Axis Sport questions - changing pickups, height adjustmend...and...pickguard colour!

[I like Rush]

Hi.

I am excited to have just managed to buy an Axis Sport after looking around for a long time for one in good shape. It's still in the mail, so no pics, but its an HSS model with blue translucent finish on ash with rosewood board and black pickguard.

First, an opinion question:

I don't like the black guard and am going to change it. I'm thinking white or parchment but have seen a few nice guitars with tortoise. What do you guys like?

Second, some technical questions for people who know about these guitars:

1) If I don't like the stock singles and I want to replace (likely Lollar or Suhr), will I need to do any profile routing to get them to fit? I've heard this was an issue with Lukes.

2) I don't like to direct mount replacement pickups because it "screws up" the pickup mounting holes. When I tried to find something liked for my axis I ruined a bunch of them before I found what I wanted. So has anyone tried drilling holes in the guard to mount them the usual way? I'm not sure if it's possible without modifying the guitar body as well (ie. routing the pickup cavities for depth, etc) I saw Richie Castellano's Red Special vid where he did this, but he also did a bunch of routing to accommodate 3 singles into an HH body.

3) Has anyone tried converting an SSH model into an SSS? Just wondering if additional routing is required to fit the bridge single at the usual angle. I'm not sure if I want to keep it SSH or go SSS and it's really hard to find SSS models.

Thanks!

 

[Slick64]

If you’re selling the stock setup let me know. I have a Sport someone replaced the entire electronics on. I do love the old Sport models. I have the same Trans blue as yours, a blonde I was going to make like a Tele style, and an an older HH one in a burst finish. Those old necks are killer.

I don’t think you’ll have as many routing problems as you think. I may have a SSS pick guard in black left over as a spare. You could order one from Chandler in many finishes and order it with no screw holes and use carpet tape. Nice clean look.

 

[I like Rush]

Forgive my ignorance, but what would the carpet tape be for? Taping the pickup in instead of screwing it down?

 

[kingdoublecut]

Yes, carpet tape is for attaching the pick guard. I just ordered an SSS guard for my SbMM Axis...adding a Fender Hot Noiseless pup set. Will be screws pups to body per stock.

 

[tj1]

Congrats on being savvy enough finding a good Axis Sport, :t must be highly sought after because it is one classic looking guitar.

It is your personal preference but I have heard may people say people say blue and silver(substitute stainless Steel) is good taste(whatever that means). But I've got a blue Bongo and would actually prefer a black pickguard to the white one it's got. So perhaps you should go with your own instincts

I have nowhere near your obvious knowledge of guitar electronics: so I could be wrong, but it does sound like may of your technical questions could be answered with a diagram/schematic of the internal electronics/routing of the Axis, I don't know if this is obtainable from EBMM.

 

[wesman11483]

If you’re selling the stock setup let me know.

I sold the pickups, but have the rest of the wiring harness for a HSS Sport if you're in need of those components.

Those old necks are killer.

The necks on my '97 and '98 Sports are unlike anything I've ever played. Even compared to my '01 (which budget forced me to sell), I noticed a big difference.