Dean Guitars 7 string design

[Orsinium]

Hello everyone, I am participating in an event at my school to create a design for a guitar for Dean Guitars. My group and I have decided to design a 7 string because we love them dearly. I thought it would be a good idea to ask none other than the seven string playing community what they are looking for when they want to purchase a 7 string. Here are a couple things I personally look for: Is it Affordable? Is it versatile? More color options? Pickup options? Scale Length? Tremolo? Neck-thru or Bolt on?

Let me hear from you guys!

P.S. If my group wins this event our guitar design will be made into a limited run of models so be on the lookout in the next year for a new Dean 7 string that is definitely going to be unique.

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

1) Don't make it a Dean...

I joke...

But yeah, affordable sounds good to me. Not many people buy the higher-end Deans, from what I see.

No trem, IMO. Hardtail it.

Anything passive-routed. As much as I like EMG's, their huge-ass routes are a big turnoff for a lot of people here.

Scale length... 25.5 - 26.5 sounds good to me.

And I vote bolt-on.

[Orsinium]

I was trying to convince my team to go with some dimarzio's they are cheaper than emgs and have lots of tonal possiblities. Thanks for your input man every bit of it counts.

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Yeah, I second DiMarzios. What body wood are you guys going for?

[-42-]

Make it a Korina ML.


For no other reason then I've always wondered what one would look like.

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

And for the love of god, if you DO use the ML shape, DON'T do the reverse V headstock.

I say either use the 7-in-line Mustaine headstock, or try to make a 4x3 variant of it.

[CruzDrum]

dont make an ml, make a diffrent version of a superstrat

[Thyrif]

Yeah, make it classy, Dean already has too many idiotic "way out there" designs. The RC7 is nice though (although one could argue on the finish).
I'd also like it to be not too expensive, focus on tone and ergonomics. Fixed bridge, bolt on, Dimarzios, simple paddle or 4+3 headstock, maple board? And then make some cool shape that's still easy to play and not in the way. (Like the Iceman/Fireman or altered superstrat or something, not a V which are really hard to sit with)

For example, this one is just plain AWESOME:

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

I think Ibanez would be pissed if they made an Iceman.

Why not a Soltero 7? There's only 4 single-cut 7's in the market right now, and only 3 are actually available world-wide, to my knowledge. And if you're going to do a Superstrat (which I really wouldn't be a fan of, because the market is SATURATED with them. ), I say try to make a basis around the MAB shape.

[Thyrif]

Originally Posted by HeHasTheJazzHands

I think Ibanez would be pissed if they made an Iceman.

Why not a Soltero 7? There's only 4 single-cut 7's in the market right now, and only 3 are actually available world-wide, to my knowledge. And if you're going to do a Superstrat (which I really wouldn't be a fan of, because the market is SATURATED with them. ), I say try to make a basis around the MAB shape.

Haha, no I just meant an alternate shape. The Iceman was just an example I knew that turned out awesome! Singlecuts might also turn out great, if the access is good. Just be careful the woods-types don't make it too bassy with all that wood.

[ridner]

Originally Posted by -42-

Make it a Korina ML.


For no other reason then I've always wondered what one would look like.

[Thyrif]

Originally Posted by ridner

That would be ....ing awesome!

[WiseSplinter]

Not sure if this will fit with your plans, will probably be kind of niche, but what i want in my next 7 is:

1) multiscale, not too extreme, maybe 25.5 - 26.5, subtle but effective
2) natural wood finish, though only if you use nice woods (burl!)
3) fixed bridge
4) piezo
5) slanted BKP's to go with the fan

Probably won't be very popular but hey, a guy can dream right?

[Maggai]

I like this guitar, except for the headstock. Sevenstring version of this would be sweet.
Hipshot bridge and some DiMarzios would be nice!

[Dommak89]

A singlecut would be awesome as a sevenstring. And think about a nice, but not too fancy design.

