Why you chose EBMM

[GWDavis28]

I had seen a Silhouette Special in candy apple red at my local GC and I thought that it was great, having small hands the neck felt awesome and the body shape was sweet. However, I was blinded by at curse of the major guitar manufacturers and their name was F*ender. I had it in my mind that I wanted a Strat with 3 single coils. The SS was 2 singles and a hum and that wasn't what I wanted. Then when surfing Evilbay one day at lunch I came across my dream guitar. It was for the CLB (Casey Lee Ball Kidney Foundation), I was in love and I was obsessed. I had to have this guitar, I talked to my wife about it that night over dinner with the out-laws and she said "Go for it". I placed my first Evilbay bid and I was determined to get it no matter what. We were on dial-up at home, so I came into work to use the LAN connection to insure a win. I'm refreshing and it's mine, then in the last 20 seconds someone else stole my prize right out from under me. I was crushed, devistated. I send the winner and email asking how much he wanted for the guitar. I went home and told my wife, she said later that she had never seen me that depressed in her life. She also told me that she thought that I was nuts for sending the winner an email.

Well much to her disbelief the winner replied me and told me that he already had a SS and weren't they great guitars. He told me he'd have to wait until he got it to decide which guitar he was going to keep. Well after like 2 or 3 months of email correspondance he finally decided to sell me the guitar. However, he wanted to keep the case. I told him that I'd give him an extra $100 to get a new case from Musicans Friend or someplace. He said ok, and with a week it was mine.

A little long winded, but that's pretty much it. Now I have 4 EBMM's and I could not envision myself attempting to play anything else.

Later, Glenn |B)

 

[jimmyp]

In 1994, I had saved up enough money for a good quality guitar - at the time I was playing a dodgy Charvel that had no sustain whatsoever. A friend of mine makes amazing guitars and I decided to get him to build one for me. When I asked him about it, he said I should have a look around first and decide what production guitars were closest to what I wanted - at that time, it was a Tom Anderson and an EBMMEVH which I had only seen from a distance as EVH wailed on one at Birmingham NEC. He had just become a dealer for MM and said that he could get me a good deal on a Van Halen model and I should seriously consider this option as it would retain its value a lot more than one made by him (I still want him to make me one!) - I agonised for a weekend and decided to try the EVH - it was only then that he mentioned the 8 1/2 month wait involved as they were so back ordered. I'm glad I did it - it became my pride and joy for years and I still love it. My Sil Special is another story which as yet has not got a happy ending...

 

[John C]

I guess I've been aware of Music Man guitars going back to the original Leo-era models. The music shop I frequented when I was in high school and college (1978-84) was a Fender/Gibson/Music Man dealer. I got a Fender guitar from them in '79 and a Music Man amp in '81, and they typically let me play what they had in stock (assuming when I had more money I would trade up with them). I got to play the original Leo-era Music Mans but didn't much care for the active electronics and odd quirks they had. I wound up getting out of playing in '86, but did come back to Louisville and stop by this dealer during their "going out of business" sale. They had lost their Fender and Gibson franchises to larger dealers, but they told me Ernie Ball had purchased Muscic Man and showed me some early literature on the original Silhouette with the swappable pickguards, and I thought that was a really cool idea and a nice looking guitar.

Fast forward 6 years - I started back playing in 1991, having kept my Fender but sold off all the other gear except a Rockman clone. I was living in another state and was trying out everything in the shops close to where I lived. I drifted through Fender lust for the Strat Plus Deluxe and Strat Ultra but eventually wound up with a PRS CE (bolt-on). Of course, I had also tried out an EBMM EVH at this time, seriously considered it but wound up falling to the PRS lust; I guess I never will be a Floyd Rose guy. Shortly after that I changed jobs from a corporate position to a consulting job that had me working on computers and writing longhand for hours/days on end. Over the course of the '90s, like Jimi D. I began developing RSI/tendonitis in my left hand. For me, this is essentially the 3rd strike as a player - I'm a lefty who plays righty, I have small hands, and now I have a pain problem.

From 2000 through 2004 I've tried everything to find a guitar with a neck I could play comfortably. I had tried out various EBMMs throughout the 1990s, including a couple of early flatter-neck (12" radius?) Silhouettes with the Schaller trem, the EVH mentioned above, a couple of early Wilkinson-bridge Silo Specials, and the original Axis Sports, but never pulled the trigger on any of them. Instead, from 2001 through 2003 I spent a ton of money trying out a Melancon, a Don Grosh, and a John Suhr. I also played a bunch of Tom Andersons, but wound up with guitars from the other builders. However, none of them worked any better for my hand than a more garden-variety Fender '62RI Strat or a G&L that also went through the house at this time. Of course, there were also several shorter-scale guitars like 4 more PRSi, but I always come back to loving that 25.5" scale sound and feel.

