Design Issue with the EBMM Axis

[brunocormack]

The SD is one of the worst-case picks here since it's a taller pickup than most, so you're fighting both the shallow cavity and the wire routing at the same time. A couple things that have worked for people in this exact spot:


The cleanest non-destructive fix is bending and re-drilling the mounting legs to match the factory pickup's geometry — basically copying how the stock pickup sat low and flush. No wood removed, fully reversible.


If you do decide to relieve the cavity, the neck wire channel ("canyon") is the move, not deepening the whole pocket. A small chisel relief just wide enough for the wire to drop below the baseplate buys you the clearance without hacking up the floor of the cavity. Tape it off and go slow.


Otherwise, swapping to a lower-profile pickup with shorter legs solves it without surgery. If you're after that SD voicing specifically, a few of the custom winders (Wolfetone, etc.) will build to a footprint you spec — send them the stock pickup as a reference and have them match leg length and overall height.


What tone were you chasing with the SD that the stock pickups weren't giving you?

 

[cardinal]

They are the closest they sell, but still some differences.

Supposedly the Axis is the same as the AT-1 with the virtual vintage dummy slugs removed from between the actual slugs/screws. This would make the Axis bridge a little more aggresive in the upper mids and relax the lows a little.

I have heard that the Neck is the Air Norton but only aired on one side, instead of both sides. This would make the Axis neck a littler fatter sounding with more output.

Those are both things that you can change, though drilling out the virtual vintage slugs in a pita. Just depends on how much the nuances really bother you. I can't hear shit apparently so I doubt I could tell much of a difference.

 

[cardinal]

The SD is one of the worst-case picks here since it's a taller pickup than most, so you're fighting both the shallow cavity and the wire routing at the same time. A couple things that have worked for people in this exact spot:


The cleanest non-destructive fix is bending and re-drilling the mounting legs to match the factory pickup's geometry — basically copying how the stock pickup sat low and flush. No wood removed, fully reversible.


If you do decide to relieve the cavity, the neck wire channel ("canyon") is the move, not deepening the whole pocket. A small chisel relief just wide enough for the wire to drop below the baseplate buys you the clearance without hacking up the floor of the cavity. Tape it off and go slow.


Otherwise, swapping to a lower-profile pickup with shorter legs solves it without surgery. If you're after that SD voicing specifically, a few of the custom winders (Wolfetone, etc.) will build to a footprint you spec — send them the stock pickup as a reference and have them match leg length and overall height.


What tone were you chasing with the SD that the stock pickups weren't giving you?

You know what else is completely reversible: stacking a big shim into the neck pocket. That will put the strings up away from the pickup cavity and let the pickup clear everything.

 

[Rick Lee]

I got at SD '78 Custom from a member here to throw into a Partscaster and I loved it. I have three Axis and two EVH models. My black Axis came with aftermarket pups installed (and heavily discounted because of it), so it wasn't like I was hurting the value by trying something else.

 

[JonPearson1994]

You could also swap the pickup baseplates, or even buy a baseplate just for the job. It's not that tough to do, just be careful when it comes time to remove the old ground connection and reconnect to the new baseplate.

 

[Rick Lee]

I did that on an old JB whose leg holes I had screwed up. My tech had a SD baseplate laying around and it worked perfectly.

 

[JonPearson1994]

I did that on an old JB whose leg holes I had screwed up. My tech had a SD baseplate laying around and it worked perfectly.

I've done it for multiple Ibanez guitars with shallow routes and triangle tab routes.

It does have an impact on tone of course, but if you can get the same material it ought be not much different if any.

 

[heath]

Those are both things that you can change, though drilling out the virtual vintage slugs in a pita. Just depends on how much the nuances really bother you. I can't hear shit apparently so I doubt I could tell much of a difference.

I've not tried removing the vv slugs yet, but have an AT-1 in a PRS Starla that is a little dark that I may try it in. I have also done the half-air mod on the tonezone which is suppposedly pretty close, and have that in my sterling ax40. Its definitely in the ballpark of the axis bridge, but not exact.

 

[Fiesta Red]

The SD is one of the worst-case picks here since it's a taller pickup than most, so you're fighting both the shallow cavity and the wire routing at the same time. A couple things that have worked for people in this exact spot:


The cleanest non-destructive fix is bending and re-drilling the mounting legs to match the factory pickup's geometry — basically copying how the stock pickup sat low and flush. No wood removed, fully reversible.


If you do decide to relieve the cavity, the neck wire channel ("canyon") is the move, not deepening the whole pocket. A small chisel relief just wide enough for the wire to drop below the baseplate buys you the clearance without hacking up the floor of the cavity. Tape it off and go slow.


Otherwise, swapping to a lower-profile pickup with shorter legs solves it without surgery. If you're after that SD voicing specifically, a few of the custom winders (Wolfetone, etc.) will build to a footprint you spec — send them the stock pickup as a reference and have them match leg length and overall height.


What tone were you chasing with the SD that the stock pickups weren't giving you?

I have more than on Axis, so I wanted something different. I had an Ibanez (basswood) with an SD that sounded great, so I was going after that. I contacted Pariah and Sean is going to make a Destruction 70s with modified legs to fit.

 

[stratjacket]

Yikes, seems like this is common knowledge but I had no idea. Glad I never bought one and can mark it off any future list. I enjoy swapping and trying out pickups so this would be a deal breaker for me.

 

[Music&Chaos]

Time to breakout a pin router or Dremel if you want it to work. Not trerribly complicated but you'll void any warranty if one.
Ole hammer n chisel dat bish.
Never seen the neck pup wire under the bridge pup like that. Cheese-O-matic.

I have rewired quite a few guitars with the neck pickup wire like that. Not as uncommon as you would think.

 

[Rick Lee]

Yeah, an Axis is not the guitar you want for regular pickup swapping. The toggle switch has an unnecessary PCB on it and the DNA of the design is EVH's belief in screwing the pickups directly into the wood, which means no adjustment. Better to grab an old Kramer Baretta-type and pickup swap to your heart's content.

 

[Brain Becker]

Time to breakout a pin router or Dremel if you want it to work. Not trerribly complicated but you'll void any warranty if one.
Ole hammer n chisel dat bish.
Never seen the neck pup wire under the bridge pup like that. Cheese-O-matic.

My Hamer Chaparral is like that.

 

[The~Kid]

Nothing wrong with these guitars and they are great IMO but if you don't get along with it IMO it's best to let it grow on you how it is stock or just sell it for something else.


Again great guitars but unfortunately sometimes it just don't work out.