# 7 string Jazzmaster ideas



## timbryant99 (Nov 30, 2015)

Hey Guys,

I am considering building a 7 string Jazzmaster type guitar. I am trying to get some feedback to see what people think of vintage style 7 string guitars. Any thoughts on color, wood selection, binding, scale, etc.. would be super helpful. I am thinking 2 P90s. 

-Tim

Perhaps a Jazzmaster version of this one..


----------



## HurrDurr (Nov 30, 2015)

7 string jazzmaster are a constant dream. I say do it in a classy three color burst.


----------



## Hollowway (Nov 30, 2015)

Tom from Oakland Axe Factory is going to do a run of these, I think. Check out his thread in the dealers section.


----------



## timbryant99 (Nov 30, 2015)

I checked out Fast Guitars' facebook page and saw the protoypes. They are indeed pretty slick. 

How about a Fiesta Red Jazzmaster with a headstock closer to that of a Fender's? Perhaps, a matching red headstock?


----------



## celticelk (Nov 30, 2015)

I posted my thoughts on Jazzmaster 7s over in the OAF thread in the dealers section. I can say unequivocally that I'm not going to be interested in anything done up in the "classic" Fender solid colors or bursts. I prefer clear (preferably satin) finishes over good-looking wood, or black.


----------



## DeathCubeK (Nov 30, 2015)

schecter japan make one. pretty reasonable price, too, imo. 

AR-07 / Schecter Japan / Guitarjapan


----------



## Guamskyy (Nov 30, 2015)

I love the jazzmaster/jaguar body shape and I say go for it. I personally would like to see a solid color (that example of one you got is something I would probably get) and get a standard scale length for the 7th string.


----------



## bhakan (Nov 30, 2015)

I would kill for a 7 string version of the guitar you posted. Literally a perfect guitar for me.


----------



## GuyB (Nov 30, 2015)

I built a 7 string Jazzmaster style guitar for myself earlier in the year (2015).

(There's no trem, because I never use one)


----------



## BrailleDecibel (Nov 30, 2015)

celticelk said:


> I posted my thoughts on Jazzmaster 7s over in the OAF thread in the dealers section. I can say unequivocally that I'm not going to be interested in anything done up in the "classic" Fender solid colors or bursts. I prefer clear (preferably satin) finishes over good-looking wood, or black.



Looks like you would like my idea for a custom Halo, then:


----------



## CaptainD00M (Nov 30, 2015)

timbryant99 said:


> I am trying to get some feedback to see what people think of vintage style 7 string guitars.



Here are my thoughts:
MOAR!  More classic body shapes, with 7 Strings and Baritone scales!
NOW! 

OK Hysteria aside, I personally would love a 7 String version of the Jim Root sans the EMG's. I basically love all his sigs because they are so no-nonsense.

In terms of wood it would depend on how traditional you want to go: Alder and Ash are the classic choices though.

I'd do P90's if you like them. But again what do you like, if you're getting it build do what you want not what we all want. If I was building it myself there would probably be an HSP90 in the neck and a Humbucker in the bridge.


----------



## celticelk (Nov 30, 2015)

BrailleDecibel said:


> Looks like you would like my idea for a custom Halo, then:



Make it 2 covered pickups with a tone knob, block inlays, and a decent headstock, and yes, I'd hit that.


----------



## BrailleDecibel (Nov 30, 2015)

celticelk said:


> Make it 2 covered pickups with a tone knob, block inlays, and a decent headstock, and yes, I'd hit that.



That is one shortcoming of Halo, they don't have a lot of good headstocks to choose from, imo.


----------



## Halowords (Nov 30, 2015)

timbryant99 said:


> Hey Guys,
> 
> I am considering building a 7 string Jazzmaster type guitar. I am trying to get some feedback to see what people think of vintage style 7 string guitars. Any thoughts on color, wood selection, binding, scale, etc.. would be super helpful. I am thinking 2 P90s.
> 
> ...