[Don Vito]

Originally Posted by WiseSplinter

1) multiscale, not too extreme, maybe 25.5 - 26.5, subtle but effective
2) natural wood finish, though only if you use nice woods (burl!)
3) fixed bridge
4) piezo
5) slanted BKP's to go with the fan

[-42-]

Originally Posted by ridner

Yeah, just make this with a symmetric headstock (like the Flying V 7) and a white/cream pickguard. Dean has some classy shapes, they just ruin them with tacky paintjobs and headstocks. Not to mention that Korina is an awesome wood, non-superstrat 7s almost all seem to be br00tal shapes, and that the more passive routed sevens, the better.

[r3tr0sp3ct1v3]

Do a Z shape. The world needs more explorer shaped 7s

25.5" scale, dimarzio d-activators. Transparent black finish with the mustaine 7 in line headstock. Hardtail.

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Originally Posted by r3tr0sp3ct1v3

Do a Z shape. The world needs more explorer shaped 7s

25.5" scale, dimarzio d-activators. Transparent black finish with the mustaine 7 in line headstock. Hardtail.

to the Dean Z or a Zero 7. I forgot how awesome 7-string Explorers are. Hell, we have less Explorer 7s on the market compares to singlecuts.

[Orsinium]

Hey guys thanks for all the input it really helps to create the best instrument. What my team and I have so far for the design is probably going to be a 4+3 headstock we are hoping we can have multiple finish options one of which would be natural. The shape we know is going to have ultra access like the RC or JP musicman guitars and we are looking at maybe doing a carved slimmer version like an s series ibby or like an archtop, but anything is still game on the shape. I'm hoping we could have an option for pickups ofcourse their will be EMG's (sadly but everyone always seems to want them) and some set of Dimarzios (Crunchlab maybe if its not licensed to where JP has to approve it, or D-Activators or Tonezone). We were also throwing around the multiscale idea although were not sure how happy Dean would be were taking away all of Rusty's thunder haha. Really were just trying to create the most affordable and versatile instrument that people will be interested in.

[Orsinium]

Originally Posted by WiseSplinter

Not sure if this will fit with your plans, will probably be kind of niche, but what i want in my next 7 is:

1) multiscale, not too extreme, maybe 25.5 - 26.5, subtle but effective
2) natural wood finish, though only if you use nice woods (burl!)
3) fixed bridge
4) piezo
5) slanted BKP's to go with the fan

Probably won't be very popular but hey, a guy can dream right?

Pretty much exactly what I want in a guitar haha but those are some expensive parts there atleast like 800+ just for BKP's and piezo bridge lol

[Orsinium]

Originally Posted by HeHasTheJazzHands

Yeah, I second DiMarzios. What body wood are you guys going for?

Right now its between mahogany, ash, and alder I believe. I'm pretty sure the neck is going to be maple maybe with walnut stripes. The fretboard is probably going to be maple or ebony.

[Nile]

The Z (explorer) shape is indeed badass, but has problems with fret access and neck dive in a 7 string version. I would personally go for the Soltero shape, not many LPs, nice looking or other wise out there in 7 string versions. It just looks great too.

Also, go hipshot style bridge, a lot of people don't like Floyds and a lot don't like Tune-o-Matics, hipshot style is the nice in between everyone can enjoy.

And 26" scale seems like it would be a good medium between 25.5 and 26.5 to me.

And please no gaudy graphic finishes/inlays or dot inlays.

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

DiMarzio D-Activator in Mahogany, Crunch Lab 7 in Alder, and I don't know too much about ash.

And maybe you can make a Soltero shape with better fret access?

[Orsinium]

Originally Posted by HeHasTheJazzHands

DiMarzio D-Activator in Mahogany, Crunch Lab 7 in Alder, and I don't know too much about ash.

And maybe you can make a Soltero shape with better fret access?

The soltero that is kinda like a les paul or the one that has a top horn?