Axis EX Made in Japan or SLO?

[H Golf Sport]

Add says made in Japan. Is this under liscense or are they made for the export market in SLO?

Just curious as I will be there in April.

Aloha, Rob.

[ScoobySteve]

They're all made in the SLO Factory in California.

They are just special limited runs for Japan only.

The roasted maple, pinkburst and spalted top Axis are all Japan-only, but sitll made by BP and Co in the good ole USA.

[H Golf Sport]

Cool thanks. They also have some nice Koa topped guitars.

[azazael]

They're all made in the SLO Factory in California.

They are just special limited runs for Japan only.

The roasted maple, pinkburst and spalted top Axis are all Japan-only, but sitll made by BP and Co in the good ole USA.

You are talking about something totally different.

Axis EX is a totally different guitar. It is made in Japan. It even says it on the advert. It doesn't say Axis on the headstock and the switch and rear routing are the same as the EVH.

[ScoobySteve]

I did not see the Axis EX

How strange. That's totally my bad.

That add looks almost entirely similar to the other one about the ones I was talking about.

[azazael]

It's a very old ad it has been floating around the internet for years.
I don't know if the EX is still in production.

[D.K.]

No, AFAIK, the Axis EX was only made for y couple of years (or just a year) right after the transition from EVH to the AXIS. I do believe we have (or had) someone on the boards who has one of those babies, and there was a thread somewhere on the origin of the Axis Ex.

This one might be interesting, too :http://www.ernieball.com/forums/musi...-question.html

[H Golf Sport]

Good link thanks.

[threeminutesboy]

I have played one those while in Japan back in 2001 and I have the EBMM japanese catalogue from that year

The EX were indeed made in Japan and Pink was a very popular model for them

[customguitar]

Hi all

I have 5 (five) Axis EX guitar, 3 US-made Axis and about 25-28 EBMMEVH's.
I've been playing guitars for the last 25yrs, EVH fan but playing everything from standard jazz to Vai to LedZepp to Jamiroquai to Megadeth.
Difference between Axis and EX are NONE - feeling, tone, playability is absolutely the same, if you mind the pickupswitch which I prefer the way it is on EX, much more easier for me but that is personal preference.
Difference between EVH and EX is that EVH has a slightly thicker neck and in a way more "rougher" neck. what I have in mind that I totally can not play anything noce I smooth on my EBMMEVH, if I pick one of them I HAVE TO ROCK OUT. For some reason I can not play funk on it. I can, technique-wise but it just doesn't sound right emotionally. On EX I can play anything, that guitar is smooth as K+Y Jelly and it sounds the same AND it has the switch right where I need it.

Now, on te setup and maintenance - don't get me wrong, I ADORE my EVH's and with my LP Joe Perry Boneyard and EVH Wolfgangs, EBMMEVH are my favourite guitars, those are my guitars with my sound and my feeling. But I had to have all of them refretted coz the frets kept getting out when I moved them over to Russia, especially the first 5 frets, on some guitars I've acctually cut myself over the fret. Also, the action of the guitars was a bit high for me when the guitars got delivered from the fatory comparet to Wolfs who were just right for me, so I had to struggle a bit to set them up (EBMMEVH's).

With EX the moment I took them "out of the box" they were just perfect. During the years I never had to set them up, everytime I've changd the strings I've just changed the strings.
Everytime I change the strings on my EBMMEVH gutiars I have to set up the neck. Not saying the EVH is bad, no way, the best guitars out there for sure they just need more time to get in shape

Now, when I got my first EX I've contacted EB asking them about the guitar, serial number etc. I got 2 emails back, one was from Beth Johnson, International Customer Service which was as follows:
==========================================
Dear Alex,

Thank you for contacting Ernie Ball/Music Man and thank you for using and enjoying our products!

We don't have any records that match this serial number. This is perhaps because the instrument was put together with a body and a different neck - they probably did not have the original neck plate on this instrument in particular. It is possible that this serial number was on a Japan-made Axis, the Axis EX. For a few years, our Japanese distributor was building Music Man instruments in Japan with all of the same components we use at our factory in the US.

Sometimes, if you take the neck off of the body, there will be a date stamp on the inside pocket of the body (which will give you the date that the body left finishing and went to be fitted to the neck, but isn't probably the exact date the guitar was finished).

I hope that this information helps! If you ever have any other questions or comments, please feel free to contact us.
Best regards,


Beth Johnson
International Customer Service
==========================================


2nd was from A.J. Braman:
==========================================
Alex

Thanks for playing Music Man! That serial number doesn't come up in our
database. It's possible that this was made for us by Kanda Shokai, our
Japanese distributor. We supplied parts to them for these guitars to be
sold in Japan. Their phone number is: 8133 2543 617. They may have more
information for you. Good luck!

--
Regards

A.J. Braman
Ernie Ball, Inc.
==========================================

now that got me confused as 1st email had "Japan-made" and 2nd was "We supplied parts to them for these guitars to be sold in Japan"

After that I've took 2 guitars apart, EVH and EX and the bodies are 100% identical. Neck differ. Ao at least I can say that my guess is that the bodies to EX are leftovers of EVH after Eddie moved over to Peavey.
If anyone is interested, I can take comparising photos of EVH and EX coz I have each of those of identical color.

[jamminjim]

Cool info Alex - and welcome to the forum. Some folks say here that any of your axes don't exist without pics, so pics would be welcome here....

[glockaxis]

I wouldn't mind checking out photos comparing and contrasting both guitars. Thanks

[spkirby]

When I owned an Axis EX it had a neck like a baseball bat, nothing like the SLO Axis profile...pretty thing (one piece quilt) but I preferred my US Axis.

[browndog]

I too would love to see some pics of the elusive EX model.

[Spudmurphy]

Welcome CG - as the guys have already said - let's see some pics of those EB guitars please?