# Ibanez FR 7 String (mockup)



## Joe Harvatt (Feb 22, 2012)

Was thinking of asking someone to build an FR body for my RG7321.

What do you think? Stripped down riff guitar!


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## astm (Feb 22, 2012)

would be interesting, but why don't you ask for a full body + neck and keep de RG7321?


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## Joe Harvatt (Feb 22, 2012)

I wouldn't have need for both guitars, plus - I don't have a lot of money!


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## goldsteinat0r (Feb 22, 2012)

I would rock the crap out of the guitar in the OP. Go for it!


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## astm (Feb 22, 2012)

well, in that case do it! which wood do you want for the body?


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## Joe Harvatt (Feb 22, 2012)

Not sure really. Maybe some good Basswood, keep the weight and cost down and have a balanced tone.

What do people think?


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## djohns74 (Feb 22, 2012)

Joe Harvatt said:


> Not sure really. Maybe some good Basswood, keep the weight and cost down and have a balanced tone.
> 
> What do people think?


Wood selection won't really affect cost if you stay within the "standard" selection of woods (basswood, alder, mahogany, ash, etc). I'd probably go with Alder myself, maybe swamp ash for something a little lighter, if that's a concern. What kind of finish or other cosmetic appointments did you have in mind?


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## ibanezcollector (Feb 22, 2012)

that looks sick as hell, I would go for it, then sell it to me


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## Blasphemer (Feb 22, 2012)

If you put the pickguard and the neck pickup back on there:


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## Joe Harvatt (Feb 28, 2012)

I want the simplicity of one pickup, one knob, hard tail.

Hopefully should be ordering the body in a couple of months. I'll keep you updated.


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## jarnozz (Feb 28, 2012)

haha dudee, that is exactly the same guitar as the guitar of the guitarist of caliban xD well his new custom model! but then with 6 strings. saw them live 2 days ago with that guitar. it was gorgeous


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## jarnozz (Feb 28, 2012)

Caliban - Wall Of Death + Love Song Live @ Effenaar Eindhoven 27-2-2012 Get Infected Tour - YouTube
CHECK IT OUT AT 2:00 !!!!! hahah first of all the wall of death which i was in ;D


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## jarnozz (Feb 28, 2012)

okay, one more since i found a good image of that guitar xd


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## Levi79 (Feb 28, 2012)

That's sick dude do it! I always loved the FR's! Although I think it should have a pickgaurd and neck pickup, it's your guitar.


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## jordanky (Feb 29, 2012)

Do it Esquire-style! Pickguard, and just a bridge pickup!


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## Malkav (Feb 29, 2012)

Love the FR shape  Do it! Would love to see a 7 string like that


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## Joe Harvatt (Apr 25, 2012)

Right, well I was about to order the body. Decided on Mahogany which I was thinking of staining red against the black hardware.

But... The builder says the neck pocket would perfectly fit 65mm Japanese Ibanez AANJ necks, but couldn't guarantee the fit of a RG7321 neck.

I don't know what to do?!


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## Rojne (Apr 25, 2012)

Ask him for the measurements and meassure your neck-pocket and se if it'll fit!


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## marko-rockvoice (Apr 29, 2012)

Not sure about the 7321 neck. But most of the 24fret-necks have 68mm width.
You should check before.

Otherwise you can still adjust the neck pocket - or let someone else do that for you... I did that once for an UV777-body to fit an RG1527neck in.


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## Machva (Apr 29, 2012)

jarnozz said:


> okay, one more since i found a good image of that guitar xd



omg  i'm wet !


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## Joe Harvatt (May 7, 2012)

I've placed my order, it's being made with the neck pocket slightly brought in each side 0.25mm

It's a very exciting time!

Also thinking of replacing the nut on the rg7321 neck for an Earvana. Anyone have any experience with these.

A friend of mine is going to loan me a Seymour Duncan blackout until I can afford a Bareknuckle Painkiller. I figure there should be enough room in the control cavity for the 9v battery as I'm only having a volume control fitted.

