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Sterling Majesty Maj100X
Music Man Luke 3 HH
VS
Playability
73
Sound
67
Build
62
Value
72
Score
67
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Playability
70
Sound
77
Build
74
Value
64
Score
74
FIND IT ON:
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Sterling Majesty Maj100X vs Music Man Luke 3 HH

Reasons to Get
Sterling Majesty Maj100X over Music Man Luke 3 HH

Release Year
2020 vs 2013
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Neck Profile
John Petrucci vs Steve Lukather
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.625'' (41.3mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
72 vs 64
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Music Man Luke 3 HH over Sterling Majesty Maj100X

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Number of Frets
22 vs 24
Warmer neck pickup
Neck Profile
Steve Lukather vs John Petrucci
Great if you like to hang your thumb over the fretboard
Pickups Brand
Music Man vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Nut Width
1.625'' (41.3mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 16'' (406.4mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Sterling Majesty Maj100X vs Music Man Luke 3 HH

Bridge Pickup
Sterling Humbucker vs Music Man Custom Humbucker
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Sterling Humbucker vs Music Man Custom Humbucker
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Figured Maple
Different Neck Wood

Shared Features
Sterling Majesty Maj100X vs Music Man Luke 3 HH

Fretboard Wood
Rosewood
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
4-2
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Compensated
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
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
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Medium
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Nut
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • 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 Luke 3 HH is probably the better product overall with its final score of 74 compared to the Sterling Majesty Maj100X's 67 score, although not by a lot.

The Music Man Luke 3 HH wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Sterling Majesty Maj100X 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 Majesty Maj100X is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. 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. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Sterling Majesty Maj100X
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Music Man Luke 3 HH
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • 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 Majesty Maj100X Overview

  • From Sterling's 2020 John Petrucci series
  • John Petrucci Signature
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • 3-Piece Mahogany neck
  • Rosewood 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 Set neck
  • 24 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Music Man Luke 3 HH Overview

  • From Music Man's 2013 Steve Lukather series
  • Steve Lukather Signature
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Select figured roasted maple neck neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Music Man floating vintage tremolo bridge
  • Steve Lukather Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium frets
  • Schaller M6-IND locking 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 Both

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Woods Used in the Sterling Majesty Maj100X

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 Music Man Luke 3 HH

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

This wood has beautiful patterns only found in specific types of 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: 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 Luke 3 HH pickups from a more specialized brand than the Sterling Majesty Maj100X. 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 Luke 3 HH.

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

The Music Man Luke 3 HH gives you 5 switch options while the Sterling Majesty Maj100X gives you 3. This means that the Music Man Luke 3 HH gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Both offer you the same type of pickup mod: 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.

Sterling Majesty Maj100X pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Sterling Majesty Maj100X's switch options
Music Man Luke 3 HH pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Music Man Luke 3 HH'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 Luke 3 HH.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Sterling Majesty Maj100X
Pickups 55
Sustain 65
Versatility 74
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 67
Music Man Luke 3 HH
Pickups 90
Sustain 65
Versatility 77
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 77

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 Majesty Maj100X compares to the Music Man Luke 3 HH.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Sterling Majesty Maj100X is built in Indonesia while the Music Man Luke 3 HH 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 Luke 3 HH

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.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

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.

The Sterling Majesty Maj100X has a Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

On the other hand, the Music Man Luke 3 HH 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 Luke 3 HH.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Sterling Majesty Maj100X
  • 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 Luke 3 HH
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Compensated Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Boost Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • 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 Majesty Maj100X
Quality of materials 46
Features 70
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 62
Music Man Luke 3 HH
Quality of materials 56
Features 70
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 74

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 Majesty Maj100X Nut Width
Sterling Majesty Maj100X Nut Width
Music Man Luke 3 HH Nut Width
Music Man Luke 3 HH Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Sterling Majesty Maj100X has the wider nut with 41.9mm (1.65'') vs 41.3mm (1.625''). This is a 0.6mm (0.025'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Sterling Majesty Maj100X, 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 Majesty Maj100X and Music Man Luke 3 HH'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 Majesty Maj100X Neck Profile
Sterling Majesty Maj100X's neck profile
Music Man Luke 3 HH Neck Profile
Music Man Luke 3 HH'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.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Sterling Majesty Maj100X has a D type of 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.

The Music Man Luke 3 HH, on the other hand, has a V neck. This neck shape was more common during Fender's early years. Some people like it because they use their thumb over the edge of the fretboard to press the lower strings. It's rather thicker than most modern necks, so it's not usually used for playing fast solos.

Fretboard Radius

Sterling Majesty Maj100X Fingerboard Radius
Sterling Majesty Maj100X's Fingerboard radius
Music Man Luke 3 HH Fingerboard Radius
Music Man Luke 3 HH'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 Music Man Luke 3 HH's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Sterling Majesty Maj100X'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 Sterling Majesty Maj100X.

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 Luke 3 HH favors large hands more than the Sterling Majesty Maj100X. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Sterling Majesty Maj100X:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Music Man Luke 3 HH:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Sterling Majesty Maj100X Frets Size
Sterling Majesty Maj100X's Frets Size
Music Man Luke 3 HH Frets Size
Music Man Luke 3 HH's Frets Size

The Sterling Majesty Maj100X has Medium Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Music Man Luke 3 HH's Medium 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

Sterling Majesty Maj100X
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73
Music Man Luke 3 HH
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 70

Specs Side-by-Side

Sterling Majesty Maj100X vs Music Man Luke 3 HH
General Sterling Majesty Maj100X Music Man Luke 3 HH
Brand: Sterling Music Man
Year: 2020 2013
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia United States
Series: John Petrucci Steve Lukather
Colors: White, Purple Blue, Green, Pink
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Alder
Bridge: Modern Tremolo Music Man floating vintage tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Bolt-On
Tuners: Locking Schaller M6-IND locking
Fretboard: Rosewood Rosewood
Neck Material: 3-Piece Mahogany Select figured roasted maple neck
Decoration: Custom Jp Inlays Dot Inlay
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: John Petrucci Steve Lukather
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 16" 12"
Nut: Compensated Compensated
Nut Width: 41.9mm (1.65'') 41.3mm (1.625'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Sterling Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Sterling Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Boost Boost
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1