Prestige set-neck 7?

[darren wilson]

With the 7-string market becoming a bit smaller and more focused, how about one or two seven strings in each major category? (Maybe a budget/midrange model and something in the Prestige range.)

We've already got the AJ307 steel-string acoustic, AF207 archtop and the RG and AX solidbody bolt-ons. I think for modern rock/jazz/fusion/whatever players who don't care much for the RG's pointiness are left with the AX7221, which isn't a bad guitar, but not a great one, either.

Why not a 7-string set-neck Artist model with 27" scale and woods geared specifically for clarity and depth. (Alder/walnut/bubinga?) Just a thought.

Hey, and why not a production 7-string classical/nylon-string?

It'd be really nice if Ibanez maintained its leadership role in making 7-string guitars accessible for those of us who can't quite afford a custom-built boutique guitar for every purpose.

[Drew]

Originally Posted by darren wilson

Why not a 7-string set-neck Artist model with 27" scale and woods geared specifically for clarity and depth. (Alder/walnut/bubinga?)

Hell, why not an RG with woods geared speifically for clarity and depth? Basswood's actually pretty balanced, but I don't understand why normally the only other wood option Ibanez offers for their 7's is Mahogany- it's too "middy" and just doesn't have the presence or depth to really capture runs on the low B. My alder strat tuned down to B sounds massive, and while U haven't gotten my hands on a walnut or bubinga bodied guitar yet, I'm itching to check one out both in standard and dropped tuning to see how it could cope with the wider range of tones...

Anyway, i second this suggestion. If there's a company that does 7's better than Ibanez does with their Prestige series, I haven't found it, and I'd love to see them make the most of this reputation.

-Drew

[trajectory fish]

I think a classical 7 string would be awesome, though I'm proabably only one of a few who would go for it Heck, pretty much all that's on my wish list right now is a (quality!) acoustic 7-string. . .

[BucketBot]

Originally Posted by Drew

If there's a company that does 7's better than Ibanez does with their Prestige series, I haven't found it...
-Drew

(cough) Conklin (cough)
Yeah, I know they're expensive but...you get what you pay for.
I just ordered a custom Conklin. I've never played a Conklin "guitar" but I have palyed a Conklin custom 8 string bass and it was unreal!

Sorry Ibanez, but you have a long way to go.
Yes, I know Ibanez is geared towards the "main stream"(or to be more precise, "marketable") but I'm a convert.

Just my opinion.

[Drew]

Oh, right... I never think of those guys as a "guitar" company, but as a "multi-stringed guitar-like instrument" company.

I'm REALLY curious about the multi-radius fretboards they do. you going with one of those? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughs on it when it arrives, I've never found one in my area to try out (except, ironically enough, the time i saw John Mayer in a small coffeehouse out here two years ago. He was still pretty small back then, so maybe if I'd asked he'd have let me give the thing a try, but alas i didn't have the balls, lol...)

Interesting.

-D

[btweensunandmoon]

i think their price is...shall we say...a bit too extreme! Come on...3800 for the base 7 string. Highway robbery in my opinion. I've played one of their 7 strings about 4 months ago. The guy who owned it was in the local music store looking for a practice amp. Coincidently he drove a nice BMW. Some people have all the luck. I did have the balls to ask him to try it and he was cool about it. He gave me 10 solid minutes on the thing. No doubt that its a finely crafted instrument. The sound and sustain is impressive. You can definately tell the huge difference from lets say....an rg550 or some middle priced instrument. I'm not so sure about a jem, universe or j custom though. I'd say playability and sound is about the same. The conklin neck did not feel as good as the UV or the j-custom 8527. His was fixed bridge but i'm sure these guys are putting original floyd 7s on these guitars and thats a step down from the lo pro. So you shell out 2000+ more for a guitar that is about the same as the highest end ibanez with a less functioning trem. To each his own i guess. My custom is going to cost less than half of that, will have a lo pro, and will play every bit as well i bet. Geez. I'd rather take the extra 2 grand and buy a new living room set. The multi radius fingerboard thing is a heap too. Either someone can play or they cant. I'd laugh if someone said they couldnt play as well on a certain guitar because the fingerboard wasnt multi radius.

[BucketBot]

Originally Posted by Drew

Oh, right... I never think of those guys as a "guitar" company, but as a "multi-stringed guitar-like instrument" company.

I'm REALLY curious about the multi-radius fretboards they do. you going with one of those? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughs on it when it arrives, I've never found one in my area to try out (except, ironically enough, the time i saw John Mayer in a small coffeehouse out here two years ago. He was still pretty small back then, so maybe if I'd asked he'd have let me give the thing a try, but alas i didn't have the balls, lol...)

Interesting.

-D

Your right about them being more of a multi srting "guitar-like" company. Sorry, I had a bit to drink last night and I was feeling a tad proud. It's kind of a different beast altogether.
I just went for the most normal I could get(well, I guess it is an 8 string so I'm not sure that's normal). No fanned frets or anything. One bridge humbucker one volume knob. Fixed bridge since I don't really care for trems. Birds eye maple board, trans black over a really nice looking swamp ash body(I absolutely loved the look and tone of my old Swamp ash N-4). Not to expensive in my opinion either. Under $3000 for exactly what I wanted.
I've been talking to a bunch of different companies about building an 8(Warrior, Abyss, etc) and Conklin was the only one that had the best deal and gave the most freedom. It may take a little longer to build(I'll have it in about 12 weeks) but they start from a blank piece of wood and not pre-cut bodies and necks waiting to be assembled.

[vaijem777]

Originally Posted by Drew

I'm REALLY curious about the multi-radius fretboards they do. you going with one of those? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughs on it when it arrives, I've never found one in my area to try out (except, ironically enough, the time i saw John Mayer in a small coffeehouse out here two years ago. He was still pretty small back then, so maybe if I'd asked he'd have let me give the thing a try, but alas i didn't have the balls, lol...)
-D

Are you sure you're thinking of Conklin? John Mayer uses a couple of 6-string Novax custom-made electrics that utilize Ralph Novaks' fanned fret system, but...I'm pretty sure he doesn't use any Conklins.

[Drew]

resurrecting a REALLY old topic-

Chris- yeah, it probably was a Novax. I was referring to the fanned fretboard, not the company, when I said "i saw him playing one..."

-D