Entry-level 7-strings? - Your thoughts...

[darren wilson]

So i was out looking at guitars the other day (go figure). Seven-string guitars have intrigued me for a while, and while i'm fairly certain i could make use of the extended range in my music, i don't really want to lay out a huge pile of cash to see if i like it enough to dedicate myself to playing a "seven".

One guitar that caught my eye was the Squier Standard Fat Strat 7. It sells for about CAD$369 (about USD$250) and it actually seemed to be a pretty decent guitar for the money.

Now, before everyone gets all "Squier sucks and if it doesn't have a LoPro Edge and DiMarzios, it's junk" on me, i'll just describe a bit about the guitar...

• It's definitely not a pro-quality instrument. It's made in Indonesia and has some minor fit-and-finish issues.
• The finish has visible streaks in it when you hold it up to the light (like the clearcoat was applied with a brush and not fully buffed).
• The frets have some sharp edges that overhang the fretboard a bit (easy enough to file those down), but were otherwise pretty well dressed.
• The neck was straight and true, and had a really pleasing, slightly rounded shape (not the "flat in the middle" feel i get from a UV or RG7 neck... i don't like that profile) and a fantastic natural very light satin finish... having broad hands and long fingers, i really love the feel of wider, slightly beefy necks.
• Hardware and electronics are pretty run-of-the-mill generic, but i've definitely seen worse, and stuff like that is easy enough to swap out. I don't abuse my trem, so a double-locking system isn't a terribly urgent requirement for the way i play.

For somebody who just wants to get a taste of playing a 7-string, i *think it would be a great instrument to pick up... the minor finish issues are things i can deal with, but it seemed like a pretty solid guitar otherwise.

However, i'm undecided whether to go with a cheap 7-string or just put 11-56 gauge strings on a 6 and tune it down.

What are others' experiences with entry-level 7-strings, and what are your thoughts on going with a 7 vs. a detuned 6?

[Two hands31]

Actually, I've tried the Squire Stagemaster 7 FR. *It's a Strat shaped body, no pickguard, vol, tone, 3-way switch, two hum's, reverse headstock, locking nut, 24-fret, and Floyd-Rose. *I loved it! *And at a cool $500 Canadian, it's a great bargain for a decent sounding and feeling guitar. *I'm aware it's no UV or even RG, but it's a good 7-string anyways. *It's very nice. *They also had a Fat Strat 7, which also didn't look to bad. *I say try out anything before you buy it. *If you like the sound and feel, go for it, and screw anyone who says you "should've waited for a UV" or something like that. *That's my motto, as long as you like it, it doesn't matter if it's a $10 Walmart guitar or a top of the line, blah, blah, blah, it's still good.

(edited to change 5-way switching to 3-way. *I checked the site and saw I screwed up. lol :loco: And to add the following)

And another thing I like about Fender/Squire instruments, especially the Strats, they are extremely upgradable. *I added a DiMarzio Super Distortion to my Squire Strat recently without any routing required. *

(Edited by Two hands31 at 4:41 pm on April 8, 2001)

[Kevan]

If you can find a Schecter w/a trem but w/o the super-clunky heel joint, score. *They have some nice tops too.

The other one I kinda liked was the S-series 7-string I saw at GC (I think it was a GC-Special; I don't remember the model number). *It had a nice trans blue top, but the LoTRS. *Still, a nice 7-string for fairly cheap.

Remember: *you get what you pay for. *That $250 Str*t will NOT have the same quality as a $500 Schecter or a $700 Ibanez. *
I promise.

[Todd Crawford]

I'm pretty sure you are correct on the GC Special for the trans. blue S7420 Kev, I've seen 2 at different GC's here in Atlanta. Shame they put such a nice finish on a TRS guitar :lame:

[Coolstu]

For a cheap entry-level 7-string I would recommend the Peavey Predator Plus ST7. They are aound £199 so they are probably the same price in Dollars.

I had a go on one after reading about them on this site and loved it, I walked out of the shop with it 30 minutes later after haggling the price down to £160.

