7-string Strat?

Two hands31 · #1 01-12-2004, 03:54 PM

I'm looking for information on this mostly out of curiosity, and partly out of G.A.S.

See, I have a problem. I love 7-strings, but I'm not really happy with the feel and sound of my Schecter Revenger-7 now that the novelty of the 7th string has worn off. I'm finding more and more often that I pick up my Squier Strat with the DiMarzio Super Distortion in it that I love so dearly. It just plays and sounds so nice to me. I only have a few more mods to do on it (wiring, new pots/switches, block bridge, straplocks, maybe new pickguard, probably not) and I'll be 100% happy with it. Considering this was an uber-cheap guitar, I'm amazed by it to this day, and so are many people who play it (except my friend who's a Gibson/PRS junky). So I started looking at options for 7-string Strats. I know Squier made a couple (the Fat Strat and Fat Strat H-H) and I considered custom (not sure where from though), but I don't have any money to spend on one at the moment anyways.

Then I remembered that years ago (80s? earlier?) Fender made a 7-string Strat, I remember reading about it and seeing it in a book on unusual guitars I got out of my local library. What I'm wondering is if anyone has any pictures or information on it. When was it made? What are the specs? Why was it made? How many exist(ed)?

And I don't mean the Squier 7-strings that came out a few years ago.

caprile · #2 01-12-2004, 04:44 PM

I think Fender made some 7 string strats for the self proclaimed "Maestro" Alex Gregory.

revsharp777 · #3 01-12-2004, 04:58 PM

I believe Fender made less than 3 of these & most belong to Alex Gregory. He has the patents on electric 7-strings. For more info, go to www.pentasystem.com

Drew · #4 01-12-2004, 05:47 PM

Well, there's some guy with an absolutely massive 7-string collection that most of the site thinks is a prick for one reason or another (probably all the guitars, for those of us who don't know him, and probably his CHARMING personality, for those of you who do) whos' got two of them.

My strat sounds massive (like, earth shaking in the clean channel. Unreal) in B tuning, so the idea of a 7-string strat has definately occured to me... I'm looking to have a alder-bodied 7-string done up in the VERY near future (I'll hear about a job i just applied for middle of this week that would come with a VERY hefty salary increase- still not massive by any means, but much better than retail at Banana Republic, even with the discount

Anyway, if I get that, my "congradulations to self" present is gonna be to pick up a 7620 and have it turned into a custom.) So, that's always a possibility... Grab yourself a 7-string RG, a vintage-style 7-string bridge, two 7-string single's and a humbucker, and send it off to EKG or LGM to have it turned into a strat-like RG...

-D

darren wilson · #5 01-12-2004, 05:59 PM

I know it's not a real Fender, but Squier had the Stratocaster VII for a couple of years. I'd kinda like to pick one up. They weren't too bad for a made-in-China guitar, and they were cheap.

Two hands31 · #6 01-13-2004, 12:16 AM

Yea, Squier's been what I've been looking at too. I'd likely want a hardtail, or block the bridge anyways, and pickups can be replaced if needed.

The Dark Wolf · #7 01-13-2004, 04:52 AM

I have a Squier 7 as my backup guitar. Not too bad. The neck actually feels SO good, altho the frets are a tad small. The sound is ok. Very clear, just like Drew likes.

Thing is, tastes SURE are different. I never play it. I much prefer the sound of my (mahogany

) 2027. It's pretty much all I play. Even when I've jammed with guys with PRS's and Brian Moore's (Other guitarist in my band has one. Very nice. HE wants a 7 now tho

) I never play them, or even have a desire to. The 2027 just sounds and plays perfect to me. But, all that being said, the Squier 7's aren't too bad, aside from the cheap Floyd licensed bridge (eh. Not horrible, but not great by any means) and the lousy stock pickups. Get some new pickups, and a fixed bridge model, and you might have a winner. IMHO

Scott of Actual Time · #8 01-13-2004, 09:22 AM

i gigged two of the hardtail H-H 7 string Squier Strats for over a year [not the Stagemaster reverse headstock metal axes, but the real pickguard Strats. the "Stratocaster VII" and the Fat Strat 7 (HSS w/ trem) or Double Fat Strat 7HT (HH w/ hardtail) are the same guitar -- they all say "Stratocaster VII" on the headstock]. they were made in Indonesia with bodies of agathis hardwood. i replaced the tuners, made a bunch of custom tortoise and pearloid pickguards myself, and replaced the pickups with TZ7 and Rio Grande singles. [small pic: http://www.his.com/~sha3u/gear/stratviisb.jpg ].

