Ernie Ball Music Man Axis Super Sport Electric Guitar Quilt Top Olallieberry
Music Man's Axis Super Sport is a boutique-grade superstrat built for players who demand precision. With custom DiMarzio humbuckers, roasted maple neck, and flawless build quality, this is the guitar Eddie Van Halen would have played if he'd gone with EBMM instead of Peavey.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Perfect 5/5 rating from Sweetwater users (2 reviews) and 4.5/5 from Guitar World shows consensus on quality
- +Roasted maple neck provides superior stability and a fast, responsive feel compared to standard maple
- +Custom DiMarzio humbuckers deliver powerful tone with excellent string-to-string balance for both cleans and high-gain
- +Quilted maple top on basswood body produces complex overtones with resonant lows and crisp highs
- +Five-bolt neck joint maximizes vibration transfer for full, sustaining tone
Cons
- −At $3,499 you're paying for the Music Man name—similar specs can be found for $1,000 less from Ibanez or Schecter
- −Basswood body means this guitar is lighter on midrange punch than mahogany-bodied alternatives
- −Only two user reviews means limited real-world feedback despite being in production
The Verdict
This is what $3,500 should get you: impeccable fretwork, premium components, and a tone that competes with anything in the boutique market. The 96 EJ Score isn’t inflated—both critics and the limited community feedback agree this thing rips. The roasted maple neck alone justifies serious consideration, and those DiMarzios are voiced perfectly for everything from prog to metal. If you’ve been eyeing a PRS but want something less common on stages, the Axis Super Sport is your move. Just try before you buy if you’re sensitive to basswood’s tonal characteristics.
