Re: well heres a cool one from gibson- 7 string explorer
Firstly, Why does it not even mention the scale length?
If it's 24.75 inches, it will only just suffice, and anyone that wants to tune any lower (even one semi tone).......forget about it.
As it is, I tend think the minimum scale length for any 7 string is 25.5 inches.
Secondly: "the 7-string has become the choice of an increasing number of thrash and nu-metal players"
Well, to begin with, many of the nu metal bands/guitarists no longer even play 7 strings, such as Brad Delson. Linkin Park is an alt rock band nowadays.
Wes Borland from Limp Bizkit has said he no longer has a use for 7 string guitars
So ultimately the mainstream audiences, which includes a lot of young kids in their teens playing guitar, are now a fair bit less exposed to 7 strings.
And honestly I cannot really name many thrash bands that are picking up 7 strings (although that's not to say they don't exist).
If anything, the rise of popularity of 7 strings is due to the influence of progressive metal virtuoso John Petrucci (Dream Theater), other various virtuosos, and the death metal and post metal scenes.
Although yes, anyone that has actually heard Korn properly knows they do use all 7 strings, the way Gibson seem to be marketing this guitar is "Look, you can play all your low B nu metal and thrash riffs that are 5 semi tones lower than 80s era James Hetfield on this beast".
As a guitarist who plays a 7 string as his main instrument, I find it a little ridiculous.
The whole point of the instrument is that you have MORE range, which ultimately opens up more options for soloing and chordal playing, and is very useful for a technical guitarist that needs to play a lot of lead stuff in addition to deep, low riffage.
It's also very useful for people that want to enhance their clean channel playing, with big massive chords not possible on a 6 string.
Price tag is disgusting too.
However, kudos on pickup choice, rather than attempting to make passives for it.
As far as I'm concerned, most of SDs don't cut it for 7 strings unless it's the Blackouts, there are a few Dimarzios that are good , BKP is great, but if you want the best out of a 7 string for metal, the only way is active pickups IMO.