Question on buying a seven-string

[Osteoporozis]

So I'm not so new to playing guitar but I don't have much experience in buying them. It's about time that I bought a new one and I'm very interested in buying or at least trying out a seven-string.

The problem I'm running into is that almost NOBODY seems to carry seven strings, and if they have any there are very few. I'd never buy a guitar without trying it first, so I'm wondering - are there specific places I should be looking? Or do I just have to keep looking everywhere?

And, on that note, since I'm interested in buying one I figure I'll ask for recommendations while I'm here. I'm currently playing on an Ibanez AS93 and a '65 Gibson SG special. I like the sound and feel of the former, but I can't lower the action or put thinner strings on it like I can on the Gibson (any lower or thinner and the strings rattle against the frets). I'm mostly into Progrock and prime examples would be Haken, Dream Theater.

Thanks for any tips.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Where are you in WI? They have a handful of different 7-strings and even a couple 8-strings at the Music Go Round in Greenfield, as does Cascio in New Berlin. I'm pretty sure there were a couple at the Guitar Center on Bluemound as well.

 

[Ty Ty Ty]

Whats your preference on neck shape, tone, and finishes?

 

[stevexc]

Whats your preference on neck shape, tone, and finishes?

That, as well as other specs - bridge type, pickup configuration/type (active vs passive), price range, wood preferences, scale, ideal tuning, etc.

 

[Osteoporozis]

Where are you in WI? They have a handful of different 7-strings and even a couple 8-strings at the Music Go Round in Greenfield, as does Cascio in New Berlin. I'm pretty sure there were a couple at the Guitar Center on Bluemound as well.

I'm in Whitewater, I don't have a car here so I can only really pick one or two places to be driven to. My first thoughts were Milwaukee and Madison.

As for neck/tone/finish preferences. I've really only played on C/D shaped necks, willing to try anything. As for tone, I really don't know how to describe that - but the hollow-body electric I have right now is my favorite out of everything I've tried. Which, if these are proper terms, I'd call clear and fat. No preference on finish.

Edit - Again, I really haven't tried much, willing to try anything (I guess this is a bad thing to say when asking for recommendations). All I can really say is ideal price range is <750, passive pickups, and I'd probably be using a BEADGBE tuning. Another thing I'd have to play with to decide.

 

[stevexc]

Well, given that you're down for whatever, and you like Dream Theater, you could always look into the EBMM JP70s.

I'll go and throw it out there you probably won't find much that sounds too similar to a hollow-body in the world of solid-body 7s.

 

[Stuck_in_a_dream]

Also, buying used will get you a lot of guitar for your money, so you could try out guitars in the $1000-1,200 range at stores and if you like one you could try to get it used for < $750.

For buying new, given that most online stores now offer a 30 or even 45 day returns, I buy all my guitars now sight unseen and I have yet to be disappointed. Once you know what kind of specs you want on the guitar, I think it makes more sense to order online, better options and better prices. Plus, these days, budget guitars =/= bad guitars, not necessarily.

I second that hardly any 7-string on the market today will sound like a hollow body, well, except if it's a hollow body 7-string as in this case

 

[Osteoporozis]

Oh, that's beautiful. But, no, I'm looking for an electric specifically. I use the Gibson and Ibanez for different things, and as much as I love the Gibson it's getting quite old, and I'm really not comfortable carrying around a vintage guitar.

It looks like some of those places Max listed are on the way to Milwaukee, if I'm gonna be going there I could definitely make a few detours. Thanks a bunch for those.

And that EBMM JP70 looks strikingly similar to the Gibson RGA7 I was eyeing.

 

[stevexc]

And that EBMM JP70 looks strikingly similar to the Gibson RGA7 I was eyeing.

I presume you mean Ibanez RGA7?

There's definitely some similarities in aesthetic and feature set, they're both super-strat shapes (ie dual cutaway guitars originally based off the Fender Strat design) with dual humbuckers, but you'll find that's a fairly standard setup.

The big differences (in my opinion) are the build quality, pickup quality, and bridge. The JP70 has a tremolo/whammy bar/talent stick/whatever you want to call it whereas the RGA7 is a hardtail - hardtails tend to be easier to string and keep in tune, but from what I've heard the one on the JP70 is fairly solid. I've also heard great things about the overall quality and playability of the JP70s, and some pretty disappointing things about the RGA7 (and most other non-Premium/Prestige line Ibanezes as well). And Ibanez is not known for having the greatest sounding pickups.

Regardless, there's a LOT of stuff out there. Browse through the Ibanez, Schecter, Jackson and ESP websites and see what catches your eye visually so you have something to work from. That'll cover most of the more commonly found (and biggest selections of) seven-string guitars.

There's also the PRS SE Custom 24 7 in your price range, a few Fernandes models, some BC Rich models, and a bunch more but that's the bigger brands I can think of.