Questions on swapping humbuckers in Axis

[boogieslide]

I have owned two different EBMM Axis in the past, but do not own one currently.
I keep coming back to these things and again find myself wanting one.

I remember that you can not adjust the pickup height on these as the humbuckers are direct mounted.
I rarely see different humbuckers from the stock Dimarzio, which are fine but I do like to tinker with different pickups in guitars.
If memory serves me correctly one of the limitations for putting any old humbucker in there is the base plate of the pup and the feet. They are like a triangle instead of square feet, right?

Are the pickups the same size? If the feet of the base plate fit in there would any pickup work? I am wondering if you could simply swap the base plate....if all bobbins are the same size I would think you could remove the base plates...put on the stock one from the Dimarzio on any other pickup and drop it in.

Can anyone confirm any of this?
Thanks!

 

[Astrofreq]

When I've changed the pickups in Axis guitars, I just directly mount the replacement pickup to the body as well. It's always worked for me, but I've used dimarzios every time.

 

[GHWelles]

I have run into the same issue: I have used tin snips to make square legs triangular. I have also changed base plates because some legs are longer than others. I don't like changing the base plates though, messy.

 

[boogieslide]

I have run into the same issue: I have used tin snips to make square legs triangular. I have also changed base plates because some legs are longer than others. I don't like changing the base plates though, messy.

Messy because of the wax?

 

[JonWands]

Not to change subject here but are all EBMMs 'exclusified' with their pickup mounts or can you change pickups in say a Silo or AL normally?

 

[GuitaRasmus]

Just out of curiosity - why do you want to change the pickup? In my mind the Axis bridge pickup is the best bridge pickup I've ever tried - clear, punchy, defined and harmonically rich.

 

[rickjohns]

I personally love the AXIS stock, and I own two of them. One of mine developed a bad bridge pickup, and out of warranty I toyed with buying the replacement, or trying different pickups. To be fair, I called customer service first, and Dan in CS bent over backwards to help me if I decided to get the stock part, but I ultimately decided that since I have two, it would be cool to have them sound different. Here is what I tried and what I perceived of the sound:
Dimarzio Evolution: Sounded good, but a little too bright.
Rockfield Mafia: I got a set of these in an OLP body I bought off of Ebay. Tried them out, they were too tall, and messed with the strings, they pulled too much and the guitar sounded almost out of tune. Sounded Brutal for Metal though.
Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF: My current pickup. I like it. It is very bell like, has a sweet top end, and plenty of bottom end. Sounds more like a Les Paul, but a little brighter.

And finally, I tried to repair the original pickup. I found that one of the coils had developed an open, and decided to pull apart the evolution and try to frankenstein the two together. Both were Zebra pickups, and of course I broke the cream coil on the evolution, and the cream coil was the one that was bad on the Axis pickup. So I put the two black coils together, and used the magnet and plate from the AXIS pickup. It was incredible, but it needs to be potted. I contacted Dimarzio, and told them about stumbling onto this combo, and they said that one of the coils is similar to the AXIS pickup, and one coil is a little brighter. I absolutely love this pickup. I am going to get it potted and save it for something. I wouldn't have tried anything else, but the cost of replacement kept me from doing it. I like it.

 

[GuitaRasmus]

And finally, I tried to repair the original pickup. I found that one of the coils had developed an open, and decided to pull apart the evolution and try to frankenstein the two together. Both were Zebra pickups, and of course I broke the cream coil on the evolution, and the cream coil was the one that was bad on the Axis pickup. So I put the two black coils together, and used the magnet and plate from the AXIS pickup. It was incredible, but it needs to be potted. I contacted Dimarzio, and told them about stumbling onto this combo, and they said that one of the coils is similar to the AXIS pickup, and one coil is a little brighter.

LOL, sorry, couldn't help but to find that comment a little funny - you told them that you made a frankenstein pickup from an Evolution and an Axis pickup, and they tell you that one of the coils is similar to the Axis pickup?

 

[boogieslide]

Just out of curiosity - why do you want to change the pickup? In my mind the Axis bridge pickup is the best bridge pickup I've ever tried - clear, punchy, defined and harmonically rich.

Yeah the stock pups are not bad at all. I just like to try different stuff and have a bunch of really nice pups at the moment and wondered if I would be able to try them in an Axis or not.

 

[rickjohns]

LOL, sorry, couldn't help but to find that comment a little funny - you told them that you made a frankenstein pickup from an Evolution and an Axis pickup, and they tell you that one of the coils is similar to the Axis pickup?

Yeah, it was quite funny. The coil is similar, but a little different. It is wound a little hotter I believe. Or I actually used the coil that it is different. Either way, it sounds great.

 

[GHWelles]

Messy because of the wax?

Yes, and it all falls apart, the base plates are soft and can get bent, etc.

 

[TNT]

Like Wonder said - way to much hassle!!

In addition, you can adjust pickup height by using : smaller screws and/or washers. Little modifications are always in order. I too use DiMarzio's in my Axis (Norton), best bridge pickup out there, for Van Halen, Journey, ACDC, Boston. No need for a neck pickup!!

Note: DiMarzio screws may not be the exact same "diameter" as Axis pickup screws, so be sure to check this "before" redrilling the pickup mount holes.