Anyone have an recommendations for barrel-style jack sockets?


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## Joe Harvatt (Jun 6, 2012)

The body has been made, here are some pics...












Awaiting delivery!


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## JPhoenix19 (Jun 6, 2012)

I can't wait to see how this fits with your neck. I've considered doing the same thing for my RG7321.


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## eurolove (Jun 6, 2012)

Joe Harvatt said:


> The body has been made, here are some pics...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



did you order this from perle guitars by any chance? i happen to have the smaller brother of this guitar, its being assembled now, its mahogany too. it is 6 string humbucker bridge single neck with a gotoh floyd, the neck is zebrawood.


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## Joe Harvatt (Jun 6, 2012)

JPhoenix19 said:


> I can't wait to see how this fits with your neck.



Me too, might take a bit of shaving of the neck cavity apparently. It'll be badass when it's done.



eurolove said:


> did you order this from perle guitars by any chance? i happen to have the smaller brother of this guitar, its being assembled now, its mahogany too. it is 6 string humbucker bridge single neck with a gotoh floyd, the neck is zebrawood.



Yeah, ordered from Perle. Seems to be a really good guy. 

Sounds nice man! What tuning are you gonna put it in? How are you gonna finish yours?


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## eurolove (Jun 7, 2012)

Joe Harvatt said:


> Me too, might take a bit of shaving of the neck cavity apparently. It'll be badass when it's done.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



probably gonna just be my standard tuning trem-wank guitar, this allows me to block off the trem on my rg1527 to use for all different tunings, dont get on very well with the edge pro 7. and mine is getting wax or tung oil i think, either way its going to be a natural kinda thing. i have to say though, this is one of the most comfortable body shapes to play ever.


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## Joe Harvatt (Jun 11, 2012)

Nice. What stage is it at? Pics!


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## SanekN (Jun 11, 2012)

Oh my freaking god it's so clean and the shape is sexy too! It's cuban or honduran mahogany? Cant wait to see this assembled!


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## IndoRGforme (Jun 12, 2012)

Love the one pickup one knob look! Who needs a neck pickup anyway?(not me)


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## Loomer (Jun 12, 2012)

IndoRGforme said:


> Who needs a neck pickup anyway?



A GIRLY MAN!!


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## Joe Harvatt (Jun 13, 2012)

It arrived!


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## astm (Jun 13, 2012)

looks great!!! are you finishing it or are you going to leave it natural?


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## Joe Harvatt (Jun 13, 2012)

astm said:


> looks great!!! are you finishing it or are you going to leave it natural?



It feels amazing as it is, but it's going to need sealing from the elements. I think I'll use a red stain and then tung oil. I don't know much about finishing.


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## skeels (Jun 13, 2012)

That looks great man!
One piece body?


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## Joe Harvatt (Jun 13, 2012)

Yep, one piece. Haven't been able to play it yet obviously, but it has a great resonance and note when knocking it with my knuckle! Hopefully that's a good sign.


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## projectjetfire (Jun 14, 2012)

Who did that for you Joe? (fellow Pembrokeshire x-resident here)


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## Levi79 (Jun 15, 2012)

This looks great! Looks pretty similar to my build actually


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## JPhoenix19 (Jun 15, 2012)

So, I'm assuming you had no problems with the neck fitting into the pocket or the neck screw holes lining up, ect? Looks real nice!


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## Joe Harvatt (Jun 15, 2012)

projectjetfire said:


> Who did that for you Joe? (fellow Pembrokeshire x-resident here)



It was a guy called Nate Perle. Think he has a shop on ebay, very quick turn around. Ah yeah? Where abouts are you from?



Levi79 said:


> This looks great! Looks pretty similar to my build actually



Lets have a look!



JPhoenix19 said:


> So, I'm assuming you had no problems with the neck fitting into the pocket or the neck screw holes lining up, ect? Looks real nice!



