Johnson By Axl Electric Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

I have wanted a Rhoads for a long time. I wanted that 80's hard rock guitar. This guitar did not disappoint me at all. The pickups are extremely high output very cutting edge. The guitar came close to perfect set up right out of the box. I made very little adjustments to get it just right for me. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the guitar sounded clean as well. I don't use the trem much but it stays in tune very well. When I grab it out of its case its in tune. It is a joy to play sounds and looks amazing. If you were worried about the quality don't be this guitar plays as well as any guitar I own. And without getting into it I own some expensive guitars.

In short: for the price this beast is a solid 9/10, overall and realistically it's 6/10. If you are like me and want to get into 7s – this is the one to go with from all the others entry 7s 😉 Neck: I was adjusting it for 3 days, it's almost flat now and I can get really OK action with it, not low like Ibanez but it's just fine. The only problem is 7th string has to be much higher than the others because it's branching on lower frets. Frets are just OK and there is nothing wrong in terms of craftsmanship. I like this neck, it's somewhat fast and I have no problems getting higher up the neck, 26.5 also helps with that and now I'm damn sure 26.5 is something I always needed in my life, period. I rate this neck with 8/10. 9 would go for playability and action, 6 would go to the wood, craftsmanship, ugly fretboard that looks like it didn't get enough laquer or smth, looks VERY dry and unfinished. Tuners: meeeh, they are OK and holds tuning somewhat, I don't really need to adjust it very often which is great. But getting it tuned is like being in a sad and depresive circle of hell, especially with the 7th string. I rate tuners with 4/10 This would be my second phase upgrade. If they didn't hold the tune like they are (kinda OK), rate would be 2/10. Bridge/intonation: not great not terrible, if I decide to replace it, this would go in second phase with tuners too. I had no problems with intonation. In fact, I managed to get it perfectly intonated, you can really hit those high octaves on any string (15th or 17th) and it don't go out of sound, even on 6th and 7th string. I have to see if I could snap some tune-o-matic but I'm afraid I could lose resonation which is already low as f*. I'm ok with the bridge for now, 7/10. Pickups: they don't really "pick up" the 7th 😀 it is kinda muddy but for this price, they really surprised me. They can really pick up hammers and pull-offs nicely (this goes with the neck/frets also). Kinda high output if you ask me, much more than EMG HZH4 for example on my Schecter. These would be my first upgrade, probably Nazgul and Sentinent. I'd rate them 6/10, but for the price 9.5/10, as I said they kinda impressed me, expectations were much lower. Knobs and electronics: metal knobs are very good, and the switch is average, and so is jack, and I don't really have any complaints here. Wood (sound): low-quality wood, it really sucks with resonation and sustain, but again, this is 200-250 price range and it's not like you're gonna buy this guitar to play some Skynyrd or Knopfler 😀 As I got it out of the box I was not very pleased, I mean it's crafted well and looked nice, nothing like that, but as soon I started to play it (unplugged) I got this feeling like I have a wood plank in my lap. Of course, it is expected in this price range. As soon as I plugged it in and started playing I actually started to not care about that too much. So, for this price I am VERY satisfied, it really got me into 7s and I can finally play some older Periphery, Keith Merrow, Whitechapel, even some Vai and Satriani. You can shred very nicely and easy on this guitar, but you need some nerves to make a decent setup first few days since stock setup was disgusting. Strings? I replaced them immediately because the factory strings were a disaster… I put NYXL 10-59, but the bottom string is still not thick enough for drop A, its muddy but maybe it's just the pickups or personal opinion dunno, next time I'm gonna put Elixirs nano 10-56 but will replace that .56 with .062 or something like that. After only 3 days I decided to write an honest review, I cannot dislike this guitar because it really is a beast for this price. It's that good that I plan to invest another 300 dolars just for pickups and tuner. Also, this is my first Jackson ever, and I must express my respect to get something like this for the price of few good weekends outside. In summary: 6/10, for the price 9/10. Go ahead!

