Ernie Ball unveils August’s Ball Family Reserve guitars

Ernie Ball has announced the August Ball Family Reserve models: a Cutlass SSS, a Bongo 6HH and an Albert Lee HH. As always, they’re available in extremely limited quantities.

Cutlass SSS

This iteration packs in everything great about the classic Cutlass, with several premium aesthetic touches. The guitar’s alder body features a gorgeous off-white colorway, referred to by the brand as a custom “Cornsilk” finish, with a polyester clear coat. Furthermore, a matching headstock, hand-fitted white neck binding, and mother-of-pearl block inlays on the rosewood fretboard give this Cutlass SSS the look befitting of its handsome price tag.

Elsewhere, the classic SSS configuration with master “Volume” and “Tone” and five-way pickup selector remain.

Limited to 31 pieces. Lists for $2,799.

Bongo 6HH

This is a bass designed to turn heads—its six strings and two beefy, neodymium humbuckers notwithstanding. Its highlights include a basswood body, a custom metallic green finish (aptly dubbed “Grabber”), a beautiful, satin-finished figured roasted maple neck, and hand-fitted white neck binding.

There’s brawn beneath the beauty, too, thanks to an active four-band preamp and a knob to manage the mix between the neck and bridge pickup.

Limited to 72 pieces. Retails for $3,349.

Albert Lee HH

The Albert Lee HH is already an upgraded variant of the original, but this one takes things to a new level. The lightweight mahogany body remains, but now features a sparkling Orange Crush finish that adds to the axe’s retro vibe. Like with the Cutlass SSS, mother-of-pearl block inlays and hand-fitted white binding are the premium appointments on its ebony fingerboard.

Two custom, medium-output DiMarzio humbuckers provide a range of tones, from thick and fat to warm and chiming. Master “Volume” and “Tone” knobs, and a five-way pup selector make up the guitar’s only controls.

Limited to 75 pieces. Retails for $3,199.

More information at music-man.com.