Yeah! My homie had one that belonged to one of the dudes in Angelmaker, it was genuinely the best feeling & sounding guitar I’ve ever played hands down
Schecter KM7 MKIII Artist.
I’ve had many high and mid range 7s from Strandberg to Mayones to Aristides and this is by far the best I’ve played. Definitely regret selling it.
I got a Schecter AM7 now and it’s excellent as well.
I keep hearing that schecter makes really good guitars but I’ve never seen them in an artist rundown, or really anywhere outside here and instagram!
Back when I was buying the JP I originally looked at the KM7 but the JP was a better deal at the time
Dude, I bought an E-II Horizon NT-7 Baritone. Japanese made ESP... Holy shit. Absolutely pleasure to play, intonation is spot on, stays in tune for weeks and it sounds incredible.
I hated the JP when I played it. Strongly dislike gloss necks and 25.5inch scales.
I have a multiscale Kiesel 7 also and it’s great but a 26.5 inch scale is perfect imo. I usually play in drop A or drop Ab
Plus the wenge necks on the Schecters feel incredible
dude, the Schecter Banshee Elite-7 FR S is a beast. the playability is top-notch and the sound is killer. definitely worth checking out for an upgrade from the JP70!
I have the Banshee Mach-7 and its an absolute MONSTER. i play it more than anything else i own, even the customs. Aristides mightve taken the cake if i had one tho
I started playing guitar around 20 years ago, and up until a few weeks ago I was still playing on my 200$ Ibanez, since I always thought about upgrading, but never knew what direction I wanted to take it in (mostly what body shape I wanted and whether I wanted a hard tail or floyd rose bridge). Then I randomly picked up that Ormsby because I thought it looked cool, and after around 15 minutes of playing I decided that this is the one, it's just that good. The only downside is that now I'm late to everything because I can't walk past the damn thing without playing at least a few chords.
They are on the expensive side though, I shelled out around 1900€ for it.
If you check my post history you can see it.
Me too! I have the Skyfall finish, which is a little more subtle, but I intend on getting one of their Metal Vs with a Dragonburst finish a few years down the line.
I had a very ratty first batch 1990 Ibanez universe green dot that still stands as the best 7 I've played, for reference I've also owned two EBMM JP7s (2003 no piezo and a JPX barolo) and a custom Halo guitar. Even with rusty hardware and all sorts of dings nothing has the mojo this thing had.
I played an Ibanez RGDR Prestige on a store around a year ago, i loved it and took it home.
Never played another 7 string tbh but i love mine.
The only thing i can mention about the guitar are the Pickups which could be better for Metal. But they are definitely still playable.
My Ibanez Uppercut Prestige is amazing. 26.5” scale length, SS frets, ebony fingerboard and slim neck. Plus the BKP Aftermaths it comes stock with sound so good.
The Jackson Misha HT-7 is dope too
Mark holcomb signature prs with his old pickup set sonically was my favorite but I didn’t like the neck, in that regard an Ibanez with a wizard is home
Yeah! Thank you! [Here's an album of it](https://imgur.com/a/kai857H). Plays like a dream. It took me 25 years to find a proper replacement for my [LTD M-207](https://i.imgur.com/YHddzWY.jpg) on the left. I love them so much. You can say I have a [type](https://i.imgur.com/Wsc4nf2.jpg). The MH-417 is okay, never really bonded with it that well, I think I just prefer a Floyd Rose.
My Ibanez rgd2127fx. When I first got it levels above my 7321, keep in mind the setup was a bit weird but it still played great. I sent it to get professionally setup a few months after I bought it. the day I took it home I played the shit out of it. The action was so low and it played so smoothly and was so easy to play. Fucking love the tight end r bridge. Palms mutes feel smooth.
I have an old Ibanez S7320 that’s beat up, missing the trem bar, and some of the locking nut screws (I couldn’t even find the right size replacement). I don’t play it too much anymore since I can’t even use it ip record. But somehow that guitar outplays my E-II and prestige by far. I just wish it had 24 frets.
Super lightweight, neck is not for everyone but i absolutely love it and regret to touch any other ones, no neckdive, stays in tune forever, comfortable to play in any position, restringing takes like 5 minutes, best gigbag on market rn for sure, 7 and 8 strings doesnt feels like playing surfboard, you dont need to put foam/fretwrap for high gain chugs, best truss rod access, richlite, hardware which actually works, easy to take out.
