NGD: PDN Axis Honey Burst w/Floyd Rose custom rout (pic heavy, video)

[Razzle]

Well this isn't a 'new' guitar, I bought it earlier this year, but it took me a while to finish things: complete the mod, get some pics, record a song, and get this post done.

This is one fine PDN Axis Honey Burst (2012) that has a special custom rout for the Floyd Rose tremolo. I was lucky enough to buy this guitar from Tollie, who was generous enough to offer to sell it to me after he had already done the rout mod (but hadn't finished the raw wood yet). He bought it from Jeff, which explains why it has such a beautiful top (and the PDN Jeff replaced it with is even more gorgeous). I colored the rout using about 6-7 coats of clear stain (3 different colors: red, orange, yellow). It took that many to try and get close to the rich color of this guitar, I was very happy with the result.

I think this is a great mod to the Axis. I love the Axis but don't at all like floyds that sit on the surface of the guitar, I think you lose a lot of the nuances by which you can control the strings.

No NGD would be totally complete without a sound sample! So I've included one at the end for your listening pleasure affectionately titled "Swamp Song". It's just a little tune I gen'd up one night, which hopefully conveys some of the killer tones you can get with this guitar and its roasted maple neck. Hope you enjoy it!

 

[Tollywood]

Congrats on that Axis. What a lightweight machine she is. I really like the way the rout looks now that you've stained it.

 

[dibart77]

WOW! I was like, "That guy looks familiar!" And the route looks GREAT - you did a tremendous job matching the stain! Looks factory (although the route is a little bigger than an EBMM floating Floyd route). Really outstanding. Glad this guitar continues to have a good home!

​

 

[ozzyrules]

Looks and sounds great! I would be scared to death to take on a project like that. Wonderful job!

 

[gregc]

It looks and sounds great. I think the recess for the Floyd is a winner.

 

[ozzyrules]

The intro to the song sounded like 'Alice in Chains".

 

[DevRock]

Looks very nice and a great idea. Although, I have to agree that the route is way too big for that trem.

 

[ZeroFivefour]

Nicely Done!

Razzle,

That looks great!

I know I'm really really late to the party here. (I was moving houses in Dec. - Jan. and totally missed this thread). I found this thread upon searching for Tollie's original thread. But that is awesome. You really made that rout look great with your stain. I totally agree with you regarding floyds floating , nuances etc...

I've been considering getting my axis routed like this for a long time and I am finally ready to do it , (I'll be shipping the guitar out to the luthier in California tomorrow).

I think the stain really looks fantastic! I'm not sure if I am going to ink my rout black, go with flat/gloss black, or do some type of stain or gloss/flat paint color, (my guitar is a black cherry burst), but seeing what you did here really has eased any concerns I may have had.

If you or Tollie read this I would be interested in any feedback you guys have regarding the mod. I also wanted to know if Tollie had to replace the floyd block with a shorter block due to the depth decrease from the rout as I'll be "crossing that bridge", (pun intended), very soon?


Any way, Very nicely done and cheers,

Tom

 

[Razzle]

Razzle,

That looks great!

I know I'm really really late to the party here. (I was moving houses in Dec. - Jan. and totally missed this thread). I found this thread upon searching for Tollie's original thread. But that is awesome. You really made that rout look great with your stain. I totally agree with you regarding floyds floating , nuances etc...

I've been considering getting my axis routed like this for a long time and I am finally ready to do it , (I'll be shipping the guitar out to the luthier in California tomorrow).

I think the stain really looks fantastic! I'm not sure if I am going to ink my rout black, go with flat/gloss black, or do some type of stain or gloss/flat paint color, (my guitar is a black cherry burst), but seeing what you did here really has eased any concerns I may have had.

Any way, Very nicely done and cheers,

Tom

thanks Tom! I do love playing the guitar, I've always wanted to do it to my purple Axis but have never found anyone local that I have the confidence in to do the mod. And I have one, so it's good, although it is a little different since it's got the roasted neck (which I really like).

Yea Tollie just thought it was a bit big, and I see where he's coming from. But to me I had no issue with it at all.

For yours, I haven't seen a Black-Cherry Burst in person, but I'd say you could go either way ~ black, or black-cherry. If you could get the black-cherry to match, that WOULD be awesome. Be sure to post your mod when you're done! Good luck.

