[Enmesarra]

Hi,

This is my first post in here. A great forum&source, really worth browsing at every chance. And sorry if this is the wrong place for my thread.

I am planning to build (have it built, actually ) a 7 string electric guitar, and I would like to get your opinion about some parts. I'll list them one by one and you can tell me the option you would choose or any other thing that I didn't mention and might work great. Here we go;

1- BRIDGE: TonePros Tune-o-matic w/string thru OR Original Floyd Rose
2- PICKUP (Only one, bridge): EMG-707 OR Seymour Duncan Invader-7 OR JB-7
3- NECK(Body will be mahogany): Set Neck Mahogany OR Bolt On Maple
4- SCALE: 24.75 OR 25.5

The body style will be something like Explorer but a bit smaller and sharp edges with a long&sharp headstock. 24 frets, ebony fretboard, mahogany body.

I play death metal, Nile, Suffocation, At The Gates, etc... and really admire Nevermore's tone, other than death metal tones.

EMG-707 pickup, Tune o matic bridge , 24.75 scale and maple neck are my choices for now but I am not sure and would like to hear about your ideas and experiences.

Thanks!

[zimbloth]

Given everything you said, I would strongly recommend:

1) Tune-o-Matic. The ability to do occasional whammy tricks in my opinion isn't worth all the cons associated with floating trems. For tone, sustain, warmth, tuning stability, ease of string changes, etc...I'd recommend not getting a floyd. You can always get a floyd installed later, but you can't do the opposite.

2) Get one of the Seymour Duncans. EMG 707s are okay but they sound really artificial and sterile compared to (good) passive pickups. Plus, EMGs basically sound more or less the same in any guitar you put it in. If you're shelling out serious cash for a custom, id think you'd really want a more organic, complex tone. The JB and Invader are both awesome pickups, but they really don't sound very good in mahogany. If you're going to opt for Duncans, you should get an alder or poplar body. If you want a mahogany body I'd recommend DiMarzios.

3) 25.5 scale for sure. 24.75 is doable but 25.5 intonates better with thick strings and lower tunings than 24.75 does.

4) Don't get an explorer shape man. They are incredibly neck-heavy and unbalanced. I'd recommend almost any other shape than that.

If you are into Nile and At The Gates and such, you can't go wrong with an Invader setup w/ an ebony fretboard, if mahogany body at least make sure to get a maple neck. It will be super muddy if you get it all mahogany.

[Enmesarra]

I will surely find a solution to the balance problem of Explorer shape, with the help of the luthier, I hope adjusting the position of strap buttons or something else will work for that, otherwise I'll have to give up from the Explorer shape or stand to that problem

What if I can't find a high quality wood for the body, would you advise EMG-707 on an average quality body to cover up that? And which DiMarzio's would you advise?

Thank you very much for your help, by the way.

[InTheRavensName]

Mahogany suits EMG's IMO, they blend well with the darker, heavier character of the wood. PAF7's also work well in Mahogany, as in the K7...

...Trey Azagthoth also uses a PAF in his BC Rich

Floyds IMO are a great idea, you can block it easily but its expensive and difficult to fit one as an aftermarket.

...and do you have any decent death metal patches for the GX?

[zimbloth]

Originally Posted by Enmesarra

I will surely find a solution to the balance problem of Explorer shape, with the help of the luthier, I hope adjusting the position of strap buttons or something else will work for that, otherwise I'll have to give up from the Explorer shape or stand to that problem

What if I can't find a high quality wood for the body, would you advise EMG-707 on an average quality body to cover up that? And which DiMarzio's would you advise?

Thank you very much for your help, by the way.

The DiMarzio D Sonic 7 or PAF7 are awesome in mahognay, especially for extreme/death metal tones. If you go with an alder body, go with the Duncans. If you go with a plywood body, sure try the EMGs. EMGs are just really boring IMO.

[Seedawakener]

If you want a sharper explorerbody you should talk to Brutalizer_guitars. He has some seriously awesome-looking explorer spinoffs.

[7slinger]

Listen to Zimbloth, I agree with him 99%.

the Brutalizer_guitars explorer shape is awesome, if you didn't see it, just do a search for threads started by Brutalizer_guitars, you'll find it.

The bridge issue to me is about comfort. I have always used guitars with floyd style trems, so even though I don't actually use the trem enough to justify it being there, it's what feels most comfortable to me. You could always get the trem and block it, or install a tremol-no, and have the freedom from going hard tail to full floating and back again at the drop of a hat. If you don't do any trem work, and comfort wise it makes no difference to you, I'd go with the fixed bridge...less hassle overall.

Pickups comes down to preference. EMGs work good for metal, not many people like them for cleans. I played a M307 for 5 years with 707s in it and it worked great. Now, I use Dimarzios. I agree with Zim that they are much more, uh, natural and organic sounding for both cleans and high gain stuff. You'll find all kinds of threads on the forum about what pickups people like with what wood combinations and all that.

[Enmesarra]

Well actually I saw his design and I was very surprised... Because I had something very similar in my mind before seeing his design. I even did a crappy picture of it by editing a custom kelly in paint, just to see the main thing. here it is

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...den/custom.jpg

I did it before seeing his design, so that was quite a surprise for me

Isn't PAF a bit low-output for the style? I don't think of it like "more output=great tone" but don't I need something like D-Sonic or JB at least?

[InTheRavensName]

...straight from the Lord's mouth...

Thank You

I use a PAF Pro humbucker F space for the bridge and a Cool Rails for the neck. I had a 5 way super switch installed with allows special pickup combining and coil tapping without needing additional switches
brat666 ";"

Trey Azagthoth wins at life

[zimbloth]

Originally Posted by Enmesarra

Isn't PAF a bit low-output for the style? I don't think of it like "more output=great tone" but don't I need something like D-Sonic or JB at least?

No, actually I thought the PAF7 in my mahogany K7 had the best guttural death metal tone I've ever heard. It has a hellacious crunch, evil growly lows and a very clear yet warm sounding chords. The key is setting the pickup height relatively close to the strings, that in essence makes it "hotter".