from headstock to body.
“You can really feel the sustain during lead playing,” Kuehner says. “Notes just keep ringing out.”
The lightweight body also makes the instrument comfortable during extended rehearsals and live performances.
The Majesty Neck Is Built for Speed
Ryan Kuehner says one of the biggest strengths of the Majesty Premium Select Collection is the neck profile.
“This is one of the fastest guitar necks I’ve ever played,” Kuehner says. “Everything feels smooth and effortless.”
The slim profile allows fast technical playing without sacrificing stability or comfort.
Legato passages, alternate picking, tapping runs, and sweep picking all feel fluid across the fretboard.
The ebony fingerboard adds articulation and snap while the stainless steel frets provide long-term durability and smooth bends.
“For progressive metal and technical playing styles, this neck is amazing,” Kuehner explains.
The Majesty’s upper fret access is another standout feature.
Because of the sculpted heel and body contours, even the highest frets remain extremely accessible.
Ryan Kuehner Reviews the Majesty Tone and Pickups
The John Petrucci Majesty Premium Select Collection is designed for far more than aggressive metal tones.
The custom DiMarzio pickups provide excellent clarity while maintaining enough output for modern progressive metal rhythm playing.
Ryan Kuehner says the pickups remain articulate even with high-gain amplification.
“A lot of high-output pickups lose note definition under heavy distortion,” Kuehner says. “These stay very clear and focused.”
The guitar handles:
- Progressive metal
- Hard rock
- Fusion
- Instrumental music
- Studio session work
- Ambient clean tones
- Modern lead guitar playing
Clean tones remain especially impressive.
Split-coil settings and onboard switching systems create glassy cleans and atmospheric textures that work extremely well in progressive music environments.
The Piezo System Adds Serious Flexibility
One of the Majesty platform’s signature features is its onboard piezo bridge system.
Ryan Kuehner says the piezo electronics dramatically increase the guitar’s versatility.
“For live players especially, the piezo system is huge,” Kuehner explains. “You can move from acoustic-style clean passages straight into heavy distorted sections instantly.”
The piezo tones work especially well for:
- Progressive rock
- Ambient intros
- Clean interludes
- Live performance transitions
- Recording layered textures
Instead of constantly switching instruments during performances, players can cover multiple tonal environments using a single guitar.
That practicality remains one of the reasons so many touring musicians appreciate the Majesty platform.
Ryan Kuehner on Majesty Ergonomics and Comfort
The Majesty body design may appear futuristic, but every contour serves a functional purpose.
Ryan Kuehner says comfort becomes immediately noticeable once players actually sit down with the guitar.
“A lot of people think the Majesty looks extreme until they actually play one,” Kuehner says. “Then they realize how ergonomic it really is.”
The body remains lightweight and balanced whether seated or standing.
Long practice sessions and live performances feel far less fatiguing than with heavier traditional designs.
The arm contours, rib contours, and body shaping all contribute to a very natural playing experience.
“It almost feels like the guitar disappears while you’re playing,” Kuehner explains.
The Majesty Premium Select Collection Shines in the Studio
According to Ryan Kuehner, the Majesty performs exceptionally well in recording environments.
“These guitars record beautifully,” Kuehner says. “Everything sounds very clean, articulate, and balanced.”
The note separation helps complex chords remain defined even under high gain.
Lead tones sustain smoothly while rhythm tracks stay tight and focused.
For progressive metal and technical music styles where articulation matters heavily, the Majesty excels.
Studio engineers often appreciate guitars that require minimal corrective EQ or excessive post-processing, and Kuehner says the Majesty naturally fits well into mixes.
Ryan Kuehner Says the Majesty Has Incredible Stage Presence
Visually, the Premium Select Collection stands among the most striking modern guitar lines available today.
The flame maple tops and deep translucent finishes create enormous visual impact under stage lighting.
“These guitars definitely grab attention,” Kuehner says. “They look futuristic but still classy.”
Unlike some older metal guitars that relied on exaggerated shapes or gimmicks, the Majesty feels refined and modern.
The balance between elegance and aggression helps explain the guitar’s broad appeal among professional musicians.
Is the Majesty Premium Select Collection Worth the Price?
The Majesty Premium Select Collection sits firmly within the premium guitar market.
These are not entry-level instruments.
However, Ryan Kuehner says the quality level clearly justifies the price point for serious players.
“When you actually play one, you immediately understand where the money went,” Kuehner explains. “The craftsmanship, comfort, electronics, and overall performance are all elite-level.”
The guitars compete directly with boutique custom instruments while offering the manufacturing consistency of a major company like Ernie Ball Music Man.
For collectors, studio players, and professional touring musicians, the Majesty Premium Select Collection represents a major investment in modern guitar craftsmanship.
Final Thoughts From St. Charles County Guitarist Ryan Kuehner
St. Charles County guitarist Ryan Kuehner says the John Petrucci Majesty Premium Select Collection represents one of the most advanced modern guitar platforms currently available.
Combining futuristic aesthetics, premium craftsmanship, elite playability, versatile electronics, and exceptional tonal clarity, the collection continues pushing the Majesty lineup into even more refined territory.
“These guitars are built for serious musicians,” Kuehner says. “They’re incredibly comfortable, extremely versatile, visually stunning, and engineered at a very high level.”
For progressive metal players, technical guitarists, fusion musicians, and studio professionals, the Majesty Premium Select Collection delivers nearly everything expected from a world-class performance instrument.
As modern guitar design continues evolving, Ryan Kuehner believes the Majesty remains one of the clearest examples of where high-performance electric guitars are heading next.
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