K7 Tested

christianc · #1 05-28-2001, 01:25 AM

Hi Everyone!
I was at GC today and they had a K7 in stock. It took me a while, but I finally got someone to get it down for me. The one that they had in stock was the FireSpeak blue one. I can't get too detailed here because I only had about 30 minutes with the guitar. Here are my impressions of the guitar.

When I first came in, I thought it would be another boring day of the same old guitars. I didn't even notice the thing because right underneath it was a used royal blue rg7620. They looked the same and I thought they managed to get another royal blue one, but I noticed the K7 and I had to get it down.

I got a closer look at the finish of the guitar and it was flawless. The binding is on the neck and the headstock. The input jack is just like the Universe's. I would have to say that it weighs about the same as the current UV777BK.

I plugged into a LINE6 amp. I couldn't use any other amp because they were all being used but this amp has a nice setting on it called LINE6 Insane distortion and the guitar sounded really heavy. It was a little muddy because it was already tuned down to A and the nut was locked so I was stuck with the tunig. I tried the clean channel and sounded nice and warm. I will say that you can get a lot more sounds out of a Universe because they have a 5 way selector switch where as the K7 has a three way selector switch making it very Gibson like which doesn't bother me since I have an SG. As for the trem, I didn't have the bar but I palmed the thing as I always do, and really didn't feel that much different from an rg7620. Even the neck feels like the rg7620 IMO.

Would I buy this guitar? Yes I would! For me I can ignore the K7 at the 12th fret. Oh, I forgot to mention that the headstock also says K7 series.

Sorry for the long message, but I hope this helps you decide whether or not you should buy it.

Skaught · #2 05-28-2001, 01:27 AM

What makes this guitar worth the added cost over a 7620? (Assuming that your local store has one in stock of course)

mrthingyX · #3 05-28-2001, 06:37 AM

The angled Universe-style jack! You know how long people have been asking for those on RGs? LOL! *:biggrin:

stoopid · #4 05-28-2001, 09:59 AM

and the mahogany body! and real dimarzio pickups!

chilln2music · #5 05-28-2001, 07:33 PM

hey guys...what do you think about the mahogany body? don't you think with the low string things will get a little muddy? im thinking it will kick ass on the lead stuff but the rhythms wont be as crisp. just curious.

Exotic Shredding · #6 05-30-2001, 12:40 PM

Ok everyone...i played a K-7, the blue one, at WMC yesterday. *I didn't plug it on cause i was on my way out. *I was the first to say "what a waste" when they released it. *I own a hot-rodded 2027 and it blazes. *(to anyone who thinks mahogany makes it muddy...get real, i am counting down the days til my own model through norton arrives and its a 7 w/mahogany, on a short scale, NO MUD) *Anyways, damn let me say i was VERY IMPRESSED. *The neck on the K-7 is awesome! *Very fast, very fluid. *The U-bar is a cool concept, but i wouldn't be able to use it. *I need the real bar. Everytime i tried to raise the damn thing i was all over the fine tuners. *Nope, i need a trem bar floating by my hand. *Anyways, mahogany didn't way too much more than my 2027. *Neck was bound,and felt MUCH better than the universe. *It felt "softer" in away than the 2027. *I believe it has smaller frets... *That might be it. *In final *preliminary words, coming from a full metal-flag carrying, shred-head,who has very low regards for Korn...damn that guitar rocked. *Oh oh, aded note, i almost didnt noticce the stupid inlay. *That K-7 has got to go. *I didnt notice while i played, only when i moved the axe away from me. *It's a waste of inlay. *No inlay would be better. *Damn, the neck alone is worth more than the 7620. *I used to own a 7620 from the first run til i got the 2027. *THere is no comparison. *The neck is worth the money.

ryan · #7 06-01-2001, 01:07 AM

The mahogany body on a 7-string (or any guitar for that matter...) makes it MORE CRISP. *You get more sustain and much more high-end response. *You lose mud with the mahogany.

When I was playing with the Pod live, I had to have a different bank of presets for the RG-2027 cuz it would feed back more than my other guitars (which, aside from the wood are identical...)

RG7GUY · #8 06-01-2001, 02:33 PM

So is the K7 capable of producing good distortion? Does it sound clearer with the PAF7's instead of the blaze pickups when used with distortion? According to the dimarzio site, the PAF7's are 100 millivolts weaker than the blaze bridge model. Also, when you go into the info on the blaze neck model, it says the most recent guitars from ibanez that korn was ordering were being shipped with a pair of neck pickups. So is there anybody out there with PAF7's or a pair of neck pickups to give me an idea of what they sound like? *

eviltwin · #9 06-02-2001, 12:29 AM

Doesn't the K7 come with a regular whammy-bar as well as the U-bar?

Using the top hole, may even allow you to use an SRV/Hendrix "upside-down" bar, that would be very interesting, still, for SRV/Hendrix stuff you would need coil splitting.

Two hands31 · #10 06-02-2001, 12:18 PM

I don't know if it comes with the bar, but someone told me you can use the top hole for the regular bar. *Also, I once saw a picture (you may have too, it was in another thread) where someone had the u-bar in upside down. *This is the one thing that makes me want the K-7 more than the RG-7620 at a local guitar shop: *EXPERIMENTATION!!!! *The one thing I crave in my music. *Although I'll probably get the RG way before I ever even touch a K-7.

Noodles · #11 06-02-2001, 01:48 PM

I think it does come with a normal bar.

RG7GUY · #12 06-02-2001, 06:02 PM

ya it does. When you order from ibanez or an internet site like *************** or ********, you get both bars. In both those sites the K7's are like $1,350, so I think it'd be better to not order direct from ibanez. It's not worth it if you just want one of those seventh heaven video's you get when you order a 7 string from them. lol you can get one on ebay.

pawel · #13 07-27-2001, 08:51 AM

I played the K7 at the Musikmesse in Frankfurt, I didn't have a chance to plug it in but it really is a sweet guitar. I agree Exotic Shredding, the neck is really amazing. I remember picking up one of the RG7620s once and the 7 string neck striked me as too wide and unconfortable, but the K7 feels very natural, even for me, a strat player. And in addition you get the mahogany, the simple 3 way switch and one volume knob.... Great axe, if only not the K7 inlay.... If I were to buy a 7 string i'd probably go for a Universe, but this thing is still amazing. *

7stringer · #14 07-27-2001, 08:11 PM

Hmmmmm, Id have to say that the single knob, and three way selector switch is what really grabs me by the sack and makes me want to squirt!!! Come on, a 7620 is better and more versatile!!! And cheaper!!!!!

pawel · #15 07-28-2001, 01:52 PM

That's right, RG7 is more versatile and much cheaper, but if you pick up the K7 you know immediately that it's a pretty darn good guitar. I wouldn't buy it as my main player, but it's still a sweet axe.