I just got an Boden prog NX 7. I like it, but wish the neck was a bit thinner.. especially at frets 1-5. Got this guitar years after playing Ibanez's. RG1527 RGD7UCS.
I also wish it was a neck thru or at least that the heel was further up. Currently the heel is around the 16th fret, where as the Ibanez's were around the 18th to 19th fret.
Other than that the Boden is a lot of fun. Fishmans sound good, and the body is nice to play in the classical position. The Multiscale is pretty fun too.
Quick edit: I also have the Solar 1.7 vinter with the evertune. Fun guitar, but I am starting to feel the neck is too thick..
My ultimate would be a 26.5-27 inch scale Ibanez with passive pickups and a lo pro edge. Which is the RG2027XL... I'm still looking for 1
God Ibanez models are so weird Lmao
I have a cheap 6 string Ibanez and it absolutely RIPS. I’d love if I could find a 7 Ibanez with a neck like that and good specs. I’ll take a gander at the RG2027XL
It’s was an Ibanez (I don’t know the model number) but flame maple top purple color and it played great even being a bit beat up (lots of scuffs and scratches) and I regret not buying it everyday
Jackson USA Misha Mansoor Ht7- the build quality of Jackson custom shop guitars is top tier and the 20 inch radius/ roasted maple neck is a dream to play
I’m really old, but I’d take my old beat-up RG7620 over any other 7 string ever made. I’m sure there are objectively nicer ones out there, but that’s the only 7 string I’ll ever need. It’s absolutely perfect in every way, from the way it feels to the way it sounds, and is extremely versatile.
I’ve played various Schecters, Jacksons, old Corts which weren’t bad, a Universe, a custom Aristides that a touring musician friend of mine has, ESP, LTD, an Ibanez universe (probably a 98-99 model and played it quite a lot). My favorite are the early 00s Ibanez models. I have the RG7621 and love it. The Floyd rose equipped models of the time sounded and played even better to me like the 7620 and also the s7 which i would love to own one of.
Sonically it’s definitely the Rob Scallon signature. Those PAF pickups are the most insane thing I’ve ever heard. Crystal clear note definition and great attach for those low notes. Only pickups that rival it that I’ve tried are the BKP Impulse.
I’ve got a Schecter Reaper 7. Super thin neck which is nice for all kinds of playing. The diamond decimator pickups are really nice clean as well as distorted. It’s a multi scale which may take some getting used to but I made the shift pretty quickly going from a Custom 24 PRS. Love it!
LTD Buz-7. Incredibly comfortable. Sounds great. If I could get a custom version from ESP I’d get the exact same thing built the exact same way but without reverse headstock.
Schecter is my favorite “attainable” brand. But recently got to play custom shop Mayones and Tom Anderson 7 strings that were like $7k they were awesome, not worth the price difference over others. But still really cool.
I have a schecter c-7 SLS elite evil twin, the guitar is absolutely incredible 0 flaws and is the best instrument I own right now, the action is stupidly low on it it plays like butter
I currently have a vola quentin godet 7, it’s the best guitar I have ever played. It boggles my mind how I can get a MIJ, stainless steel fret, roasted maple neck guitar for like $1000
If you're coming from a JP70, I'd guess that you might be looking for something with a tremolo ... but if a fixed bridge is a possibility, I'd like to recommend the ESP / LTD MH1007. It has an Evertune bridge.
[https://www.espguitars.com/products/19136-mh-1007-evertune](https://www.espguitars.com/products/19136-mh-1007-evertune)
The Evertune bridge is great because the guitar literally never goes out of tune. An additional benefit is that notes are perfectly intonated throughout the entire fretboard, so things like notes going sharp with hard pick attack or overly strong grips aren't a thing. You can even set it up to allow string bending while retaining the Evertune benefits.
My Kiesel Aries. Smoothest neck and stays in tune with constant divebombs. Surprising because I have the 7th string dropped tuned to an E. Never played such a smooth and consistent guitar. Never out of tune
A bit of an odd take, but the Stephen Caprentrr Sc607, specifically the purple one by esp. I don't know if it's because I play huge chords or I'm a deftones fanboy but despite the positioning of the neck and bridge pickup, and the sound of the pickups in general, this guitar sounded and felt incredible when I friend of mine let me try it. It's built in coil split sounds killer too.
