New JP7 BFR Colors

[tbystedt]

First post, so umm Hi everyone!

I just wanted to maybe get a discussion going on the two new Colors for the JP7 BFR line. I was hoping to get some new Colors to the line as I'm hoping to buy one but I feel very underwhelmed by the two new colors, Solid Black and Solar Burst. I was personally hoping to get The emerald green burst or the purple burst back for another run those finishes in my opinion are gorgeous.

Solar Burst is a very beautiful color, but it doesn't quite strike me as much as the other two I mentioned above. The solid black to me is just disappointing. Music man guitars have always been about the transparent stained quilt and flame tops because they are in my opinion the best at creating them. From the day I first played a music man axis trans gold (I was in 9th grade I think) to last year when I took home my Mystic dream JP6 I have loved these guitars and I've been looking into the JP7 BFR line recently and really find it difficult to pull the trigger and as silly as it may seem the largest reason is color. I've personally been bouncing between Koa and Bahamas Blue burst but neither are the color I really want.

Does anyone else have any thoughts?

 

[kfm946]

I agree that there should be more variety in the colors available. I also LOVE stained figured wood finishes, and I think Music Man needs to step up their game a bit (at least with the JP models) when it comes to these finishes. I'm not a big fan of the single color dye in the middle and the black burst on the outside, which is the scheme for most of the JP finishes. IMO, PRS is the master of stained finishes. Their bursts are made of multiple shades of the same color, and they don't usually do opaque bursts, keeping ALL the beautiful wood grain visible. I think the JP models would look much better if they were done more like this.

 

[tbystedt]

PRS Does have some amazing finishes, Im a huge fan of green guitars and the PRS Jade Color is absolutely gorgeous. If we got more exciting colors in the JP Line I'd have no problem dropping $3000 or more on them. I have been scanning the used market for the Emerald Green BFR 7. I would really prefer new but I dont see it happening I heard they discontinued the Emerald Burst, and Purple Burst due to Lack of interest, I'm not exactly sure what years they were produced but I assume it was before I could afford the luxury.

 

[Oh3AreSicks]

Love mine!!

 

[tbystedt]

Love mine!!

That is an absolutely beautiful guitar! I am super jealous, and I see you've also got a Dargie 7. Lucky man!

I love the Amethyst Burst, its so Deep and intense. I'm just personally so tired of red and blue guitars, I've owned so many red guitars strictly because it was the only color available I've actually sworn them off and refuse to buy another one. I want my guitar to feel like it is exactly what I wanted and not something I compromised for.

Congrats, on the Amethyst Burst. I'd tell you to hold on to it for dear life but I'm secretly hoping you'll sell it

 

[DrKev]

Solar Burst is a very beautiful color, but it doesn't quite strike me as much as the other two I mentioned above. The solid black to me is just disappointing.

Here's my two cents...

Solar burst? BFRs are supposed to be something special too, so each colour should be limited, I think. That means changing them up from time to time and putting in something new. Besides, don't judge it 'till you've seen it in person!

Solid black?

Remember, with most of the BFR instruments, the "tone wood cocktail" of the mahogany toneblock and maple top is a big part of the appeal for many people. To get that with a solid colour is not possible with the Luke or JP BFRs unless you want a fancy finish. Now, I love to see the pretty grain and colours but I'll never buy one. My guitars are players and they'll get bumps and nicks and what not and I'd worry too much. Besides, it's a just a little flash for my style and I don't really want a guitar that looks like a coffee table, no matter how gorgeous it is.

So, BFR with maple top and mahogany toneblock and good old fashioned black? Yes, oh very yes! I can't wait to see a Silhouette Special BFR.

 

[tbystedt]

Here's my two cents...

Solar burst? BFRs are supposed to be something special too, so each colour should be limited, I think. That means changing them up from time to time and putting in something new. Besides, don't judge it 'till you've seen it in person!

Solid black?

Remember, with most of the BFR instruments, the "tone wood cocktail" of the mahogany toneblock and maple top is a big part of the appeal for many people. To get that with a solid colour is not possible with the Luke or JP BFRs unless you want a fancy finish. Now, I love to see the pretty grain and colours but I'll never buy one. My guitars are players and they'll get bumps and nicks and what not and I'd worry too much. Besides, it's a just a little flash for my style and I don't really want a guitar that looks like a coffee table, no matter how gorgeous it is.

