7 string guitars

[pro-fusion]

I am looking for a 7 string. But, like my 6 strings, I want a neck through.

Isn't the COW only bolt on? The only neck through 7 strings I can find on the market are an Ibanez Warrior looking thing and the ESP M307. There may be others, indeed the BCRich Bich series might have one by now.

I would also want a Kahler trem and original active JE circuit on 7 post J80C's.

I guess I am asking too much.

The Ibanez Xiphos-7 is one of the few production neckthru 7-strings out there at the moment, though I believe Agile also has a couple of neckthru models. The ESP LTD M-307 has been out of production for about 7 or 8 years now. Outside of the USA, ESP just introduced a new neckthru 7-string (non-LTD) Horizon--but ESP doesn't send good stuff like that to the USA, just more and more of the LTD crap.

Schecter has a bunch of setneck sevens with very low-profile neck heels, also.

Of course, there are plenty of small builders doing custom neckthru sevens, especially KXK and Bernie Rico Jr.

[DC_rhoads82]

I'd love to see a Jackson 7. I think the soloist body would work best as an introduction maybe? Then if things go well, other shapes such as the Rhoads could be introduced. EMG 707's would be cool, but I understand the routing issue. Bottom line is I love my Jacksons and would hate to have my wall of Jacksons be obstructed by some dang non-Jackson 7-string because I am itching for one!

[toejam]

Schecter has a bunch of setneck sevens with very low-profile neck heels, also.

Those "set-thru" necks are awesome! I miss my 007 Elite.

[Dred]

I was going to pitch in when this thread just started, but that got delayed, and most got said anyway. Either way, I'll sound my opinion, and see what comes out

The two humbucker option is a necessity. A lot more folks will buy them, including me. It broadens the market singificantly, I think.

For the humbuckers, I personally wouldn't mind either active or passive. I prefer passives, and most likely would swap any actives out to a passive combo anyway. I imagine that as long as the routes are universal to keep the folks happy, more interest will be gained. Then again, it's upto you guys, and I'd be happy with either.

Now this is really important, I believe, simply because a lot of 7 string brands fail at it and make a huge mess of it. The shredder folk will definitely love it, and the open-B chuggers won't really notice it, so everyone wins. The point is, the neck access. It'd be a godsend if the neck on these production sevens, and hopefully the rest of the shredder guitars Jackson offers, was set out further. I am saying this, because if you look into brands like Ibanez, Schecter and Carvin, they all have 7-string 24 fretters, with the 24th hidden away in the body. Ibanez for instance, has that really deep cutaway, yet a lot of the benefit is negated on the lower strings simply because the neck isn't out far enough, taking away from the comfort of actually having that much wood routed. Carvin on the other hand, hasn't got the pointy lower cutaway shennanigans, but still has the top two frets deeper in the body, as does Schecter, whose access is slightly worse than Carvin's. The point I'm making, is that the 24th fret isn't only for the top two, maybe three strings, but for all the strings that have that fret (say, on the slanted board guitars, you wouldn't expect to hit the top fret on the few bottom strings, because it's simply not there ). The guitars that really hit the nail on the head in regards to that aspect, were the Rusty Cooley seven string Jackson custom, and his RC7 Dean model, as well as the red Dean prototype of his. The cutaway was so deep that the neck hum had to be angled. Nothing extreme like this has to be done, but instead of cutting in deeper into the wood, pushing the neck 11-14 milimetres would go a long way, and wouldn't even invade the space of any pickup rings. 11-14mm is close to the space between the 23rd and the 24th frets, and that would make a huge difference to playing the high notes on the bass strings. I'd also like to add that having really deep bevels coming into the body doesn't cure the problem. While it may make the access easier for the treble strings, all the bevel does is allow access lenghtwise, deeper into the body, but not down the neck towards the bass side. I'll expand later.
There used to be a video of RC ripping into Ibanez for the cutaway aspect, but it's not on youtube anymore, or at least I can't find it.

If you guys would get the fret access aspect down right, the heel, in regards to access, wouldn't be much of a problem, I don't think. What most brands forget, is that the neck is wider to begin with, and up at the top of the neck it can get quite uncomfortable trying to reach the top frets on lower strings and trying to keep your grip comfortable enough, so your hand doesn't cramp. Or your wrist for that matter. If the neck access is great, I don't see how a bolt on design would bother anyone, but if theres some major issue with fret access, a neck through would be pretty damn sexy, in my opinion. Either way, whether it's bolt-on or neck thru doesn't matter all that much, as long as the neck access is damn comfy. I, like many, would prefer neck-thru, but either does for me and I'd be really damn happy with a bolt-on.

On the bevels, many players alongside which myself, will reach the top frets on the flat top guitars as they will on beveled cutaway guitars, if they really need to. There may be extra effort required, but it's possible. What would really make things all that easier, would be having the spot where the cutaway meets the neck, square, than having it rounded. What I mean by this, can be seen in this video. It's really visible at the closeup shots beginning at 1:46.(LINK) Not having that tiny bit of wood would really help going down the neck vertically at the high positions, especially for players with larger hands. If you could implement that, it'd be absolutely terrific.

So, just if I lost you, a neck that's set out about a centimetre or so further, and having the neck meet the cutaway at somewhat of a right angle would make a huge difference, quite possibly, far greater than having a really deep cutaway with the top frets obstructed by the body. Really deep bevels will only help for the treble strings. If either of those is done, I don't think that the construction, be it a bolt-on or a neck-thru would impede access all that much. Or at all. If you guys would implement either the squared off cutaway or the new neck position, it'd be absolutely killer! The humbucker options, whether it be actives or passives, is really upto you, guys.

As you can see, I'm quite thrilled about a seven string that's an absolute charm to play, especially if it's a Jackson.

If I came off rude in any way, I apologise. Also, if I contradicted any guitar design aspects, I apologise for that as well. It's just that looking for a guitar, be it a seven or a six string with really good access that's a Jackson or Charvel, can be a little tough sometimes.

[BeholdTheFallen]

haha i know the idea is to widen the market but if i may represent a minority for a moment...if Jackson does introduce a seven string model i hope they make at least a few left handed.

[Dred]

haha i know the idea is to widen the market but if i may represent a minority for a moment...if Jackson does introduce a seven string model i hope they make at least a few left handed.

That, or a "Become a Right-handed player... like the rest of the world" kit.

[guywithjackson]

It's not something I play all the time, but I like having a 7 around. So yes, I'd buy one. I'd love to see a Soloist-7, but even a lower priced DKMG-7 would be fine.

[eclipsed211]

I love jackson and NEED a seven string. It really sucks that if i want to play jackson that i only have one model to choose from and i wont buy that model because for one its a sig and two there is no neck pickup.

come on jackson......gimme some options

[eclipsed211]

oh and another thing....metal guitarists are getting lower and lower in tunings and playing more strings (8 string).

what are you waiting for jackson?

[wilkinsi]

I wouldn't say no to a 7 string WR1.

[Wild Claw]

I'd be interested if it's a high-end import or a reasonably priced USA. Here are my advices :

- Use an original body shape. You already have the COW, and there are lots of stratoïd-shaped 7s out there. If you made a KV or a RR, I'd buy it immediately! KE might work great aswell.

- 2 pickups would be a wise option.

- 24 frets!

- If you choose to make an import model, please make it look good! There is absolutely no point in putting a black binding on a black guitar with ebony fingerboard! (RR24, Demmelition) Would it be so difficult to make them with a nice ebony board and a white binding? Real MOP inlays instead of MOTO would be incredibly cool, but I think I'm dreaming ...

- I'd prefer a floyd, but a string-thru would be ok aswell.

[Drake S.]

Bring back the RR7 ,or a Warrior7, but with a Floyd this time!!!!!

[Sunbane]

You kids and your damned 7 strings is whats causing noise and problems in my neighborhood.

I am trying to write my congress people to ban these things.

Yeah!!!

7 strings destroy the white man's way of life!

[Newc]

.....The point I'm making, is that the 24th fret isn't only for the top two, maybe three strings, but for all the strings that have that fret (say, on the slanted board guitars, you wouldn't expect to hit the top fret on the few bottom strings, because it's simply not there ).

Actually, the 24th fret is mostly for the 1-4 strings. Having greater access to the 5-7+ on the 24th is not an issue, since those notes are replicated on the 1-3. Granted you're not getting the "wound string" tone, but at that high up, you're not getting a practical tone from them. Unique, yes, but not practical.

[Newc]

And I think Jackson gets the idea now - they're going to have to use lesser woods and flashier cosmetics to get the price lower or they won't sell. Basically they'll have to forget everything they know about making quality guitars just so they can make pretty and cheap guitars. Yeah, I can see that happening.


Boo hoo hoo I'm too fuckin cheap to spend real money for a real guitar, can you please reduce the cost?