Abel Axe Guitars: Reviews

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Guitar Shop magazine Vol.2, No. 5, Oct. 1995:

www.HarmonyCentral.com User Reviews:

Features: 9

Made in U.S., small Strat style body is 6061 T-6 aluminum, one inch thick, perforated with three different size holes in three rows along its perimeter, body is anodized green, 22 frets, 6105 equivalent fret wire, rosewood fingerboard, hard rock maple neck, dot inlays, 25.5" scale, Kahler trem (I believe it's a Flatmount but the arm is not oversized like on other flatmounts I've seen), graphite nut, Kent Armstrong twin humbuckers (passive) with three-way selector mini switch, Sperzel locking tuners (green), gig bag included. Only reason it doesn't get a 10 is because it could have had more features like 24 frets, tone knobs, and coil splitters. I wouldn't use the 24 frets or the tone knobs anyway...

Sound: 10

Perfectly suits my style: rock/jazz. Tone is the best I've heard: bright, super clear tones that carve the air into sculptures. Absolutely no noise and distorts better than any other guitar I've tried (see below). The sustain, harmonics and overtones are unmatched. I like everything about this guitar's sound. I added coil taps to mine just to make sure I could cut through with the cruddy amp they have at my local open mike blues jam.

Action, Fit, & Finish: 9

Fit and finish is not perfect: the neck was sanded down slightly in the neck joint area to align with the bridge properly and the nut slots could have been spaced more evenly. Perfect action with stable neck. Stays in tune with straight string pull design and the well-oiled Kahler. The Abel Axe neck joint is the thinnest of any bolt-on guitar I've seen and puts the "all access" neck joints of other companies to shame.

Reliability/Durability: 10

This guitar is built like a tank. The body is indestructible. To hurt the finish you have to scrape it with metal. The hardware screw holes are machined perfectly into the body to hold the strap buttons, bridge, etc. solidly in place. There is not another wooden-neck electric guitar as reliable as an Abel Axe.

Customer Support: 10

Lifetime warranty which I haven't needed and will probably never need. Excellent support from the makers when I asked for information and ordered a different bridge color, and they're not even making them anymore!

Overall Rating: 10

I've owned or played them all and the Abel Axe kills them all for tone and feel. So far no other electric can give me the tones, feel and durability I've found with my Abel Axe. It turns out my dream guitar is not made of wood, but of aluminum.

Submitted by Guitar Player and Enthusiast at 04/28/2000 10:49

Features: 10

my abel axe is the 38th guitar made in 1996. it is blue and the body is made from aluminun. with one volume control and a 3-way switch. 2 humbucker grace this fine guitar. it also has self locking sperzel tuning heads.it really doesn't have alot of fancy stuff...but simple is better and for what this guitar does you really don't need much!!!

Sound: 10

i play heavy metal/ hard rock...in the tradition of satch or vai. the tone thats this guitar has is awsome...beating my jem77fp hands down and i can not even rank it agaist my dana scoop..it is awsome...when you first pick the first note you will be shocked at the tone and sustain of this baby...i truly believe it is the best all around sounding guitar i have ever picked up and after 15 years of playing i have played just about all of them

Action, Fit, & Finish: 10

the action is wonderful i can almost spit a chord<grin> the heel is the finest fit i have ever seen and the guitar itself fits me like a glove..the finish is aluminum and can only be scracthed by metal. some how when they painted the guitar<blue> they make the paint become part of the aluminum....very nice!!

Reliability/Durability: 10

except for the neck the guitar is bullet proof!!!! i am glad that i have strap locks...i would hate to drop it for fear of damaging the floor!!i would make this guitar my primary machine on stage but it is so pretty heh heh

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10

there are only 200 to 250 of this guitar. i highly recommend getting one if you can find it...for the price you cannot fail...after buying and test driving this guitar i would gladly pay $1000 plus dollars or swap even for my jem....keep an eye out for this one and at least try it!!!!!

