Oh man, I can't decide.

[JCNY]

These are my choices
EBMM Pet 7= love birdseye neck and MM quality.
Ibanez Universe=a lot of money for an import.
Carvin 727= Never really played one, I hate licensed Floyds and need trem.
Ibanez RG7= high price for used import.
Ibanez RG1527 AND a Carvin 727 both

And yes, sleep has been lost. The styles I play are varied so..it does not have to be a metal machine only.

 

[Metal Ken]

These are my choices
EBMM Pet 7= love birdseye neck and MM quality.
Ibanez Universe=a lot of money for an import.
Carvin 727= Never really played one, I hate licensed Floyds and need trem.
Ibanez RG7= high price for used import.
Ibanez RG1527 AND a Carvin 727 both

And yes, sleep has been lost. The styles I play are varied so..it does not have to be a metal machine only.

I hate to say it, but i consider it foolish to discrimate against high end japanese guitars. I'd take a Japanese Ibanez or ESP over every american guitar except maybe jackson. (i've owned 3 universes at once in the past, currently own 2 and have had both the RG7620 & the RG1527).
That said,my universes are the best guitars i've ever played.

 

[JCNY]

I hate to say it, but i consider it foolish to discrimate against high end japanese guitars. I'd take a Japanese Ibanez or ESP over every american guitar except maybe jackson. (i've owned 3 universes at once in the past, currently own 2 and have had both the RG7620 & the RG1527).
That said,my universes are the best guitars i've ever played.[/QUOT

Glad to hear you like the Ibanez.

 

[Donnie]

<<< You know what gets my vote. Although it'll depend on if you prefer a locking floyd and all that hoo ha. The JP7 actually stays in tune very well considering it's not a locking one. If it didn't, I doubt Petrucci would use it.

 

[NiMH]

These are my choices
EBMM Pet 7= love birdseye neck and MM quality.
Ibanez Universe=a lot of money for an import.
Carvin 727= Never really played one, I hate licensed Floyds and need trem.
Ibanez RG7= high price for used import.
Ibanez RG1527 AND a Carvin 727 both

And yes, sleep has been lost. The styles I play are varied so..it does not have to be a metal machine only.

Out of those, I'd grab the universe. You can't beat the Ibanez.

Out of all sevens, I'd be all over the guitar in my sig. Baritone scale-length makes all the difference in the world on a seven (or eight) string.

 

[FoxMustang]

Personally, I'd go with the JP7, but that's me. I think a high-end Ibanez and an EBMM would be about even in terms of quality, so it'd really come down to personal preference. Do you want a locking trem? Which neck feels better to you? Which guitar sounds better to your ear? Which one do you think looks better?

 

[Christopher]

I'd go with the EB/MM but I'm severely biased. My Petrucci 7 is my favorite of all the other guitars I've ever played... EVER!

 

[Donnie]

My Petrucci 7 is my favorite of all the other guitars I've ever played... EVER!

I'll agree with that.

 

[Shawn]

I'd take a Japanese Ibanez or ESP over every american guitar except maybe jackson. (i've owned 3 universes at once in the past, currently own 2 and have had both the RG7620 & the RG1527).
That said,my universes are the best guitars i've ever played.

I've been playing Ibanez 7-strings for nearly 8 years and that alone shows that Ibanez Japan-made guitars, especially 7-strings are the shit.

My first 7 was a 7620 and It was the perfect first 7-string. I'd get one of those.

By the way, that ESP LTD SC-7 is sweet but I like Shannon's. His is nice!

 

[Digital Black]

To choose based on country of orgin is foolish.

 

[Christopher]

I've been playing Ibanez 7-strings for nearly 8 years and that alone shows that Ibanez Japan-made guitars, especially 7-strings are the shit.

My first 7 was a 7620 and It was the perfect first 7-string. I'd get one of those.

By the way, that ESP LTD SC-7 is sweet but I like Shannon's. His is nice!

I certainly wouldn't knock on any of the other brands on your shopping list. They all can make an incredible guitar. That said, I've never been as crazy about any guitar as I am with my Pet. I've owned US Jacksons, high end Ibanez, high end ESP, Gibson, Fender, Carvin, Kramer and none of them were even close to my Pet in my eyes. I've played on PRS that had price tags of small import cars and they didn't do it.

If you get a chance to check out the EB you owe it to yourself. All the people I know that have them have had similiar experiences as I did. Not just great guitars but total heartbreakers!

 

[Shannon]

By the way, that ESP LTD SC-7 is sweet but I like Shannon's. His is nice!

Yeah it is, but I'd really like to see ESP offer the baritone model in the 2-tone burst finish....or better yet, the trans green over flame maple with white binding.

 

[NiMH]

Yeah it is, but I'd really like to see ESP offer the baritone model in the 2-tone burst finish....or better yet, the trans green over flame maple with white binding.

I like your style, man....

 

[ecalcagnino]

How about an RG7CT?

 

[EnigmaUV7]

UVs rock! I love mine, although did upgrade to a Blaze Custom to wake up the bridge position. Mine is definitely a player and has some fret wear, so I will probably refret it with 6100 stainless steel frets before the year is over for many more years of service.

Haven't played a Petrucci, but it probably is as good or better than any other 7 out there based on reviews I've heard. The Carvin is nice, but has a GIANT neck and the pups are lackluster. If you can adjust to the huge neck, it is a great axe and pups are easily replaced, so no biggie.

 

[JCNY]

Hey Thanks a bunch to all for your in put.

I can't get my hands on a PET7. thats the prob. But any EBMM I've picked up has left an impression on me to say the least. I'm not to hard on the trem so thats really not an issue. A question for you EBMM GUYS.....What are the chances of getting a Birdseye fboard on one? Any special contacts I can make to push for that?

 

[JCNY]

To choose based on country of orgin is foolish.

Why is it that a USA jACKSON is the same price range as an imported Ibanez Jem?

I never could figure that out....actually you could get Custom Shop Jackson for the price of that new mirrored Jem.

 

[JCNY]

How about an RG7CT?

You rascal.....

 

[The Dark Wolf]

UVs rock! I love mine, although did upgrade to a Blaze Custom to wake up the bridge position. Mine is definitely a player and has some fret wear, so I will probably refret it with 6100 stainless steel frets before the year is over for many more years of service.

Haven't played a Petrucci, but it probably is as good or better than any other 7 out there based on reviews I've heard. The Carvin is nice, but has a GIANT neck and the pups are lackluster. If you can adjust to the huge neck, it is a great axe and pups are easily replaced, so no biggie.

Pups EASILY replaced? Not on a Carvin, with my understanding. Their pups aren't standard. Also, there MAY be some body resonance issues with them. I've heard of it (on this forum).

And JCNY, a birdseye fretboard on a JP7? I've never even HEARD of that for JP's EB/MM guitars. Not one example (and I'm a JP Forum member). I think it would be highly, HIGHLY unlikely (unless you're JP )

I love my Ibanez (RG2027), but I'd take a JP7 over any OTHER Ibanez 7 (Except a RG7CST, but that's another story). Those JP7's are AWESOME

 

[JCNY]

And JCNY, a birdseye fretboard on a JP7? I've never even HEARD of that for JP's EB/MM guitars. Not one example (and I'm a JP Forum member). I think it would be highly, HIGHLY unlikely (unless you're JP )

I ask that because an online MM dealer(perhaps somewhere in Colorado) said that "sometimes" they come thru like that but, you can't really ask for it. For what thats worth. And whats up with that JP forum..is he suppose to be participating over there or what? I see the last time he answered a post was when, January ?