Clunking Axis

[lukather101]

Been playing my Axis now for a week and i have to say it's superb.
The versatility from such a simple set just by messing with the volume is surprising; I can now see why EVH named the volume pot tone because on this guitar it really is.
Only thing I’m not a big fan of is the clunking from the trem when it goes back onto the body, has any fellow knucklehead tried to put velvet or something similar behind it to stop this from happening because it is quite loud.

[Smellybum]

Yes and no -

I got my Axis about 3 years ago - and for the 1st week had the same problem you did - but it's not the guitar it's the playing -(don't take that the wrong way!)

If you've been used to a locking tem with rear recess then when you let go of the bar the recess catches the extra movement but there's nothing for it to hit so no bangng.

As the Axis is surface mount if you let go of the bar it'll hit against the body, I've seen people who've had a recess cut out fo the body on an axis, but with a little work you can adjust how you use the trem bar and relax it back to the body without it hitting,

I certainly don't see it as a 'fault' - just a characteristic of a flat mount trem system - I think if you used a normal trem system you could probably get it to hit the body too.....

Just my opinion but i'd try adjusting how you use the bar, took me a while then I discovered locking tuners and a regular EBMM bridge, never looked back!

Hope that helps you out.

[lukather101]

Yes and no -

I got my Axis about 3 years ago - and for the 1st week had the same problem you did - but it's not the guitar it's the playing -(don't take that the wrong way!)

If you've been used to a locking tem with rear recess then when you let go of the bar the recess catches the extra movement but there's nothing for it to hit so no bangng.

As the Axis is surface mount if you let go of the bar it'll hit against the body, I've seen people who've had a recess cut out fo the body on an axis, but with a little work you can adjust how you use the trem bar and relax it back to the body without it hitting,

I certainly don't see it as a 'fault' - just a characteristic of a flat mount trem system - I think if you used a normal trem system you could probably get it to hit the body too.....

Just my opinion but i'd try adjusting how you use the bar, took me a while then I discovered locking tuners and a regular EBMM bridge, never looked back!

Hope that helps you out.

Thanks for the reply.
I totally agree with you i got the regular trem on my Luke and its class.
I'm a big fan of the locking trem and slightly altering the way it play it should help , its a shame something couldn't be put behind it has a cushion just to soften the impact slightly because it is quite load.

On a previous guitar i had the trem was set further back so the trem was resting on more of the guitar and that was silent.

Not a big problem though still love it to bits.

Darren.

[azazael]

Is the actual sound from physically hitting the top of the body or the springs reverting back to place?

[lukather101]

Is the actual sound from physically hitting the top of the body or the springs reverting back to place?

Hitting the body

[Adamr]

well mate i had a similar thing. i bought my axis new and i thought this cant be right. as im a bit of a widdler with a trem and i like to give it a bit of vib. i messed around with the springs in the back a bit and i got it to kind of sit back without to much noise like smelly suggested. but yesterday i took my axis for a setup and i got him to float the trem but keep the action the same. and he did a superb job. guitar plays exactly like it did before but i have that added bit of trem movement to play with. so to you i would recommend it greatly. let face it if we were all as good as evh..........

[azazael]

You could try altering the spring tension or adding more springs at a lesser tension which i suppose could give the same pull as lesser number of springs at a higher tension. It might not go towards the body with the same force but hopefully feel the same.

Other option is to have the bridge set to float and have neck adjusted accordingly. Adding a tremsetter to the claw and block helps this a great deal also. It doesn't have to be much. I also have foam under the springs to stop them hitting the body when tension is lowered.

Last option I think is just to alter you're technique.

[sgill72]

axis guitars were or are setup just the like the evh version. the trem was designed to sit flush with the body creating maximum contact. it is for dive bombing only. the object was to keep everything connected.

so it's not a problem actually.

[Adamr]

sgill72. your exactly right . but not everyone chooses for it to be the same. i found it to be a hinderance more than a help.

[Jonny Dubai]

I got a pad on mine. I came that way!!! Going to put one on my silo.

J

[browndog]

I just learned to live with it. I was gentle when I released the floyd so that I got no clunk.

[lukather101]

well mate i had a similar thing. i bought my axis new and i thought this cant be right. as im a bit of a widdler with a trem and i like to give it a bit of vib. i messed around with the springs in the back a bit and i got it to kind of sit back without to much noise like smelly suggested. but yesterday i took my axis for a setup and i got him to float the trem but keep the action the same. and he did a superb job. guitar plays exactly like it did before but i have that added bit of trem movement to play with. so to you i would recommend it greatly. let face it if we were all as good as evh..........

If I’m honest my technique is more Eddie Izzard that EVH but all the advice on here is as expected first rate.

I'm taking it to a guitar tech tomorrow so I’ll put all these ideas to him.
Don't want to mess with it too much so I might go with the Velvet under the bridge.
As long as it doesn't clunk when it hits the body I don't mind, also because the guitar is quite old I have noticed that where it's making contacted with the body I small piece of paintwork as chipped away which is not good

Has far as the overall quality and sound is concerned i couldn't be happier

[Adamr]

to be honest . on second thoughts. i just changed strings on the axis . so i could give the neck a bit of a clean with some wonder wipes. and plus the strings were desperate for it due to the amount of play that guitar gets. and when i put new strings on it what a nightmare. ive finally after about 20 mins of streching strings and retuning got it to stay in tune. but now i have a bit of string buzz on the a string. gonna see how it goes but i can see me returining it to the guy on monday and either getting it sorted or having him put it back to how it was . i let u know how it goes.

[lumberjack]

If I’m honest my technique is more Eddie Izzard that EVH but all the advice on here is as expected first rate.

I'm taking it to a guitar tech tomorrow so I’ll put all these ideas to him.
Don't want to mess with it too much so I might go with the Velvet under the bridge.
As long as it doesn't clunk when it hits the body I don't mind, also because the guitar is quite old I have noticed that where it's making contacted with the body I small piece of paintwork as chipped away which is not good

Has far as the overall quality and sound is concerned i couldn't be happier

How old is the guitar? Not sure if you've checked already but while holding the guitar dive bomb the bridge a bit and look under the bridge. do you see a black strip of material that is the width of the bridge? The newer Axis have it. Not sure when EBMM added this strip. My newer ones have it. Get in touch with customer service. They might be able to get you some.

Also, how many springs are attached to the bridge. If there are 3, you might want to go to 2 and readjust the guitar. Based on your playing style you might find the bridge not snapping back as bad with the 2 springs.

Scott

[John Price]

How old is the guitar? Not sure if you've checked already but while holding the guitar dive bomb the bridge a bit and look under the bridge. do you see a black strip of material that is the width of the bridge? The newer Axis have it. Not sure when EBMM added this strip. My newer ones have it. Get in touch with customer service. They might be able to get you some.

Also, how many springs are attached to the bridge. If there are 3, you might want to go to 2 and readjust the guitar. Based on your playing style you might find the bridge not snapping back as bad with the 2 springs.

Scott

Hey Scott,
According to the store that I purchased my new Axis from a few weeks ago my guitar is a new 2009 model and only a few week old. It doesn't have that strip (bummer). I also purchased a SS from them a week earlier 2009 model and it does have that strip....

I usually set my axis up so the trem just slightly moves when I do some double stop country type bends but the problem comes when I installed the DTuna! After setting up the dtuna and then I pull it out to drop D the entire bridge would slightly go out of tune so I had to adjust the springs to give more tension to keep it from moving and therefore causing the trem to go back a little harder and pop against the top... I just adjust my trem use so it's a little softer going back.....