Late NGD: Polar Noir Music Man Petrucci Majesty 7

[Lopp]

As some background, I had gotten back into 7-strings with an ESP E-II Eclipse 7 Evertune. I ended up not liking three aspects of the E-II. First, the neck was too thick for my taste. Second, it had neck dive issues. Third, and this is my main gripe, I hated the Evertune. It's pretty cool for tuning stability, but is a pain in the butt for bending strings. It keeps trying to keep them in tune and prevents muscle memory because the amount of bend necessary always changes. Sure, you can set it in the sweet spot, but it keeps going out of the spot depending on the weather.

After selling the E-II, I remembered I always liked the Music Man Petrucci models. I didn't otherwise have an excuse to get one, but then realized they make a 7-string model, found a fair deal for a used Polar Noir Majesty 7, and grabbed it.



Wow. The neck is perfect for my Goldilocks hands. Not too thick. Not too thin. Just right.

Also, I love the tone from the DiMarzio Illuminator pickups when combined with the mahogany neck-through body with basswood wings, a maple top, and an ebony fretboard.

Other cool features include a nice scoop on the neck cutaway for easy access up the fretboard. The piezo pickups also sound nice for a semi-acoustic tone, but I prefer just using a footswitch to go clean without having to also flip a switch on the guitar.

Mainly two things I could take or leave: I am no longer a big fan of floating bridges because of the tuning hassles, but I do enjoy occasionally pulling it sharp or doing some fluttering. Also, I'm not a fan of needing a battery, especially because I like leaving my main axes plugged in, but understand the active pickups play a role in the tone I enjoy.

This Polar Noir Petrucci Majesty 7 is now my second favorite guitar, right behind my PRS CU24.

EDIT: Added "late" to the title because I got it a couple of months ago and wanted to get a good feel for it before posting.

 

[jwade]

I dig that finish a lot.

 

[77zark77]

Classy, congrats man !

 

[Pietjepieter]

Man that thing looks classy!

And to my understanding, the pickups are passive I think, battery is only needed for the piezo or am I wrong?

HNGD!

 

[jruivo26]

Even though I loathe the Majesty shape (bring back the classic JP!), that finish is amazing. HNGD

 

[Hoss632]

Battery is for the piezo system. The pickups are passive. That aside really nice guitar!

 

[cardinal]

Looks awesome!

I've been frustrated with the ESP/E-II 7-string eclipse offerings. How could a thinner-bodied, 25.5" scale, 24-fret LP guitar with a larger 7-string neck NOT have neck dive issues...

 

[yuastnav]

Pretty cool! I bought the exact same guitar, used, about six years ago. Or was it seven?
My PRS SE Custom 24 is still my go to axe but I cannot deny that the Music Man Majesty has the best and fastest neck that I have ever played. Hands down. I haven't played anything that could compete with it.

 

[Rachmaninoff]

I sold mine after it failed on me on stage. It simple went mute for no reason.

Later I found that the problem was the fucking 3x AA batteries, which somehow moved inside the cavity. Unlike the first JP6 models, this one won't without the batteries.

Never again.

 

[AkiraSpectrum]

so hot!!!!

 

[Lopp]

Thank you everyone for your kind comments.

Man that thing looks classy!

And to my understanding, the pickups are passive I think, battery is only needed for the piezo or am I wrong?

HNGD!

Battery is for the piezo system. The pickups are passive. That aside really nice guitar!

Thanks for the tips.

I've got mixed feelings about that because the reason I an not a huge fan active pickups is because I don't like worrying about the battery dying at an inopportune moment. I do think they sound awesome and are worth it for many applications.

The mixed feelings are because even though the piezo output is cool, I do not plan on using it, if at all, and the batteries still affect the Illuminator pickup output. At least in that there is no output if the batteries die or are taken out.

Oh wait... I just realized I can use a TRS cable for the stereo output and split it into two different inputs on the FM9. That way I can use a footswitch to swap the magnetic pickup output into a high gain amp model with the clean piezo output into different effects.

Pretty cool, but would be a pain to do with a good wireless system, which would require two transmitter packs. Looks like there are some cheapo stereo wireless systems on Amazon, but I would only trust those for mucking around at home. Also, that would require separate patches or a creative patch for swapping my PRS CU24 with the Majesty 7 while still allowing switching between clean and dirty.

