EVH guitar shootout

[guitargoalie]

Hey everyone, made a comparison of my musicman and peavey for reference sake and to help others who are wondering how different they sound. Just wanted to share and also ask which you prefer? I don't really need to keep both around these days. Thanks!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCwNjhdGNKI

[dirtycooter]

The difference between them is really small. I have set down with both and done this. If you notice the ebmm is slightly clearer. Slightly.
Well that happens between the wolfgang standard and wolf special USA. With the special being clearer.
Why? Well its simple. The tone knob being only on the standard does do something to the tone. The special and the ebmm are I bet an even crazier closer match as both just have the volume knobs only.
But I think this shows how similar these guitars really are.
Plus the pv black and pv white standards do not have maple tops. Little less spank.
Nice illusttation here.

[T.L.]

The quality of the EBMM is impeccable, but the deeper upper cutaway of the Peavey looks so much better.

[patricef]

I had both, I've kept the Music Man, it just sounded better.

[Brad737]

I've had several of each. Personally, I prefer the EBMM by a slight margin. The workmanship on every one I've owned has been impeccable. And besides rocking hard, they're actually pretty versatile, even without a Tone knob. Clean, through my Bruno, I can get phenomenal clean tones, and even a pretty convincing jazz tone. By comparison, I find the Peaveys to be a little more aggressive. I have noticed a little more variability when it comes to workmanship with the Peaveys. The good ones are fantastic bargains, IMHO. Neither will get you a good early Ed tone, but they're awesome. I've also owned an EVH Wolfgang. The workmanship, playability, and tones were fantastic. But I sold that one. The neck was a little thin for my taste. The big problem with the EVH was the small frets. I just prefer slightly bigger necks, and medium jumbos are a must. If the EVH had bigger frets, it would have been a lifer.

[guitargoalie]

The difference between them is really small. I have set down with both and done this. If you notice the ebmm is slightly clearer. Slightly.
Well that happens between the wolfgang standard and wolf special USA. With the special being clearer.
Why? Well its simple. The tone knob being only on the standard does do something to the tone. The special and the ebmm are I bet an even crazier closer match as both just have the volume knobs only.
But I think this shows how similar these guitars really are.
Plus the pv black and pv white standards do not have maple tops. Little less spank.
Nice illusttation here.

Good catch. You're right, a maple wolf special would probably be real close to the EB.

The quality of the EBMM is impeccable, but the deeper upper cutaway of the Peavey looks so much better.

One thing I forgot to mention in the video was the build quality. Edge definitely goes to the MM, feels very sturdy and well built, PV just feels a tiny bit cheaper.

I've had several of each. Personally, I prefer the EBMM by a slight margin. The workmanship on every one I've owned has been impeccable. And besides rocking hard, they're actually pretty versatile, even without a Tone knob. Clean, through my Bruno, I can get phenomenal clean tones, and even a pretty convincing jazz tone. By comparison, I find the Peaveys to be a little more aggressive. I have noticed a little more variability when it comes to workmanship with the Peaveys. The good ones are fantastic bargains, IMHO. Neither will get you a good early Ed tone, but they're awesome. I've also owned an EVH Wolfgang. The workmanship, playability, and tones were fantastic. But I sold that one. The neck was a little thin for my taste. The big problem with the EVH was the small frets. I just prefer slightly bigger necks, and medium jumbos are a must. If the EVH had bigger frets, it would have been a lifer.

If I had a really limited guitar collection I could see hanging onto the MM for the versatility as you said. Slightly brighter and cleaner helps with the lighter gain stuff. My PV is a patent pending model, which I've heard is supposed to be built pretty good. I think the EVH wolfgang combines the best of both of these guitars, if they were cheaper maybe I'd own one.

Ended up keeping the PV because I prefer the fatter aggressive tone, but it was a close one and I'd be happy with either.

