Request for opinions from COW7 owners.

[ken]

Jackson Stars 7-string update

Good news: Jackson Stars will make a 7-string with semi-custom options. Three to four month build time.

Of course, what's good news for guitars inevitably means bad news for your wallet.



Ishibashi spoke with the factory and they priced up a semi-custom KE7-J2 for me. Cost-wise, basically a 7 string J2 with fixed bridge is the same (roughly speaking) as a 6-string J2 with a floyd. Semi-custom stuff seems to be priced around what it is for a 6-string, so you can work it out for yourself from there.

Of course, as we all know how GAS works, the options I specificed take the J2 to a little beyond a trans. finish J1 with fixed bridge! Think trans. finish USA select with a hint of custom shop!

It worked out maybe 10% more expensive than an RR-J2SP or 15% more than the price of a J1 with a trem. I guess it's works out as trading the trem. for a 7th string. When I add taxes, etc., I'll be paying USA select costs for it. So much for a cheap 2-hum COW7 alternative! But for the adventure alone, surely it has to be worth it?!

Shadowcat, how "pinned down" was your trans. green RR order? I basically said KE7-J2 (of which there are a few on Ikebe's website) plus a list of semi-custom options. Did you specify everything more explicitly? Did they e-mail you a final specification after you ordered it, but before it was built?

With the KE7, as it's not a production product, I wonder should I be careful about the basics. For instance: old ones were made of poplar, but the current run are alder. I'd like alder, but poplar would be okay. Similarly, am I being presumptious in assuming that they'll use the fixed bridge, and stick in the Duncans that they have, on the KE7-J2s on Ikebe's website? Any advice or insight would be welcomed.

More info. as it happens,

Ken

PS No matter how often I ask for a quote with hard-case, they don't seem to respond to that specific request? Strange.

[shadowcat]

Shadowcat, how "pinned down" was your trans. green RR order? I basically said KE7-J2 (of which there are a few on Ikebe's website) plus a list of semi-custom options. Did you specify everything more explicitly? Did they e-mail you a final specification after you ordered it, but before it was built?

With the KE7, as it's not a production product, I wonder should I be careful about the basics. For instance: old ones were made of poplar, but the current run are alder. I'd like alder, but poplar would be okay. Similarly, am I being presumptious in assuming that they'll use the fixed bridge, and stick in the Duncans that they have, on the KE7-J2s on Ikebe's website? Any advice or insight would be welcomed.

More info. as it happens,

Ken

PS No matter how often I ask for a quote with hard-case, they don't seem to respond to that specific request? Strange.

Well, for me it was easy... I asked for a quote for the RRJ1B and for a RRJ1B with my changes.
The changes I specified were mahogany body, transparent green finish and matching headstock. The rest I wanted to be just as the production model. And I got exactly that.

The cool thing was that that Ishibashi got back to me after almost three months to enquire whether I wanted the body back to be black (standard) or transparent green as well. Apparently the guys of the factory were not sure how I wanted it and offered to do the transparent green as well this time.
So I told them how I wanted it, and one week later the guitar arrived at Ishibashi.

Since the KE7 is not a production model I would just take the time to spec it out completely. I believe if there's anything that they won't do as specified, they will tell you about it. From my experience they are really willing to satisfy the customer!

[ken]

Thanks for the quick response.

Well, for me it was easy... I asked for a quote for the RRJ1B and for a RRJ1B with my changes.
The changes I specified were mahogany body, transparent green finish and matching headstock. The rest I wanted to be just as the production model. And I got exactly that.

I can see how it would have been more straight forward for you specs-wise. Nice to have a mahogany RR though. Highly non-standard with regards the USA guitars.

The cool thing was that that Ishibashi got back to me after almost three months to enquire whether I wanted the body back to be black (standard) or transparent green as well. Apparently the guys of the factory were not sure how I wanted it and offered to do the transparent green as well this time.
So I told them how I wanted it, and one week later the guitar arrived at Ishibashi.

It really is fantastic of them that they asked about the back. Reading about people's positive experiences, including yours, is partly what'd encouraged me to risk the language barrier. That and I've been to Japan, so I know how much more honest they are as a people. Fantastic place. Probably my favorite place of anywhere I've been.

Since the KE7 is not a production model I would just take the time to spec it out completely. I believe if there's anything that they won't do as specified, they will tell you about it. From my experience they are really willing to satisfy the customer!

I'll rob the specs from the KE7-J2 on Ikebe's web page, include my changes and make sure it ends up in the final e-mail to Ishibashi. I won't detail here what semi-custom options I'm going for, so that when the guitar arrives, the pics will be a surprise. Not that it's that mad.

Just out of interest, did you get it with a hard case? And I've only seen pictures of the back of your RR. Surely you'll post full frontals at some stage? Of the guitar I mean!

Thanks again for all the info. and help.

