Question Getting Axis sound from a Silhouette

[TheBassGuy]

I'm wondering if it's possible to get the Axis sound on a Silhouette? I love the sound of the Axis, but I also love the shape/design/feel of my Silhouette.

Ofcourse I can change the pot's to 500k and put different humbuckers in, but would the fact that my Silo is alder influence the sound so much to notice the difference?

What humbuckers would I need for the job, also considering that my alder silo sounds brighter than a basswood Axis?

Thanks

 

[TonyEVH5150]

Tone Zone for the bridge, no question there.

The neck pickup is a tough one. I've yet to find an Air Norton that I liked the sound of.

 

[DrGonzo5150]

I too love the Tone Zone...
I have it in the bridge of a couple of my "other" guitars, it's a great all round rocking pickup..

There is no two ways about it... different body wood, body shape, the inclusion of a tone circuit etc etc All these things do influence the sound of your axe.

Unfortunately, just changing the pickups to that of an axis or similar will not give you "it's" sound like that *snaps fingers*... But tone is pretty subjective and you should definitly be able to get a sound that your happy with....

I'm not too sure about the neck pickup either sorry... I would have said Air Norton was a possibility haha but haven't used one recently haha and I have no doubt Tony's call has merit on this one too.... So maybe someone else can come up with a suitable replacement...

Let us know how you go

 

[DrGonzo5150]

Ps.

There is a similar thread happening here, check it out for ideas

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/music-man-guitars/33651-pickups-my-silhouette.html

 

[TonyEVH5150]

I think I said this in the other thread, but I've found the Air Norton to over-emphasize the mids. I honestly would just want a pickup that matches the output of the bridge pickup, but adds better harmonics, sustain, and punch. I know you need some mids, but I've always felt the Air Norton (and the Axis neck pickup) sounded muddy. But that's my rapidly failing ears.

Offhand, I'd try the Humbucker from Hell or PAF Joe in the neck position. One of those together with a Tone Zone in the bridge position should get a sound close to the Axis. i had a Silo Special with a Tone Zone in place of the stock bridge HB, and it sounded great!!! I could switch between this guitar and one of my Axis's, and the sound was darn close to identical.

 

[hbucker]

I'll be the lone voice to say that I don't think the Tone Zone sounds like the Axis pickups at all. I've got a GFS Fat PAF that sounds more like the Axis DiMarzios than the Tone Zone does.

To further illustrate how your ears differ greatly from mine, I think the Air Norton is relatively close to the Axis neck pickup. Certainly not identical, but at least in the ball park. I don't think the TZ is even in the ball park.

I do agree though, that it's the pickups that give the Axis/EVH the bulk of its unique tone. Find yourself some Axis pickups and you're in business...

 

[TNT]

Yeah,

I guess I kinda tend to agree with HBUCKER - I think the T-Zone is close, but where the similarities stop, this is where I really don't care for that pickup.

That's the fun part of guitars, you can change out pickups all the time, with a variety of guitars for a variety of sounds!

You'll just LOVE the DiMarzio "Norton" in the bridge position and the Air Norton in the neck. Talk about a colorful, punchy pickup- wow!!!

Both the Axis and the Silo will sound "superb" using the Norton as an alternate bridge pickup!

 

[Warg Master]

I still love the Air norton for the neck!

 

[MarcoSilo]

Maybe a stupid suggestion, but you could experiment with the pickup height. I just did that on my Silo Special (raised the bridge pickup) and it beefed up the sound quite a lot.

 

[beej]

Why not keep an eye out for some Axis p'ups? They come around every so often. You won't get exactly the same tone, but they're great pickups and you'll get a lot of the voice.