Hey guys, I've always loved the Majesty since I was younger, being a Petrucci fan and whatnot and seeing guys like Jason Richardson play it to great success it always seemed like the perfect shred guitar to me. I've had various medium range guitars but got last year a Jackson HT7 Juggernaut USA and that was game changing to me. Therefore I wanna get another high end guitar, I love Guthrie and while not as appealing to me as the Majesty I love his Charvel. I managed to find 1 of each for exactly the same price...(literally the same price both just to make it harder) At the moment I'm keeping my Jackson in a really low tuning for my band but I'm likely to leave the UK soon. I could either get the Majesty and would sell the Jackson later when I leave or get the Charvel and keep the Jackson. While I do enjoy technical stuff the most, being able to play stuff like Mateus Asato would be nice too. Anyone can shed some light on these guitars? I'm really struggling, they both seem great. Btw, both guys offered me 2050£ delivered.
Help me decide: EBMM 2014 7 strings vs Guthrie's Charvel Sig
- Thread starter Wizeled
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odibrom
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EBMM 7 stringer, because of the name of this forum...
haha I didn't know where to post it being that one is a 7 and the other is a 6, apologies.
Very different guitars. Do you want a 6 or a 7 string? It all starts from there.
I really have no preference at the moment, I want a shred guitar really. Something I can use to develop my technique. Being a 7 it would just mean I would sell my current 7 when I left the country, being a 6 means I keep that 7 for when I need to play 7 string stuff. The GG seems to be more versatile?
I had a Govan Charvel and loved it. It's about as versatile as you could ask for. In fact, if I was only going to have one guitar and it was going to be a 6 string, that'd be the first thing that came to mind.
That said, the same could be said about a Majesty in terms of versatility—it can cover anything you need. I prefer 7s just because I like how the bigger necks feel, and I like how the extra string being "in the way" keeps my right hand tight. Even if I'm playing stuff that doesn't necessitate the low B, I play 7s the majority of the time. There are definitely people that approach 6s and 7s as different instruments—I'm not one of those people. I use them more as three guitars in one—one in B standard, one in E standard, and all 7 together.
Probably wasn't very helpful to you—they're both great guitars.
That said, the same could be said about a Majesty in terms of versatility—it can cover anything you need. I prefer 7s just because I like how the bigger necks feel, and I like how the extra string being "in the way" keeps my right hand tight. Even if I'm playing stuff that doesn't necessitate the low B, I play 7s the majority of the time. There are definitely people that approach 6s and 7s as different instruments—I'm not one of those people. I use them more as three guitars in one—one in B standard, one in E standard, and all 7 together.
Probably wasn't very helpful to you—they're both great guitars.
Appreciate the answer man and I do know how you feel about the 7 feeling better on your hands, I do feel the same as well but I feel that when I practice I don't really need a 7 string at the moment for the stuff of lead I play. It really is a tough choice!
I guess I'm in the minority. I think 6s and 7s are quite different and I play them quite differently.
The pickups are generally different. Lack of single coils and P90s which I prefer. Many 7 string guitars use high gain or uniquely EQ's pickups like Illuminators that sound like garbage to me for cleans or rock. They make every amp or every setting on my Kemper so terrible that I have to completely change all the settings just to make it passable, whereas my other 6 string guitars still all sound better.
7-string guitar construction can be different. The EBMM is a great choice. But many like Mayones sound gross (to me) for anything other than high gain or sterile cleans. I own (or have owned) a bunch of Mayones and they all sound great for high gain metal but nothing else. Again, that's just me.
The ergonomics are also quite different. Wider necks change my hand placement to a more classical thumb strictly behind the neck which is great for shred, but not for rock rhythm. You can't do many techniques that require thumb over like muting the low E or chording. It also changes certain bending techniques.
Lastly, I'm just inspired to play differently. Not everyone has this issue, but for me I pick up a Les Paul or a Strat and I'm in an entirely different mindset creatively than I am with a Mayones Regius 7.
YMMV
The pickups are generally different. Lack of single coils and P90s which I prefer. Many 7 string guitars use high gain or uniquely EQ's pickups like Illuminators that sound like garbage to me for cleans or rock. They make every amp or every setting on my Kemper so terrible that I have to completely change all the settings just to make it passable, whereas my other 6 string guitars still all sound better.
7-string guitar construction can be different. The EBMM is a great choice. But many like Mayones sound gross (to me) for anything other than high gain or sterile cleans. I own (or have owned) a bunch of Mayones and they all sound great for high gain metal but nothing else. Again, that's just me.
The ergonomics are also quite different. Wider necks change my hand placement to a more classical thumb strictly behind the neck which is great for shred, but not for rock rhythm. You can't do many techniques that require thumb over like muting the low E or chording. It also changes certain bending techniques.
Lastly, I'm just inspired to play differently. Not everyone has this issue, but for me I pick up a Les Paul or a Strat and I'm in an entirely different mindset creatively than I am with a Mayones Regius 7.
YMMV
Absolutely, that's how I feel as well when I pick up my Jackson and my Strat which I just sold. Maybe getting the Charvel would be a good thing since it would put me on a different mindset, I feel that the Majesty would be too "similar" to my Jackson if that makes sense. And you're right about the Mayones even with all the coil split and whatnot, I can't fathom anything other than metal being played on those...
Exactly. And let me be clear, I love my Regius 7 with BKP Impulse and piezo pickups. The cleans are great... for sterile metal interludes only. And they're light years better than the garbage that is the Juggs with coil split... which BTW I think sound better for metal when split.
