Quest for the 7 String (Need opinions on Carvin, Ibanez, Schecter, etc)

FrankyBoy

FrankyBoy

New member
Hey Guys! It's been a long while since I've looked out the SD forum and I'm glad to have time to be back. I just graduated college in science and now I am going straight to university in engineering, but before I get there I promised myself a little gift after I graduate : A BRAND NEW GUITAR FOR ME :bowdown:

So yeah I decided on getting myself a seven string guitar and as soon as next monday I will be ra*pin' some guitar shops to try a lot of guitars, but as for now my main choices that I have come down to are :

Schecter, Hellraiser Special C-7 26.5"(600$)
hellraiser_special_c_7_stblk1.jpg


Ibanez, RGD 7421 26.5"(600$)
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Carvin, DC727 25.5"(Custom with pretty much all I want in a guitar!) (1000$ish)
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All I want is a fixed bridge and 2 hum. But I am concerned about the scale lenght and I know it as been asked a million times on other forums but to me YOU guys of SD forum are the real reference on guitars. To me 25.5 would do just fine, but I'm not quite sure. I plan on staying tuned to Drop Ab or Drop G. I've been playing on my PRS SE Custom 22 for a few years now so I'm used to that short 25 scale.

Second thing, I just flashed on the idea of getting a custom DC727 Carvin build and more and more I am thinking about it and getting excited. I know there are Carvin freaks around here so I would like to here on your opinions about these builds and if it would be a good way to go for a 7 string guitar!

I just can't wait to get this new guitar!
 
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Re: Quest for the 7 String (Need opinions on Carvin, Ibanez, Schecter, etc)

When I heard about this PRS SE 7 string I was trippin'! But I'm thinking it would not be a safe bet to get a 25 inch scale lenght guitar for Drop G or Ab. :/
 
Re: Quest for the 7 String (Need opinions on Carvin, Ibanez, Schecter, etc)

FrankyBoy said:
When I heard about this PRS SE 7 string I was trippin'! But I'm thinking it would not be a safe bet to get a 25 inch scale lenght guitar for Drop G or Ab. :/
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If you're intending on tuning down that low, get the Ibby RGD. That has a longer 26.5" scale. It should still be fairly comfortable compared to the crazy long 27"+ length necks, but is still long enough to tune down a step or so.
 
Re: Quest for the 7 String (Need opinions on Carvin, Ibanez, Schecter, etc)

If I were to buy a 7 string, I would go for Ibanez. They have the experience and seem to have a vision, innovative, and ahead of the rest.
 
Re: Quest for the 7 String (Need opinions on Carvin, Ibanez, Schecter, etc)

verbotenco said:
If I were to buy a 7 string, I would go for Ibanez. They have the experience and seem to have a vision, innovative, and ahead of the rest.
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That is pretty much my though on this. The RGD seems so "right". I've heard a hundred times the pickups sound quite like mud, but we'll see once there. The Gibraltar bridge looks so awesome!

I can't wait to try that almost flat radius fretboard of the Ibby.
 
Re: Quest for the 7 String (Need opinions on Carvin, Ibanez, Schecter, etc)

For the tuning go ibanez. Otherwise it would be carving all the way
 
Re: Quest for the 7 String (Need opinions on Carvin, Ibanez, Schecter, etc)

I'm in the process of actually selling most of my 6 strings because both of my bands exclusively play 7s now, it for some odd reason is more comfortable for me.

I'm one of those weird people who does not like the ibanez super thin necks. they just hurt my hands. that said, Ibanez makes some of the better production model 7 strings around.

I started my 7 string playing about 6-7 years ago with a 26.5 inch Schecter. theyre pretty decent, I like their necks a lot better than Ibanez. Try a bunch out, theyre not all solidly made, but the couple that are, are great guitars for the price.

Carvin's are always great guitars. not much to say on them, because they're consistently praised, for a good reason. whatever you heard about them is probably what i would have said anyway.

