[NDG]

My 2 cents (which is basically a reiteration of other posts lawl)

Personally I don't have an issue with using someone's sig. I'd drive myself nuts if I was trying to be the individual. I certainly believe people should exercise creativity, but I don't find it wrong to have similarities to another person/band. Maybe I'm naive, but I feel as long as a person is sincere and dedicated to his music, people (as a whole) will understand and respect him. I can only speak for myself, but all the bands I loathe seem dishonest in the manner they conduct themselves. With that said, there are plenty of bands that aren't my cup of tea, but I respect because they seem genuine.

I kind of feel like there's a certain amount of vanity in trying to be the unique rockstar. I feel like any effort to change one's image to appease someone else is betrayal to the self. With music, some people will get it; others won't. I'd be grateful for the ones that do, but not sweat the ones that don't. What I'd hope to bring out of an audience isn't that different from a friendship: maybe a litte understanding, empathy, or simply a good time. If my first concern with music was to achieve praise or acceptance, then I would be losing sight of who I am and what I love about music.

[guitarplayerone]

not everyone has the money to get a custom instrument speced to what they want...
and not everyone uses your typical guitar
in the case of the 7 string that usually leaves us with the K7 or the UV.

is it wrong of me to rather be branded a 'vai-wannabe' than someone who has anything to do with Korn?
(note: if there was no K7 inlay i would have bought the guitar)

[Chris]

Originally Posted by zimbloth

The fact is most of the high end production model 7s you can get are signature models (Universe, K7, ESP Carpenters, Jackson COW, Yamaha Ryan Shuck 7, Schecter Loomis, etc). So it's just hard to avoid getting a signature sometimes if you want a reallly ncie guitar like that.

Nick wins the thread.

[Naren]

The two guitars I want most right now are the UV777BK and the EBMM JP7, but I'm not really a Steve Vai fan or a John Petrucci fan. I like both of them, but neither of them are in my top 20 favorite guitarists list. I want those guitars because they are AWESOME guitars. I don't really consider the universe to be a Steve Vai guitar and, in my mind, I don't consider the Petrucci 7 to be a Petrucci guitar (even though technically it is).

I've owned 2 Les Pauls so far. Does that make me a Les Paul fanboy? I've only heard like 1 song by Les Paul in my entire life. What about guitarists like Jimmy Page who completely made the Les Paul THEIR guitar? How many people back in 1968 were looking at Jimmy Page and thinking "the loser's a complete Les Paul clone? He should get his own style"?

Originally Posted by zimbloth

The fact is most of the high end production model 7s you can get are signature models (Universe, K7, ESP Carpenters, Jackson COW, Yamaha Ryan Shuck 7, Schecter Loomis, etc). So it's just hard to avoid getting a signature sometimes if you want a reallly ncie guitar like that.

I think you summarized it up well.

[Karl Hungus]

Originally Posted by guitarplayerone

(note: if there was no K7 inlay i would have bought the guitar)

I just tell people it's my signiature model, and it stands for Karl 7.

[Drew]

My two comments, with no attempt at tact.

1.) Nick (Cormier, not Zimbloth, if Zimbloth is in fact his real name, which it probably isn't) is a moron.

2.) My main seven is a Universe. Anyone who hears me play and thinks I'm a Vai clone has issues. I play the Universe because the "vibe" of the guitar is right, and if someone wants to write me off based on that, that's their issue, not mine.

[OzzyC]

By playing 7s wouldn't we ALL have to be fans of Napolen Coste?

Originally Posted by Wiki- Seven-string guitar

French guitarist Napoleon Coste (1805-1883) composed works with a seven-string guitar specifically in mind.

[Heavy Ed]

WOW! What a thread! I've never thought anything about playing a sig. Its just another guitar (usually better than the standard model its based on). I have 2 UVs and the last thing anyone would accuse me of is sounding or trying to be like Vai! To be honest I've never been a huge Vai fan. I have an album or two and I absolutely respect the mans playing, but his guitar design ideas have influenced me more than his playing. I've personnally never heard anyone (guitarist or not) say anything about some one playing a sig.

[sakeido]

Originally Posted by zimbloth

The fact is most of the high end production model 7s you can get are signature models (Universe, K7, ESP Carpenters, Jackson COW, Yamaha Ryan Shuck 7, Schecter Loomis, etc). So it's just hard to avoid getting a signature sometimes if you want a reallly ncie guitar like that.

That's exactly what I was going to say.

[jarrydn]

I didn't even know the Universe was Steve Vai's signature guitar until I read this thread D:

Seriously...I just thought it was a name Ibanez used for a few of their 7-strings.