Help! New noisy guitar

[Axemanbrill]

So I bit the bullet and ordered an Axis from Guitar Center. To make a long story short, they sent the wrong color, I re-ordered, got a second Axis in the correct color. My first weekend having the correct Axis (I didn't use the first Axis - didn't want something to get messed up if/when I ship it back), I was playing it at home, plays GREAT. But then I started noticing how NOISY the guitar is when not playing. Yes I'm not a dummy...I checked for grounds on the guitar, and inside the wiring cavity and trem cavity. Can't get rid of the buzz. Tried my Framus Diablo Custom with a Duncan in the bridge. Quiet as can be. Try both Axis guitars. Both buzz really bad. I've called Ernie Ball and DiMarzio both about the pickups, and of course, they want to say they are fine. I just want to know if anyone else has noticed this in their Axis before I have to spend a couple hundred dollars replacing pickups on a $2,000 guitar. Gatta admit...I'm a little frustrated about that fact.

 

[Axemanbrill]

Oh yeah...and the amp is a Mesa Road King.

 

[Stratty316]

Call Customer service... Don't know who you talked to last time but they are really good about taking care of this kind of stuff.

 

[Sweat]

i just bought an Axis from GC this week, stock in the store no issues, sounds great, plays great, looks great, call CS they can help

 

[koogie2k]

So I bit the bullet and ordered an Axis from Guitar Center. To make a long story short, they sent the wrong color, I re-ordered, got a second Axis in the correct color. My first weekend having the correct Axis (I didn't use the first Axis - didn't want something to get messed up if/when I ship it back), I was playing it at home, plays GREAT. But then I started noticing how NOISY the guitar is when not playing. Yes I'm not a dummy...I checked for grounds on the guitar, and inside the wiring cavity and trem cavity. Can't get rid of the buzz. Tried my Framus Diablo Custom with a Duncan in the bridge. Quiet as can be. Try both Axis guitars. Both buzz really bad. I've called Ernie Ball and DiMarzio both about the pickups, and of course, they want to say they are fine. I just want to know if anyone else has noticed this in their Axis before I have to spend a couple hundred dollars replacing pickups on a $2,000 guitar. Gatta admit...I'm a little frustrated about that fact.

Well...kinda tough to make a diagnosis over the Internet there bud. Calling to describe a problem does not mean it can be fixed that way. Same way over the Net. You got if from Guitar Center...take it to them and have them look at it. If not satisfied, try EBMM Customer Service. I can understand being frustrated, but, if you are hoping for a quick "magic fix" over the Net it is not gonna happen.

 

[beej]

Welcome to the forum ... I will say you're not off to a good start with two threads about the same issue ...

Most humbuckers pick up a little noise. The wiring in the cavity can, as well (though MM shields all of that). So on a high gain amp you're going to get a bit of noise. If you sit really close to the amp (tranny), you'll get more. We're talking noise, right? And not a buzz that goes away when you touch your strings (and thus ground everything)?

If you're saying your guitar is magnitudes noisier (eg than your strat with single coils) then something is likely wrong.

What's wrong? Hard to say. If you bought the guitar second hand, could be anything- bad p'ups, bad wiring, wired incorrectly. Could even be the wrong p'ups. If this is the case, you're going to slowly have to go over everything and see what the deal is.

If you bought it new, not so much. In that case I'd take it back to GC and discuss with them.

 

[beej]

FYI, this isn't something we hear a lot. Most people are very happy with the p'ups in the Axis. So much so that they're featured in a number of new EBMM models this year. Your experience is definitely different than the norm.

 

[Slav123]

That's a little bizarre and the first time that I have heard of this issue. I have 9 Axis guitars and I never had any noise problems...

Slav

 

[aníbalsantander]

check your amp

 

[Axemanbrill]

Ok, so lets correct a few things here. It's not the amp - I've had it for years, played several guitars through it, never had a problem. I can right now plug in my Framus Diablo Custom, my American Deluxe Tele, my Deluxe Players Strat, my Les Paul - no hum. I have 2 Axis guitars - both new, both hum. I could see it being a bad pickup if 1 Axis was noisy, but 2? Thats what I made this post about...has anyone else had that issue?

