👕 Get New Ernie Ball Merch Now!
  • Ernie Ball
  • Music Man
  • Sterling by Music Man
  • Security notice: Ernie Ball staff will never send you a direct message about a prize or giveaway, and will never ask you to click a link to "claim" anything.
    If you receive a message like that - even from an account whose name looks official - do not click the link. Please report it using the Report link on the message so the moderators can act. A scam campaign impersonating admin accounts was blocked on 29 July 2026; those accounts are banned and their messages have been deleted.
Ernie Ball Music Man Custom Design Experience

How to make your Axis' Floyd Rose a floating tremolo

Well, here she is...floating perfectly and excellent work done on the rout, but boy oh, boy...that's alot of wood.

axis-1-24057.jpg


axis-2-24058.jpg


axis-3-24059.jpg
 
I can't help but think that maybe a little more wood was removed than was necessary? It just seems like a really, really big hole. So, that being said, this is not a procedure for the faint of heart. I feel a little sick that I did it. But, it is what it is.

It functions flawlessly, but it's just a shocker. Also, there is no chipping around the cut, which I was very happy about.

Oh, and I changed the Tone knob back to a Volume knob since this is now very unlike the evh.
 
Last edited:
Nice! Just think of it as 'weight relieved' ...
A little time and black finish in there and the shock will fade...
 
xjbebop said:
Nice! Just think of it as 'weight relieved' ...
A little time and black finish in there and the shock will fade...
Click to expand...

That's funny that you mention the black...Jim said he usually paints the cavity black. Would that look better?

I will say one thing, the opening does give me some acoustic qualities.
 
Great job on the routing. Find some matching stain or a walnut oil rub that works with the fret board tone and it will look fantastic. Cheers ~C
 
Guts Bryan, you got a big set of brass cajones! It looks good, I would do either a black or walnut stain in the trem cavity to make it a little less shocking then you'll forget it didn't come that way. Maybe I'll do that to me green axis.... NOT! But only cause I'm not a floating Floyd guy. I can't wait to see what you come up with next!

Ps how does she sound after the operation?
 
Stratty316 said:
Guts Bryan, you got a big set of brass cajones! It looks good, I would do either a black or walnut stain in the trem cavity to make it a little less shocking then you'll forget it didn't come that way. Maybe I'll do that to me green axis.... NOT! But only cause I'm not a floating Floyd guy. I can't wait to see what you come up with next!

Ps how does she sound after the operation?
Click to expand...

haha, brass indeed...

She sounds the same plugged in, but unplugged....it's much louder acoustically. Now I can make the bar flutter, which is always fun.
 
WOW. He definitely used some generic floyd template and took more wood than was necessary. Sh!t, I wish I would have thought of it -- I have an acrylic routing template of an EBMM Silhouette Floyd route. I could have let you borrow it. If you can find some stain to match the finish, that would help minimize how much it stands out?


​
 
This SiLO started as a hardtail
AFAIK it is the only Lowers pitch only Floyd SiLO
 
Last edited:
Tollie said:
I can't help but think that maybe a little more wood was removed than was necessary? It just seems like a really, really big hole. So, that being said, this is not a procedure for the faint of heart. I feel a little sick that I did it. But, it is what it is.

It functions flawlessly, but it's just a shocker. Also, there is no chipping around the cut, which I was very happy about.

Oh, and I changed the Tone knob back to a Volume knob since this is now very unlike the evh.
Click to expand...

definitely looks like he took a little too much,especially at the back of the baseplate area on either side, nonetheless a cool mod man. I've actually stopped using Noll after a recent issue with one of my guitars.
 
tollie,

Congrats on a job well done. Imho you just transformed that axis into something better than it was previously.

If it were me, I would black out that rout asap. The bare wood grain is now unfortunately the focal point. Nothing 1$ worth of black ink/paint/etc... wont cure.

If ebmm offered axis' with a floating floyd I would be first in line for one.

Cheers and congrats,

tom
 
That routing is pretty much what I have on my olp mm1,just put a black foam tape over it to mask the bare wood😀

Inviato dal mio Nexus 7 utilizzando Tapatalk
 
Funny that now I'm going to do the opposite, making my Floyd dive only ala Eddie....

Inviato dal mio Nexus 7 utilizzando Tapatalk
 
lessthanone said:
definitely looks like he took a little too much,especially at the back of the baseplate area on either side, nonetheless a cool mod man. I've actually stopped using Noll after a recent issue with one of my guitars.
Click to expand...

Hi Roger. Yeah, I was very happy with the video game button install that Jim did for me, so I was somewhat surprised to see such an oversized hole. The guitar plays perfectly and sounds great, but oh that gaping hole.


ZeroFivefour said:
tollie,

Congrats on a job well done. Imho you just transformed that axis into something better than it was previously.

If it were me, I would black out that rout asap. The bare wood grain is now unfortunately the focal point. Nothing 1$ worth of black ink/paint/etc... wont cure.

If ebmm offered axis' with a floating floyd I would be first in line for one.

Cheers and congrats,

tom
Click to expand...

Thanks for the supportive words, Tom. It is a different animal now. I will do something about that bare wood very soon.

My plan now is to contact Floyd Upgrades to inquire about a Floyd with a larger base plate.
 
Last edited:
The guy did a great job. On the Luke Is the rout is painted the same color as the top, which lessens the impact of such a big hole. With a spare piece of similar colored plain wood and same patience, you can mix a varnish color to match and that will finish the job off nicely.
 
DrKev said:
The guy did a great job. On the Luke Is the rout is painted the same color as the top, which lessens the impact of such a big hole. With a spare piece of similar colored plain wood and same patience, you can mix a varnish color to match and that will finish the job off nicely.
Click to expand...

+1

Some color on that bare wood, will make it more easy on the eye. Give yourself some time to get used to it, before trying other hardware. If it plays good now, don't change it. To me it looks really inviting to play!
 
DrKev said:
The guy did a great job. On the Luke Is the rout is painted the same color as the top, which lessens the impact of such a big hole. With a spare piece of similar colored plain wood and same patience, you can mix a varnish color to match and that will finish the job off nicely.
Click to expand...

Thanks, the positive comments are making me feel a little better.

That's s good plan. If I do a poor job with the stain, I can always go black afterwards.

Oh, I almost forgot, and a special "thank you" to Pete DuBaldo for giving me a free set of coated ernie ball strings to try. They are on this guitar, Pete! I like them.
 
Last edited:
wow, great job, just stain the wood that will make a different look and the hole will look not as big s it does now.
getting a different floyd could be a slution to fill out the rout, but the ebmm floyds are great and i would not change it to a different typ of hardware.
btw. on my Y2D PDN, the carvety is colored glossy black.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Classic Rock N Roll Slinky
Back
Top