Any experience with Sterling SUB AX3?

[Dolebludger]

OK, here's the review. Fit and finish of a $1000+ guitar. The "image" top does not look fake (which it is). Little things like a metal output jack plate and very good hardware separate the SUB AX3 from guitars at least twice its price. Big things do too. No fret or nut filing was needed for me to get my insanely low action with no fret buzz or fretting out on bends anywhere on the neck. The maple neck is natural finished and feels good on the hand. The neck is thicker on the bass side and very thin on the treble side, which is great for chording and great for high note solos. The body resonance from the jabon wood is much better than the basswood guitars I've had in the past. Right up there with alder or real mahogany. The 5 position switch gives easy access to humbucking and single coil sounds, while the single volume and tone knobs can take you all the way from metal to jazz. Even the 9-42 strings it came with are good -- which is a very unusual finding for me. All in all, it is one of the very few new guitars I've encountered that didn't need to go to a luthier or a tech before it could get the action and tone to suit me (I am very picky about such things). The SUB joins my Carvins in this regard, and just look at the price of a Carvin!

While the SUB AX3 is marketed as a "beginner or intermediate level guitar", it is much more than that. After all these years of playing, I would take it anywhere I had a gig. And the beginners and intermediates who buy this guitar and do a simple relief/action/intonation set-up on it are going to advance in their playing ability very fast because this guitar is so easy and enjoyable to play. Their only problem when their playing skills increase will be the question of what to replace this guitar with. The answer is that it doesn't need replacing as ones skills advance. It will take you from the bedroom to the arena. The GP review article was spot on.

Bottom line, this is the finest budget guitar I've encountered in 53 years of playing -- and even beats the mid priced and high priced guitars I've had or tried.

 

[Iceman0124]

Glad you like it, I would be curious to your thoughts on it after some time has passed and the honeymoon is over. I've written several glowing reviews on guitars that I lost interest in very quick.

 

[RaSTuS26]

Congrats on getting the SUB, nice to see you're so happy with it, HNGD.

 

[Dolebludger]

Iceman:

I'll be happy to oblige, but I don't really have honeymoons with guitars. I've played so many of them over the past half-century that I can spot a winner vs. a looser in the first five minutes after I have set it up.

 

[zzzang]

OK, here's the review. Fit and finish of a $1000+ guitar. The "image" top does not look fake (which it is). Little things like a metal output jack plate and very good hardware separate the SUB AX3 from guitars at least twice its price. Big things do too. No fret or nut filing was needed for me to get my insanely low action with no fret buzz or fretting out on bends anywhere on the neck. The maple neck is natural finished and feels good on the hand. The neck is thicker on the bass side and very thin on the treble side, which is great for chording and great for high note solos. The body resonance from the jabon wood is much better than the basswood guitars I've had in the past. Right up there with alder or real mahogany. The 5 position switch gives easy access to humbucking and single coil sounds, while the single volume and tone knobs can take you all the way from metal to jazz. Even the 9-42 strings it came with are good -- which is a very unusual finding for me. All in all, it is one of the very few new guitars I've encountered that didn't need to go to a luthier or a tech before it could get the action and tone to suit me (I am very picky about such things). The SUB joins my Carvins in this regard, and just look at the price of a Carvin!

While the SUB AX3 is marketed as a "beginner or intermediate level guitar", it is much more than that. After all these years of playing, I would take it anywhere I had a gig. And the beginners and intermediates who buy this guitar and do a simple relief/action/intonation set-up on it are going to advance in their playing ability very fast because this guitar is so easy and enjoyable to play. Their only problem when their playing skills increase will be the question of what to replace this guitar with. The answer is that it doesn't need replacing as ones skills advance. It will take you from the bedroom to the arena. The GP review article was spot on.

Bottom line, this is the finest budget guitar I've encountered in 53 years of playing -- and even beats the mid priced and high priced guitars I've had or tried.

Thanks for the great review....I too purchased one over labor day from MF and had never played one. Mine should arrive by Monday. I did however pick up an OLP MM1 a couple of weeks ago off Craigslist and have been very impressed with the guitar completely. You'd never know I only paid $165 for the way the guitar looks and sounds..... This was the basis for me to try the Sub AX3 and now with your great review, I'm pretty sure I'll be happy!