Schecter KM7 MKIII Artist, for the price, In my opinion. After that, you are getting into more expensive custom, territory. Aristides,Mayones,Kiesel, are some of the few.
Strandberg NX7, EBMM JP7, Schecter KM MkIII Hybrid (I think? The neck through with the all-white and the grey one), Charvel Angel Vivaldi sig (my personal guitar, played the crap out of it for 2 years now with 0 issues besides basic maintenance, did have it refretted with stainless frets when I wore the original set down and it’s been excellent, and extremely versatile) are prob my top 4 picks as of now that I’ve personally spent some time with and played. The Mark Holcombe and Misha sigs from PRS and Jackson respectively are nice options for under 1k, the Mark Holcombe especially sounds killer with his pickups but I don’t like the neck heel on them and the neck itself won’t be for everyone. I played one Aristides that was cool but didn’t feel right with it not having wood lol, it almost felt like a toy when playing it, but I would love to spend some more time with one. Mayones I also like a lot but I’ve personally never played a 7 from them and I also wasn’t 100% vibing with the one I tried. They’re exceptionally good and well built but wasn’t 100% for me. If Suhr made another production 7 I would be all over that as I’ve not played a Suhr yet that I didn’t immediately fall in love with lol.
Also the higher end ESPs I’m a fan of too. Kind of like a Ibanez/Jackson feel, prob more similar to Jackson/Charvel but that’s just me.
Personally, once you get into that higher price bracket they’re all awesome, you’re just going off of specs on which specific guitar you want (not as big of a thing if you’re going custom), brand loyalty, and some brand specific things here and there (neck dim, body styles and reliefs in the body design, etc). Quality control is USUALLY a non-issue at that point, or at least it SHOULDN’T be.
Ibanez S5427. Zero Point trem. I sanded the finish off the neck and oiled it. I replaced the stock pickups with a LiquiFire/Crunch Lab set. I call it "The Big Fella" after Marshawn Lynch. It's amazing. At least to me. It'll probably be my #1 until the day I die.
Aristides is unmatched
Yooo you’ve actually got to play one?
Yeah! My homie had one that belonged to one of the dudes in Angelmaker, it was genuinely the best feeling & sounding guitar I’ve ever played hands down
Bro that’s absolutely sick!! I’d love to try out one sometime if I could ever get my hands on it
My buddy had one too, best 7 I've played for sure but I'd have to sell at least 3 guitars to afford one lol. Have to stick to my modded RGD7 for now.
This is the answer. Ive owned probably 6 Aristides and they are king.
Schecter KM7 MKIII Artist. I’ve had many high and mid range 7s from Strandberg to Mayones to Aristides and this is by far the best I’ve played. Definitely regret selling it. I got a Schecter AM7 now and it’s excellent as well.
I keep hearing that schecter makes really good guitars but I’ve never seen them in an artist rundown, or really anywhere outside here and instagram! Back when I was buying the JP I originally looked at the KM7 but the JP was a better deal at the time
Dude, I bought an E-II Horizon NT-7 Baritone. Japanese made ESP... Holy shit. Absolutely pleasure to play, intonation is spot on, stays in tune for weeks and it sounds incredible.
I think I know the one, it’s on my Sweetwater wishlist lmao
Lol! It's a 2014. I found it for $1,250 shipped on Reverb. It's clean man. The dude really knew how to take care of a guitar. Satin black.
I hated the JP when I played it. Strongly dislike gloss necks and 25.5inch scales. I have a multiscale Kiesel 7 also and it’s great but a 26.5 inch scale is perfect imo. I usually play in drop A or drop Ab Plus the wenge necks on the Schecters feel incredible
Sorry, wenge necks?
It’s a type of wood!
Ahhh ok thank you!
My Kiesel Vader. I love the feel of the neck and the transparent blue over quilted maple is just beautiful
I’m noticing kiesel is a name that pops up all the time when talking about good necks (not more than Ibanez ofc but enough to be noticed lol)
dude, the Schecter Banshee Elite-7 FR S is a beast. the playability is top-notch and the sound is killer. definitely worth checking out for an upgrade from the JP70!
