Axis Tone

[chucke]

Hey guys,

I have had my AXIS SS for a few months now and I love it even more then when I first bought it! It plays SO amazing, I am like a new guitarist!

I can play lead solos so much better now. My only complain is that it sounds rather thin compared to my Lesters.

I am playing through a Marshall DSL and a 1936 cab with vintage 30's.

I really don't like to swap out pickups but I am tempted. Any suggestions?

I realize that these guitars are like apples and oranges. The AXIS is made of basswood and with a bolt on neck, it will never sound like a Lester, which is okay... Well kinda... Anyway, what can I do to make my AXIS have more low end and sustain?

And again, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my AXIS.... The Lesters are collecting dust!

 

[walleye]

whats a lester?
is that a les paul?

 

[peterd79]

i think it is...
can't think of anything else that would be a lester...

 

[DaPatrooch]

Raise the pickups maybe? I don't know haha.

 

[EEF13]

whats a lester?
is that a les paul?

Les Paul is a Lester

 

[azazael]

It is a total myth that a set neck gives more sustain.


Personally I have never experience my Super Sport's being thin in comparison to the LP i used to have.

If anything it was far more defined and less muddy than the LP.

The easiest thing to try would be an EQ pedal.

Ultimately it is you're amp settings that will need adjusted when u switch to different guitars and pickups.

There is nothing wrong with Basswood/Maple combination even John Suhr says its THE tone.

Maybe you should try out an AL HH.

 

[Tung]

The SS pups got plenty of balls, it also has a real nice midrange cut that is very cool. Perhaps you can run a clean boost in front of the amp right before the guitar. I got a Les Paul and it does sound chunkier. But I think with the right boost, you can really kick the SS into the next level.
I have both the Xotic AC and RC Booster. The RC is always on in my pedalboard. If you want more gain, the BB is worth checking out.

 

[Stratty316]

I string my Axis with EB Hybrid Slinkys (Orange package 46-9) and it gives the low end a just a little kick while keeping the high E easy to bend or whatever. It really made a difference on both Axis guitars. Its never gonna get as much bottom end as a LP though... but then again its never gonna be as muddy sounding either.


Edit: just noticed we were talking about an ASS... I use 10's on my Sport and that thickens it up. If its set up right you wont even notice the strings are heavier.

 

[ScoobySteve]

The Les Paul's distinct snort is very very difficult to reproduce in any exact way. Short scale, tune of matic, carve top, mahog body/maple top, etc.

She'll never sound like a Les Paul. But since you do bring up the DSL, fudging with the EQ and finding that sweet spot will be really important. I actually prfer the SS compared to the Axis because of the expanded options you get. With that in mind I'd go as some others have suggested. Try out an EQ pedal or try running a clean boost in front of your amp.

I have 2 (kinda 3 if you include the keeley comp) I have a keeley BD-2 and the keeley TS-9 + mod. Both which can be used as clean boosts and offer my 25th great body and clarity. Awesome mids and nice spank. I know its not an ASS, but you could reap similar results.

 

[bbake1]

Leave the pups alone, they are great as they are. I had great results with a Fulltone OCD with my Splawn and Metroamp heads to get a little more thump.

 

[Stratty316]

Im using the same pedal with a Princeton Reverb and my Axis and I am very happy with the chunky tone I get...


PM Zombi... he is a pedal guru and can prob help direct you to some cool pedals to thicken that thing up.

 

[Ripper]

It the AMP. I believe most tube amp really need a booster/od pedal to drive it harder to get that chugga feel. Unless you play really loud at arena setting..

Just look at all the tube amp available nowadays: full of mini switches/toggles to add boost/bright/more option to the overdriven tone. They are all solid state circuitry in a tube amp, aint they?

The axis pups will really bring out the od pedal+overdriven amp tone to it best! Speaking from a 25th owner here.

 

[Stu-Pendus]

The Axis has a wide spectrum of distinct sounds from edgey rock sounds to well balanced and transparent layers of subtle other tones and is in my view the most versatile guitar that i own (FYI,i own 15 guitars in total).As scooby steve has said,the LP is a guitar that has that full on wallop for the reasons that he gave but IMO is very much a one trick pony.A PRS custom will give you a similar sound to a LP on position 1 and 5 and they do tend to sit firmly in the mid range frequency wise to the detriment of other instruments.I find that my Axis will always cut the the wall of mids on the front of house sound and always sounds expensive and expansive when i put it through a TSL 122 or similar.
Have you tried looping into the amp some low mid(graphic EQ) or sub bass sonic enhancements as this may give you that layer but again it is likely compromise the bass players frequency.

