(SOLD) Strictly 7 Guitars Solar 7 Black 2012
Strictly 7 Guitars Solar 7, blacker than the blackest black times infinity, made in USA 2012. S7G kicked off in 2007, growing quickly and causing quite a stir in the metal guitar community. This one dates to pretty early in the piece in 2012, at which time things were still a small but growing operation and the building fell to one or two highly skilled pairs of hands. It's a seven string with a 27.5" scale neck, so it's definitely geared towards heavier styles. It does that really well: the neck has great access all the way to the 26th fret, the super flat neck profile makes for precise fingering and fast movement, and it balances and resonates really nicely. This one had a few mods from the previous owner: blacked out binding and replaced pickups and electronics. The pickups required some routing to fit, and both the routing and the binding black-out are reasonably well done but visually not perfect. It looks fine from two feet away, it's only when you get up really close you can see some inconsistencies. The pickups sound huge: big crushing bass, juicy mids, snarky highs, heaps of natural sustain and balance. It doesn't exactly clean up enthusiastically, but you can pull some full and juicy cleans with the volume backed off a little and a light touch. To get the new equivalent model to this guitar, you'd be up for well over $3500AUD and a long wait, so this one will get you wailing much quicker with plenty of change left over for your therapy bill. "Hmmmmm, that's interesting, how did that make you feel?" etc etc.
Model: Strictly 7 Guitars Solar 7
Made: USA, 2012 (serial S712017)
Finish: black, satin poly
Body: northern ash
Neck: 5-piece maple/walnut, ebony board, wide U-shape with flat black, 16" radius, 27.5" scale, 49mm nut
Weight: 3.935kg
Mods: white binding sanded and painted black, soapbar style pickups replaced with full size humbuckers and body routed accordingly, pots and switch replaced to be EMG compatible, truss and cavity covers appear to be replaced, strap buttons replaced
Pickups: EMG 81/85 active humbucker set, matching pots
Case: S7G hard case, original pots included
Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has a bit of bleed/overspray on the binding where it's been blacked out, as well as some scuffs on the top and bottom edges and a dent on the end. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, the back has some minor dimples and plenty of rub wear from play. The back has a dent and some scuffs along the back edge, dimples in the elbow area and near the neck join and some rub wear along the belly carve and bottom edge. The sides have minor dimples around the whole body and some rub wear on the elbow area, near the jack and on the bottom horn. Note the binding was originally white and has been painted black, and it's not a super consistent finish, but it looks fine from two feet away. The front has some rub wear and scuffs in the elbow area and along the back edge, dimples near the controls and around the bridge, play wear on the horns and the aforementioned uneven finish around the outside on the binding. Note the routing for the pickups is pretty good, but not 100% tight and tidy with some uneven corners. Overall: good condition (6.5/10).
Playing condition notes: Action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good. All electronics tested and working properly. Frets are looking great, 9/10 for fret life left. Wearing fresh 10/62 strings.