Overall: I recently purchased $179 minion Jackson v which I tuned like a ukulele for a performance. As soon as I played it, I remembered how much I loved my Charvel Jackson from my college days. So I ordered the soloist 🙂 what a great guitar. It’s the only guitar I own that isn’t made in the United States. (Beside the minion)But it’s a keeper. Absolutely love the neck. All the little things too. Such as coming with strap locks. Matched paint and binding on the neck. All in all a great purchase.

At first glance, the art work is perfect! Thanks, Kirk! I was hesitant on the buy , due to being a 'LTD' ESP until I researched and read the great reviews (Thanks, axe slingers!). Don't let the 'LTD' fool you. This axe is rock solid. First thing I noticed when I picked this up is the great feel of the neck and the weight. If you love the feel of Strat-style bodies, you will love this. The neck is slim, smooth and fast; my first 24-fret axe and I love it! Not one flaw with these frets-no sharp edges (Dry weather can shrink the neck to where the frets may protrude enough to notice so be cautious and stay humid). I inspected the art work and craftsmanship, finding only 1 tiny flaw. At the end of the neck, by the 24th fret, half the neck width is shaved off about a 2 mm angle too much (click on the pic to see). This is fixable if you're good with tools…Second thing I couldn't wait to try is the Floyd Rose-my first one. It's sensitive compared to my SG's Bigsby so it doesn't take much to get a good effect which is good. The locking nut works superbly and the fine tuners are awesome, no problem with palm muting, as well! The tremelo arm can be left loose or tightened down, out of your way….The Sound—I can definitely tell the difference between the neck and bridge pups so I can't imagine having an 81 & a 60! These EMGs sound great having that neck, bridge and combined tone that you expect from humbuckers. Included is an extra tremelo spring and 3 allen wrenches….The Case—This is the first axe used to debut the Tombstone case! As you can see in the pic, it has a fur lining and a snug fit. The large compartment allows plenty of room for the wrenches, spring, picks, cord, etc. No flaws with the outside decor skin, latches, hinges or handle. It also comes with a key. Also, don't forget the Kirk Hammett pick tin set!…Rock on!

