Want to buy my first 7 stringer (Need advice)!!

[Vagz]

Hi, greetings from India. I am in need of a 7 stringer but have no clue as to which one should I go for. There aren't much options of a 7 stringer here in India (Only heard of a 7string schecter here, no other brands).

So I have decided to get it from the states via a friend and am looking for a USED GEAR as I have a very low budget. Some background info:

1. Influences: Periphery, tesseract, meshuggah (djent-y bands)
2. NO Tremolo, I hate it in my Ibanez. Fixed bridge or Hard-Tail will do.
3. Budget: Within 300$, but can stretch to 350-400$ MAX.

I have no idea between any of the other 7 stringers, coz there are hardly any available at local shops and the ones having them are very very overpriced (For eg: a 450$ damien 7 is costing 750$ here ).

Have played a Damien 7 and i was satisfied. My friend has a Schecter (dunno which one) and its really easy with Seymour Duncan PUs to get a djent tone with his Marshall.

So any help and suggestions and/or linking me to some classifieds (highly skeptical) will be appreciated.

PS: My friend in the states is in Philadelphia and Have tried craigslist and GC and couldnt find a good post.

 

[CooleyJr]

Used Ibby RG7421-7621-7321.. That's all I can think of at the moment for your price range.

 

[bklixuz]

Used Ibby RG7421-7621-7321.. That's all I can think of at the moment for your price range.

+1

also schecters & agiles used or new.

 

[Vagz]

Ok, so out of RG7321/7421 and Damien 7, which one you guys recommend? THere are 2 listings in GC Used Gear section for Damien 7 (BUT with FR and around 350$) and multiple for 7321 ( around 300$). Only Damien 7 FR is in Philly, others arent. So should I wait a little longer for new listings to be posted or should I go for D-7??

 

[Mr. Big Noodles]

If you don't want to deal with a floating trem, then I would wait. Both Schecter and Ibanez are decent guitars. For what you're looking for, though, Ibanez might be better.

There's a nice 7321FM in the classifieds right now, if your friend in Philly wouldn't mind receiving the guitar for you.

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/guitars-sale-trade-wanted/150835-rg7321fm.html

And I guess there's this guy, too, but he doesn't have any feedback yet:

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/guitars-sale-trade-wanted/150126-ibanez-rg7321-300-conus-only.html

 

[bklixuz]

well, If I were to choose I will go with the ibby. I have owned different guitars before and I always go back to an ibby coz of how comfortable I am on the guitar. I have not owned a schecter though (and no plans yet) coz of the fat neck people say which is a minus to me coz I have short fingers. these are just my opinion. in the end its gonna be your call which one to pick..

 

[Scar Symmetry]

And I guess there's this guy, too, but he doesn't have any feedback yet:

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/guitars-sale-trade-wanted/150126-ibanez-rg7321-300-conus-only.html

And he states CONUS only.

 

[Mr. Big Noodles]

And he states CONUS only.

OP has a connection in the States. I was suggesting a middle man scenario.

well, If I were to choose I will go with the ibby. I have owned different guitars before and I always go back to an ibby coz of how comfortable I am on the guitar. I have not owned a schecter though (and no plans yet) coz of the fat neck people say which is a minus to me coz I have short fingers. these are just my opinion. in the end its gonna be your call which one to pick..

Schecter necks aren't fat, Ibby necks are just anorexic.

 

[Scar Symmetry]

OP has a connection in the States. I was suggesting a middle man scenario.

Oh yes, my bad.

 

[bklixuz]

Schecter necks aren't fat, Ibby necks are just anorexic.

oops sorry...
my opinion on the schecters are based on the reviews I have read. I have not tried one though...

 

[Mr. Big Noodles]

oops sorry...
my opinion on the schecters are based on the reviews I have read. I have not tried one though...

Yeah, I don't know why everybody thinks Schecter necks are so fat (Yo mama so fat!). Yes, compared to Ibanez, they are larger, but Schecter's necks are closer to the necks of other manufacturers, I think. Ibanez is just standard for metal, I guess, and the community has gotten comfortable with them.

That said, my complaint about Schecter vs. Ibanez is fret access. 23 and 24 are a little difficult to deal with on Schecters. I'm not sure if there are many guitars makers that have the best of both worlds.

 

[Vagz]

Ok people, thanks for the input. The 7321FM listed is very tempting, but with shipping charges extra, I think it will be just out of my budget (no idea how much shipping costs in US).

