FWIW - Neo Classical Shredder / Instructor, Rusty Cooley now plays a multi scale guitar. He is the most accomplished guitarist I’ve ever seen. (I had a lesson with him once) The guy has devoted his life to playing guitar and I’ve never seen anybody play that well before in my entire life!
https://www.ormsbyguitars.com/rusty-cooley.html
I just thought I’d throw that info out since we’re on the subject of extreme guitars and extreme players.
You could upgrade the supplied pickups by using the baseplates and fitting standard humbucker coils. plenty of forums and youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj8CFIjH_n0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa2bbXRMwzM
Tony
The slanted pickups don't give many options for upgrades, short of a few custom made pickups that really aren't at all cheap. Those offset mounting tabs also make it impossible to mount conventional 7-string pickups in at an angle. I'd personally suggest a rethink on those unless someone can come up with a reasonably-priced set of replacements.
I'm wondering if a bladed pickup or hot-rail would work. They don't have the pole spacing issue, generally a bit cheaper. Then there may be the concern of aesthetics and sound, but for someone who doesn't mind it could be an affordable option.
Regardless, you do make a good point.
Last edited by Squigs315; 01-10-2020 at 09:13 AM.
Probably, with the caveat that it would require modifying the pickup cavities to take 8 string pickups. A standard 7 string pickup would be too short once angled, and you would need to do something about the angle of the mounting brackets. I think an 8 string rail/blade would be long enough, but it might even require a 9 string. And an 8 string rail pickup upgrade is already a niche within a niche.Originally Posted by Squigs315
Without a standard for multiscale pickup angles there likely wasn't a clean solution for drop-in replacements regardless of how PBG or the factory approached the kit design.
1. GS-2Q
2. EXM-1 custom
3. GMS-7F
Possible, but not really stuff for new kit builders. You might have to also drill or enlarge screw holes in the baseplate for adjustment screws. You may run into pole spacing issues depending on the 'good' pickup spacing and the baseplate angle. And depending on the angle, the 'good' pickup's magnet may be too short to get full coverage to the two worst-case end pole pieces.
All mights and mays, but they still need to be considered. And as these guitars are almost certainly going to be used in high gain situation, I'd certainly want to wax-fix the baseplate and spacers to the bobbins to reduce any risk of vibrations and microphonics. There's a fair bit of work involved that's not to be undertaken lightly.
I suppose you could ask the question "do the pickups really need to be slanted at all'? I can see some reasons for doing it, but have people done tests to see if it makes a noticeable difference in the real world? Straight pickups might give a bit more bass end or high-end, or a touch of both, but that all depends where you'd position a straight pickup relative to the slanted one.
I just got one of these kits on an impulse and only thought of the pickups after the fact.
Yes they are impossible to find stock so if you want to change them, you will most definitely have to get them custom made or make them yourself as angled guitars all have different angles.
Pretty much all of the Djent guys I see using insane multi-scale guitars have slanted pickups. I have seen no test data to show any difference but I cannot believe the pickup manufacturers would be doing it if it was not necessary in some applications. Pole spacing is probably big factor since some of those guitars have really wide saddle spacing.
Here's a straight on shot of the fretboard for anyone else who can't quite wrap their head around the angled pictures on the store page. I'm pleased the scales match up closer to the 9th fret rather than the 12th.
Oh, and now I'm also thinking a replacement nut might need to be custom too. Probably need a blank and DIY it. Might be cheaper to just go to a luthier and have that done since proper nut files cost half as much as the entire kit.
Last edited by Chaosblade; 03-10-2020 at 09:19 AM.
1. GS-2Q
2. EXM-1 custom
3. GMS-7F
This is how it's done most of the time. People generally use say emgs in them (especially brands using emgs). And emg's are hotrails basically.
Just need to route out the slot to suit a pickup for a pickup one string above. So, a 7 string multiscale would benefit from an 8 string emg say.
Otherwise, it's possible to use the baseplate and use other pickups.
But, depending on the angle and scale, it's possible there is pickups out there. From memory there is a few companies that do make pickups in one select angle setup.
Personally the one thing that made me a bit hesitant was the lack of info regarding the scales. I mean, I want to get one regardless, but want to know what scales it is. 25.5-27 is the usual, but always worth knowing. Plus where the neutral/ parallel is, cause anything at 12 or above is honestly jarring. 9th string is the ideal.
For reference, I have 2 multiscales myself. Ormsby sx carve 6 string, and a hype gtr 7 string. They use the same scale angle for all their guitars, just more strings and wider for the extra strings. So, 7 is 25.5-27 iirc, and the 6 is the same, just minus the 7th strings scale. So like 26.6 or something from memory.
Honestly, their fretboards are really comfortable. Ibanez's one, which is similar, was really uncomfortable to me. So, interested to try this and see how it feels. If it works well, could be a really good option.
I've already seen it discussed on some of the facebook 7 string groups, which is good to see. Few of them complaining about the price, but considering it's multiscale, that's a lot of the price. Bridge looks very similar to a hipshot bridge (if not being one), which is a good thing. Pickups I'm unsure about. I imagine they'd be better than the average kit pickup as well, due to baseplate angles. But, might also be average kit pickups. That said, it does say korean made for both, so that is definitely good.
But either way, definitely interested
Edit again; it now mentions scale length (unless it always did, and I missed it earlier), and it's 25.5-27, with neutral looking around the 9th. Bless
Last edited by Mr.Drifter; 05-10-2020 at 07:13 PM.
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