Dimarzio pickups used in the Axis?

[magentaplacenta]

Anyone know what the stock pickups in the Axis are?

Dimarzio's what in neck/bridge ??????

The bridge sure seems hot as hell to me - would love to know what flavor it is.

 

[nobozos]

Well M.P., that seems to be the subject of much debate.

I think the story goes something like this:

Music Man and Edward Van Halen developed the pickups through DiMarzio in accordance to Edwards specifications. DiMarzio never offered the "Van Halen" pickups to the public, except in the EBMM EVH guitar.
Here's where the controversy comes in, and all I can tell you is what I've heard, so I'm not going to guarantee accuracy here.

When Edward left Ernie Ball, he was under the impression that the pickups he developed with DiMarzio where patented under his name, and he would be taking them with him to Peavey. Apparently, Ernie Ball had sole rights to the patent for the pickups, so Eddie was forced to develop new pickups for the Wolfgang.

According to Ernie Ball, the pickups in the Axis are exactly the same pickups that were in the EVH. Many owners of the EBMM EVH think that is a line of crap, but that is the story from EB.

So, to answer your question, they are custom DiMarzio pickups not available for commercial sale except in the Axis.

I've heard people say that the DiMarzio Tone Zone is as close to the bridge pickup of an Axis as you can get. Some even believe that the Tone Zone is the same pickup, repackaged with a different name.

Like I said, I can't back any of this up, and your best bet is to E-mail Ernie Ball customer service.

 

[eugewong]

So....just curious, do the Original EVH's and the current Axis' sound very much different, if different at all?

Other than the movement of the switch and the tummy cut, is there any difference? I heard the neck carve changed a little, but can't back that up.

 

[dwf1004]

Eugene:

They also increased the width of the neck at the 22nd fret by like 1/32 of an inch due to E string slippage. I was also told that the saddles that are used on the Floyd are different than that on the original EVH's Floyd (Brian/Derek, can you confirm?)

Overall, having owned both, I would have to say that I never really heard a difference between the two.

 

[magentaplacenta]

Hey, thanks for the 411. I noticed on the Axis spec sheet on EB's web site, they just say "Dimarzio custom wound", thought it odd they didn't specify a particular flavor and kinda figured you could buy one and drop it in whatever guitar, but this would be hard without a model name.

 

[Derek]

Hey guys the pickups are the same in the Axis
and the EVH. The only difference is the EVH pickups have 2 conductor leads and the Axis has 4. The reason for this is the Axis Supersport and AxisSport(discontinued) utilized 3 way and 5 way switches to split the coils. The pickup's are not available for sale. The tone zone is a close match for replacement.
The saddles were changed on the Axis. Gotoh the maker of our Floyd changed the saddles and we adjusted the bridge plate to accomodate the repositioning of the intonation
saddle hold down screw.

Thanks

Derek

 

[slashfan96]

nice, always wanted to know what pickups they were =P

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

Holy thread resurrection!!!

 

[Tollywood]

Holy thread resurrection!!!

haha - 11 years later, but still useful information.

Hey guys the pickups are the same in the Axis and the EVH. The pickup's are not available for sale. The tone zone is a close match for replacement.

Thanks

Derek

... I WILL NEED an evh bridge or early model axis bridge. I will pay! I may also need a set of evh pups. PM me if you have any.

There you go, Roger: Tone Zone

 

[DrKev]

Wow. Holy thread resurrection indeed.

From the current DiMarzio FAQ...

What type of pickups were used in the Eddie Van Halen MusicMan Guitar?

These pickups were only available as original equipment on the EVH MusicMan guitar. MusicMan replaced the Van Halen guitar with a very similar model called the Axis, which uses the same pickups. The closest-sounding pickups we offer are the Air Norton™ for the neck position and the AT-1™ for the bridge position.

And here is your linky...

Frequently Asked Questions | DiMarzio

 

[coldsummer]

Are they the same pick-ups in the Albert Lee HH? I'm sure I read somewhere that they were. Sound similar to me but I don't have my Axis any more unfortunately.

 

[edhalen]

Thanks Doc!

 

[Stratty316]

Yes, it's they are the same pickups used on the HHAL.

 

[coldsummer]

Thanks Stratty, I thought they were.

 

[Stratty316]

They do take on a whole life of their own in the HHAL don't they? I was worried about having 4 guitars with the same pickups, but the Ash Sport and the HHAL have their own voice and personality... no wonder people are so in love with these pickups.

 

[SBMM]

...and they are the same pickups that we were fortunate enough to use on the Sterling By Music Man AX40D and AX30D series also.

Only SBMM models that have this "D" designation have them. The older AX40 and AX30 do not have the DiMarzios in them.

 

[Stratty316]

...and they are the same pickups that we were fortunate enough to use on the Sterling By Music Man AX40D and AX30D series also.

Only SBMM models that have this "D" designation have them. The older AX40 and AX30 do not have the DiMarzios in them.

Killer job on that guitar by the way!

 

[Eric O'Reilly]

They should just sell those pickups already.everyone wants em.including me. The tone zone is supposed to be good though, more bass and mids and maybe a little hotter, but ive heard that its a subject of much debate, now the AT 1 is supposed to be close, ( i did not find so) but thats my opinion, great pickup though. But those axis/ evh dimarzios are the best, the best rock bridge possibly of all time?

 

[Stratty316]

Tone Zone is nice, a little more snarl if you ask me. They don't quite clean up like the Axis pickup... Though I had them in a strat and not an Axis so that plays a huge part in the tone.

 

[T- Bone]

The AT-1 does not sound anything like the stock pups. I installed one in one of my Axis' and it wasnt even close