Question about the Ernie Ball EVH/Axis guitar

[Lewguitar]

Does anyone know for sure how the coil split on this ax is wired?

When I pull up on the volume pot it sounds like a decent single coil.

Better than most humbuckers sound when split.

Is it a partial split or what?

When I pull up on the volume control and tap on the polepieces of either coil it's loud.

Doesn't sound like one row is disconnected and the level of hum increases slightly but there's not nearly as much hum as my Strat single coils get.

[Mincer]

I'd ask the Erine Ball Forum, who is happy giving out that kind of info. Not so good if you were critical of their guitars.

[Lewguitar]

I'd ask the Erine Ball Forum, who is happy giving out that kind of info. Not so good if you were critical of their guitars.

Actually, I did a search for the answer to this question yesterday and was directed to that forum. I was surprised to read the comments about the coil split sounding thin and not like a real single coil. Just like people say on this forum.

It doesn't appear that there's anything special about the split.

They're just great humbuckers that Eddie Van Halen had a hand in designing.

Dimarzios. The only hot pickups I've ever owned that I really like.

And the guys on that forum who claim the coil split is thin are wrong. But I didn't want to start an argument.

[VinceT]

I don’t know specifically, but on my EBMM Reflex, the parallel humbucking mode gets very close to a single coil tonally and responsively. If there’s no SC hum on the Axis, that may be what they’ve done?


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[Lewguitar]

I don’t know specifically, but on my EBMM Reflex, the parallel humbucking mode gets very close to a single coil tonally and responsively. If there’s no SC hum on the Axis, that may be what they’ve done?


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Interesting. I'll have to check that out. Maybe THAT'S why it sounds so good. I've always preferred parallel to a coil split.

[ErikH]

IME, DiMarzio pickups in parallel sound extremely good. Much better than Duncans in parallel.

The original EBMM EVH did not have the ability to change the pickups from series. The Axis is the same way. It was as simple as a classic Les Paul with a 3-way toggle switch (with the exception of a single volume control). You must have the Axis Super Sport with the 5-way toggle. That model came in to the line a couple years after EVH left EBMM for Peavey.

Go to this link and click on CONTROLS and you'll see the diagram of how the 5-way is wired. Pos. 2 has both outter coils in parallel, pos. 4 has both inner coils in parallel.

https://www.music-man.com/instruments/guitars/axis-super-sport

Wish I got one back in the early 90's when I had the chance. Killer guitars.

[VinceT]

IME, DiMarzio pickups in parallel sound extremely good. Much better than Duncans in parallel.

The original EBMM EVH did not have the ability to change the pickups from series. The Axis is the same way. It was as simple as a classic Les Paul with a 3-way toggle switch (with the exception of a single volume control). You must have the Axis Super Sport with the 5-way toggle. That model came in to the line a couple years after EVH left EBMM for Peavey.

Go to this link and click on CONTROLS and you'll see the diagram of how the 5-way is wired. Pos. 2 has both outter coils in parallel, pos. 4 has both inner coils in parallel.

https://www.music-man.com/instruments/guitars/axis-super-sport

Wish I got one back in the early 90's when I had the chance. Killer guitars.

The Reflex is like the next generation on that wiring scheme, it adds a series/parallel switch for a total of 10 standard sounds. It’s my Swiss Army Knife guitar, and easily my #1. It wasn’t a great seller for EBMM - partly because, soon after launch, they used it for their GameChanger, and seemed to downplay marketing of the standard Reflex (in endorsements, users, etc.) - and the discontinued the model a few years back. As I often say, it’s the best EBMM guitar that they no longer make!


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[ErikH]

The Reflex is like the next generation on that wiring scheme, it adds a series/parallel switch for a total of 10 standard sounds. It’s my Swiss Army Knife guitar, and easily my #1. It wasn’t a great seller for EBMM - partly because, soon after launch, they used it for their GameChanger, and seemed to downplay marketing of the standard Reflex (in endorsements, users, etc.) - and the discontinued the model a few years back. As I often say, it’s the best EBMM guitar that they no longer make!


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A buddy of mine has or had a Reflex. Very cool guitar. It was almost too much with the switching for live use when he'd use it. Great for studio use if you wanted one guitar. It played real sweet though.

[Lewguitar]

IME, DiMarzio pickups in parallel sound extremely good. Much better than Duncans in parallel.

The original EBMM EVH did not have the ability to change the pickups from series. The Axis is the same way. It was as simple as a classic Les Paul with a 3-way toggle switch (with the exception of a single volume control). You must have the Axis Super Sport with the 5-way toggle. That model came in to the line a couple years after EVH left EBMM for Peavey.

Go to this link and click on CONTROLS and you'll see the diagram of how the 5-way is wired. Pos. 2 has both outter coils in parallel, pos. 4 has both inner coils in parallel.
https://www.music-man.com/instrument...is-super-sport

Wish I got one back in the early 90's when I had the chance. Killer guitars.

No...it's a regular Axis I think. Has a Floyd Rose and a 3 way switch. One volume control. 1999 model. Very sweet guitar. Terrific pickups. Made June 15, 1999.

[Mincer]

A coil from each pickup combined in parallel is not as loud as a humbucker, but a very usable, quacky sound. I think they use that on their Axis Super Sport wiring.

[ErikH]

No...it's a regular Axis I think. Has a Floyd Rose and a 3 way switch. One volume control. 1999 model. Very sweet guitar. Terrific pickups. Made June 15, 1999.

Yup, that's the regular Axis. The only difference between it and the EVH is the location of the 3-way switch. If there is a push/pull in it, it was done aftermarket. They come new with a normal 500K volume and no pickup splitting. https://www.music-man.com/instruments/guitars/axis

They are great guitars. The necks feel amazing, and one of the reasons my frankenstrats have a 1 5/8" nut width with little to no finish.

[Lewguitar]

Yup, that's the regular Axis. The only difference between it and the EVH is the location of the 3-way switch. If there is a push/pull in it, it was done aftermarket. They come new with a normal 500K volume and no pickup splitting. https://www.music-man.com/instruments/guitars/axis

They are great guitars. The necks feel amazing, and one of the reasons my frankenstrats have a 1 5/8" nut width with little to no finish.

Interesting. The wiring looks stock so if it's been modified the person who did it did an excellent job.

So the next question is: can two humbuckers be put in parallel with a push/pull switch on a volume control?

I'm going to take the back plate off and check it out more completely.

I did buy it used, so maybe it was modded.

[superpete]

yeah i have an axis from that same period (Sept 9 1998). mine does not have a push pull (or a d-tuna). sounds killer though...love these guitars!

[ErikH]

Interesting. The wiring looks stock so if it's been modified the person who did it did an excellent job.

So the next question is: can two humbuckers be put in parallel with a push/pull switch on a volume control?

I'm going to take the back plate off and check it out more completely.

I did buy it used, so maybe it was modded.

I don’t see why they couldn’t be. All in how the dpdt is wired. It would have to be dpdt to make that happen. No doubt it was modded.

[Lewguitar]

What's funny is that I owned the guitar for about a year before discovering I could pull up on the volume knob and get a single coil sound.

My brother Bruce came over and I was showing him the guitar and I found about that switch in the volume knob.

He was incredulous that it had taken me that long long to discover.

But I'd owned an Axis in 1990 that didn't have it so I didn't even look for it on this guitar.

The wiring is impeccable. I would never have suspected it wasn't factory stock.