Thanks again!

 

[Dolebludger]

zzzang:

I hope you AX3 is as good as the one I got and the one GP mag got to test. One thing I failed to point out (and we all know) is that guitars (especially low priced ones) often have poor quality control. I hope the AX3 is not one of them, but nonetheless my report on MY AX3 applies only the the specific guitar I got, and is only an indication (not proof positive) that other guitars of the same make and model are great too. My guitar came with 9-42 strings. I read on the Sterling site that later runs have 10-46 strings, so check out the strings when it arrives to ensure they are the gage you like.

Iceman:

Speaking of strings, I played my AX3 virtually all day yesterday on a wide variety of styles of music styles and tone settings, and the only thing that failed to impress was the fact that the strings left dark stains on my finger tips and on the light maple fretboard. It washes off, the strings sound fine, and I've experienced this with other strings too. But it is a nuisance. Does anybody know what causes this, and is there a fix other than a string change?

 

[zzzang]

zzzang:

I hope you AX3 is as good as the one I got and the one GP mag got to test. One thing I failed to point out (and we all know) is that guitars (especially low priced ones) often have poor quality control. I hope the AX3 is not one of them, but nonetheless my report on MY AX3 applies only the the specific guitar I got, and is only an indication (not proof positive) that other guitars of the same make and model are great too. My guitar came with 9-42 strings. I read on the Sterling site that later runs have 10-46 strings, so check out the strings when it arrives to ensure they are the gage you like.

As we all know by now there are no two guitars identical.........I haven't been playing as long as you...............only since 1965 but if it's one thing I learned, there are no two identical anything !
Take 5 supposedly all identical guitars and one of them will resonate to your liking more than the others.
I'm going to immediately take off the strings after playing it for about a half an hour and put on Ernie Ball Cobalt Strings.........I think I've tried out just about every string under the Sun in my life, and so far these strings really work for me.........they especially give me more tone/sound that I enjoy, as well as hold their tuning.
The one thing that really surprised me about the OLP MM1 was that the sound of the pickups were very good for such an inexpensive axe.
Usually, the first thing I do with "project" guitars is put on EMG's or a JB Duncan or Duncan Blackouts just because those work for me and my presets will still retain integrity from guitar to guitar.
Usually before I even pick up a new guitar to play I just run my fingers across the strings and listen to the resonance, or lack of, and that generally tells me if I even want to try it.
Most guitars I like feel and sound good before you even plug them in.

Thanks for your input and I'll report back after I put it thru the paces.

 

[Dolebludger]

Oh, you've only been playing six years less than me, and probably a lot more years if you count the years when "life got in the way" of my playing!

Yesterday, a tech I know identified the pups on my AX3 as Dimazarios (sp?). They are screwed directly into the recesses in the body wood, instead of "floating" in a mounting. I don't know whether it is because of good pups or direct mounting, but this thing can get STRONG on hard rock and metal -- even to the point of getting controllable wanted feedback. I can also be adjusted for very mellow clean jazz.

Look forward to your report.

 

[zzzang]

Oh, you've only been playing six years less than me, and probably a lot more years if you count the years when "life got in the way" of my playing!

Yesterday, a tech I know identified the pups on my AX3 as Dimazarios (sp?). They are screwed directly into the recesses in the body wood, instead of "floating" in a mounting. I don't know whether it is because of good pups or direct mounting, but this thing can get STRONG on hard rock and metal -- even to the point of getting controllable wanted feedback. I can also be adjusted for very mellow clean jazz.

Look forward to your report.

Yeah, I hear you about life getting in the way..........I know I've set the guitar down for at least 10 years once to go play some keys and sporadically here and there probably totaling up to 20 years of not playing.
Now, I have more time and it's like when I was 15 again because I'm playing a lot..............It feels good to get back to that original spark.

I think mounting the pickups directly to the wood is a big factor in the tone. That's a carry over from the Eddie Van Halen design of the Axis etc.

I have a feeling this guitar will be a lot of fun................Each guitar brings out a slightly different aspect out of my playing which dictates different directions to take composing. It's almost as if each guitar has it's own style or nuances that is uniquely different from the others........These are subtle things but can be very useful when paid attention to.

