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Sterling JP150
Music Man JP15 6
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Playability
73
Sound
69
Build
63
Value
73
Score
68
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Playability
70
Sound
78
Build
83
Value
62
Score
77
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Sterling JP150 vs Music Man JP15 6

Reasons to Get
Sterling JP150 over Music Man JP15 6

Release Year
2017 vs 2016
From a more recent year
Pickup Mods
Boost vs Multiple
Increases the output of the pickup
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm) vs 17'' (431.8mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
73 vs 62
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Music Man JP15 6 over Sterling JP150

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Pickups Brand
DiMarzio vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Pickup Mods
Multiple vs Boost
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Fretboard Radius
17'' (431.8mm) vs 16'' (406.4mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Other Key Differences
Sterling JP150 vs Music Man JP15 6

Bridge Pickup
Sterling Humbucker vs DiMarzio Illuminator
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Sterling Humbucker vs DiMarzio Illuminator
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany vs Okoume
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Roasted Maple vs Figured Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Roasted Maple vs Figured Maple
Different Fretboard Wood

Shared Features
Sterling JP150 vs Music Man JP15 6

Headstock
4-2
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Compensated
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
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
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Decorative Top
Figured Maple
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Neck Profile Type
D
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Nut
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

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

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Music Man JP15 6 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 77 compared to the Sterling JP150's 68 score, although not by a lot.

The Music Man JP15 6 wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Sterling JP150 has the upper hand when it comes to playability, value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Sterling JP150 is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Sterling JP150 is the better choice.

The Sterling JP150 meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Music Man JP15 6 meets only 5. 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

Sterling JP150
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Music Man JP15 6
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Sterling JP150 Overview

  • From Sterling's 2017 John Petrucci series
  • John Petrucci Signature
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Figured Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • Roasted Maple neck
  • Roasted Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Sterling Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Sterling Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Modern Tremolo bridge
  • John Petrucci Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Music Man JP15 6 Overview

  • From Music Man's 2016 John Petrucci series
  • John Petrucci Signature
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 17" Fretboard Radius
  • Figured Maple top
  • Okoume with maple top (roasted maple top on Sahara Burst) body
  • Figured roasted maple neck neck
  • Figured roasted maple neck fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: DiMarzio Illuminator (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: DiMarzio Illuminator (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Custom John Petrucci Music Man Piezo floating tremolo bridge
  • John Petrucci Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Schaller M6-IND locking with pearl buttons tuners
  • Compare Specs >

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 the Sterling JP150

Roasted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Roasted Maple
Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

Roasted Maple is just maple without a finish. It's technically cheaper than regular maple, but it doesn't have any extra disadvantages because of this. The color is darker, and it's lighter weight and very stable even when there's a lot of humidity.

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 Music Man JP15 6

Figured Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Figured Maple
Okoume wood pattern used for guitar building
Okoume

This wood has beautiful patterns only found in specific types of maple.

Okoume is an affordable wood and one of the first to replace Mahogany when the prohibitions started. It's generally softer than Mahogany and the tone has warmer lows.

Winner: Tie.

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

The Music Man JP15 6 pickups from a more specialized brand than the Sterling JP150. Its pickups should give you a fuller, richer sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Hard Rock and similar genres.

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: Music Man JP15 6.

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 Sterling JP150 offers Boost.

A Boost will give your pickups more output, similar to an active pickup. It's great if you like to use a lot of output for heavy genres, but also like to use a cleaner tone often.

On the other hand, the Music Man JP15 6 comes with the following: 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.

Sterling JP150 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Sterling JP150's switch options
Music Man JP15 6 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Music Man JP15 6's switch options

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

Winner: Music Man JP15 6.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Sterling JP150
Pickups 55
Sustain 65
Versatility 79
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 69
Music Man JP15 6
Pickups 85
Sustain 65
Versatility 86
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 78

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 Sterling JP150 compares to the Music Man JP15 6.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Sterling JP150 is built in Indonesia while the Music Man JP15 6 is made in United States.

Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.

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.

Winner: Music Man JP15 6

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.

In this case, both have Compensated nuts. 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.

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 JP15 6 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 JP15 6.

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.

Both come with a similar bridge: Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

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: Tie.

Tuners

They both have 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.

Winner: Tie.

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.

Both have a 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: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Sterling JP150
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Compensated Nut
  • Boost Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Music Man JP15 6
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Compensated Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split, Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Sterling JP150
Quality of materials 50
Features 70
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 63
Music Man JP15 6
Quality of materials 80
Features 70
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 83

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

Sterling JP150 Nut Width
Sterling JP150 Nut Width
Music Man JP15 6 Nut Width
Music Man JP15 6 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Music Man JP15 6 has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 1.1mm (0.043'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Music Man JP15 6, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Sterling JP150 and Music Man JP15 6'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 25.5".

This is the scale used in most Stratocasters. It's slightly longer than the typical 24.75'' size found in Les Pauls, and it's one of the main reasons why Stratocasters have such a bright sound in general. A longer scale also means that the strings will have higher tension. This will help you get lower action without suffering fret buzz, which will also be helpful when playing in lower tunings without having to increase your string gauge.

However, this also means that there will be more separation between frets, which can make it more difficult to play. Also, bending the strings will require more strengths due to the increased tension, but remember that a tremolo guitar will offset this difficulty.

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

Sterling JP150 Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same 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 Sterling JP150 and the Music Man JP15 6 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

Sterling JP150 Fingerboard Radius
Sterling JP150's Fingerboard radius
Music Man JP15 6 Fingerboard Radius
Music Man JP15 6'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 Sterling JP150's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Music Man JP15 6'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 JP15 6.

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''.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Music Man JP15 6 favors large hands more than the Sterling JP150. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Sterling JP150:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Music Man JP15 6:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Sterling JP150 and Music Man JP15 6 Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium Jumbo fret size

Both have a Medium Jumbo fret size. These are slightly shorter than full Jumbo frets, so you'll still feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. However, they interfere less with your fretting hand than medium-size frets. This is a good size if you like easy-to-press frets, but would still like to feel a bit of the fretboard when playing.

Final Playability Scores

Sterling JP150
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73
Music Man JP15 6
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 70

Specs Side-by-Side

Sterling JP150 vs Music Man JP15 6
General Sterling JP150 Music Man JP15 6
Brand: Sterling Music Man
Year: 2017 2016
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia United States
Series: John Petrucci John Petrucci
Colors: Blue, Green, Red, Black Satin Blue, Black Burst, Brown Burst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Okoume with maple top (roasted maple top on Sahara Burst)
Bridge: Modern Tremolo Custom John Petrucci Music Man Piezo floating tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Locking Schaller M6-IND locking with pearl buttons
Fretboard: Roasted Maple Figured roasted maple neck
Neck Material: Roasted Maple Figured roasted maple neck
Decoration: Custom Jp Inlays Custom Jp15 Inlays
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: John Petrucci John Petrucci
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 24 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 16" 17"
Nut: Compensated Compensated
Nut Width: 41.9mm (1.65'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Sterling Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) DiMarzio Illuminator (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Sterling Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) DiMarzio Illuminator (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Boost Coil Split, Multi-Voicing
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 1 1