Axis colors discontinued?

**GilmourD** · 01-30-2021, 09:15 PM

Looks like all the current Axis colors have been nixed and nothing on the product pages about new colors.

Anybody got the inside dirt?

**PeteDuBaldo** · 01-31-2021, 07:20 AM

There will be some new colors announced for the Axis & SuperSport later this year

**GilmourD** · 01-31-2021, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by PeteDuBaldo

There will be some new colors announced for the Axis & SuperSport later this year

No idea when? Later this year could be almost a year from now. LOL

**beej** · 01-31-2021, 11:04 AM

I don't think Pete would tell us anything that EBMM won't.

We're all just going to have to be patient. Everything is disrupted at the moment- global suppliers, local workforces, retail stores, etc.

We just have to wait and see how things go. No one has a crystal ball.

**fogman** · 02-01-2021, 10:41 AM

It's fun to try and guess what colours might be coming our way; even though we'd be wrong.
But a fantasy item for the Axis would be a purple nebula offering with an ebony board. <wink> <wink> lol

**jlf599** · 02-01-2021, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by fogman

It's fun to try and guess what colours might be coming our way; even though we'd be wrong.
But a fantasy item for the Axis would be a purple nebula offering with an ebony board. <wink> <wink> lol

That would rule. I'd love to see a purple come back...firemist purple would be cool. Or the Boysenberry that the BFR Lukes had awhile back.

**Stratty316** · 02-01-2021, 02:19 PM

Emerald Green, is there any better color? I think not.

**lumberjack** · 02-01-2021, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by fogman

It's fun to try and guess what colours might be coming our way; even though we'd be wrong.
But a fantasy item for the Axis would be a purple nebula offering with an ebony board. <wink> <wink> lol

I approve this message

**TripHazard** · 02-01-2021, 06:31 PM

+1 on boysenberry

**Anacharsis** · 02-02-2021, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by GilmourD

No idea when? Later this year could be almost a year from now. LOL

Yeah, they're being strangely coy about all of this. Basically, there's no stated availability of any guitars in any colors for all but a small few models. I get that COVID is slowing them down, but I don't think this is the only option in terms of communication.

So long as they keep their people healthy, that's the most important thing of course. I will probably spend my 2021 gear budget before I know what they're offering, but I don't think that reality is going to concern Sterling too much.

**Flash Gordon** · 02-02-2021, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by Anacharsis

Yeah, they're being strangely coy about all of this. Basically, there's no stated availability of any guitars in any colors for all but a small few models. I get that COVID is slowing them down, but I don't think this is the only option in terms of communication.

So long as they keep their people healthy, that's the most important thing of course. I will probably spend my 2021 gear budget before I know what they're offering, but I don't think that reality is going to concern Sterling too much.

100% agree. Already spent my budget on a non EBMM guitar (first one of those in 16 years). I don’t mind waiting if I know what I’m waiting for... asking for better communication in the future please!!!

**Slick64** · 02-02-2021, 04:27 PM

I'd love a highly quilted lava burst with a roasted neck. I think the Axis looked best in transparent colors, but the lava burst has that old school look that I'd kill for. My Music Zoo fuscia with roasted neck is a cut above, and would love to see more of those.

**MrJJoncas** · 02-02-2021, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by Flash Gordon

100% agree. Already spent my budget on a non EBMM guitar (first one of those in 16 years). I don’t mind waiting if I know what I’m waiting for... asking for better communication in the future please!!!

This is exactly what I was talking about in the new colors for 2021 thread. It's almost like EBMM wants to miss on the potential sales especially with the tax return coming and the stimulus check.

I don't think it's due to Covid either unless they have a supply issue. For example, it seems to be mostly the guitars with Dimarzio pickups that are delayed. I can say if there is a link there or not, but I'd assume they are doing mostly ok in the other departments. If not, I don't see why cutting your bestsellers (JPs) would make sense. At this point, I'm just very curious about what is happening. I'd think that either they have problems which they don't want to disclose and it is totally fine or something is going with the marketing. Even if everything is around the corner, I still find it strange to limit your offering for almost a month now.

