Seven string teles

[guidedbyechoes]

I'm looking for a seven string tele that has humbuckers that aren't active. I can not seem to find them anywhere besides having one custom built. I also don't want to spend 1000 - 1500 then redo the electronics. Are there any options that I've missed or should I just say screw it and get one of the 4000 6 string options that exist?

I know if I spend the money on an agile it will catch on and everyone will be able to get them cheap. ESP and schecter are the only big name companies that I found makes them at all and they are all actives. I can't stand actives.

 

[cardinal]

Redoing the electronics isn't that big a deal. Chances are even if there is a passive-bucker 7-string Tele around, you wouldn't like the stock pickups anyway.

 

[guidedbyechoes]

Redoing the electronics isn't that big a deal. Chances are even if there is a passive-bucker 7-string Tele around, you wouldn't like the stock pickups anyway.

It's sort of the principle. For what those guitars cost after upgraded parts I can get a custom made with exactly what I like. That's of course because I haven't seen any used for sale. Another issue is I found a site that sells the chinese version for a lot less. SO there is always a chance I might end up with one of those thinking I'm getting the real deal.

 

[WarpedX1]

I don't know how readily available these are in the states but have you considered the Chapman ML-7 T?

ML-7 T | Chapman Guitars

 

[guidedbyechoes]

I don't know how readily available these are in the states but have you considered the Chapman ML-7 T?

ML-7 T | Chapman Guitars

Is that from the same rob chapman from youtube?

 

[cardinal]

It's sort of the principle. For what those guitars cost after upgraded parts I can get a custom made with exactly what I like. That's of course because I haven't seen any used for sale. Another issue is I found a site that sells the chinese version for a lot less. SO there is always a chance I might end up with one of those thinking I'm getting the real deal.

You may be in for a world of disappointment if you think you can get a custom for the cost of a $1,000 guitar plus new pickups. The Chinese fakes are pretty easy to spot and even easier to avoid if you just buy from reputable sources.

That said, I forgot about the Carvin TL70 (or whatever it's called), which looks awesome and has passive routes, I think.

 

[guidedbyechoes]

You may be in for a world of disappointment if you think you can get a custom for the cost of a $1,000 guitar plus new pickups. The Chinese fakes are pretty easy to spot and even easier to avoid if you just buy from reputable sources.

That said, I forgot about the Carvin TL70 (or whatever it's called), which looks awesome and has passive routes, I think.

I actually found a guy that will build exactly what I want for about 1200. He owns a company that's called painless guitars.

 

[oracles]

I actually found a guy that will build exactly what I want for about 1200. He owns a company that's called painless guitars.

If that doesn't scream "BAD IDEA" to you, I would very heavily suggest you read up on why customs cost what they do, and read the many, many threads of people who were ripped off by builders offering similar deals. You're far better off buying a production model and replacing pickups.

 

[cardinal]

Lots of guys will say they can build guitars for a low price. Not all of them deliver a quality guitar or even any guitar at all. I have no idea who Painless Guitars is. Maybe they're awesome and you'll be fine. But any internet search will turn up countless horror stories of deals gone bad for custom order guitars. So if you have to pay any money up front, be prepared to lose it all.

 

[guidedbyechoes]

Yeah thats always a risk. This guy does a huge discount for facebook friends to drum up new business. He actually does have finished guitars on his site and lots of good feedback.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Painless-Guitars/119976318125226

I'm looking to get a lot less graphically intensive one. Basically like the esp's but in red white a white pickgaurd and coil taps. You would think that wouldn't need to be custom made. I'm thinking of just getting a 6 string version. Which there are tons of.

 

[Electric Wizard]

I wouldn't trust that at all. He's got tons of pics of bodies being painted and none of them being made, which screams that they're just using some kits or OEM parts to pass off as their own.

It would be silly to take a huge risk because you don't like changing pickups on principle. You can sell the pickups you take out and recoup some of the cost. The money you'd get for EMGs would take a nice chunk out of the cost for some soapbar-sized Duncans, for instance.

Here's a list of tele-style sevens for $1200 or less:

Carvin.com : TL70 SINGLE CUTAWAY SEVEN STRING GUITAR (dependent on specs)
Chapman ML-7T 7-String Guitar - Natural Ash with Gig Bag
Artist Models : Chris Garza PT-7
Amazon.com: Schecter Chris Garza Signature 7-string Electric Guitar Silverburst: Musical Instruments (old version)
ESP LTD SCT-607B Stephen Carpenter Signature 7-String Electric Guitar Black | Musician's Friend

All of which will come with a return policy and not needing to send money to a fly by night facebook "luthier".

 

[cardinal]

Building a parts guitar from Warmoth costs $1,200. Not a custom 7 string. That sounds like below his costs of materials, overhead, and time. Smells bad to me. But it's your money.

Carvin seems like a deal. Or a 6-string, like you say.

 

[guidedbyechoes]

I wouldn't trust that at all. He's got tons of pics of bodies being painted and none of them being made, which screams that they're just using some kits or OEM parts to pass off as their own.

It would be silly to take a huge risk because you don't like changing pickups on principle. You can sell the pickups you take out and recoup some of the cost. The money you'd get for EMGs would take a nice chunk out of the cost for some soapbar-sized Duncans, for instance.

Here's a list of tele-style sevens for $1200 or less:

Carvin.com : TL70 SINGLE CUTAWAY SEVEN STRING GUITAR (dependent on specs)
Chapman ML-7T 7-String Guitar - Natural Ash with Gig Bag
Artist Models : Chris Garza PT-7
Amazon.com: Schecter Chris Garza Signature 7-string Electric Guitar Silverburst: Musical Instruments (old version)
ESP LTD SCT-607B Stephen Carpenter Signature 7-String Electric Guitar Black | Musician's Friend

All of which will come with a return policy and not needing to send money to a fly by night facebook "luthier".

You make a great point about the parts. If I'm going to spend over a grand I might as well get the carvin and get exactly what I want. Carvin is 1350 and nails everything except the pick gaurd, which isnt a deal breaker and I can get one made if it bothers me too much.

 

[guidedbyechoes]

Building a parts guitar from Warmoth costs $1,200. Not a custom 7 string. That sounds like below his costs of materials, overhead, and time. Smells bad to me. But it's your money.

Carvin seems like a deal. Or a 6-string, like you say.

I talked to the dude and everything he said he makes everything in his shop or outsources it. And I brought that up about the over head also and his shop is like a 3 man deal. He originally quoted me as being half of what carvin charges and a third of what halo charges.

I was going to get a halo but carvin has a superior track record, and was slightly cheaper for what I was looking for.

 

[cardinal]

that is too many red flags for me. Go Carvin.

 

[Beavis83]

Is that from the same rob chapman from youtube?

Yep, the same man

 

[celticelk]

If the Chapman isn't what you want, and you're not interested in swapping out active pickups for soapbar-sized passives (of which, thankfully, there are now a number of good options), I'd say go for a Carvin.

 

[s4tch]

 

[guidedbyechoes]

That thing is crazy looking.

 

[Suho]

I finally received my Agile Tele 7 string (HSS config) but it took over a year before I got it (not the roughly six months estimated). The price was probably less than half of a Carvin, but frankly you can't beat Carvin's quality. Having said that, Carvin doesn't make a guitar like the one I got from Agile (and when I ordered it the Chapman and TL70 weren't available).

The Agile is a well made guitar, but I have been eyeing both the Chapman and the Carvin TL70 with great interest lately. There is also the ESP TE-7, although you would still need to deal with the active pickups. I briefly had the SCT-607b and it was a nice instrument as well, although I needed a real neck pickup and not the middle position.