Axis setup issues

[ThatDude]

Let me start by saying Ive already sent CS an email, but since its sunday and they won't respond till at least tomorrow, I figured id post this here and see if anyone can help in the mean time.

The Axis that I've owned for a week now needed a setup out of the box (not a big deal).

A) The bridge was angled forward and was not resting on the body. So I lifted the posts and got the tremolo laying flat and as close to level and I could get it.

B) The truss rod and a ton of bow in it, so I tightened the truss rod. I currently have 0.010 @ the 8th fret on the low E with the 1st and last frets pressed down (which is where I like it).

The problem is that, with the tremolo down flat/level, I can't get the action into spec, 4/64 at the 12th fret for all the strings. I currently have ~4.5/64 on the low E and 5/64 on the high E....and I adjust the posts the trem is no longer flat and the bass side of the underplate starts to lift off the body and the trem is angled down towards the pickups.

Like I said, Ive already sent an email to CS asking if its possible to return the guitar to the factory for inspection and setup because its gotten to the point where I can't even enjoying the guitar because Ive spent more time adjusting it than I have playing it =(

 

[Stevie]

Noting that you are awaiting a response from CS, I had a similar issue with a used Tribute I purchased recently. The neck was uneven in two spots, requiring two trips to the tech to fret level. If the posts were too low, the bridge would dig into the body on a dive bomb, which the previous owner let happen on the high E side. Anyways, with the frets level, bridge level, neck all but flat, the next task to get factory action height was to shim the neck. This I did 12-14 times with various shim thicknesses. I finally got there with a factory action height. Disappointing though it took so much effort for what is otherwise a great guitar.

Good luck with yours, I'm sure it will work out.

 

[ThatDude]

Ya hopefully they answer tomorrow and get me squared away

 

[Flash Gordon]

Sorry you're having set up issues on that beauty. Willcutt ususually checks the setup before they go out the door... So you may want to give them a jingle in the AM... Not sure how far of a ride you are from them?

 

[ThatDude]

3 hours. Too far. Could possibly ship it to them though

 

[ozzyrules]

Ugh,
Every EBMM that I've received factory new was perfect. Some of the used ones that I own were set up by goons who thought they knew more than EBMM. I would have let it settle after shipping, then, done some minor truss rod tweaking. Possibly, check the trem springs. If you're not satisfied with that guitar, I'll gladly take it off your hands; seriously.

 

[GoKart Mozart]

Just out of curiosity, could you post a side view of how your bridge is currently sitting?

Once the neck relief is set and the trem posts are adjusted to where the bridge is parallel to the body, the only additional action adjustment that can be made to the Floyd Rose-equipped Axis is by shimming the neck.

 

[ThatDude]

Just out of curiosity, could you post a side view of how your bridge is currently sitting?

Once the neck relief is set and the trem posts are adjusted to where the bridge is parallel to the body, the only additional action adjustment that can be made to the Floyd Rose-equipped Axis is by shimming the neck.

Ya ill post pics in a second. The night will defiantly need to be shimmed....but the treble side will need to be shimmed more than the base side in order for the action to be even and in order to keep the bridge flat/level

 

[ThatDude]

Ive adjusted the bridge the best I could. I think its as close to flat as its going to get.

 

[ThatDude]

the Low E side doesn't need to go down too much further, but once I crank down the high E side to where its 4/64, the back end of the bass side of the baseplate starts to lift off the body.

 

[ThatDude]

I was looking at the MM website on the Axis page and the tremolo doesn't look to be level with the body in the pictures.

 

[Stevie]

One dive bomb on that guitar from MM site and you will have holes dug out where the end of the bridge angles up (near the post). That's what the previous owner of my Tribute had done.

 

[Tuborgmann]

I don't think the baseplate itself is to be level with the body but rather the smaller plate near the back.

 

[ThatDude]

I don't think the baseplate itself is to be level with the body but rather the smaller plate near the back.

See, now I'm a little confused about that too. Is it ok if the baseplate itself isn't parallel with the body as long as the little retainer plate underneath is still touching?......I keep asking myself that.

 

[ThatDude]

Update.....just got an email from CS. They said to go ahead and ship the guitar. Ill be sending it out in the next few days

 

[GoKart Mozart]

See, now I'm a little confused about that too. Is it ok if the baseplate itself isn't parallel with the body as long as the little retainer plate underneath is still touching?......I keep asking myself that.

Check out Tollie's post #6 on this thread. He said his posts were right at 1 cm out if the body, which would be about 3/8". It may be the angle of the pic but yours looks a little higher than that?

http://forums.ernieball.com/ernie-ball-music-man-guitars/59857-setting-up-axis-trem.html




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ThatDude]

Check out Tollie's post #6 on this thread. He said his posts were right at 1 cm out if the body, which would be about 3/8". It may be the angle of the pic but yours looks a little higher than that?

http://forums.ernieball.com/ernie-ball-music-man-guitars/59857-setting-up-axis-trem.html


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Mine is right at about 4/64, which is a little more than a mm

 

[ThatDude]

I think he meant 1mm, not 1cm

 

[Flash Gordon]

ThatDude,

How is that gorgeous guitar of yours? Any word?

 

[ThatDude]

ThatDude,

How is that gorgeous guitar of yours? Any word?

Yep, got it back from EB about 2 weeks ago. Set up was amazing. They even sent 2 free sets of strings with it. The only thing left to do to do it get some shims for the bridge saddles because the tremolo has a 14" radius. I forgot to ask them to take a look at it when I sent it back to the factory. Im not in a hurry though, it plays really nice