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**ChickenScratch** · 03-11-2004, 12:58 PM

Re: OLP MM1 ? good bang for the buck?

That's what I wanan know too man! If I can get an OLP version of the Silhouette and it be a solid guitar I would love it. And no, not just because I adore Vinnie Moore, I think the Silhouette is a spectacular guitar and at this point I don't have the money for the real thing.

**Jimi D** · 03-11-2004, 06:44 PM

Re: OLP MM1 ? good bang for the buck?

Here's a mini-review I originally posted on the Ernie Ball forum...

As I mentioned last week, I'd ordered an OLP/Line6 Guitar Port pack because I wanted a Guitar Port, and I figured that for an extra $30 I might as well get the guitar (and strap, strings, picks, cheapie patch cord and headphones) too...

The OLP MM4 is basically a Silhouette-style guitar manufactured in China. From a distance, it could pass as a Silhouette with it's familiar shape and 4x2 headstock, but of course it isn't. The first thing I noticed about the guitar was how very light it is; maybe 6.5 or 7 lbs (max.), and because of that I'm presuming it's made of Basswood - which is fine, 'cause I like Basswood as a tone wood. On closer inspection, I could see the finish was reasonably well applied to the body and headstock, and the hardware appears to be of a decent quality - nothing spectacular, but probably as good as the stuff on my MiM Strat. In fact, my $600 MiM Deluxe Strat came straight out of the box with fret-ends jutting out of the fingerboard and a bridge with a handful of stripped hex-bolts (the ones that raise/lower the saddles) and a hex-key that was completely the wrong size to adjust them. My MM4 - on the other hand - has a great feeling neck and the bridge is cleanly manufactured and comes with a hex-key that fits. Also, the neatly-cut, three-ply pickguard and backplate are worthy of mention if for no other reason than that they are so much better than the crap that came attached to my Carvin DC-127... The pickups sound okay - better than I had reason to expect at this price point - and the neck/middle combo is pretty fruity and sweet, if somewhat underpowered. I really like the fact that the exposed truss-rod adjustment wheel at the base of the neck has been kept here - it's one of my favorite features of EB/MM guitars, because I live in a rather extreme climate and frequent truss-rod tweeks are a requirement... The tuners feel smooth, and hold the tuning well - I stretched the strings for a while and then tuned up and went to town on some of my fave, double-bends and blues riffs for about 20 minutes, and everything was still fairly close after the fact. For the price, I don't think I can criticize the hardware, really...

The biggest disappointment was that the neck is nothing like any EB/MM neck I've ever played, including the necks on my Silhouette or Silhouette Special. The OLP neck has a shallow "C" shape with a relatively flat radiused board - a really generic, Asian CNC feel - and it's much more like the neck on my aforementioned MiM Deluxe Strat than any Music Man. Still, it has neatly finished frets, and a fairly smooth feel, and it's decently playable. Of course, there are some rough spots (this is a sub-$200 guitar): the nut slot is too wide for the nut that's set into it, the edges of the headstock could have used a good hand-sanding after coming off the CNC, and there's a chip about the size of half a matchhead missing from the bass edge of the fretboard just in front of the 10th fret (it doesn't affect playability but I can feel it with my thumb). Also, there's a knot grain in my fretboard! Yes, an actual knot! like in knotty pine! I've never seen a fretboard with a knot in it before... it's kinda cool!

All-in-all, however, I'm pleased with the fit and finish of this guitar. Is it an Ernie Ball Music Man guitar? No, but it looks like one Is it as good as a real Silhouette? Not even close! but it is a far better guitar than the bargain basement price would suggest... In fact, this guitar compares very favorably with that MiM Strat I keep mentioning, only at about one-third the price (retail). For what I paid, it's a better than fair deal...

**randyvanmalmsteen** · 03-12-2004, 01:20 AM

Re: OLP MM1 ? good bang for the buck?

Originally posted by ChickenScratch:
That's what I wanan know too man! If I can get an OLP version of the Silhouette and it be a solid guitar I would love it. And no, not just because I adore Vinnie Moore, I think the Silhouette is a spectacular guitar and at this point I don't have the money for the real thing.

you mean this? [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/...se_pid/510946/

all she needs is a TONE ZONE and two fast track 1's to be a vinnie WAR uh i mean moore machine!

[ March 11, 2004, 12:25 PM: Message edited by: randyvanmalmsteen ]

**ChickenScratch** · 03-12-2004, 10:48 AM

Re: OLP MM1 ? good bang for the buck?

Your review was helpfull, I think I'll go for the real thing now.

**JACKSONFREAK** · 03-12-2004, 04:19 PM

Re: OLP MM1 ? good bang for the buck?

