• Ernie Ball
  • MusicMan
  • Sterling by MusicMan
Joined
Jul 23, 2014
Messages
17
Location
West Hartford, Connecticut, United States
Howdy EBMM Forum-

Im looking for a new guitar and wanted to see what I should be looking at? With the exception of a few cheapo guitars, I haven't bought anything high-end in quite a while.

I like shredder guitars, but I’m not a shredder. For years I had fun with the USA and Japanese Charvel Production Models, swapping pickups and parts. I feel the current generation of Mexican made guitars are great on paper but lack that quality feel when they’re in my hands. I bought an ash charvel tele off ebay, only to return it. Such a step down in quality :(

So the hunt is on for something new. I think my price range is something under $2500.My main axe is an EBMM Axis. Best neck shape EVER! I’d love to get the Koa BRF Axis, but its too expensive. Played it twice and its amazing! If I could improve my Axis, I'd give it 24 super jumbo SS frets, maybe change the body wood to African mahogany, and might like to add one of those JP-style floating trems with locking tuners, in place of the floyd. Does such a guitar exist in the Axis world?

If I set up an Axis w/ a vintage style trem to float, how well does it stay in tune vs a floyd rose? I picked up a Rasmus/ Suhr Guthrie Govan with a floating gotoh 510 and it stays in tune better than my floyd'd guitars. I'd love to add that setup to an Axis!

I tend to like thicker than average necks (ebmm Axis and Jackson pc1 are my faves) , body woods can be: mahogany or soft maple or a basswood body with a maple cap-, maybe a koa top like on the BFR axis, a trem - I love the floating gotoh 510. I’d take it over a floyd any day. SS super jumbo frets. I’d prefer 24 frets but can make do with 22.

I've played the JP guitars and liked them, but hated the thin necks. Is it possible to custom order a JP with an axis neck-shape?


What else should I be looking at? Thanks for any help you can give me.
 

spychocyco

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 16, 2008
Messages
800
Some of the recent BFR runs had mahogany bodies, and you can occasionally find them lightly used within your price range. Those BFRs also all have SS frets, I believe. But there is no 24-fret Axis, and your trem options are Floyd or vintage. Both are very stable when it comes to tuning, but neither are set up from the factory to float. They are down-only.

About the only way you could get the Axis you're looking for is to become an EBMM artist. :D
 

Daniel

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 21, 2016
Messages
2,848
Location
San Luis Obispo
Hi there, Unfortunately, we do not have a custom shop in the factory. However, have you looked into the Luke III guitar? You can find it on our website here: Luke3 | Guitars | Ernie Ball Music Man . It's still 22 frets but has a thicker neck similar to an Axis. The bridge is a vintage style Music Man bridge, but is set to float over the top of the guitar. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected]
 

SilosRock

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2019
Messages
107
Location
Maryland
Hey bud, I'm all about EBMM Axis!!! Great choice��. Specifically Axis Sports and Super Sports. Im not a Floyd kinda guy and almost always prefer Hardtails on my Balls...with the exception of my Silhouette Special vintage trem and you can set them to float... just not as much pitch like a Floydd can do. Also, doesn't have 24 frets as you prefer, BUT!?!??! You could get a pre-owned Silhouette(24 fret standard) with a vintage trem and you would be more than happy with that purchase!!! Can be had for $700-$1300 on Reverb/Ebay all day every day��. The Vintage Trems are FREAKIN amazingly smooth and hold tune just as good as a JP6! I own 2 Axis Sport MM90's and 1 Axis Super Sport(ALL hardtails). Now, with that being said... the Axis is my all time fav guitfiddle and I'm true to my EBMM guitars...BUT... If you didn't get down with the Silhouette w/ Vintage Trem??? Purchase an Ibanez AZ!!!!! Prestige are pricey and amazing instruments but being me...I took the more feasible route and got an Ibanez AZ242bc-det for under $900 in mint condition! They are phenomenal guitars with alot of tonal options but as much as I loved it...I needed a Vintage sunburst Axis Sport MM90 in my collection and letting the AZ go was the only option I had. I regret that decision now and will be listing the MM90 on Reverb, most likely this weekend. There's a somewhat long back story to that purchase but it just wasn't what I thought she'd be...

Good luck on that quest of yours! If you take any advice from above... BUY ON THE USED MARKET!!! Tons of deals !!! I'd only purchase new if there was a special run available...