Last summer the local EBMM dealer, who always stocks basses but only sporadically stocks guitars got in an Albert Lee, a Silo Special s/s/h and a Silo h/s/h. All were hard tails; I didn't care for the Silo but really kind of liked the AL and the Silo Special. I had forgotten how great the EBMM neck was - for me the narrow width and medium depth was a real pleasure. Since I prefer rosewood boards and alder bodies, plus I feel a trem is essential for that "stratty" tone, I ordered up my Silo Special s/s/s with trem and I haven't looked back. That Fender American Series Strat you see on my photo page was a "guitar to be named later" in a trade deal that also netted me my amp; it will likely be moving on in the near future as the EBMM Silo Special neck is perfect for me.

Now, maybe it's time for an Axis Super Sport with P-90s as I don't think I'm really a humbucker guy either.

 

[Tokkes]

Well, the first guitar I bought was a Gibson LP Studio in 1992 because my uncle (who was a guitar collector/builder/repair tech himself) always told me those were the best guitars. A few years later he built me a Telecaster model, which definitely is a splendid guitar. In 2000 my uncle passed away and I bought some guitars from his collection (mostly Gibsons). A friend of mine got me into Deep Purple at the same moment. They were rocking the roofs off with some guy called Steve Morse, that I had never heard of before at that time (he's not so well know in Belgium ;-)). Ever since the moment I saw him play this strange guitar which wasn't like all the other brands you mostly see on stage, I started considering to buy one (hey, if he's playing the thing, it has to be splendid). It took me about three years until I finally placed the order (I sold a lot of stuff in the meantime and the major reason why I hadn't bought it sooner, were financial because over here in Belgium EBMM guitars, as well as other American made instruments, are pretty expensive). I ordered it on Jan 2nd 2004, received it on Nov 10th 2004 and haven't touched my other guitars since then (besides the acoustic Gibson J200 which will always be a magnificent instrument). Feb 2nd of this year I ordered the EBMM SM Y2d model and I'm eagerly awaiting its arrival. In the meantime, I'm thinking about ordering an EBMM with the piezo option and an EBMM bass guitar. So, to cut the story short, Steve Morse it is; addictive as well ;-).

Cheers, Tom.

 

[Antoine]

After having played a lot of guitars from Fender to Gibson, to PRS, to Ibanez...I have choosed EBMM for 2 reasons :

The sound : they're simply the best sounding guitar on the planet,
Then the neck : they've simply the best guitar neck on the planet

I will also add their look, their 4+2 head shape, and their world top class construction !!!

 

[hbucker]

I'd never heard of Music Man guitars before EVH signed with them. I was interested to see his guitar. Went in to GC in Santa Ana (that's where it was then) and fell in love with it. Granted, I wanted to love it because it was Ed's. But there was a lot there to love regardless.

I got my EVH in '93 and still love it.

Even though I don't use EBMM guitars exclusively, the EBMM headstock is probably my favorite headstock in all creation. Great guitars.

 

[mcvinyl]

Mine is another longwinded story to add to the list. Sold my pushbike to buy my first guitar when I was 16, way back in 1987. Bought myself a budget strat copy in Black just like my hero's - Mr Clapton.

Then I bought a Pointy headstocked, Sharktooth inlayed, EMG equipped super strat about a year later because now I wanted to be like all of the hair metal bands. Go on admit it you all did too!!!

Then at age 18 I put a powersaw through my wrist at work, I chopped up one of the tendons from my hand to my arm - OUCH!!!

The worst part though was that I lost some of the mobility in my wrist and hand, sadly that was the end of my guitar playing for many years.

One day about 4 years ago I was walking past a guitar store with my wife and as always I had to stop and look, even though I hadn't picked one up in about 10 years. My wife saw that misty look in my eyes and said "Why don't you see if you can play again?"

I borrowed her father's acoustic for a couple of weeks and wow, no pain in the wrist, it seemed to be working fine.

Well now I had to search for a new guitar to buy. I fell into the old trap - must be a F or G and started looking. Then I caught up with an old friend who I hadn't really talked to in a long time. He told me that he was playing EBMM's and went on to rave about how they were the best guitars he'd ever played etc. I'd never heard of them.

He leant me his Steve Morse for a couple of weeks and that was it. Once you've played one there is no going back. I have 4 other guitars but I always pick up my EBMM's to play first.

If I could talk my wife into it I'd probably have one of each of their models.

I just feel sorry for the people that have never played one - they have no idea what they are missing out on!!!

 

[ernie1966]

Once upon a time.....

About 7 years ago I started to get back into gigging in a cover band. I was really in VH at the time and saw the ads for the Wolgang. I went to my local guitar shop and asked about ordering one. My friend there said that I should forget the Wolfie and buy the guitar that the Wolf copied, the EBMM axis. I trusted him and said okee dokee anf ordered me a green one. While I was waiting I snagged a red one on ebay for cheap. Holy cow, I was blown away! I was used to strats and my old gibby, compared to them this thing was a hot rod!!! My Axis mania then became EVH model mania. Bought me a Luke along the way because I like the feel of the thin neck and rosewood fretboard.

