EBMM Guitars. Too overlooked?

Kebabkid

I'm a big Lukather fan but have never liked the Luke guitars I've tried, be it the pickups (too hot) or the cramped necks. Because of that, I've 'stupidly' stayed away from other EBMM guitars but this week, I was lucky enough to play my mate's recently acquired Albert Lee (HH & Trem) and his Silhouette (HSH Hardtail). WOW! The necks on these two were superb and so comfortable and I couldn't believe the tones I was able to coax from both.

The Albert Lee had all the girth you'd expect with humbuckers but there was an openness to the sound and the other positions were a little more Tele and had the quack you'd expect with this artist and his signature model. However, as a Superstrat player, the Silhouette ticked many boxes and I loved the palette of sounds I got from it and they were so much better than the Suhrs I've had. I forgot how good Dimarzio pickups are.

The Axis was well received and tell a lie, the ones I've tried of that model have been nice.

Any love for these and any Silhouettes going?

TTBZ

Despite not being a superstrat player at all I really loved the Luke 3 I played and was looking at getting the Sterling version at some point. They’re a bit plain looking but it was one of the best guitars I’ve ever played. Really effortless to play and I thought it sounded better than the Les Paul I played straight after - had all the body, clarity and sustain but with less bloaty low end.

Funkfingers

Generally, the build quality on EBMM USA guitars is superb but, for me, this is entirely negated by the narrow string spacing at the nut.

Of the production models, the conspicuous exception to the general rule is the John Petrucci signature model. 

I have no idea what the nut width is on the St. Vincent signature model. 

DavusPG

I'm a huge EBMM fan and currently have an L3, but have had many others including JP, Axis, Silhouette Special, Luke 2 and L3 BFR. I've never played a MM that doesn't tick all the boxes in terms of finish & fit, playability and tone. They just seem to have it all sussed.

Granted the aesthetics aren't for everyone as the 4+2 headstock can make them feel deceptively small and the string spacing can feel tight at first, although I can happily go from mine to Gibsons, Fenders, Suhrs etc with no problem. I've never bothered measuring, but how much narrower are they? It must be marginal

With quite a few new guitars coming and going in my collection recently, I haven't played my L3 for a while and was contemplating selling it a while back, but it seems pointless as ever since playing my first MM almost 10 years ago I don't think I've gone more than a few months without one in my collection, so I'd almost certainly buy another

grungebob

Currently my only guitar is  musicman. 

It’s one of their sub one guitars, their early attempt at a budget USA guitar. 

Had several others over the years and I’ve never found any to be anything other than brilliant players. 

Kebabkid

High praise indeed - Thanks

prlgmnr

Got an Axis, will eventually get some kind of JP even though I can't actually stand JP himself. 

hubobulous

I have an original EBMM EVH model and love it. Although the neck is slightly narrower than other guitars I have, I adore it. Just fits really nicely and a great sounding guitar

bazxkr

I've had 8 USA EBMMs & still have 5. Build quality & finish is superb. Necks are mainly small but I don't mind that

Never tried a Luke or any of the new breed (Vincent/Valentine etc)

prlgmnr

Also considering a Cutlass.

welshboyo

I have 2 L3's and an Axis - they are all beautifully built instruments - the Rosewood necked L3 I have is the most beautiful feeling instrument I've ever played - it feels a million dollars.

Like Davus above, I don't suffer with or even notice the string spacing - I can go between them and the Gibsons, Gretsches and Fenders I have with ease - what I do notice when I pick up the LP especially is the difference in tone and more so how archaic it feels and sounds compared to the MM's!!

What I have noticed though with the L3's is the differing neck profiles - the RW HH I have is a fairly meaty V, however, the Roasted Maple HSS is a much slimmer neck - the Axis then is different again but I expect that as its a different model - that feels very similar to a JP6..

I've currently got GAS for the Green Mariposa...

CountryDave

Owned a number of EBMM guitars over the years (2 silhouettes, Axis SS, Luke, Sub 1 and an Albert Lee). All have been exceptionally well built and played superbly.
The Luke had a slight v to the neck that I found wasn’t really for me. My favourite of all of them was the Albert Lee.

DavusPG

On the subject of L3s I have a HH roasted maple, but also owned the BFR Tumescent HH model, which was hands down the coolest looking guitar I've ever owned. I didn't notice a difference in the neck profiles, but did find that the roasted maple model sounded and played better - no matter how much I tweaked the setup of the BFR.

Don't get me wrong the BFR was a truly beautiful instrument to play, but owning one left me feeling that for me the only real draw of the BFR models are the special edition finishes and that the guitars themselves aren't worth the hefty hike in price in terms of playability. I guess that speaks volumes about just how good the standard models are - apart from the aesthetics I can't really see how they could make them any better

Kittyfrisk

^ I can imagine the Tumescent  was a bit of a let down.
Most of us prefer something a bit harder in the hand   

Dominic

I have an Albert HH.......it really is in other league for sound and playability but I'm quite large I I do feel a bit silly with it sometimes ............the polar opposite of Ronnie Corbett with a Gretsch Falcon.
It is easily the fastest playing and easiest guitar I have ever tried and the pickups sound great -if you didn't know better and were blindfold you would think it was a big chunky Gibson not a strange Art Deco pointy little imp of a guitar.

professorben

They used to make (and still do of the older models) jaw droppingly tasty guitars but now seem to be racing to release an uglier guitar than the last at every turn. 

KrisGee

With some of the best players on the planet like Petrucci, Lukather and Van Halen (formerly) on board as endorsees I wouldn't say they're overlooked. They're just not a mainstream company like Fender or Gibson which I think they're quite happy with and it suits them fine.
They have their sales right and release new interesting models quite often, sounds like a succesful company to me.

PS. Axis SS is my only real addiction on this planet

imalrightjack

I have an Axis Super Sport which is tremendous, with a gorgeous feeling oiled maple neck. It’s, for me, far superior to a Fender or Gibson. It’s as good as most PRS I’ve owned.

I bought it on a whim from a fellow Forumite and, after spending a bit getting it setup and some fretwork, decided it was surplus to requirements (due to a custom build). I have had more people send tyre-kicking messages than I could have imagined. For sub-£1k, I’ve no idea what people want.

Philly_Q

I've tried to resist, but I can't help myself, I'll add my "standard EBMM thread comment":

Fantastic guitars, build quality as good as anything I've ever owned or played, the finish on the neck feels great and I don't mind the narrow width at the nut.  I like the 4+2 headstock, I like the fact that many of the models are quite diminutive (so am I).  I would be more than happy to buy one... if only they would make one or two models with chunkier necks.

TheBigDipper

I've owned my ‘89 Silhouette (SSS) hardtail since, well, 1989, actually. It's the electric I play 90%+ of the time. I love it. It's just starting to need new tuners - the first piece of maintenance apart from setups. 

melod

Essentially my only guitar is an axis semi. Such an easy guitar with very interesting variety of tones once you use the tone pot (and I am usually the guy who doesn’t even bother with those ).

The trick is to try on yourself otherwise it is a bit difficult to decide how cozy they feel.

The Albert Lee sss is still a box I have to tick. What a great guitar.

The Luke is great and if I was starting again maybe the more versatile. Even the majesty is quite a guitar even if not for the style I am after

Their finish choices (much like for PRS I think) can range from amazing to inexplicably horrendous..the quality is great though.