Inexpensive Solid Body 7 String?

[rsclosson]

I seldom use a 7 string. I had some really nice ones but never was able to make friends with them for solo or chord melody playing. However, for accompanying a singer or instrumentalist, I have had great success comping with one.

I don't have one now but am considering a S200.00. Jackson. They have good specs and they have great reviews from the metal crowd. I think I could get a good clean sound out of one for comping. Any advice?

Here's the link to what I am looking at: Jackson Dinky JS22-7 DKA HT Arch Top Satin 7-String Electric Guitar Black | Guitar Center)

[jim777]

I haven't played that one, but the Ibanez RG7421 is a decent guitar. I would go used on either though.

[Jimmy blue note]

There was a recent thread with a similar inquiry
Cheap 7 string solid body
I'd say you've got a good guitar there. You can have one made overseas and they're good and reliable and quite nice. I got one of these to see if I wanted to carry this for my store and I was very impressed. Switched out the pickups and it's now my go-to serious gigging guitar.
Grote 7 String Semi Hollow body Vintage Sunburst Electric Guitar Locking tuners | eBay
but I think you're wise to go with reliably affordable and see if you find it a comfortable transition. Many find that it's not a simple transition; it takes time to adjust.

[ronjazz]

I have a 7-string Ibanez AXsomething, double-horned like a Gibson SG, 25" scale. I pulled the pickups and put an EMG 7-string in the neck position, and it's a really good gigging 7-string: easy to play, very nice neck and fingerboard, and if you find it neck-heavy, just put the strap button on the treble side of the neck near the cutaway, and now it balances. $200 invested, including the EMG.

[Shay]

I used to have a Schecter KM-7. Really nice guitar and sounds really great as well... Recommended.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[rsclosson]

I like the idea of a 26.5 scale length and the compound radius on the Jackson. Lots of good specs for the $$. I could upgrade the pickups if needed.

[Jim Soloway]

I know nothing about the build quality or electronics of that Jackson but the longer scale length will sure make life easier for you.

[rsclosson]

I know nothing about the build quality or electronics of that Jackson but the longer scale length will sure make life easier for you.

Agreed. My Eastman gypsy jazz guitar has a 26.7 scale and is surprisingly comfortable to play.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Here's the link to what I am looking at: Jackson Dinky JS22-7 DKA HT Arch Top Satin 7-String Electric Guitar Black | Guitar Center)

That’s a great bargain and a very usable instrument. My closest GC usually has one on the wall and I use it to check out amps and effects there. Even with the horse hair they use for factory strings, it’s more than decent. I’ve had a very similar ESP since the ‘90s and played it on many jazz dates.

You’ll probably want it set up for real strings, which will mean some nut slot work, truss rod adjustment, and even minor fretwork. But a good setup will really make it a great player and is worth the cost. Adding a Plek job to initial setup can get an entry level guitar with good bones to its full potential. Our GC has an in-house tech who will do it if you don’t want to, so you may have that option where you are too. I suspect they’ll charge something extra, and I have no problem with that - there’s not much profit in a $200 guitar.

The hardware and electronics are also good for a cheap guitar. I’d leave them alone for at least a few gigs before deciding to upgrade them. You may like them as they are. Just be aware that cheap bridges, tailpieces, tuners etc are not that well finished and may contribute to more frequent string breakage and tuning issues. I still have the original cheap bridge and tailpiece on my ‘90s Epi Les Paul with no problems at all, but the tuners gave out early and I replaced them with Grovers.

[rsclosson]

Some pretty good clean tones. I believe I could even cut down the highs even more, though I do like a small amount of high definition to my tones.

[rsclosson]

There is another variation of the model for the same price. It has a gloss finish instead of matte, and different pickups. They look like EMGs but are most likely not.Jackson Dinky Arch Top JS22-7 DKA HT Electric Guitar Black | Guitar Center

I wonder which one comes closer to what I am looking for.

