Question Is my Axis guitar genuine?

[Docmarcioszi]

Hi guys, I just got what was supposed to be a genuine Music Man Axis 1997.

What is off to me is that it has recessed Floyd rose, as well as serial numbers don't match the guitar - numbers say that it's rosewood and mine is clearly a maple. Have I been robbed or?

Those are photos - too big for server

Pls help

 

[Iperfungus]

Hi there!

Recessed tremolo could be a modification someone did to the guitar (doing what likes to be a good job there): I never saw a stock Axis with recessed tremolo.
Or, maybe, that was an option MM offered for Axis in '90s? Is the recessed cavity painted inside as it looks from pics?

About the serial number...could the original neck with rosewood fretboard have been swapped with another (original?) one with maple?
The matching headstock could be misleading here...

There were some OLP Axis (MM1 FR) with recessed tremolo: could it be that an OLP body with MM neck?
But that flamed maple top looks too gorgeous for an OLP guitar...

Can you provide a picture with the entire guitar?

Or simply there's a wrong information in MM database...
This is a question for support guys, I assume.

 

[GWDavis28]

Try taking off the neck and seeing is there is a year marked underneath. The plate could have been swapped out as well.

Glenn |B)

 

[dibart77]

I read some of the ABSOLUTELY WRONG comments on the Reddit thread:

"They did both recessed and top mounted models" - FALSE. NEVER, EVER ON AN AXIS. I even asked my pals Derek and Tomas at EBMM if they would make me an Axis with a floating Floyd and they said no. I mean, maybe if a famous endorser asked, maybe they would do a one-off, but I doubt it.

Otherwise, here's what I see:

• The neck looks legit EBMM. I am very confident of this.
• The serial plate is legit EBMM. That is HARD to duplicate. Also the recessed neck plate matches 1997 era.
• Strap buttons look like legit EBMM (and that's a detail fakes always get wrong -- which is dumb because you can buy a pack of legit EBMM strap buttons on Amazon or from EBMM).
• The Floyd Rose is legit EBMM-Gotoh from that era.
• HOWEVER, the trem posts are NOT EBMM. EBMM Floyd of this era had black allen wood screw posts, like this:

​

• AND, the pickup that I can see in the last photo MIGHT not be original. The cream bobbin doesn't seem like the right color and the poles on the cream bobbin don't quite look right to me. But it MIGHT be correct and just the photo is lame.

I'm pretty sure some owner along the way decided to make the Floyd floating. Got out a router and went for it, or had a shop do it. NOTE: Another reason I believe that is not a factory route is that EBMM floating Floyds (on Luke 1's and Silhouettes) the route was a little bigger. On this one, it even looks like the string lock allen screw on that A-string would hit the body if you pulled up.

Regarding the rosewood in the serial number database yet your guitar is clearly a maple fretboard, I think there's 3 possible reasons:

1. Perhaps the neck was originally rosewood fretboard but something went wrong with the neck and EBMM replaced it under warrantee and the owner asked for maple instead.
2. Perhaps an owner had multiple and swapped. I have done it on a couple guitars where for whatever reason I liked neck B better than neck A.
3. It's possible that the database is wrong. I have seen it on occasions. Especially in the early days because the 'database' was originally just in a spreadsheet.

 

[fbecir]

@Docmarcioszi : if Jeff (@dibart77 ) says something on EBMM, you can believe him. Jeff has a wonderful collection of EBMM guitars. Nobody knows better !

 

[Docmarcioszi]

Thanks guys, I think I will return it. For the price tag I've paid everything should be right. And some stuff is simply off.

 

[Docmarcioszi]

 

[beej]

Well there you go! Jeff has an otherworldly knowledge of those guitars. Incredible.

 

[Iperfungus]

I read some of the ABSOLUTELY WRONG comments on the Reddit thread:

"They did both recessed and top mounted models" - FALSE. NEVER, EVER ON AN AXIS. I even asked my pals Derek and Tomas at EBMM if they would make me an Axis with a floating Floyd and they said no. I mean, maybe if a famous endorser asked, maybe they would do a one-off, but I doubt it.

Otherwise, here's what I see:

• The neck looks legit EBMM. I am very confident of this.
• The serial plate is legit EBMM. That is HARD to duplicate. Also the recessed neck plate matches 1997 era.
• Strap buttons look like legit EBMM (and that's a detail fakes always get wrong -- which is dumb because you can buy a pack of legit EBMM strap buttons on Amazon or from EBMM).
• The Floyd Rose is legit EBMM-Gotoh from that era.
• HOWEVER, the trem posts are NOT EBMM. EBMM Floyd of this era had black allen wood screw posts, like this:

View attachment 42492​

• AND, the pickup that I can see in the last photo MIGHT not be original. The cream bobbin doesn't seem like the right color and the poles on the cream bobbin don't quite look right to me. But it MIGHT be correct and just the photo is lame.

