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Calspyderman

Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2017
Messages
8
Hello,
I'm new to the forum, in fact, new all around. I'm in my early fifties, and just started taking lessons with electric guitar - a serious newbie. My goal is to cover songs from 80s rock bands in my garage. Needless to say, Van Halen "Panama" and "Aint Talkin Bout Love" are among my list of songs. I've been learning the absolute basics with a borrowed Epiphone Les Paul Standard, but found a beautiful early 2000s EB MM Axis that my wife wants to buy me for my birthday. What say ye fellas? Any reason not to if I'm just beginning? Would my wife be handing a baby a machine gun? I've definitely got the bug, and am determined to keep playing. My instructor said... "get anything that will make you play, heck, even just hold your guitar in your hands more." If you get it, and it doesn't sound right, at least you know it isn't the instrument.

Thanks for chiming in.
 

RichieZ

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Joined
Sep 22, 2016
Messages
86
I don't have a Axis... but I can give an EBMM as first electric perspective. I started almost two years ago and learned on an acoustic for the first year. When I felt I wanted to do electric too, I looked at a played a lot of guitars... and ended up getting a Valentine. It's way too good for me, and may always be, but when I see it I want to play it. I play it just about every day because I can't pas it without waiting to pick it up. I love how it feels and sounds and that makes me want to play and practice longer and harder. So for those reasons, its the ultimate first guitar. I say that if an Axis makes you want to play, and you can afford it, then get it.
 

Luc

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Joined
Jun 17, 2004
Messages
929
Location
Utrecht, The Netherlands
Did you play an Axis before? The only reason NOT to buy it would be the neck being too narrow in comparison with your LP. Otherwise you should really count your blessings to have a wife that buys you an EBMM! My girl wants me to sell one to finance a new bed. Go figure ;)

Show pics when the Axis comes home :)
 
Last edited:

Wahoonc

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Joined
May 29, 2014
Messages
448
Location
D.C.
Hello,
I'm new to the forum, in fact, new all around. I'm in my early fifties, and just started taking lessons with electric guitar - a serious newbie. My goal is to cover songs from 80s rock bands in my garage. Needless to say, Van Halen "Panama" and "Aint Talkin Bout Love" are among my list of songs. I've been learning the absolute basics with a borrowed Epiphone Les Paul Standard, but found a beautiful early 2000s EB MM Axis that my wife wants to buy me for my birthday. What say ye fellas? Any reason not to if I'm just beginning? Would my wife be handing a baby a machine gun? I've definitely got the bug, and am determined to keep playing. My instructor said... "get anything that will make you play, heck, even just hold your guitar in your hands more." If you get it, and it doesn't sound right, at least you know it isn't the instrument.

Thanks for chiming in.

If an Axis doesn't fulfill the role of guitar that makes you want to keep playing, then it's probably not the guitar. Besides, who in their right mind would say "no" to an Axis that the wife wants to buy?
 

DrKev

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Jul 8, 2006
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Somewhere between Paris, Dublin, and Buffalo
If you/wife are willing to make the investment it's a fantastic instrument and won't hinder your learning the way a poor quality cheap instrument might. And if you are inspired to play it more than what you currently have, that's always a good thing!
 

Calspyderman

Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2017
Messages
8
Thank you all for your timely and sage advice. You have all confirmed my thinking... though still feel a bit like I'm learning to drive on a Ferrari. Agree, anything that makes me want to play more is a good thing, and I'm not trying to impress anyone but myself. Luc - thanks for pointing out the narrower neck on the EBMM. I have relatively smaller hands (7" from wrist to top of middle finger), and one of the things that attracted me to the Axis are all the comments on how comfortable the neck is. Given my age and time constraints, I'd be happy to master one instrument, much less an EBMM and an LP. I just need to confirm a 2002 Axis has the slightly wider neck at the heel to prevent the E-string from slipping off the fret board (yeah, I'm already reading too much about guitars instead of playing them).

Can someone please explain the difference between a Tremolo and a "hard tail" and does it matter for a beginner?" I believe the guitar I am lusting over has a Floyd-Rose style locking bridge.

Thanx again!
 

fbecir

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Joined
Jul 3, 2005
Messages
2,867
Location
Paris, FRANCE
Can someone please explain the difference between a Tremolo and a "hard tail" and does it matter for a beginner?" I believe the guitar I am lusting over has a Floyd-Rose style locking bridge.

Thanx again!

Hello

It's better to learn with a good equipment, thus a Music Man is a pretty good idea.

If you are a Van Halen fan, a Floyd Rose Axis is a must-have.
Hard tail guitar are easier to setup but a Floyd Rose is not rocket science. Besides this forum is full of guys that can help you in case you need to setup your Axis.

