Question Was there more than one Cutlass with the Axis humbucker

[jlf599]

I saw mentioned *somewhere* and I can't remember where I saw it about a Cutlass with the Axis humbucker. The only one I could find was the blue sparkle with Floyd BFR from 2021 (I think). Was there another release of the Cutlass with the Axis humbucker that I just can't find? I'd love to own one but I don't really want a Floyd.

thanks!

 

[Astrofreq]

I don't think so and I'm in the same boat. Not into Floyds anymore. I'm dying to find an Axis Bridge humbucker to stick in my SSS Cutlass. I can't find one to save my life. Anything on Reverb is astronomical.

 

[jlf599]

I don't think so and I'm in the same boat. Not into Floyds anymore. I'm dying to find an Axis Bridge humbucker to stick in my SSS Cutlass. I can't find one to save my life. Anything on Reverb is astronomical.

Yeah. I love that blue sparkle Cutlass, but I just hate dealing with Floyds. I could block it or put a Tremel-no in it but while I can intonate them, I find it annoying and tedious...and I tend to rest my hand on the bridge (yeah, I know...bad habit) and that's uncomfortable with a Floyd.

The Axis humbucker has outright become my favorite pickup and finding one after-market is, as you note, insane.

Maybe EBMM will do another Cutlass with the Axis humbucker and a fun finish sometime. I'll dare to dream.

 

[beej]

Yeah, those pickups are hard to find. imo (and I know this always starts a whole debate), the Dimarzio AT1 is not a bad substitute and isn't too far off.

Maybe pop one of those in, and keep an eye out for an Axis/AL/Reflex humbucker (all the same). One will eventually turn up.

 

[Tollywood]

I have the blue sparkle Cutlass BFR with the Axis pickup. It’s pretty awesome. I just ordered a Cutlass in Eclipse Sparkle with H-S-S. I assumed that it also came with the Axis humbucker, but I must be wrong. Hopefully it’s a good humbucker for the 80s hair band cover songs that my band plays.

 

[racerx]

Also an owner of the Blue Sparkle/Bullhead Cutlass -- its excellent. I, too, am not a huge Floyd fan but I don't change tunings or string gauges on it (so the typical annoyances are a non-issue). The variety really sells it for me, I can get through a whole gig just using the switch and volume control.

It might be a tough find, but also try looking for the HSS Axis? A few of the guys here pointed them out to me and I picked one up. Its virtually the same neck/pickups as the Blue Sparkle axis. (Note the Bullhead Cutlass is much closer to an Axis profile than it is the typical Cutlass profile, at least mine is).

 

[A.J.]

We did some green and yellow BFRs too a few years ago.

 

[edhalen]

Ernie Ball Music Man BFR Cutlass HSS Floyd Lemon Yellow

This special eighties edition Cutlass HSS BFR features a lightweight basswood body finished in a bright lemon yellow finish. Smooth figured maple neck with ebony fingerboard is accented with larger white position markers and contrasting black painted headstock. The electronics feature the...

willcuttguitars.com

 

[edhalen]

Ernie Ball Music Man BFR Cutlass Floyd Lime Green

killerburstguitars.com

 

[Astrofreq]

Man, those sparkle Cutlass' are HOT!

 

[jlf599]

We did some green and yellow BFRs too a few years ago.

Ah. Cool. Never noticed they had the Axis humbucker, too!

Maybe someday you'll do a run with the Axis pickup and vintage trem or BFR with a hard tail or something.

 

[A.J.]

Not a bad idea

 

[jlf599]

Not a bad idea

I'll be in line for it if it happens...bonus points for a plum or blue dawn

Or cardinal red sparkle...or aqua sparkle...or or or...

 

[Ventanaman]

I may be in a minority here, but I think there are better options than the Axis humbucker , especially in a HSS guitar. Take a look at Bare Knuckle’s offerings, especially the Abraxas, Polymath and Silo - all are upgrades in my opinion, with the Silo being the closest in terms of output and voicing. I have BKPs in all of my Axis guitars and the dynamics and definition, especially on the low end, are an improvement. As other have pointed out, the AT-1 is also a good option if you are wanting to stick with DiMarzio. Good luck on your journey!

 

[Tollywood]

Yeah, those pickups are hard to find. imo (and I know this always starts a whole debate), the Dimarzio AT1 is not a bad substitute and isn't too far off.

Maybe pop one of those in, and keep an eye out for an Axis/AL/Reflex humbucker (all the same). One will eventually turn up.

I may be in a minority here, but I think there are better options than the Axis humbucker , especially in a HSS guitar. Take a look at Bare Knuckle’s offerings, especially the Abraxas, Polymath and Silo - all are upgrades in my opinion, with the Silo being the closest in terms of output and voicing. I have BKPs in all of my Axis guitars and the dynamics and definition, especially on the low end, are an improvement. As other have pointed out, the AT-1 is also a good option if you are wanting to stick with DiMarzio. Good luck on your journey!

I just ordered the AT-1 for my other Cutlass thanks to this thread.

 

[jlf599]

I may be in a minority here, but I think there are better options than the Axis humbucker , especially in a HSS guitar. Take a look at Bare Knuckle’s offerings, especially the Abraxas, Polymath and Silo - all are upgrades in my opinion, with the Silo being the closest in terms of output and voicing. I have BKPs in all of my Axis guitars and the dynamics and definition, especially on the low end, are an improvement. As other have pointed out, the AT-1 is also a good option if you are wanting to stick with DiMarzio. Good luck on your journey!

I've had BK Abraxas, Emeralds, VHII + singles, and Rebel Yells and loved each of them in different ways. I still have guitars with the Emerald and Abraxas...that said, the Axis pickup is still my overall favorite humbucker so far. To each their own, of course...BKs are amazing pickups and I still would recommend them to people. But I still would love an Axis humbucker in a vintage trem (or stringthrough/hardtail) Cutlass. Just my desire.

 

[Ventanaman]

I don't disagree at all. The custom DiMarzios are great, particularly in the original EVH/Axis. My biggest issue with them is that they were voiced around a guitar with no tone circuit, and needed to be "dark" in order to compensate for them only seeing 500Kohm of resistance instead of 250K in your typical HH guitar.

IMO, when you put the custom DiMarzios in a guitar with a tone circuit, they get muddy and undefined, particularly on the top end. Perhaps switching the pots to 550K (or even 1M) or using a true-bypass tone pot would mitigate the high-end loss with the tone circuit in place. Good luck on your tone journey!

 

[jlf599]

This could be a game changer for me in this battle…

Vintage Tremolo

Vintage Tremolo The baseplate of hardened steel and the solid spring block ensure an outstanding sustain. Roller bridge saddles fix the strings in their optimum position. Perfect replacement for Fender™* Stratocaster tremolos...

schaller.info

 

[jlf599]

Except after more research -

Replacing Axis floyd rose

says maybe it won't work as well as I'd like. I guess I could try and see.

 

[Astrofreq]

If anyone has an extra set (or even just the bridge) Axis humbuckers, I'm open to buying them.