[pingu]

1165015[/URL]] I got one of these to see if I wanted to carry this for my store and I was very impressed. Switched out the pickups and it's now my go-to serious gigging guitar.
Grote 7 String Semi Hollow body Vintage Sunburst Electric Guitar Locking tuners | eBay
.

I just had a look at that Grote make of
guitars on ebay ....
they must be the best bang for the buck
out there !
amazing what you can get
for very little dough

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I just had a look at that Grote make of
guitars on ebay ....
they must be the best bang for the buck
out there !
amazing what you can get
for very little dough

I’ve been trying to find an available Grote “semi hollow” 7 string. They’re all over the web but with delivery estimated in months and no assurance of actually getting it. The few used ones that come along seem to be sold within minutes of posting.

I’ve found a few reviews of and write ups about Grote, all of which suggest that they’re great value and decent instruments. Someday I hope to find out. Jimmy BN, have you been able to secure any more of them?

[rsclosson]

The Jackson came in yesterday. Sounds surprisingly nice clean. I put a set of pure nickel.011s on it. With the scale length, the.011s have just the right resistance for me. (.012s would have been too much). I put a .074 on for the 7th string.

It took plenty of tweaking to get the action right. I still have a fret buzz on the low Bb that I cannot get rid of.

I believe it will work well for my purposes. If I can get rid of the fret buzz.

[rsclosson]

A little more tweaking yesterday and the buzz is gone and the action is close to perfect!

[Lionelsax]

The Jackson came in yesterday. Sounds surprisingly nice clean. I put a set of pure nickel.011s on it. With the scale length, the.011s have just the right resistance for me. (.012s would have been too much). I put a .074 on for the 7th string.

It took plenty of tweaking to get the action right. I still have a fret buzz on the low Bb that I cannot get rid of.

I believe it will work well for my purposes. If I can get rid of the fret buzz.

Hi !

I received mine today, cheapest than you've got.
Harley Benton R-457

Cheap 7 string solid body

[furtom]

I used to own an Epi LP 7-string. It was quite good. I remember being very surprised at the good sound. I decided life was too short, and passed it on.

I just did a quick ebay search and found this, which is exactly what I had:
Epiphone Limited Edition 7 String Guitar | eBay

$650 is not really "cheap," but in these post covid days, it might be close.

Anyway, I have no affiliation. But if it's like the one I had, it might be worth it to you.

Good luck.

[rsclosson]

I used to own an Epi LP 7-string. It was quite good. I remember being very surprised at the good sound. I decided life was too short, and passed it on.

I just did a quick ebay search and found this, which is exactly what I had:
Epiphone Limited Edition 7 String Guitar | eBay

$650 is not really "cheap," but in these post covid days, it might be close.

Anyway, I have no affiliation. But if it's like the one I had, it might be worth it to you.

Good luck.

I had one for a while. It was a beautiful guitar, but the shorter scale neck did not work well for me. The Jackson feels just right.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I used to own an Epi LP 7-string. It was quite good. I remember being very surprised at the good sound. I decided life was too short, and passed it on.

I just did a quick ebay search and found this, which is exactly what I had:
Epiphone Limited Edition 7 String Guitar | eBay

$650 is not really "cheap," but in these post covid days, it might be close.

Anyway, I have no affiliation. But if it's like the one I had, it might be worth it to you.

Good luck.

Depending on when you got it, that may not be the same one. They made a small run about 20 years ago, and I apparently bought the only one Sam Ash sold here. At the time, they weren't very popular with anyone - the metalheads wanted points and propane-powered pickups, and the usual LP lovers simply didn't want a 7. So I got it for a song. I replaced the tuners with Grovers from a 12 string, and I threw out the originals because they were cheap and terrible. The tuners on the linked eBay post appear to be much higher quality, e.g. I think mine had plastic buttons.

