Axis is too powerful....

[gerry d]

Ok guys.. I've had my Axis for just over a week now and I love the guitar, but I am finding the pickups just a bit too powerful... what would you sugest I do..?? I would like a lower output pickup and a bit clearer sounding... I do a lot of choppy funky rythym stuff...

 

[dwells]

buy a luke there powerful to but you can get a great funk sound with the single coils

 

[gerry d]

I have a Luke and yes it's great for that stuff.... it's just that the Axis is a fabulous Rock guitar... with my gig I have to cover a lot of ground sonically... I was thinking about adding a mini switch to split the humbuckers... the guitar feels amazing and I love playing it...

 

[Eilif]

Turn the volume down on the guitar? (Or maybe that's a naive suggestion on my part.)

 

[gerry d]

yep tried that... dosen't really do what I need it to... the actual guitar is wonderful to play and I will keep it... but for me I have to be able to use it in a variety of situations... so I will be modifying it slightly... just gotta figure out how... don't flame me for doing this... I just need the guitar to work for me... but that neck is amazing for sure.... sooo easy to play....

 

[MN246]

This may not be an option, but you could pick up a JP. Use the humbuckers for the heavy stuff and the middle position for anything that you want a thinner sound on.

 

[Red Scare]

Unfortunately you can't screw the pickups down into the guitar as they are direct mounted, but you can screw the polepieces in (this will cut the bass). Outside of that, a pickup change is the only option. I had a Brian Moore with the Alnico II Duncans in it that I really liked for a medium output pickup.

 

[Tone?]

I can always take it off your hands if you want!! lol!

 

[Ricman]

Move over to an ASS - maybe with piezo?? The 2 and 4 positions in an ASS are very single-coily and funky and give it real versatility, and with the Piezo you just about have every base covered.

 

[gerry d]

the thing is that I really love the feel of this guitar and I don't want to let it go.. so my options are change the pickups for something with less output or add a mini toggle to split the humbuckers... this guitar is a keeper so I don't mind modifing it as I won't be selling it... if I was only playing Rock stuff I'd leave it as it is...

 

[JeffreyB]

Here's a great solution....DON'T drill the guitar to put in a mini-switch....Simply get a push/pull pot for the volume control that splits the coils. That way, you can easily restore the guitar to stock.
If you need help with this, let me know.

-jeff

 

[gerry d]

Here's a great solution....DON'T drill the guitar to put in a mini-switch....Simply get a push/pull pot for the volume control that splits the coils. That way, you can easily restore the guitar to stock.
If you need help with this, let me know.

-jeff

thanks man, but I'm in Ireland.... quite a long way away from you...haha... I really hate push/pull pots ... I've just never got on with them... is their any way I could just use the 3 way switch say in the middle position to have the coils tapped for both pickups...??

 

[Tone?]

Ireland??? thats close to me!!!

sell it to me!!!


( just messing around man!)

 

[JeffreyB]

Not with the stock switch...I'm not sure about that style of toggle, but the blade style switch (like in the axis SS) guitars will allow coil switching options.

I guess you could try swapping pickups, but I get great clean sounds with my axis humbuckers. What is your rig? Maybe an EQ pedal with a gain control for the clean funk stuff would allow you to simulate a single coil sound???? Maybe a Boss Acoustic simulator pedal (it can be adjusted to give you a thinned out sound)????

 

[gerry d]

I was just playing it again and it really is a stunning Rock sound... maybe I should just leave it as it is and use the Luke for the funk stuff...

 

[gerry d]

Not with the stock switch...I'm not sure about that style of toggle, but the blade style switch (like in the axis SS) guitars will allow coil switching options.

I guess you could try swapping pickups, but I get great clean sounds with my axis humbuckers. What is your rig? Maybe an EQ pedal with a gain control for the clean funk stuff would allow you to simulate a single coil sound???? Maybe a Boss Acoustic simulator pedal (it can be adjusted to give you a thinned out sound)????

I use an old Marshall JMP 50 watt combo and a 60 watt Zinky Mofo head into a 2x12 Zinky cab with various overdrives and chorus and a wah...

 

[tommyindelaware]

if turning the volume down dulls your highs......you can install a little volume kit to maintain clarity when the volume is lowered for rhythm tone. that way you still have the same tone you already have when the volume is all the way up. they look like this. very simple & reverseable mod. inexpensive....& very well may cure what ales ya.
Volume Kit @ Acme Guitar Works

yep tried that... dosen't really do what I need it to... .... sooo easy to play....

 

[rlarino]

thanks man, but I'm in Ireland.... quite a long way away from you...haha... I really hate push/pull pots ... I've just never got on with them... is their any way I could just use the 3 way switch say in the middle position to have the coils tapped for both pickups...??

yes, this is exactly the way JP's guitar operates...

you're going to need a 4PDT switch though to pull this off (the Dimarzio EP1111)...

Switches & Mini Switches

 

[mr.b]

I was just playing it again and it really is a stunning Rock sound... maybe I should just leave it as it is and use the Luke for the funk stuff...

there's your answer right there.

 

[Big Poppa]

gerry the axis pick is one of the lowest output humbuckers out there..I think stick with it for a little while before you modify. Seriously the lower output gives you a better and sweeter tone High output passive pickups tend to lose the high end and become brittle and middly The bigest surprise when designing that guitar was the lower out put humbucking Bottom line is it is by no means a hot humbucking