When did you first discover EBMM guitars, and where?

[meenahga]

So when did you all first discover these wonderful instruments. My story takes me back to 1993 or so. I went into Dick's Country Store and Music Oasis, where they sell gun's, guitars, and groceries. Quite the place. Anyway, at the time I knew I wanted a new guitar. I started at one end of the store and played just about every electric he had. Maybe a hundred or so. A variety of used guitars, lots of new ones, a whackload of Fen&er's, and Gi&son's and I kept coming back to this one guitar, a Silhouette. I didn't know anything about EBMM. I knew Ernie Ball made some nice strings, but never heard of the guitars before. What playability, and the sound... WOW, out of this world. It just felt right in my hands. I went back a month or so later and played it some more. It felt and sounded better than I remembered. A few weeks later, my brother took my Ib@nez RG 540, and traded it in with some cash and surprised me with my Silo. I've had it ever since and it is still my baby.

 

[paranoid70]

I have been a big Steve Morse/Dixie Dregs fan for years. I was intrigued by MM because Steve absolutely raved about his guitar. I finally played a Petrucci a few years ago and basically fell in love with the neck. I think EBMM makes the absolute best guitar necks! I wish I didn't wait so long before buying one, but I had a lot of home improvement expenses over the last few years.

 

[azazael]

Well my first experience was seeing someone on stage with an Axis and I liked it but my local shops although Ernie Ball dealers from the looks of stocking Stingrays and strings never seemed to stock the guitars.

One day I saw a gold axis on the wall second hand so I had a shot of it and bam I had to have one. So when I had the cash I went in and ordered one. I wasn't even bothered about the colour he phoned them up and said they supplier has "whatever colours" in stock and I said erm ok Tobacco Sunburst I suppose will be quite nice. I went in total faith of EBMM that the guitar would be awesome and it was.

Still had to wait a while on it coming in which sucked.

 

[applemacintosh]

I read an article in Guitarist magazine in January 1994 on the Luke model. Fell in love instantly with the look of it (the great review helped), plus my guitar teacher at the time was using Lukathers licks to demonstrate various techniques etc. I still have the article and consequently bought a Luke in pearl red (like the article) as soon as I could afford it (four years later) and I still proudly own it now. Only problem is, since I bought my Luke 2005 LE I've found I prefer the vintage trem so am not playing the Floyd original as much as I should...

 

[Headstock]

Went to see a Vinnie Moore Clinic at a Guitar Center in MI. He had a Purple Silo and a Red Axis. Then also saw a Albert Lee clinic @ the Southfield MI GC. I bought a Trans Blue Axis very shortly there after. I fell in love with the EBMM necks at those clinics. Both artists praised the build, quality, feel of the necks and the tone at those clinics. I was sold, hook, line and sinker.

 

[Sweat]

Well I kinda told this before in a different thread but here goes,

I knew MM guitars existed saw them at the Dallas Guitar Festival in 2004, but at that time I had just started trying to learn and play and they were out of my league. I then went throught he F and G stage among others, but never really liked any of them that much, I then decided I wanted a guitar that had two single and 1 hum EMG pup, went to GC last Christmas(2006) and there on the wall was a Luke, walked out of the store with the Luke, and since that time have become a fanatic, have bought several since, I do not have that Luke any more it went to another formite when I was able to score a DD Luke

 

[blackspy]

Ads with Luke and Morse way back. I didn't pay too much attention, but was aware of the brand. Later, when the EVH came out I truly investigated them. Had an EVH that I ended up selling. Later, I wanted to buy a Wolfgang when they were available, but walked out of the store with an Axis they had in with the Wolfgang models, it was just a much nicer guitar (to me).

 

[MN246]

They first popped up on my radar when EVH began his endorsement. I worked at a music store at the time as was heavily into my collection of PRSs. We weren't a MusicMan dealer so I never tried one out. In 1997, I was on a business trip to Phoenix and stopped by GC to see what they had. I picked up an Axis and was really really impressed with the feel, playability, and tone. Still not enough to buy one though. I probably would have if I had been in the market for a new guitar, but sadly I wasn't.

1999 rolls around and I find myself living in Portland, OR, and in the market for a new axe. Due to being out of work for a period of time, I had sold my PRS collection. I found my Axis at Five Star Guitar in Hillsboro, OR. I bought it on the spot. The love affair began immediately. It has been my main axe since.

I've got a G&L Invader that I picked up a couple of years ago, mainly so I would have a guitar with a fully floating trem. It is a beautiful instrument, is very well made, and sounds great. It just doesn't sound as great as the Axis. It's going on the bay soon, and will be replaced with my new JP when I get it. I've also got a Les Paul, that doesn't see much use, but when you need an LP tone, there really is no replacement.

 

[J_Alexander]

i used the strings and knew of there great strings but the guitar side was when i first saw the evh ad's in guitar world and his talk about the ebmm.

 

[kneeoh]

My first exposure to EBMM was via an ad for the new (then) Steve Morse. I remember thinking it looked cool but as a poor high school student, it was completely out of reach.

Fast forward to 2002... I'm at the Southfield, MI GC looking to buy a new guitar, and I'm no longer a poor student, but a semi-poor resident. There's this smallish, HH guitar with this color shifting paint job sitting all by itself amongst a sea of Ib@n$$. Picked it up and felt an immediate jolt of lighting through my hands. Looked at the price and was dismayed to see no case included and still a little out of my range.

Went back home and found the same guitar online at a price just in my budget but with this killer black sparkle finish. Bought it sight unseen and haven't looked back since. I have since come full circle as I am the proud owner of a Morse.

