Why are Suhr 7s so rare now?

[MaxOfMetal]

I was never hot on the Modern silhouette but if it's a functional/ergonomic thing I understand it better now

It's fairly polarizing, but I dig it. Though, I can't say there is any objective advantage to the offset.

Sounds like a guy who hasn't played a great Caparison. And in fairness they're not making it easy, because unlike Suhr, you often have to try 3 or 4 of them to find that one among those with issues

I'm giving them a hard time. They're not awful, and I've played some gems (pretty much every MR model I've gotten my hands on has been nothing short of stellar), but it's hard to stomach the pricing unless you're really into it and ready to hunt for an exceptional example.

 

[mbardu]

It's fairly polarizing, but I dig it. Though, I can't say there is any objective advantage to the offset.

The offset is cool as heck and that's an advantage that's 100% objective.

I'm giving them a hard time. They're not awful, and I've played some gems (pretty much every MR model I've gotten my hands on has been nothing short of stellar), but it's hard to stomach the pricing unless you're really into it and ready to hunt for an exceptional example.

Oh yeah no kidding. I could not stomach spending 4k$ on a new custom line Capa with a 50/50% chance of getting a dud. Compared to that, getting a well optioned Suhr to your specs with a 99% chance of something perfect is a much better value proposition. But when Capa gets it right, they get it right- and some stellar ones can be found below 1.5k. That's quite a bit less than my most recent second-hand Modern.

 

[xzacx]

The offset is cool as heck and that's an advantage that's 100% objective.



Oh yeah no kidding. I could not stomach spending 4k$ on a new custom line Capa with a 50/50% chance of getting a dud. Compared to that, getting a well optioned Suhr to your specs with a 99% chance of something perfect is a much better value proposition. But when Capa gets it right, they get it right- and some stellar ones can be found below 1.5k. That's quite a bit less than my most recent second-hand Modern.

FWIW, the two Suhrs I've bought downright sucked. One was brand new and played terrible, and both of them sounded like crap. I've played a few others, one of which did play truly great, but I didn't like how any of them sounded—that could be as simple as not liking their pickups though (which I've play in non-Suhrs and also thought sounded bad). Because of those experiences it's not a brand I even consider, although I realize I'm very much in the minority. I imagine I was just unlucky based on how people rave about them constantly. In my experience though, they are a tier below TA and even further below Tyler when it comes to boutique-y bolt-ons.

I wish I liked the look of Capas, that's the only reason I've never given one a shot. Ironically, I love the look of Tylers (including the headstock) and actually contacted them a couple months back about making me a 7, and wasn't exactly shot down. They've done it a couple times in the past, and told me to check back post-pandemic and they'd see if it's feasible.

 

[diagrammatiks]

FWIW, the two Suhrs I've bought downright sucked. One was brand new and played terrible, and both of them sounded like crap. I've played a few others, one of which did play truly great, but I didn't like how any of them sounded—that could be as simple as not liking their pickups though (which I've play in non-Suhrs and also thought sounded bad). Because of those experiences it's not a brand I even consider, although I realize I'm very much in the minority. I imagine I was just unlucky based on how people rave about them constantly. In my experience though, they are a tier below TA and even further below Tyler when it comes to boutique-y bolt-ons.

I wish I liked the look of Capas, that's the only reason I've never given one a shot. Ironically, I love the look of Tylers (including the headstock) and actually contacted them a couple months back about making me a 7, and wasn't exactly shot down. They've done it a couple times in the past, and told me to check back post-pandemic and they'd see if it's feasible.

I agree with this. I've never liked any suhr I've played. and I don't like their pickups. They are built well though.

 

[mbardu]

FWIW, the two Suhrs I've bought downright sucked. One was brand new and played terrible, and both of them sounded like crap. I've played a few others, one of which did play truly great, but I didn't like how any of them sounded—that could be as simple as not liking their pickups though (which I've play in non-Suhrs and also thought sounded bad). Because of those experiences it's not a brand I even consider, although I realize I'm very much in the minority. I imagine I was just unlucky based on how people rave about them constantly. In my experience though, they are a tier below TA and even further below Tyler when it comes to boutique-y bolt-ons.

I wish I liked the look of Capas, that's the only reason I've never given one a shot. Ironically, I love the look of Tylers (including the headstock) and actually contacted them a couple months back about making me a 7, and wasn't exactly shot down. They've done it a couple times in the past, and told me to check back post-pandemic and they'd see if it's feasible.

I could easily see someone not liking the sound of Suhr pickups. I prefer the stock Anderson or Schecter pickups. A new one playing terrible is more surprising, although anything can happen (moved in transit, severe change of climate?), but at least if it's a new one you can usually be 100% sure that the dealer or Suhr will make it right if you're the buyer. Not sure if that didn't happen in your case.
Doesn't change the fact that someone may just not like the shape and neck and specs and feel. They're not trying to be everything to everyone....that's why it's good we have options. And back to the OP, that's even more true in 7s, where at the end of the day, it's far from their main market.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

I'm really into Anderson and Tyler too...but neither make 24 fret 7-strings.

Nor am I a huge Suhr pickup fan.

