What was your earliest exposure to EBMM guitars?

[candid_x]

As mentioned its taboo to talk EVH here, but he introduced me to musicman and it led to others as well. I was in college and the local store in wisconsin had an EVH, i loved the look of the guitar and the playability was inbelieveable, when I moved to LA after college guitar center had silos and silo specials and I got into them, now they are my favorite but I still have 2 axis, one hardtail for sale to fund another silo!

another silofreak

Interesting stories.

I came upon them from seeing them set up in clubs, as I said. But the first time I picked a MM (Silo Spec) up (years later) and played a few licks, I was knocked out. The store owner was on the phone, ordering my custom G&L Legacy hardtail, and I was in a panic. It was like being at the altar, saying “I do”, and then realizing you’re in love with the bride’s maid.

 

[Warg Master]

Everyone has a different story, it's nice and fun to read... how did I find out?

Well, the EVH of course, I always wanted an axis.... even before I realized it was Music Man...

Here's what really got me into it: the JP... not John, but the guitar. The guitar got me into Dream Theater more. I had a CD before, but I didn't pay much attention. I was in GC and I saw my JP, thinking that's interesting looking... cooler looking then anything in here... I picked it up and plugged it in and that's all she wrote...(2003 also) Did some research found out about JP, listened to more and more DT, found alll the little stuff, liquid tension etc....

I went in to GC every few months hoping it would still be there, and thinking, a guitar that sounds and plays that good will be gone after a week... nope, still there.. I played the guitar for more then a year inside GC when I finally decided it was time to rescue my JP from GC.....hell I'd been the only one to play it for a year in that store it was practically mine anyway... then it was just downhill from there.... from the jp to the Silo (my fav!!)and one on the way... STUPID G.A.S.!!

 

[roburado]

Well, for me it was Steve Morse. I thought it was a weird looking guitar with pickups going in different directions. I thought the shape was a bit weird. The 4+2 headstock was weird to me. Didn't like it.

Then, boom! EVH. Loved the shape, loved the look. I wanted that guitar, big-time. I wanted a purple one or a gold one. Was there a light green? I think I wanted that too. Any of them. Then, I kind of just said, "Aw...forget it. They cost too damn much money."

1999-2000 rolled around. Being a JP fanatic, I was, of course, very interested in what a EBMM JP was going to be like. I figured, "If it's good enough for JP, it's certainly going to be something I'm going to like." I loved the look and the sound. At first, I didn't love the feel. I tried a couple of examples of JP6s that I didn't like. I blame that on the set-ups that I found on those guitars. I really, really didn't like the feel of those guitars. They probably needed to be rescued from the stores where they were abused. Then, I tried my friend's. It was okay. I wasn't floored. Then, I tried mine. I was totally floored by both the guitar and the amp, the Mesa F-30 combo. I bought both on the spot. Both felt and sounded just like I wanted them too. Sheer perfection. I've been hooked ever since.

I've tried the Luke, the Y2D, the ASS in multiple configurations including, rosewood Axis, an HSS Silo Spec, and my 20th. I've had my hands on all the guitars shown at the Dallas bash. I'm still hooked.

Tried a few Bongos, a few Sterlings, a few SRs, a few SR5s. Now, I want a 2007 LE Bongo 5HHP for my first bass. Okay, maybe, I won't necessarily spring for all those options. I'm still a little iffy on the piezo for the Bongo, but 5HH seems to be the basic configuration I'm going to go for. We'll see. I might just go with the thinking that I ought to get the thing as fully loaded as possible, because I might regret not doing that. I doubt I'm going to think, "Aw man, you know...I got too many options."

 

[Roubster]

I got hooked on EBMMs from the first time I heard Steve Morse play. It all started listening to Deep Purple and than seeing Total Abandon Live from Australia. That concert just completely opened up my ears and eyes to what can be done on the guitar, and what a beautifull guitar it was (IS)! Of course I still have yet to get one, but I think I will save the Morse for last. Anyway, I knew from that point on that I want an EBMM except I was still in 9th grade at that point and no money and still in the freakin Ibanez stage. But as I got into more instrumental guitar music I also learned that some of my favorite players all use EBMMs and not just Morse. Anyway, I've been waiting for something like the 20th to come out, because I always wanted specs like that on a geetar . I dont want to play anything else really, maybe just get a nice LP as a tribute and for show .