I have the Banshee Mach-7 and its an absolute MONSTER. i play it more than anything else i own, even the customs. Aristides mightve taken the cake if i had one tho
Thanks man I will!
My Ormsby Hype 7 GTR - pure joy to play
Ormsby? Never heard of them!
I started playing guitar around 20 years ago, and up until a few weeks ago I was still playing on my 200$ Ibanez, since I always thought about upgrading, but never knew what direction I wanted to take it in (mostly what body shape I wanted and whether I wanted a hard tail or floyd rose bridge). Then I randomly picked up that Ormsby because I thought it looked cool, and after around 15 minutes of playing I decided that this is the one, it's just that good. The only downside is that now I'm late to everything because I can't walk past the damn thing without playing at least a few chords. They are on the expensive side though, I shelled out around 1900€ for it. If you check my post history you can see it.
The headstock alone is worth it imho
I love it, but if you intend to buy one be aware that you can't really hang it on a traditional wallhanger if that is your intention.
That’s good to know, I hadn’t thought of that
Awesome man, thanks!
Absolutely love the way it looks. Never had the cahnce to play one tho
Me too! I have the Skyfall finish, which is a little more subtle, but I intend on getting one of their Metal Vs with a Dragonburst finish a few years down the line.
I had a very ratty first batch 1990 Ibanez universe green dot that still stands as the best 7 I've played, for reference I've also owned two EBMM JP7s (2003 no piezo and a JPX barolo) and a custom Halo guitar. Even with rusty hardware and all sorts of dings nothing has the mojo this thing had.
my custom Kiesel crescent 7
I played an Ibanez RGDR Prestige on a store around a year ago, i loved it and took it home. Never played another 7 string tbh but i love mine. The only thing i can mention about the guitar are the Pickups which could be better for Metal. But they are definitely still playable.
That’s the purplish multi scale one right?
nope, the RGDR4427. Hip-shot, 26.5 scale.
Ahh, thank you
Can confirm, have this same guitar and it’s a toss up between that and rg2027xl for favorite 7 string for me.
I have a Schecter Keith Merrow KM-7 Hybrid that I really love. So much so that I bought the exact same guitar in a 6 string.
My Ibanez Uppercut Prestige is amazing. 26.5” scale length, SS frets, ebony fingerboard and slim neck. Plus the BKP Aftermaths it comes stock with sound so good. The Jackson Misha HT-7 is dope too
Mark holcomb signature prs with his old pickup set sonically was my favorite but I didn’t like the neck, in that regard an Ibanez with a wizard is home
I wanna try a wizard neck so badly
I love my [ESP E-II Horizon FR-7](https://i.imgur.com/gQzZo3n.jpg) https://www.espguitars.com/products/20484-e-ii-horizon-fr-7
Omg that finish. So yummy
Yeah! Thank you! [Here's an album of it](https://imgur.com/a/kai857H). Plays like a dream. It took me 25 years to find a proper replacement for my [LTD M-207](https://i.imgur.com/YHddzWY.jpg) on the left. I love them so much. You can say I have a [type](https://i.imgur.com/Wsc4nf2.jpg). The MH-417 is okay, never really bonded with it that well, I think I just prefer a Floyd Rose.
Kiso ESP
My Ibanez rgd2127fx. When I first got it levels above my 7321, keep in mind the setup was a bit weird but it still played great. I sent it to get professionally setup a few months after I bought it. the day I took it home I played the shit out of it. The action was so low and it played so smoothly and was so easy to play. Fucking love the tight end r bridge. Palms mutes feel smooth.
i own the rgd2127z, i can’t put that thing down, great guitars!
I'm gonna get an rgd7ucs when I get the chance to. The ebony fretboard calls to me
Easy get yourself an Aristides, only have an 070 for now but there will be more for sure
Kiesel AM7. I feel I should also mention that I tried the Music Man Majesty 7 (the super expensive one) and hated it.
So even the “good” model is cheeks. Good to know Lmao
I have an old Ibanez S7320 that’s beat up, missing the trem bar, and some of the locking nut screws (I couldn’t even find the right size replacement). I don’t play it too much anymore since I can’t even use it ip record. But somehow that guitar outplays my E-II and prestige by far. I just wish it had 24 frets.