Submitted by R.McFall at 08/17/2000 17:10

Features: 8

One of the 200-250 with the holes instead of the slots, manufactured only until '96 or so in the US. 22 jumbo (6100) frets, maple neck, aluminum body, Warmouth neck which is thin with a low profile. One volume, 1 3-way switch, 2 hums, strat-shaped, replaced stock bridge saddles with Graphtechs, Sperzel locking tuners. No whammy :(

Sound: 10

This guitar sounds killer. The output on the hums provides cutting highs for distorted leads, but also a very deep, dark, warm low end which could work for jazz when played clean. Since the body is made of aluminum, you can feel it resonate while you sustain notes for DAYS. The sustain also helps with tapping runs, as do the jumbo frets. Basically, it's built for shredding, and it looks like a heavy-metal guitar, BUT DON'T LET THAT FOOL YOU: it can swing back effortlessly to rich, cleaned-up jazz tones and even some raunchy blues or country tones (but you may want a single-coil guitar for those last 2...)

Action, Fit, & Finish: 9

I replaced the saddles on the guitar to Graphtechs to reduce the string-spacing, but this was not absolutely necessary (just a matter of taste) because it was set up just fine the way it was. The action is killer because of the high frets, and since the body is only an inch thick, it was very comfortable for me to make the transition from a Gibson SG, which is also a very thin guitar. Consequently, the neck heel is virtually non-existent (another BIG plus for players who like the higher frets!). It weighs approx. 7 pounds: not as light as my old SG, but lighter than a Les Paul. Finally, since it's made of aluminum, I don't have to worry about banging it against anything and getting a ding: except for the neck, this thing could probably survive a 3 story drop (but I haven't tested that, so don't quote me! : )

Reliability/Durability: 10

Solid as a rock and MORE. You'd have to really go out of your way to hurt the body on this thing. It'll probably look a lot better than I will in 50 years.

Customer Support: N/A

N/A

Overall Rating: N/A

I've only been playing for about 7 years, and I own a Johnson Mirage Combo Amp. I used to own a 70s Gibson SG which I loved, but I wanted larger frets, and didn't want to get a refret because I wanted to try something new. I'm VERY GLAD I did. This guitar is outstanding and very smooth and easy to play. It may look kinda funny, but who cares?

There are models with whammies, which would be nice for me to have, but I can definitely live without it. I don't gig with it because I'm primarily a vocalist, but when I do start playing out my biggest worry would be that my Abel Axe would get stolen. If it were, I'd GO NUTS and try my hardest to get another one. It might also make an excellent last-resort weapon if you're accosted by thugs or groupies! Give this Axe a try: no guitar is for everyone, but the sound and sustain will amaze you!

Submitted by P. A. at 07/05/2001 15:15

Purchased from: N/A

Features: 8

This guitar was built in 1993 and is violet anodized aluminum body with round cutouts, without the cutouts the guitar would weigh about 20 pounds but it's very light.Two Kent Armstrong humbuckers, rock maple neck with a rosewood fretboard and string though bridge. Controls consist of a three way switch and volume control.

Sound: 10

I play rock and blues and this guitar has the most unique sound of any guitar I've ever owned. Through a high gain amp it is cutting and edgy and clean it is bright without being too twangy. It has monster sustain.

Definitely a great rock and shred guitar and when I record with it I can pick out it's sound immediately on playback. If you want a great sustaining and unique sounding rock and roll axe, go out and find one of these, not easy though since only about 250 were ever built.

Action, Fit, & Finish: N/A

The guitar is put together great, the color is fused into the aluminum and looks awesome. It was very used by the time I got it but the action was good, the neck is fast and it seems very well put together.

Reliability/Durability: 9

The guitar is built like a tank, the body is nearly indestructible. The finish does have a few scratches on it so I figure someone was playing it with a can opener instead of a pick. The neck seems solid, it's held on with four bolts.

Customer Support: N/A

Never dealt with them.

Overall Rating: 10

Overall this guitar is very important to me since I get sounds from it that none of my other guitars can touch. I pull it out when I want a really unique and cutting rock lead or a punchy rhythm.

Submitted by Doug Musto at 10/06/2000 17:22