Seven String Help!

[LordxRequiem]

Hey guys.  I'm new in the market for seven-strings, and I'm having a bit of a dilemma.  I've narrowed it down to pretty much either the Loomis sig or the C-7 Hellraiser, and I'm kind of looking for a nudge in either direction.  Why would I want one over the other?  I've played both of them, and they seem to feel more or less the same to me.  The couple of selling points I was looking at were:

The Hellraiser has X-Jumbo frets, where as the Loomis merely has Jumbos

The Hellraiser has a dark wood for a fingerboard.  Though I'm not too knowledgeable on woods, I've mostly played dark woods for my entire guitar career, and I'm very partial to my ESP, which has an ebony fretboard.  Why would I want the maple over the rosewood?

Pretty ignorant as to body woods as well, hopefully someone can shed some light on those (i.e. ash vs. mahogany)?

I really like the push-pull coil taps on the Hellraiser.

Price isn't an issue at all for me.  I just want the best guitar I can get.

Lastly, if anyone has a suggestion outside of these two, I'm completely open to that as well, although I'm not looking to go custom shop.  Thanks!

[brakkum]

As I always say, just try them yourself. You'll never know for sure between the two unless you actually try them yourself.

[LordxRequiem]

As I said in my first post, I've played them both, and they feel relatively the same.  It's really coming down to just the features.

[brakkum]

Well then I'd have to ask, which are most important to you, that's the kicker. It doesn't matter if we think one feature is better than the other, what do you think of them?

[Ultimetalhead]

I play a six string Hellraiser, and it's out of this world. Schecter has an amazing ability to just make good guitars. I've been meaning to look into the C-7, but I haven't yet. The jumbo frets may not seem like much, but they help with soloing.

Obviously, I'd go with the Hellraiser.

[RobD]

If it's a matter of wood, just plug them in and see which sound you prefer. Maple and light woods give a brighter cleaner sound, darker/heavier woods sounding fatter. You have to be careful with heavier woods like that as the cheaper ones can just sound muddy and messy.

[clark54]

Check out Carvin 7-strings. I have a custom Carvin and it's amazing. Best 7 I've played. 

About wood types, mahogany is a heavier providing greater sustain and warmer tone. Ash has less sustain and gives off a bright.

[ZBomber]

Check out Carvin 7-strings. I have a custom Carvin and it's amazing. Best 7 I've played. 

About wood types, mahogany is a heavier providing greater sustain and warmer tone. Ash has less sustain and gives off a bright.

This. My friend picked up a Carvin 7 string about 2 months ago and it kicks serious ass.

[antigoon]

I really, REALLY don't think fretboard wood has any significant effect on the tone of an electric guitar.

[brakkum]

I really, REALLY don't think fretboard wood has any significant effect on the tone of an electric guitar.

That's a good example of an opinion, but is very wrong.

[sneakyblueberry]

I really, REALLY don't think fretboard wood has any significant effect on the tone of an electric guitar.

That's a good example of an opinion, but is very wrong.

As.  The difference between rosewood and maple is very clear.  I wish I had gotten a Maple neck strat instead of my stinky rosewood.  aargh!

[7StringedBeast]

I have the C-7 hellraiser.  (the guitar my s/n is named after!)  I love it.  And I mean love it.  The sound is amazing through it, crystal clear even on the low notes.  Once you get used to the bigger frets you can really shred on it.  Also, for whatever reason my alternate picking is faster on that guitar than all my others.  Also, when you play a chord on that guitar you can feel it through the entire body of the guitar.  It's a beautiful thing.  Unless you really want a Trem bar, just get the c-7 hellraiser instead of the loomis sig.

The c-7 hellraiser kicks major ass.

[Gwii]

+1 for carvin

[Fuzzboy]

Agile guitars? I've got two, and I have nothing bad to say about them. Cheap as dirt, really good looking, made from quality parts and wood, amazing tone, and they're really really reliable.

www.rondomusic.com
There's a few 7-strings up right now.
They don't have any Interceptor 7's up on their website ATM but they'll go back up eventually.

https://www.jemsite.com/forums/f20/review-agile-interceptor-pro-7-string-pic-heavy-62944.html

https://www.sevenstring.org/forum/sevenstring-guitars/27695-agile-interceptor-pro-arrived-pics-56k-sanjaya-fan.html

The older model:

https://www.adadepot.com/forum/index.php?topic=5913.0

So yeah, I'm practically a walking billboard for Agile Guitars.

