Jackson Stars sighting: 7 string soloist!

[pro-fusion]

Re: Jackson Stars sighting: 7 string soloist!

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Damn, missed this first time around - very nice! My USA has the same neck scallop, and fret access is damn good. In fact, that's really close to my guitar, minus a few things...

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I jumped right on this one--I thought that SteveMan was going to get deluged with inquiries about it, but I don't think he did. It came at just the right time for me--I was just getting ready to list my POS LTD H-307 on eBay and give up sevens altogether, thinking I'd never get a decent seven until I had Custom Shop money to spend, when out of the blue...

I will say that this Soloist is not quite up there with a USA Soloist in terms of tone--the notes don't have quite as much 'life' up in the higher register, but that seems to be the case with most sevens I've played, by all different manufacturers. I wonder if the wide neck is a factor? Could be that the quality of tune-o-matic on this one isn't as high as could be, which would definitely affect the tone and sustain. Who all makes 7-string tune-o-matics besides Gotoh?

Otherwise, I'm over-the-moon about this one, especially since I installed the EMG-81/7, which is perfect for this guitar. The action is sick low--much lower than I've gotten on any other seven, including a vintage Ibanez Universe I once had. This one just about plays itself.

Ok, I'll stop gushing now... [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[eaeolian]

Re: Jackson Stars sighting: 7 string soloist!

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I jumped right on this one--I thought that SteveMan was going to get deluged with inquiries about it, but I don't think he did. It came at just the right time for me--I was just getting ready to list my POS LTD H-307 on eBay and give up sevens altogether, thinking I'd never get a decent seven until I had Custom Shop money to spend, when out of the blue...


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I kept telling you to buy a Washburn Sonic. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] I don't like mine as well as my Soloist, but it's definitely of equal quality.

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I will say that this Soloist is not quite up there with a USA Soloist in terms of tone--the notes don't have quite as much 'life' up in the higher register, but that seems to be the case with most sevens I've played, by all different manufacturers. I wonder if the wide neck is a factor? Could be that the quality of tune-o-matic on this one isn't as high as could be, which would definitely affect the tone and sustain. Who all makes 7-string tune-o-matics besides Gotoh?


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TonePros, but I dunno if Gotoh makes them for them or not. I have noticed more "girth" in the upper register on the 7 strings, so it may well be something to do with the extra "meat" in the neck, or something in the harmonics of another string.

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Otherwise, I'm over-the-moon about this one, especially since I installed the EMG-81/7, which is perfect for this guitar. The action is sick low--much lower than I've gotten on any other seven, including a vintage Ibanez Universe I once had. This one just about plays itself.


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The action on mine's like that - it's the fastest-playing guitar I own. Good score! I almost went after this myself, but I have three 7 strings already, and I really only play one, so...

[TheSteveMan]

Re: Jackson Stars sighting: 7 string soloist!

I was surprised as hell... pro-fusion was the only inquiry I got!
I know lots of people here love one-hums and string thrus, add that to a neck thru 24-fret seven string Jackson and there's a guitar you don't see every day, so I figured lots of people would want to jump on it.. quite a surprise.
Anyway that's a good score, heh [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

BTW I found a 7-string tune-o-matic online somewhere a year or so back, I can't seem to find out where it was though.. dunno what manufacturer it was but it was under 15 bucks and works like a charm.

[KevinDguitar]

Re: Jackson Stars sighting: 7 string soloist!

Nice 7 stringer! Now I gotta start digging for change in the sofa to start saving for a Jackson 7 to replace my Ibanez! Thanks! LOL! [img]/images/graemlins/drool2.gif[/img]

[pro-fusion]

Re: Jackson Stars sighting: 7 string soloist!

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I kept telling you to buy a Washburn Sonic. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] I don't like mine as well as my Soloist, but it's definitely of equal quality.

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Problem for me is that the Sonics were 22-fretters. I did see one weirdo-looking Sonic on eBay a few months ago that had 24 frets and a very narrow body. Remember that one? Maybe it was a prototype or a custom order. I almost went for that one, but I didn't have the cash.

[pro-fusion]

Re: Jackson Stars sighting: 7 string soloist!

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I will say that this Soloist is not quite up there with a USA Soloist in terms of tone--the notes don't have quite as much 'life' up in the higher register, but that seems to be the case with most sevens I've played, by all different manufacturers. I wonder if the wide neck is a factor? Could be that the quality of tune-o-matic on this one isn't as high as could be, which would definitely affect the tone and sustain. Who all makes 7-string tune-o-matics besides Gotoh?


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TonePros, but I dunno if Gotoh makes them for them or not. I have noticed more "girth" in the upper register on the 7 strings, so it may well be something to do with the extra "meat" in the neck, or something in the harmonics of another string.

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After playing around on my various guitars last night, I think it's probably just the structure of a 7 string that makes the difference, rather than anything to do with the bridge, which seems like a high-quality piece, though I don't think it's a TonePros--it doesn't lock in place.

That large neck would almost have to create a different tone. That's a lot of extra wood, and the resonance properties are bound to be different--probably not as much overall resonance in the higher register, for whatever reason.