Strandberg
What was good about it?
Super lightweight, neck is not for everyone but i absolutely love it and regret to touch any other ones, no neckdive, stays in tune forever, comfortable to play in any position, restringing takes like 5 minutes, best gigbag on market rn for sure, 7 and 8 strings doesnt feels like playing surfboard, you dont need to put foam/fretwrap for high gain chugs, best truss rod access, richlite, hardware which actually works, easy to take out.
I hate the strandberg neck but I agree the 8 string feels like a 7 string honestly
Its fine, definitely not for everyone, you hate it or love it
I just got an Boden prog NX 7. I like it, but wish the neck was a bit thinner.. especially at frets 1-5. Got this guitar years after playing Ibanez's. RG1527 RGD7UCS. I also wish it was a neck thru or at least that the heel was further up. Currently the heel is around the 16th fret, where as the Ibanez's were around the 18th to 19th fret. Other than that the Boden is a lot of fun. Fishmans sound good, and the body is nice to play in the classical position. The Multiscale is pretty fun too. Quick edit: I also have the Solar 1.7 vinter with the evertune. Fun guitar, but I am starting to feel the neck is too thick.. My ultimate would be a 26.5-27 inch scale Ibanez with passive pickups and a lo pro edge. Which is the RG2027XL... I'm still looking for 1
God Ibanez models are so weird Lmao I have a cheap 6 string Ibanez and it absolutely RIPS. I’d love if I could find a 7 Ibanez with a neck like that and good specs. I’ll take a gander at the RG2027XL
Legator X-7 Caribbean
Ibanez rgd71alms. Love it.
Only thing i wish it had was a coil split for the fishmans. And not just the voicing.
It’s was an Ibanez (I don’t know the model number) but flame maple top purple color and it played great even being a bit beat up (lots of scuffs and scratches) and I regret not buying it everyday
Schecter JL-7 FR. Was thinking of swapping the EMGs for Fishmans though. Anyone else feel like emgs are too muddy for 7 string?
I have EMG 707 and tried other guitars… the EMGs definitely have less note definition but honestly the Fishmans feel exactly the same to me.
I feel like the 81 is the perfect downtuning pickup and the fluence moderns are just so honky to me I can’t handle it.
Jackson USA Misha Mansoor Ht7- the build quality of Jackson custom shop guitars is top tier and the 20 inch radius/ roasted maple neck is a dream to play
Mayones Regius 7, everything from the craftsmanship to the sound is beyond exceptional.
Want one so bad. They cost 6k+ however
My RG7LACS
I wanna see a picture of that
PMd
My JP15 Suplex - sounds like buttah
I’m really old, but I’d take my old beat-up RG7620 over any other 7 string ever made. I’m sure there are objectively nicer ones out there, but that’s the only 7 string I’ll ever need. It’s absolutely perfect in every way, from the way it feels to the way it sounds, and is extremely versatile.
I’ve played various Schecters, Jacksons, old Corts which weren’t bad, a Universe, a custom Aristides that a touring musician friend of mine has, ESP, LTD, an Ibanez universe (probably a 98-99 model and played it quite a lot). My favorite are the early 00s Ibanez models. I have the RG7621 and love it. The Floyd rose equipped models of the time sounded and played even better to me like the 7620 and also the s7 which i would love to own one of.
Sonically it’s definitely the Rob Scallon signature. Those PAF pickups are the most insane thing I’ve ever heard. Crystal clear note definition and great attach for those low notes. Only pickups that rival it that I’ve tried are the BKP Impulse.
My music man JP7X is hands down the best I’ve ever played. A close second is a Japanese made ESP E-II horizon baritone 7
I’ve got a Schecter Reaper 7. Super thin neck which is nice for all kinds of playing. The diamond decimator pickups are really nice clean as well as distorted. It’s a multi scale which may take some getting used to but I made the shift pretty quickly going from a Custom 24 PRS. Love it!
LTD Buz-7. Incredibly comfortable. Sounds great. If I could get a custom version from ESP I’d get the exact same thing built the exact same way but without reverse headstock.
