Best 7 String guitar for the Money

[LaPerraLoca]

Hi, im Alan, Ive playing guitar for 7 years or so... I have a Gibson "The Paul", SG-400 Epiphone, PRS SE Custom 21, and a tube amp, tube screamer, etc.

I play mostly metal, and i play lots of Drop-C, Drop-B songs, with some standard, thats why i have 3 guitars.

now i want something new, all started because i wanted a floyd rose, and EMG, so i was thinking of going ESP, but then i whought it wouldnt be something really new, ( besides the Floyd Rose, that i have never played )
And thats when i realized that i want to go 7 string, with or without floyd rose, so either way it feels like a different guitar some how.

so im kind of between this models: RG7321, RGA7321, RGD7320z, and ESP SC-207, SC-607B

Because, they are the ones, that my local store can get.

I know, that Almost ALL ppl, complain, about the pickups suck on this "entry level ibanez guitars" but ppl who complain, often own a crappy amp, use Boss Metal-zone, or some Crappy Digitech MultiEffects. or a mix of all of them. LOL

SO I BEEN READING FOR DAYS, And i think i didnt find any usefull info, so, i decided to register and ask.

THE RGD7320z Kinda stole my eye, because its new, its kind of different, it has floyd rose, so kills two birds in one shot, but i dont know much about the Edge-Zero II-7 bridge w/ZPS3Fe . i played the RG7420 with floyd rose and the tuning was a nightmare, and all ppl say this MIJ Ibanez are the best. i thinkg it was kinda crappy.

The Only Problem with the RGD7320z, is that i dont find a usefull review anywere!!, that and the fact that its more expensive, and it seem too have almost the same features, except for the extended range and floyd rose.

For the same money of the RGD7320z i can almost buy both the RG7321 and the RG470 ahz (floyd rose )

or buy the RG7321 and buy new pickups...

pd. im around the price range of the rgd7320z


so, thanks for reading, i hope you can give me a hand, hint, tip, advice, or a funny reply.

 

[Konfyouzd]

All those RG7s are going to be damn near the same short of the bridge/electronics. If you're willing to go used I would get one of the older MIJ Ibby's over ANY of those unless you want the 26.5" scale of the RGD.

I don't know anything about any of the other guitars you mentioned.

 

[Vostre Roy]

Hi, im Alan

Hi Alan! Welcome

I know, that Almost ALL ppl, complain, about the pickups suck on this "entry level ibanez guitars" but ppl who complain, often own a crappy amp, use Boss Metal-zone, or some Crappy Digitech MultiEffects. or a mix of all of them. LOL

In fact, it depends of wich pickups you are talking. Most will say that the stock pickup sucks when you compare them to better ones (DiMarzio, BareKnuckle, EMG or Seymour Duncan). They don't necesserely suck, but there is better after market pickups (that being said, some people here could tell you that they love the Ibby's stock pups. Its all about taste).

As far as the choice of the guitar, I highly suggest that your try them all extensively. Ibanez have thin neck, you might like that feature. The LTD SC have a middle pup that some people think it gets annoying because he is located where you are picking. Also look at the scale lenght of each model, with the 7th string you might want a longer scale lenght (like the SC-607B offers) or a regular scale lenght because you are more used to it.

The best 7 string guitar for the money? The one that suits you the best. I haven't played much of those models (I'm more of a Schecter guy), so others might give you their personnal preference and why they like them, but bottom-line, the best way to know it to try them as much as you can

 

[LaPerraLoca]

The problem is that Im Mexican ( well hahaha that's not the problem ) i live in puebla, mexico and big guitar shops doesn't exist here, so testing guitars it's not possible... :'(
I have to research and then order my new girl.

