Got my UV7PWH last night...

Drew · #1 01-07-2005, 12:56 PM

So I guess I'm official (which is ironic- I've been listening to Vai less and less of late, and now I find myself with a quasi-sig model of his)- the thing showed up a day earlier than I expected.

gotta keep this quick, as I'm writing from work and it's a busy day, but god damn... The thing's noticeably more resonant than my 7620, and I'm not sure if it's that or the pickups (Blaze as opposed to AN/TZ- my guess is a combination of the two), but this thing KILLS- easily the heaviest sounding seven I've ever played. Through my Nomad 45 2x12, it's very ALS-esq (the only Vai tone I'm really that enamoured with) with maybe a little more... Idunno. It's just an incredibly alive sounding guitar, huge yet clear bass response, explosive (yet still smooth) treble, and while the mids are quite a bit scooped in the Blazes as opposed to the Air Norton and (especially) the Tone Zone, I'm playing such a mid-heavy amp that this is actually kind of a good thing- I just backed off the gain a touch, nudged the mids up about a quarter or half number on the third channel, and I was good to go.

It'll take me a while to get used to the smaller fretwire, and I do miss the AANJ a bit (slightly compounded by the fact that after throwing on the obligatory cliplock strap, even with it tightened all the way up it's still about an inch lower than I'm used to- weird, I'm 6' and never felt as if I wore my guitar unusually high), but man, I think I'm in love.

Pics of the family after the weekend,

-D

Texter · #2 01-07-2005, 01:37 PM

Let me congratulate you then on your fine newly acquired semi-vintage Ibanez! Enjoy the insane output of the BlazeIIs

Serratus · #3 01-07-2005, 02:33 PM

Congrats mate - I always liked the UV7PWH, and have come to like it more and more lately, unfortunately recently I have also found that I cant get on with a non-AANJ neck anymore, so I cant see me getting one

Still, maybe a custom...........

the.godfather · #4 01-07-2005, 02:47 PM

I have never been a HUGE fan of the UV guitars to be honest, but if I did have one it would be the UVPW. And I would get rid of the single middle pickup and get a new scratchplate for 2 humbuckers. Always wanted to do that to that guitar. Can't wait to see pics of it!

Drew · #5 01-07-2005, 03:22 PM

godfather, I always felt that way too, never a big fan of the H-S-H arrangement, and I dig the middle position sounds from my 7620. But you know, now that I've got one, it's kind of cool- a true single coil has a much different response than a parallel 'bucker (something I was never big on with the H-H layout) and it's a cool option to have. If I keep my 7620 (i think I will, but we'll see), then it's a sort of "best of both worlds" thing.

-D

Tubarão Guitars · #6 01-08-2005, 01:23 PM

Here's mine:
http://br.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/tub...lbum?.dir=3074
The sound of the BLAZEs are amazing!
Tubarão.

Gresh · #7 01-08-2005, 07:12 PM

Hey Drew,

I still have the H-H pickguard for that guitar. To be honest, the guitar looks fifty times better stock and it sounds much better too. I hated the way it looked with the H-H set up, didn't much think about the middle coil that much...until I put it back in.

If you want the H-H guard, let me know.

Drew · #8 01-10-2005, 10:59 AM

Gresh- thanks for the offer, but I'll be leaving this one as is, I think- I've always liked the look of H-H guitars, but I can't picture this one without the middle single coil, and the position 4 split sounds alone are worth keeping the single in there- better than my 7620's middle position, tapped (both leading coils). This is just a great-sounding guitar- thanks man! *raises beer*

Got a few pictures online over at the www.extendedrangeguitar.com user gallery (all you seven stringers should check the place out, by the way):

Closeup of the body:
http://www.extendedrangeguitar.com/i...2eb252d806e7e7

With my amp:
http://www.extendedrangeguitar.com/i...2eb252d806e7e7

The "family"- the UV, a 7620VK, my '97 USA Standard Strat, and a Martin MC-16GTE
http://www.extendedrangeguitar.com/i...2eb252d806e7e7

I think the thing I like about the Blaze II's is, frankly, they're the sound I'm used to- I'd say about 90% of the recorded seven string guitar I've ever heard was a Blaze II in an Universe. It's very familiar- clear, full, and powerful as hell (I used to run gain between 5 and just under 6 for my lead sounds with my AN/TZ-equipped 7620, but with the Blazes I find I'm around 4, maybe just a hair over- part of it is the extra output, but a lot of it is just the fact that they're much more balanced sounding than the AN/TZ- they don't need as much gain to sound full and saturated. I've never been a super-mega-distortion fan, so for me the fact that I can dial up cleaner lead tones with these pickups is a big plus.