 

[xzacx]

I'm really into Anderson and Tyler too...but neither make 24 fret 7-strings.

Nor am I a huge Suhr pickup fan.

Yeah, the 24 frets will probably end up being a determining factor for me if they're willing to make one. I'm sure it'll be a fortune, so I'd like it to be exactly what I want. The couple I've seen that they did make were 22 frets, but they've also made Ultimate Weapons in 24, so I'd guess it's possible. Then again...if I can get them to make a 22 fret Malibu Beach Schmear 7, it'd be hard to say no hahah.

 

[Robotechnology]

Never seen a Suhr 7 in person although I do own 2 6 string Suhr’s. I lucked upon this Tom Anderson 7 for sale 7 years back and it is UNREAL out of this world sick good!

 

[mbardu]

Never seen a Suhr 7 in person although I do own 2 6 string Suhr’s. I lucked upon this Tom Anderson 7 for sale 7 years back and it is UNREAL out of this world sick good!

Jeezuz wtf.
Never sell that guitar, or if you do, please contact me first.

 

[Mendez]

Just a 7 string Tom Anderson on ebay, but they're asking for 8.5k...

 

[oremus91]

Love the birdseye Suhr 7.

I have a Suhr 7. Love the guitar. I got it about a year ago, but there was a 1 year wait for the build, which I feel is just too long. I had to send it back to redo the abalone side dots because they were barely visible over the roasted birdseye maple - a fault I don't think you should run into with a $4,500 guitar. Also, been wanting to put some War Pigs in it since I got it, just haven't gotten around to it yet.

View attachment 85492

Also very sick neck on the TA one posted!

 

[adrianb]

Incidentally, the Cap would probably feel most at home in the fireplace.

 

[HungryGuitarStudent]

FWIW, the two Suhrs I've bought downright sucked. One was brand new and played terrible, and both of them sounded like crap. I've played a few others, one of which did play truly great, but I didn't like how any of them sounded—that could be as simple as not liking their pickups though (which I've play in non-Suhrs and also thought sounded bad). Because of those experiences it's not a brand I even consider, although I realize I'm very much in the minority. I imagine I was just unlucky based on how people rave about them constantly. In my experience though, they are a tier below TA and even further below Tyler when it comes to boutique-y bolt-ons.

What do you mean by “played terrible”? You tested different neck reliefs, actions, etc. I assume.

 

[Andromalia]

I guess the point is, however good an instrument can be, we have personal tastes that can make brand X or model Y not good for a specific individual. (To be honest, with work you can get used to pretty much any spec, but it does take time)

 

[budda]

Doesnt @Drew own a suhr 7?

 

[sakeido]

What do you mean by “played terrible”? You tested different neck reliefs, actions, etc. I assume.

Probably not. Suhrs are all PLEKed and their QC is so tight they should all be basically perfect, unless the guitar has been mistreated somehow. They're still made of wood though.. mine will occasionally have a bad setup - it never needs more than a quarter turn one way or the other on the truss rod to get the relief back where it needs to be.

 

[Drew]

Doesnt @Drew own a suhr 7?

I do.

Pair of 6's as well.

I scanned the thread and I can agree with the general consensus - this is a metal forum, with a fondness for "unorthodox" guitars, coupled with a little bit of flavor-of-the-month trend following. My Suhrs are amazing - the newest six is perhaps the nicest, most resonant guitar I've ever picked up, and this seven plays and sounds almost as good as it looks - but at the end of the day, a seven string Suhr is a seven string 25.5" superstrat with a headstock and a fixed scale length, and increasingly that doesn't seem to be what this forum is into.

I think it also helps that back in 2014, I think, when I ordered mine, if you wanted a 7-string superstrat with something other than a basswood body and a rosewood fretboard, there really weren't many options out there. That's changed a bit, and the Ibanez RG752AGM really mirrors a lot of the specs of my guitar. I bought one, it's since mostly gathered dust because why would I play that guitar when I could play this one, but at the end of the day it's still a really nice guitar that may not quite match the quality of my Suhr, but it's good enough and I think was something like $1500 new vs the probably more than $4500 a custom Suhr like this would run you now. There's just a little less need, if you want something with different specs than a RG7620.

That said, I clearly am still pretty wild about mine.

 

[oremus91]

A moderate multiscale would be cool, but otherwise I'm kind of "coming back around" to traditional specs more, which is what is drawing me to the Suhr thought again. I play in standard and don't mind the 25.5 even on a 7 (it's good enough for Petrucci after all). Thanks for posting, I've seen yours before and it's beautiful.

I kind of agree that there is nothing fundamentally putting Suhr apart, aside from just wanting a really well-built superstrat, knowing that there are diminishing returns in terms of value propositions. That being said, Suhr still has a more rounded compound radius available than other 7s, a neck that isn't so flat, etc that appeal to me now.

 

[jephjacques]

I'm really into Anderson and Tyler too...but neither make 24 fret 7-strings.

Nor am I a huge Suhr pickup fan.

If Anderson ever makes a 7 string Angel I am going to buy one

I had a Suhr for a couple years. Impeccable guitar but yeah, the pickups weren't my cup of tea either.

 

[oremus91]

Drew is that 3A or 5A birdseye?