I'm going to start making replacement 7 bodies

[7 Strings of Hate]

So, I have decided Ii'm going to make some aanj 7 string bodies. I know that alot of you are having trouble finding them for a good price and from somebody who does not flake out. I'v been on this board for quite a while now and obviously am not going to do anything to tarnish my name. One of the problems I see reoccurring with some of the others trying this is that they bite off more than they can chew. Thats where I'm going to differ.

This is not obviously my full time job, but my current job allows me quite a bit of free time to pursue projects like this, as well as I have just recently gotten a good space to work in. I was planning on making a few mahogany rg bodies to start with. I wasnt really going to take any orders per say, as much as just make the bodies as I go, and put them up for sale. Of course, if someone were interested, you can contact me and we can talk about anything you'd like.

I am more doing this to help out some of the board members that have basswood aanj guitars and are just wanting something different and not wanting to spend an arm and a leg. I'm going to try to be very reasonable in price compared to the current market. I'd also be willing to make other shapes built around the aanj joint. Nothing that is from another company, but if you have a shape floating in your head, and you can supply me with a sketch, I would be more than willing to try to make it happen.

So that brings me to my current dilemma. I lack measurements. I have info and have done 6 string bodies in the past for myself and friends, but their measurements are easy to come by usually due to how common they are. Any info on the measurements of an aanj 7 neck pocket would be helpful. I have a guitar with the proper measurements I believe(its a custom) but I would really like to have confirmation before I use it as fact. As well, I would need measurements for any tremolos on the 7's. My reference guitar has a fixed bridge hipshot, so obviously I could drill for a hipshot, but I would need measurements for the tremolo.

I would be more than willing to give a discount to anyone who could supply me with some schematics or even supply me with a body (i'd pay for shipping) to take measurements from.

Once again, I'm not trying to be Mike Sherman or KxK or anything like that. I'm just a guy looking to sell a hand full of bodies a month to make a few extra bucks for more tools and to have more opportunities to try to expand my skills in guitar building. I am a very honest guy, and I want to be as transparent with you guys as I can.

So if anyone is interested in hooking me up with some info on the neck pocket and tremolo cavities, message me and we can talk.

Thanks for checking this out, and hopefully, I can start getting you guys some reasonably priced replacement bodies out for those basswood rg's in the future.

If you have any suggestions or questions, just shoot aswell
-Chris

 

[orb451]

Count me in as interested! I don't have any specs or anything to contribute that way unfortunately, but I'm game for a seven string RG body in anything *other* than basswood.

 

[The Echthros]

sounds interesting. I'll check back whent the body wood selection expands

 

[JaeSwift]

Cant help you with 7 string measurements as I forgot to take them before I sold them, but if your interested I can take the measurements of an RGA 8 (since a billion ppl have that guitar) as im currently building my own body for it

 

[7 Strings of Hate]

Cant help you with 7 string measurements as I forgot to take them before I sold them, but if your interested I can take the measurements of an RGA 8 (since a billion ppl have that guitar) as im currently building my own body for it

Hey, that would be cool

 

[7 Strings of Hate]

sounds interesting. I'll check back whent the body wood selection expands

Oh, and if your interested in something specific, just message me. I just planned on the first couple being mahogany because its a nice common denominator that just about everyone likes, but i can of course make some from other woods aswell

 

[Xaios]

Just remember not to shortchange yourself, I think that's the biggest problem most of the small timers were having was that they simply weren't charging what their work was actually worth.

 

[7 Strings of Hate]

Just remember not to shortchange yourself, I think that's the biggest problem most of the small timers were having was that they simply weren't charging what their work was actually worth.

Well, I want to really be balanced. I want to give you guys a good deal and make a couple bucks on the side for tools and to fund some of my own projects.

I really think that the problem with some of the others is that they just didnt have the time they needed to do a project like this as well as a full time job. My current job pays as much as a full time job, but I only work about 20 hours a week or so, so that leaves me a lot of time to play around, jam, and work on this project.

I think that when you work a full time job, you think that you will have the time for stuff like this. I'm sure most people would have the time, but you need time to relax and have a life and I think some of the others just didnt really factor that in, and got swamped with work.

