Axis Neck Humbucker = best neck bucker ever

[B2D]

Coz I said so.

Seriously... I have my ups and downs with the Axis guitar itself, but those pickups... sheeeeeeiiit.

The neck bucker is what really kills me. It's pretty much the best neck pickup I've ever played, bar none. I cannot get it to sound bad. I'm picky about pickups, but more so with the neck model than anything else. I was lucky enough to snag another one on eBay and I plan on saving it for my project guitar to be built in the far future.

Not too hot, not too quiet. Bold, expressive, fluid, and powerful. Smooth, buttery lows, crisp clean mids and articulate highs with just the right amount of bite. The lows never EVER get muddy... especially playing above the 9th fret on the three bass strings. This is something too many neck buckers don't get right enough. The Air Norton is my favorite neck pickup to date... but there's something about the Axis neck bucker that just takes it to the next level. Its got a little more bite, a slightly different (crisper, cleaner) mids voicing, and a little less bass. Little differences but just different enough to be IT, you know?

It really is a shame DiMarzio or EBMM doesn't sell these aftermarket, but I'm sure they have their reasons why. I bet they'd sell very well on their own.

 

[RobW]

It is sweet and smooth like butter.

 

[azazael]

Coz I said so.

Seriously... I have my ups and downs with the Axis guitar itself, but those pickups... sheeeeeeiiit.

The neck bucker is what really kills me. It's pretty much the best neck pickup I've ever played, bar none. I cannot get it to sound bad. I'm picky about pickups, but more so with the neck model than anything else. I was lucky enough to snag another one on eBay and I plan on saving it for my project guitar to be built in the far future.

Not too hot, not too quiet. Bold, expressive, fluid, and powerful. Smooth, buttery lows, crisp clean mids and articulate highs with just the right amount of bite. The lows never EVER get muddy... especially playing above the 9th fret on the three bass strings. This is something too many neck buckers don't get right enough. The Air Norton is my favorite neck pickup to date... but there's something about the Axis neck bucker that just takes it to the next level. Its got a little more bite, a slightly different (crisper, cleaner) mids voicing, and a little less bass. Little differences but just different enough to be IT, you know?

It really is a shame DiMarzio or EBMM doesn't sell these aftermarket, but I'm sure they have their reasons why. I bet they'd sell very well on their own.

because when people read things like u just wrote they have to buy the guitar too

 

[Trent]

Pickup

BEST NECK PICKUP AND BRIDGE PICKUP TOO!!!
These PICKUPS ROCK the HOUSE!!!!!!!!!
Ditto

 

[Roubster]

I would love to have a set in the 20th Silo! When I stopped by GC in San Francisco I tried out a LUKE on a Mesa, and then I plugged in the HH AL, and was pretty blown away with that fat crisp defined tone. I will have to go with the Air Norton and a AT-1...cant wait to hear what that will sound like in the 20th Silo. I'm not the biggest fan of the Axis look, but I will probably eventually get one .

 

[peterd79]

I would love to have a set in the 20th Silo! When I stopped by GC in San Francisco I tried out a LUKE on a Mesa, and then I plugged in the HH AL, and was pretty blown away with that fat crisp defined tone. I will have to go with the Air Norton and a AT-1...cant wait to hear what that will sound like in the 20th Silo. I'm not the biggest fan of the Axis look, but I will probably eventually get one .

are you going to do the AN and AT-1 anytime soon? i'm thinking about doing a swap on my 20th for kicks and grins to see what i can do...

 

[Roubster]

I'm probably going to do it within the next month or so. I'm not sure yet, because I want to actually order those pickups with the chrome covers, and that might take some time to get in, as I can not find those ANYWHERE. I already changed the pickups in the 20th Silo twice. I had the Air Norton in there before and it sounded great. I have the PAF Pro in there now and a EVO2...but I want a nice FAT tone. Still sounds great with what it has now. I think the 20th Silo will sound good with whatever you throw in it hehehe.

 

[Jeff R]

Agreed

Agreed. The two things I brag about the most on my Axis are the overall feel of the neck and the tone of that neck pickup.

 

[lukather101]

Are they identical to the AL HH pups?????

 

[Jonny Dubai]

Yeh mate. My neck pup is the dogs.... as they say over here.

J

 

[ScoobySteve]

Are the 25th's pups the same as the axis'? Cause if they are, I wanna be in this clique too!

 

[B2D]

Are they identical to the AL HH pups?????

Are the 25th's pups the same as the axis'? Cause if they are, I wanna be in this clique too!

wanna know this + if the Reflex pickups are the same.

I'm curious as to what they read on the meter as well.

 

[RocketRalf]

Yes they are the same. All Axis guitars, the 25th, the Reflex and the AL HH carry the same pickups. The electronics make them sound different though, apart from the more obvious construction differences: the Axis has just one volume pot, while the Super Sport, Reflex and 25th have volume and tone. The ALHH has volume and tone too but with 250k pots, thus it's darker/more-vintage sounding. I have yet to play any of these guitars but I'm not a fan of the Air Norton, I'm more into PAFs and single coils.

 

[alba22]

wanna know this + if the Reflex pickups are the same.

I'm curious as to what they read on the meter as well.

I took a reading on the 25th and the bridge was 15.7k series/4.2k parallel & neck was 12.69k series/3.3k parallel

 

[straycat113]

Glad to see so much love for the neck pup as so many players think it is on a guitar for show, especially young kids who like to ride the bridge all night. The next time anyone is helping out someone just getting into soloing blow his mind by showing him how he can change the dynamics of a solo by switching back and forth from the neck to bridge in mid solo. The hair on my arms still stand up when I hear Gary Moore do it in the solo to Still Got the Blues.

 

[DrGonzo5150]

The hair on my arms still stand up when I hear Gary Moore do it in the solo to Still Got the Blues.

Uber tasty example... love it. You hear him switch it over and everything

 

[jisham]

Agreed. The two things I brag about the most on my Axis are the overall feel of the neck and the tone of that neck pickup.

You got that right! While I absolutely LOVE the sound of the bridge pickup, it was the neck pickup that truly made me realize I'd found THE guitar for me. Bad ass.

 

[lukather101]

Yes they are the same. All Axis guitars, the 25th, the Reflex and the AL HH carry the same pickups. The electronics make them sound different though, apart from the more obvious construction differences: the Axis has just one volume pot, while the Super Sport, Reflex and 25th have volume and tone. The ALHH has volume and tone too but with 250k pots, thus it's darker/more-vintage sounding. I have yet to play any of these guitars but I'm not a fan of the Air Norton, I'm more into PAFs and single coils.

Thanks for the info.
My AL HH does sound a lot different to my axis, didn’t think the electric’s would make that bigger difference

 

[RocketRalf]

Thanks for the info.
My AL HH does sound a lot different to my axis, didn’t think the electric’s would make that bigger difference

It is probably more due to the woods used (mahogany+rosewood vs basswood+maple), but the electronics do make some difference.

 

[guitfiddle]

Yep, the Axis neck 'bucker is the greatest!