Newbie needs help on Axis!!!

[withmyshadow]

Happy New Year! everybody.
I am considering getting my first EBMM. I learnt playing electric guitar on an Ibanez RG so I guess I am an iby fan. I like bolt-ons with sculped neck joints.
Axis series have body wood combos that are unique so I did some research regarding body woods. Here's what I found. I have narrowed it to Axis super sport, between HH and P90*2.
are the following wood descriptions correct? could someone describe the acoustic tone of Axis SS HH and P90*2?

Maple Top on Swamp Ash
This combination is very rare at Anderson. We have used it on a few Hollow-T's (without pickguard). The tone was great and sounded very similar to the Maple/Basswood version of the same guitar.
Maple Top on Basswood
This is by far the most popular body wood combination for all of our Drop Top models. Basswood/Maple produces a very rich, full sound with great low, middle and high end. Its timbre is a bit more of a fundamental tone with fewer overtones than the more traditional body woods. It is extremely popular for many styles of music because of the wide tonal spectrum that it produces. This combination is rather light in weight and looks beautiful with almost all transparent colors. $100 more on Hollow T series.

------------------------------------from anderson

Basswood Back / Quilt Maple Top - Ok, this may be the Holy Grail of tone, The Basswood response is extended by a 3/16" Maple top adding more clearity and grind to the fattness of the Basswood, my favorite! Usually colors chosen will be opaque on the back with transparents on the top, LP style. Most Excellent with a Maple neck.

Ash Back / Quilt Maple Top - Auditioned with a Madagascar Bois de Rose fingerboard. I used to think that the Alder Body / Pau Ferro fingerboard was one of the best overdrive tones.... Hmmmm , the Ash Back has that open ring with good clarity, The Maple top seems to add another dimension, Not harsh at all but very alive sounding both clean and dirty. Also an excellent look for transparent colors both on the back and front. Makes for a light guitar as well. I'm getting the itch to build myself one real bad! Nice punch, scooped mids. 1 piece Maple neck also a killer tone for this combo.

-----------------------------------------from suhr

 

[dfrady]

With the Hum Hum config you wll be able to get anything from a Rock n Roll to a nice mellow bluesy tone to a nice crisp country tone when run clean, With the MM90's these are like single coils on steroids. These also have a really nice tone. Also you need to factor in the top of the guitar too, i have found in my opinion that Quilted maple will give a little more of a mellow bluesy tone while it is still able to get that nice rock n roll sound. Flamed maple will give you a more bright, crisp tone. And then you need to factor in string gauge and also pick gauge and even the material the pick is made from. Which ever pick up config you decide it will sound great, you just need to figure out which config works best for you and the type/style of music you play.

 

[Jimi D]

Since Swamp Ash is available on the Axis SS only with MM90s, I would decide first whether I wanted a guitar with humbuckers or single coils. EBMM use different woods to complement the different pickups, but ultimately, the pickups have far, far more effect on the guitar's tone than the choice of body wood...

my 2¢

 

[Spudmurphy]

Me = I'd go for the Swap Ash and MM90's.

Try em out at your local dealer.

....welcome to the forum - I'm sure that you will get loads of thories/ideas from other "forumites".
Spud

 

[withmyshadow]

first of all, my local dealers don't stock EBMM alot. They may have a bass on the wall but guitars are all for orders.
what I want to know is which one of those, HH or P90, has the more beautiful natural tone?
I am no pro and I play mostly at home to entertain myself so versatility is not very important to me. is anderson's description of maple on basswood correct?

Its timbre is a bit more of a fundamental tone with fewer overtones than the more traditional body woods.

I am not a big fan of basswood. (I particularly stayed away from all ibanez basswood RG's and am using a mahogany RG right now.) Does the maple top change it for the better?

 

[dfrady]

that's a question that's kinda hard to answer because everyone will have a different opinion, it's all a matter of personal prefrence, some may like the HH better, then there are some who may like MM90's better.

 

[withmyshadow]

that's a question that's kinda hard to answer because everyone will have a different opinion, it's all a matter of personal prefrence, some may like the HH better, then there are some who may like MM90's better.

I hear ya! ;(
I wish I had the chance to try them to decide for myself.
do you have both? what's the thickness of the maple top?
let me ask this: does the ash body on P90 have a tighter bass while basswood has more mids?

 

[dfrady]

The maple tops are usually 1/4 inch thick. There will be some tone difference with it being an ash body, the best way i can describe the MM90's, they are like single coils on steroids, so yes they will probably produce a little tighter bass than a normal single coil. Does basswood have more mids ?? I don't know, i 3 Axis and i can produce quite a bit of chunk with those guitars. If you like the tone of single coils better then hums, i would probably say that the MM90's would be the way to go. Decisions, Decisions !! We all know what you're going through dude, i would guess to say that alot of people here have had to rack their brain when placeing an order, do i get this, do i get that. So many options, So little time !!

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

Dont forget with the ASS you can split the 'buckers to get a single coil type sound.

 

[withmyshadow]

Dont forget with the ASS you can split the 'buckers to get a single coil type sound.

How's AxisSS HH's tone compared to silo, I mean maple bolt-on alder?