Unfortunately, the neck isn't attached yet. The holes in the neck are slightly different to the body. So I'm going to have them filled and redrilled. I'm told this is because I have an indo neck and they can be inconsistent as to where they drill the holes.


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## iRaiseTheDead (Jun 15, 2012)

Not a huge fan of the body shape but looks nice


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## projectjetfire (Jun 15, 2012)

Joe Harvatt said:


> It was a guy called Nate Perle. Think he has a shop on ebay, very quick turn around. Ah yeah? Where abouts are you from?



Milford Haven! Saw you and Barnes at Meshuggah last month (or month before as it is now!) Its G btw. You spoken to Chad Perspective recently?


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## Joe Harvatt (Jun 17, 2012)

Ah hi man. I wasn't actually at that gig! But I heard it was good.


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## jordanky (Jun 18, 2012)

Damn dude, that looks great. I didn't know Perle (assuming it's the same guy on eBay) did custom bodies. That looks great!


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## eurolove (Jun 18, 2012)

Joe Harvatt said:


> It feels amazing as it is, but it's going to need sealing from the elements. I think I'll use a red stain and then tung oil. I don't know much about finishing.



Beware, the mahogany body i got from perle is just devouring finnish, straight sucking it all up, its taking quite the while for it to be ready.


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## Joe Harvatt (Jun 20, 2012)

eurolove said:


> Beware, the mahogany body i got from perle is just devouring finnish, straight sucking it all up, its taking quite the while for it to be ready.



Thanks man, I'll get some extra supplies of stain.


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## AwakenNoMore (Jun 21, 2012)

It needs reverse headstock with that body, or any Ibanez actually.


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## Joe Harvatt (Jul 27, 2012)

Updates... I've had the neck holes filled and re-drilled to line up with the body.

Started staining the mahogany this evening...


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## Joe Harvatt (Jul 30, 2012)

I've done a couple of stain coats all over. Waiting for the tung oil to arrive.


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## jarnozz (Jul 30, 2012)

tell me sir, what dye is that and where did you bought it? That is the exact color I'm looking for! looks amazing


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## oliviergus (Jul 30, 2012)

That sure looks awesome! Much better than it was before.


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## Joe Harvatt (Jul 31, 2012)

jarnozz said:


> tell me sir, what dye is that and where did you bought it? That is the exact color I'm looking for! looks amazing



To be honest, I don't know. A luthier friend of mine gave me half a bottle to play with which was more than enough to do the guitar. I'll ask him later and get back to you.


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## Joe Harvatt (Jul 31, 2012)

I've got a Blackout neck pickup to try in the guitar. But the pickup cavity doesn't look deep enough for it. Has anyone else found this with the Blackouts?

Hopefully selling my Pod xt Pro today which will either fund a Seymour Duncan Distortion + Parts or BKP Aftermath/Painkiller.


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## Joe Harvatt (Aug 5, 2012)

Tung oil... 3rd coat so far.


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## Tranquilliser (Aug 6, 2012)

Hi Joe, this project is really awesome - to answer your question about the Blackouts, yeah, the Passive sized blackouts are really tall, so you might need to make the pickup route deeper to fit it in there.
They sound bloody mean though


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## Allen Garrow (Aug 6, 2012)

My only complaint about that guitar is the head stock. The Stock FR's would be so much cooler with a 3x3 headstock, sort of like a talman or in your case as a 7....4x3 iceman style.
~A


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## Joe Harvatt (Aug 6, 2012)

Tranquilliser said:


> Hi Joe, this project is really awesome - to answer your question about the Blackouts, yeah, the Passive sized blackouts are really tall, so you might need to make the pickup route deeper to fit it in there.
> They sound bloody mean though



Thanks man. I think as it's my first effort I'm gonna go with a passive pickup - SD Distortion or Dimarzio D Activator.



