Axis with floyd/hardtail/vintage trem sound difference?

[spkirby]

Hi all,

just recently grabbed a 97 hardtail axis (not an SS or Sport) to go with my regular floyd axis. Comparing the sound I was surprised to find the hardtail sounds brighter and clearer than my floyded axis.

I always thought a floyd makes things more trebley...but the floyded guitar sounds duller and bassier...

So I was wondering if the Axis collectors out there can tell me the sound difference (say on the humbucker bridge pickup with volume (and tone on a SS) wide open) between their Axis' with floyd, hardtail or vintage trem

Just interested if you get similar results

SteveK

 

[Antoine]

Some years ago i had an Axis, some month later i've sold it to ordering a Super Sport for its versatility!
I thought the Super Sport will sounded more or less the same, i was wrong, i can tell the Floyded Axis sounded more more Bassy than my Super Sport !
I've got a Luke II too, and then comparring it to a friend of mine Luke I with the Floyd it was the same result that the Axis and the Super Sport (and as everyone that own both model here say, the Luke I sound more Fat than the II)
To me there is a huge, huge difference between the EBMM Floyd and their Vintage Trem, the EBMM vintage trem sounds very thin comparred to their Floyd, it's sad !
Understand me well please, i don't say that the EBMM vintage trem is bad, but it's very very far to the EBMM Floyd tone, too bad
In fact know that EBMM Vintage Trem equipped guitar are outstanding guitars, and got tones to die for, it's just they can't beat their Floyded guitar soundwise !
Last : I have noticed EBMM have changed their Tremolo Block recently (on some pics i have seen here, the tremolo block is gold) maybe they put now brass tremolo block instead of steal ones ? i don't know and i would like to have answer for this, i have tried some time ago, but got no answer, maybe this time ?

 

[spkirby]

Thanks Antoine...although I think I prefer the clearer, more articulate, sound of the hardtail, it seems sweeter and less muddy...although I miss the trem bar

Come on JimiD, you must have some input on Axis trems and their sound differences

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

My hardtail Axis looks just like that!

 

[JDouglee]

To me there is a huge, huge difference between the EBMM Floyd and their Vintage Trem, the EBMM vintage trem sounds very thin comparred to their Floyd, it's sad !
Understand me well please, i don't say that the EBMM vintage trem is bad, but it's very very far to the EBMM Floyd tone, too bad
In fact know that EBMM Vintage Trem equipped guitar are outstanding guitars, and got tones to die for, it's just they can't beat their Floyded guitar soundwise !
Last : I have noticed EBMM have changed their Tremolo Block recently (on some pics i have seen here, the tremolo block is gold) maybe they put now brass tremolo block instead of steal ones ? i don't know and i would like to have answer for this, i have tried some time ago, but got no answer, maybe this time ?

One thing I'd like to try is solid saddles on one of my Lukes. Maybe the bent
saddles is the culprit for that "thin" sound? I have a piezo Luke and it's a
decidedly different sound (solid saddles kinda)...

 

[Antoine]

Hey JDouglee, I've got EBMM Solid Saddles on my Luke II, i'm not sure about the tone improvement, they are better for me because of my right hand position, but i've not noticed a difference tonewise !
Maybe your Luke II piezo has got a better sound because the tremolo stays on the body of the guitar and the resonance is then transfered to the body , so better, like the tremolo on my Axis Super Sport, but imho i don't think it's a saddles concern, about me it's more a Tremolo concern, the Floyd has got more mass than the Vintage Trem, plus, the saddles on the Floyd are in direct contact with the base plate, so the resonance is enhanced ! On the Vintage Tremolo, the saddles are in contact with the base plate only with their 2 screws, which i think kill some transfer resonance... i don't know... it's only suppositions... it would be very cool to have a John or Big Poppa point of view about this
It's sure than Floyd EBMM guitars sound better to me, but i don't want Floyd anymore, their Vintage Trem is very good, strings change are more easy, and just the fact of having a nut instead of the Floyd Blocked one is really good, the fact is their Vintage Trem is not as good sounding as their Floyd, too bad , they still always the better guitars ever made today, i'm addicted !!!

 

[Colin]

I'm addicted !!!

I believe you owe Koogie a nickel

 

[spkirby]

My hardtail Axis looks just like that!

You checked your equipment room lately Tim???

 

[Jimi D]

Come on JimiD, you must have some input on Axis trems and their sound differences

Who me? Opinions? Well... since you asked and all...

I think the mass of the floyd gives my Axis more body - I suspect there might be some subtle "natural reverb" thing involved as well (remember, Eric Clapton prefers Strats with trems even though he blocks the trem, because he finds they sound different than hardtails), and on my guitars anyway, it seems the Axis is "louder" - ie: the pickup output is higher than with the Sports and Super Sports... I always presumed this was because there was an added load on the Sport pickups with the Tone control and Split positions on the five-way wired up... When I'm trying to get as close to an LP thing as I can with my gear, I usually pick up my Axis, turn the volume control down just a touch, and it does pretty well... And, I always up the mids by about 20% on my Tech21 amps when I'm switching from my Axis proper to one of my Sports...

On to the Sports and Super Sports: with the hardtails, I just can't escape the "Tele" comparison... My first impression of my Axis Sport MM90 was "Tele on steroids" and I've never been able to shake it. "Articulate" is a good word for them - "unforgiving" is another, as I find there's no where to hide with these things when I screw up My Axis Sports with vintage trems seem a little softer tone-wise, but I keep the actions a little higher on these guitars too, so I don't get the same snap when doing hammer ons or tapping or pulloffs, and the pickups are a little further from the strings, and then there's less wood in the body and the trem springs and etc., so it's not just the trem, it's the whole enchilada... There are also noticible differnces between the Super Sports and Sports resulting from the different body woods used - they're subtle, but they're there, and the Sports are more open, airey, round in tone than the Super Sports with the same pickups/hardware, ime... ymmv, of course...

...and lastly, the Axis Hardtail is one of my "must find one day" guitars, along with an Axis with a Rosewood fretboard... They're out there, and if I ever have money again, I'm gonna find 'em

my 2¢

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

You checked your equipment room lately Tim???

Where is that damn guitar!