Overall: Seriously……..I'm baffled, and highly impressed with this limited run that Fender/Jackson is offering, and the quality that is immediately obvious with these guitars. As well, do not be deceived by the price…rather, consider this to be an opportunity. So literally, just a few weeks ago, I purchased the stop tailpiece Fender Special Run variant (which I am upgrading w/EMG 57/66, brushed gold, Tonepros bridge, gold, Earvana compensated nut, Gotoh Magnum SG381 locking tuner, gold, EMG Satin Gold knobs) of this guitar, so therefore, as I am thoroughly impressed, I was compelled to await the arrival of this version (tremolo) through zZounds, yet it became available via Amazon, and I made my purchase just 10 days ago. Okay, so in no particular order, I'm going to start with the Amaranth (of the Purpleheart family/species……yes, that beautiful purple wood seen on many high end guitars)….these are the first two guitars that I now own with this species of wood utilized for the fretboards, and I absolutely love it. At first glance, your eye tends to see it as Ebony, as the wood has quite the dark appearance, which I totally dig (and quite fitting as the guitar is in nat mahogany finish), and it sounds bright, snappy, percussive, and present. As well, I dig the feel, as it has a nice, tight grain pattern.The fretwire- …..ummm, well, ….all level, and comfortable frets. I've not found any dead/high spots, and if so, it's so minimal that it's within a tolerance that allows you to keep low, low action, if you prefer (and the fretwire is just the right jumbo size to allow for the feel of the wire, along with the wood).The tuning machines- ….as I normally upgrade all of my tuning machines to Gotoh SG 381 Magnum locking, I must say, I like these tuners so much, that I'm torn and considering not upgrading, as they are visually stunning, and work quite well. The body of the tuners (where the mechanisms/gears are located) are not thin, and are actually quite robust in size, which provides confidence they'll maintain.The graphite reinforced neck- 5 stars +. Period. You immediately feel it, as soon as you grasp the neck..but also when playing, you can sense a bit more resonance and volume from the notes.The natural mahogany finish- Just…beautiful. Period. (and the feel is quite satisfying, indeed).The Jackson-branded Floyd- …..okay, ……I'm impressed…once again. This is a genuine Floyd Rose licensed unit, as the tremolo block is a genuine Floyd Rose 32mm/nickel-plated block. Look, the gold Fender/Jackson has chosen for these units, is absolutely beautiful….it's a dense, kinda lustrous gold that has a bit more depth than, for instance, an Original Floyd….it's really beautiful (as the colors match via the tuners, locking nut, and tremolo unit). Key feature…..the matching/gold-colored fine tuners via the baseplate. however, my only complaint w/this/these units, is that the very bottoms of the fine tuning screws do not have a flat surface (at the bottom/point of contact) for the string lock screws to make contact with/move smoothly up and down when tuning…rather, it causes the string lock screws/tuning to "skip", and kinda clank, as you feel the bottom of the fine tuning screws jumping/skipping as you fine tune….so you may jump a half-step during turning due to this. It's not a difficult fix, however, as the bottoms of the tuning screws simply need filed/sanded a bit….no biggie (however, if one prefers not to do so, the Original Floyd brass fine tuning screws are an optimal substitute, as they are easy to remove/change. The action of the tremolo is smooth, no noise, and the bar fits snug without those weird unpredictable …"hmmm, i wonder if the bar that comes with the unit will actually fit as it should?" kinda anomalies/moments. (key note- the locking nut is an actual Floyd Rose Special R3, and the neck nut shelf is filed/seated at the proper height…therefore preventing an unplayable kinda high string-to-fret height when fretting….once again, the attention to detail will have you asking…."really?, just $400??"…..it's that good.)The pickups- …not bad. ..not bad at all. I dig 'em. Although, I'm full-on EMG, and I'm goin' with the Het Set, or 57/66 in brushed gold (or, possibly the 81X, 85X in brushed gold). As I am hearing the characteristics of these wood combinations on this guitar, my immediate choices are any of the 3 EMG options listed above, but the Jackson pickups sound great…they really do. Well-balanced and fitting.The 3-way switch- ….nice, solid, and "tight" feeling. The gold-mirrored pickguard- ……..just …sick. The knobs- Very, very nice (and, once again, all the gold selected for this instrument….are an exact match across all components……..impressive).Overall- As I tend to often make purchases based off of my instincts, and relying on them, I'm so pleased I own both the stop tail and tremolo versions of this guitar. Do not hesitate, as you will, once a

