Newcomer to sevens..

[Summers45]

Hey. I've been playing 6-strings for about 5-6 years now and recently I've really been fancying a 7-string. So, I've looked around on the net and seen a couple of guitars that interest me... I can't really spend that much so I can't go for anything really expensive like a JP7 or anything. I've come across the RG7321 and Schecter C-7 Hellraiser. They've both had pretty good reviews that I've seen, but I'm wondering what you guys think. The C-7 comes with a pair of EMGs which seems pretty good, plus it looks goddamn sexy as hell (no pun intended)

Any first hand opinions here? Thanks

 

[garcia3441]

Welcome!!!

 

[IbanezOnly]

first things first welcome


second

its all personal preferance, shecter are known to have a fatter neck as to ibanez which are very thin. they all do have pros and cons. the best advice which actually isnt even advice is to go play them both.

 

[Battle-axe]

Welcome!

I haven't played the Hellraiser but you should realize that the Hellraiser and the 7321 are very different guitars in very different price ranges and I'm sure most would agree that the Hellraiser would be the obvious choice between those two. I do own a 7321 and while it's decent for the money it obviously doesn't compare to 7s in the Hellraiser's price range. Also you would need to spend money on upgrading the pickups as they aren't very good. It would make more sense to get the Hellraiser, IMO. Of course the Hellraiser is said to have a thick neck which you might not like so you might wanna try one out first. If you do happen to go for a 7321 all I can say is avoid the newer Indonesian ones.

 

[metalfiend666]

Where abouts in the UK are you?

Both are good guitars, though the Hellraiser will be the better guitar outright. It also has a much thicker neck, so you might not get on with it if you're an Ibanez player. Also consider the RG7621 & RG7421, LTD M107/M207 and the Schecter C7 Blackjack.

 

[Summers45]

Thanks for the welcome guys

Yeah the best thing would be to try them both, but I'm only now realising that around my area Schecters arent a very common thing in the local shops here in the UK, I don't think I've ever seen one anyways. And I wouldn't wanna buy the Hellraiser without trying it first because of the thick neck and such.. Hmm.

Battle-axe, the price difference isn't that big really if you ship one from the US, you can buy a Hellraiser from over here for about £600 but if you ship them from the US it's much cheaper, even with the shipping etc added on top. And 7321s over here are just under £300, but yeah as you say I'd need to upgrade the pups. Mm I dunno what to do.

Metalfiend 666, I'm in South Wales I'm not actually an Ibanez player so it might not be that bad for me. Do those guitars have fixed bridges? I hate floyd roses.

Thanks guys

 

[Yoshi]

If you have big hands, schecter is where you should start. Small hands, esp or ibanez. Other brands im not too familiar with like washburn and bc rich but yeah.

Good luck and welcomes.

 

[Thomas]

The RG7421, RG7621 and Blackjack all have fixed bridges. Not sure about the aforementioned LTDs, though. The RGs are out of production now.

Another possiblity is the RG15271, but AFAIK it's only sold in Japan and I'm not even sure it's in the current line-up.

 

[Nick]

try an RG1527 theyl set you back ~ £500. They play a bit better than the RG7321 but the pickups are still shit.

If you replaced them with dimazios or SD's youd pay about the same as the Schecter. Depends on whether you want a fat or thin neck and active pickups.

Personally id never get a schecter 7 string because of the fat ass neck.

 

[Summers45]

Well my hands are an average size I guess.. They aren't that big. And doh, yeah I forgot about the active pickups on the Schecter - I played bass in a band for a year and a bit with an active bass, and it was a right pain in the arse buying batteries all the time, the battery ran out halfway through a gig once aswell

Mm... Well I'll have a look at the other RGs, TBH I'll probably end up getting a 7321 and putting a dimarzio evo 7 on the bridge.

 

[HamBungler]

The necks on the Schecters aren't that bad, unless you have really small hands and that bothers you. If you can find one, a Schecter Avenger has a thinner neck than most Schecters, and its bare maple. Only thing is, the pups aren't very good and the neck joint does not make for a smooth trasition to the upper frets. If you can get past these things,and can find one, its usually pretty cheap. Oh, and its a fixed bridge

 

[Shaman]

Personally id never get a schecter 7 string because of the fat ass neck.

Yeah, but he might like it.

Yes, it is thicker than the neck on a 1527, but the Hellraiser neck is very nicely shaped, so it doesen't get in your way.

I had a 1527 for over a year, and I got used to the Hellraiser neck in no time. It really is not that bad.

And the 1527 has a floyd which he doesen't want.

Well my hands are an average size I guess.. They aren't that big. And doh, yeah I forgot about the active pickups on the Schecter - I played bass in a band for a year and a bit with an active bass, and it was a right pain in the arse buying batteries all the time, the battery ran out halfway through a gig once aswell

Mm... Well I'll have a look at the other RGs, TBH I'll probably end up getting a 7321 and putting a dimarzio evo 7 on the bridge.

I usually change the battery once in 6 months, and even then it's not a must thing to do. I have never had a battery ran out when using EMG's.

I have average size hands too, and I have no problem with the Hellraiser neck.

 

[Nick]

indeed thats why i used the word personally.

Im a 6'6 basketball player, my hands are pretty big but i still dont like fat necks.

its personall preference.

obviously some people prefer fat necks. Id still recommend trying both.

 

[Apex1rg7x]

I personally really like my 7321. The factory pickups suck pretty bad so i installed a tone zone 7 awhile back and thats alright but i have some green dimarzio blazes going in soon and then it should be awesome. Very well built for the money and surprisingly comfortable neck.

 

[playstopause]

 

[Shawn]

Welcome! I think an RG 7321 is good choice as well as a Schecter HR. If it were me, i'd go for the Ibanez.

 

[Summers45]

Thanks for the advice. Yeah I think I'll end up with the Ibanez, as I don't know of any shops round here which stock Schecters and if I was gonna buy the Hellraiser then I'd definately have to try it out first. I'm pretty comfortable with Ibanez's as I've played a fair few of them before (other peoples'). It's probably a pretty safe bet, but why not the Indonesian 7321s?

 

[metalfiend666]

Yeah the best thing would be to try them both, but I'm only now realising that around my area Schecters arent a very common thing in the local shops here in the UK, I don't think I've ever seen one anyways. And I wouldn't wanna buy the Hellraiser without trying it first because of the thick neck and such.. Hmm.

Music Ground in Denmark Street, London has a black Hellraiser at the moment.

Metalfiend 666, I'm in South Wales I'm not actually an Ibanez player so it might not be that bad for me. Do those guitars have fixed bridges? I hate floyd roses.

The only one I mentioned with a floyd is the LTD M207. If you like fixed bridges, there's also the LTD SC models and Jackson C.O.W. 7 and DK7 models. There was a Conklin Groove Tools 7 going cheap on Ebay the other day too.

 

[metalfiend666]

why not the Indonesian 7321s?

The quality control is rather iffy on those ones. You'd need to play it first to garantee it was a good one. A second hand Japanese made RG7421 or RG7621 isn't mcuh more than a new RG7321 and they're better guitars. They've got more comfortable bodies as the contours aren't as well formed on RG7321, plus they have Gotoh tuners and the RG7621 has Dimarzio New 7's as stock.

 

[auxioluck]

I'd go Ibanez. That was the first 7 string I bought, and it made the change from 6 to 7 extremely easy.