 

[Dolebludger]

zzang:

Well my suggestion is give your AX3 a good set up and a good playing before changing the strings. I do the same thing you do. When I get a new guitar, I usually don't even play it before changing the strings. In my case, I use DR Pure Blues 9-42 which have pure nickel wrap and a round core on the wrapped strings. The reason I use these as they are easy to fret with my little hands and give a nice round tone that I like. But in the case of the AX3, I decided to give her a set up and a good playing before changing strings -- and guess what? For this guitar I like the sound and feel of the stock strings. I'm going to call the distributor and find out what they are. I fixed the problem of black staining on fingers and fretboard with some automotive paint cleaner and glaze I have, and the problem was probably because the strings were old and oxidized a bit on the surface anyway.

This may be OT, but what are the good points you find with Ernie Ball Cobalts? I recall back in the late 50s and early 60s all electrics came with 11s or 12s and with a wound G string. If you wanted a plain G for bends, you had to buy a banjo string! The Ernie Ball introduced "Slinkys" in 10s with a plain G -- and then "Super Slinky" 9s with a plain G, and that was the birth of fast solos and soulful bends. Ernie Ball gets a lot of respect from me for this, and as I understand it, their company is connected with the AX3. So tell me (and us) a bit about the Cobalts. I'm never too old to learn something new.

 

[zzzang]

zzang:

Well my suggestion is give your AX3 a good set up and a good playing before changing the strings. I do the same thing you do. When I get a new guitar, I usually don't even play it before changing the strings. In my case, I use DR Pure Blues 9-42 which have pure nickel wrap and a round core on the wrapped strings. The reason I use these as they are easy to fret with my little hands and give a nice round tone that I like. But in the case of the AX3, I decided to give her a set up and a good playing before changing strings -- and guess what? For this guitar I like the sound and feel of the stock strings. I'm going to call the distributor and find out what they are. I fixed the problem of black staining on fingers and fretboard with some automotive paint cleaner and glaze I have, and the problem was probably because the strings were old and oxidized a bit on the surface anyway.

This may be OT, but what are the good points you find with Ernie Ball Cobalts? I recall back in the late 50s and early 60s all electrics came with 11s or 12s and with a wound G string. If you wanted a plain G for bends, you had to buy a banjo string! The Ernie Ball introduced "Slinkys" in 10s with a plain G -- and then "Super Slinky" 9s with a plain G, and that was the birth of fast solos and soulful bends. Ernie Ball gets a lot of respect from me for this, and as I understand it, their company is connected with the AX3. So tell me (and us) a bit about the Cobalts. I'm never too old to learn something new.

I've used Ernie Ball Strings since the 60's. I went on to try everything else and have probably used GHS more than any others but if were to list every thing I've tried it would be huge. I've even used the Gold plated Optima Strings which are great put way too pricey.

Here is the hype from the company.
"Engineered to maximize output and clarity, Ernie Ball Cobalt Slinky Guitar Strings are the latest innovation in string technology. Seeking to provide guitarists and bassists with a new voice, Cobalt strings provide an extended dynamic range, incredible harmonic response, increased low end, and crisp, clear highs.

Cobalt provides a stronger magnetic relationship between pickups and strings than any other alloy previously available. Cobalt Slinkys are also soft and silky to the touch, making string bending a breeze.

Patent pending."

Now, I generally take all of the hype with a grain of salt but in this case it all seems to be true in my experience with them.
These strings have even saved a couple of my guitars from being sold simply because I could not find a usable tone prior to putting them on. That seems like a bold claim but it's true.I have no affiliation with the company and like I said I haven't even used Ernie Balls since the 60's.

I guess in a nutshell they have more tone, more harmonics,stay in tune well and have the balanced resonance that works for me.Or in layman's terms...... They just Sing!
For now, they are the best thing until I find something I like better.
HTH

 

[Dolebludger]

zzzang:

How do you like your new AX3?

 

[zzzang]

zzzang:

How do you like your new AX3?