 

[John C]

I go back pretty early with them - considering I had been exposed to the Leo-era MMs as the shop I dealt with when I started out was a Gibson/Fender/MM dealer. I had played the originals when they were in the shop (the Stingray and Sabre guitars) and owned an MM RD-50 amp for 5-6 years.

More on topic, I noticed the Silhouette in little reviews, NAMM show features, and press release areas of Guitar Player and Guitar World. By this time I had moved once and that shop I was dealing with was out of business. Another shop here had picked up the EBMM line for the basses and also got in a couple of the guitars, so I got to try out a Silhoutte with the old Schaller bridge back in 1988 or so.

 

[J-Nick]

The Steve Morse Band Coast to Coast album. Inside the cover you can see his guitar leaning on a wall. I know you shouldn't choose a guitar based on its look but I always thought that the MM guitars looked really cool because they are easy to differentiate from any other brand.

The first EBMM I tried was a candy red silo spec at Steve's music store in Montreal. I couldn't believe how nice the neck felt, loved the unfinished wood feel right away. Man do I regret not buying that guitar! Then Jimi_D posted on this forum that Long&McQuade in Ottawa had a super good deal on a silver sparkle axis sport... The guitar is now mine and will forever be

 

[beej]

The Steve Morse Band Coast to Coast album. Inside the cover you can see his guitar leaning on a wall.

Oh you read my mind ... same story here

A few years ago a bought a Morse off eBay, just a spur of the moment thing. My first ball, and the one that'll never leave my collection. And of course it's been a steady slide into debt since that first one ...

 

[phatduckk]

i first stumbled upon the guitars when I was using the instrument builder to pick what my first Sterling was gonna look like.

a year or so went by and i found this forum. For about 6 years or so i only played bass and pretty much forgot all about the guitar. Then the forum gave me GAS. I had to have an SR4 all of a sudden so i got one... but the GAS didnt stop and it crossed over to guitars.

I got a JP6 cuz i heard a lot fo great things about it. Never heard of JP or Dream Theater.

Anywho... now i have 5

 

[kneeoh]

My first exposure was seeing the ad with Mr. Morse sporting the short hair. In all honesty, i couldn't fathom the need for so many pups though i thought the color was cool. Fast forward a few years and the first time i saw the vid to "Poundcake"... I had no idea that EVH had an new guitar. It just struck me that the headstock looked familiar. Back in those days, i was a poor college student relegated to playing an Electra/Westone... scary!

Fast forward a few more years... my first year of residency to be exact and i finally have enough money for a really nice guitar. After trying about a billion other brand guitars, I saw black sparkle JP for sale in Musician's Friend (of all places). It had all the things I wanted... 2 humbuckers, non-locking trem, and sparkle so I took a chance and ordered it, never having actually tried one. I've been hooked ever since. I guess in a way I've come full circle cuz now I own a Morse... cool!

As an interesting aside, it was my black sparkle JP that helped turn another forumer in the direction of EBMM

 

[brentrocks]

my first was an EVH, tried a wolf first, but saw the light. but i have found that there a lot of other options with EB guitars!

 

[g_man]

I remember seeing pics of Steve Morse and his EBMM many years ago, but I didn't really pay attention. After not having much guitar in my life for about 10+ years, I bought a really nice acoustic a couple of years ago. Then as I played more I realized I was missing an electric more and more. My default choice was to buy a Les Paul, as that is what I had when I was a young teenager up to about age 18. This was before Slash was on the scene, so LPs were cheap!

But all the LPs I tried out were uninspiring. Then I saw this crazy looking guitar, an AL, and that was it! It just felt so good, so natural. I actually like the Axis look much better, especially the maple tops, but I couldn't get past the feel of the AL. After a few Qs here on the forum, I ordered one. I have had it for 5 months now, and it still shocks me how beautiful it is to play!

 

[kompressaur]

Pino palladino playing his fretless StingRay with paul young in about 83.started noticing the same bass with an oval plate and 3/1 headstock keep appearing on tv.then i saw the Sabre bass.bought my first Ray in 86 or 87.
guitar wise,it was a picture of the blue Silo with the eagle graphic.it had just made its debut at trade fairs.it looked so different from all the Charvels and stuff around at the time.then the adverts with Steve morse and EVH,not forgetting the b/w pic of Albert lee cradling his Silo.A review in a UK guitar mag of a silo around the same time had me phoning all the music shops i could think of.I bought
a hss hardtail black silo with rosewood board from a Glasgow shop which cemented a tie I've had with MusicMan instruments all my adult life

 

[Nitrix]

First Encounter

I first played an Ernie Ball Axis SS while on business in Calgary in 99 or 2000. I had, of course, seen EBMM guitars and basses in videos and the like - but we didn't have a local full line dealer until 99 or 2000.

