NGD Ernie Ball Music Man Jason Richardson Cutlass HT 7

[TSJMajesty]

As some of you know, I saw Dream Theater last night at the Anthem. What can I say? They were fantastic! NO even moderate complaints! They were all on fire as much as any time I've ever seen them, back as far as SFAM.

But the guitar...

I have wanted a 7 string for some time, and saw that Chuck Levin's had a Majesty in Hydrospace finish, that had been available for some time. Since just getting to DC is about an hour-and-a-half drive for me, I don't make that trip too often. So my plan was to hit Chuck's prior to the show, and buy it, if I liked it.

But, it had been sold though by the time I got there, and it had to have been recently, since it was just taken down from their listing within the past couple days. Fuck! I really wanted that guitar!

Paul told me he had a new JR Cutlass 7.... So after wallowing in my disappointment and walking around looking at all the other great guitars, NONE of which interested me in the slightest, I eventually agreed to try it.

Let's just say I'm a bit lost on playing a 7. I've never even had one in my hands until last night. So I'll need some time before I add more.

But hey, any NGD is a great day, especially when it happens on the same day as a much-anticipated, absolutely amazing DT show! I really hope I take to playing a 7, this 7, because there's a lot of 7-string stuff I play around with, and some of that, the Virtual Capo in the Axe III just doesn't work for, like A Change of Seasons.

So far...,

I love the finish! That's very important to me. I'm digging the symmetry, the color, & the uniqueness. And it's satin, which I've also wanted for even longer than a 7.

The neck is super thin, maybe even a touch thinner than my Majesties & JP15. Or, that could be due to the fact it's also wider. Idk without measuring. But I'm fine with playing thin/flat necks. I happen to like them more than more rounded ones.

But that's all I have for now. When I buy a new guitar, I'm not the type to want to plug it in and play it for hours on end, right away. (I did of course play thru a Mesa Badlander at the store, and it sounded just like I expected- awesome, but I couldn't stay too long due to needing to get across DC to go to the show.)

I like to ease my way in, enjoying the look of it first, and gradually coming to know it. So I'll post more of my impressions over the next few weeks.

 

[norminal]

Congrats! That top is bad-ass!

 

[TSJMajesty]

Congrats! That top is bad-ass!

Thanks! I got lucky with it having one I really like!

So I've been playing it a bit, and I noticed this at the store too...
It feels like it's strung with 9's; I'm pushing the low notes sharp, just with fretting them.

10's are definitely "home" to me, but according to the specs, it is a set of 10's. It feels slinkier/lighter though. Where's my caliper?

Still need to finish stretching the strings... maybe that'll do the trick. But I want to measure them also.

Oh, and I LOVE the neck PU. The clean sounds are really nice and full-bodied!

 

[HomespunEffects]

HNGD. Very cool, man.

 

[norminal]

It feels like it's strung with 9's; I'm pushing the low notes sharp, just with fretting them.

What brand and model strings do you normally use? Similar frets to your Majesty?

 

[ᛗᛜᛜᚺDᛜᎶ Ꮤᛨᚳᚴ]

That is an awesome top! Hope you get on well with it, it would be hard to sell it (for me anyway) with such a cool top!! Congrats and enjoy ;~))

 

[TSJMajesty]

What brand and model strings do you normally use? Similar frets to your Majesty?

EB 2240 RPS Slinkys
Same frets, as far as I can tell by looking, and per the specs from their website.

Oh and same scale- 25.5"

 

[norminal]

EB 2240 RPS Slinkys
Same frets, as far as I can tell by looking, and per the specs from their website.

Any idea what model strings ship on the guitar? I’m primarily a D’Addario user, but to me, the NYXL’s feel less slinky than the regular XL’s, even though they’re the same gauge. Maybe this is a similar case. Throw on a set of your preferred strings and de if that does the trick.

 

[TSJMajesty]

Any idea what model strings ship on the guitar?

The 2240's.

So w/o checking the gauge myself, they should be the same as what I use, and what comes stock on both guitars.

 

[la szum]

Fucking hell. That's gorgeous! Congrats! Bummer about the Majesty 7. Nice pivot!

 

[TSJMajesty]

This is a lotta guitar to handle! For me.

I'm used to those tiny-ass Majesties, and this thing feels like a beast, comparatively speaking/writing, er, typing.

It's wide (I know, of course it is), a bit heavy, and the top is flat. I mean, it has rounded edges, very rounded, but the top doesn't have an arm contour, which I think contributes to why it feels like a lot more guitar than I'm used to. And the flatness of the neck kinda also magnifies its size.

OR..., maybe that's just me going from a 6 to a 7.

I WANT TO FIND A MAJESTY 7 NOW, to compare.

But those are not knocks on the guitar; just how it feels to me in my hands.

This thing sounds fuckin sick!! In all PU positions, and with whatever tones I use, as long as they're the JP-based ones I like. Haven't tried any others, cuz why fuck with a good thing?

Just messed around with The Mirror, and like I said, it sounds heavy af!

It's right there with the other EBMM's wrt to quality of build. Slight string not centered on the dots, but they are on the neck. I haven't knocked the low B off the frets yet. Which I expected to do, reaching for a string I've never reached for.

 

[JiveTurkey]

These guitars are killer. Congrats!

 

[State of Epicicity]

Congratulations! Looks awesome. I hope transitioning to a seven string is quick and painless! I'd imagine it would be ergonomically wonderful to handle.

I really hope I take to playing a 7, this 7, because there's a lot of 7-string stuff I play around with, and some of that, the Virtual Capo in the Axe III just doesn't work for, like A Change of Seasons.

That intro is my big test for pitch shifting anything clean down a fourth. It will absolutely highlight any weird artifacts. I'm actually wondering now about a GK-5 + VG-800 for pitch shifting only, so I could also transpose to any other key easily, but I don't know how well it works in practice.

 

[TSJMajesty]

Congratulations! Looks awesome. I hope transitioning to a seven string is quick and painless! I'd imagine it would be ergonomically wonderful to handle.

Thanks!

That intro is my big test for pitch shifting anything clean down a fourth. It will absolutely highlight any weird artifacts. I'm actually wondering now about a GK-5 + VG-800 for pitch shifting only, so I could also transpose to any other key easily, but I don't know how well it works in practice.

I know. I've read your threads about it, so I know just what you mean.

But the Axe III does do a very fine job if it's single-note, crunch stuff, like the intro to Midnight Messiah (which is actually a 6 in C std.) and Invisible Monster. It even does fine in the verses of that song.

But clean, sgl-note arpeggio stuff..., not so much. And now I don't have to worry about it!

I'm even thinking of getting some 11's and restringing one of my Majesties for C. Or would I need 12's to maintain the same/same-ish tension as 10's are in std?

 

[Stone]

Wow!! What a beauty, Congrats

 

[FuzzyAce]

Damn, that's gorgeous! Congrats!
The top looks crazy with the delicious, dark chocolate finger lakes.

 

[TSJMajesty]

Damn, that's gorgeous! Congrats!
The top looks crazy with the delicious, dark chocolate finger lakes.

It's a Rorschach test!

 

[TSJMajesty]

Feline-approved!

 

[Blix]

Looks fantastic!

 

[Warmart]

WooHoooo!!!!!! One that plays so much JP stuff needs a 7! Ginormous congratulations!!!

I remember you sharing that one with me a while back! I'm sure I'd have come home with it if I saw it in person, but it's even better that you got it!

I love the top on that one and I know how awesome my JR 6 is, it's tied with 5 or 6 of my guitars in a revolving, "it's my # 1". Heh!

No doubt you will love it long time, excellent choice and I'm very very happy you made the leap!

Playing 7's requires a mindset, a simple one, but it's required none the less. That mindset is, "don't overthink it!". Just pick it up and play some DT songs that you couldn't, and spend not one second on further thought. And then, when you pick up a 6, it'll feel so small you'll see one of the primo side benefits!