I just now picked it up and strummed it not plugged in.............Great resonance ....so that's a good sign............The guitar is really quite stunning to look at considering the price.........The weight is great....not too heavy. The neck is very comfortable and the asymmetrical design feels good.
Balance is perfect........These feel like 10's for strings and the intonation is sharp all across except for the high E.............
I plugged it in for about 3 minutes and was very happy with the sound....
Plenty of tone variance and they are all usable. It has a nice bite to it.............not too much or harsh though....
I'm especially happy with the way they set up up the split coil thing into the 5 position switch. I never liked that push pull thing.......this is much more logical.............. After dinner I'm going to change strings, as I prefer 9-42's and set up the intonation..................I'll chime in later on tonight with more impressions..............So Far it is definitely a keeper and I do believe at the price they are selling for..................they will sell tons of these guitars..............I picked mine up on the labor day sale for $219.99 shipped +tax......Amazing!

 

[Dolebludger]

zzzang:

Well, set her up the way you like it as to relief, bridge height, intonation, and string type and gage; play her a bit, and then report your findings. The reason I'm curious is that I find this thing to be the "guitar deal of the century" and I wonder if it is true or just senility from my age at work!

 

[zzzang]

zzzang:

Well, set her up the way you like it as to relief, bridge height, intonation, and string type and gage; play her a bit, and then report your findings. The reason I'm curious is that I find this thing to be the "guitar deal of the century" and I wonder if it is true or just senility from my age at work!

I spent just less than an hour changing the stings, getting the intonation right, adjusting the height of the strings and the height of the pickups as well as stretching the strings........................short conclusion here.............This thing is a monster of a guitar for little money and you are not exaggerating when you say "Deal of The Century"! I'll get back to you in the morning with more but for now I see no reason why every guitarist shouldn't own one of each color...............! I know of no other guitar that will give you this sort of bang for your buck.......I'm pleased!

 

[zzzang]

I really don't have much to add other than there really isn't anything I don't like about this guitar. After I put the Ernie Ball Cobalt 9-42's the tuning and stability of each and every note was spot on. The real clincher for me is the guitar really plays "In Tune" extremely well all over the neck. Most guitars have little problem areas to avoid on the neck as far as sounding in tune.
This seems to be fine everywhere. So Far this guitar is a joy to play and there are a wide variety of tones available so you could play any style of music.

 

[Dolebludger]

Iceman:
Well I have been playing the SUB AX3 for a couple of weeks now, and my opinion still holds -- best bang for the buck in the world. I even bought her a slick new case (she didn't come with one) and a nice "Route 66" strap I used to live in a place with a stretch of the original Route 66 right over my backyard wall).

zzzang:
I put Ernie Ball Cobalts on her. Had to order as no music store around here had them. I like them rather well, Nice "soft" feel for strings that can give so explosive a sound. Had to lower the pups a bit to get "my tone" but that's more than OK because lowering pups generally increases natural sustain.

 

[joegagan]

Dolebludger, thanks for the review. i found this thread after i sprung 199 for a used one ( my local music go round turned it lefty for me and threw in a set of daddario 9s)
i agree with everything you've said , even tho i am techinically in the honeymoon period - like you , after 40 years with guitars i can tell a good one very quickly and my opinion does not change after a month or 12.

awesome clean to dirty range, great range of subtle differences in the pickup settings. the in between settings give some nice stratty or blues tones, while the volume level is lower, something that comes with the territory. anyone know what the in between pickup settings are?
i bought the guitar for the neck, will eventually build a lefty guitar from the parts. the parts are good enough that i won't have to buy any replacements. i did not even play the guitar thru an amp before buying, i was expecting the pickups to be 'so-so' but was pleasantly surprised, i like them as well as any seymour or other aftermarket PAF style i have played. all i can say is, music man really did their homework on the parts specs and QC. Dolebludger- say hi to DC duncan for me! i have known him since 84, we had a band together in santa fe - ' insomniacs'.

this clip is into a KR gyspy fuzz into my trusty 81 vibrolux - shows a good range of spank to wank without even turning off the fuzz!
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWCCGUdZ27Q[/ame]

 

[JSH1970]

I had one through the shop.It setup really well. Played great. If I were to gig it. I'd load a Super Distortion in the bridge and change out the Volume and output jack. I did do a complete fret dress and crown and amber the neck a bit.

 

[joegagan]

^^^ looks great. i was not aware there was a locking nut floydee version.