I'm kind of with the "MOAR" comment. But it may depend a bit on where you want to go with it. I could see a 30" being more along the lines of a Fender seven-string Bass VI(I). In that case, a Bass VII would probably be best served with an EADGBEA tuning so you get the low-E an octave down, and still have one string higher. But You could also go with something like a 27" or 28" and have a low-B string in a BEADGBE tuning. A 24.75" to 27" fan might be kind of cool and is the sort of stuff I dream about that keeps me up at night. 

Color? The blue you posted or a seafoam green could be cool. I'm a bit partial to transparent finishes over wood, so a nice Swamp Ash body would be good for that, maybe a clear natural finish, an antique look, or you could go translucent black, a burst (how's that for non-specific), or really whatever suits your fancy. If going with a classic pickguard, I think a yellow/amber stain on an Ash body with a black pickup (ala. Bruce Springsteen's Telecaster) would look nice. I'm guessing a Maple neck (possibly with or subbing in something like Bubinga, Walnut, you could go Mahogany, or fairly exotic. Maple or Rosewood is more traditional for the fretboard. Goncalo Alves may be a nice wood to consider. But all of this is pretty subjective. Binding, it would look cool to me either way.

I think a lot of the options depend on what you want to do with it, whether going for more of a traditional Fender vibe or something more of a vintage-modern twist. Overall though, I think it is a cool idea. Best of luck, and I would love to see this come to fruition.

-Cheers


----------



## CaptainD00M (Nov 30, 2015)

^^

Yes that would be cool, like the Ibanez 7 String they put out a few years back that was tuned exactly like that. I thought would be a cool concept actually for a drone band, to tune an octave or more below 7 string B standard and do what Om do.


That might be pretty cool 

Thats what I think of at night


----------



## timbryant99 (Nov 30, 2015)

Thanks for all the input, guys. This is very helpful. It appears people are either in the market for a metal jazzmaster or retro style. The one in the picture above is a baritone seafoam green 7 string Jaguar that I did a few years back. It is a real monster.

If I make the Jazzmaster, the intention is to sell it. Perhaps, the safe bet it to do solid color and humbuckers. That way there is enough of the vintage aesthetic yet it can rock hard. Fiesta Red and stacked P90's is my thought. And maybe the Seymour Duncan Blackout Modular Preamp circuit for a little extra hair.


----------



## Hollowway (Dec 1, 2015)

GuyB said:


> I built a 7 string Jazzmaster style guitar for myself earlier in the year (2015).
> 
> (There's no trem, because I never use one)



Duuuude! Did you NGD that?! How did I miss that? That's amazing!


----------



## Halowords (Dec 1, 2015)

timbryant99 said:


> Thanks for all the input, guys. This is very helpful. *It appears people are either in the market for a metal jazzmaster or retro style.* The one in the picture above is a baritone seafoam green 7 string Jaguar that I did a few years back. It is a real monster.



Well, it pays to keep in mind the general audience here. Plus, your comment on putting in two P90's screams retro/rock stuff.

I think a modern take would be nice too. A solid top (routed from the back with no pickguard) perhaps with a figured top (Maple, Ash, Walnut, Bubinga, Goncalo Alves, Mahogany, whatever), or stick with paint, not necessarily black or Fender traditional but maybe). And black could either be metal, classy for a Jazz concert or for a "tuxedo" look, or anything in between. And there are apparently some solid-top Jazzmasters out there if the Internet is to be believed:






But I think Jazzmaster screams more of the Indie Rock or Surfer Rock to me than it does just about anything else, even though it can probably be used for most anything. I mean, if Aaron Turner from Isis can use a Telecaster Deluxe...

As for your plans...



> If I make the Jazzmaster, the intention is to sell it. Perhaps, the safe bet it to do solid color and humbuckers. That way there is enough of the vintage aesthetic yet it can rock hard. Fiesta Red and stacked P90's is my thought. And maybe the Seymour Duncan Blackout Modular Preamp circuit for a little extra hair.