It is a great guitar to play. The neck feels really nice and is not too chunky. The pickups are OK but are nothing special.

The build quality is amazingly good for a mass produced Korean guitar. It even looks OK with a titanium finish, pearl effect scratchplate.

If you are not too sure about 7's then this guitar is the perfect starting point.

[Noodles]

Quote: from Kevan on 4:46 pm on April 8, 2001
Remember: *you get what you pay for. *That $250 Str*t will NOT have the same quality as a $500 Schecter or a $700 Ibanez. *
I promise.

In most cases this is true but the new Kramer models slightly bend that rule. I have not tried the 7-string but I did own the 6-string version and it had nice slightly more rounded than the wizard1 kinda feel. I did not like their floyd trem but Squier's is not any better and will work fine blocked. The frets and and paint job was awesome. The body is like a slightly thicker saber body made of alder. All around a pretty sweet deal worth concidering.

[Andy J Dampier]

Ibanez has the new entry-level 7-string as well. (GX something...). I set one up the other day at the store I work at and I really liked it. It has a standard trem piece (Like a Strat), it's black and it's got 7-strings.

It plays pretty damn well, and it was easy as hell to set up, the sound is nothing shy of an RG7 as well. I'd go for one of those....I think they sell around $399, (Maybe that's list....can't quite remember)

[tagg 7]

I played a show just yesterday, and the opening band was using one of those. It sounded very not good. It was week and muddy. I didnt get a chance to shoot the breeze with the guitarist, but I doubt he changed the pickups. That would be first on my list if I wanted that guitar.
Oddly enough the closing band for that same show uses one of those GC blue S series guitars. It sounds just a little bit clearer than the way a 2027 comes, but not bad at all. Even with the dreaded Trs.
hummmm
anyway Ive played a Gx7. My advice is to stay away, or just open your wallet and give me the money :rotf:
No there just not a fun guitar they remind me of everyones first guitar type of thing.

buzz

[darren wilson]

I looked at the GX70 or whatever it's called and was not impressed at all. The hardware was cheapest of the cheap, and even the pickguard wasn't cut or beveled smoothly. And i really don't want a black guitar.

I don't particularly care for the look of the Peavey, and i can't believe they'd make a guitar with 21 frets.

Do any of you guys tune down your 6-string guitars?

[tagg 7]

Ive done just about every kind of down tuning. Right now My band is using just drop D. The good thing about drop D is you get a nice heavy sound, but still keep that 440 crunch. As for the other tunings I've found that once you get around C# the pickups tend to break down. The sound becomes too fuzzy. Up untill then it is nice to have the warm fuzzy sounds. Thats why they took the 7 string pickups forever to be developed. They had to have the ability to pickup that low sound and the high sound, which proved to be no easy task, and keep that good tone.
Anyway you should experiment maybe you'll like that fuzzyness that a extreamly detuned axe can give. If your using a hard tail you might want to bump up the strung gauge. Otherwise you'll get pretty flopy on the fret board.

buzz

[judasbane]

I've had my RG470 extra modified and down tuned to Bb (using 56, 46, 36, 24, 18P, and 12P strings) for the past few years since that's what my band plays in. Of course, I had to change the stock pickups to fully loaded EMG's and it is by far, the best sounding and heaviest sounding RG to my knowledge.
Maybe because of the pickups, I can shred with such a low tuning and have clarity and definition to the sound in the guitar.

Reg

[darren wilson]

Bb?! Man, that's deep!

Which EMG pickups are you using?

[judasbane]

Darren, I have 81 on the bridge, SA in the middle, and 85 on the neck. I also have an EMG preamp booster installed on this guitar as well, which boosts up the guitar signal up to 20db; although i modified it to be boosted up to at least 10db
Reg

[trajectory fish]

i think at this point, its important to know wether you're interrested in using the seven string for extended range, or for added low end in particular.

[judasbane]

bchaney, that's what i've been doing for the past few years. Just not enough $ to get a universe