Sound: Today's guitars are all made on cnc's unless you get something like a US made G&L, those are cut out with bandsaws and routers, like fenders in the 50s up to the 70s. The neck pocket in mine is very clean and neat, the body routing is very clean, the frets were nice out of the box, no misaligned screws or parts, no blemishes in the finish or anything. Features: The least useful feature for a majority of people will be the rhythm circuit, it has its own volume and tone pots and is neck pickup only, with a much darker tone than the neck pickup on the lead circuit, leave the switch in the down position, and you never have to worry about it unless you want an old school jazz guitar tone. Then push that switch up. (It does old jazz guitar really well) Ease of Use: The jazzmaster has quite a bright bridge pickup, makes it well suited for surf, or spaghetti western guitar, but it also means distortion on the bridge pickup will cut through rather well. the neck pickup is strat like, but bigger and thicker. Like a strat neck pickup on steroids. Both pickups together results in a sweet soft sort of quack tone, due to the pickups being so far apart, it's not the same as a strat quack tone, but its very nice sounding. Then of course there's the neck only rhythm circuit which is very much like an old jazz tone (hence the name Jazzmaster)The pickups are generally higher output than most other fender pickups, and work well with distortion. A lot of people still think jazzmaster pickups are p90s. Nope, real jazzmaster pickups are roughly the same size, but thats where the similarities end. They don't even sound similar. This confusion is furthered by the old mexican player jazzmasters, the j mascius, and others that have P90's. Quality: Fender mexico didn't skimp on the electronic parts, the pickups are very much like a mid 60s jazzmaster in sound, even down to the gray bobbins and enamel coated coil wire. Pots are CTS, both switches and the jack are switchcraft, just like they are supposed to be. They should last forever. The trem is built well, but not exactly the same as the old ones, the trem arm is screw in, it really should be a push in arm, like all the old ones. Also, I think the hole of the trem arm in the top plate is way way too big, it only needs to be slightly bigger than the trem arm collet.The tuners are kluson like split shaft, loke fender used from the very earliest days until 68, they're not made by kluson but it doesn't matter the design is too simple to screw up. The frets are vintage, they're always described as tall and thin. They're not tall, but they are thin, it is a 60s styled guitar after all. But I think a lot of people used to 9.5 and flatter radiuses will have problems, it's a 7.25" radius fretboard, requires a bit higher action but a half hour or so of playing, you get used to it. It also has a truss rod nut at the heel of the neck, its a correct feature for all fender's prior to 1971, but man was that a bad design choice on leo fender's part. You either have to loosen the neck a lot or take it completely off to adjust neck relief, and hope you got it right.Now when I got my guitar I took it completely apart (I always do). What I found on the inside could be improved. First was an excessive amount of wire. There is a lot of wire in a jazzmaster, but they didn't even bother cutting the pickup leads to length. Both pickups had about a foot of unnecessary lead wire, so I fixed that.The other issue was a bad conductive paint job in the cavities. The jazzmaster is an electrically noisy guitar, they need all the shielding they can get. The conductive paint was one thin coat, and didn't even go up the sides of the cavities, it wasn't doing anything. From 1958 to the end of the original run around 1980 each jazzmaster had brass tubs in all the cavities, all soldered together and grounded. I don't expect that in a new jazzmaster, but they knew then that it needed shielding. The pickguard in 58 was also gold anodized aluminum, which was excellent for shielding. But the anodizing wasn't good, and the gold wore off after a few months so and looked awful. In 59 fender switched to plastic tort pickguards, with a thin pickguard sized aluminum shield underneath. Anyway I properly shielded the cavities. Also the pickguard only had aluminum tape for the toggle switch to the jack, and another piece for piece for rhythm circuit switch and pots. That ain't going to do it. I added more shielding, put it all back together and it was a major improvement. Recently I decided to see what a proper gold anodized aluminum pickguard would look like on ice blue metallic, and its VERY cool, looks like a 1960s california speed shop modded my guitar, might put some tele knobs on it sometime.I also made another modification, I had a 65 reissue trem and bridge laying around, so I put them on it. In the old days, the lock button, trem

Overall: I received this gorgeous guitar Friday 5-21-2021! The fit and finish is immaculate. The action was a tad high but I set it down and it can get really low. So low in fact that I raised it back up some to my preference. Plays like a dream and sounds fantastic. Now the negative points. Issue #1 – The fluence open core classic pickups have 3 voices. PAF, hotrodded, and single coil. My guitar was wired to have only voices one and two. No single coil. The single coil wires for each pickup wasn't even wired in. The neck volume pot push/pull worked the neck pickup and the tone worked the bridge respectively for voice two, only. I find that a little bizarre. I rewired it and now it all works as intended voice wise. Issue #2 and the biggest issue – The neck pickup has barely any routing clearance under it. The routing is fine per typical depth, but these fluence pickups are pretty tall. Once I set the action down I had to completely remove the foam pads from under the neck pickup in order to get the pickup low enough to not touch the strings. The neck pickup is completely bottomed out atm and needs to go even lower but it's physically impossible. The way it sits right now the top of the neck pickup is almost dead even with the top of the fret board. I can't do anything about that because I'm not routing it deeper or paying to have it done. I'll remind that this is AFTER removing the foam under the pickup. It is manageable now but needs more travel because at this height the neck pickup is a little too loud for my taste but will be ok and probably fine for the average user, but now I have zero adjustability for the neck pickup. Overall I love this guitar and would buy another in a heart beat!

I'm a telecaster guy, but I wanted to try something new so I picked one of these up. Honestly, I was shocked at the quality of the instrument. Frets are perfect, action was great, finish is flawless, good feeling pots, and the guitar sounds great. It pains me to say this, but in all honesty it was better set up than my American performer telecaster and it cost one third as much. I ended up blocking the tremolo for better sustain and tuning stability, and WOW, that made a huge difference! I can now feel the string vibrations through the entire guitar and the tonal balance is much better. If you don't use a tremolo much, I'd really recommend it. It's a really fun guitar to play and a steal for the price.