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gbsmusic

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Oct 15, 2009
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15
I'm still just in love with this guitar, its only been a week but it is simply one of the best playing guitars I've owned! The only thing about it is it's a little on the bright side. I dont want to change pickups because I do love the tone of the stock ones. With no tone control I'm a little lost as to what I can do for the brightness. Thanks for any advice.
 

PeteDuBaldo

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You could try playing with the volume turned down slightly, or maybe swap in a 250k pot. Don't forget to tweak your amp! The Axis has high-output pickups, and can sound overly bright depending on pedals and amp settings.
 

Big Poppa

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OK THis is a common one....Person buys a new guitar and hooks it to the rack that was voiced for the greq response of the last axe....Im always a less is more kind of guy...the more you can simplify your signal chain the better the guitar will sound. The last thing you should do is change a pot or pickups.....

Its like getting into a car and not adjusting the seat for a different driver....
 

Jack FFR1846

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Pete has a really good point. I played a couple sets yesterday with my Axis and I go into an effects pedal. If I crank it to 10, I literally overdrive the input of the pedal. Fine if I want insane distortion....but not otherwise. I actually make notes on my music as to what settings I needed. Looking down directly at the volume know, I ran between 7 and 4 1/2. Also, as Pete mentions, as you go down in volume (500k pot), it will darken the sound. There's plenty of output from the pickups, so don't be afraid to run at a 2!
 

Astrofreq

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I'm not being sarcastic here, but just tone the treble knob on the amp down. If there is a presence, tone that back too.

If you change the pickups, I'll buy them.
 

gbsmusic

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Oct 15, 2009
Messages
15
I just wanted to check if there is something else that could be done, I can adjust the amp and thats what I'm doing. I just have several other guitars and this one is quite a bit brighter than my other ones. It sounds lazy but I just dont want to mess with the amp when I plug this guitar in but thats what I'll do. Thanks for the input guys!
 

SteveB

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One option would be to buy a stompbox EQ (the Boss one sells for around a hundred bucks).

Perhaps you could leave your amp EQ'd for your other guitars, and then just stomp on tweaked-out EQ pedal when you're using the Axis to compensate.

However, I would take the time to EQ the amp properly for the Axis first, and see how your other guitars sound. It may be easier to use an EQ stompbox to cut the high end for those other guitars, and turn it off when using the Axis.. chances are you'll be playing those other guitars less and less anyway.. ;)
 

Jack FFR1846

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I just wanted to check if there is something else that could be done, I can adjust the amp and thats what I'm doing. I just have several other guitars and this one is quite a bit brighter than my other ones. It sounds lazy but I just dont want to mess with the amp when I plug this guitar in but thats what I'll do. Thanks for the input guys!


If your other guitars have a tone knob, then there's a cap and resistance still in there, so those will tone down the sound a bit. That's one of the features of an Axis.....nothing to darken the output. Personally, I'm a big fan of brightness.....I have no tone adjustment on my sublhouette (sub 1 modified) whatsoever.
 

roburado

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Jul 18, 2005
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Commerce, MI
I just wanted to check if there is something else that could be done, I can adjust the amp and thats what I'm doing. I just have several other guitars and this one is quite a bit brighter than my other ones. It sounds lazy but I just dont want to mess with the amp when I plug this guitar in but thats what I'll do. Thanks for the input guys!

How about this? Tweak the amp for the Axis. Then, don't play those other guitars. :p
 

beej

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Aug 16, 2004
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As BP says, less is more. You can always dial out the treble but you can't put it back if it's not there.

Easiest way if you don't want to dial it out of your amp is to use a long cable. Use one with a lot of capacitance- not a low-cap one. That'll shift things more towards the mids. (You can get the same effect with a $0.05 capacitor in parallel to your output as well).

Or maybe get an eq pedal, etc to run in-line? I'd avoid major surgery with the Axis if you can.
 

threeminutesboy

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May 11, 2003
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France
As far as I can see from you signature, you have an Axis. This guitar has no tone pot hence it makes it a little bit brighter. That's the nature of the beast :p
 

GHWelles

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Jul 28, 2005
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One option would be to buy a stompbox EQ (the Boss one sells for around a hundred bucks).

Perhaps you could leave your amp EQ'd for your other guitars, and then just stomp on tweaked-out EQ pedal when you're using the Axis to compensate.

However, I would take the time to EQ the amp properly for the Axis first, and see how your other guitars sound. It may be easier to use an EQ stompbox to cut the high end for those other guitars, and turn it off when using the Axis.. chances are you'll be playing those other guitars less and less anyway.. ;)

Good idea, you could try the Danelectro Fish n' Chips which is good and very inexpensive
 

patpark

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Jan 2, 2009
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Orange County, CA
i've used a tube screamer type pedal and turn the tone knob on the pedal down. bup up the volume and a touch of gain. you'll get a little more mid bump, roll the highs off and get some lo end cut.

or try lowering the pickups. Are the Axis p.u. adjustable or set to one height ala the Luke?
 

tommydude

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Mar 13, 2008
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684
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Chesterland, Ohio
The Big Man himself summed it up...........but, if you really don't want to adjust the amp. Playdough in your ears might work ;) LOL Everything will sound like mudd.

On the serious side, you now own a killer guitar. The humbuckers will dominate the F*nder single coil any day of the week.
 

Voo

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Mar 24, 2007
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Here is what you do, drop it on the head a few times to dumb it down :p

sorry couldnt resist. Poppa and Pete both covered it I think :D
 

Sub1 Zero

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Jan 8, 2006
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As others have said, roll back your volume knob just a bit and it will thicken your sound right up.
 

Kaloyan

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Jul 27, 2009
Messages
274
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Glenview, IL
I'd put the next string gauge up first (I hope you are not playing with Beefy Slinky's like me because then there's nothing that you can do to alter the tone 'naturally'). It helped me build up my left hand also. Hope that helps. Good luck!
 
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