Mayones Regius Core 7 vs Music Man Majesty 7

[Jeppe Deluxe]

And you should always take youtube gear reviews with a huge grain of salt. Even if content creators aren't being directly compensated for them, they're still at least motivated to stay in brands' good graces to get access to gear/clout/etc.

Absolutely agree. I always try to get real life experience with gear I’m considering buying, but where I’m located there isn’t a huge selection of «modern» and especially «boutique» gear like Mayones for instance. So all i can do is try to research the gear as thoroughly as I can with the help of Youtube, Facebook groups and forums like this.

 

[Jeppe Deluxe]

I would 100% go mayones.. I have a Regius and it's such a top notch instrument! The neck is awesome, not too thin, not too thick. It also resonates really well and has amazing sustain. I played a Majesty once and while I really liked it, the whole signature thing is so omnipresent on that guitar that it put me off...

I agree. It's an amazing guitar for sure, but it definitely screams John Petrucci and Dream Theater, not that it's a bad thing. I think it's cool when artists design their signature models that the design of the guitar bears a mark of that artist. But nonetheless, I would like to sort of "move on" from that and would love to own a great guitar, like a Regius that isn't a signature model.

 

[Lemonbaby]

Not sure if Mayones lets you specify the target weight. One German dealer's showing the weights for many of his guitars and the Regius sevens are between 7.5lbs (Swamp Ash w/ Maple top) and 8.5lbs (Black Limba w/ Macassar top). The Majesty 7 guitars in the same shop are between 6.8lbs and 7.1lbs. That's quite a difference.

I'll also throw in my two cents: I never liked the Regius having no real arm bevel and it looks like a Warwick bass from the backside. My vote goes to the Majesty.

 

[AltecGreen]

How important is the weight?

I used to own a seven string Regius and it was not light even with ash wings. It was an older Regius (2014) and the body was uncomfortable on the arm. It literally cut into my arm. I think the newer versions have alleviated this issue. I eventually got rid of the guitar and bought a Dragonfly which on paper is less sexy but it was much lighter and sounded better than the Regius.

You seemed set on the Mayones. Why not look for a used Regius first and try it out. You can sell it afterwards and order a custom one if you like the guitar. It's probably less of a hit financially if you have to move a used Regius than getting an expensive custom order only to find you hate it.

For a recommendation aside from Mayones, check out a Dean Gordon Virtus or Mirus. I think you want a neck thru but if you can accept a bolt-on, the Virtus or Mirus is lightweight by design and upper fret access that may be better than a Majesty. DISCLAIMER: I am a Dean Gordon owner and friends with Dean so I am a bit biased.


Other recommendations would be a Waghorn or Carillion. Carillion might be too expensive and Waghorn has a much longer waiting time than Mayones. A SECOND DISCLAIMER: I also am a Waghorn customer and just started a second build (a seven string with tremolo coincidentally)

 

[Jeppe Deluxe]

How important is the weight?

Not sure if Mayones lets you specify the target weight. One German dealer's showing the weights for many of his guitars and the Regius sevens are between 7.5lbs (Swamp Ash w/ Maple top) and 8.5lbs (Black Limba w/ Macassar top). The Majesty 7 guitars in the same shop are between 6.8lbs and 7.1lbs. That's quite a difference.

I would imagine they did let you specify the target weight, they are are a custom shop after all. As I said, the ideal weight for a guitar to my preference is approximately 7lb 2oz. Although it's not a dealbreaker if it weighs about 7lb 9oz, but if it should exceed 8lb, that's when it starts becoming a problem for my shoulder when standing and playing for longer periods of time.


https://www.peachguitars.com/guitar...ed-range-multiscale/mayones-regius-core-7.htm
This Mayones Regius Core 7 has swamp ash wings and a maple dominant neck, and even a 26.5 scale length, and it's spot on with my weight preference with only 7lb 3oz. It think it shows at least that it's possible to get them down in the low 7lb area.

 

[fantom]

I prefer not going down the locking trem rabbithole again as I have been there with my Ibanez Jem before I got my Majesty. The Majesty trem just as good feel and range wise as any Floyd Rose IMO, without all the set up hassle the Floyd Roses come with.

It seems like I missed something when I researched the Hipshot US contour trem. I have heard nothing but good things about it until now. Some reviews on Youtube shows that it can handle battering at the same level a Floyd can and still have great tuning stability. I thought as long as you have a well set up trem, locking tuners, a well cut nut and a straight string angle over the nut to the tuners, there shouldn't be a problem with whichever trem you chose. Maybe I'm wrong here?

Please let me know if there are better options for non locking trems as well.

I haven't used the Hipshot Contour trem. I don't understand what Floyd disadvantages exist that don't also exist for the Hipshot trem. If anything, it looks like exactly the same design.

Any "floating" bridge is going to have the same pain as a Floyd getting the equilibrium right, whether you have locking tuners or a locking nut. If you plan on using the whammy bar, I'd go with whatever you want. Otherwise, get a fixed bridge if you want less trouble with tuning and string changing.

You seemed set on the Mayones. Why not look for a used Regius first and try it out. You can sell it afterwards and order a custom one if you like the guitar. It's probably less of a hit financially if you have to move a used Regius than getting an expensive custom order only to find you hate it.

This is the right advice. I don't know why anyone would pay the custom order price and 1-2 year wait time without even knowing basic details like the bridge type or if the guitar itself is comfortable. If you can't find a used one, order one with a generous return policy to try and and then return it. If that isn't an option due to import duties, go take a vacation and ask a shop to hold something for you to test out.

I used to own a seven string Regius and it was not light even with ash wings. It was an older Regius (2014) and the body was uncomfortable on the arm. It literally cut into my arm. I think the newer versions have alleviated this issue

Ya I heard similar things. Mine is from 2018 IIRC and doesn't have this problem. I think they changed the contour a year or so before. Even so, my main guitar has been an Ironbird for decades, and any guitar body feels like it gets in the way!

 

[Jeppe Deluxe]

I haven't used the Hipshot Contour trem. I don't understand what Floyd disadvantages exist that don't also exist for the Hipshot trem. If anything, it looks like exactly the same design.

In my experience the Floyd Rose systems wears down the knife edges much quicker than on my Majesty for instance, and I feel it's easier to work with when changing tunings. And also string changes take less time with a non-locking system in my experience, not that the string changing process on a floyd-system would be a dealbreaker, since I don't change strings that often. I just prefer to the ease of not having a floyd-style trem system. I don't know, maybe the floyd on my Ibanez is a lemon.

This is the right advice. I don't know why anyone would pay the custom order price and 1-2 year wait time without even knowing basic details like the bridge type or if the guitar itself is comfortable. If you can't find a used one, order one with a generous return policy to try and and then return it. If that isn't an option due to import duties, go take a vacation and ask a shop to hold something for you to test out.

I think you guys make a valid point here. After all we're talking about a custom guitar that potentially could set me back approximately 6k. And as I have no rush to get a new guitar either it's probably best, as you say, to find a dealer in another country and try one out first. Thanks for the advice!

 

[bzhang9]

the closest thing to a non sig maj 7 is an ibanez S5527/6527 - weight, ergo, neck, trem or hardtail, without the messy electronics

Personally if the electronics is the only issue I would get a JP7 non piezo