JP7 (2007) & JP6 differences question.

[Steltrucci]

JP7 (2007) & JP6 weird differences question.

Well I have a JP6 since 2007 if I can recall. The thing is that recently I bought a used JP7. The 2007 limited edition in blue dawn. I have noticed some differences between the two. The JP7 feels a bit harder to play somehow. I dont mean like, freatboard/neck-wise, I mean I feel like the strings bend harder than my JP6. JP6 has 9s Ernie Ball strings, the nickel ones.. while the JP7 has 10s Ernie Balls. Dunno if that makes that much difference. Also the JP6 action is higher than my JP7.. so.. shouldnt be like easier to play on my JP7 instead since it has lower action or? The setup on the JP7 is perfect (truss-rod, intonation, bridge, neck all in place). Dunno why I feel this. I expected to have pretty close feel to my JP6, if not the same as far as playability. Also one more difference is the tone. I think that these 2 models have the same pickups. Like.. the D-sonic that Music Man used to install on the bridge and that JP custom-smthing on the neck.. right? Well..my JP6s tone is way more trebled and dynamic. More distinct in overall. JP7s tone.. specially in a neck pickup comparison, sounds way more muddy and "drowned". The feel I get in order to describe you better, is as if I had the tone knob turned to 0. The overall tone is muddy. Do you know what that might be? Anyone had such an experience? Might be an issue with the electronics of the JP7 and is there anything I could do to fix that or at least to minimize that effect on the JP7? Thanks in advance!

 

[YandasMusic]

The larger string gauge is what is throwing you off. There is considerable difference between 9s and 10s, especially when bending. Throw some 9s on there and have at it. You will have to adjust the bridge spring tension to accommodate the lighter gauge string.

 

[Steltrucci]

The larger string gauge is what is throwing you off. There is considerable difference between 9s and 10s, especially when bending. Throw some 9s on there and have at it. You will have to adjust the bridge spring tension to accommodate the lighter gauge string.

Lets hope that will be the problem. U know.. i ve been using Ernie Ball 9s for like 13 years or smthing.. so now i saw these 10s on the 7th string and dunno.. i noticed all these differences. I bought the Hybrid set with 9s on the lower 3 strings. Ill use them soon to check if anything changes. Now what do u mean about that bridge spring tension? You mean the sadles? The intonation thing?

 

[Lou]

String gauge will make a huge difference.

 

[t_rod]

My JP7 feels that way, besides the string gauge I think it feels different simply because the nature of the beast so to speak. The 7th string means there more total tension in the guitar that the tremolo springs are balancing out. When you bend a string, the tension is unbalanced and the springs are pulling harder then compared to the 6 string guitar. Plus the bridge is larger with more mass to accommodate the extra string so things just feel a bit sluggish in comparison.
At least thats what I gather from playing my 6&7.

 

[joe web]

My JP7 feels that way, besides the string gauge I think it feels different simply because the nature of the beast so to speak. The 7th string means there more total tension in the guitar that the tremolo springs are balancing out. When you bend a string, the tension is unbalanced and the springs are pulling harder then compared to the 6 string guitar. Plus the bridge is larger with more mass to accommodate the extra string so things just feel a bit sluggish in comparison.
At least thats what I gather from playing my 6&7.

yup, that's it!
the sting gauge, the bigger tremolo, the 7th string and its extra tension, the wider neck (maple is a hard wood so the neck is stronger as well)....all those things let it feel different.

 

[Steltrucci]

Hmm.. I see.. so I guess the 9s strings will help me as far as that weird feel. Now what with the weird tone change? I mean, as I mentioned before, the overall tone on that 7 string is a lot more muddy and drowned somehow. What affects that? I get the fact the the feel on the 7 string can differ but.. the tone? I mean.. typically my JP6 & 7 are the same guitars.. like.. same age.. same pickups. So except the feel differences.. shouldnt be having like the same tone or similar? Cause I'm telling ya.. the tone on that 7 is so so so different and I listen to tons of dynamics limitations. I can get real twank on my JP6.. srsly I can make it sound like a fender on the neck pickup position.. it has that life in it.. that distinct kind of feeling when u pick. The JP7 has quite less of a soul at the moment. Think that the strings will make the difference in that factor too?

