t h e ga s station 98 Words Jonathan Horsley / Photography Neil Godwin Mid-priced seven-strings Super-playable with pro specs, these electrics are for intrepid players ready to journey deeper into the extended range universe Total Guitar july 2019 TGR320.gear_test.
the tg test 99 T he consumerist maxim that says ‘you get what you pay for’ could have been written for seven-string guitars. That’s no slight on the playability and sound of entry-level models built for beginners and those curious about adding a string to their game who want a chance to adjust to the new dimensions of fretboard and scale. No.
t h e ga s station sTerlinG Jp70 JoHn peTrucci siGnaTure £849 Dream big scHecTer reaper-7 MulTiscale £999 The curl of the burl If that’s a floating vibrato, where’s the locking nut? That finish is crazy. What is it? There isn’t one. But worry not. The JP70 comes fitted with a set of locking tuners and it is pretty darn solid when it comes to holding its tune, even with a bit of whammy abuse.
the tg test JacKson pro series £729 siGnaTure MisHa Mansoor JuGGernauT HT7 A peripheral vision cHarvel pro-Mod san diMas sTYle 2-7 £849 For that mutant Tele vibe Tell us more about these pickups Caramelised, or roasted, maple is treated with heat to take out much of the moisture, making for a harder and brighter-sounding piece of maple, which makes sense when you’ve got an extended range guitar that might have its seventh string tuned to A#.
the tg test Head to head Four stellar electrics to take you to seventh heaven O 102 nly the JP70 lacks some switchable gizmo on the tone pot, so we’ve got two humbuckers, switchable through three positions just as, say, a Les Paul does. It’s no one-trick pony – indeed the cleans are warm and chimy – but it nonetheless encourages high-gain exertions above all else. We love the middle position with both humbuckers engaged, the tone thick and wide without turning to mud.
t h e ga s station FINaL VeRdICT Which of our seven-strings is best for you? a ll of these seven-strings pass the acid test; there’s zero flab in the low seventh string. This is crucial, and it’s a testament to how well these guitars have been constructed that in each the definition and string tension is nigh-on perfect. There’s a versatility to each instrument that makes it suitable for other styles.