Good luck.

 

[hbucker]

Since you say you're a new guitarst, I'll run the risk of sounding like I'm talking down to you. I don't mean to sound that way though...

1. One key in happily owning a variety of guitars is being happy with each guitar on its own terms. Too often (I've done this too) people say "I really like THIS guitar, I want all my guitars to sound like this too!" I went through a period about 15 years ago when I wanted all my guitars to sound as much like my EVH as possible. The reality is, you need to either bond with a guitar on its terms or get rid of it. Sure, you can mod it and buy pedals and gear to compensate for its "weaknesses" or you can find what it's strengths are and celebrate those. One man's "thin" is another man's "articulate".

2. Depending on what incarnation of LP you have and what pickups it has, you might really, really be comparing apples and oranges. Don't be afraid to set your amp's eq and gain to different levels to coax the sugar out of any given guitar. It isn't one size fits all with amps and guitars. I back the gain off of my amp when I plug my LP in. Its harmonic response is much different than my other gutiars and it starts sounding muddy at higher gains. My EVH on the other hand, sings with higher gains even though it crosses over to other territory fairly well.

3. LP's tend to be very mid heavy from an eq standpoint. The Axis pickups are more modern and have a bit more of a scooped mid tone. Honestly, I think they are a perfect combo of PAF and Modern. So what you may be hearing as "thin" may just be less meat in the middle. That can equate to thin. It can also just be different.

4. If you really want to bond with a guitar, play it exclusively for a couple of months. Put your other guitar(s) away and don't touch them over that time period. When you take your other guitar out of the case in a couple of months, you'll find that it feels and sounds differently than you remember. It will help you appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of both guitars even more than relatively constant swapping and comparing of tones.

5. The Axis may not be the guitar for you. But, unless it is broken, it really doesn't have a "thin" tone IMO. Different than an LP? Sure! But thin??? I would recommend really putting in some time with it and playing it with different amp adjustments. Could be you'll find the sweet spot. Could be that you just having reached a point in your playing where you have found ways to coax the sugar out of any given guitar. That's cool. We've all been there. I still am in many regards and have been playing since '73.

6. I think the Axis pickups are about the best stock pickup there is. If you decide to replace yours, let me know, I would be very interested in buying them!!

Hope this wasn't condescending. I really didn't mean it to sound that way. Good luck and I hope you enjoy your guitars.

 

[azazael]

No, he said he feels like a new guitarist...

 

[Stratty316]

He also said he loved his ASS, but wanted to get a little more meat into the sound. I think he just needs to find a Tone with his Axis that he is in love with...

try the strings, adjust your amp and just play with a few different combos to find what you are looking for. The last thing I would do is mess with the Axis itself. Once you get it dialed in you will be set. After all, how long did it take to find your tonal sweet spot with the Les Paul?

 

[Slav123]

He also said he loved his ASS, but wanted to get a little more meat into the sound. I think he just needs to find a Tone with his Axis that he is in love with...

try the strings, adjust your amp and just play with a few different combos to find what you are looking for. The last thing I would do is mess with the Axis itself. Once you get it dialed in you will be set. After all, how long did it take to find your tonal sweet spot with the Les Paul?

+1^

It sounds like someone needs to trade in their Lester for an HH Albert Lee Mahogany Body + RW Neck + Axis Pups = Tone Heaven!

Slav

 

[hbucker]

No, he said he feels like a new guitarist...

Oooops... sorry about that. I missed the word "like" in his sentence.

Oh well. The points are still made, for better or for worse.

 

[Slingy]

Maybe he's talking about positions 2 and 4 which are split coils and parallel. Those are noticeably thinner sounding then the series settings. And thats a good thing imo because you dont always need the full fat sound.

 

[hbucker]

He also said he loved his ASS, but wanted to get a little more meat into the sound. I think he just needs to find a Tone with his Axis that he is in love with...

try the strings, adjust your amp and just play with a few different combos to find what you are looking for. The last thing I would do is mess with the Axis itself. Once you get it dialed in you will be set. After all, how long did it take to find your tonal sweet spot with the Les Paul?

Agreed. This is generally what I was getting at with my post. Learn to appreciate the guitar for what it can do, not dislike it for what it can't. Tweak everything you've got before you run out and buy more stuff to adjust the tone.

A guitar that you have to buy new gear for just to appreciate may not be the guitar for you.