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Ernie Ball Music Man Custom Design Experience

I'm getting a guitar soon, need opinions

A

akozols

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 3, 2002
Messages
122
Location
Lansdowne, Pa
Hi,

I waited till everyone got back and settled in before bringing this up. Here's what's going on. I've been working out for a few years, but don't look like it. My wife keeps telling me I would look good if I really got in shape. I do some treadmill, weights, but I skip days and pig out on ice cream all the time. The other night I said "if I get my body into "BonJovi" shape, can I get a guitar?" She gave me the go ahead. I probably have about 3 months to get there...........


Now I'm going nuts thinking about what I want to get. I had an EVH at one time. I loved the stability of the Floyd, but the body didn't have contours, which I really like. After that I had a Silhouette Special and I loved the way it felt. Body and neck felt perfect. It had the old Wilkinson trem with the old style locking tuners. I'm pretty aggresive with the trem and it stayed in tune most of the time.

I'm not sure if I can afford to order new, but maybe get a lower price by getting a model that's been sitting in a store for awhile. I'm torn between getting the stability of the Axis with a Floyd, or getting a Sport or Silouette with the vintage trem. Folks here have commented that the vintage can handle whammy abuse. I'm going to try to find some locally to try them out. I'd like to try an Axis to see if it feels different than the EVH.

I'll keep you updated.

al
 
Yes, the JP trem is much better then a floyd IMO.... it's floating, smooth, and with the help of the locking tuners, it stays in tune just as well as the floyd.,... I LOVE IT!
 
Warg Master said:
Yes, the JP trem is much better then a floyd IMO.... it's floating, smooth, and with the help of the locking tuners, it stays in tune just as well as the floyd.,... I LOVE IT!
Click to expand...

As well as a floyd? Ignoring the fact I've never tried a JP (meaning my opinion is basically worthless) I don't see how that's possible.
 
m4a3 said:
As well as a floyd? Ignoring the fact I've never tried a JP (meaning my opinion is basically worthless) I don't see how that's possible.
Click to expand...


I have to agree, I prefer an OFR or the Ibanez Edge Pro over the music man. Even with slight use of the trem (slight, I'm not a dive bomber) my low e goes noticably flat consistently.
 
I go back an forth with my trem. Sometimes it floats, sometimes I set it to rest on the body for dives only. i I guess I prefer to have it sit on the body. I remember hearing once that the JP trem is just the regular trem with a cover on it.

I only played an EVH neck and a Silouette neck. The Sil neck was perfect for me. I'm going to try out some other models if I can find them. Know of any dealers in the Philadelphia area?

thanks,

Al
 
m4a3 said:
As well as a floyd? Ignoring the fact I've never tried a JP (meaning my opinion is basically worthless) I don't see how that's possible.
Click to expand...

As a floyd user since the 80's, I have to say that in my experience the trem on the JP holds tune just as well for my playing style.

I dive bomb once in a while, but I use the trem a lot for a slight 'warbling' effect (which includes pulling up and then pushing down on the trem). In fact, I more often use the trem with the arm pointing toward the tail of the guitar and I just grab the arm and shake the whole guitar back & forth.

Your mileage may vary, but my JP trem kicks Floyd's ass. I can't speak for the MM vintage trem found on other EBMM models, since I don't own one.

The JP is the only EBMM with that particular tremolo on it.
 
I would definately recommend the JP. I was a devoted Ibanez player since 1989. I purchased a Petrucci a couple of months ago, and the Ibanez has not left its case since. The trem on the Petrucci smokes any floyd I have ever used/played. The thing I most enjoy doing with the Pet is fluttering. It has alays been a favorite trem technique of mine, but with the Petrucci Trem you can flutter that f**ker for days! :)
 
Oh the blashemy, comparing the JP trem to a Floyd...ARRRGGGGHHHH, I too have experience with Floyd's, probably not to the extent of SteveB but I'll never forget the day I first tried the JP and used the trem, it was like trying a trem out for the very first time, even though all my guitars always had trems, vintage or Floyds. The flutter is so friggin smooth I can sit there and wank on it all day, dive bombing, pulling on the damn thing no matter, it keeps it's tune...and saying that a Pet is just a Floyd with a cover on it...man that is rediculous...look at the set up, the one thing that really bugged me about a Floyd was, the inability to individually set the saddle height, now with the Pet trem you can. Floyds are bulky, and ugly. Also things like palm muting on the Floyd vs the Pet...man what a difference there also, no friggin fine tuners to bumb into on the Pet...comfort baby, throw in no locking nut and you have the ULTIMATE trem...re-string a Pet, then re-string a Floyd, then tell me what you think...it all adds up. Floyds were King of the trem at one time, back in the 80's but they've made no significant progress in design, now here comes the Pet, which solves a lot of complaints and problems, a masterpiece in design and function, and people still go on abou the Lo-Pro, or the TRS...whatever!
 