Russ

 

[ZeroFivefour]

thanks Tom! I do love playing the guitar, I've always wanted to do it to my purple Axis but have never found anyone local that I have the confidence in to do the mod. And I have one, so it's good, although it is a little different since it's got the roasted neck (which I really like).

Yea Tollie just thought it was a bit big, and I see where he's coming from. But to me I had no issue with it at all.

For yours, I haven't seen a Black-Cherry Burst in person, but I'd say you could go either way ~ black, or black-cherry. If you could get the black-cherry to match, that WOULD be awesome. Be sure to post your mod when you're done! Good luck.

Russ

Russ,

Thanks for the feedback. I'll definitely post the results of the mod. I shipped my Axis out to the Luthier this morning. My eta is a few weeks due to his current back log of gutars/workload etc...I'll definitely keep you posted.

While your rout is a 'bit' big, I always suspected it appeared to be much bigger due to the wood grain contrast with the gorgeous top and that the visual gap would close if it was painted/inked etc.... That was confirmed for me when I saw your excellent stain application. In my mind your axis looks awesome.

I think I may have mentioned in a previous thread that I would have blacked out the rout and exploited the extra room in there with something bizarre ie: a battery powered high emission led, or a mirror backed black light led or something else that would have been on the wild side. But that's just my crazy sense of flash coming out! Now that it's stained that is completely unnecessary.

I am still on the fence on which rout color to go with. Due to the color(s) of my guitar I think black might actually work best. To give it some contrast. Matching might prove a bit tougher, but I am the master of the mixing nail polish colors for guitar nick repair! I could get really close with that I'm sure We shall see.

I was hoping Tollie would chime in on whether or not the rout had necessitated the need to replace the floyd block or not? Would you happen to know if it needed to be replaced with a smaller block due to the depth decrease caused by the rout?


Cheers,

Tom

 

[Razzle]

I am still on the fence on which rout color to go with. Due to the color(s) of my guitar I think black might actually work best. To give it some contrast. Matching might prove a bit tougher, but I am the master of the mixing nail polish colors for guitar nick repair! I could get really close with that I'm sure We shall see.

I was hoping Tollie would chime in on whether or not the rout had necessitated the need to replace the floyd block or not? Would you happen to know if it needed to be replaced with a smaller block due to the depth decrease caused by the rout?

Thanks. I would say that the stains were clear, and that allowed me to apply and apply and get the color. The stain doesn't get into the wood from the first one, but since they're clear they allow a layering ~ so I went with a lighter one first. So that's something to consider, that I don't know if nail polish once it's applied it's done. BTW, that's a good idea, I have a few nicks on other guitars that I might try that. Hmmmm

I don't think he did, and I don't why you would have to. Seems like the posts and the block are all still there intact and functionally unaltered, it's only the top wood behind them.

Good luk.

 

[Tollywood]

I was hoping Tollie would chime in on whether or not the rout had necessitated the need to replace the floyd block or not? Would you happen to know if it needed to be replaced with a smaller block due to the depth decrease caused by the rout?


Cheers,

Tom

Hello Tom and Russ,

No, I didn't have to replace the block and the posts have not been moved. I do like the Axis quite a bit more now that Russ stained that area. It really came out great.

 

[ZeroFivefour]

Thanks. I would say that the stains were clear, and that allowed me to apply and apply and get the color. The stain doesn't get into the wood from the first one, but since they're clear they allow a layering ~ so I went with a lighter one first. So that's something to consider, that I don't know if nail polish once it's applied it's done. BTW, that's a good idea, I have a few nicks on other guitars that I might try that. Hmmmm

I don't think he did, and I don't why you would have to. Seems like the posts and the block are all still there intact and functionally unaltered, it's only the top wood behind them.

Good luk.

Hello Tom and Russ,

No, I didn't have to replace the block and the posts have not been moved. I do like the Axis quite a bit more now that Russ stained that area. It really came out great.

Russ and Tollie,

Thanks guys.

I just wanted to get all my ducks in a row to expedite the process. If I needed a new block I didn't want it to impede the process.

Thanks again guys,

Tom

 

[fatkatz77]

Looks good.

 

[Tollywood]

You're welcome, Tom.

 

[Flash Gordon]

Sick!