I'm pretty sure some owner along the way decided to make the Floyd floating. Got out a router and went for it, or had a shop do it. NOTE: Another reason I believe that is not a factory route is that EBMM floating Floyds (on Luke 1's and Silhouettes) the route was a little bigger. On this one, it even looks like the string lock allen screw on that A-string would hit the body if you pulled up.

Regarding the rosewood in the serial number database yet your guitar is clearly a maple fretboard, I think there's 3 possible reasons:

1. Perhaps the neck was originally rosewood fretboard but something went wrong with the neck and EBMM replaced it under warrantee and the owner asked for maple instead.
2. Perhaps an owner had multiple and swapped. I have done it on a couple guitars where for whatever reason I liked neck B better than neck A.
3. It's possible that the database is wrong. I have seen it on occasions. Especially in the early days because the 'database' was originally just in a spreadsheet.

You're my new Hero!!!

 

[ZeroFivefour]

Jeff knows his Axis stuff for sure.
With that said,
When I had my Axis modded to a recessed floyd, The Luthier I used recommended and installed posts that look identical to those in the OP pictures. It is possible that this guitar was modded similarly. It may not be what you like/want, and that is 100 percent completely understandable. If you want a stock Axis, this doesn't appear to be one imho either.

It's either a modded, a modded frankenstein , a 1-Off, (highly doubtful), or a super fabulous fantastic Fake (doubtful imho). If it were me, and I determined it was a LEGIT Axis, with EBMM parts 100 percent throughout, with a modded recessed floyd, I'd keep it. different strokes for different folks =-) Good luck with what ever you decide. /cheers

Honestly If EBMM made the Axis like this, I'd have a handful of them. They are amazing guitars and delightful with floating floyds. =-) I love them.

 

[GoKart Mozart]

All things considered, it looks like whoever did the work on the Floyd route did a really good job. The lines are very clean and it's not oversized.

Regarding the rosewood in the serial number database yet your guitar is clearly a maple fretboard, I think there's 3 possible reasons:

1. Perhaps the neck was originally rosewood fretboard but something went wrong with the neck and EBMM replaced it under warrantee and the owner asked for maple instead.
2. Perhaps an owner had multiple and swapped. I have done it on a couple guitars where for whatever reason I liked neck B better than neck A.
3. It's possible that the database is wrong. I have seen it on occasions. Especially in the early days because the 'database' was originally just in a spreadsheet.

I'll provide a real world example of #3; my purple Axis shows up on the database as Aug '97 and trans gold but the neck cavity is stamped Dec '96.

 

[Docmarcioszi]

I contacted the seller, we decided that we will meet and check every part one by one and after that he lets me decide if I keep it or not. I'll take photos during that process to answer some of our doubts. Thank you all guys for help so far. Will prob happen on monday

 

[Iperfungus]

All things considered, it looks like whoever did the work on the Floyd route did a really good job. The lines are very clean and it's not oversized.

Exactly!
Furthermore, the cavity looks painted in the inside, matching top's color, and not simply painted black.
If the body is not stock as it looks (and that's not an OLP MM1 FR body, where recessed cavity has a completely different shape and it should be painted black in the inside), whoever did that job....did it in awesome way.

 

[Iperfungus]

I contacted the seller, we decided that we will meet and check every part one by one and after that he lets me decide if I keep it or not. I'll take photos during that process to answer some of our doubts. Thank you all guys for help so far. Will prob happen on monday

That's good and it means that the seller is in good faith.
Let us know how it is going.

 

[Steve Nukather]

I think having the recess would improve the guitar since you can have lower action without the need for shims.

 

[Docmarcioszi]

Hi guys comming back to you with new photos. Decided to keep it. I have newborn around, I play unplugged and absolutely love it. That's the first guitar I can hear harmonics and all dynamics unplugged

 

[GWDavis28]

Congrats on keeping it. I'd say the EBMM database is incorrect like Jeff said. In the end it's all about whether or not you love it and it sounds like you do.

Glenn |B)

 

[GoKart Mozart]

Good call on keeping it since the trem route makes yours extra special.
Not being able to pull up on the bar (i.e. factory configuration) makes you miss out on 50% of the fun of having a trem in the first place!

 

[Iperfungus]

Good choice! If you like the guitar and the tone and you've the right feeling with it, that's your guitar!
The recessed cavity helps a lot to enjoy a Floyd-like tremolo, no doubt.
And that's a gorgeous guitar.

It looks original with an added recessed cavity and the job has been well done.
Just a question about the pickups: they look the original Custom DiMarzio...are they both marked the same on the bottom?

About serial number and MM DB's information...well, everyone can fail!

 

[Docmarcioszi]

Good choice! If you like the guitar and the tone and you've the right feeling with it, that's your guitar!
The recessed cavity helps a lot to enjoy a Floyd-like tremolo, no doubt.
And that's a gorgeous guitar.

It looks original with an added recessed cavity and the job has been well done.
Just a question about the pickups: they look the original Custom DiMarzio...are they both marked the same on the bottom?

About serial number and MM DB's information...well, everyone can fail!

Yes they arę both marked the same. Never played more comfortable guitar ever and I own 15