Bus Bob Posted April 9, 2003 Report Share Posted April 9, 2003 I quit my job. Besides finally having time to play my present guitars, I am looking forward to starting work on my own custom. I want it to be like a UV or RG 7-string with a sustainer in the neck position. I will probably look for a used Ibanez 7 neck and get custom inlay done. I am lost on the type of wood to use for the body though. I want gonzo sustain and bright tone, two things that probably don't go together. Suggestions please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted April 9, 2003 Report Share Posted April 9, 2003 Hard Ash sustains forever and it holds up really well on the low end. I have an ash ESP tuned down to C# and the thing sounds awesome. Ash however is a bitch to work on, at least the last 3 bodies i've had the displeasure of contour sanding Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted April 9, 2003 Report Share Posted April 9, 2003 I've been looking into 7string sustainers and sustainiac is the only company that makes one and its a single coil size only. If you find another manufacturer let me know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKG Posted April 9, 2003 Report Share Posted April 9, 2003 Hmmmm...some possibilities: Hard Ash (as mentioned ) Hard Maple (made one of those, very dense and HEAVY) or even Alder These all give a bright tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bus Bob Posted April 11, 2003 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2003 Thanks guys. Ash seems to have the properties I am looking for. A couple others have suggested it as well. I think I am going to have a body made. Let the pros do it, ya' know? I will try one myself, but not the first time. My first custom will present me with a big enough challenge just getting the neck on right. I will do the routing for the Sustainer myself. Scott, sustainiac is the only 7-string sustainer I am aware of as well. I have been asking around. Now, I wonder if I can find one of those new style Edge trems... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKG Posted April 11, 2003 Report Share Posted April 11, 2003 The new trems are supposed to be available.....I just don't know the routing yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vh-guitarstore.com Posted April 11, 2003 Report Share Posted April 11, 2003 keep in mind that sustain is a function of mass.....which means heavier is more sustain....however, you can always add mass im thinking a maple 7 string might sound pretty good to balance out the mushiness of the low b scott just has sanding issues in general.....i wouldnt worry too much about the ash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted April 11, 2003 Report Share Posted April 11, 2003 alder is excellent to handle dropped tunings without getting mushy.personally my back can't handle a solid maple guitar anymore.oh and check with an ibanez dealer on the trem,the website says they are available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DStahl Posted April 12, 2003 Report Share Posted April 12, 2003 I'm pretty inexperienced too, but I built a laminated body with a center section of very hard, very dense purpleheart flanked by two strips of bubinga. I put a hardtail bridge and .010 strings on it and the beast do indeed tend to sustain. The wings on the body are soft maple, with very large chambers routed out; even so, the guitar is pretty heavy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jupiter Posted April 12, 2003 Report Share Posted April 12, 2003 I personally own two maple-bodied Dillion 7-strings { they look like an RG7 copy}. The brightness does indeed balance well with the low-b, and it sounds so bright and clear! I really like it a lot. And neither of them are all that heavy... i mean, they're a little heavier than your standard basswood RG7, but then again, the Dillion RG-style body has a bit more mass to it than the Ibanez does. Hope that helps, if you have any more questions, feel free to ask! Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bus Bob Posted April 17, 2003 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2003 If Maple is bright sounding I need to consider it. The sound of the low b is a big issue with me. I could live with the standard Lo-Pro, but a new trem would be cool. Maybe by the time I get ready to start this Brian or someone will know how to rout it. I am getting rather excited about this. I love UVs, but have always desired more sustain and a little brighter sound. This may be my answer. I wonder how freaky it would be to use the standard UV template for the body, but make it a little thicker, like maybe Les Paul thickness? I bet those strings would really hum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted April 17, 2003 Report Share Posted April 17, 2003 a 2" thick seven string solid maple guitar!oh my aching back!bet it will sound good though.may have to put wheels on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iccurtep Posted April 18, 2003 Report Share Posted April 18, 2003 well you better be a big guy with health insurance for a solid maple guitar, but man, if you really dont wanna make the body this time around, definately get whoever makes it to rout it for you too man! there's little point otherwise; the rout is one of the hardest things on the guitar to do especially with a ibanez trem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bus Bob Posted April 22, 2003 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 I am a large person. The weight is no problem. The routing would be though. I will absolutely take your advice and have a pro do it. I'll settle for doing the finish and attaching the hardware and call it my own creation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jupiter Posted April 23, 2003 Report Share Posted April 23, 2003 Really, the weight isn't that bad at all... i'm about 5'6 and weigh around 120, and i have no problems standing up playing these guitars for long amounts of time. Oh, and i also have a bad back ! Not from the guitars, though, it's always been that way. Also, if you remember WAAAAAAY back when, Geroge Lynch used to play those solid maple ESP's back in the day. That's when he was just a little guy, too! These days, he looks more like The Hulk, though... I think a good idea would be to rout tone chambers in the body. This would cut the weight back a little and also increase the overall resonance of the body. This would be especially great if you do the 2" thick body. Hope that helps! Ben Oh, and what kind of finish are you going to do on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryeisnotcool Posted April 25, 2003 Report Share Posted April 25, 2003 old heavy cadilacs = good old heavy les pauls= good i go with the motto= if its heavy its got to be good ! so dont worry about the weight ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rokstr Posted April 25, 2003 Report Share Posted April 25, 2003 I completely agree. I love the weight of my Les Paul. When I switch to my semi-hollow Tele it feels weird. I would also suggest Ash. I have a Strat made from Swamp Ash that is great, awesome sustain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vh-guitarstore.com Posted April 25, 2003 Report Share Posted April 25, 2003 well if you like heavy, i have a heavy heavy one piece mahogany san dimas type body....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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