**jlf599** · 02-02-2021, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by Slick64

I'd love a highly quilted lava burst with a roasted neck. I think the Axis looked best in transparent colors, but the lava burst has that old school look that I'd kill for. My Music Zoo fuscia with roasted neck is a cut above, and would love to see more of those.

I wish I'd gotten one of those to match my Luke.

I hope there are more!

I was hoping Sweetwater would get the Axis in the Pacific Sparkle Blue exclusive run they had, but alas, I was told they were not happening.

**PeteDuBaldo** · 02-03-2021, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by MrJJoncas

This is exactly what I was talking about in the new colors for 2021 thread. It's almost like EBMM wants to miss on the potential sales especially with the tax return coming and the stimulus check.

I don't think it's due to Covid either unless they have a supply issue. For example, it seems to be mostly the guitars with Dimarzio pickups that are delayed. I can say if there is a link there or not, but I'd assume they are doing mostly ok in the other departments. If not, I don't see why cutting your bestsellers (JPs) would make sense. At this point, I'm just very curious about what is happening. I'd think that either they have problems which they don't want to disclose and it is totally fine or something is going with the marketing. Even if everything is around the corner, I still find it strange to limit your offering for almost a month now.

While I can't speak as to why the EBMM factory or marketing department made the choice to not release or tease all of the new stuff, I do have some of my own thoughts to share.

As part of the regular services in my store I rent band and orchestra instruments. This back to school season (September/October 2020) was a total bust due to Covid, with most local school systems that we work with either canceling their band programs entirely or electing to not start any beginning 4th Grade students (kids sitting too close to one another, kids blowing air through wind/brass instruments, full-remote learning, etc).

One of the challenges I now have to face is that my order window for rental instruments is right now - we are required to order in Q1 what we forecast our need will be in Q4. This gives the factories and distribution time to get us what we need. I have to try and accurately predict how many instruments I need to buy to fulfill the needs of our rental department.

-Do I anticipate a low rental season in September due to possible continuation of restrictions, or nervous parents/students?
-Do I anticipate a double-year of rentals, since the 4th Grade from 2020 would start the program as 5th Grade 2021, along with a regular enrollment of 2021 4th Graders?
-Do I anticipate an average year of growth for our rentals?
-Do I anticipate a moderately above average year of growth due to other businesses closing?

When dealing with a few dozen trumpets or violins here and there it isn't an issue, but if you scale it up into the quantity of hundreds or thousands all of a sudden the associated numbers get big in a hurry. The wrong decision will have a ripple effect, and be felt for years to come. Not ordering enough instruments means we have to turn customers away and they rent through another business for this year, and stay with them for the next year and the year after, etc. Ordering too many instruments literally sucks up business dollars, it's not like Amazon where you simply send something back for a refund if you decide that you don't need it.

The current challenge is immense!

As a DiMarzio dealer, last week we received an order that was placed in August. Because they had a total Covid shut-down for so long in NY, when we placed our order with them delivery was estimated at 12-16 weeks - it took even longer than that. Normally an order like ours would take only 3-5 business days to receive, and oddly enough that's how long it took us to sell every single pickup that had just arrived. Now I need to reorder again and wait possibly another 3-4 months. I can't imagine the backlog of orders they have to satisfy the production needs for manufacturers like EBMM who use their pickups.

Imagine if everything were released and the onslaught of orders rolled in, filling build slots through the end of the year (orders placed this week are currently estimated to ship in June), and then Covid spikes high enough that there is another partial or total shutdown either in CA at the EBMM factory and/or NY at the DiMarzio factory. For those two states it is a constant threat in the background, just like it is for me here in CT.

Obviously the instruments that were ordered first get built first, but if production is slowed down enough due to further restrictions then backorders could take 6-8 months or possibly a year. That's not good for the factory, dealers, or customers - I don't know that the majority of people would stay the course if they had an instrument on order, and I imagine that many would simply go buy something else.

-Unfortunately I have seen this already happening due to the non-release of updates from the EBMM factory; the cash is walking. Several of my regular customers are buying new guitars from other manufacturers because the instrument they were hoping to see showcased at the NAMM Show didn't make it into a photo for even a teaser, let alone showcase appearance. Others are buying used.

Hopefully some teasers come out soon, there are some fantastic guesses out there.