As a counter review. I just picked up a MM1 in trans gold. This guitar is perfectly intonated out of the box. The pups sound damn good for the money and the trem isnt bad if you like strat trems. The bonus and the main reason I got mine is because it is a real quilted maple lamenat top. Yeah it's really thin but it is still real quilted maple. Doesn't effect the tone of the guitar but it looks cooler and more like the real deal. The pups are responsive and sweet. Almost Wolfgangish in tone with a little less gain.
The neck feels close enough to the Axis without being one. The body is Basswood just like the real Musicman's are. To some that may be a bad thing to others its a good thing. I dont mind Basswood it depends on the guitars tone. Ive hear great sounding cheap basswood and crappy sounding Honduran mohagony. So it's all relative.
A couple of my best sounding guitars are Basswood.
Anyway For the 200 bucks they are great guitars and the fit and finish is better than a Squier Strat. I havent come across a bad one yet with frets poking out or anything unlike the Squiers I've encountered.
If you want one go for it. It's only two hundred bucks and well worth the money.
Gil

**Top Jimmy B** · 03-12-2004, 04:24 PM

Re: OLP MM1 ? good bang for the buck?

These things sound like winners in the budget realm. They look cool as hell, too.

**Jimi D** · 03-13-2004, 09:37 AM

Re: OLP MM1 ? good bang for the buck?

Originally posted by JACKSONFREAK:
The neck feels close enough to the Axis without being one.

Although I agree that "for the money" an OLP is a good - even great - deal, the fact of the matter is that OLP necks are NOTHING like Ernie Ball necks... And I'm not talking just about the hand finishing and fret work that Ernie Ball necks are known for, here... I'm talking about an EB/MM Axis having a 10" radius where the OLP's is 15", the 40mm nut width on the Axis where the OLP's nut is 43mm wide, and the Axis custom asymetrical back carve where the OLP has a very, very generic "C" carve... These necks are pretty much as different in feel as two guitar necks can be, imho - there only similarity is that they both have 22 frets...

**JACKSONFREAK** · 03-14-2004, 04:41 AM

Re: OLP MM1 ? good bang for the buck?

Yeah there is differances in the technical stuff. But the ones we've had at work really don't feel that much different than a EB/MM.
Granted the fit andf finish and the fine details are different but come on we talking about a 200 dollar lisenced music man. For me its close enough till i can afford the real thing
Gil

**Jimi D** · 03-14-2004, 04:48 PM

Re: OLP MM1 ? good bang for the buck?

Originally posted by JACKSONFREAK:
Yeah there is differances in the technical stuff. But the ones we've had at work really don't feel that much different than a EB/MM.

If you can't feel the 5" difference in radius, the 3mm difference in nut width, and the difference in shape and depth on the back carve, then you should take up the drums... These necks feel nothing alike. And it has nothing to do with how much they cost - the two necks are COMPLETELY different SHAPES!

[ March 14, 2004, 03:53 PM: Message edited by: Jimi D ]

**Jimi D** · 03-14-2004, 04:51 PM

Re: OLP MM1 ? good bang for the buck?

oops... part I...

**Jimi D** · 03-14-2004, 04:52 PM

Re: OLP MM1 ? good bang for the buck?

oops, multi post... sorry...

**kickaxeguitars** · 03-14-2004, 05:18 PM

Re: OLP MM1 ? good bang for the buck?

If you can't feel the 5" difference in radius, the 3mm difference in nut width, and the difference in shape and depth on the back carve, then you should take up the drums...

Well said Jimi.. These two necks feel NOTHING alike. Not that the guitar (OLP MM1) is a bad deal. It's a smokin deal and puts Affinty crap and Epi crap to shame..

And BTW JacskonFreak, These guitars DO NOT have a real laminate top. See OLP's website for more details: OLP's website

BUT, these guitar bodies are basswood like the EB AXIS stuff, have binding and really hot pickups.
The smart guitar consumer would bye a Warmoth 5A maple EB AXIS neck and drill the body for a Floyd.

This way, you can get whatever neck profile suits your needs, it will look better with the birdseye, and it only takes a half hour to convert the guitar to a Floyd if you desire, (I actaully recommend blocking the strat tremolo and making it a hardtail type guitar)
And the best part is you'd only be out about $500-$600 for a very personl guitar versus the $850-$1000 the Axis models sell for on Ebay.

**randyvanmalmsteen** · 03-15-2004, 11:50 AM

Re: OLP MM1 ? good bang for the buck?

Originally posted by kickaxeguitars:
<blockquote>quote:<hr /> If you can't feel the 5" difference in radius, the 3mm difference in nut width, and the difference in shape and depth on the back carve, then you should take up the drums...

The smart guitar consumer would bye a Warmoth 5A maple EB AXIS neck and drill the body for a Floyd.
the Axis models sell for on Ebay. <hr /></blockquote>where are the EBMM axis necks on thier site? i did not see any?

**kickaxeguitars** · 03-15-2004, 09:17 PM

Re: OLP MM1 ? good bang for the buck?

where are the EBMM axis necks on thier site? i did not see any?

Here's a couple of them.. You can call and order whatever you desire as far as fretboard, radius,frets, wood type etc..

Warmoth neck EVH style
Neck # 2

OR, you could bye this one:
NICEST Neck

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OLP MM1 ? good bang for the buck?

OLP MM1 ? good bang for the buck?

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