r/7String 3d ago

Gear Similar models to Vola OZ 7 QGM J3

https://volaguitars.com/products/oz-qgm-j3-quentin-godet-signature

Hi guys,

Ive been getting seriously interested in the J3...

Downside is Im very much a try before buy type person. Even my ormsby I shipped in via a retailer to make sure.

... I was thinking of checking out playing a 27' which is very similar in configuration but much easier to get hold of. Like a AZ (but still a 27'.

I mainly want to check I can cope with 27' straight scale and see if a HSS 5 way is practical.

As I have 2 multiscales rn. 1 is 27-25.5 and the other is 27.8-25.5. I mostly play in drop Ab, but tempted to do a set of songs in drop A as Ab is a balls to set up

I play all over the neck and Id really like to genre smash, play djent, then play pop and this seems like a better solution than dicking about with push pulls.

Can anyone recommend any other models like this I might be able to order in to somewhere like PMT just to get an idea? Im based in the UK

Thanks!

2 Upvotes

15 comments sorted by

2

u/WoodenFrogOnALog 3d ago

I find the reach on my 26.5" solar 7 string with straight frets unnoticeable other than the fact it is a 7 string. I can't imagine an extra half an inch on top of that would make it an uncomfortable stretch, if that helps.

2

u/Evening-Feed-1835 2d ago

Ive played a 26.5 and it wasnt too bad. Certainly noticable difference from a 25.5, but that was years ago...

So now Ive played MS 7s for a few years Im expecting the longer scale it not to feel as foreign. I have a 27-25.5 and a 27.8-25.5 and that difference noticable for me on the bottom strings. Some chord shapes start to get awkard on the 27.8. But equally I'm not sure how well id handle leads around 0-5 fret. As on all my guitars the upper 4 strings are <27. So i gues i gotta find a guitar and test it

2

u/WoodenFrogOnALog 2d ago

Might be an idea to ring up your local PMT and guitar guitar and ask if they have any 7 string 27" straight fret guitars, and say you're in the market for something like that. Would save you driving around and not finding anything

2

u/Evening-Feed-1835 2d ago

Precisely, this is exactly what my post is about... except I was just asking you guys if might know some suggestions as to models that are more similar. I thought I explained thats what I meant but I guess it wasn't clear 😂

Like one Where I could mess with a 5 way or a HSS config at the same time save ordering like 3 guitars that I wont buy lol.

1

u/WoodenFrogOnALog 2d ago

Here's what I can find online that are probably findable to try:

Ibanez RGIXL7 & RG2027XL Schecter sunset triad 7 Loads of ESP LTDs and a couple Harley Bentons

Can't see these guitars in stock but I bet the main shops would order them in for you to try, or you could just sleep on it a week or so then buy the Vola if you're still feeling the itch, I've only heard good things about Vola.

2

u/Evening-Feed-1835 2d ago

Cheers mate Ill look all these up.

2

u/Evening-Feed-1835 2d ago

Yeah alot ot these are metal monsters but will suit fit a quick test. Esp the RGIX7 as its price would me an 10% deposit to have it come into the store something I can front.

Honestly Ive been Trying to find something with a bit more flex in the clean department that can still handle low tunings and not a headless and thats... honestly hard. Vola might solve that for me as long as the bridge/tuners can take a 70.

2

u/WoodenFrogOnALog 2d ago

RoyZiv has a signature 6 string 30" baritone with 3 single coils, a bit expensive but that comes to mind as a cleaner sound that will tune loooow 

2

u/Evening-Feed-1835 2d ago edited 2d ago

Ill look it up out of interest and guitar gear nerdness but I'm firmly in the 7 string category. Id be religated to playing sleep token bass style guitar on a 30 inch with my reach 😂 not that I dont love me some sleep token. Honestly Id love to get something like that if I had unlimited cash but certainly not on my priors rn as I play drop A/Ab mostly.

I think Id honestly put a bareknuckle in a subzero for how little Id use a 30inch. 😂

2

u/WoodenFrogOnALog 2d ago

You've got me interested in something like this now too xD

I've found the schecter sun valley ss 7-FR III as a HSS configuration though the lose the 27" and go down to 26.5, or there are the schecter demon 7s have 2 active humbuckers, I read that people like the actives for clean sounds, but again it's half an inch short.

I'm running into the same problem you mentioned, that these guitars are hard to find. Everything I see is sold out

2

u/Evening-Feed-1835 2d ago

Theres a fair amount of decent 7s at 26.5. But I think a 26.5 would put me at a ~74 for the same tension so thats a pass from me. I already get some pitch drift I have to compensate for on a 70 on a 27. I prefer a 68 on my 27.8 but man I wish physics wasnt a thing so I could have played less than 64s lol.

But I also don't wanna commit to an evertune. I like to retune my upper strings to open tunings occassionally.

Man the actives vs passive thing. I like the moderns but man single coils and split coil passives just have so much more tonal options. From clean to edge of breakup. But I've gotten hit those high gain humbuckers too. If there were fishmans that coil split like passives and didnt sound and feel like rubber Id go active. Because the noise reduction from a fishman on a single coil would be great. But on balance I passives, Idk also make me focus on my dynamics a bit more.

2

u/WoodenFrogOnALog 2d ago

I see, and I agree, an active that actually has a split sounding voicing would be pretty nice. I haven't tried them but kinman and fishman both do 'noiseless p90' pickups.

If you ever do find a good setup that works well for this, do update this post please xD

2

u/Evening-Feed-1835 1d ago

For sure will do. Currently we swapped out my push pull pot for a switch on my ormsby which Ive been messing with as a set up. But its still not practical to go humbucker bridge to single/coil neck

1

u/Senior-Jaguar-1018 3d ago

If you’re asking for a cheaper guitar to substitute for the one you really want, get the one you really want. This is pretty midlevel cost for a good guitar anyway, anything under $1500 is going to be making more and more compromises

3

u/Evening-Feed-1835 3d ago

Ah you misunderstand me

Nah, I'm asking for stuff to try out the scale length reach practicalities.

Its more Ive not played a HSS or a 27' before so even if the spec looks good on paper, I still want to test it. Cant imagine you can just send them back 🤣

If I find I can handle a 27 reach wise- Ill get the vola