EBMM Axis

Rollin Hand · Sat Jun 27, 2020 8:20 pm

Looking at an Axis, and think it is a good deal. It is listed at $1699 Cdn, or around $1240 USD. American made, hardshell case, and of course that EBMM quality. It looks to be in great shape.

The questions are is this a good deal, and should I jump? It is hard to go out and try guitars right now, and it is a chunk of change. This would be my most expensive guitar by a longshot, and I don't ay a lot right now. I would almost be more comfortable buying a Sterling AX40 and modding it, or modding my OLP MM1.

Damned existential angst!

PsychoCid · Sat Jun 27, 2020 9:30 pm

((Rollin sees eyes glaring from the darkness))

Rollin Hand · Sat Jun 27, 2020 10:00 pm

Are they happy eyes, or angry eyes?

Part of my hesitancy is that I have something to tape up and paint over the next couple of weeks....

toomanycats · Sun Jun 28, 2020 7:12 am

Rollin Hand wrote: ↑Sat Jun 27, 2020 8:20 pm I would almost be more comfortable buying a Sterling AX40 and modding it, or modding my OLP MM1.

Not sure if it's representative of the entire range , but I've got a Sterling Sub Silo 3, and it's a very good cheap guitar. I could definitely see modifying a Sterling and ending up with an instrument that punches well above its weight.

Rollin Hand · Sun Jun 28, 2020 7:47 am

Yeah but I can't discount the quality factor. This is a $3900 CAD guitar new. And, they are beautifully built.

I just know that my Peavey Wolfgang isn't getting a ton of attention. If they are in a case, they get less love. I tend to play what is handy. And this would be in its case for protection for sure.

I hesitated, and was lost, on a Sterling AX40D a couple of years ago. Don't know why I hesitate on these so much.

golem · Sun Jun 28, 2020 9:17 am

I don't know what to tell you. I got one for about $600-700 but it was in less than ideal shape. I thought the quality was high but the pickups were not my cup of tea (but others definitely love them). The neck profile was too slim for my tastes, but I find this to be true of a lot of EBMM.

Rollin Hand · Sun Jun 28, 2020 9:38 am

golem wrote: ↑Sun Jun 28, 2020 9:17 am I don't know what to tell you. I got one for about $600-700 but it was in less than ideal shape. I thought the quality was high but the pickups were not my cup of tea (but others definitely love them). The neck profile was too slim for my tastes, but I find this to be true of a lot of EBMM.

Do you mean thin, or the fact thay it has a 1 5/8ths nut? The ones I have tried I find somewhat beefy.

Starting to think that if I am waffling this much, it isn't for me.

golem · Sun Jun 28, 2020 3:50 pm

Rollin Hand wrote: ↑Sun Jun 28, 2020 9:38 am
Do you mean thin, or the fact thay it has a 1 5/8ths nut? The ones I have tried I find somewhat beefy.

Starting to think that if I am waffling this much, it isn't for me.

The nut width was noticeable but doesn't bother me much. I didn't think it was beefy, but I might call it beefy if I was coming from an Ibanez wizard. For comparison, I like PRS Pattern Vintage and Ibanez AZ necks, but I am comfortable with the range of Fender C necks over the year. I found this profile slimmer, but I loved the finish they used on the neck (tung oil and beeswax?).

Razzle · Mon Jun 29, 2020 7:28 pm

It sounds like it’s either a good deal, or a GREAT deal. I see no negative in that price.

Depends on the color. And case?

The cheapest one I ever got was around 1,100 (and that one was a killer deal), and the most expensive around 1,800, and my purchases are on the cheap end of the overall Axis market. I’ve had four, sold one. So you’re on the cheap end of the cheap scale, so that tells you something.

I don’t own a Sterling, but I played them, they’re great guitars for the money. But I will say that my Axii are some of the best playing guitars in my arsenal, I love to play them. I will also say one of the best things about the Axis are the pickups, they’re absolutely coveted, and people never sell them, they’re hot yet they’re very clean, mine measure 17k and 15k. I absolutely love the way my Axii sound.

Let me know if you have any more questions I’ll be happy to help if I can.

buy Buy BUY!!!

Razzle · Mon Jun 29, 2020 7:30 pm

Oh yea, pics?

Rollin Hand · Tue Jun 30, 2020 9:43 am

It comes with case. Not in love with the flame, but...it's still stuck in my head. I have enough cash in the gear fund too.

I have a real tendency to talk myself out of purchases.

AnotherJim · Tue Jun 30, 2020 3:01 pm

At $3900, if you are hesitating, then no. On anything like that I think you need to be sure and that means item in your hand to test...unless money is no object for you. .....And if it weren’t, this thread probably would be a NGD thread.

Rollin Hand · Tue Jun 30, 2020 3:46 pm

AnotherJim wrote: ↑Tue Jun 30, 2020 3:01 pm At $3900, if you are hesitating, then no. On anything like that I think you need to be sure and that means item in your hand to test...unless money is no object for you. .....And if it weren’t, this thread probably would be a NGD thread.

