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Ernie Ball Music Man Custom Design Experience

Got a Black Axis...and some pickguard ideas.

bsteff666

bsteff666

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Joined
Apr 1, 2006
Messages
136
Location
Beaver, PA
I'm a big Axis fan. I've been keeping an eye out for a nice solid black one & finally found one.
Nicely broken in but in great shape.
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While I love the look of a standard black Axis... I also really like the looks of the black ones with creme pickguard that were out for a short while years ago. (Maybe I'm one of the only ones that like those).

So...I got a creme pickguard from Chandler.
DSC07476_zpsb23a9eb2.jpg

I think I am going to cut off some screw heads & carefully attatch them to the guard with some silicone sealant....and then attatch the guard to the guitar with double sided tape. That way I can go pickguard or No pickguard whenever I like.



But wait... there's more...



I was thinking about other pickguard options. I love the looks of the vintage firestripe tortoiseshell that they used to use for pickguards on archtops & flat top acoustics in the 40's. That stuff is so hard to find... but I was able to have a firestripe Axis guard done by Terrapin Guitars.

I think this looks killer.
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What do you think? I know some may not go for the firestripe...but I think its a good look & a nice way to change things up a little bit.
 
ZeroFivefour

ZeroFivefour

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Jan 15, 2011
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342
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San Antonio, TX
Great idea and project!

I like the pick guard option. I personally would look for a white or cream pearloid guard on that black bad boy. You can also find a bunch of adhesive sheets of various types of patterns on ebay to cut to shape and place over any guard you have. I am partial to snake skin prints. =), But I digress...


For sticking the guard to your guitar without perma mounting:

Might want to try putting velcro-tape under the screw holes on the guard, (after you get the screw heads on there), and attach the guard to the velcro, this will prevent any possibility of you scratching your guitars paint, will provide adhesion, and quick on/off options. The velcro is black so when you take off the guard you would never see it on there from a few feet.

For a more permanent but not permanent option, 3m makes 2 sided wall hanging strips that are about 2 inches long and .5 inches wide, (they can be cut to any dimension of course). They hold very well and are extremely thin, maybe a 1/16 inch. They come off very easily, not sure about repeated use and adhesion however.

You may consider getting plastic screws for ease of cutting the heads off, paint them silver, black, pink, whatever, etc... and glue em in.

Just my 2 cents.

Cheers,

Tom
 
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DrKev

DrKev

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Jul 8, 2006
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Somewhere between Paris, Dublin, and Buffalo
Nice. I like the firestripe. A but much for my tastes but I like how it nealy matches the colour of the fingerboard. Which made me think...

There are a few companies doing pick guards made out of wood. Maybe this guitar could be a candidate for a figured maple guard to match the neck. Or maybe something different - zebra wood or even rosewood. Anyway, just my crazy brain doing it's thang!
 
T- Bone

T- Bone

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Jun 5, 2012
Messages
145
Yuck!...at all of them

I just put black pickups and a black volume knob (says 'tone') on my black axis and it looks 'sexy' :)
 
D

DevRock

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Joined
May 28, 2008
Messages
398
I only lke the plain black. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen a black one... My vote is to not do it.
 
Z

zr1fevr

Active member
Joined
Feb 22, 2011
Messages
30
T-Bone, that looks really nice. Love the solid black look. How do the pickups sound compared to the stock pickups?
 
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