But if you were to get a 7 that could do more than just chug, EBMM or the Charvel Angel Vivaldi sig would be a good choice.
In the end, buy what will make you happy. There's always the next purchase anyways with this hobby lol.
The problem is I intend to move around quite often so having too many guitars is going to be annoying hence why I'm still considering the Majesty, since it could cover pretty much all I wanna play to a certain degree. I could probably get more out of the Charvel + my Jackson though... Charvel for all the lead stuff I enjoy and the Jackson for all the technical djent bs I listen to. It's a tough call especially at the same price...
odibrom
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Oh, you got me wrong sir, I was referring to "SEVEN STRING . ORG" forum name...
No need for apologies, all cool.
What is that the Majesty offers you that the Jackson doesn't? Trem? Piezos? Boost?
Although all that "Mind Set" that different guitars promote on us, truth is that one can play any 6 string tune on a 7 stringer. So if you're for a ONE guitar to rule them all kind of thing (light weight / less things to carry, moving a lot), I'd keep a 7 around me. The opposite can also be said, though one would have to re-tune a 6 stringer to get the range a 7 stringer delivers and relearn/recreate all fingerings for your favorite songs... which is hell of an exercise...
Nevertheless, either guitars are cool and well built, though I've read somewhere (here, most likely) the Govan's guitar had tuning issues of some sort? Those are 2 guitars I can't try out where I live due to... unavailability... also, don't forget, a guitar is only as good as its setup.
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jephjacques
BUTTS LOL
They're both great guitars, USA made charvels are fantastic and Majesties are some of the best production 7 strings on the market. It really comes down to whether you want a 6 or a 7 I think.
odibrom
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There's another thing to think about when choosing guitars. I play in a band and we don't have a private rehearsal studio, so I have to lug my stuff every time to wherever we're rehearsing. This made me use mostly some of my guitars and compose around those guitars, so I could swap them, have different feels, but also be able to play whatever has been composed. This also makes me look for/at more or less the same type of guitars and not deviate much on them: 2 humbucker 7 stringer, either with or without trems (I can live and play without trems, but I do prefer trems) and with the possibility to upgrade with piezos. Most will be in the 25.5" scale length Ibanez/super strat style, but I'm also blinking my eyes to longer scales. I only pay 7s, when playing 6s there's something missing and my 8 stringer doesn't get much playtime (once every 2 months or so).
In order to get more tones out of this situation, I started to invest in wiring my guitars differently than factory settings and although I will never get a true strat sound, I'm more or less in the ballpark there. Combining coils and piezos granted me tones for ages and I can achieve all my preferred combos on all my fretted instruments.
So, this to say that you don't have to buy more guitars (ok, I'm going to get shot for having this said) for the sake of variety or different mood/feel. You buy more guitars because of MORE GUITARS, period (there, I'm safe now).
In order to get more tones out of this situation, I started to invest in wiring my guitars differently than factory settings and although I will never get a true strat sound, I'm more or less in the ballpark there. Combining coils and piezos granted me tones for ages and I can achieve all my preferred combos on all my fretted instruments.
So, this to say that you don't have to buy more guitars (ok, I'm going to get shot for having this said) for the sake of variety or different mood/feel. You buy more guitars because of MORE GUITARS, period (there, I'm safe now).
Jon Pearson
SS.org Regular
I have to throw a shout-out to the Majesty, it's an excellent instrument and EBMM craftsmanship has been pretty hard to beat in my experience after owning several of them. The Guthrie looks sweet, but I just can't vote AGAINST a Majesty if it's in consideration.
WYLD STALLYNS
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The Majesty is the best production 7 string, possibly ever
Goddammit you were supposed to say the Charvel haha I'm back to square 0 after thinking a lot about both guitars...
Oh, you got me wrong sir, I was referring to "SEVEN STRING . ORG" forum name...
No need for apologies, all cool.
What is that the Majesty offers you that the Jackson doesn't? Trem? Piezos? Boost?
Although all that "Mind Set" that different guitars promote on us, truth is that one can play any 6 string tune on a 7 stringer. So if you're for a ONE guitar to rule them all kind of thing (light weight / less things to carry, moving a lot), I'd keep a 7 around me. The opposite can also be said, though one would have to re-tune a 6 stringer to get the range a 7 stringer delivers and relearn/recreate all fingerings for your favorite songs... which is hell of an exercise...
Nevertheless, either guitars are cool and well built, though I've read somewhere (here, most likely) the Govan's guitar had tuning issues of some sort? Those are 2 guitars I can't try out where I live due to... unavailability... also, don't forget, a guitar is only as good as its setup.
Just because it “can” doesn’t mean it can do it well.
Also, mindset (Or inspiration) may not be important to you but it’s important to many musicians. By your account, I should be able to plug in my 8 string into my Kemper on a djent preset and write jazz, blues, country, etc.
YMMV
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I'm going with the Charvel, it's as you said, If i were to get a Majesty I would just play it like my Jackson, all the same metal shreddy stuff I usually play, I feel like the Charvel will add something else to my playing which I'm lacking. Also seems more like an all rounder to me
odibrom
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I think you miss read what I wrote. I never said anything about amps or patches of some sort of modeler, that was your assumption. You also missed the italic "can", which means that there's a compromise on that path, or that it isn't entirely truth... I also stated that, for the sake of light traveling, one seven is better than 2 guitars and my last post says one should buy more guitars just for more guitars, it doesn't really matters what justification one may have, MORE GUITARS justifies every guitar bought, always. Peace out.