I am hesitating at $1700. The one I am looking at is used. New they are over $3900 Cdn.

Rollin Hand · Fri Jul 03, 2020 8:54 pm

An update. I went and looked at it today. It was nice, but it wasn't $1700 CAD nice. It also had more room between the neck and body than I would expect. I did not come out of playing it wanting to buy it.

They also had a Washburn N4. Now THAT I liked, but not enough to pay $3300 CAD.

Maybe enough to buy a Wilde L500XL for my N3 though.

slowhand84 · Fri Jul 03, 2020 9:39 pm

Rollin Hand wrote: ↑Fri Jul 03, 2020 8:54 pm An update. I went and looked at it today. It was nice, but it wasn't $1700 CAD nice. It also had more room between the neck and body than I would expect. I did not come out of playing it wanting to buy it.

They also had a Washburn N4. Now THAT I liked, but not enough to pay $3300 CAD.

Maybe enough to buy a Wilde L500XL for my N3 though.

That's not much of a deal so you wouldn't be missing out even if it didn't have the issue you mentioned. They regularly go for around $1000 (USD). EBMM does generally make great guitars but I've seen a few duds over the years.

Rollin Hand · Fri Jul 03, 2020 10:05 pm

slowhand84 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 03, 2020 9:39 pm
Rollin Hand wrote: ↑Fri Jul 03, 2020 8:54 pm An update. I went and looked at it today. It was nice, but it wasn't $1700 CAD nice. It also had more room between the neck and body than I would expect. I did not come out of playing it wanting to buy it.

They also had a Washburn N4. Now THAT I liked, but not enough to pay $3300 CAD.

Maybe enough to buy a Wilde L500XL for my N3 though.
That's not much of a deal so you wouldn't be missing out even if it didn't have the issue you mentioned. They regularly go for around $1000 (USD). EBMM does generally make great guitars but I've seen a few duds over the years.

I wouldn't call it a dud. I just didn't think it was worth the price. This was driven home by how I immediately liked the Nuno, and how the Nuno sounded bigger and more full through the Katana I was using to test.

slowhand84 · Fri Jul 03, 2020 10:18 pm

Rollin Hand wrote: ↑Fri Jul 03, 2020 10:05 pm
slowhand84 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 03, 2020 9:39 pm
Rollin Hand wrote: ↑Fri Jul 03, 2020 8:54 pm An update. I went and looked at it today. It was nice, but it wasn't $1700 CAD nice. It also had more room between the neck and body than I would expect. I did not come out of playing it wanting to buy it.

They also had a Washburn N4. Now THAT I liked, but not enough to pay $3300 CAD.

Maybe enough to buy a Wilde L500XL for my N3 though.
That's not much of a deal so you wouldn't be missing out even if it didn't have the issue you mentioned. They regularly go for around $1000 (USD). EBMM does generally make great guitars but I've seen a few duds over the years.
I wouldn't call it a dud. I just didn't think it was worth the price. This was driven home by how I immediately liked the Nuno, and how the Nuno sounded bigger and more full through the Katana I was using to test.

I would certainly call a high end expensive guitar with a poorly fitted neck joint a dud given that I have several sub-$400 guitars with perfectly fitted ones, but to each his own

LancerTheGreat · Sat Jul 04, 2020 5:36 am

10/10 would pass on the EBMM.
I mean, obviously I'm too late to the party for a real contribution.
But I too have tried several times to like the EVH Wolfgang and the EBMM guitars, they both just always come up feeling like a decent $200-$300 guitar that could use some upgrades and work. But for their prices I could never justify them lol.

Never tried the Nuno models personally, but they look killer and I've heard good things, and you liked it, sooo maybe a deal for one of those will rise up from the deeps and nip at you soon.

Edit: besides you want a better deal than $1700 if you're going to do one of your epic refinishes.

Rollin Hand · Sat Jul 04, 2020 10:05 am

LancerTheGreat wrote: ↑Sat Jul 04, 2020 5:36 am 10/10 would pass on the EBMM.
I mean, obviously I'm too late to the party for a real contribution.
But I too have tried several times to like the EVH Wolfgang and the EBMM guitars, they both just always come up feeling like a decent $200-$300 guitar that could use some upgrades and work. But for their prices I could never justify them lol.

Never tried the Nuno models personally, but they look killer and I've heard good things, and you liked it, sooo maybe a deal for one of those will rise up from the deeps and nip at you soon.

Edit: besides you want a better deal than $1700 if you're going to do one of your epic refinishes.

No Nuno deals popping up around here. Just not that many of them. Quite frankly, it would be cheaper to get a L500XL and a refret on my N3. By a lot. Yeah, I would miss out on the ebony board, but it would be close enough for government work.

Also the store is billing it as a swamp ash model, which it is very clearly not.

LancerTheGreat · Sat Jul 04, 2020 7:22 pm

Oh I totally skimmed over the part about you already having an N3. L500XL is one of those grail pups for me, so I'm looking forward to your upgrade/workshop post