 

[QuietSpike]

How high is the low end set on your amp?

 

[Steltrucci]

How high is the low end set on your amp?

Its not a matter of amp settings in my axe fx. Since I just try this using the same patches on the JP6 and JP7 in order to compare them. I can have a simple clean tone, and you can listen to my JP6 playing so cearly and distinct with that nice twank in every picking. The JP7 acts muddy on the same presets I use. So its clearly a matter of guitar. But dunno what in specific..

 

[t_rod]

You can try to tweak the amp settings to match the sound of the JP6. Maybe add a bit more presence or treble&mids and cut back on the low end.
How many trem springs are installed btw?

 

[Steltrucci]

3 at the moment.. are they too many or? But springs would affect the hard weird feel I have on playing, like bending etc.. i can try experimenting on these. But the tone.. dunno.. I dont wanna change amp settings.. I wanna understand why it plays so muddy.. It must be smthing else..

 

[t_rod]

I think 3 is fine for the JP7. I'm guessing the JP6 has 2 springs?
If its mostly the neck pickup check to see if the pole pieces aren't sitting too low.

 

[Steltrucci]

Its not only on the neck pickup, its a general thingy.. but it can be observed better in the neck pickup position. I just gave the guitar to a great lurhier here. He will install the new strings and do a perfect setup with a bit higher action so we can try to get better response of the instrument. I'm starting to think one tiny but quite important factor, the thing that the guitar is not played. I mean I can see it. That used JP7, no matter if it is a 2007 model and 3 hand guitar.. it isnt played at all. Looks like new.. so.. lack of vibrations due to playing CAN affect the woods response through the time, according to my luthier. So I can just try to play it as much as possible (I will play it much eitherway since I do play guitar 8-9 hours per day minimum lol). Next week I'll go test the guitar and see how it works with the setup and the new 9s strings. Let's hope it will be better!

 

[yan12]

A couple of observations and comments. I played 7 strings until recently due to arthritis issues...I have very strong hands and play 11's at std pitch. But the wider boards are bringing me more pain than they are worth.

First of all, my love for hardtails is due to accurate and quicker bending ability. You cannot bend a note on a floating bridge guitar like you can on a hardtail. When you bend on a hardtail, it is immediate and without sympathetic movement of the other strings. On a floating bridge, the bridge will move down to lower the pitch as you bend the string up to raise pitch, so you bend more to get there...overbending if you will to counter act the tremolo springs. Guys coming from floaters tend to overbend quickly on hardtails...just need to get used to this difference and both systems are great.

This being said, I have noticed no matter the brand of 7 string, that extra low string adds plenty of additional tension to the bridge and tremolo springs.
So you can have a jp6 and jp7 at the same pitch with the same gauge strings and set up, but you still *may* find the 7 stringer just a bit stiffer feeling. Well broken in tremolo springs help in this regard. IMHO 11's on a six string feel like 10's on a seven string...

Tone is entirely subjective and no two guitars are exactly alike. All the best in getting it figured out.

 

[Steltrucci]

Thanks a lot for your reply dude! Yeah today I was talking with my luthier friend and he told me these exact words. The bigger the guitar and the woods and the bridge, the bigger the tension is. So everything respond harder than a 6 string guitar. No matter the setup. As u said, setup can be the same but the feel will always differ. Next week I'll get the 7 string back with the new strings and all, then I'll be able to do a much better comparison. But I'm just starting to accept the fact that the 7 string EBMM cant be as easy as the 6 string version. Its just when I see Jakub Zytecki play that 7 string.. dunno.. seems so easy to play. Is it cause this guy got used to that 7 string bfr? Cause I feel i can play similar only on my 6 string JP.