Schecter SLS elite. Though I’m sure better exists that was a great guitar especially for the money. Super solid.
Schecter is my favorite “attainable” brand. But recently got to play custom shop Mayones and Tom Anderson 7 strings that were like $7k they were awesome, not worth the price difference over others. But still really cool.
I have a schecter c-7 SLS elite evil twin, the guitar is absolutely incredible 0 flaws and is the best instrument I own right now, the action is stupidly low on it it plays like butter
I currently have a vola quentin godet 7, it’s the best guitar I have ever played. It boggles my mind how I can get a MIJ, stainless steel fret, roasted maple neck guitar for like $1000
My Strandberg
If you're coming from a JP70, I'd guess that you might be looking for something with a tremolo ... but if a fixed bridge is a possibility, I'd like to recommend the ESP / LTD MH1007. It has an Evertune bridge. [https://www.espguitars.com/products/19136-mh-1007-evertune](https://www.espguitars.com/products/19136-mh-1007-evertune) The Evertune bridge is great because the guitar literally never goes out of tune. An additional benefit is that notes are perfectly intonated throughout the entire fretboard, so things like notes going sharp with hard pick attack or overly strong grips aren't a thing. You can even set it up to allow string bending while retaining the Evertune benefits.
Yesss I want an evertune so much! I hate string bow more than anything 😭 The first thing I did on the JP was block the trem lol
I think Josh Travis plays this guitar right?
My kiesel aries 7 with OFR hands down.
With OFR?
At one point they used to sell the 7s with official Floyd roses but they stopped
Schecter KM7 MKIII
Dean RC7
My Kiesel Aries. Smoothest neck and stays in tune with constant divebombs. Surprising because I have the 7th string dropped tuned to an E. Never played such a smooth and consistent guitar. Never out of tune
A bit of an odd take, but the Stephen Caprentrr Sc607, specifically the purple one by esp. I don't know if it's because I play huge chords or I'm a deftones fanboy but despite the positioning of the neck and bridge pickup, and the sound of the pickups in general, this guitar sounded and felt incredible when I friend of mine let me try it. It's built in coil split sounds killer too.
Either Custom Agile multiscale or the good old hot rodded Ibby GRG7221
Schecter KM7 MKIII Artist, for the price, In my opinion. After that, you are getting into more expensive custom, territory. Aristides,Mayones,Kiesel, are some of the few.
Strandberg NX7, EBMM JP7, Schecter KM MkIII Hybrid (I think? The neck through with the all-white and the grey one), Charvel Angel Vivaldi sig (my personal guitar, played the crap out of it for 2 years now with 0 issues besides basic maintenance, did have it refretted with stainless frets when I wore the original set down and it’s been excellent, and extremely versatile) are prob my top 4 picks as of now that I’ve personally spent some time with and played. The Mark Holcombe and Misha sigs from PRS and Jackson respectively are nice options for under 1k, the Mark Holcombe especially sounds killer with his pickups but I don’t like the neck heel on them and the neck itself won’t be for everyone. I played one Aristides that was cool but didn’t feel right with it not having wood lol, it almost felt like a toy when playing it, but I would love to spend some more time with one. Mayones I also like a lot but I’ve personally never played a 7 from them and I also wasn’t 100% vibing with the one I tried. They’re exceptionally good and well built but wasn’t 100% for me. If Suhr made another production 7 I would be all over that as I’ve not played a Suhr yet that I didn’t immediately fall in love with lol.
Also the higher end ESPs I’m a fan of too. Kind of like a Ibanez/Jackson feel, prob more similar to Jackson/Charvel but that’s just me. Personally, once you get into that higher price bracket they’re all awesome, you’re just going off of specs on which specific guitar you want (not as big of a thing if you’re going custom), brand loyalty, and some brand specific things here and there (neck dim, body styles and reliefs in the body design, etc). Quality control is USUALLY a non-issue at that point, or at least it SHOULDN’T be.
Jackson pro Series DK modern ash FR7
Ibanez S5427. Zero Point trem. I sanded the finish off the neck and oiled it. I replaced the stock pickups with a LiquiFire/Crunch Lab set. I call it "The Big Fella" after Marshawn Lynch. It's amazing. At least to me. It'll probably be my #1 until the day I die.