Which Musicman ? Decision Merry Go Round !

[devster]

Hi all

I am very keen to buy another axe and EBMM is top of my list. Of the 3 guitars that have ever 'spoken' to me, they have all been EBMM. 2 were Axis and 1 reflex.

However I am having a hard time committing to a specific model as each seems to have a compromise.

I play rock, namely Foo, U2, KOL, Killers etc

Aesthetics are important to me. I love to look at a beautiful axe

My thoughts are this :

Luke - looks nice, small neck and p/u s a bit plain especially EMGs
Silhouette Special - neck bigger but still good but I find the bridge HB is not hot enough. Good looks
Axis - I want the tone knob so it has to be a sport. Neck feels bigger than others but I have not played one in a while. I did like the ones I played in the past. I initially didn't like the body shape but found that a burst model transforms the shape to the eye
Reflex - great sounds & very flexible. Visually it looks a bit elongated with a bit of a big bum !

So I guess I would like a silo that sounds like an axis or reflex or an axis that is a 2 tone colour.

Please be gentle, but your experience and advice would be much appreciated.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Hi and welcome.

The Albert Lee didn't just talk to me - IT SHOUTED!!! lol

I played in a covers band and the Al with Piezo covered everything - Hendrix to CSNY.

I do fancy getting a Silo though!!

 

[DrKev]

Re: Silhouette Special bridge humbucker, it's voiced on the classic PAF tones of the 60s and is incredibly versatile. I think it could be great for what you want. Great clean tones and it handles high gain beautifully. And remember, with a hotter humbucker, the single coils could be overpowered, particularly in the 2 and 3 positions.

If you don't like the stock humbucker, by all means change it out. But give it a chance first, it might be just what you need.

 

[devster]

What a great forum. 2 replies in an hour . Excellent. Please keep em coming....

Rock on

 

[jzeijen]

For the music styles you ar mentioning, I would go Reflex. (But I really think you should try an AL HH..)

 

[dkannen]

Reflex or the Luke 3!!! Maybe take a look at the standard JP6 too! But for what you described, definitely Reflex. Maybe even give the Gamechanger a gander

 

[ErnieJohn]

u need a Reflex!

 

[paranoid70]

I love the Silhouette Special, especially after I put a Dimarzio AirZone in the bridge.

 

[auxren]

Change your game!!!

 

[brasco68]

Axis Super Sport

 

[ozzyrules]

One of each ! :

 

[Tollywood]

One of each ! :

Hello Devster and welcome to the forum.

Everyone here will just tell you to get their favorite model. So, I say get an Axis.

To find your ebmm model, you must think about the following: neck shape, flat top versus arm bevel, pickguard or none, number of frets.

For example, I don't like 24 frets, so the Petrucci and the Silhouette are both out...but a Silhouette Special has 22 frets, so that's okay for me. But, oh boy, it has a pickguard, and I'm not a big fan of those, etc...until you narrow it down to the model that's right for you.

 

[Stratty316]

I play the Axis and HHAL... Both are great choices, but I think the HHAL has a few more options as far as tone. Axis Super Sports are great as well. If you are looking for a "single coil" type sound I prefer the HHAL to the Super Sport. If they still made them I would totally tell you to go with an Axis Sport... that ash body produced an unreal tone with the Axis pickups.

 

[devster]

Thanks very much guys. I guess everyone will always recommend their favorite which is totally cool.

I am going to try an axis SS tomorrow so hopefully I can then make an informed decision. I live outside the US so have been eye-balling eBay for options. I may also be in Manhatten next month so may be able to buy one in person.

I played a reflex last night and it did feel & sound good. It's 'bum' didn't seem too big either.

There are lots of Axis around but I don't know how people cope without the tone control, so have been looking for a SS. Just missed out on s tobacco burst a few weeks ago due to faffing !

I hope to narrow it down to a model and colour this week so can then focus on finding one.

This OCD is killing me !!!!

Rock on

 

[skerwo]

I tried out a Reflex vs Axis SS two weeks ago in London. For me the Reflex is the more versatile guitar and has a real woody tone (I think because it´s chambered). Cleans on the Reflex are better than Axis. But the Axis delivers real good overdriven sounds, lot of power. Reflex does the rockin way also very good but always with the woody note.

My personal favourite is the normal Silhouette HSH but I think the pups have not enough output for what you´re looking for. The hb with very low output, they match perfect with a sc.

 

[dwells]

Hands down REFLEX. Such an amazing guitar, but really you can't lose with any Ebmm guitar.

 

[Jamie M]

Axis, but that is just me being biased!!

 

[Jack FFR1846]

Tollie said it well. Let me add my input......

You MUST have a tone control (what I got from your posts). You're not crazy about the Luke EMGs or the Silo Spec humbucker. You want a good looking guitar and although an Axis/Reflex type body looks good in certain paint schemes, not all look good to you. Just some thoughts:

Steve Morse: The standard should have every sound you could ever want. The less common TBurst ones are just awesome looking to me. The Y2D reduces the sonic choices but ups the bling with the top. Still killer tone choices.

Axis: You talk about the lack of a tone knob. Do you require a floyd? If so, look for a guitar with a floyd. If not, rule it out. The back cavity has a large enough cutout and the metal shield actually has a hole for a tone knob. Just drill a hole and add one. If you don't want to do that, replace the pot with a dual pot. Personally, I'd like to have the dual pot plus a push/pull for splitting the hums. When I had my Axis, I put in the push-pull and used it a lot.

Reflex: I find the extra rolling on the neck and the guitar switching options for tone along with the chambered body with tone block to make this an exceptional guitar. I don't know why I haven't bought one.

Silo Special: I hope I don't get too many tomatoes thrown at me, but I see this as a Stratocaster-the-next-generation. I just bought and restored one and when I can get it out of my 12 year old's hands, I find very strat-like tones easily, but with the lack of the annoying noise. I did not come from a strat background, so sounding like a strat is not at all important. If you don't like the hum, replace it. Easy enough to do. This is a great guitar. The small feel of it makes it a part of you.

I would point you to the absolute best guitar in existance, but that's because I'm a huge Albert Lee guitar fan. I do understand that the shape makes people absolutely hate it or absolutely love it. Nobody just sort of likes it. Get an HH. Unbelievable versatility and switching options in the same pickups as the Axis.

When you go to a shop, you'll likely be able to find some, but maybe not all of the models. I have yet to walk into any shop with all of them. Pete DuBaldo is the guy to contact. If you're in NYC, his shop is maybe 3 hours drive away. When I first started playing again (I stopped for 30 years), I contacted him and went and played every model there. Plus he has THE guitar. A blue dawn HSS Albert Lee. I hear that he wants to sell that to me, though. (I figure that if I say that enough times, it'll happen)

 

[Tollywood]

Great post Jack, and by the way, that's remarkable that you came back after a 30 year break. I took a ten year break through the 1990's. I wish I had never taken a break, but career and family sidetracked me.

Good luck on landing that Blue Dawn Albert Lee.

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

Im a fan of the y2d. Close to the axis in feel, comes with a extra/bonus single coil, and has a tone control. Standard hardtail (or floyd trem). There are a few early Morse (non-y2d) models out there with the Schaller branded trem.

Jack, if you really want that blue dawn hss AL, $4k takes it :beer: