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7 STRING BASS???

7 string Bass, thinnest neck??

  • Ibanez BTB7

    Votes: 4 66.7%

  • Ibanez SR506

    Votes: 2 33.3%
  • Total voters
    6
JOEBORGESMUSIC

JOEBORGESMUSIC

Guest
Jul 7, 2014
3
0
68
#1
Hi All, JB here... I'm a lifelong pro player living in the North Jersey area in the U.S.
First Post:
My favorite Bass (for playability / neck and string width) is an Ibanez SR 506. I have a few of them.
I grabbed a Conklin GT7 7 string, but found that it's neck is just waaaay too broad for me to negotiate comfortably (let alone the weight!!!).
If Ibanez made an SR 507, I would buy it IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!!
I know that Ibanez makes a BTB 7 string but Ive never played one. I have checked out the specs, and from what I know, the BTBs are a little chunkier and wider overall as compared to the SR series Basses.
My question is: Does anyone know of a 7 string Bass that would have the same type specs (in neck / string width) and be comparable to, an SR 506 (of course with the additional neck width required for the 7th string as opposed to the 6 string SR 506 neck).
I've thought about custom Basses but don't really want to spend a fortune on an axe that I can't play in advance.
I've also been playing Guitar for decades so, probably because of that, I prefer the faster, narrower, necks better.
Would love advice and comments regarding a fast, narrow, sleek, 7 string Bass neck.
 
#2
Not a pro player but I think I've enough knowledge to give an idea. I didn't try sr506, but have a btb7 for 3 months. Btb7 string spacing is 15.5 mm, I think it is smaller than sr506. Btb7 neck is good. Not the best neck but if you get use to it, you can even play guitars shred riffs.
And I really suggest that check the ibanez facebook group. I saw a photo in there 2-3 months ago. There is a sr series 7 string. Top 3 strings are fretless, other 4 is fretted. Maybe when it is avaible you can buy it and make full fretted at luthier. I hope this will help.
 
#3
BaRaN said:
Not a pro player but I think I've enough knowledge to give an idea. I didn't try sr506, but have a btb7 for 3 months. Btb7 string spacing is 15.5 mm, I think it is smaller than sr506. Btb7 neck is good. Not the best neck but if you get use to it, you can even play guitars shred riffs.
And I really suggest that check the ibanez facebook group. I saw a photo in there 2-3 months ago. There is a sr series 7 string. Top 3 strings are fretless, other 4 is fretted. Maybe when it is avaible you can buy it and make full fretted at luthier. I hope this will help.
Click to expand...
Wow... a 1/2 Fretless Ibanez 7 string... that sounds outrageous!!! I'll have to check it out... thanks for your input on the BTB7
 
#4
BaRaN said:
Not a pro player but I think I've enough knowledge to give an idea. I didn't try sr506, but have a btb7 for 3 months. Btb7 string spacing is 15.5 mm, I think it is smaller than sr506. Btb7 neck is good. Not the best neck but if you get use to it, you can even play guitars shred riffs.
And I really suggest that check the ibanez facebook group. I saw a photo in there 2-3 months ago. There is a sr series 7 string. Top 3 strings are fretless, other 4 is fretted. Maybe when it is avaible you can buy it and make full fretted at luthier. I hope this will help.
Click to expand...
Wow... a 1/2 Fretless Ibanez 7 string... that sounds outrageous!!! I'll have to check it out... thanks for your input on the BTB7
 
#6
Check out the Conklin GTBD7. The neck is flatter and a bit thinner than the GT7. I had a GT7 and found the neck to be too chunky for me as well, but I love the GTBD. GC has a used one. Pretty sure you could return it if you don't like it and just be out the shipping cost. I've played on the BTB7 and didn't like the neck on that either. I went from an Ibanez SR 6 stringer to the GTBD7 and it was a very comfortable jump.
 
#7
Most seven string basses are going to be only so thin and so narrow.
And the weight is going to be a bit hefty.

I don't know if a BTB 7 or a Conklin is wider or thinner since you and the above posters are not posting any measurements.


For a reference the width of my seven's neck is:
2.375 at the nut.
3.375 at the twelfth fret.
3.875 at the 24th fret.
The neck is about .750 thick.
String spacing at the nut is .375.
At the bridge .687

Snapshot_20151101.JPG
 
Last edited:
#9
I wouldn't count on that unreleased 7 strings SR to be made fully fretted bass by any luthier without major fingerboard modification (maybe the fingerboard need to be fully replaced) since the fretless board part doesn't seem to be seamlessly joined with the fretted board part. They have different level as shown by Franck Hermanny in his recent Instagram upload:

Franck Hermanny Ibanez SRAS7-DEB.png
 
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#10
Well, you are right. But if ibanez won't make us a suprise, this is the best option for this year. Maybe they will hear us and make a new bass similar this model with fully fretted. C'mon ibanez. Give us more strings. I am still waiting 8 string bass and steel acoustic.
 
#11
Aidil said:
I wouldn't count on that unreleased 7 strings SR to be made fully fretted bass by any luthier without major fingerboard modification (maybe the fingerboard need to be fully replaced) since the fretless board part doesn't seem to be seamlessly joined with the fretted board part. They have different level as shown by Franck Hermanny in his recent Instagram upload:
Click to expand...

The saddles and pickups are also positioned with the intention of the highest 4 strings being EADG and the low 3 being another, fretless ADG. I've never seen anything quite like it . It'd be complicated and misguided to attempt conversion.

I've seen an Ibanez 6 string, tuned normally B-C, with the G and C fretless and the rest fretted, on a single-height board. This is a very, very different instrument, more like a stick or warr guitar but not strung with mirror symmetry.
 
#12
BaRaN said:
Well, you are right. But if ibanez won't make us a suprise, this is the best option for this year. Maybe they will hear us and make a new bass similar this model with fully fretted. C'mon ibanez. Give us more strings. I am still waiting 8 string bass and steel acoustic.
Click to expand...
Actually Stick Enterprises makes the N/S Stick.
It has eight strings and is multi-mode.Invalid Link Removed
It's tuned in fourths for bass players.
You can tap,strum,pick and pluck.
Invalid Link Removed
ns_glosswhole5.jpg


 
Last edited:
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Reactions: r10
#15
JOEBORGESMUSIC said:
Hi All, JB here... I'm a lifelong pro player living in the North Jersey area in the U.S.
First Post:
My favorite Bass (for playability / neck and string width) is an Ibanez SR 506. I have a few of them.
I grabbed a Conklin GT7 7 string, but found that it's neck is just waaaay too broad for me to negotiate comfortably (let alone the weight!!!).
If Ibanez made an SR 507, I would buy it IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!!
I know that Ibanez makes a BTB 7 string but Ive never played one. I have checked out the specs, and from what I know, the BTBs are a little chunkier and wider overall as compared to the SR series Basses.
My question is: Does anyone know of a 7 string Bass that would have the same type specs (in neck / string width) and be comparable to, an SR 506 (of course with the additional neck width required for the 7th string as opposed to the 6 string SR 506 neck).
I've thought about custom Basses but don't really want to spend a fortune on an axe that I can't play in advance.
I've also been playing Guitar for decades so, probably because of that, I prefer the faster, narrower, necks better.
Would love advice and comments regarding a fast, narrow, sleek, 7 string Bass neck.
Click to expand...

if you are also a member of sevenstring.org, you can see some pictures of Ibanez BTB7 vs Conklin GTBD7. The neck profile of the GTBD7 is thinner and the nut width is narrower than BTB7.
 
#18
I love my BTB7. It's a bit tight at the bridge, but the monster neck really just works. It's a beautiful bass, and it sounds great- like a beefy J should.

That said, I am not an AR guy, and this thing is no SR. Weight, size and overall feel are very different.
 

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