[Santino]

Wait a sec. Your comparing a Peavey EVH Wolfgang archtop Pat. Pending against a EBMM Axis. There's a ton of Axis guitars out there. And I own one so I know all about. I actually own both these guitars. Yes I have a Pat. Pending Peavey. I love the Axis. Best playing and sounding guitar I own. It would be very difficult to pick one to let go. They both live in cases under my bed. Pat. Pending is harder to replace if you miss it down the road. They are a bit different from the rest of the Wolfgangs Peavey made. Gold leaf Peavey logo instead of gold paint on headstock. Much more beveled/rolled edge on the fingerboard. Gives it more of a broken in feel. Later Wolfs still had it, but to a much lesser degree. And mine sounds different. More of an open type growl. It's like a Harley compared to a import street bike. Import being the rest of the Peaveys. I played a lot of Wolfgangs. Specials and Archtops. Even the Pat. Pending neck feels better. Maybe more oil on it. Feels a little better quality. But not a lot. All the Peavey Wolfgangs are great well made guitars. I'd keep the Peavey.

Now if it was EVH EBMM vs Peavey Wolfgang? Bye bye Peavey. EBMM was the best EVH signature guitar. And I think it's the closet you'll ever get to owning Ed's actual guitar. Based in the neck alone. It's Ed's Kramer 5150 neck!

I did a shoot out a couple months ago. Axis vs my tobacco Peavey Wolfgang Archtop(not Pat. Pending) vs my EVH USA Wolfgang Stealth. In that order. I won't go into all the details. The pleasant suprise was all three do great VH tones. Can't go wrong with any of them if that's a guitar sound you like. I decided based on tone alone I could live with only one and it wouldn't matter that much. For VH stuff.

Keep the Peavey.

[dirtycooter]

I played a Sterling Axis. For $400 new its a tough guitar to beat. Trem is alot he same as the big boy.
Seems very solid. Pickup though I dunno. Never plugged it in. But it played great unplugged.

[patricef]

The Axis is a bit different than the MM EVH signature, the neck is wider at 12th fret, not sure about the pickups.

[dirtycooter]

I think the EVH MM is actually almost too small. Its a great neck but I think someone with really big hands would probably find them selves trippin over their fingers. It starts to get that way for me and I don't have really big hands though I am fine with the ebmm vh. Actually I think thats why they widened it a twinge. And then Ed also went that direction with the PV right after.
All I know is when I first played the wolfgang it instantly felt better than anything else I ever played. I fell in love with it right away.
I think the Sterling, the EBMM now and VH, all the PV's feel better than the new current wolf. I think they did away with the asymetrical back carve from what I feel on the new ones. I find the asym so ergonomically awesome for me. Love the stainless frets though. Those are just tit sucker.

[dirtycooter]

Heres the Sterling by Ernie Ball
Guitar center has them for $349 blowout right now. I really almost bought one but have other wants at the moment. But I have to say it feels and plays great! I spent a bit with it.
Even the Floyd on it seems right up there-its a sliver of maple veneer top of course so not much tone coming there but was every bit as fun to play as my PV Special. And it would make a cool striper if you wanted.

[youtube] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FBxcqmRA44 [/youtube]

And of course in another part of town there was a clear finish heavy as shit ESP LTD Solid Hard Ash strat with all maple neck and 6 screw that was screaming to me "Butcher and paint me!" for $299. Jumbo 6100's and neck felt it could use some contour sanding but pretty damn close. I would have to see first before I bought that if it was actual fender spec neck pocket in case I wanted to aftermarket the neck later. Woulda been one hell of a cheap test bed for my old school 6 screw experiments I been pining to have.

[EJSLPlexi]

The newer Sterling ax-40 now have the custom dimarzio axis set but are selling for $750.
As for the PV vs the EBMM all i know is there are hundreds that love/want the pu's off the axis but i dont really see many saying they love the PV wolf pu's?

[Santino]

The Axis is a bit different than the MM EVH signature, the neck is wider at 12th fret, not sure about the pickups.

I bought my EBMM Axis direct from the factory. I was assured the pickups were the same and informed of other changes. Tummy cut and neck widened. It's up beyond the 12th fret if memory serves and its to stop the E strip from popping off. I've since heard the pickups may be voiced the same but they are now four conductor wire where the EVH was two. I don't know if that effects mine as it is a pretty early edition. I was trying to score an EVH they might have had lying around right after he left and they offered the Axis. It's an "artist model". Blemished and or used instrument they said they couldn't sell as new. Guy on the phone said he couldn't find anything wrong and neither could I. I asked was It played at NAMM or something similar? He couldn't or wouldn't say. So I won't be selling my Axis. just sayin'.