Johnrandall Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 (edited) [color=#5A5A5A][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=3][color=#A4A4A4][size=3]Posted Today, 09:27 AM[/size][/color] [color=#282828][size=4]Hey bcers, I've just been given a bass by a woman I've never met except on a 'preloved' site. It belonged to her late brother and so she kindly passed-it on to whoever expressed an interest. It says 'Axe' on the headstock. Does anyone know anything at all about basses made by 'Axe'? Google searches take me to the Gene Simmons Axe-shaped bass by Contor, which it most definitely is not. It's a regular double cut-away bass. My guess is it was a budget guitar made by a company now defunct. It is supremely weighty. Any information would be great. Thank you. John [/size][/color][/size][/font][/color] Edited October 26, 2015 by Johnrandall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveFry Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I don't know anything about them either , but here's one I defretted earlier ; It is indeed supremely weighty . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 The Axe brand were very cheap and not particularly well-made range of basses and guitars advertised in Kerrang magazine in the late 80s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ribbetingfrog Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I found this thread: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/21066-axe-bass-guitar/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexDelores Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 When i first started playing i was loaned an Axe for about 12 months by a friend of my dads, it belonged to who his brother who had moved away so he had no idea where hed got it from It looked exactly like the red one above and weighed a ton (not literally) Be interesting to see if anyone has any info as ive never been able to find out anything and it was 10 years ago! 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
super al Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Bought the guitar in the late 80s from Axe, it was £99.99 I think. As well as a cheap guitar you also got a tiny battery operated amp, a lesson book (more like a magazine than a book) and lesson tapes which I think I still have somewhere. The guitar was black with axe on the body, a mate rubbed it off for me so it looked relic'd. The frets were dangerously sharp on the ends and hardware a little cheap looking (what did expect for £99.99!). Oh, it also had a whammy bar! The Axe drum kit was about £200 for a 5 piece kit so you could kit out a band for about £400. The guitarist wouldn't be very loud though so everyone would be happy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveFry Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 (edited) I also used to have a cream coloured one but it got stolen . - Just found a close-up of the headstock logo from the de-fret process . The fretboard had been dyed black and subsequent sanding revealed a nice piece of rosewood . I seem to remember the bass cost less than the tapewounds I put on it ! Edited October 26, 2015 by DaveFry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnrandall Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 Well, this was my first post on this forum and I am both grateful and impressed by the depth and speed of replies - a good community you have here. Thank you all very much. I'm not gigging and so I guess it'll do for sketching ideas onto the old eight-track. There's something weirdly appealing about the insane weight of this monster... Thanks all - much appreciated. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 [quote name='super al' timestamp='1445858879' post='2894716'] Bought the guitar in the late 80s from Axe, it was £99.99 I think. As well as a cheap guitar you also got a tiny battery operated amp, a lesson book (more like a magazine than a book) and lesson tapes which I think I still have somewhere. The guitar was black with axe on the body, a mate rubbed it off for me so it looked relic'd. The frets were dangerously sharp on the ends and hardware a little cheap looking (what did expect for £99.99!). Oh, it also had a whammy bar! The Axe drum kit was about £200 for a 5 piece kit so you could kit out a band for about £400. The guitarist wouldn't be very loud though so everyone would be happy! [/quote] A friend of mine had that kit back in the late 80s. The cymbals bent when you hit them! That came with all the learn-to-play stuff too. I bought - and I still have - an Axe stereo chorus stomp box. Very cheap but quite a decent little unit, if a bit hissy. Turns out it's a rebranded MIJ Aria pedal. Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 [quote name='Johnrandall' timestamp='1445867568' post='2894827'] Well, this was my first post on this forum and I am both grateful and impressed by the depth and speed of replies - a good community you have here. Thank you all very much. I'm not gigging and so I guess it'll do for sketching ideas onto the old eight-track. There's something weirdly appealing about the insane weight of this monster... Thanks all - much appreciated. John [/quote]Welcome John. Only been here a year myself and let me tell you there's nothing these guys don't know! They've even solved the meaning of life, the universe and everything! (Level 42). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 My first bass was an Axe in around 1990. They used to advertise them on the back of Kerrang and Metal Hammer, I think the guitars went for £99 and the basses £125. It was fine to learn on, but, in hindsight it wasn't great build quality and the J pickup on mine managed to be really noisy (buzzing wise) and far too quiet at the same time, but I played my first gigs with it and it was perfectly usable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randythoades Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 My first guitar and bass were Axe versions late 80s. Adverts in Metal Hammer magazine. They came with a 'How to Play Heavy Metal in a day' book. 25 years on, I still can't play some of it!! Horrible guitars but cute in their own right. Made me appreciate the cheap BC Rich Warlock guitar I bought to replace the guitar.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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