I'm really planning on only puttin out about 3 to 5 bodies a month most likely.


But I do appreicate the advice, and if anyone has any other advice or ideas, just shoot.

 

[BenEllerGuitars]

very nice! i look forward to doing some business with you, man. maybe consider doing ash as well, as everyone is all about ash right now thanks to the blackmachine craze!

 

[7 Strings of Hate]

very nice! i look forward to doing some business with you, man. maybe consider doing ash as well, as everyone is all about ash right now thanks to the blackmachine craze!

Totally man. Your swirls are amazing. I love that swirl you did on misha's 8. Really, swamp ash, alder, mahogany, any of these are easy to come by for me. I'm currently shopping around st.louis for a good hardwood supplier to get flame/quilt maples and more exotic woods.


QuambaFu has graciously hooked me up with a RG7321 body.
Once I get it, i'm going to whip up a 7621/421/321 body with some of the mahogany i have.

Oh, and I can also of course do different control cavitys and knob placements if desired.

Now i just need to get the trem route dimensions. Maybe I can find the schematics from one of the manufacturers.

 

[BenEllerGuitars]

excellent! thanks a lot for the compliments, man, i'm glad you like my work! it would be great if someone bought a body you made, then sent it to me for a swirl... a 100% ss.org original!

if i recall, the neck pocket dimensions on the 7321 are different than the 7421 or 7621. you may want to double check that!

 

[Stealthdjentstic]

Ask Elysian (Adam) for measurements, I think he's stopped his luthiery stuff now and is busy with school so he probably won't mind giving you the measurements. I could be wrong though.

 

[Zehailiu]

I have a 7620 project that I'm not gonna be able to finish any time soon, I was thinking if you want the body for some measurements I can send it along, and maybe give me a discount when I have some money (again, not any time soon)

 

[TemjinStrife]

IIRC, there are some slight variations in Ibanez pocket dimensions, but I don't remember what they were or if they even existed.

Good luck man; definitely start by just building and selling, don't do custom orders till you've got a workflow going.

 

[djpharoah]

QuambaFu has graciously hooked me up with a RG7321 body.
Once I get it, i'm going to whip up a 7621/421/321 body with some of the mahogany i have.

RG7621/RG7421 do not share dimensions with RG7321 in terms of neck pockets etc. Be careful.

IIRC, there are some slight variations in Ibanez pocket dimensions, but I don't remember what they were or if they even existed.

Good luck man; definitely start by just building and selling, don't do custom orders till you've got a workflow going.

 

[7 Strings of Hate]

I have a 7620 project that I'm not gonna be able to finish any time soon, I was thinking if you want the body for some measurements I can send it along, and maybe give me a discount when I have some money (again, not any time soon)

Awesome, problem solved!

Good luck man; definitely start by just building and selling, don't do custom orders till you've got a workflow going.

Thats pretty much the plan.

RG7621/RG7421 do not share dimensions with RG7321 in terms of neck pockets etc. Be careful.

I have seen a couple guys take their 7321 neck and throw them on a 7421/7621 body so i just assumed they were the same. But reguardless, I have a neck here i was going to do fit up with and would have found the fit up differances anyway, but thats good to know. Saves me the trouble of figuring that out


Thanks for all the info guys. Its really helpful

 

[Deadseen]

Throw in alder as a body option and some schecter shapes and you can make a great buck.

 

[Wi77iam]

Will you be using a CNC machine or with hand tools?
Interested

 

[7 Strings of Hate]

Will you be using a CNC machine or with hand tools?
Interested

All hand baby

 

[7 Strings of Hate]

Throw in alder as a body option and some schecter shapes and you can make a great buck.

Since everyone is wanting different woods, I'l probably end up just making the first few all from different woods then.

I was thinking that eventually, i'l probably just cut out the bodys, put the contours and neck pocket on them, and take pics and put them up and let who ever buys it decide what pup routes and trem route/bridge they want

Like i said, i'l probably only take 1 or 2 orders at a time at the most to keep things simple and just make up bodies and post them up for sale.
I have some cool ideas for some one of a kind type bodies, and of course, once i get my measurements down, i'l be making some different shapes and all that.