 

[Spudmurphy]

A bass playing mate of mine raved about them.

I was in the market for a guitar 18 months ago and was going to get a Nashville Tele with a B bender. Then I saw an AL DVD and saw and heard an AL for the first time.
Tried one and liked it so I ordered my BCB AL whose neck is superb. My other guitars are history !!

 

[Purple ASS]

Saw Geoff Whitehorn (Paul Rogers, Procul Harum etc..) around 1990 when he was UK demo artist for Marshall. He was using what I guess was an early EVH (Axis), beautiful blue, a Floyd and only a volume knob. Venue was Eastbourne Cricket Club. Didn't get my first EBMM till 2003. Did a straight swap for my Gibson Les Paul Deluxe 20th anniversary, that was for my Purple flame Axis SS MM90. For some reason Geoff moved onto PRS later on.... a great player, very tasteful, you should check him out.

 

[Axilla]

I saw my first EBMM guitar way back in the early nineties when EvH was endorsed. Then for quite some time lost touch.
Noticed well there were LUKE and Steve Morse Signature models, but nevertheless never got hands on one - limited availability throughout German dealers...
Then bumping into Mick's shop in Bavaria I saw what should start my addiction:
His "working musician's" trans teal SILHOUETTE hardtail. Boy, did I like that guitar! I was lost the moment he let me take it into my unworthy hands...
...never let me touch his EvH though...
Not long after that I bought my first own EBMM Silhouette Special and am still longing for more since then

Lifelong lovestory...I guess...

 

[mikeller]

I have had an awareness for years - but my first first-hand experience came a few years ago when my local Sam Ash had a couple Luke's for sale. I picked one up out of curiosity and thought it had the best neck I ever played. I didn't have the $$ to purchase at that time. A while later, a guitar repair shop had an Axis SS with piezo used, came close to buying that one, but procrastinated until it was gone.

In January this year I walked into Guitar Center and there was a used Axis (not SS) by the front door that reached out to me. This time I wasn't letting it go.

I became instantly fond of it, felt like I owned it for years. A few months ago, I added Silhouette Special and have never been happier.

I am now flirting with the idea of selling off a few Fenders to by an AL....

 

[JMB27]

My awareness of the EBMM experience was about 2 years ago when I was g.a.s-ing for another axe ... LPs were too heavy, F-nders were too many issues and re-issues and other stuff, God-ns were almost there ... but I walked into the Guitar Shop and saw the light - Paul warned me that I would never go back to my main gear if I tried one ... oh well

truth be told, I always had heard about them ... but until I took the time to try, it was a complete mystery to me.

now the only mystery is figuring out how to get all the cool Balls and Zs to fill my music space and keep the rest of the family happy

 

[Sub1 Zero]

I saw the DVD Live Aus Berlin by Rammstein, and the rythem guitarist Paul Landers plays an EVH (or maybe Axis EX?) all the way through, one black and one silver sparkle. The band left an impression on me, and it made me curious about EBMM. So first I got a floyded OLP Axis copy, then later I ordered my Sub1 and...... hooked for life

 

[philiprst]

I came from the Dark Side I was a bass player for about 10 years and had 3 Stringrays. The first I bought from Master Musicians in Maryland from an amazing bass player called Anthony. I absolutely loved the neck on the Stingray so it was natural for me to look to EBMM when I went back to guitar. To be honest, my first love was the Gibson Les Paul and I still have a very soft spot for them but EBMMs are such terrific value and so beautifully made I can't resist them either . I am also pleased to say that I have yet to find the EBMM that is perfect for me. The 20th Anniversary gets close and the JP6 is wonderful in high gain situations but I am looking forward to seeing what comes along in the future.

 

[Astrofreq]

Like many, EVH.

 

[roburado]

I was aware of Morse and his EBMM way back. I thought that "backwards" slanting single coil was weird back then. So, I didn't like it. Then, a number of years later EVH started his relationship with EBMM. I wanted to sell my violin to get one. To me the EVH was the most beautiful guitar on the market. I wanted this light trans green finish, the trans amber, or the trans purple. My mom discouraged the sale of the violin. So, I never got one. I was just a poor college student. The guitar was more than twice what I paid for my Str@t Plus or any other guitar I had. It just felt out of reach. Maybe, I should have sold my F3nd3r and Ib@n3z to get one. Actually, I don't think I would have had enough even then, but that was my dream guitar back then. EVH and EBMM ended their relationship, and EBMM fell off my radar until JP went to EBMM.

JP was my favorite (still is) among living guitarists. I was ready to leave behind my Str@t, which I played, because my favorite late guitarist, Hendrix, played them. I was ready to leave behind Ib@n3z, because mine was kind of uh...crap compared to my expectations at that time. I figured, hey, if JP likes these EBMMs, well...I'll check them out. I tried a few JPs and a couple of Lukes, and I didn't like them. In retrospect, they were shopworn examples. I waited until I found one I liked. Then, in 2003, boom. I found one. I had gone looking for an amp to pair with my Str@t. I was thinking about a 20 - 30 watt Mesa something or other. It was on that trip that I found my first EBMM at the Southfield, MI GC. It was pretty much brand spanking new, I think. It seemed like it had not been in the store very long. It just felt right--everything about it. It just sounded right too. I bought it, a base model Pearl Redburst JP6, and the Mesa F-30 on the spot. I had to choose between it and a fully loaded Mystic Dream, which just seemed like too much money at the time.

The love affair with EBMM continues to this day.

 

[Ripper]

1st - Van Halen Live: Right Here, Right Now.

Later - Steve Morse: Live Concert in Singapore 2004.

AL - From this forum!