There's a NGD in my future! Help me choose!

[mwinemil]

So, I am smitten. The reality is that once I acquired my first PRS I had assumed that was all I would own from here on out. Oh I could see myself owning a boutique guitar here or there but there is something about the PRS. The carve on the guitar, the way they sound - I figured I was a brand new loyal owner.

Until...

Some of you know Trent here on the boards - well he's my guitar instructor. I'm an adult that has toyed with the guitar as an instrument for some time (like most of my life) but never taking learning it seriously. A series of events had me looking for an instructor and I ended up learning with Trent. Anyhow, Trent plays EBMM guitars in our teaching sessions. Honestly I hadn't heard of Music Man, though I had heard of Ernie Ball. Well the main axe that Trent uses when I'm there is his black sub 1. Man is it a nice guitar. One thing leads to another (again) and I own a sub 1 (see my NGD cinnamon sub 1 day). That day I became a huge EBMM fan.

Now it's only been like a month since I bought my Sub 1 but I don't play ANYTHING else. I have 3 guitars at the moment (Ibanez RT150 that is awesome and heavily modified by yours truly, Sub 1, PRS CE) but I find I'm only playing the Sub. I figure maybe it's the honeymoon - but seriously, the sub cost me 300 and the PRS is worth 1k - and I play the sub.

Enter the week where I play not 1 but 2 EBMM Axis guitars. Well, I'm hooked and I have to have one. The only way I can get one and stay married (my wife is hot and I'm not so I'd like to stay married to her) is to fund it with another sale. So, much to my dismay I put my PRS up for sale.

Tonight it sold.

So now I have the funds literally searing a hole in my pocket. My question is this: Do I buy a Axis or an ASS? I like the idea of a floyd but I'm also a tone junkie (I have 1 blade and 3 toggles on my Ibanez now in search of tone options!). Anyhow, what do you think?

And to BP - clearly I'm addicted. You might as well start taking all my money now.

Thanks guys!

 

[Slingy]

My opinion is that the floyd is for if you want to rock. If you want to change tunings a bunch and have in between sounds than the ASS is the way to go. Don't forget about the 25th and the Reflex, both based on the Axis.

 

[DaPatrooch]

Well if you want those two extra positions from the ASS plus a tone knob, then I would go for an ASS with a trem, because you can only push it down on both models anyway, unless you set them to float. As mentioned above, you could also try out a 25th or Reflex, which has even more tonal options.

 

[Stratty316]

Lets not forget that the Axis is a tone monster itself. They are very responsive to whatever amp you are playing. For example, I can get great blues type tones from my Princeton Reverb without the use of a pedal, but throw in the Fulltone OCD and I am dirty like a cranked Marshall (well, as cranked as 15 watts can be) My point, the Axis can do way more then just rock. And if you need position 2 and 4 you can always split the coils... If you like a Floyd go for the Axis. Nothing wrong with the ASS, but tone for days with the regular Axis.

 

[browndog]

I’ve owned both. My first EBMM was an ASS followed by 3 Axis’s. I liked the Ass with the tone knob & blade for many different sounds but when I got the Floyd equipped Axis... I was in love all over again. Never looked back... well sort of... its a long story.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Your either a floyd lover or hater.
I would go for a ASS - but thats only because I'm not a floyd fan.

It has a great variety of tones and will cover all bases.

I've heard them sound awesome playing all genres.

 

[threeminutesboy]

.... I like the idea of a floyd but I'm also a tone junkie (I have 1 blade and 3 toggles on my Ibanez now in search of tone options!). Anyhow, what do you think?

And to BP - clearly I'm addicted. You might as well start taking all my money now.

Thanks guys!

based on your tonal preference I would try a Reflex, Then an ASS then an Axis from 10 positions, to 5, to 3

the choice is yours my friend

 

[peterd79]

I think the Reflex is going to give you more tonal options as opposed to the AXIS... i love the Axis but i think the Reflex takes it to that next level... bigger body mahog tone block (if i'm not mistaken) and pickup configs that would make any tone junkie shiver....

 

[Slav123]

If you can go to a guitar shop and play them, you should. The Axis, ASS w/hardtail and ASS with vintage trem sound a bit different tone wise - IMO due to the body trem routes and the bridge weight differences. Even though they have the same pickups, my Axis guitars sound different than my ASS'. There's also a sound difference between the maple and rosewood fretboards. I don't want to complicate things for you and you can't go wrong with either an Axis or an ASS but, if you can play them before you buy them you will be happier in the end. If you going to check out other EBMM's like the Reflex or a 25th. and decide not to get a Floyd, check out the HH AL.

Good luck!
Slav

 

[mwinemil]

I'd love to check out a Reflex, to be honest - but there isn't one in my area that I can play (that I know of). My local GC doesn't have a single EBMM and I have a small boutique type shop local that doesn't have any in stock either. There is a GC about 40 minutes away that has a rosewood ASS and a 25th in stock, but that's it. Of course, I have played Trent's new Axis and it's quite incredible too.

I do "tinker" around with my guitars (adding a few switches to my Sub 1 for example) but I'm not sure I want to do that I with an Axis. I did love that rosewood ASS and there are a couple around that I can find for sale.

Man I can't make a decision. As soon as I think "yeah the ASS is it" I immediately go "but the Axis has the Floyd...".

 

[Roubster]

I would go for the 25th/reflex if I were you since you like to have a lot of tone options. Of course you can always get a Silo or Silo Special which is more open to modding with switches and such with the pickguard. Plus they are KILLER guitars as well.

 

[NorM]

Searching for tone options?

Morse