Good luck
 

Tollywood

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Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Messages
4,179
Location
Rhode Island
Hello and welcome to the forum!

The E string slipping off of the fretboard is an EVH model issue. It was corrected with the Axis.

I think it's great that your wife is so generous and I agree that having a fine tool, like an Axis, will make your learning that much more enjoyable. Go for it!

Bryan
 

phillybri

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Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Messages
91
An Axis will DEFINITELY scratch that itch. Phenomenal guitar, incredibly easy to play, and the pickups are FLAMETHROWERS!!!
 

spychocyco

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 16, 2008
Messages
800
The Axis is a fantastic guitar for a beginner, and I'm sure that it will inspire you to play more and go further. The neck is absolutely fantastic for guys with smaller hands. Easily the best neck I've ever played.

My first guitar was a plywood body with a fine roseplastic fingerboard and inexplicably, a lock-nut with a string-through bridge, so consider yourself a very lucky man. :)
 

jones4tone

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 24, 2016
Messages
988
Location
Texas
Welcome to the forum!

My first electric was from EBMM, and I have no regrets about that. In my case, I bought one that I loved, but was not best-suited to the styles of music I like to play, whereas it seems you've already figured that part of the equation out, so that's good for you. (I eventually traded that guitar away, but not without falling in love with the brand and getting involved in this wonderful community of owners.)

I think I would be a lot more likely to practice if I had a guitar of my own that was ideally suited to my tastes, rather than a borrowed guitar. And it would seem you have a wonderful wife! Enjoy!
 

Jack FFR1846

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 17, 2008
Messages
2,177
Location
Hopkinton, MA
Do it.

Shortly after coming back from 30 years not playing, I re-entered the guitar role. I bought an Axis Super Sport from a local forum member and loved the neck. Later picked up a new Axis from Pete down in his store in Connecticut. Although the floyd rose can be "different" to tune, set up and change strings with, it's not rocket science. I found that it stayed in tune better than anything else I owned, including hard tail guitars.
 

Calspyderman

Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2017
Messages
8
Thank you all so much for your words of encouragement and advice. I'm gonna do it. I've narrowed down the choice between two guitars. A 2002 Axis in standard trim (translucent red); and a 2011 Axis Tribute with a D-Tuna installed in translucent red. Any thoughts on the two choices very welcome. I believe the 2011 Tribute has an "updated" Floyd Tremeolo, and brown instead of black on the back and sides. Thanks again everyone.
 

gregmusi

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Joined
Mar 27, 2012
Messages
87
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Thank you all so much for your words of encouragement and advice. I'm gonna do it. I've narrowed down the choice between two guitars. A 2002 Axis in standard trim (translucent red); and a 2011 Axis Tribute with a D-Tuna installed in translucent red. Any thoughts on the two choices very welcome. I believe the 2011 Tribute has an "updated" Floyd Tremeolo, and brown instead of black on the back and sides. Thanks again everyone.

Do you have pictures? The tributes typically had very nice quilt tops
 

Calspyderman

Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2017
Messages
8
Pics of the 2012 Tribute vs. the 2002 Standard Axis

Hello gregmusi.

The quilt is the 2012 Tribute. The flame is the 2002. My main question is the difference between the updated 2012 Floyd tremolo and its predecessor.
 

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Calspyderman

Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2017
Messages
8
Hello Gents.

I may have answered my own question on the trem differences between the 2002 Axis and the 2011 Tribute. I've searched elsewhere on this forum and have clearly stumbled on a topic with lots of prior and current opinion - so awesome that this forum provides access to so much information. At least for me, the question of the pre-2011 "Gotoh" versus the 2011 updated EBMM Floyd Rose and potentially which works better with a D-Tuna, etc... is that I'm an absolute beginner - it doesn't matter, and won't for a very long time. :D

Thanks all. I'll post more pics of whichever one I end up with. Doesn't look like there is a bad choice here.
 

spychocyco

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 16, 2008
Messages
800
I'd go with the quilt, but that's just personal preference for me. Like you said, there's not a bad choice. :)
 

Flash Gordon

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Joined
Oct 8, 2013
Messages
472
Location
NW Burbs - Chicago
Tribute if you can. No tonal difference, but typically a nicer quilt and fairly rare... more likely to hold its value over time.

As I read through your thread, my only thought was make sure you are confident in stringing a Floyd Rose style bridge. Lots of good set up tutorials on YouTube! If not comfortable, seek out the Axis Super Sport, which has a standard trem or hardtail bridge.

Good luck! I currently have 6 Axis guitars, and LOVE them.
 
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