Allen Garrow said:


> My only complaint about that guitar is the head stock. The Stock FR's would be so much cooler with a 3x3 headstock, sort of like a talman or in your case as a 7....4x3 iceman style.
> ~A



Ah that's one of the things I love about the FR, keeping the 6(7) inline headstock. It'd be cool to see it 3+3 though.


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## Joe Harvatt (Aug 6, 2012)

More pictures...






Blackout posing for the picture, nothing's wired up yet. Neck attached, bridge attached.











Things to do... I need to get ferrules for the strings at the back of the body. Make cavity covers. Wire up a pickup, volume and jack. And then set up!


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## BlindingLight7 (Aug 6, 2012)

reverse headstock plz?


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## Pete27 (Aug 6, 2012)

nice one dude! love that body shape, and the red stain is a beauty. i've been contemplating ordering a 540p body from Perle for a while, so good to hear you're pleased with the service.


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## Joe Harvatt (Aug 6, 2012)

BlindingLight7 said:


> reverse headstock plz?



I eventually want to upgrade from the RG7321 neck, reverse will be seriously considered 




Pete27 said:


> nice one dude! love that body shape, and the red stain is a beauty. i've been contemplating ordering a 540p body from Perle for a while, so good to hear you're pleased with the service.



Go for it man, great service from Perle. Excellent quality routes.


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## geeman8 (Aug 6, 2012)

Wow man! Great job! Love that body shape!


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## The Norsemen (Aug 7, 2012)

Yeah dude that body looks awesome.
Love the way that finish looks.

If this thing had a replacement neck with a reversed headstock and a 27" scale I'd be all over it hahaha


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## Joe Harvatt (Aug 14, 2012)

The Norsemen said:


> If this thing had a replacement neck with a reversed headstock and a 27" scale I'd be all over it hahaha



Me too!


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## 7stringDemon (Aug 14, 2012)

Must match headstock. Or at least sand it until it's matte black (but still has the logo and all of the paint).


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## jake7doyle (Aug 14, 2012)

that looks so sweet man. where did you get the body from?


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## 7stringDemon (Aug 14, 2012)

jake7doyle said:


> that looks so sweet man. where did you get the body from?


 
He said it earlier. Nate Perle (Perle guitars).


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## JPhoenix19 (Aug 14, 2012)

Looking great! You're making me want to try a perleguitars body for my first major guitar project!


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## Joe Harvatt (Aug 15, 2012)

Man tung oil takes time to dry... I want to get finished up.


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## Joe Harvatt (Nov 9, 2012)

I had a big set back with this project - I managed to polish some of the finish off the front of the body. Since then it's been a long process of dye, tung oil, wire wool, tung oil, wire wool, tung oil etc.

I think I may have been too liberal with my initial layers of oil and have a pretty patchy finish. So I'm trying to get round that now with the wire wool and very thin coats. It takes a long time!

In other news, I've ordered a Dimarzio D-Activator 7 which should by flying its' way here as we speak.

The bridge has been off and on a couple of times, I think I'll be looking to replace the 6 screws that attach it. If anyone has any advice on what type of screw and what size to buy I'd really appreciate it.

Here's an awful picture...


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## Joe Harvatt (Nov 11, 2012)

Bump for my screw question...


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## sibanez29 (Nov 11, 2012)

Bring the screw to Home Depot/Lowe's and just compare in the hardware section. They sell packs of around 12 stainless steel screws in all different sizes.


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## Joe Harvatt (Nov 16, 2012)

D-Activator arrived in as new condition (thanks Eric). Looks like the cavity is gonna need deeper routing. It's 150mm and the ibanez ones are 200mm deep. What a pain in the arse.


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## Joe Harvatt (May 16, 2013)

Finished! Thanks to Dave Rowlinson at Waghorn Guitars for completion of the project.


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## tommychains (May 18, 2013)

Love it! Perle does some great stuff, I traded an iceman for a kit fireman and I love it. It came with the neck of an rg and dimarzio pickups. Love love love it, eventually I wanna do a flame maple veneer of it and do a greyburst trans finish to match the headstock.


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