Still, this is a phenomenal axe!

 

[adrianb]

I sold mine after it failed on me on stage. It simple went mute for no reason.

Later I found that the problem was the fucking 3x AA batteries, which somehow moved inside the cavity. Unlike the first JP6 models, this one won't without the batteries.

Never again.

Does that issue affect all JP models after the JP6?

 

[Rachmaninoff]

Does that issue affect all JP models after the JP6?

The JP13 and JP15 models (which have the same electronics) use a 9V battery, which is much harder to move inside the cavity.

AFAIK the Majesty is the only model that uses 3x AA batteries instead (maybe because it consumes more energy?). Of course they can move inside the cavity if you're the kind of guitarist that moves a lot. If you don't move much on the stage (like John Petrucci himself) and you check them constantly (like his guitar tech) I guess it's fine.

 

[Agalloch]

Speaking of battery compartments...For some reason, it irritates me when $3K guitars have that crappy plastic compartment on the back. It's the same kind of battery compartment you'd find on the bottom of some $5 toy. Why can't other guitar makers do what ESP does and use that super sexy metal flip-around thing?

 

[Lopp]

AFAIK the Majesty is the only model that uses 3x AA batteries instead (maybe because it consumes more energy?). Of course they can move inside the cavity if you're the kind of guitarist that moves a lot. If you don't move much on the stage (like John Petrucci himself) and you check them constantly (like his guitar tech) I guess it's fine.

They must have changed the design. My 2018 Majesty 7 only has 2x AA batteries. They seem pretty secure and I do move around a lot. Granted, not jumping like EVH.

Speaking of battery compartments...For some reason, it irritates me when $3K guitars have that crappy plastic compartment on the back. It's the same kind of battery compartment you'd find on the bottom of some $5 toy. Why can't other guitar makers do what ESP does and use that super sexy metal flip-around thing?

Never thought of that. I've had two other guitars with batteries:

One was an ESP M-III with aftermarket active EMG pickups and it did not have a compartment, so I had to unscrew the back plate to access it. Not a great comparison, but at least I'm happy to not have to do that.

One was a Heartfield EX where the battery compartment was a metal flip around thing for a 9V. I do not like that one as much as the Majesty. Although, it doesn't help that the battery wires are pretty short on the Heartfield.

I've never tried an ESP with their flip-around thing, but I'm sure it is better than the Heartfield.

 

[CanserDYI]

Okay regardless of it draining the battery, why would you leave your guitars plugged in? I sure wouldn't love having this quite solidly secured tether that could be tripped on or tugged, etc. I can't think of any reason that you wouldn't want to take the extra 3 or 4 seconds it'd take to just plug in your guitar.

 

[Lopp]

Okay regardless of it draining the battery, why would you leave your guitars plugged in? I sure wouldn't love having this quite solidly secured tether that could be tripped on or tugged, etc. I can't think of any reason that you wouldn't want to take the extra 3 or 4 seconds it'd take to just plug in your guitar.

I often keep my Axe-Fx/AX8/FM8 turned on because I often just want to squeeze in a minute or two trying a riff in my head or practicing without waiting for it to boot up. Granted, there are workarounds, like using the tuner to mute it while leaving it on.

Maybe I've been lucky. I've been leaving my guitar pugged in for decades and have never had that problem. Likely because I usually keep the guitar close to the amp so there is no way of tripping over the cable.

 

[nightlight]

That's an awesome guitar! I've never owned an EBMM, which is a shame because I've heard nothing but good things about them.

 

[adrianb]

The JP13 and JP15 models (which have the same electronics) use a 9V battery, which is much harder to move inside the cavity.

AFAIK the Majesty is the only model that uses 3x AA batteries instead (maybe because it consumes more energy?). Of course they can move inside the cavity if you're the kind of guitarist that moves a lot. If you don't move much on the stage (like John Petrucci himself) and you check them constantly (like his guitar tech) I guess it's fine.

Oh sorry, i should have been clearer.

I meant to ask if all the JP guitars after the JP6 wouldn't work without batteries. Meaning they would need batteries all the time, even if you don't use the piezo. Because man that's a major turnoff.

 

[Shawn]

Very nice. I love that finish.