And this is the research part of it.
I have played the rg74xx with LoTrs Trem and it was my first 7 experience, I liked, but Trem went out of tune so badly and so easy, that I got disappointed of the guitar. This one was also MIJ. I can't really tell the difference being MIJ or not. I don't know a lot of tremolos Floyd rose, etc. but this was a nightmare. Broke 2 strings, tuning went off every time
I used the Trem. I believe this is not what anyone wants out from a MIJ guitar and Trem


Thank you

 

[LaPerraLoca]

I cant try them out, the only ibbiz here, are the RG7321 and the RG470Ahz. thats why im asking here, to ppl that may know a thing or two.

thanks

 

[Vostre Roy]

I cant try them out, the only ibbiz here, are the RG7321 and the RG470Ahz. thats why im asking here, to ppl that may know a thing or two.

thanks

Its all good mate, thats what this forum is for, having other people's opinions. I'm actually in the same boat, I'm in Canada and I don't live near a big city, so the only 7 strings available here where some Ibanez and a couple of Schecters. The best is to try the ones that are the closest to your choices and need.

And if you want my opinion, for what its worth, I'd go with the SC-607B because I don't mind the middle pup and I prefer longer scale lenght. And I'm not a fan of Ibanez at all, but thats just me.

Cheers!

 

[LaPerraLoca]

Vostre Roy! I feel I already know you! I think I have read your threads. Yeah we are on the same boat.
I'm not sold on any brand. That's the ones I can get easy.
Have you tried any?
Because ppl are always arguing about the muddy pickups, but I dont know if it's a fact.
I have read about the Rga7 being really really muddy, even with other pickups.
I also think ppl don't get the use of the eq switch on that guitar

 

[Stealthdjentstic]

Rg 7620 with a pickup replacement = most bang for buck

 

[Vostre Roy]

Well IMO, any pickups made by a guitar maker (Schecter, Ibanez, ESP and so on..) will sound muddier than a guitar that have EMG, DiMarzio or Seymour Duncan in them. Like I said, I'm far from being the best reference when it comes down to Ibanez, the only ones I've tried are the ARZ-307, RGA 7 & 8 and an RG7321. All of them had stock Ibanez pickups and I disliked them, but pickups are easy to change so you can always go forward with one of them and change de pickups after some time if you like the feel of those guitars.

Does the RGA 7 would sound muddy with ANY pickups, I highly doubt that. You got to get a good pickups combination for what you want to play, aswell as choosing them while keeping in mind that certain pickups will sound better in certain wood combination. This forum is very helpful when it comes down to choose the best pickups for your guitar, especially with any Ibanez as they are very popular here.

As an example, I went down to buy the Hellraiser C-7 from Schecters, knowing that I would probably dislike the pickups in it (I can't stand active pups). Sadly enough, I was right and I'll go forward soon and change my 707 for some passive DiMarzio or Seymour Duncan. Keep in mind that the pickups are probably the most major element when it comes down to the sound of the guitar. I changed the stock Duncan Designed (poor man's Seymour Duncan) that were in my 006 elite, now this thing is a killer death metal machine.

Hopes that help, I ain't no profesionnal, just a passionate ahaha

 

[Lord_Kain]

I have a 7321 with the new bridge and its damn solid for 400 bucks brand new

 

[painless6505]

Agile Interceptor Pro 727... great bang for your buck!

 

[cap-tan]

ESP/LTD MH-417. Absolutely amazing guitar for the money.

 

[otisct20]

MH-417, it's an amazing guitar.

 

[vampiregenocide]

I'd personally go for one of the Ibanez models because I prefer Ibby. It's just a case of whether you want the baritone scale or not. I have a 7321 and that's pretty damn solid. Very good first 7.

 

[kylendm]

I'm an Ibanez lover but I just got a MH-417 and I have to say it's much better than the 7321 and the 7421 I've played.

 

[Spaceman_Spiff]

Rg 7620 with a pickup replacement = most bang for buck

So much this.

Out of those I would say RG7321 because you can mod the shit out of those. Although I hate the new Gibraltar Bridge.

 

[KAMI]

ibanez s7420

 

[Djent]

Agile FTW

 

[Konfyouzd]

@ PerraLoca. I just realized what your name says.

 

[Brujo665]

I own a RG7321 and I personnally go through periods of loving it and hating it. I read online that you have to do some modifications to fit active pickups, and I personally love active pickups, so I compromised and put dimarzio d-activators in it to give it the active sound and they fit with no modifications. So the RG7321 is a great guitar in my opinion if you like ibanez'. It plays nice and feels comfortable, I have one of the older bridges and from time to time it gets uncomfortable. All in all I'd recommend the guitar, it's affordable, and mod-able, feels great, plays great, over all good guitar!