An Offset Stunner with a Story Behind It
The Sterling by Music Man Mariposa was born from a collaboration between Sterling and Omar Rodríguez-López — the genre-bending composer and guitarist known for his work with The Mars Volta and At the Drive-In. The result is a guitar that looks unlike anything else on a wall: an offset body with a distinctive silhouette, white pearloid block inlays, and a white pickguard against that deep Dorado Green finish.
Under the hood, this isn't just a pretty face. The Mariposa packs a roasted maple neck, locking tuners, a vintage tremolo, and two custom humbucking pickups with their own independent volume knobs. That's a remarkably well-spec'd package that gives you real tonal flexibility without a complicated control layout.
If you've been looking for something with genuine personality and a playing feel that doesn't compromise on the essentials, the Mariposa checks a lot of boxes.
This item is a B-Stock guitar sourced directly from the manufacturer. It is new and has never been previously owned. The photos shown are of the exact instrument you will receive. Before shipment, our licensed technician will inspect and professionally set up the guitar to ensure it is playing its best. During our inspection, we noticed Messy Bridge cutout. (see pictures) Please note, these may not be the only cosmetic imperfections. As a B-Stock instrument, there may be additional minor blemishes that are small in nature and do not affect playability or performance.
A Body That Sounds as Good as It Looks
The Mariposa's body is crafted from Nyatoh — a tonewood often compared to mahogany for its warm character and resonance. It's a solid choice for a guitar in this price range, giving the instrument a full-bodied foundation that works well with the dual humbuckers. The Dorado Green finish is a high-gloss polyester that catches light and turns heads, paired with chrome hardware for a clean, cohesive look.
The offset body shape gives the Mariposa an ergonomic edge for seated playing, and it keeps the overall weight feeling comfortable for long sessions. The 5-bolt neck attachment is borrowed from Music Man's own design philosophy — it's unusually secure for a bolt-on connection and contributes to strong sustain and resonance transfer.
The Neck and Fingerboard: Built for Playing
The roasted maple neck is one of the Mariposa's standout features. Roasting the maple stabilizes the wood, reduces its susceptibility to moisture and temperature changes, and gives the neck a smooth, broken-in feel right out of the box. It's a neck that tends to feel comfortable quickly, without the adjustment period some new guitars require.
The 25.5" scale length and 12" radius rosewood fingerboard strike a familiar balance — the longer scale gives you a slightly tighter string feel and clearer note definition, while the 12" radius is flatter than a vintage-style board, making it easier to bend strings higher up the neck. Twenty-two medium-high frets cover plenty of territory, and the white pearloid block inlays give the fretboard a classic visual character that fits the guitar's overall aesthetic.
Locking tuners round out the playability story. String changes are faster, and once you're in tune, you stay there — especially important with a tremolo-equipped guitar.
Pickups and Controls That Keep It Simple
The Mariposa runs two custom Sterling humbucking pickups in a straightforward HH configuration. Each pickup gets its own dedicated volume knob, so you can blend or isolate them directly without a master volume in the chain. A 3-way toggle pickup selector handles switching between neck, bridge, or both together. It's a control layout that keeps you focused on playing rather than managing knobs mid-song.
The vintage-style tremolo bridge allows for smooth pitch modulation without the extreme dive-bomb range of a floating system — it's expressive enough for subtle vibrato and gentle bends, and when you release it, it returns reliably to pitch. Combined with the locking tuners, tuning stability is genuinely solid even after tremolo use.
Product Features:
- Body: Nyatoh solidbody with Dorado Green high-gloss finish
- Neck: Roasted maple, 5-bolt attachment, dual-action truss rod
- Fingerboard: Rosewood, 12" radius, white pearloid block inlays
- Scale Length: 25.5" (64.8 cm)
- Frets: 22 medium-high frets
- Nut Width: 1.65" (42mm)
- Pickups: 2x Sterling custom humbuckers (HH configuration)
- Controls: Independent volume for each pickup, 3-way toggle pickup selector
- Bridge: Vintage tremolo
- Tuners: Locking tuners
- Pickguard: White
- Strings: Ernie Ball 2221 Regular Slinky
Brand: Sterling by Music Man
Model: Mariposa
SKU: ST-MARIPOSA-DGR-R2-2ND|SG69761
Condition: B-Stock
Since 1872, C.A. House Music has been helping musicians across the Ohio Valley find the right gear -- with real advice from a team that actually plays. We're your authorized dealer of all the big names in guitars, keyboards, band instruments, drums, pro audio, and more. With four family-owned and operated locations in Ohio and West Virginia (plus a full online store), you don't have to go far for instruments, lessons, rentals, and repairs. No matter your musical needs, our team of musicians wants to help you Play Music for Life.