Here's the funny thing, but I please ask that you don't shoot me. I remember walking into the Calgary store and seeing about 10 Axis' (Sports and Super Sports) on the wall and thinking "why bother trying a W***gang made by someone else". I knew EBMM created the Axis, but had never played one. I assumed that P@#vey made the identical guitar so the difference would be minimal. The salesman at the store showed me the error of my ways and insisted that I try the EBMM, and that the EB would "crap all over" the Peavey. I tried one out and (surprise, surprise) just LOVED the neck, the sound, the feel and the vibe. Couldn't afford it at that moment and went home.

In 2003, I saw a used Axis SS MM90 in a quilted orange top at my local haunt. Sold. First EBMM. Do I officially have the disease? Well I have since added 2 Silos, 1 Silo special, 1 Steve Morse, 1 SR5, 1 Sterling Fretless (gorgeous natural finish - unlined fretboard - absolute stunner) and 1 HH Bongo. Will be adding a ASS with humbuckers, 5 way and maple board this spring/summer coming up - unless the NAMM jewels direct me in another path.

Keep up the great work, BP and the EBMM clan! These instruments are world class in every respect, as is the organization.

 

[robelinda2]

Nitrix, give us pics of your balls, they sound great!!!!!!!


or if you have already and i just havent seen them, post them anyway!

 

[Lucidology]

Read an outstanding review of the 3 single coil
Silhouette in Guitar Player years ago... Immediately went out & bought one...
Played it on & off for about a year... then I bought an Axis after reading another great review... Luved the playability and the soulfulness of the humbuckers,
but regretted that I lost the single coil sound, which is very important for the music I play,,,Then discovered one day, just by curiosity, the Luke ...
& we all know what a great axe it is... Just has had to put in the EMG's I prefer ...
I would have bought the used White one, I saw at GC the other day,
if it wasn't being sold almost as much as a new one...

 

[Nitrix]

pix of my balls

Robelinda,

I will try to get around to the photos of my Balls this weekend. I have my basement under construction for my studio, so a lot of stuff is in cases right now. I don't have pictures of the guitars I plan on keeping (EBMM), but I have pictures of my Fenders that am probably going to SELL to buy more EBMM!!

I should probably have the pix for insurance purposes anyway.

Nitrix

 

[Junior]

Deep Purple... when I saw this:

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxzJKTWtwZA"]YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.[/nomedia]

...I was amazed. That was the birth of my love for Deep Purple and I was very interested in that guitar. Bit by bit, now I'm here.

Edit:

Failed to mention I went to a Deep Purple show three months after that ^^^^. The best night of my entire life. (since I don't have children, am the youngest child, etc. )

 

[DrBob]

I was a penniless teenager roaming round the BMF (British Music Fair) in 88-89.
In the same way that people walk around car shows seeing what the most expensive car they can get to sit in is, I was playing wildly out of my league (At that point I was playing a £110 Starforce that I'd saved up for best part of a year to buy) and I wandered on to the Strings & Things stand.
I picked up a Wine Red Silhouette, Black plate, HSH pickups, slightly odd Schaller locking trem.
The thing is, that at the time I think the big thing was I had a revelation about the importance of playing 'decent' guitars rather than Musicmans specifically.
That light came on about 4 years later at another BMF when I got my hands on an EVH for the first time !
I then only spent another 10 years wanting a purple one, an itch that I finally got to scratch when my wife bought me one as a wedding present.

 

[phatduckk]

if EBMM made a hollowbody then i wouldnt own any other brands at all. the MM lineup has a great variety.

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

EVH, probably the Poundcake video with the camera mounted on neck of the MM, guitar magazine covers when I saw the trans red one and the VMA's that year with the drill Poundcake opening. I remember him describing the EBMM as something that he wanted to be across between a Les Paul and a Fender Strat and that is was real balanced and easy to play. 15 Years later, I'm sold as I have an Axis on order.

+1! I stayed up all night to see VH at the MTV awards playing poundcake! I also has that poster on my bedroom wall! EVH is the only reason I found EBMM. Has it not been for EVH I would not be playing EBMM today. I know he gets a bad rap on this forum, but I think his endorsement did wonders for the brand.