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Ernie Ball Music Man Custom Design Experience

Rosewood Ugly?

nobozos

nobozos

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 10, 2002
Messages
675
Location
Pekin, Illinois
Okay guys, I'll probably catch alot of crap for this, but I have to say it.

I'm sure the marriage of the Rosewood top and neck is a great tone combination, but I just think the guitar is plain ugly. When I look at it, it reminds me of the paneling in my Mom and Dad's basement bar back in the '70s. It's not so much the neck as the top. It would be cool to have a solid rosewood neck on a regular Axis body, but the rosewood top is just, well, horrifying.

Now, I realize I'm going to take some arrows for this, but there surely has to be someone else out there that agrees with me.
 
nobozos,

Personally, I agree with you. I don't like the rosewood top, but I love the neck. I played a rosewood Axis at the Open House. That neck is just amazing.

As for the top.. I'm sure some folks love it as much as I don't. And that's fine. I can appreciate the beauty of the rosewood, it just ain't my bag, baby.
 
I see a lot of the Rosewood Axes going out the door, so it would seem that there are more people out there with different views on this guitar. Nobody is going to like everything we do, but it's great the company is experimenting with different woods etc. Like BP said, it's all about choice.
 
No doubt I prefer the look of maple over the rosewood.
But I think the Rosewood Axis is simply a gorgeous, timeless piece of work that if stopped being produced will gain in value some day!!!
 
I believe you, Jon. I remember seeing quite a few rosewood Axis tops being made at the factory tour. I hope you guys sell a million of them (and every other model you guys put together).
 
SteveB said:
I believe you, Jon. I remember seeing quite a few rosewood Axis tops being made at the factory tour. I hope you guys sell a million of them (and every other model you guys put together).
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Me too! :D
 
I'm SERIOUSLY thinking about picking one up with a standard trem.

Six string guitars are really just candy for me at this point as everything I do now is primarily centered around seven's.

But man, that Rosewood Axis blew me away! Best guitar I played at the OH, personally. :)
 
I bet one with an oil finish would look good. I don't know how you would do that with a black back though.

I have an all mahog, set neck, and removed the finish and oiled that back of the neck. It looks and feels really smooth. One of these days I'm going to do the same to the rest of the body.

Al
 
SteveB said:
I hope you guys sell a million of them (and every other model you guys put together).
Click to expand...

Me three (since Jon is #2), that way everyone gets raises, and the scratch needed to host the 2nd Open House isn't that hard to come by. ;)

Seriously, you can count me in the group that is not a fan of the guitar, truth be told. God Bless them, though, there ARE people out there that are digging it, and are lapping them up as fast as they can be made.

I hope the trend continues...the more EBMM's we get out on the street, the less kittens die when someone picks up a F****r. :D
 
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When I first saw the rosewood axis I thought it looked ugly... now the more I look at those pictures of rosewood axises the more I want one...
 
It does have the panel look....but, I like it. It is different than the others and that is what makes it unique. I would buy one in a second as I like the feel and sound of it.....simply amazing. :cool:
 
I don't think I really thought much about how the guitar looked when I bought mine. I played it for 30 seconds UNPLUGGED and pulled out my wallet.

Then I got it home and as much as I loved the sound/feel-the jury was out on the top.

A week later I decided that I liked the fact that the guitar was a little unusual looking. The binding color works really well with the top, and picks up the creme coil on the pickups too.

Everyone who has seen or played mine is floored by it, and I like the look more every day. It's just not what people expect an Axis to look like.
 
it reminds me of paneling also....lol...but I dont hate it, I dont love it...I also dont like pink and purple guitars..., but thats just me again.....thank god there are choices!! :D
 
I own one. I still don't dig the look of the top that much. In fact, I posted a report here after I got it, and I "coined" the 70's wood panelling comparison...
I think it would have looked much better with a two piece, bookmatched top. One piece is cool, but the look is kind of plain, especially with the very straight, horizontal grain.

But it's still a great guitar. The neck is amazing and the guitar plays wonderfully.
It does look "unusual", but that in itself isn't a bad thing.

So yeah, I would have preferred a figured maple top with a rosewood neck, but this one'll do just fine, thank you!
 
dan desy said:
So yeah, I would have preferred a figured maple top with a rosewood neck, but this one'll do just fine, thank you!
Click to expand...

Well, you could buy a regular Axis with maple top and switch the necks on 'em. That's my plan. In my fantasy life! Seriously though, if I had the dough (or the permission) that's exactly what I would do. Put that rosewood neck with the maple body. Yum!

Who knows? Maybe if the rosewood guitars sell really well, that could be an option in the future. Didn't someone earlier say something about "choices"? ;)
 
jeffrey said:
It is two-piece.

I got a really good look at one (for about three hours) at the Open House. ;)
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Yep, 2 piece! You can see the seam area from differences in the grain if you look between the trem and the lower strap button.

DSCN0004.jpg
 
Some body posted a pic from the Open House that showed a one piece top being cut. And I'm pretty sure mine's a one piece top.

AxisRWCloseup.jpg



In any case, it doesn't matter, my point was that the grain is a little too straight, that's all.
 
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