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wesman11483

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Apr 1, 2018
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Thoughts on adding a middle pup to my #1 (98 Axis Sport MM90)

In the same vein...anybody have experience on how DiMarzio and Seymour Duncan play together in the same axe? Specifically looking at a Sentient neck and Super Distortion bridge...

7402C074-7746-4E35-9630-26867FBB62F3.jpg
 

levil

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I would not add a middle pickup. It is a beautiful and valuable guitar. With non-reversible modifications one of these will suffer. Maybe both.

But no issues with trying all sorts of pickups, mixing and matching brands, building in coil taps, etc.
 

Jamie M

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I agree with Levil, i would not hack at the wood but its entirely down to the choice of the owner. This guitar doesn't need another pup imo.
 

Tollywood

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With all due respect boys, I disagree.

While it’s an awesome Axis it has some pretty hard miles on it, so I say: Go for the mod. Make it your own. Just make sure you find someone who is going to do an amazing job.
 

wesman11483

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So to unpack the decision making a little:
This is by far my main axe. For neck, feel, and general affection.

My other guitar is a PRS CE-22 which I only use to get the “outer coils in parallel” sound. This being an MM90, I have the M90 in the neck, and a DiMarzio super distortion P90 size humbucker in the bridge. It sounds amazing as is, but if I could accomplish both with my Axis...

And yes, Tollie, she has some miles on her. Resale value is not of concern to me as she’s a keeper.
 

Tollywood

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I’m not knocking those miles. That means she has been played, and I think that mod will make her like a Swiss Army knife of guitars.

I can’t wait to see the results. It would be cool if your tech could take some pictures of the process, like when drilling into the body. My tech took some killer pictures when he drilled into my pink Axis to add a kill switch. Many of our friends here cringed over it.
 
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wesman11483

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Apr 1, 2018
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I’m not knocking those miles. That means she has been played, and I think that mod will make her like a Swiss Army knife of guitars.

I can’t wait to see the results. It would be cool if your tech could take some pictures of the process, like when drilling into the body. My tech took some killer pictures when he drilled into my pink Axis to add a kill switch. Many of our friends here cringed over it.

That’s a great idea!
 

tbonesullivan

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I have never understood why people buy P-90 guitars and change out the pickups. That defeats the entire purpose of the guitar. RESPECT the P90, or Leslie West will chase you down on his one leg and play Mississippi Queen at you until you understand the magic.
 

wesman11483

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I have never understood why people buy P-90 guitars and change out the pickups. That defeats the entire purpose of the guitar. RESPECT the P90, or Leslie West will chase you down on his one leg and play Mississippi Queen at you until you understand the magic.

Hahahaha. I love the P90. And the M90 is probably the best P90 I’ve ever played.
I bought the guitar because it was an insane buy to get into an Axis at a bargain ($500)...and adding a humbucker to the bridge made it super versatile for the styles of music I play (works for church and also for my band)
 

wesman11483

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Please do get some pictures of the process - I love these mod threads. Can’t wait to see how it turns out

Reached out to my local tech to check his availability...

Researching pups. Front runners:
-Seymour Duncan Sentient (custom shop P90 housing). I love the sound of the pickup, but hard to know how it would sound split with my Super Distortion
-DiMarzio PG-13 middle position mini humbucker. Tonally I think this would hit the right spots and output wise *should* match output of Super Distortion when the split coil is added

Any of you ballers 1) have experience with PRS Dragon II pickups and 2) know what would get close to that “outer coils in parallel” tone?
 

wesman11483

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UPDATE
So after talking to my tech (who digs the vision), Fralin (about switching), and DiMarzio, I’m going to pull the trigger knowing the tone will probably not be exactly what I got out of my PRS split in parallel...so I guess I’ll have to keep her; but the tone with this mod should still be killer.

I’ve elected to go with a DiMarzio PG-13 mini humbucker in the middle position. I really like the tone samples of both full humbucker and split coils...and was even able to hear a side by side with a Super Distortion.

Any MM90 players out there, the M90 is a 4 conductor pickup, right?

She probably won’t get on the bench until September, but I will be sure to post pictures/updates.
 
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