There are a lot of ways you could go with that. A solid top or w/ pick guard, you could go with a solid color, show off some nice wood grain with a transparent/tinted finish. If you want to just make it then sell it, I would stick with a vintage aesthetic. Seafoam green would work for me, or that light Fender blue. Really, any of the standard finishes or paint jobs would probably go over well. And something like the one pictured above with the figured top opens up more options stylistically. I really quite like that. For the pickups, perhaps some nice rock-orientated humbuckers that could be pushed hard (although somebody would probably love this thing until death if you had P90s or Fender-y style pickups and you can do a LOT with those too) but that would clean up nice enough. Somebody could always swap them out. And if the SD Blackout preamp lets you add a little more oomph, you've got a pretty diverse instrument.

-Cheers


----------



## jwade (Dec 1, 2015)

This thread seems like a market research thread.


----------



## vilk (Dec 1, 2015)

idk man sometimes I think that market research departments for guitar companies are just reading this site. SSO practically predicts the next seasons guitars.


----------



## areyna21 (Dec 1, 2015)

This is basically perfect to me aside from the Floyd rose. Wish esp would do something like this in the US. This guitar came out in 2006 from Edwards e-7-90jg.


----------



## Electric Wizard (Dec 1, 2015)

I'm of the opinion, and this probably goes for most Fender designs, that the pickguard is really what sets the shape off.


----------



## guidedbyechoes (Dec 1, 2015)

Here's my quick take on one. Except I'd want a tortoiseshell pickguard.


----------



## Halowords (Dec 1, 2015)

Electric Wizard said:


> I'm of the opinion, and this probably goes for most Fender designs, that the pickguard is really what sets the shape off.



Probably because I grew up playing Gibsons, Hamers, and Heritage guitars, I've not been a fan of the pickguard. That said, I do love my G&L ASAT Bluesboy (Telecaster style guitar), I mean LOVE it, so it has been growing on me. But I could live comfortably with it either way.

-Cheers


----------



## BucketheadRules (Dec 2, 2015)

I mocked a couple up on Halo a while back... this one's pretty out there but I love it:





7-string version of this would be killer.






To be honest, I'd kinda like to see a 7-string JM with more conventional features - certainly the same pickups, which actually sound killer for high-gain stuff. The trem could be cool too... stock JM bridges are awful though.


----------



## asher (Dec 2, 2015)

Electric Wizard said:


> I'm of the opinion, and this probably goes for most Fender designs, that the pickguard is really what sets the shape off.



Honestly I really like the way all the switches look too


----------



## areyna21 (Dec 2, 2015)

I kinda like a mixture of the two different styles of vintage and modern.


----------



## ellengtrgrl (Dec 2, 2015)

Guamskyy said:


> I love the jazzmaster/jaguar body shape and I say go for it. I personally would like to see a solid color (that example of one you got is something I would probably get) and get a standard scale length for the 7th string.



+1

I like the Fender offsets, and at the present time, have one of Fender's 50th Anniversary Jaguar Thinlines. I also used to have a CP Jazzmaster. So yeah, a 7-string Jazzmaster seems way cool to me. P90s would work great, and if somebody could do up 7-string versions of the regular Jazzmaster pickups (though admittedly, considering the oddball nature of 7-string Jazzmaster pickups, they would probably be pretty expensive), that would be even cooler.


----------



## celticelk (Dec 2, 2015)

ellengtrgrl said:


> if somebody could do up 7-string versions of the regular Jazzmaster pickups (though admittedly, considering the oddball nature of 7-string Jazzmaster pickups, they would probably be pretty expensive), that would be even cooler.



CurtisNovak.com - Pickups and Guitars | JM-7 Pickup


----------



## jwade (Dec 2, 2015)

Had a dream last night that I bought a 30" scale Jazzmaster 7 string. Off-white, tortoiseshell pickguard, chrome-covered pickups, bound fretboard, block inlays, TOM bridge, tophat knobs (1 vol 1 tone), three switches, satin finish. 

It was glorious, and perfect. I woke up so bummed realizing that it doesn't exist.


----------



## ellengtrgrl (Dec 3, 2015)

celticelk said:


> CurtisNovak.com - Pickups and Guitars | JM-7 Pickup



Oooh!! That is sooooo intriguing! And, Novak pickups are just plain killer to boot! I love the Novak pickups I put in my Fender Jaguar Thinline. Thanks for the info.


----------

