Would you choose a 22 fret guitar as your main 7?

[Crash Dandicoot]

My 7 in my prof. pic is an ESP Snapper which is built to still have some (relatively) traditional Strat DNA left after ESP was done hot rodding it.

Ohmura-7 bros unite

Totally changed my perspective on 7's and is one of my main three guitars, let alone 7 strings. The 46mm nut, 22 frets, Hipshot trem - everything I never seek out in a guitar and I love it. I do catch myself from time to time wishing it had a Floyd and those extra two frets, but only with certain songs and typically just out of the playing style habits I've built with 6's. It does what it was meant to do exceedingly well. Only gripe: it should've had the T-5 heel design from the traditional Snappers vs. the four bolt / angled cut it has. No complaints about the comfort cut but the T-5 is considerably more ergonomic.

You know when people give that whole "best guitar I've ever played, just moving gear" when selling guitars? This is the best guitar I've ever owned and you'd have to pry it from my lifeless hands.

 

[Rev2010]

Some thoughts … if the guitar is very nice, among the best, but has only 22 frets, would you choose it as your main 7? I tune step down and for some tunes use 24th fret… I could figure a workaround.. how about you? Could yoh live with a 22 fretter 7?

No way. I enjoy playing on those highest frets doing those notes mixed with open for rhythm. Of course it's usually still playable just playing those notes on higher strings but the tone is also different and certain rhythms aren't as doable. But I just don't see why not complete the second octave on a fretboard, why cut it too frets short?

 

[cardinal]

And how does bridge strat pickup work with 7 strings? Must be something special!!

I like it a lot. I've posted clips here recently of some S7rat metal.

@cardinal - do you keep them in F# as your signature suggests ? Do you deck the trem for drop only ? Very cool strats!!

Oh, my 8-string Super-Teles are in F#. Those have 24 frets though. Their Floyds are decked for dive only.

 

[Stan P]

@Crash Dandicoot Is it basswood or alder body? How does the trem perform? How do you have her tuned? Based on the 7th saddle position looks like drop G?

 

[Crash Dandicoot]

@Stan P IIRC the body is alder, Contour bridge is comfy but I have it decked and don't use it terribly often, it seems stiffer in general operation vs. the Flicker-III in my Snapper-CTM. I've got that one level and still have a really smooth feel so I'll probably change how I have the Hipshot set up.

That photo is from a while ago, if memory serves it was in Drop A, presently back in standard B. I was messing around with a variety of different singles for the low string at the time, odds are intonation wasn't 100% there, tbh.

 

[wheresthefbomb]

this thread was way better when the title was 22 feet guitar JS

 

[Mathemagician]

Man, this thread just reminded me of how much I just wanted my JP7 to be neckthrough and like 26.5.

 

[op1e]

I picked up an EC-257 and its fine. I think LP style fiddles with 24 frets look atrocious. I threw an 81-7 in it for now, will probably get a TW pickup for the neck spot later. I have an 81tw in my mexi strat and like it a lot. Just an SA in the neck and it rules. Need more non soapbar TW 7 string pickups from EMG.

 

[KentBrockman]

I would not.

I sometimes use the 24th frets on the high E and B strings. Even when I don't use them, having the extra room up there helps with playing on the high frets anyway.

 

[Stan P]

@cardinal do you still have your Anderson 7s as well? Do you like them still?

 

[IwantTacos]

never. i don't even play my 22 fret guitars anymore.

 

[cardinal]

@cardinal do you still have your Anderson 7s as well? Do you like them still?

I do not. I could not get along with them. Each one I owned had a huge deadspot between the 9 to 12th fret on the G string that drove me crazy. I could only get the notes to sustain if I jammed the headstock against the speaker cab to dampen the neck. Otherwise those notes died after just a second or two of sustain. And this was two separate guitars, one of which I had a new neck built for. I was so bummed because I really like Tom.

 

[mlp187]

@cardinal
Is it possible SSO can leverage your seven string Strat research?
Google is our friend, but it is still quite a difficult topic to research…Or I’m just incapable. Specifically, I’m talking as close to Strat-like as possible in the regular production realm.
These are my main targets, but I would like to expand the list (w/ the exception of Iconic):
ESP and Edwards Snapper
T’s Guitars (not seeing anything current)
Kiesel Delos
Agile ST (nothing current, model name may be incorrect)
Ibanez AZ24047 (haven’t heard the coil tap. Hope it’s spanky)

 

[cardinal]

@cardinal
Is it possible SSO can leverage your seven string Strat research?
Google is our friend, but it is still quite a difficult topic to research…Or I’m just incapable. Specifically, I’m talking as close to Strat-like as possible in the regular production realm.
These are my main targets, but I would like to expand the list (w/ the exception of Iconic):
ESP and Edwards Snapper
T’s Guitars (not seeing anything current)
Kiesel Delos
Agile ST (nothing current, model name may be incorrect)
Ibanez AZ24047 (haven’t heard the coil tap. Hope it’s spanky)

Current off-the-shelf production: the ESP Snapper 7 range is all I think there is. If enough people ask Kurt at Rondo for the Sentinel 725, he'll presumably do a run.

Schecter and T's would be happy to build you one if you ordered it. I'm sure there are others too.

Kiesel and Ibanez have too many frets. If you're willing to accept 24 frets, just stick single coils in any number of 7s out there.

 

[Stan P]

@cardinal I am really surprised by Anderson as per your report. I guess brand does not mean awesome at everything. So when it comes to high end sevens ESP, Ibbie, and Schecter own the market if we ignore small shops.

 

[cardinal]

@cardinal I am really surprised by Anderson as per your report. I guess brand does not mean awesome at everything. So when it comes to high end sevens ESP, Ibbie, and Schecter own the market if we ignore small shops.

The Schecter custom orders I have are the most spectacular guitars I've ever held. Perfect in every way, and they ask questions up front to make sure all the details are right. I highly recommend them. I would order a Traditional 7 from them in a heartbeat if I weren't so impatient. The T's Strats were immediately available, and they are extremely well built. But not like my Schecters.

 

[CanserDYI]

I bet like 75% of you would be fine with a 12 fret guitar.


Half kidding lol

 

[odibrom]

I bet like 75% of you would be fine with a 12 fret guitar.


Half kidding lol

... errr, you're half kidding on the 75% of us or on the 12 fret use limit?...

 

[tedtan]

I bet like 75% of you would be fine with a 12 fret guitar.


Half kidding lol

Half of the folks here would probably be fine with a 12 fret five-string bass.

 

[OmegaSlayer]

I support the idea of going past the 24th fret, but with standard-ish scales it's unpractical while with a 28" scale AND a good upper fret access it doesn't feel clogged

Also, when I was a messy 18 years old guy, I always solo'd on the bridge pickup, now that I have much more control over my chops I shred only on the bridge, so I'd remove the bridge pickup on a "shred oriented" guitar; bridge pickup is great, but...for other stuff that requires less articulation to be "effective"