Schecter Jazz 7

**GodinFan** · 02-06-2014, 05:04 PM

I'm now the proud owner of a Schecter Jazz 7!

Finally got a chance to get into the city and try it out today at a dealer that had a nice price on one with the OHSC. It's not set up exactly the way I'd like yet; it's got an 11 gauge set of flats, but a roundwound 72 for the bass string.

Being able to drop the roots on so many chords, and playing alternating root/5th bass lines so easily is very cool!

I'd like to thank forum member Jim Soloway for his mention of the Schecter on the board, and his assistance in making the decision to get the guitar. His input, based on his practical experience with the same guitar was a deciding factor.

Pics soon...

**feet** · 02-06-2014, 11:00 PM

not familar with them. is it one of these?

you big lucky. sounds pretty good to me.

would love to see and hear it.

**Jim Soloway** · 02-07-2014, 12:02 AM

Congratulations. I was happy to help and I'm really pleased that it's worked out.

**GodinFan** · 02-07-2014, 08:09 PM

Now to figure out the optimal string set...

I got some D'Addario Chromes today. They make a 7-string set that runs .011"-.065". The low A seems to be lacking solidity.

When I got the guitar it was strung with an 11 gauge set of chromes, but a .070" roundwound low A. Clear and solid, but the tone colour was different from the rest of the set.

Has anyone experimented with using heavy gauge rounds on 7-string?

My main hesitation is my concern with excessive string noise.

**JSanta** · 02-07-2014, 08:22 PM

I use a .074 Chrome for the low A on my Eastman and I feel that the response and volume is fairly even across all the strings. The notes project really well and it feels great under my fingers.

**GodinFan** · 02-07-2014, 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by JSanta

I use a .074 Chrome for the low A on my Eastman and I feel that the response and volume is fairly even across all the strings. The notes project really well and it feels great under my fingers.

What gauge are the rest of your strings?

D'Addario makes up to an 80 gauge Chrome string; I wonder what that would be like with a 13-56 set.

**JSanta** · 02-07-2014, 09:02 PM

Originally Posted by GodinFan

What gauge are the rest of your strings?

D'Addario makes up to an 80 gauge Chrome string; I wonder what that would be like with a 13-56 set.

I play the 12-52 set. My teacher uses the same gauge in Elixirs and has a .080 bass Elixir for his low A. Sounds wonderful. He plays a gorgeous Goodman 7 string and when it was purchased many years ago, the tailpiece was built for the bass guitar ball end. I don't think I could get away with that on my Eastman. As it is the .074 needed crimping near the ball end of the string to seat into the tailpiece properly.

But to answer your question, it's all about feel. On his guitar the .080 feels great, I just felt that the tension was right for me on the .074

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 02-07-2014, 09:09 PM

Learn something new everyday. I thought I'd never see "jazz" and "Schecter" in the same sentence. Their name conjures up...

**Jim Soloway** · 02-07-2014, 11:18 PM

GHS Nickel Compounds are a favorite for the low strong with a lot of 7 string players. The articulate with less tension. A 68 or 70 should be fine. Their not as silent as flat wounds but also nt as loud as most round wounds.

**Jim Soloway** · 02-07-2014, 11:19 PM

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

Learn something new everyday. I thought I'd never see "jazz" and "Schecter" in the same sentence. Their name conjures up...

I owned two of them years ago and used one for my first album. I'll posts a couple clips tomorrow if I have a bit of time.

**GodinFan** · 02-08-2014, 07:38 PM

Okay, finally got around to taking a pic of it. Been too busy playing!

image by Merlin Williams, on Flickr

**GodinFan** · 02-09-2014, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

GHS Nickel Compounds are a favorite for the low strong with a lot of 7 string players. The articulate with less tension. A 68 or 70 should be fine. Their not as silent as flat wounds but also nt as loud as most round wounds.

Jim, have you tried the GHS Nickel compounds for all the strings? Or did you mix a flatwound set with the GHS bass string?

**Jim Soloway** · 02-09-2014, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by GodinFan

Jim, have you tried the GHS Nickel compounds for all the strings? Or did you mix a flatwound set with the GHS bass string?

I have and they tend to be too bright for my taste but for the low A, that brightness is almost essential or it gets lost.

**Jim Soloway** · 02-09-2014, 02:04 PM

Here you go. This is the intro to Our Love Is Here To Stay from my first CD played on an almost identical guitar to your new Schecter.

**GodinFan** · 02-09-2014, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

I have and they tend to be too bright for my taste but for the low A, that brightness is almost essential or it gets lost.

That makes me wonder if using a roundwound and letting it dull down a bit and just change the other six flats as necessary might be a good plan.

I've been checking D'Addarios single string offerings; you can get Chromes in just about any gauge as singles.

Ever try a bass string on the Schecter? It'd be cool to get a tapewound bass string for the A. The visual difference would be helpful too.

**Jim Soloway** · 02-09-2014, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by GodinFan

That makes me wonder if using a roundwound and letting it dull down a bit and just change the other six flats as necessary might be a good plan.

I've been checking D'Addarios single string offerings; you can get Chromes in just about any gauge as singles.

Ever try a bass string on the Schecter? It'd be cool to get a tapewound bass string for the A. The visual difference would be helpful too.

No but I think both Bucky and John Pizzarelli use tape wound La Bellas on theirs.

**JSanta** · 02-09-2014, 02:57 PM

I spoke with Bucky when he was in town and he was using a Mapes bronze looking roundwound for his low A. As far as I know, and at least from seeing pictures, John doesn't use a tapewound string for the low A either. I'll know better when I go see him in May.

**Jim Soloway** · 02-09-2014, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by JSanta

I spoke with Bucky when he was in town and he was using a Mapes bronze looking roundwound for his low A. As far as I know, and at least from seeing pictures, John doesn't use a tapewound string for the low A either. I'll know better when I go see him in May.

I probably should have added that I was told that about 14 years ago. Things change a lot over that many years.

**JSanta** · 02-09-2014, 04:27 PM

No worries Jim. You are someone that I admire a great deal and I just wanted to offer up what was told to me recently. I have looked for Mapes guitar strings, but I haven't found anything from them other than they sell their wire to many different string manufacturers. I didn't want to bother Bucky a great deal, he is on good terms with my teacher and his wife for many years, and we spent more time talking about "real life" than gear.

Would love to give that particular string a shot, his low A sounded monstrous.

**GodinFan** · 02-09-2014, 05:12 PM

Interesting. Finally checked laBella's site to find out more about their 7-string tapewound set.

http://www.labella.com/products/600-7/

And what do you know? Their 7th string is roundwound.