Have got news that a 7321 is in stock at one of local shops so next week am going to try it and then decide whether to go for Ibby or Schecter (my drummer is insisting on a Schecter, says it got a better fretboard workmanship than an Ibby, dunno y :/ )

 

[TRENCHLORD]

I sure agree with SchecterWhore, those Ibanez necks are very anorexic. A little bit bigger is perfect, but being an Ibby it'd still have that junky hardware.

 

[C3R3BRUM]

Any Schecter or Agile 7 String are great. Excellent quality, playability and sound for a great price. Passive pickups are my preference as well.

 

[fretboardvoodoo]

Ok people, thanks for the input. The 7321FM listed is very tempting, but with shipping charges extra, I think it will be just out of my budget (no idea how much shipping costs in US).

Have got news that a 7321 is in stock at one of local shops so next week am going to try it and then decide whether to go for Ibby or Schecter (my drummer is insisting on a Schecter, says it got a better fretboard workmanship than an Ibby, dunno y :/ )

I was in a very similar situation as you just recently (choosing between schecter & ibanez)... I could not find a schecter to play locally to judge for myself... I just chose a RG7321 cuz i have smaller hands (ibby's having ultra thin necks) seemed like a better match... although I'm still very curious to try out a schecter 7 neck.

 

[fretboardvoodoo]

Ok people, thanks for the input. The 7321FM listed is very tempting, but with shipping charges extra, I think it will be just out of my budget (no idea how much shipping costs in US).

Have got news that a 7321 is in stock at one of local shops so next week am going to try it and then decide whether to go for Ibby or Schecter (my drummer is insisting on a Schecter, says it got a better fretboard workmanship than an Ibby, dunno y :/ )

that kind of sounds suspect to me... I've heard of some pretty bad fret jobs coming from schecter in the last few years (square topped and unfinished seems to come to mind) I think it was somebody on this forum that posted his unsatisfactory fretjob on his schecter loomis... on the same note, I'm a little unimpressed by the fret job on my 7321... but then again, it is a base model.. made in indonesia... and u tend to get what u pay for, regardless of manufacturer... my upper end ibby rg is flawless... plays like a dream.

 

[Ryan-ZenGtr-]

retboardvoodoo, pretty standard, poor fretting on Ibanez guitars. I've had a load of them, MOST had bad fret end finishing. One explanation is that they travel a long way to the customer and the wood moves... My thought is that retail should check them first and have a luthier employed at the warehouse/store to level the frets... In my perfect world, yeah right!

7321's especially have rough fret ends on the treble side of the board. I'd suggest when buying a cheap over priced guitar, as low end stuff often is, run the hand along the trble side of the board and check for bleeding. If you own a 7321, you'll know what I mean.

It's not just that model, I had 3 JEM DBK's over a period of years and each and every one had the same thing. It wouldn't surprise me if Schecter weren't so good, either. I think their made by Cort in Indonesia. Cort make most far east guitars for other brands.

But it doesn't matter anyway, if you like the guitar you'll get a luthier to fret dress anyway, RIGHT?



BTW the binding on the 7321 makes it harder to do an invisible fret dress... Although the neck shape is very nice, once you replace all the hardware and pickups with quality items, they're really good.

I've owned loads of 7321's, so I can beat on 'em all day if I like!

Can't really comment on the Schecter's, haven't played one, but I am hearing great things about the Agile guitars.

I'd say, whatever you buy, budget to replace the pickups as soon as possible, so try to find one with upgrades on the 2nd hand market.

 

[Vagz]

I am actually facing a different problem altogether, quite opposite to you guys. The gear market in my country isnt that big and I have tried the Schecter, and did not find the neck THAT fat at all. On the other hand, I cant get my hand on an Ibby, because according to the stores, its a discontinued model being replaced by RGA7. The prices of both of them are around 750$ mark excluding the hard case, which is 100$ more.

I cannot afford to buy these NEW guitars, so that leaves me with the option of buying a USED and getting it shipped to India or buying a lower model, aka, Omen 7 which is 380$ here without the hardcase. So any suggestions?

 

[metalmania408]

I'm a noob to the 7. So I can't make a suggestions off of experience, but only based on your budget and what i've read about international shipping from Rondo Music.

I just ordered a Douglas Hadron 7 for ~$250US shipped domestic, which is currently on it's way to me. I believe Rondo will ship internationally, as long as you contact them before to setup the specific shipping details. Don't quote me though. I do know that some folks in Europe were able to get guitars shipped w/o issue, from Rondo. I'm not certain if India would be any different in regards to shipping logistics though.

 

[GuitaristOfHell]

Schecter necks for me are perfect. Schecter DIAMOND SERIES Omen Extreme-7 Black Cherry 7-String Electric Guitar see if you can find one of these used or a Damien Elite 7 used as well. I've tried both and they were solid as hell.