# Matt Raines Guitars?



## FortePenance (Jan 28, 2008)

I found this guy browsing Harmony Central. Makes jazzboxes and acoustics in 7 version, figured you guys might dig it?

MATT RAINES : 7-String Guitarist / Musician

Ran a search for him, didn't come up with anything relevant, so here ya go.


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## jacksonplayer (Jan 28, 2008)

I've been considering getting one of his semihollows, but I would rather have had one of his earlier Les-Paul shaped smaller semihollows that he doesn't make anymore.


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## technomancer (Jan 28, 2008)

If I recall all of his stuff is Korean built, and thus pretty overpriced for what they are. They do look nice though


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## Apophis (Jan 28, 2008)

Not bad


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## scott from _actual time_ (Jan 28, 2008)

technomancer said:


> If I recall all of his stuff is Korean built


or at least from somewhere overseas, yes--he is an importer and not a builder. 

his 7-string strat-style guitars were a dead ringer for the Aria 7-string strats, so i wonder if they were built at the same factory or by the same parent company. if that's any indication of quality, compared to the Aria 7 i owned, then the $300 range is what they're probably worth.


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## bluesman (Jan 28, 2008)

I met him when I sat in with my son's college jazz band about 5 years ago. I think he's a good guy making a few bucks from providing something no one else does. Matt's made it possible to get 7-string steel- or nylon-stringed flat tops at a reasonable price. And he's an excellent player, so he understands the trade-offs between quality and price.

I'd bet these are made by Samick, and you do get what you pay for (which is not an Ibanez or even an Eastman). The value is there - you shouldn't expect to get a quart out of a pint bottle.


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## musicman2879 (Jun 2, 2008)

I am thinking of purchasing a Matt Raines 7 string..I think all I would have to do is get a new set of Seymour Duncan Blackouts and a Hipshot Tremsetter.. he cut me deal for $450 shipped on the only thru neck prototype 7 he had left..I wanted something like my Hellraiser with a trem and not the $899 price tag.. i think it is a good deal..what do ya'll think??


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## Trespass (Jun 2, 2008)

Tell us how it works out man


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## musicman2879 (Jun 2, 2008)

Hopefully it plays good.. He said if i wasnt satisfied I had 30 days to return it...He was very reluctant to sell it for so low.. he originally wanted $650 plus $150 shipping.. it took me a whole week to get it down to $450 total..I told him I wasnt buying an off brand for $500 or more.. I would have just bought a new Hellraiser.. Friend bought a 7-string from him for like $300 but the routings sucked thats why he got it so cheap..I like the guitar he got ,just the neck sucked for high fret access.. Matt assured me that this neck was identical to the Schecter size and design...We will see!! i expect it by Friday.. i will keep you updated. The other reason it is lower is cause I only live 3 hours away from him, so he cut off almost all that insane shipping.


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## Ketzer (Jun 2, 2008)

Where's This guy live?


My band's guitarist has the same last name, and has an older brother named Matt who is also a guitarist.


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## musicman2879 (Jun 3, 2008)

Lives in Austin,Tx.. i am trying to just go pick it up.. shipping cost me $20 more then it would in gas to go get it..


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## musicman2879 (Jun 12, 2008)

ok i got it later then expected.. i am not overwhelmed with happiness like I was when I got my Hellraiser, but it is a very nice clean thru neck guitar...It is a solid maple guitar. This thing is light but feels very solid..I am not crazy about the routing job on the neck pickup cause every time i mount the mounting ring it tweaks and looks bad.. The bridge pup ring is also doing the same shit. I guess the rings are warped and the screw holes were drilled wrong. Just a minor detail though....Upon getting the guitar I immediately took out the factory pup's and put in new Blackouts. I would be damned if the 3 way switch didn't go bad and and none of the solder will stick to the new pots for grounding..Very very aggrevating..But on the test run. this thing amazed me.. Matt Raines said I would like it better then my Hellraiser but its about a tie just cause this Raines guitar has so much sustain that its unreal and the thing plays great. The neck is like a cross between a Wizard II neck and a Schecter neck..Very easy to play..And man this trem works better then some of the Ibanez trems I have had. I am not done modding it yet but I will post pics..


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## musicman2879 (Jun 12, 2008)

After few mods


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## Ketzer (Jun 12, 2008)

generally solder not sticking to pots is a result of bad solder. as long as you use some sandpaper on the tops of all new pots (you should) solder will stick to them if it's of good quality.


Looks real pretty, though.


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## musicman2879 (Jun 13, 2008)

It was the type of solder I started using (crap) so i went back with the .36 Radioshack solder..All fixed up now. just waiting for my custom pickup rings and knobs... For what my HellRaiser cost, yeah i would buy another Matt Raines 7 string and have just as good of an axe and extra money to do all the custom things to it i want.. This guitar to me is better then most of the 7 string Ibanez guitars I have had. So look at it this way. I spent $640 total for the guitar, pickups, rings, knobs and the guitar came with a brand new Hard case.. So I am happy.Even more now that these blackouts are working right..


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## Brutalnet (Mar 1, 2009)

I just bought one of the 7-string acoustics, actually. It looks really really nice. I should have it Wednesday.


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## rainwaterfall (Apr 13, 2009)

Brutalnet said:


> I just bought one of the 7-string acoustics, actually. It looks really really nice. I should have it Wednesday.



Brutalnet, has this arrived yet? how are you finding it?


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