THE ULTIMATE 7 STRING

Exotic Shredding · #1 07-26-2002, 01:52 AM

http://members.aol.com/avantguarderocks/norton.jpg

After 2 years in the works, my dream axe has arrived! Designed and carefully planned down to every possible detail. 7 strings, 7 octaves. It goes REALLY high. (way above the third octave E on the highest string) Sounds clip are coming as soon as i get them recorded and uploaded. The response is beyond any guitar ive ever played, and the clarity is just scary. Especially on the low strings.Tone Zone 7 in the bridge with a 3 way coil tap. I can also change the pickup to a new one in about 60 seconds. No more crazy wiring on this guitar! Or i can plug the pickup directly into a board...talk about DI. Finish done by none other than Darren at ATD. Im going to have more details and specs and pictures shortly on the site. Just needed to post. Unreal! Ive been in a daze all day! Unreal. Oh yeah...everything moves and is "snap-on." Basically i can move the 2 body sides to a 90 degree anglewithout disrupting the play! The sister to this guitar is gonna be electric/acoustic/midi...cant wait for that one either!!!!

Keep rocking!
http://avantguarde.net/

foureyezonme · #2 07-26-2002, 06:17 AM

Woah...

Ladies and gentleman, we have a badass...

Nick

Drew · #3 07-26-2002, 01:45 PM

That's, um....

Hmm.

Let's put it this way; i'd never own it.

But, MAAAAN.....

...

that's crazy. I wanna see pics of that thing used live. or rather, the crowd's stunned reaction.

I've also heard really good things about the acoustical properties of aluminum; is that what the body is made of? Anyway, CRAAAAZY axe.

-Drew

Exotic Shredding · #4 07-26-2002, 07:38 PM

Yeah, its aluminum. Body sides are mahogany with a rosewood on maple neck and ebony extension.

Two hands31 · #5 07-27-2002, 02:31 AM

...and "EXOTIC SHREDDING" lives up to his name.

Nice guitar!

GuitarGod1036 · #6 07-27-2002, 10:55 AM

Man, if that's your dream axe, I'd hate to think about your nightmares....

It is unique though.

Man, if you could just install some pyros near the bottom strap pin. Then you could do rocket ship blast-off stuff too! hehe....

BTW, what did the rejected guitar plans look like??!!

Exotic Shredding · #7 07-27-2002, 05:09 PM

Hey,
There wasn't "rejected designs" , more or less changes and evolutions. The main rejection was from string companies. We inquired about making strings from a new material that could respond to tension better. We were going into mathematical formulas for strings to see if we would keep the scale length...but have the strings an octave higher all around. Some earlier body designs were much sharper, different cut, etc... I really enjoy the current body shape, its very comfortable to hold.

BucketBot · #8 07-28-2002, 05:11 PM

Interesting. Hopefully now Norton guitars will use the money you paid for that to finally pay my girlfriend the $5000 they owe her for the website she was contracted to build that they had someone else redo and make it crappy! They also might be able to pay some of the back wages they owe one of my friends who use to work for them!

btw, congrats on the axe.

Exotic Shredding · #9 07-29-2002, 01:56 AM

Yeah, their website is in need of serious help. The previous was much better. I have heard some intersting stories. Not sure what to believe. They are a very new company though, with a non-standard method. Hopefully they will turn into a really dependable and great axe builder, or at least custom shop.

Drew · #10 07-29-2002, 01:08 PM

I like the fretless extension- just noticed that. good touch. I still think i'd be afraid to play the thing- it looks like it might bite me or something. insane axe, though.

The thing that really scares me is your OTHER guitar is a jaw-droppingly beautiful 2027. Jackel and Hyde, anyone?

-Drew

WYLD STALLYNS · #11 07-29-2002, 03:18 PM

that is awsome, how much was that?
give more specs

Exotic Shredding · #12 07-29-2002, 04:40 PM

Hey drew, 2027? Oh yeah from the page, i was so impressed when that grain came through the pictures like that. I got lucky with a nice top. The sister axe to this wild one is going to be more like my 2027, dual pickup w/ piezo, also midi. Probably have that one in the fall.

The fretless extension is cool, except you really can't hear it unless you play through a hot amp channel. I had the tone shaped specifically for my rig. If you listen to Uli Jon Roth, he has done something similar. (yeah i sweat his sky guitar...)
Basically as for specs, its all directly from personal taste. The scale is 24 7/8 " with a 12" radius. Similar to a Gibson Explorer. The low string tuned to B or A stays very tight, and has amazing snap. Incredibly crips. I will have sounds up soon. The frets..forgot their number but they are similar to medium gibsons but higher. I also use a pretty close string spacing. Mahogany body sides with anything shiny being aluminum. The tubes are hollow. The increase resonation incredibly. The guitar is much louder unplugged than my others. Three-way coip tap, volume, and a tone. The other switch is dead for now. Stayed simple on this one, compared to my crazy 2027 wiring. (12 different settings on the pickups...) Aside from that everything else is just finer details, sizes, etc... Everything moves though. The body comes apart to leave just the neck and tubes. Pickups can be changed in about 1 minute. (such a big advantage to standard wiring...) I can also raise and lower everything's individual height from underneath the parts instead of messing with setting screw. Pretty intersting design. Norton guitars make other guitars with tubes. They can make some pretty exotic items. I've never played their standard guitars though. None of them go as high, and all have standard features. I bet they have the same responsiveness and tone increase though. Check em out- www.nortonguitars.com

MorbidAngel · #13 07-29-2002, 05:09 PM

The body looks like the front of a jackson Warrior!

neat, I was expecting more though from how you described it
oh well still a killer axe I'd love to own it though maybe I would have gotten a custom EMG for the bridge

oh well

good stuff

Chris

Reaper · #14 07-29-2002, 09:00 PM

Oh dear, what did they do to that thing! It certainly looks unique.

guitarkatana · #15 07-30-2002, 12:04 AM

Awesome axe. Nothing beats a custom instrument.