[sakeido]

I'm working on a deal with Ikebe right now for a 7 string Soloist they have on their site but it'd still be cool if I could get a 7 string SLSMG. Who are you talking to at Ishibashi? I'm having a hard time trying to pick a contact e-mail out of their website.

[shadowcat]

Just out of interest, did you get it with a hard case? And I've only seen pictures of the back of your RR. Surely you'll post full frontals at some stage? Of the guitar I mean!

Thanks again for all the info. and help.

No problem man, it's a pleasure to be able to help!

And I'm sorry, I forgot to answer that question...
I specified my enquiry to include the hardcase, but for J1 guitars the price (on the Jackson Stars homepage) already includes the hardcase anyways. For J2 models the price on the homepage includes a soft case.

But on the quote I got it was clearly written "with hardshell case"... and they also included all requested changes in the quote.

Maybe check the email you got again for a hint that the quote you got includes the hardcase, or otherwise ask them again.


And of course I posted full frontals...
http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59266

[ken]

I'm working on a deal with Ikebe right now for a 7 string Soloist they have on their site but it'd still be cool if I could get a 7 string SLSMG. Who are you talking to at Ishibashi? I'm having a hard time trying to pick a contact e-mail out of their website.

Is the 7 string soloist still there? I must have missed it. Obviously too busy in work to be surfing for guitars! I agree that a 7-string SLSMG would be awesome.

Here's the address: Ishibashi WEB SHOP <[email protected]>. It's on their English language site (haha): http://www.ishibashi-music.com/

I mailed around new-year and got a reply about a week later from an individual, but still at the common e-mail address. I guess they asign you someone who speaks English that deals with you from then on. He's been pretty quick about responding since (couple of days at most).

I had a pretty funny exchange: I asked for MOP inlays. They eventually wrote and said: what is MOP? I explained it was Mother of Pearl (or just Pearl as they call it). Afterwards I was thinking that had they taken me literally, I could have ended up with a guitar with lnlays shapped like a mop!

Keep us informed as to how you're getting on! Lets add to the community wide knowledge.

[ken]

And I'm sorry, I forgot to answer that question...
I specified my enquiry to include the hardcase, but for J1 guitars the price (on the Jackson Stars homepage) already includes the hardcase anyways. For J2 models the price on the homepage includes a soft case.

But on the quote I got it was clearly written "with hardshell case"... and they also included all requested changes in the quote.

Maybe check the email you got again for a hint that the quote you got includes the hardcase, or otherwise ask them again.

Sorry, I should have known based on the J1 specs!

It's pretty clear in my quote that it's with a soft-case. I've asked again about the hardcase, but I'll probably pummel ahead regardless. After all, I should have three months to get that part organised!

And of course I posted full frontals...
http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59266

Don't know why I didn't come across this already. My rubbish real-life searching skills are obviously damaging my cyber-searching skills.
That's a seriously rockin' guitar . It's given me my first excuse to use the headbanging smiley and it's well deserved! 24 frets too - way cooler than the USA equivalent, if you ask me. The only thing is that I think I should send my better-half around to take better pictures of it. Man, you're worse at taking pictures than me!

I'll save reading the rest of that thread for tomrrow, when I need a distraction in work.

As ever, I'll keep this thread updated as it happens.

Cheers,

Ken

[sakeido]

Is the 7 string soloist still there? I must have missed it. Obviously too busy in work to be surfing for guitars! I agree that a 7-string SLSMG would be awesome.

Here's the address: Ishibashi WEB SHOP <[email protected]>. It's on their English language site (haha): http://www.ishibashi-music.com/

I mailed around new-year and got a reply about a week later from an individual, but still at the common e-mail address. I guess they asign you someone who speaks English that deals with you from then on. He's been pretty quick about responding since (couple of days at most).

I had a pretty funny exchange: I asked for MOP inlays. They eventually wrote and said: what is MOP? I explained it was Mother of Pearl (or just Pearl as they call it). Afterwards I was thinking that had they taken me literally, I could have ended up with a guitar with lnlays shapped like a mop!

Keep us informed as to how you're getting on! Lets add to the community wide knowledge.

Thanks dude. I fired them off an e-mail and hopefully will hear back soon enough about what they can do for me. Ikebe should still have the soloist... they didn't see they did not but they have gone on a business trip and will not return until the 25th so I won't really know til then. Its nice, but I don't like how the shark fin inlays are not lined up with the bass side of the neck and would really like another guitar with no inlays to match my COW7

[ken]

I've asked if they'll do a KE7-J1 (instead of J2). Will post when I know.

The semi-custom options I listed for a KE7-J2 took it to a J1 and then a little beyond. As the options to take it to a J1 add up really quickly (150 Euro plus extra shipping for the hard case, for example) I wanted to find out if it's cheaper as an upgrade to a J1. Hopefully they'll do a seven stringer as a J1.

Will probably buy the upgraded KE7-J2 if it's the only option. Even though it has got kerazy pricey....