they sounded pretty good -- not as sharp as my maple/mahogany Dean EVO, but a rounder tone that was good for smooth medium gain things [they got muddy with a full-on metal crunch sound]. the neck and fretwork were surprisingly clean. the body on my sunburst one was four pieces of wood edge-joined, but then again so is my 2027. i always wondered what the Strat would sound like with an alder body made of only two pieces of wood, so even after i quit gigging them and sold my black one, i kept the sunburst one with the thought of routing a body someday.

they are definately worth checking out if you don't mind swapping the pickups and tuners. they made them in sunbrust, metallic black, and a metallic purple [now there's a good candidate for a custom body!

].

darren wilson · #9 01-13-2004, 10:14 AM

Hey, if you're ever thinking of parting with that Sunbust one...

Two hands31 · #10 01-29-2004, 07:43 AM

Anyone know how much it would cost approximately to make a 7-string Baritone Strat custom with these specs and who could make it?

Strat body, alder, black
hardtail
black/white/black pickguard
H-S-S pickups (I'm thinking Tom Anderson)
maple neck
rosewood fretboard
dot inlays
normal Strat headstock
1 volume, 1 tone, coil tap for bridge HB, 5-way selector

I'm not really considering getting one made right this second, but I want to know about how much money it would cost and how hard/easy it would be to get it made so I can sorta save up

darren wilson · #11 01-29-2004, 08:49 AM

Probably wouldn't be too bad, price-wise. The most expensive part would probably be the pickups, especially if you picked Andersons.

What i find baffling is why Warmoth doesn't make 7-strings with their standard body and headstock templates. You only get the choice of two body styles and one headstock.

I'd love to do a sunburst 7-string Strat like Scott's (only with a pearloid or tortoiseshell guard).

sam669 · #12 01-29-2004, 08:50 AM

I think you could get good prices from http://www.ranguitars.com/_en/index.htm and from http://www.shamray.net/news/show.pl

Two hands31 · #13 01-29-2004, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darren wilson

Probably wouldn't be too bad, price-wise. The most expensive part would probably be the pickups, especially if you picked Andersons.

What i find baffling is why Warmoth doesn't make 7-strings with their standard body and headstock templates. You only get the choice of two body styles and one headstock.

I'd love to do a sunburst 7-string Strat like Scott's (only with a pearloid or tortoiseshell guard).

Agreed on all counts, Warmoth needs to work on that

As for that sunburst idea, I like it

What I'd probably end up doing is going for the Squier Fat Strat 7 (if I can find one when I have some money this summer hopefully) and replacing one (bridge) or all of the pickups and blocking the trem.

See, what I'm trying to go for is the look of Jag Tanna's (I Mother Earth) custom Strats cuz they're just friggin' beautiful

And the Fat Strat 7 is already damn close, just needs better pickups

Jim Soloway · #14 01-29-2004, 01:35 PM

Take a look on ****. Matt Raines, who is an excellent 7 string player, is selling a new 7 string Strat that he's having built as a utllity guitar. I haven't seen one, but Matt seems to know what he's doing. He's been developing a line of fairly inexpensive import 7 strings with a classical and a steel string acoustic along with the Strat (I believe he calls it a Mattocaster).

Scott of Actual Time · #15 02-02-2004, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darren wilson

I'd love to do a sunburst 7-string Strat like Scott's (only with a pearloid or tortoiseshell guard).

oh, i have those!

i made router templates and carved for weeks, making stacks of white ones before i cut the expensive pearloid and tortoise plastic ( http://www.his.com/sha3u/gear/stratvii-tortoise.jpg ). i doubt i'll ever part that guitar out, even though i don't play it much, because it was just so cheap to buy -- i did sell my black one a year or so ago on *bay. those phat Rio Grande singles may find their way into something else eventually.

Quote:

Originally Posted by darren wilson

What i find baffling is why Warmoth doesn't make 7-strings with their standard body and headstock templates. You only get the choice of two body styles and one headstock.

and their 7 string stuff is a wierd in-between scale length, like 25" or something. their site says they're open to custom work, but that must apply only to 6 strings since they were completely unreceptive when i e-mailed them about any 7 string stuff in 25.5" scale.

the "Mattocaster" on *bay looks neat, he's definately got the right idea, but those crazy-angled single coils look awful.