-D

ukwan · #9 01-10-2005, 01:46 PM

the UV7PWH is deffinatly on my "wishlist", im throwing up between a EBMM JPM7 and a UV7PWH as my next major purchase, wont be for a good few years coz im a music student at the moment, but no harm in planning ahead.

marianozz · #10 01-10-2005, 02:02 PM

I got a green one, and i sure wouldnt mind a white one to keep it company

congrats!!!

Flobanez · #11 02-13-2005, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drew

So I guess I'm official (which is ironic- I've been listening to Vai less and less of late, and now I find myself with a quasi-sig model of his)- the thing showed up a day earlier than I expected.

gotta keep this quick, as I'm writing from work and it's a busy day, but god damn... The thing's noticeably more resonant than my 7620, and I'm not sure if it's that or the pickups (Blaze as opposed to AN/TZ- my guess is a combination of the two), but this thing KILLS- easily the heaviest sounding seven I've ever played. Through my Nomad 45 2x12, it's very ALS-esq (the only Vai tone I'm really that enamoured with) with maybe a little more... Idunno. It's just an incredibly alive sounding guitar, huge yet clear bass response, explosive (yet still smooth) treble, and while the mids are quite a bit scooped in the Blazes as opposed to the Air Norton and (especially) the Tone Zone, I'm playing such a mid-heavy amp that this is actually kind of a good thing- I just backed off the gain a touch, nudged the mids up about a quarter or half number on the third channel, and I was good to go.

It'll take me a while to get used to the smaller fretwire, and I do miss the AANJ a bit (slightly compounded by the fact that after throwing on the obligatory cliplock strap, even with it tightened all the way up it's still about an inch lower than I'm used to- weird, I'm 6' and never felt as if I wore my guitar unusually high), but man, I think I'm in love.

Pics of the family after the weekend,

-D

Cool! I just got one too! They are simply the best UV's.

simonargento · #12 02-13-2005, 10:51 PM

the best seven in the planet

Drew · #13 02-14-2005, 02:36 PM

Yeah, I've spent just over a month playing the hell out of this one now, and while I miss the AANJ, I'm thoroughly impressed. The neck profile feels great, now that I'm used to them I prefer the smaller frets, and maybe it's just the picguard and front routing, but it's just so much more resonant than my 7620.

If I was to design my own signature guitar, I'd want it to play and sound quite a lot like this one.

cheers, Steve!

(if anyone's interested, I wrote an in-depth comparison of this and my 7620 over at www.extendedrangeguitar.com that might make an interesting read for owners of either - they're both great but surprisingly different seven string guitars)

-D

ibzbr · #14 03-16-2005, 10:04 AM

congrats on the guitar. It's really a nice axe. I have one too, and comparing the sound and feel to my RG7620 is so strange. THe UV7PWH almost has a soul

Lately many UV7PWH are showing up in Brazil. I know at least 4 people who has one (marina and tubarao are jemsiters also

)

Allen Garrow · #15 03-16-2005, 10:18 AM

Hey Drew congrats! You know the old UV's have a sound that just can't be copied. I think it has alot to do with the way the old pickups are made. They are mounted on a brass base, the new ones are on Phenolic. The Phenolic helps eliminate feedback and whatever,,,but there is a noticable difference to me anyway. I've swapped out pickups before thinking that I was getting something cooler. And man,,that growl just sort of dissappeared with the new models. So many cool things about the old school UV's,,, paint was thicker plus I think the older they get the better they sound.

Congrats man! The White one is one of my faves!

~A