[SPNKr]

I've looked at Agile Guitars before and I really really liked them. Now I'm digging the 7 string sound, both normal and drop tuned, because I jammed Invisible Kid today and it sounded awesome. I never get to hear that on my guitar, and the strings get really loose but it's still playable.
So now I'm thinking of a new guitar, this time a 7 string. I wish the Agile was in the guitar shops though.

[chrisbDTM]

i have a schecter c7-fr

its not very good. probably because its a lower end model, but i dont think im gonna buy a schecter again

[TheCor]

I've owned three seven string guitars so far, the first one was a schecter diamond series C7.  Had some issues with the electronics, also the neck was too thick for me so next I got an Ibanez RG7321.  Not a bad guitar; played well and had no problems with it but I realized I wanted something with a FLoyd and eventually found a deal on something similar to this: https://www.music123.com/product/S7420-7-String-Electric-Guitar.site7prod584143.product not sure what model mine is, it's probably about 10-15 years old, but its basically the same as that except it has a floyd instead of the ZR and a flamed maple top.  I've had it for about two years now and I have no complaints, so I guess I'd recommend that one. 

Then again there's the Dean RC7X: https://www.samash.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_RC7X%20Rusty%20Cooley%207%20String%20Electric%20Guitar%20Metallic%20White_-1_10052_10002_668528?cm_mmc=Froogle-_-7%20%208String%20Electric-_-RC7X%20Rusty%20Cooley%207%20String%20Electric%20Guitar%20Metallic%20White-_-DRC7XMWHX which looks really cool and might be the next 7 I get. 

Or if money is really not an issue for you then there's the US version:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001FWBE8E/ref=asc_df_B001FWBE8E1363946?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=nextagus0029580-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395093&creativeASIN=B001FWBE8E

[SPNKr]

Cool recommendations, but I have a problem with angled neck pickups. The headstock I like because Dave Mustaine is with Dean Guitars. I wouldn't mind an Ibanez, they have a good reputation and also Meshuggah plays their own custom 8 string guitars which makes it more bad arse for me.
A few days ago I played a Schecter 7 string. Black with the yellow edge stripes on the body. You may know the model. Played quite nicely.

[Fiery Winds]

i have a schecter c7-fr

its not very good. probably because its a lower end model, but i dont think im gonna buy a schecter again

I have the same guitar but don't think it's horrible.  What are your issues with it?

[chrisbDTM]

the floyd rose never stays in tune. ever.

[Ultimetalhead]

the floyd rose never stays in tune. ever.

Then there's something seriously wrong with it, and you are probably one of the only people in the world to have this problem. Are you tuned to standard? Are your strings fresh?

[chrisbDTM]

yes. and yes. ive called them and they discontinued the model and offered no help. i finally just got a tremol-no and its gotten better, but nor perfect. cant wait to get a new 7

[Ultimetalhead]

Hm, the only other advice I could offer is make sure everything's tight and the strings have been stretched.

[Fiery Winds]

Yeah, I have strings on there that have been on since October of 2009, and it's had no problem staying in tune.  I'm using the Elixir Nano-Web strings and I'm only playing unplugged in my room and they still feel and sound fine. 

[73109]

Off topic here but HOW IN THE HELL CAN YOU USE 15 MONTH OLD STRINGS!?!?!?

[SPNKr]

15 month old strings are usable, as long as they're kept in good condition obviously. Will a guitar still look nice after 15 months of no cleaning care and being kept out of a case? No.
The strings on my Rhoads haven't been changed in just over 12 months and they're still in good nick. I've also been spraying them with Finger-ease, a can of guitar string lubricant, and I couldn't be happier with the condition they're in still.
That's all you need to know.

[Ultimetalhead]

I like to change my strings every 3-4 months. If I ever let it get past 5, it's like night and day when I finally get around to restringing the thing.

[Fiery Winds]

Like I said, I'm using the Elixir Nano Web and they still feel and sound great (unplugged).  Not a single bit of rust or grime on the strings after all this time.  Besides, I'm lazy and I figure I'm just noodling around in my room occasionally so it's not a big deal.  If I find time later, I'll post a pic of it in its current condition.

[TheCor]

Those elixer strings do last forever; I have a guitar that's more or less a wall hanger but I do play it occasionally and it's had a set of those on for probably three or four years and they haven't rusted or become unusable yet.  To me they don't sound or play that great when they're new but they still sound and play the same years later, so I guess if you like them you might as well use them as long as you can.  If I remember right they're $20-30 a set too so they better last awhile. 

[MykeHavoc]

Cleartone's are superior coated strings.



As for the guitar, the Hellraiser is rad. I've always wanted to buy a black one. So comfy, great sound. The Loomis is cool, but I believe it has a bolt-on neck. I prefer through-neck for sure.