I'm still not at the point where I could use a 7-stringer 100% of the time. They are great for rhythm guitar, both with the grind of the low string and the unusual chord voicings you can use, as well as some very *expansive* lead runs. But I still find that I play better lead guitar on a 6-string. For some reason, the tone on sixes seems more conducive to leads, and more importantly, the way my hand fits around the smaller neck seems to allow for better control. Maybe if I had massive hands like Vai or Holdsworth it would be different... [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[pro-fusion]

Re: Jackson Stars sighting: 7 string soloist!

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Nice 7 stringer! Now I gotta start digging for change in the sofa to start saving for a Jackson 7 to replace my Ibanez! Thanks! LOL! [img]/images/graemlins/drool2.gif[/img]

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Hey, I've been there! I had a 7620 for awhile, which should have been all the 7-stringer I needed, but it just didn't have the tone I was looking for, though it was a pretty nice player. Carvin is about the last company that still makes really high-quality production sevens--of course, I haven't had a chance to try the Jackson Wolbers model. Yeah, you can go Korean with an LTD or Schecter, but I don't find that those have the tone I want, or the playability.

Apart from that, you're looking at a custom order. Which is why I immediately started bugging poor Mr. SteveMan once he posted this thread! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[KevinDguitar]

Re: Jackson Stars sighting: 7 string soloist!

Thing is...it HAS to be a 7 stringer with a floyd! My Ibanez 7 is a great player and with a pup change it improved immensely in tone...its just not a Jackson, you know? Something about 7 string neckthu...mmmmmmm...i hear it calling... lol!

[TheSteveMan]

Re: Jackson Stars sighting: 7 string soloist!

Eh you weren't bugging me heh. Glad to see it found a good home!

Like you were saying above, for me a 7 stringer is mostly a rhythm axe.. so my made in Korea will do just fine after a pup change and maybe a bit of tweaking when I get home.. for lead, it's all about 6.

Watch one of Vai's shows... he has a signature 7-string model, but how often do you see him using that opposed to his sixers?

[eaeolian]

Re: Jackson Stars sighting: 7 string soloist!

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I kept telling you to buy a Washburn Sonic. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] I don't like mine as well as my Soloist, but it's definitely of equal quality.

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Problem for me is that the Sonics were 22-fretters. I did see one weirdo-looking Sonic on eBay a few months ago that had 24 frets and a very narrow body. Remember that one? Maybe it was a prototype or a custom order. I almost went for that one, but I didn't have the cash.

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The second year versions had both 22 and 24 frets, from what I've seen. Really, I've seldom seen two that were alike - they seem to ALL be real "customs". I dunno that they made more than 100 or so. Still, I think you did better - I do like my Sonic, but it's not my Soloist, and the upper fret access isn't anywhere near as good 'cause of the funky horn.

[pro-fusion]

Re: Jackson Stars sighting: 7 string soloist!

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Thing is...it HAS to be a 7 stringer with a floyd! My Ibanez 7 is a great player and with a pup change it improved immensely in tone...its just not a Jackson, you know? Something about 7 string neckthu...mmmmmmm...i hear it calling... lol!

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I know exactly what you mean. I generally prefer Floyded guitars, and the LoPro Edge on my old 7620 was a pretty good bridge. However, I've found that sevens generally sound better with a fixed bridge--that low B seems to be a little stronger when it's attached to a fixed bridge.

It's too bad nobody uses the 7-string Original Floyd Rose on their production guitars--I'd be very tempted in that case. As is, you mostly get TRS trems, though I guess you can always retrofit an OFR.

I also greatly prefer neckthru sevens--the primary advantage of a neckthru (besides upper fret access) is that you get an extremely clean and 'pure' note, and that really helps eliminate the muddiness from the low B.

[pro-fusion]

Re: Jackson Stars sighting: 7 string soloist!

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Watch one of Vai's shows... he has a signature 7-string model, but how often do you see him using that opposed to his sixers?

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He hadn't used it at all on the last several albums/tours, but the Universe is featured more prominently on his new album--and I would assume, on the current tour.

Interestingly, on the previous few tours, Vai played sixes, while MacAlpine and Dave Weiner played sevens the entire show.

[pagemalicious]

Re: Jackson Stars sighting: 7 string soloist!

I am extremely jealous of you. That axe is so frigging sweet [img]/images/graemlins/drool2.gif[/img]

[dd3keegs]

Re: Jackson Stars sighting: 7 string soloist!

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I was surprised as hell... pro-fusion was the only inquiry I got!
Great find...SteveMan keeps us posted on any finds. I didn't see this thread until it was gone. Hey, if you could find a RR5 one Humbucker....

[TheSteveMan]

Re: Jackson Stars sighting: 7 string soloist!

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Interestingly, on the previous few tours, Vai played sixes, while MacAlpine and Dave Weiner played sevens the entire show.

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Speaking of which, anyone know anything about Dave's seven stringer that you can see on Live at the Astoria London?
It looked like both the body and fingerboard appeared to be diff. colors from diff. angles.. is that just the lighting or is his guitar designed like that?

Yup if I spot anything else special here I'll give you guys a holler.