Swap
Swap
Music Man Majesty 8
Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler
VS
Playability
78
Sound
77
Build
85
Value
65
Score
80
FIND IT ON:
Musician's Friend logoSweetwater logo
Playability
77
Sound
82
Build
70
Value
66
Score
76
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoMusician's Friend logo
Add to Compare
Add to Compare
Add more to comparison
Show Full Spec Comparison
Music Man Majesty 8 vs Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler Specs Comparison
Music Man Majesty 8 Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler
General
Brand: Music Man Dean
Year: 2021 2021
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 8 8
Made in: United States South Korea
Series: John Petrucci Select
Colors: Green Yellow Burst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Basswood Wings, Mahogany through neck Alder
Bridge: Music Man Custom piezo hardtail Kahler Multiscale Trem
Neck
Neck Joint: Neck-Through Bolt-On
Tuners: Schaller M6-IND locking (Chrome) Grover 18:1
Fretboard: Ebony Ebony
Neck Material: Mahogany 3 Piece Maple
Decoration: Atlante Majesty Inlays Pearloid Dot
Scale Size: 27" to 25.5" 27" to 25.5"
Shape: John Petrucci Slim D
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 17" 16"
Nut: Compensated Locking
Nut Width: 57.2mm (2.252'') 54mm (2.126'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: DiMarzio Dreamcatcher (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan Sentient (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: DiMarzio Rainmaker (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan Nazgul (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Coil Split, Multi-Voicing Coil Split
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 1 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Chrome Black
Show Diagrams Comparison
Music Man Majesty 8 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Music Man Majesty 8's switch options
Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler's switch options

Reasons to Get
Music Man Majesty 8 over Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs South Korea
Built with higher quality standards
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickup Mods
Multiple vs Coil Split
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Bolt-On
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
2.252'' (57.2mm) vs 2.126'' (54mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Fixed vs Kahler
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
17'' (431.8mm) vs 16'' (406.4mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Reasons to Get
Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler over Music Man Majesty 8

Decorative Top
Burled Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs Multiple
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Nut Width
2.126'' (54mm) vs 2.252'' (57.2mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Kahler vs Fixed
Intense vibratos and can be locked to stop floating
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm) vs 17'' (431.8mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
66 vs 65
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Music Man Majesty 8 vs Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler

Bridge Pickup
DiMarzio Dreamcatcher vs Seymour Duncan Sentient
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
DiMarzio Rainmaker vs Seymour Duncan Nazgul
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Headstock
5-3 vs 8
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Compensated vs Locking
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Music Man Majesty 8 vs Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler

Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Strings
8
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
D
Thin and flat neck for playing fast

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

Music Man Majesty 8 Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.

Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both are balanced for most hand sizes.

Music Man Majesty 8:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Music Man Majesty 8 meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler meets only 3. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

Music Man Majesty 8
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Woods Used in the Music Man Majesty 8

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Woods Used in the Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.

Winner: Music Man Majesty 8.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are HH. Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

We found the same or similar pickups to the Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler's online:

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Tie.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Both give you different pickup mod options.

The Music Man Majesty 8 offers Coil Split, Multi-Voicing.

Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.

Multi-Voicing means the pickups come with multiple ''voices'', which means they can change the tone and gain by a simple switch or knob. Piezo, Fishman and similar are considered multi-voicing pickups.

On the other hand, the Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler comes with the following: Coil Split.

Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Music Man Majesty 8
Pickups 85
Sustain 70
Versatility 71
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 77
Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 79
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 82

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Music Man Majesty 8 compares to the Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Music Man Majesty 8 is built in United States while the Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler is made in South Korea.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

South Korea was for many years the number one choice for mass-producing semi-premium guitars. They can build excellent guitars for a cheap price. Now, it's less common to find Korean guitars because Indonesia has proved capable of building guitars just as well, but likely for cheaper.

Winner: Music Man Majesty 8

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Music Man Majesty 8 has a Compensated nut. Each hole where the string sits at the nut is cut at a different distance from the bridge, which compensates for the different amount of tension that each string is subject to. This fixes most intonation issues across the fretboard, so it gives great tuning stability.

On the other hand, the Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler comes with a Locking nut. Instead of a regular nut, this guitar has a locking system that will lock down the strings at the nut, preventing it from getting out of tune. It removes one of the disadvantages of tremolo bridges, tune stability.

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

In this comparison, the Music Man Majesty 8 is the only one that has stainless steel frets. These frets will basically last for the entire life of the guitar. They will never need polishing nor replacement. And not only that, but some people also notice that bending and vibratos are much easier to perform when they upgrade to stainless steel.

Winner: Music Man Majesty 8.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

The Music Man Majesty 8's brige is a Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.

On the other hand, the Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler's is a Kahler. It's a floating tremolo very similar to Floyd Rose but less popular. The main difference is that you can lock it to the body, which essentially turns it into a fixed bridge. Some heavy metal players prefer this bridge over Floyd Rose because it won't move and get out of pitch when they palm mute.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler.

Tuners

The Music Man Majesty 8 has the best tuners of the two because they are locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.

Nevertheless, the Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

Winner: Music Man Majesty 8.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

The Music Man Majesty 8 has a Neck-Through neck joint. This neck is a lot more resistant and lets builders give the neck joint a more comfortable shape for soloing at the upper frets. The disadvantage is that they're more expensive and that if you damage your neck, you can't simply replace it like with bolt-on necks.

On the other hand, the Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler comes with Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

Winner: Music Man Majesty 8.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Music Man Majesty 8
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Compensated Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Coil Split, Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Music Man Majesty 8
Quality of materials 76
Features 80
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 85
Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler
Quality of materials 55
Features 70
Quality Control 85
Build Quality 70

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Music Man Majesty 8 Nut Width
Music Man Majesty 8 Nut Width
Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler Nut Width
Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Music Man Majesty 8 has the wider nut with 57.2mm (2.252'') vs 54mm (2.126''). This is a 3.2mm (0.126'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Music Man Majesty 8, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Music Man Majesty 8 and Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 27" to 25.5".

These are multi-scale fingerboards, which means that they incorporate two scale lengths at the same time. This is present in some instruments with long scale to give a different tension to the lower strings than the higher strings. The thickest strings need more tension to avoid fret buzz (especially when tuned low), so the scale is longer for these strings, while the thinnest strings will need less tension (because they have a lower gauge), so they have a shorter scale to reduce stiffness for bends.

It can feel awkward if you've never played a multi-scale because the frets will have more separation for the higher strings, but a lot of people love their versatility.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Music Man Majesty 8 Neck Profile
Music Man Majesty 8's neck profile
Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler Neck Profile
Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Music Man Majesty 8 and the Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler have a D-shaped neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.

Fretboard Radius

Music Man Majesty 8 Fingerboard Radius
Music Man Majesty 8's Fingerboard radius
Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler Fingerboard Radius
Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler's Fingerboard radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Music Man Majesty 8's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Music Man Majesty 8.

Still, both tend to favor soloing over chords, so if you're looking for a guitar for playing rhythm, you might want something else with a radius closer to a Stratocaster's 9.5''.

Fret Size

Music Man Majesty 8 Frets Size
Music Man Majesty 8's Frets Size
Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler Frets Size
Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler's Frets Size

The Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Music Man Majesty 8's Medium Jumbo frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Music Man Majesty 8
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 90
Playability 78
Dean Exile Select 8 Multiscale Kahler
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 55
Solo Playability 90
Playability 77