So, BFR with maple top and mahogany toneblock and good old fashioned black? Yes, oh very yes! I can't wait to see a Silhouette Special BFR.

You've got a very good point, Guitars are meant to be played and they will get dinged and a bfr is no different. But what I don't understand is why would anyone pay the premium for a highly figured top only to paint it black? or will the black not come with a figured top and if thats the case will it be cheaper? If not why not?

as for having the mahogany tone block, the small amount of machining involved and that small piece of mahogany still doesn't account for the $725 difference between the JP7 and the JP7BFR. I'm sure the 1/4" of matched top doesn't make the largest difference in sound, its all about looks so why paint it the darkest of dark colors. It makes no sense.

To me Solid black just isn't a BFR or any guitar worthy of a $3000 price tag, and I do absolutely love the JP Line and Will probably buy a BFR Regardless of the colors I want not being there, but I also know the whole experience for me will be Cheapened because of the lack of color options.

Solar Burst Looks Fantastic Its everything a BFR should be.
Black is a JP7 pretending to be a BFR with a $725 4"x 6" x 2 1/2" (guessing) piece of mahogany sawed into it.

As pretty as the BFR's are I wouldn't treat it as a show piece, I take great care of my guitars but **** happens when a Guitar gets played, A BFR would carry the work load just as much as any of my other guitars.

Sorry if I sound bitter, just seems to me that EB has kneecapped their own guitars rather then actually coming up with a nice color option. As the end user to me it seems like a massive ripoff and I would expect better, but maybe thats where my fault lies.

 

[PY38]

"Black is a JP7 pretending to be a BFR with a $725 4"x 6" x 2 1/2" (guessing) piece of mahogany sawed into it."

Its just not a different wood sawn in to it. Basswood straight up vs Alder with a maple cap and mahog tone block added sounds different. Put it on a clean channel and you will hear the difference. Mahog neck vs a maple neck.....will sound different.

Will the solid black be the same price as the other BFR's...doubt it. Look at the Koa BFR. Much different price from the other BFRs. This may give someone the chane to have the BFR at a little less price with a sacrifice to finish.

There is no "Kneecapping" just many options......

 

[PY38]

BTW - I know a lot of people that do not like flame or quilts or very sparkly opaques......Straight up black is not a cop out but its EBMM giving in to a demand for a solid color to a guitar that is very heavily played by the metal community.

Yeah it sounds steriotypical that black is for metal but it is what it is.

IMHO the color is not the price hike from a standard. Its the care that goes in to the construction and different machine tools needed to put a bfr together......

 

[tbystedt]

Basswood straight up vs Alder with a maple cap and mahog tone block added sounds different

My point being the 1/4" top isn't going to make a world of difference to the sound, So I'm guessing there won't be a maple cap on it. and because of that I hope the price point is cheaper, we've all yet to see it.

As for different machine tools and whatever else. I've worked in machine shops for a while. The only difference in machining would be maybe 2-3 different operations from the regular JP line and maybe MAYBE different drill inserts for the harder mahogany.

as for the black thing for metal. I play metal and I'm not at all happy.

 

[dwells]

I play metal and I only have one black guitar hehe

 

[DrKev]

but its EBMM giving in to a demand for a solid color to a guitar that is very heavily played by the metal community.

Giving in? Look at it this way, if they don't sell, the guitars come off the shelves permanently. EBMM are a business, selling is important for the brand and the guitars we love to continue. And it's not giving in to metal. Remember the top selling electric guitar colours, of ANY style or brand, are black, red, and sunburst. Black is 'music style' neutral. It works in any genre.

 

[beej]

Sorry if I sound bitter, just seems to me that EB has kneecapped their own guitars rather then actually coming up with a nice color option. As the end user to me it seems like a massive ripoff and I would expect better, but maybe thats where my fault lies.

Here's how it works- EB tries out different finishes each year. They keep the ones that sell, they discontinue the ones that don't. For example, every variation of green eventually gets discontinued. (Hence the recurring joke here, "green guitars don't sell").

But to your point ... you do sound bitter. There's no "massive ripoff" going on here. Buy what you like, and don't buy what you don't.

 

[PY38]

My comment of giving in may have been kneejerk but my point in the price difference of a bfr and standard even if both are black i believe is still valid.

