BK set that sounds like the music man axis set?

[charvelstrat_81]

Is there a set of BK's that will sound basically the same as the dimarzio axis set? Also if anyone hates these and wants to sell em i am looking for a set. I cant find a maker that sells anything like them not even dimarzio themselves?

[ericsabbath]

no bkp will sound the same as a dimarzio
maybe the alnico miracle man can sound somewhat similar

[Philly Q]

Is there a set of BK's that will sound basically the same as the dimarzio axis set? Also if anyone hates these and wants to sell em i am looking for a set. I cant find a maker that sells anything like them not even dimarzio themselves?

According to what I read on the DiMarzio website, they were made especially for Music Man, but the nearest generally-available DiMarzio equivalents were the Tone Zone and Air Norton.

They're now saying the AT-1 (Andy Timmons model) and Air Norton.

I don't know what would be the nearest BKP models.... Holydiver for the bridge, perhaps?  No idea about the neck.

[EffigyForgotten]

If they are similar to the tone zone/air norton wouldn't it be a warpig because the tone zone has a lot of bass/mids on the dimarzio tone chart and the cold sweat because its like a better air norton?

[ericsabbath]

it has offset coils (tone zone + air norton), alnico 5, 44 awg (?) poly wire, ton of low mids and lots of compression (like all dimarzios)
the holy diver has somewhat close specs, but it is quite upper mid heavy, despite of the tamed top, and not a bassy pickup, unlike those dimarzios
so I'd guess the axis is probably closer to the alnico miracle man, perhaps the alnico nailbomb

dimarzio says their closest open marketed pickup to the EVH axis is the andy timmons model
http://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/humbuckers/dimarzio-1

here's a Tim's quote from 2005:

Does anyone know what the deal is with the pickups in the Axis and EVH model Music Man's?

Several dealers seem to be adament that they are just a Tone Zone and Air Norton combination where as DiMarzio and EB/MM have always maintained that they have alwaye been wound especially for the guitar, as originally designed in laison with EVH?

I know that the Tone Zone was initially a design DiMarzio put to EVH when coming up with ideas for the EB/MM that he rejected but DiMarzio thought was good enough anyway so they went ahead and marketed it. Just would not mind knowing (well, my EB/MM Axis would like to know anyway!)  :)

They're not TZ or ANs-I've rewound quite a few now for customers and they're quite weird, the bridge is @DC14K and neck @DC16K wound with polysol on brass baseplates and alnico V magnets.

[charvelstrat_81]

thanks guys i can hear the AT-1 being a lot closer than the tone ever was. I agree with tim they are weird pu's.! They are are hot but have a vintage PAF feel and tone to them?  very unique which is one of the reasons i like em so much :D
I dont know if that quote from tim was a typo but the axis bridge pup is 17K and the neck is 15K
its the wolfgang set that has the 14k bridge and 16K neck pups. and what is really crazy about those wolfgang pu's is that they are wound with one gauge of wire to start and they finish up with a different gauge of wire 8)

[bandmaster188]

i just measured the pickups in my axis ss last week and they read (on a cheapy multi meter)
bridge 16.4k
neck    14.9k

[Philly Q]

thanks guys i can hear the AT-1 being a lot closer than the tone ever was. I agree with tim they are weird pu's.! They are are hot but have a vintage PAF feel and tone to them?  very unique which is one of the reasons i like em so much :D

Of course the guitar they're fitted in plays a part - the Axis was basswood with a maple top and a Floyd, the Axis Sport (which I had) was ash.   

In both cases the timbers/construction play their part in toning down the bassiness of the pickups (as I've said many times, I've tried the Tone Zone in mahogany guitars and it's unbearably bassy and muddy)

[Telerocker]

I had a Tonezone and it's muddy and bassy and doesn't sound nice at all. Alnico Nailbomb might come close.

[darkbluemurder]

Never had an AT-1 but had a Tone Zone and still have a Breed and two Super Distortions. What I hear as common denominator in these pickups is strong bass and lower mids, very high output, strong compression and quite a lot of fizz on top. They sound good in some guitars but painfully grating in others IMHO. None of the BKPs I have tried sound remotely similar.

The Air Norton is a different animal. I have tested it in both the neck and bridge spots of different guitars, and it always has worked well. Bass is not too strong which helps it to stay clear as a neck pickup - it is indeed remarkably clear for such a high output in the neck. In the bridge it is strong with a strong center and high mid focus. Sounded good in my LP until I changed the bridge - then it sounded nasal (no I didn't change the bridge back because the new bridge had to stay to save the neck pickup). It sounded great in my MIJ Charvel. It's not fizzy on top. It's definitely my favorite DiMarzio pickup, even though it is not in any of my guitars at the moment.   

However, based on the reported spec the neck pickup in the axis is not that close to an Air Norton which measures only about 12.5k DC resistance. If you are going by DC resistance and other specs for the axis neck pickup then a Rebel Yell bridge seems the closest to me. Strange - I would never think of putting a contemporary BKP bridge humbucker in the neck spot.

Cheers Stephan

[bandmaster188]

i'm glad i'm hearing other people say that the axis pickups are dark and bassy sounding. i've got the all rosewood axis ss and i've found the neck pickup way too dark for my liking. i was thinking about sticking a vhII in the neck and maybe a black dog or abraxas in the bridge.

[Philly Q]

i'm glad i'm hearing other people say that the axis pickups are dark and bassy sounding. i've got the all rosewood axis ss and i've found the neck pickup way too dark for my liking.

I think it's probably true that they are inherently dark and bassy - but as I mentioned, they didn't sound like that in my ash/maple Axis Sport, never considered changing them.

(That said, I don't really remember if the neck pickup sounded dark - if it did, I would've liked it because I hate bright neck pickups) 

[Alex]

I had a Tonezone and it's muddy and bassy and doesn't sound nice at all. Alnico Nailbomb might come close.

No, it won't. Probably the Warpig is closer to the ToneZone tonally.

[darkbluemurder]

I had a Tonezone and it's muddy and bassy and doesn't sound nice at all. Alnico Nailbomb might come close.

No, it won't. Probably the Warpig is closer to the ToneZone tonally.

Alex is right on this. The Alnico Nailbomb does not have the fizz (at least in the guitar I put it in it does not) and is not as compressed.

Cheers Stephan

[Telerocker]

I had a Tonezone and it's muddy and bassy and doesn't sound nice at all. Alnico Nailbomb might come close.

No, it won't. Probably the Warpig is closer to the ToneZone tonally.

Alex is right on this. The Alnico Nailbomb does not have the fizz (at least in the guitar I put it in it does not) and is not as compressed.

Cheers Stephan

I see I stepped to conclusions a little fast. Anyway you've corrected it now.