I think it's all about what works for you. Floyds are pretty rock solid tuning
wise, that's the charm, no maintenence really.

Vintage & JP bridges are nice too, provided your nut is in good shape :)

I have alot of guitars, and i use both types and they're equally cool.
Whatever you're most comfortable with I'd go for.
 
Licensed Floyd Rose Trems = 100% complete garbage. Come on 200 dollar guitars.

Original Floyd Rose = Very, very good trem, can do anything on them. Come on high end guitars.

JP Trem = Very good trem as well, but not locking, so you might lose tune.

Maybe there is a flaw on my JP, but (and it really bummed me out when I first got it) everytime I touch the trem, my low e goes about a half step flat. Every single touch. So I don't even bother using that guitar for trem parts.
 
Just a thought, if you drink beverages with caffeine in them, cut those out of your diet. It'll help you get in shape, and maybe loose a bit of weight. Just my 2 cents.
 
jaxadam said:
Licensed Floyd Rose Trems = 100% complete garbage. Come on 200 dollar guitars.

Original Floyd Rose = Very, very good trem, can do anything on them. Come on high end guitars.

JP Trem = Very good trem as well, but not locking, so you might lose tune.

Maybe there is a flaw on my JP, but (and it really bummed me out when I first got it) everytime I touch the trem, my low e goes about a half step flat. Every single touch. So I don't even bother using that guitar for trem parts.
Click to expand...
What do you mean not locking, the tuners lock, so it's the same principle as a Floyd, and about your low E perhaps it just need a little nut sauce as your string may be sticking to the nut, is your trem plate level? Are your strings stretched? Did you tighten the locking tuner properly? Did you wind the string (which is a no-no BTW) around the tuner?...remember that this is the very same guitar that John uses, unlike most other guitars like Ibanez's which are probably custom made for Steve and Joe ;)
 
jaxadam..

I was thinking the same thing as Raz about checking your low E to make sure you have no wraps around the tuning peg. It seems odd that a single string would keep going out of tune on you. Hmm.

We have some good setup guys on this forum, so maybe one of 'em will correctly diagnose this problem for you.
 
When I play, it's funny. I subconciously find myself just reaching up and crankin the low e back in tune when I use trem. I'm not sure what the deal is. I set it up with 9's, and set it back up with 10's, and same thing. I don't remember exactly how I strung it. I usually don't wind, I usually have the ball ends at the tuners on Floyd's, so I'm sure I didn't do that with this one! And it's impossible to wind on a PRS, so... Yeah, I don't know...
 
Seems to me havin a locking nut would be the only real advantage of having a locking trem. The strings still move around the nut with the locking tuners making a perfect spot for tuning troubles. Any jp having tuning problems could probably use some touchup /maintenance on the nut. Then again what do I know I m just an idiot with a keyboard.
 
jaxadam said:
Maybe there is a flaw on my JP, but (and it really bummed me out when I first got it) everytime I touch the trem, my low e goes about a half step flat. Every single touch. So I don't even bother using that guitar for trem parts.
Click to expand...

This sounds like a setup issue. That JP Trem is very stable and should have no tuning problems if properly set up. Going half a step flat means there is some friction, either at the nut or the bridge. If it is only the one string check the nut first The slot may need widening. If it is more than one sting going flat it might be the bridge is binding.
 
Is the JP similar to the Luke trem? Have to say that I was worried about stability before the Luke arrived but I was completely wrong. It's far more stable and far nicer to use than either my Jem or Universe were. It takes all the abuse I can throw at it when in "silly mode" and comes out smelling of roses. Buy with confidence :D
 
Maybe it is at the nut, I actually never really thought of checking there. But it is the one string, the low e, and it does consistently go flat, so I'll check it soon.

The other strings I have to admit are perfect, it's just the low e. I actually do take a fragile approach to this trem, though. For some reason I'm afraid that it won't take what I'd throw at it, but I'm sure it will. I guess I'll get used to it :)
 
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