If you're interested in the PRS 7 string and can wait a month, I'll let you know how they play. I have one of the 10 Sweetwater is getting on preorder, and as soon as they arrive October 24th theyre shipping one out to me. If you can wait, I'd be more than happy to give you a review of it after a day or two of practice with it.

for 7 strings, id recommend checking out Agile guitars. No stores will really have them, and they can sometimes be a crap shoot, but if you get a good one, my god is it a good one. I have a 27inch scale 5 piece maple/mahogany neck thru, and its just a great, great guitar, easily worth twice what i paid for it. the only reason i wont be hanging on to it is that in a couple of months im ordering a custom 7 string from Acacia Custom Guitars. that's going to be a sorta secret project though, the body design ive come up with is going to be a love it or hate it thing but everyone will be staring at it
 
Re: Quest for the 7 String (Need opinions on Carvin, Ibanez, Schecter, etc)

rgd7421+full+pic.JPG

I own the RGD7321, not bothered by the extended scale length; it's feels standard to me. Maybe after playing 8-string guitars, scale length doesn't bother me much.

EC-407_SWS.png

If you think you should stick to 25.5", consider the LTD model above.
 
Re: Quest for the 7 String (Need opinions on Carvin, Ibanez, Schecter, etc)

That Ibby would be the way to go IMO.

Ibanez just does 7-strings right. And yeah those Gibraltar bridges are great.
 
Re: Quest for the 7 String (Need opinions on Carvin, Ibanez, Schecter, etc)

I had an Ibby S470 DXQM for a little while and I pretty much liked the neck on it, but the middle singlecoil and the fudging locking tremolo were not for me at ALL.

As for the LTD, I'll have to try some tomorow, but this Eclipse shaped 7 string looks quite odd to me... Otherwise the EC guitars are one of the sexiest into my eyes!

Thanks NevermindUs!
Even if I end up buying something else than the PRS, I'll be waiting quite impatiently your review on the PRS SE7. My SE Custom as stayed close to me even through few guitars purchases I made because it feels so Lively and I find it just so beautiful haha.

I just can't wait to go 7's crazy and play some Periphery and Vildhjarta <3
 
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Re: Quest for the 7 String (Need opinions on Carvin, Ibanez, Schecter, etc)

Schecter Atx Blackjack, the best 7 string on the market.
 
Re: Quest for the 7 String (Need opinions on Carvin, Ibanez, Schecter, etc)

tonello said:
Schecter Atx Blackjack, the best 7 string on the market.
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Yeah I like Schecter a lot, but I'm always afraid of their neck being to fat and sticky for my taste. I had an Hellraiser tempest (6 string) for a while and even tho I loved the thing (built like a tank really) the neck and the emgs (and active in general) weren't quite for me. The SLS series with passives would be theoricly perfect for me, but I find them a little too pricy and the 12th fret inlay is the worst looking thing I have ever came across. :/
 
Re: Quest for the 7 String (Need opinions on Carvin, Ibanez, Schecter, etc)

The size of the Schecter necks is VASTLY exaggerated, usually by guys that have went and bought custom made 7 string guitars with ultra thin necks and then tried a Schecter. They aren't anything like some of the truly thick necks out there.
I have an Ibanez RG7421 (discontinued Ibanez 7 string, excellent guitar) and RG1527 and I get along with the neck on my Hellraiser C-7 just fine.
You've been playing on a PRS, you'll have no trouble.

I wouldn't ever want to tune a 25 inch scale 7 string (like the PRS) lower than Bb. A at the lowest for 25.5 inch scale
Some people might say it 'works' to go lower than that, but it being OPTIMAL is another story entirely.
I think you'll find for Ab/G#, that a 26.5 inch scale is going to be much better tone and intonation wise (because you can keep the string gauges down a little)
 
Re: Quest for the 7 String (Need opinions on Carvin, Ibanez, Schecter, etc)

I pretty much agree with you on everything. I know there are way bigger necks then the schecters (i've tried a real fat gibson neck one day), but the one on my tempest felt a little different than the C1 (hell/atx) in a wrong way. The c7 necks felt good to me somehow, but i'm just scared to not be confortable again. It might not only be the SIZE, but the shape in general. As you said, i play prs wide fat neck since a long while now and it feels awesome to me. (it is still smaller than the schecter one, at least to me). I miss e ultra dark rosewood fingerboard tho... So nice
 
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