JP7 vs BFR JP7

[invertedtremolo]

Hi,

Well, I'm new here, but I hope to frequent this page alot more soon in the future.

I've been searching for a new 7 string (currently have a Universe) and although I originally was going to go with the new nergal ESP, I sat down with a BFR JP at a music store here in Canada and pretty much fell in love! Going to sell everything I own to get one. I never realized that Music Man stuff is so balanced, so well done, and so well...just plain awesome. But of course you all know that =)

My question is this: What differentiates a regular JP7 from a BFR JP7, aside from the obvious? The only other Petrucci the store had was a used JP6, and it still played fine, but the BFR destroyed it. The quilt top finishes/painted neck on BFRs aren't a plus or a minus for me. Am I going to get the same instrument if I go with a regular JP7, just without the cosmetic finish, or is more care and precision put into a BFR? I'll gladly pay the extra thousand dollars to get the upper end, but since silver was my first choice for color, I'm wondering if I can order a regular one and have it be the same as the BFR.

Fill me in!

Thanks.
Craig. (Soon to be a Music Man-er)

 

[GHWelles]

Care and precision should be the same. The two have different tonewoods, however, and so sound quite different.

 

[JP7Nomad]

The biggest difference between the two are the tonewoods and finish option.
It's easy to look at it like this:
Standard JP7:
Solid finishes (Silver, Mystic Dream, Pearl Redburst, and like 15 others)
Basswood body (Like your Universe)
Unfinished Birdseye Maple neck/Rosewood fretboard (Also similar to your universe)

BFR JP7:
Automatically come fully loaded (Matching headstock, JP Inlays, Piezo)
Alder body, Quilt/Flame Maple Top, Mahogany Tone Block (Sits under the pickups)
Painted mahogany neck / Rosewood fretboard.

There are tonal differences, but the care into each of the instruments is the same, in my opinion. When you use your 7, what kind of stuff do you tend to use it for? Some people prefer the standard over the BFR and vice versa, so it'd be easier to recommend one for you if you let us know what style of music, and how you like to go about using the low B.
Also, to my knowledge, you can't get a BFR in any of the standard colors, and vice versa. Just don't work that way

 

[D.K.]

Had them both, have BFR JP7 now mainly for the tonal reasons.

Deffinitely the same assembly routine/precision, but the BFR has more expensive tone woods, that make it sound clearer and with more 3D, and the most possible deffinition and precison was what I was after in a 7-String. Also, to me the piezo sounds even more outstanding on the BFR (due to the woods), than on the standard.

I got it very cheap used, mind You, so if I had to buy new and went for "value for the money" I would probably go standard, since it's only a tad darker/less precise sounding, but still is a perfect 7-String axe.

 

[YtseJam92]

They're both amazing instruments, but to put it in simple manners; get the BFR they are worth the extra dime..Well, a few more dimes.

 

[invertedtremolo]

Hey,

Thanks for all the advice - makes a fair amount of sense.

To answer the question: I use my 7 for metal, but I want versatility out of it. I'm mostly a 6 string player, but I'm really falling for seven strings - the band I'm in is almost 100% 7 string, and I do need a 2nd one. I'm pretty much going to use the B for rhythm and technical riffing - I need something that'll be precise in the bridge, but be totally soup in the neck.

However, I'm starting to hedge my bets on just saving for the BFR. I own 8 Ibanezes, one of them being an old P3 Petrucci, and I really didn't love the tone out of that thing, and it's basswood. Ditto with my 550 reissue. I have an RT650 made of alder and an old alder Charvel and I definitely love the tone of those, and a mahogany custom ESP that I like, too, so it'd be best of both worlds. Like I said before, I want complete opposites in my bridge and neck - I want razors in the bridge and waterfalls in the neck. Basswood sometimes seemed to have a little too much honk for me, y'know?

I think I'm fairly convinced unless I find a super cheap regular JP7.

If ya'll have any more advice, throw it at me!

Thanks.
Craig.

 

[YtseJam92]

Based on what you just said. Go with the BFR, you wont regret it.

 

[Headstock]

I want razors in the bridge and waterfalls in the neck.

Cool metaphors I like that description.

 

[JP7Nomad]

If you're into the Meshuggah vein of things, I'd recommend the standard. It's a bit "djentier" so to speak. Otherwise, pick up the BFR and go to town

 

[YtseJam92]

The sound on the standards is thinner than the BFRs. If you want a warm up-front heavy huga-chuga sound, get a BFR and throw it through a well distorted amp.