- Nick
 
Joined
Jul 23, 2014
Messages
17
Location
West Hartford, Connecticut, United States
Hey bud, I'm all about EBMM Axis!!! Great choice��. Specifically Axis Sports and Super Sports. Im not a Floyd kinda guy and almost always prefer Hardtails on my Balls...with the exception of my Silhouette Special vintage trem and you can set them to float... just not as much pitch like a Floydd can do. Also, doesn't have 24 frets as you prefer, BUT!?!??! You could get a pre-owned Silhouette(24 fret standard) with a vintage trem and you would be more than happy with that purchase!!! Can be had for $700-$1300 on Reverb/Ebay all day every day��. The Vintage Trems are FREAKIN amazingly smooth and hold tune just as good as a JP6! I own 2 Axis Sport MM90's and 1 Axis Super Sport(ALL hardtails). Now, with that being said... the Axis is my all time fav guitfiddle and I'm true to my EBMM guitars...BUT... If you didn't get down with the Silhouette w/ Vintage Trem??? Purchase an Ibanez AZ!!!!! Prestige are pricey and amazing instruments but being me...I took the more feasible route and got an Ibanez AZ242bc-det for under $900 in mint condition! They are phenomenal guitars with alot of tonal options but as much as I loved it...I needed a Vintage sunburst Axis Sport MM90 in my collection and letting the AZ go was the only option I had. I regret that decision now and will be listing the MM90 on Reverb, most likely this weekend. There's a somewhat long back story to that purchase but it just wasn't what I thought she'd be...

Good luck on that quest of yours! If you take any advice from above... BUY ON THE USED MARKET!!! Tons of deals !!! I'd only purchase new if there was a special run available...

- Nick

It's funny that you mention the AZ. I was up in Boston a few days ago and took a trip to Matt's music (high end guitar place on the South Shore of Boston). I demo'd a bunch of guitars- Charvel/ Suhr/ Ibanez AZ. Charvel was cool but neck was too thin, Some of the Suhr's were cool, but honestly, the Ibanez AZ's were the killer-app of the bunch. I played both the premium and prestige trims and actually perfered the premium more. That might be due to the fact that it's a basswood body. The Prestige is alder and I'm just not a huge fan- at least not in that guitar.

The AZ had a huge neck, huge stainless frets, roasted neck great overall feel. I wasn't in love with the pickups, but that's an easy fix. If Ibanez made an AZ with a basswood body and thick maple cap, I'd be all over it ;)

My local GC also had a BFR Luke- all black, mahogany neck and body. It was sweet! V- neck was kinda neat also. So yes, I know about them and they're on my radar too.
 

SilosRock

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2019
Messages
107
Location
Maryland
That's awesome! The AZ is a really well put together guitar. Beefy neck ✔ Stainless frets ✔ 24 frets indeed ✔ RG Style with great looks ✔

The pickups(SD Hyperions) being exclusive to the AZ line up def have a unique sound, especially when paired with the SS frets. No doubt in my mind that's the sound Ibanez was trying to achieve!!! Great sounding for that Neo-Jazz Fusionist (nowadays you can pair any genre you think fits the bill hahaha). Really unique voicings when using the DynaMix switch. My overall opinion shared the same findings as you did... Hyperions were lackluster and that my friend is why I play Dimarzio!!! Just so happens they come factory in my EBMM��. Always have an extra Tone Zone bridge pup laying around and that is what was going inside the Ibby, literally the weekend I listed the AZ... Prob would still be in my possession!!!

Basswood + Maple cap��??? I think you're on to something here! If only my Axis Super Sport was...wait a minute...����
 

beej

Moderator
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Messages
11,963
Location
Toronto, Canada
Just a friendly reminder that this is, in fact, the MM forum. Let's try and keep the discussion MM-centric. Thanks :)
 

Razzle

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2012
Messages
851
Location
Alabama
You can tweak an Axis to float the floyd, I have. PM me if you like. I have an axis that had a route done (to float the trem and it's got SS frets, but they're not jumbo). Personally the only trem I've ever gotten to be stable besides Floyds are the JPs. The JPX has jumbo SS frets but the neck on it I feel is even slightly smaller than the the JPs. I have a lot of floyd guitars and don't know of any that have exactly what you want, mostly because the necks aren't that chunky. Sounds like you're real close. Good luck!
 
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