Fast foward a few years, and there in guitar player magazine, was a review and a rave about the EBMM JP. Weird because I had been using Mr. Petrucci's Rock Discipline for a few months to toughen up my chops, and had just started getting into Dream Theater. On a whim, I took a ride to my local GC and there was a Mystic Dream beauty, sitting high above the rest. I bought it on the spot (over paying of course), fell in love and I haven't stopped buying them since.

... the end?

 

[c_mac]

I actually had seen a few EBMMs around but never played one. I was at a guitar show in Indiana and then I saw it............a beautiful orange flamed to the max Axis SS with MM90s. The looks got me first! I picked it up and played a couple of chords and knew that I had to have it. Since then I have sold my Strat and PRS. I never play my LP anymore either. Actually I have since bought an AL and another Axis SS.

Chad

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

More story time!

About 3 years ago my great-uncle Bruno DuBaldo (at a spry 80 years old) decided to sell the family music store. I was a bit upset with his decision, and wanted to keep it in the family. The store had been dormant with sales for the past 15 years or so, and was only open for private lessons - I wanted to change that, and bring the store back to what it was during it's glory days of the '60s and '70s. In August 2002, the deal was done, and I happily began trying to order whatever I could to stock the store. My then girlfriend was a huge Dream Theater fan (introduced me to their music), and she lusted for a black JP7 string to go with her custom RG. She only used EB strings, and kept bugging me to order them. I finally got an email through to EB and became a string dealer, with hopes of getting a Music Man account. Just about a year ago I got the first delivery of MusicMan guitars in - which included a certain black 7 string JP, I knew then, after playing them, that I simply must have a Music Man axe. After much debating about models, colors, and options, I made my decision, and it should be arriving next week It's an "un-used" 6 string (not the Silo bass) in a color no longer available (not white sparkle), and that's all I'm gonna say until I can post pics. heh heh heh

I knew EVH played a Music Man for a while, but that was the only knowledge I had about their guitars prior to my introduction to Dream Theater.

 

[GWDavis28]

But Pete, which model????

 

[SteveB]

But Pete, which model????

I think Pete's been jonesing for a Petrucci, so that's what I'd guess...
a 6-string blue dawn Pet...

 

[Norrin Radd]

I don't think EBMM would exist as it does today without the EVH endorsement years ago. That's how I became interested. I didn't pucahse until I got my hands on an EVH neck. THAT is what sold me. I am a guy with short fingers and that neck was a godsend! Plus the overall build quality, along with cool flamed maple tops, was quite impressive. So to sum up:

1. EVH
2. EVH neck
3. Quality construction

 

[OrangeChannel]

Yeah it's a Blue Dawn Pet...

hehehe Pete Rock is the man!
My EBMM story...playing many an Axi, Silo, and EVH models at the local stores...moving thru Fenders, Ibanez, Jacksons, PRS's, Gibsons, Wolfgangs, Godins, warmoth, and custom made guitars...I'd had an issue with one of the "major brand" axes and for whatever reason they wouldn't contact me back...so I did the next best thing...lurked here for awhile and then bought a JP, at the time based on the post-hardcore indie rock i was primarily playing I was going to get an AL but I liked the feel and the tones I got from the JP (this started the floodgates open)....I found myself with 4 by the end of last year (one's a Silo)...
...the major reason i saw in going with EBMM was due to the accessibility these guys have. I can get information and talk to the guys behind the guitars.....and the service is top notch....if I was attempting to find an endorsement deal here's where i'd go bar none....love these guitars and this company!

Rock, rock, rock...

Jon Zajac
Long Island NY

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

I think Pete's been jonesing for a Petrucci, so that's what I'd guess...
a 6-string blue dawn Pet...

Would you be upset if I said I was jonesing for a Morse?


Actually, I want both - I don't personally own an EBMM yet and I'm addicted!

 

[edcat]

THE NECK, THE NECK, THE NECK!!!!! Perfectly shaped ans smooth as a baby's butt!!

 

[SteveB]

Would you be upset if I said I was jonesing for a Morse?

Pete,

No, that would not upset me at all. Now, if you told me you were jonesing for a F*nd#r, that would upset me.

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

I cant stand that "chunky" feel and all the weight on those off-brand generic guitars

 

[Eddie Van Halen]

I wouldn't call Les Paul's off brand or generic but they weight a tonne

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

I wouldn't call Les Paul's off brand or generic but they weight a tonne

I was speaking about F#$&*r --- I actually enjoy playing my buddys LP once in a while. Only problem is his strap is one of those loops of leather, and it's down around my knees no time to adjust it when I suddenly guest guitar at a gig.