Axis EX wood question

[Skinny]

I was just told by a local guitar retailer who deals with many Asian guitar manufacturers that Axis EX is made of a bad-quality basswood similar to the one used in low-budget Ibanez models. Is this true? I hope not.

[beej]

Bad quality? Basswood is used in lots of great guitars my friend. Nothing wrong with it.

Your local retailer is full of it. Probably trying to get you to buy one of those "higher quality" Mexican made guitars

[Skinny]

Well that's what I thought!

[ReB87]

the thing that makes wood "cheap" is the age. Basswood is a cheaper wood, but when dried for a long time, the quality gets better and better, making it more expensive.

Don't get fooled by people who talk about things like ash is the best wood for guitars, and basswood is crap (i used to believe that ). The different wood's give different tonal versatility. For instance, ash is a very hard wood, which gives a bright sound. Basswood is softer, which absorbs sound making it sound lower/fatter.

It just depends on what you as guitarist want. For you're style of music alder might be crap and basswood the bomb.

[steveh]

I'm not clear if Skinny meant that basswood is bad full stop, or that the quality of basswood used for the EX was bad (as opposed to "good" basswood used elsewhere)?

In any event:

A; Basswood can make superb guitars - one only has to hear the Axis/EVH. Allan Holdsworth chose basswood for his Ibanex AH10 and AH20 guitars, and he knows about tone. Suhr also raves about it. etc etc etc

B; I played an EX last year and it was superb,"bad" basswood or not.

As far as I know, the only downside is that its a little soft vs alder for example (which accounts for some of its tonal characteristics), and so takes the knocks less well, and it is slightly more difficult to paint (more porous IIRC?).

Steve

[Sub1 Zero]

I think it would be cool if someone here owned an EX. To my knowledge, no one does so far

[Skinny]

I meant bad basswood as opposed to good basswood. I don't say that basswood is generally crap.
I played the US made axis and it sounded badass - basswood + maple top worked ubercool.
But as far as I know Axis Ex has a laminated top not a solid maple one. Thus it affects the tone in some way.
Anyhow I will soon own this guitar. It will arrive from Japan in 3-4 weeks. And then I'll tell who was right and who was wrong.

[kompressaur]

I think it would be cool if someone here owned an EX. To my knowledge, no one does so far

almost sure mine is an EX body with a regular Axis neck (No Axis legend on the EX necks I believe). Theres no tummy cut on the back. its a really sweet player and the only keeper guitar of mine in the last few years.I think it may be the EX steveh was referring to


the cheap strap buttons in this shot weren't stock.Long winded story but i lost the originals putting Schaller straplocks on it,took them off for another guitar and had to put cheapies on her for a bit.The guitar's now sporting dunlop ones.


I checked out the Japanese shop pages on the EX,even contacted them about a pearl lavender one but no response.

[Colin]

my question is, how would he know? does he have x-ray vision?

[Skinny]

my question is, how would he know? does he have x-ray vision?

Well... seems like he got that info from somebody involved in the very manufacturing process. But still I doubt his words.

[steveh]

Yes - Komp's guitar is the one I was referring to.

It plays as nice as it looks! Great guitar full stop.

steve

[Tim O'Sullivan]

almost sure mine is an EX body with a regular Axis neck (No Axis legend on the EX necks I believe). Theres no tummy cut on the back. its a really sweet player and the only keeper guitar of mine in the last few years.I think it may be the EX steveh was referring to


the cheap strap buttons in this shot weren't stock.Long winded story but i lost the originals putting Schaller straplocks on it,took them off for another guitar and had to put cheapies on her for a bit.The guitar's now sporting dunlop ones.


I checked out the Japanese shop pages on the EX,even contacted them about a pearl lavender one but no response.

Maybe it could be an EVH body?

[Skinny]

Looks like it really is one

[MPM]

I think the Axis EX body look like EVH body.. eg no tummy cut and toggle switch at the lower horn.

[dlloyd]

almost sure mine is an EX body with a regular Axis neck (No Axis legend on the EX necks I believe). Theres no tummy cut on the back. its a really sweet player and the only keeper guitar of mine in the last few years.I think it may be the EX steveh was referring to

Have you checked the neck pocket for clues?