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Another Noob

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 7, 2014
Messages
126
Location
Rockledge, FL

Freo Guitar

Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2013
Messages
12
For a novice player like me it's really inspiring to watch you. Great job again!

I'm guessing you've changed the "stock" strings. If so, what did you put on?

Thanks man.

Yep, changed the strings to Webstrings 9-42...that's all I've done.

Absolute winner of a guitar.
 

Another Noob

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 7, 2014
Messages
126
Location
Rockledge, FL
The gent I bought my AX3 from [said he] set the bridge up to float, put some chrome knobs on it and also mentioned he changed the strings at some point but didn't remember how much playing time he had on them. From the angle the bridge pick up is currently sitting at I think he did something there too. I don't know if it's good or bad but for my beginner skill level it seems plenty playable.

I've been playing it for a little more than a month as I got it with the exception of one small neck adjustment and then slightly raising the action on a couple of strings to lessen some buzzing. It seems to stay in tune pretty well but I think its time for new strings. They look real dull and I think they could maybe sound a little brighter too. As it stands I'm happy with the guitar and also with my gains in playing. Seeing the improvement is most gratifying.

Again, I really am impressed with your chops Freo!
 

Freo Guitar

Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2013
Messages
12
The gent I bought my AX3 from [said he] set the bridge up to float, put some chrome knobs on it and also mentioned he changed the strings at some point but didn't remember how much playing time he had on them. From the angle the bridge pick up is currently sitting at I think he did something there too. I don't know if it's good or bad but for my beginner skill level it seems plenty playable.

I've been playing it for a little more than a month as I got it with the exception of one small neck adjustment and then slightly raising the action on a couple of strings to lessen some buzzing. It seems to stay in tune pretty well but I think its time for new strings. They look real dull and I think they could maybe sound a little brighter too. As it stands I'm happy with the guitar and also with my gains in playing. Seeing the improvement is most gratifying.

Again, I really am impressed with your chops Freo!

Thanks again man. I should be better considering I've been playing for nearly 30 years!
 

Freo Guitar

Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2013
Messages
12
Hey Freo guitar.

I'm in Freo too and just got an Ax3 as a bit of a project too. Great little guitar... love it.

I put in a pair of Tonerider Generator pups (sound awesome) mounted in cream surrounds (hate the look of direct mount - cheap n nasty imo), Wilkinson wave trem (great looks and big solid steel string block - std is very light cast zinc, has stainless steel solid saddles and pivot bolts too), locking Gotoh tuners and quality pots n cap.

With the new bridge I took the opportunity to adjust the string alignment. Seems most SBMM guitars have the strings a little low (high e close to the neck edge). I used a round file to adjust the position of the bridge up a couple of mm. Now its perfect. Also replaced the bridge mounting studs with the much beefier Wilkinson supplied ones. I was nervous about drilling out the holes but it turned out perfect and no damage to the finish.

I also dressed the fret ends to make them smooth n comfy. They are pretty sharp from the factory.

Now it looks even awesomer (?) and it plays and feels awesomer (?).

I would have bought an Ax30D but I really wanted the trans red and maple fret board. Now for 2/3 the cost I have an even better spec guitar and the fun of personalizing it to exactly what I wanted.

Hey man. I think I saw your guitar for sale in gumtree. Still got it? I'm loving my AX3 so much I was thinking about getting another!

Still can't get over the quality of these guitars.
 

EssEff

Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2014
Messages
11
Yeah, I found an Ax30D so I'm selling my Ax3. Prob put it back on Gumtree soon.
 

Johnny Booth

New member
Joined
Jan 7, 2017
Messages
1
I picked up the red Sterling Sub AX3 and played a show with it last night and HOLY COW
I've been playing for nearly 50 years, always high dollar guitars, and the SUB impressed the heck out of me.
I couldn't put it down. I have also tried the MM AXIS but I liked the Sterling Sub AX3 better. Neck felt better
and WOW how well it stayed in tune. Truly Unbelievable.
 

Ed Hunter

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 4, 2012
Messages
57
Location
NJ
I just bought a new blue AX3 and love it. Got it for $225 delivered and the blue is darker than in the pictures I've seen, I really like the color. Reading online reviews people loved everything but were not thrilled with the pickups so I was able to get a pair of new take off pickups from a Sterling AX40D, which are the same as on the Axis model.

The world is full of different people with different taste's because I am getting ready to buy a AX40D and IF it did not have those dimarzio's from the Axis i would not even have considered it.
Those dimarzio Axis pu's are a Huge selling point of the AX40D's for most guys that want a ]Axis or a backup to the Axis such as myself.
Just a year prior guys were paying just about the same price and getting the original import pu's that are nowhere near as magical sounding as those dimarzio's!
You got lucky finding a person selling those off a AX40D and congrats on a really good AX3
 

roky

New member
Joined
Jan 13, 2017
Messages
2
i'm waiting on the delivery of a used ax3, and have questions about the 5-way selector, so i posted elsewhere on the forum, but am getting no responses -- maybe i should have posted in this thread? -- anyway, here's the text:
"can i assume that the diagram i saw of the MM axis super sport 5-way selector is the same as on the ax3? -- if so, it looks like the only single coil sound is while using both neck and bridge simultaneously -- is there any way to have just the bridge or neck pickup alone in single coil mode? -- i'm waiting on the arrival of my used ax3, and i'm only used to a 3-way selector switch, with a coil tap, not sure what to expect out of this 5-way" --
anyway, if i really insist on having a coil-split, i could replace the 5-way blade switch with a 3-way, theres a diagram on the dimarzio site, and add a coil splitter -- thats assuming i'm not satisfied with the stock setup -- also, in the only photo i have of the guitar, it has one of those tremolo arms with the white knob on it -- but all the other stock ax3s i see have the plain chrome, i only have seen the white knob on photos of the ax30(which i think has an actual quilt veneer, rather than the photo finish)
 
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