I play metal and I dont find black guitars that interesting but I also dont really like the color/finish options for the BFRs that much either. Except for KOA, love it.

I really do believe the price diff on the bfr is worth it as I have compared the standard to the bfr and I can hear the difference. To me on high gain there is a little looser feel in basswood than the alder combos. On cleans as well.......

Didnt mean to offend anyone....

 

[DrKev]

My point being the 1/4" top isn't going to make a world of difference to the sound, So I'm guessing there won't be a maple cap on it.

Actually, they kept the maple cap on the JPX, XI, and XII. That's how Petrucci wanted it, that's how they are made, and other players notice the difference too. The JP BFR will not change because it's black.

As for your machine shop experience, you should appreciate that instead of one piece of wood to deal with there are now three that have to be machined, fitted and glued before most of the usual body routing and shaping can take place. It's a significant amount of extra time, work, and material. Check out some of the "building the JP X" videos on Youtube. It is an impressive amount of work that goes into it.

 

[PY38]

Actually, they kept the maple cap on the JPX, XI, and XII. That's how Petrucci wanted it, that's how they are made, and other players notice the difference too. The JP BFR will not change because it's black.

As for your machine shop experience, you should appreciate that instead of one piece of wood to deal with there are now three that have to be machined, fitted and glued before most of the usual body routing and shaping can take place. It's a significant amount of extra time, work, and material. Check out some of the "building the JP X" videos on Youtube. It is an impressive amount of work that goes into it.

Every extra step costs, especially man hours.....not just on the actual machining and maintanence.....

 

[tbystedt]

I'll probably just go with a Koa Top and Suck on the $3500 price tag, Its the only one out of the available colors that I wouldn't be disappointed with.

Maybe we'll some limited editions in nicer colors later in the year. But I still hold my opinion in saying the black color doesn't belong in the bfr line.

until we get some more commitment to experimental colors more often from EBMM like they are doing with Solar Burst. I'll just have to try and pick up an Emerald Green used.

As for saying Green guitars don't sell, why did they manage to sell so many Dargies? and why was there such a push for the second run?

I'd just would've liked to have seen more interesting color choice, rather then the standard blue, red, black trans and now black solid. I understand they are a company and what that means, but they are also known for their innovations, their daring (ex see armada) designs and Colors (see Mystic Dream btw also kind of a green guitar) I'd like to see that kind of color innovation in the BFR line rather then seeing a straight up black.

most i'd pay for the black would be $2500

 

[PY38]

I cant agree with much but I do think this statement is a fair assesment

"most i'd pay for the black would be $2500"

 

[beej]

Maybe we'll some limited editions in nicer colors later in the year.

Hey- you never know, they totally might. There are changes that happen all the time.

As for saying Green guitars don't sell, why did they manage to sell so many Dargies? and why was there such a push for the second run?

They really didn't sell that many of them. They were done for the guys here on the forum, and in a very limited amount.

Big volume (what keep the lights on) is what colours GC will stock and sell. The smaller runs are done as experiments, limited runs, etc.

 

[tbystedt]

Actually, they kept the maple cap on the JPX, XI, and XII. That's how Petrucci wanted it, that's how they are made, and other players notice the difference too. The JP BFR will not change because it's black.

As for your machine shop experience, you should appreciate that instead of one piece of wood to deal with there are now three that have to be machined, fitted and glued before most of the usual body routing and shaping can take place. It's a significant amount of extra time, work, and material. Check out some of the "building the JP X" videos on Youtube. It is an impressive amount of work that goes into it.

I've seen the building JPX videos on youtube, it is an impressive amount of work that goes into building these guitars, which is why I'm willing to pay out the nose for one. They are simply the greatest guitars I've ever layed my hands and my eyes on.

Theres alot of hocus pocus in the manufacturing and guitars are no different, I know this and I'm very critical in the guitars I buy, I play the JP's and EBMM in general because they are worth what they cost. unlike a gibson or a fender in which you get the same mass produced guitar as everyone else, but its apparently worth $3-6k because Gibson.

Black is still dissapointing, any monkey with a spray gun can spray a solid black finish, but the burst finishes take technique and
Skill. Hence more man hours hence more cost. The BFR Black should still cost less then the bursted BFR's. Otherwise EBMM have effectively maximized their profit at your cost.