“One of the most unique guitars I’ve ever played”: This multi-scale 7-string S-type is a prog-ready monstrosity
Think you know the Stratocaster? Well think again. Prog guitarist Joshua De La Victoria and Iconic Guitars have reworked the classic S-type into a seven-string, multi-scale machine that looks somewhat familiar – but plays like nothing you’ve seen before.
Gone are the days of sticking to the classic three-single-coil formula. De La Victoria’s latest guitar blends an HSS pickup configuration, a custom offset humbucker, and an EverTune bridge with a multi-scale neck that stretches your fingers – and your imagination. Every inch of the build is designed to push the Strat into modern territory without losing the iconic charm that’s made it a legend.
READ MORE: Fender wins legal battle over Stratocaster shape in Germany – is it the end for S-type guitars in the EU?
Revealing the new build on Instagram, De La Victoria explains how Iconic used their Solana 7 model as a starting point, then reworked the “whole center of the body” and neck to accommodate the multi-scale layout. The team also created a custom bridge humbucker to complement the 7-string single coil configuration.
“Bet you haven’t seen this before,” De La Victoria writes. “I had a chat with Kevin [Proctor, Iconic President] a few months back about a crazy new build idea, and it’s here. For the past year, I’ve been thinking about how an S-type guitar could work with multi-scale, and I gotta say it looks and plays incredible.”
“The mix of vintage and modern has always been something that I really connect with and look for. This is probably the most extreme version of that.”
Even Periphery’s Misha Mansoor couldn’t resist commenting: “Wow. Lemme get dat.”
View this post on Instagram
“Really proud of this dude and this guitar,” Proctor adds on Instagram. “Thanks to my dear friend Josh for the idea for this guitar and for trusting our team to bring this incredible Solana 7 multi-scale to life.”
In a dedicated YouTube video, De La Victoria explains the concept behind the guitar: The idea was to create “something that no one makes but that I wish they would,” he says. Growing up on S-style guitars, De La Victoria wanted something that felt “super familiar”, but with the capabilities needed for his current work.
“I’m writing a lot of music and I’m playing a lot of music. I’m out on tour playing music that uses extended range instruments. So, seven and eight string guitars,” says the musician. “I wanted something that could bridge the gap between the two… Something that’s vintage looking – so S-style – and then has the extended range and some of the modern features of extended range guitars.”
Watch the full build video below.
The post “One of the most unique guitars I’ve ever played”: This multi-scale 7-string S-type is a prog-ready monstrosity appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Source: www.guitar-bass.net