I can take it back to GC, but the closest one is 2 hours away, 4 hours total drive time, plus a tank a gas, I want to avoid that as much as possible. Same with having to ship the guitar as Ernie Ball and DiMarzio are suggesting.

Between talking with the Ernie Ball guys all week, and DiMarzio, and people still don't seem to quite get me on here either...I'm thinkin it's time I get a video and demo the different guitars and put it up on YouTube.

 

[Slav123]

That sounds like a good idea, I would really like to hear what you are referring to. Plus, I would love to see the two Axis guitars.

Slav

 

[petruccirocks02]

Do you play next to a lamp, or close to a tv or computer monitor or anything? I had the same problem you had with one of my guitars and found that it was because the tv and computer monitor were causing noise.

-Phil

 

[cm_17]

Do you play under hight gain/distortion? My Axis is hummy when doing so, quite a bit actually. But so are my other medium-high to high output pickup-equipped guitars.

 

[beej]

Okay, it's new. The best way to get answers is to deal with your dealer, then possibly EBMM. So right away, you're just getting guesses from a bunch of kuckleheads that don't know the particular issue. Having said that, it would be helpful to narrow the problem down. This is all stuff they're going to ask you.

- is it RF noise, or hum? (e.g. Does it go away when you touch the strings? Is it direction sensitive, worse in one area, made worse by lights, etc.)
- is it both pickups, and the in-between position? (e.g. is one p'up bad?)
- have you tried different amps/cables? (I know you've said you think your amp is okay, but it may still be an issue with the amp, so this is worth ruling out.)

There's nothing specific about the guitar that makes it susceptible to hum. You're talking two humbuckers, one switch, a few wires. It's not that people don't get you, it's that this is unusual and there's not really a lot to suggest.

 

[megaroel]

JB pickup Alnico V Bar 5 / 6 / 8 bass/mids/highs
dimarzio axis humbucker Ceramic Bar 7 / 6 / 9 bass/mids/highs
its the mags dude
your framus is a warmer wood guitar. with alnico makes it mild out put
and the axis is a brighter wood with ceramic makes it hotter than hell
try turning you gain down on your amp and lower your highs a bit then you problem should go away. you have to remember the axis is utilzing the **** out of the humbuckers striaght up no tone knob .so its pure horse power. peace friend .

 

[the24thfret]

I'd be interested in the YouTube video, I think that is a good idea man. If it sounds irregular to the rest of us on here, then you should probably consider shipping it to EB/GC or whatever after you talk to them. Like everyone else on here said, EB customer support is the best! If there is an actual problem with your new guitar they will take care of everything.

 

[marillion-freak]

My first weekend having the correct Axis (I didn't use the first Axis - didn't want something to get messed up if/when I ship it back)

I have 2 Axis guitars - both new, both hum. I could see it being a bad pickup if 1 Axis was noisy, but 2? Thats what I made this post about...has anyone else had that issue?

??? Very interesting. So you ordered two Axis'...and you didn't "use" one, but both were "noisy"?

I can take it back to GC, but the closest one is 2 hours away, 4 hours total drive time, plus a tank a gas, I want to avoid that as much as possible. Same with having to ship the guitar as Ernie Ball and DiMarzio are suggesting.

Give the Guitar Center that you bought this guitar from a chance to fix this, and make the trip.

 

[Smellybum]

what beej said...

 

[straycat113]

I cant understand how your single coils would be so quite and your humbuckers so noisy. Try the simpleist things first, do you have fluorescent lights in that room. Try taking a small amp and try plugging in in a different room or at a friends house. If it was one guitar I would believe you had an issue, but the chance of two new guitars having the same defect I would say are close to zero. Take the ride to GC and at least you know the problem will be solved when you get home instead of wasting time. Let us know the outcome.

 

[Big Poppa]

Im not sure that we can help him....if the both guitars have been inpected by acredible luthier and are found to be ok....then maybe we just cant meet his expectations.