[Soopahmahn]

First, a cross-post of my old NGD, full of annoying pics and silliness. And snakes. On a mothafuckin' plane.

NGD - The Strictly 7 Anaconda Slithers Home - Sevenstring.org

Second, about my desire for a new build.

I don't know what the fuck to do with a low F# string other than CHUG CHUG and SQUEEAALL, or play one-man jazzbox (which I am not talented enough to do). It is fun for atmospheric chording and such, but just doesn't really do it for me. So I've high-tuned my 8, and the 27.5" scale length is really stretching it for high A durability/flexibility. I also have too many black fucking guitars

I'm considering either a 25.5" scale, or a 26.188" scale to maintain some of the extra clarity on the "7th" string, and to compromise a bit in the event I were to ever sell the instrument and someone wanted to low-tune it.

Third, here's Strictly 7's webpage. Forgive its weirdness: Jim puts a lot more time into his day job and building guitars than he does in worrying about the website.

Seven String Guitars, 7 Strings, 7 String Guitars, Custom 7 Strings, Seven String, 7 String Electric

Discuss.

 

[Elysian]

That routed out area behind the nut kind of scares me... Be careful with that headstock...

 

[Josh]

Yeah, that was my only beef too. Aesthetically, I'm not a fan of the headstock shape, but as a whole the guitar looks solid and workmanlike except for that ultra-thin headstock joint.

 

[Soopahmahn]

The headstock was the prototype - this is the first 8-string that Strictly 7 made (the guitar that ruined the company name :lol. Functionally, I don't think it's much weaker than the neck as a whole. It doesn't thin out much from the actual neck wood, and it's 3-pc. hard-rock maple. It just looks a bit scary. But most importantly, that's been beefed up with an island that covers the truss rod cavity, and if nothing else I think it looks better.

I personally really love the headstock, but Jim's going to be making inline headstocks soon (reversed, too, RHLC true believers). The new 8-string headstock is longer than mine for straighter string pull, so it's not as fat and looks even meaner.

Should I have Jim hold this bookmatched ziricote fretboard blank for me?

 

[Hollowway]

He's cutting my body this week. (The spalted maple over mahogany one). If I had any patience whatsoever I'd hold out for the reverse HS and neck thru, but I don't! Mine's 27.5 because I do plan on using the F#. I'd like to experiment with a high A, but I'm pretty sure it's going to take a lot more time to get used to the extra high string as opposed to the extra low string.

 

[Soopahmahn]

I dunno man. With the high A or G, you just have a seven string with an extra widdly-woo up top. I found them equally confusing :lol:

I really can't wait to see how the spalted maple top is going to come out. You wanted it stained, right? And did you go with that reversed-chevron pattern?

27.5" will tune to Gb with a .008 string, G is kind of pushing it, certainly no bending at all and it might not last forever. I think a .007 will break. To get to G reliably or as high as A, you'll need those O4P strings. I'll be reviewing them when I get mine in, I know Josh had trouble with them. The chicks in the order fulfillment department are bitches. :nuts:

 

[Josh]

^ The owner of the company can be too :lol:

Even had they worked as advertised, I wouldn't have been comfortable gigging them.

I pick really freaking hard when I'm not noodling at home, and I like being able to bend and treat my strings equally (which is why I ended up with a Dingwall for a 5-string bass; the 37" low B isn't quite as finicky about how you play it as most "normal" scale 5-string basses.)

They just seem too fragile and the restringing process takes too long for it to really be viable for me. The benefit of having the high A really wasn't worth the hassle of getting it to work.

 

[Stitch]

How much do Strictly 7's weigh in at? Don't take this the wrong way, but after years of selling cheap starter packs, dodgy headstock shapes, black paint and chrome hardware makes me think the worst...

 

[Soopahmahn]

How much do Strictly 7's weigh in at? Don't take this the wrong way, but after years of selling cheap starter packs, dodgy headstock shapes, black paint and chrome hardware makes me think the worst...

...mine weighs as much as any solid poplar body, hard rock maple neck, extended-scale, 8-string Strat-shape guitar would weigh.

I'll measure tonight, do you want it in stones or cloves? :lol:

 

[Stitch]

Britishism? I meant how much does it cost. :lol:

 

[Soopahmahn]

Britishism? I meant how much does it cost. :lol:

Damn me. Yanks aren't known for our literalism, are we?

The prices are all up on his website. It may be a tad confusing, but the guitars start around $850 with a Hipshot bridge and your choice of bridge humbucker.

Spec'ing them out with two pups and an OFR will get you into the $1300-$1400 range, plus an extra couple hundred for a good quality top. It all depends, he ends up pricing the extras based on his costs to procure a given piece of wood, so you always get what you pay for.

 

[Stitch]

Ah cool. Thanks. :yesway:

 

[Josh]

[action=Josh]read Stitch's question the same way.[/action]

Then again, I spend too much time at weight-conscious bass forums :lol:

 

[Soopahmahn]

:lol: I'm sitting here thinking... "Does poplar weigh more over there or something?"

 

[Hollowway]

I really can't wait to see how the spalted maple top is going to come out. You wanted it stained, right? And did you go with that reversed-chevron pattern?

Yeah, I did the reversed chevron pattern. And I'm just going clear coat, no stain. The back and arm bevel will be black, maple neck, bloodwood FB. I think the tan, black and reds are gonna look killer.

 

[mattofvengeance]

I should be grabbing a custom 8 from Jim later this year, but until then, I have a feeling a certain Anaconda may be slithering its way to my hood

Honestly, the guitars that I played of Jim's at the Guitar Show last year in Arlington were some of the best I've ever played. The feel of that neck is pretty much unparalleled, they all sound awesome, and he can get you pretty much any specs you've ever dreamed of. Plus, with the price, they're tough to beat.

 

[Hollowway]

^^Yeah, once he opens the door for neck thrus and reverse HSs the sky's the limit. My second one (bearing in mind my first hasn't even been completed!) will be a neck thru reversed 8. But I have to think of a different wood combo, because the excuse I used to tell my wife about "No this one is different, this one has a trem/7 strings/8 strings/ 27"/etc." no longer works because I've got everything now!:rofl:

 

[mattofvengeance]

:lol: way to read my mind. I'm not married, but I have to find a way to justify to my family, friends, and bandmates that there was some reason to acquire yet another guitar. Why can't they just leave me to my own vices?

 

[Soopahmahn]

Hi Matt! :wub:

 

[mattofvengeance]

Oh hai, Ryan :ryan: