# Seven string explorer?



## Zeetwig (Feb 13, 2012)

Hello everyone! 

 and my very first post on this forum, so be patient with me 

I love explorers, and I loven sevens too  Why not marry the two and get an awesome guitar? ^^

I have drooled quite a bit over the Gibson 7 string explorer, however it is a bit to expensive for my wallet to survive... :S

The ESP LTD EX-307 is more like it, but since I already have an ESP and have no particular craving for ESP's I'd like to try something else 

Do anyone of you know of some other 7 string explorer? I've googled it to death and looked in every nook and cranny of this forum, but nothing have come up :s

Thanks for the help!


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## Static (Feb 13, 2012)

How about the Agile Ghost 7 ?

Agile Ghost Pro 730 Blue Flame Duncan at RondoMusic.com


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## jawbreaker (Feb 13, 2012)

Can't really go wrong with agile in the states IMO.


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## Zeetwig (Feb 13, 2012)

Static said:


> How about the Agile Ghost 7 ?
> 
> Agile Ghost Pro 730 Blue Flame Duncan at RondoMusic.com



Nice! ^^ It has a 30'' scale but that might actually be good since I was planning on dropping the tuning around 4 semitones, from BEADGBE to GCFA#D#GC.

Is it available in Europe? Price?


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## Rick (Feb 13, 2012)

Zeetwig said:


> Nice! ^^ It has a 30'' scale but that might actually be good since I was planning on dropping the tuning around 4 semitones, from BEADGBE to GCFA#D#GC.
> 
> Is it available in Europe? Price?



According to the link, it's $695.95. 

You can only order Agiles from the US, an overseas purchase would be risky.


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## Zeetwig (Feb 13, 2012)

Rick said:


> According to the link, it's $695.95.
> 
> You can only order Agiles from the US, an overseas purchase would be risky.



-.- Yeah I guess you're right. Although the guitar itself is not that expensive, I suspect that getting one here to Sweden will double the price :S And if I get a broken guitar then I'll have to ship it back again and it'll cost ever more... :S

I'll do some research but I suspect that unless I take a trip to the states I will have to go for something else. But thanks anyway 

Any other guitars that fit the description?


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## darkside (Feb 14, 2012)

Here is a pic of a neck thru 7 string explorer I built a guy a few years ago.





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## Konfyouzd (Feb 14, 2012)

I'm having a 7 string explorer built currently by one of our members here. That's always an option too, I suppose if you meet someone here you're comfortable with.


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## Murmel (Feb 14, 2012)

Seeing as you're gonna play all the way down to G, the Agile is probably your best bet (even if you have to get it from the US). 
I mean, G on a 24.75 is probably DOABLE, but it would probably incorporate more suck than win.

There are basically no other production Explorer 7s other than the upcoming LTD EX-307 and the Gibson available to the EU market. Unless you're willing to go custom, but that's gonna cost you way more than a Gibson


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## Konfyouzd (Feb 14, 2012)

Sounds cumbersome and possibly expensive (strings).


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## Jakke (Feb 14, 2012)

Hey countryman

ESP has released an EX sevenstring, so if that is an acceptable shape, that one is a good buy.


Slightly OT, I'm saving up for RAN (polish luthier) to make me a new sevenstring with their explorer shape (Thor). If you have the money to drop (12000-20000 sek), they are an excellent company to work with.


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## Zeetwig (Feb 14, 2012)

darkside said:


> Here is a pic of a neck thru 7 string explorer I built a guy a few years ago.



Cool! ^^ That looks very much like the guitar I'm looking for  Did you say that you build guitars? What are your prices (not sure if I have the money but why not ask? )



Murmel said:


> Seeing as you're gonna play all the way down to G, the Agile is probably your best bet (even if you have to get it from the US).
> I mean, G on a 24.75 is probably DOABLE, but it would probably incorporate more suck than win.
> 
> There are basically no other production Explorer 7s other than the upcoming LTD EX-307 and the Gibson available to the EU market. Unless you're willing to go custom, but that's gonna cost you way more than a Gibson



I was aiming for a bigger scale, at least 25'', but I have tried detuning guitars with smaller scales and it works ok (haven't tried with extra thick strings, just normal .012/.013 or something like that, and that worked OK)  A baryton would be great though.

Regarding the lack of 7 explorers: that's a shame, since it's an awesome shape and 7s are getting more and more popular... :/ But hey it isn't my job to decide what's on the market. Thanks for the help anyways 



Konfyouzd said:


> Sounds cumbersome and possibly expensive (strings).



Well as I have detuned a 6 string to C and it's still working perfectly (without strapping the thickest metal cables I can find to it too xP) a 7 should be able to survive a detuning to G (it's the same interval as on the 6, but with the addition of the lower string) if I just put some heavier gauges on it  I know Born of Osiris play in G, and they are using 7s



Jakke said:


> Hey countryman
> 
> ESP has released an EX sevenstring, so if that is an acceptable shape, that one is a good buy.
> 
> Slightly OT, I'm saving up for RAN (polish luthier) to make me a new sevenstring with their explorer shape (Thor). If you have the money to drop (12000-20000 sek), they are an excellent company to work with.



Hej på dig också ^^ Well as 12-20 000 sek is a bit over the top (5-9000 sek are my limit) I think I'll have to settle with what's on the market atm, but thanks anyways 

Regarding the ESP: are you talking about the EX-307?


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## Jakke (Feb 14, 2012)

Zeetwig said:


> Regarding the ESP: are you talking about the EX-307?



Indeed I am


*EDIT* It's 7000:- on Thomann, so it's right in your price bracket.


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## Zeetwig (Feb 14, 2012)

Jakke said:


> Indeed I am
> 
> *EDIT* It's 7000:- on Thomann, so it's right in your price bracket.



Yeah I have given it some thought. As I said earlier: I already have an ESP and don't have any particular need for more ESP's but if nothing else comes up then maybe  

(Off topic: I had plans of building an Explorer 7, but it proved a bit too complicated, so now I'm looking for one to buy instead. But I might end up with a Strat 7 and an Explorer 6 instead of an Explorer 7, since I want another 7 as well as an Explorer and the combo seem to be a bit rare... )


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## Zeetwig (Feb 15, 2012)

Have looked into the 7string explorer domain a bit further but my search was futile. I will just have to wait a few more years, and for now settle with a standard strat 7 or something.

Anyways thanks for the help everyone! 
Maybe I'll chime back in if I find anything interesting on this topic


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## Murmel (Feb 15, 2012)

Detuning on a 24.75 is no problem.

Detuning down to G is a completely different story


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## jarnozz (Feb 15, 2012)

this is my built, taking longer than expected due to money :'( but if it turns out good i´d love to make another one xD like 0 profit cause for me building is for fun! http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/lu...zations/177387-ibanez-destroyer-7-string.html


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## Zeetwig (Feb 15, 2012)

Murmel said:


> Detuning on a 24.75 is no problem.
> 
> Detuning down to G is a completely different story



Well yeah it is sort of low xP But I don't think a 25,5'' (or more) with some thicker-gauge strings on will let me down 

The biggest problem with tuning that low is that the bass player is in risk of being rendered useless...


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## Andromalia (Feb 15, 2012)

I advise you to save a bit more and buy the real thing. A friend of mine uses one in a successful local band and it sounds beastly.


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## Zeetwig (Feb 15, 2012)

Andromalia said:


> I advise you to save a bit more and buy the real thing. A friend of mine uses one in a successful local band and it sounds beastly.



Sorry for my sometimes rather poor knowledge in the English language, but with "beastly" do you mean beastly as in a really nice beastly growling tone, or beastly as in a crappy muddy tone? :S

I know this is way off topic but what would you guys think of a Schecter Damien Elite 7, or a Diamond Hellraiser C-7? I've looked at the Diamond C-7 Blackjack ATX and the Hellraiser C-7 (not diamond this time), but those are rather expensive so I'd like to avoid buying one of those...

They have all larger scales, so detuning them shouldn't be a big deal?


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## Jakke (Feb 15, 2012)

Zeetwig said:


> Sorry for my sometimes rather poor knowledge in the English language, but with "beastly" do you mean beastly as in a really nice beastly growling tone, or beastly as in a crappy muddy tone? :S



Beastly is generally considered good


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## Prestofly (Feb 15, 2012)

that agile looks sweet and is cheap for what it is


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## Zeetwig (Feb 17, 2012)

Jakke said:


> Beastly is generally considered good



Ok good to know  



Prestofly said:


> that agile looks sweet and is cheap for what it is



Yeah it really does  but since I live in Europe... -.-


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## Bastian93 (Feb 18, 2012)

Explorer mhhh ? 
What was that company called which builds Explorers.... G somthin'
Why not buying the original? 

Here it is:


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## Murmel (Feb 18, 2012)

^
If you take the time to read the original post you'll see that he's already mentioned that it's out of his price range.


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## Zeetwig (Feb 18, 2012)

Murmel said:


> ^
> If you take the time to read the original post you'll see that he's already mentioned that it's out of his price range.



Thanks for covering my back Murmel 

And don't feel picked at Bastian93  The thread's a novel and it's easy to skip stuff :S Thanks for the "help" anyways


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