It's heavy as lead, but it's been a great beater since I upgraded the hardware. It screams the blues and holds its own in any genre or setting. Over the years, it's been heavily modified and clearly looks a bit different from its OEM state. I was going to refinish the top after modifying it, when I suddenly began to wonder if the finish was real or photo. So I "finished" the filled control holes and bridge PUP rout with a set of furniture touch up sticks before covering the repairs with "vintage tinted" poly. But even before I "improved" it, it was a very decent guitar and great value. If you don't mind the weight, it's another fine alternative for an inexpensive 7 you can use for anything.

[furtom]

Wow! Impressive!

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Wow! Impressive!

Thanks. One of these days, I'll get up the guts to clean up the pickup rout, hog out a pound or two of useless wood, and then sand down and refinish the top properly. If the grain turns out to be surface decoration, I'll just refinish it in a solid color. And this is the guitar on which I put my Roland GK3 synth pickup, which has a slight but significant delay between a string's output and the synth output because the pickups are slightly in front of the saddles. I want to install a Ghost system, which puts a sensor in each bridge saddle to eliminate the delay. I've also wanted to install an EZ-open battery compartment since I first put in an active pickup.

I actually love this guitar more than I ever dreamed I would. I've leveled, crowned, dressed and polished the frets to the point at which it will need new ones next time around. I'be never done a complete refret before, and I really want to tackle it when it's needed. It's actually a little weird that with all the fine instruments I have, I take this one on gigs so often.

[furtom]

Well, at least you don't have to say, "nevershouldhavesoldit."

I'd bet my bottom dollar it's a veneer.

I wish I could hear what you've done with it. Any chance of that?

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Well, at least you don't have to say, "nevershouldhavesoldit."

I'd bet my bottom dollar it's a veneer.

I wish I could hear what you've done with it. Any chance of that?

Here's an older Philly Blues Kings video we made during a practice session - I'm playing through the Vibrolux without effects. I was running a 12AY7 in V1, which is why you're hearing that smooth OD. On straight ahead jazz, it sounds a lot like my '73 LP Custom used to sound on the neck PU - big, sweet, and a little thunky.

[furtom]

Yes! That was great.

I see the last video you uploaded was 4 years ago. You gotta post more!

Guitar sounds great. Band sounds great. You sound great!

Thanks for sharing!

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Yes! That was great.

I see the last video you uploaded was 4 years ago. You gotta post more!

Guitar sounds great. Band sounds great. You sound great!

Thanks for sharing!

Thanks! Actually, I've posted several videos in various threads, almost all of which are jazz and none of which includes the Les Paul. Most have been demos in Sale posts for my Carvin 7 string (now living with a happy new owner), my Boogie EVM Thiele cabinet (still without serious interest after several weeks on the forum) and my Vox Night Train lunchbox tube head (more recently posted but still without an adoptive parent). Just among those 3, there are probably 15+ videos demonstrating the virtues of the items on the block. I'm working on a video right now to show the similarities and differences between a Jensen Tornado neo speaker and the original Eminence in my RE Stealth 10. I'm making clips of the same tunes played on my Eastman 810CE7, my Ibanez AF207, and my Tele7 through both speakers - I hope to have it finished tomorrow so I can edit it and get it up by Friday. Meanwhile, here's a different kind of tune from another practice session. I'm backing Ramona solo on Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do. I'm playing the LP through an original Blues Deluxe (probably with a 5751 in V1):

And here's the first half of another tune from PBK with me on the LP7. This was part of a feature program we did for the Central Pennsylvania Blues Society a few months ago. I don't know why, but the copy they sent me ends in the middle of this tune (which was the last on the program) - I think they must have cut it off because of my singing Having me at the mic is an unfortunate necessity when we're between vocalists. I hate to sing, and I find it hard to play the guitar at the same time because I'm just not an intuitive singer. So trying to be the front man distracts me from both playing and singing. It's a classic lose-lose situation. I'm playing the LP thru the Vibrolux on this one too. You can see the DV Mark Jazz 12 behind me peering out over the Nord keyboard just to the right of the Vibrolux (which is sitting on a Leslie 3300). Fortunately, we have a great singer once again so I can go back to my corner and play my instruments.