Gibson seven string humbucker

[Jimmy blue note]

I suspect they're not going to go that route for a one-off, so I need to find a reliable vendor. Grote has a website, but they show no 7s on it. They also sell through Amazon, but they don't list any 7s there either. I'll do the frets and set it up myself. I have a pair of HB-sized Lace Alumitones in the Raines Tele7 right now that I'll put into the Grote. If I like the Grote as much as you do, I'll put the generic humbuckers back in the Raines that came in it.

I certainly don't need 3 solid body 7s plus the Grote any more, so I'll sell the Raines if the Grote is good - it's only about 3 years old, and it's worth considerably more than either of the other solids. They have little resale value, but I'm sentimental about my hardtail ESP 7 (my first 7 string guitar, bought new 30 years ago) and my heavily modified '90s Epi LP7 with a single EMG (neck) and a Roland GK pickup. And I recently redid the frets and setups on both, so they play and sound great. A good small semi would fill out the pack very well without the Raines.

Inerestingly enough, my wife also thinks this is a good idea

Grote 7 String Semi Hollow body Cherry Sunburst Electric Guitar Locking tuners | eBay

Right on Ebay. Search for Grote 7 string. 3 colours. I've ordered several. All of equally high quality. All benefited from a fret leveling and set up.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Grote 7 String Semi Hollow body Cherry Sunburst Electric Guitar Locking tuners | eBay

Right on Ebay. Search for Grote 7 string. 3 colours. I've ordered several. All of equally high quality. All benefited from a fret leveling and set up.

Thanks! So you bought yours from Acepro - great to know. I've been looking at their Grotes on eBay for months now. I think I'll go for the blonde. I was a bit concerned about the overall 93% + review rate and the recently high rate of negative feedback (50% in the last month and 10% in the last 6 months).

If I read the CBP documentation correctly, import duty on guitars is currently 8.7% in the US. Did CBP bill you directly and hold the guitar until they receive payment?

[Jimmy blue note]

If I read the CBP documentation correctly, import duty on guitars is currently 8.7% in the US. Did CBP bill you directly and hold the guitar until they receive payment?

I never paid anything for that. It just arrived one day in a big yellow mummy box. They must've done some voodoo at the other end.

[Jimmy blue note]

Largely it's stock. At its core it's a well balanced solid guitar. I have someone who's learning guitar craft from me and I told him to get one of these to use as an experimental guitar to learn about all the aspects of repair short of the actual lutherie.
When I worked at Ibanez, I treated every guitar I purchased from the 'seconds' room as a kit and as customizable instruments, they could be made to play and sound like the best. This was before the China market began making nice cheap guitars for everyone. I thought "Someday the places that make the real nice guitars with the Ibanez, Epiphone or PRS label on them will put out something with cheap hardware for really cheap" and sure enough, the market has that niche now. For the guitarists who learn how to switch out pickups, can do a good setup, want to customize an instrument into a serious working guitar with the best electronics that can be had, it's a new world.
There are vendors in China that still make bad stuff. You have to know and avoid them. But there are good ones (like Raines uses the same factory where you could order your custom guitar and DIY, and same goes for big names too).
I got the names of a few good builders and I've been very happy. I happen to get guitars and sell them to students who can benefit from a professionally fitted guitar at a price that undercuts even a medium level poorly set up off the wall meh-tar from GC.
I don't know what you'd get but all the guitars I got from these guys, I have been happy with. And you can learn to customize to your heart's content. That satisfaction is priceless.

[voyage]

Largely it's stock. At its core it's a well balanced solid guitar. I have someone who's learning guitar craft from me and I told him to get one of these to use as an experimental guitar to learn about all the aspects of repair short of the actual lutherie.
When I worked at Ibanez, I treated every guitar I purchased from the 'seconds' room as a kit and as customizable instruments, they could be made to play and sound like the best. This was before the China market began making nice cheap guitars for everyone. I thought "Someday the places that make the real nice guitars with the Ibanez, Epiphone or PRS label on them will put out something with cheap hardware for really cheap" and sure enough, the market has that niche now. For the guitarists who learn how to switch out pickups, can do a good setup, want to customize an instrument into a serious working guitar with the best electronics that can be had, it's a new world.
There are vendors in China that still make bad stuff. You have to know and avoid them. But there are good ones (like Raines uses the same factory where you could order your custom guitar and DIY, and same goes for big names too).
I got the names of a few good builders and I've been very happy. I happen to get guitars and sell them to students who can benefit from a professionally fitted guitar at a price that undercuts even a medium level poorly set up off the wall meh-tar from GC.
I don't know what you'd get but all the guitars I got from these guys, I have been happy with. And you can learn to customize to your heart's content. That satisfaction is priceless.

Thanks Jimmy. This has been a bit of a revelation.

[voyage]

I'm not that crazy about this guy, but his title enticed me, and there is some interesting info later in the video about Asian guitar factories that is relevant to this thread I think.

Why Indonesian Guitar Factories Are the Future - YouTube

[GuyBoden]

The best tuners I’ve found for tight 7 string heads are Grover minis. I found a 12 string set on sale years ago and put 7 on my Epi LP7. The posts are big and strong enough to drill out safely for a big 7th - I use a 72 on the LP. They’re still good as new after 20 years of heavy use on blues gigs.

My Raines Tele7 has a tight 7 in line head. Sperzels with their pin mount (no screw tab) are just about touching on it - I don’t think there’d be room for any tuners with a traditional external screw tab. And Sperzel will sell a single matching one with an oversized post & hole to go with a set of 6. Grover was willing to sell me a set of 7 standard tuners - but when I measured, they wouldn’t fit.

I've just installed some Steinberger Gearless Tuners on one of my solid 7 String guitars with a small headstock, they look like Banjo tuners, so not for everyone's liking, the design is very good. A very precise tuner, they work really well. I might post a pic.

[GuyBoden]

The Steinberger Gearless Tuners work very well, a good design IMO. They are small enough for 7 string guitars with small headstocks, but do look like Banjo tuners. Also, beware, you are left with screw holes from your original standard tuners.

Here are some pics of my latest experimental 7 string build with the Steinberger Gearless Tuners.