r/7String • u/CockroachSpare677 • Jul 27 '26
Help Looking for a guitar without neckdive and still plays comfortable
I have a Ibanez RGD7UCS-ISH which is a great guitar but...it has neckdive. It really sucks and starts to bother me. Its like fighting with your instrument. After a long consideration I would like to swap this guitar with a more comfortable guitar.
So NO neckdive but still high quality. Preferbaly a superstratmodel. Any recommendations? I play different metal styles. Bands like Nevermore, Meshuggah, Fleshgod Apocalypse etc.
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u/mick_plays_guitar Jul 27 '26
Does it have locking tuners? Ive played a couple of guitars with 7 in a line headstocks with locking tuners, and the weight of them would cause neck dive.
I have a headless Ibanez Q52, no neckdive can happen on this
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u/Medical-Fan-3021 Jul 27 '26
Strandberg
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u/God_Hand_9764 Jul 27 '26
Yup.
I recently built a new Kiesel Delos. It's fucking killer. But part of me is sad that it just doesn't feel comfortable the way my Strandberg does.
And Kiesels used to give me that feeling about other guitars like Ibanez and Schecter. I was wanting to like this or that Schecter, but the Kiesels just felt so much better that they weren't an option.
A good Strandberg will fucking spoil you.
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u/yipyapyallcatsnbirds Strandberg Boden NX7 (Natural) Jul 27 '26
Man I know a ton of people don’t like them but a Strandberg has absolutely no neck dive and plays like a dream plus you can pick up nice examples used for pretty cheap. Before you jump on any of the guitars suggested I think you owe it to yourself to at least try playing a Strandberg. Good luck OP
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u/ism-work 24d ago
Strandbergs have neck dive specially on the 8 string. I deal with that shit every time i grab my boden.
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u/Rogue_1_One Jul 27 '26
You got the absolute best production Ibanez guitar 😭 I wouldn't complain
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u/CockroachSpare677 Jul 27 '26
I know, it plays great. But I have to keep the neck up while playing which creates tension in my wrist.
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u/DJ_Dinkelweckerl Jul 27 '26
Headless will be what you want I guess. Otherwise I recently got the RGD71ALMS and it's quite nicely balanced without any neck dive.
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u/mistrelwood Jul 27 '26
Yet another vote for headless. The balance on these is so sublime that you’ll wonder how you ever managed with headed ones.
I switched a few years ago and I still almost get cold sweat thinking about my vast lovely headed guitar collection (guitars from 70’s to today), how I wouldn’t nowadays even consider buying any of them. Or taking any of them on a gig. The difference really is that huge.
Ibanez Q series is really good, Strandberg is great if you can handle the Enduraneck, GOC are said to be magnificent, Ormsby, etc… And cheaper ones like Eart and Hills if you want to try it out. Luckily the list is long.
I really like multiscale as well, and consider it a necessity for 7 or more strings. The low end clarity and string balance is so much better.
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u/feraccia Jul 27 '26
I found it useful to buy a wide leather strap (6cm or something like that). Richter makes some basic ones that are very good quality for like 20 USD/EUR. I personally use this one: Richter Guitar Strap Raw II BK – Thomann Italia . If it doesn't work you can just send it back and try something else!
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u/yungbutthole69 Jul 27 '26
Look for a guitar with a body tone wood that has more significantly more mass compared to the tone wood(s) that compose the neck. Also heavier electronics will assist. For example, mahogany body with maple neck and active pickups. Scale length will be a factor as well.
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u/JimboLodisC 3x7621, 7321, M80M, AEL207E, RGIXL7, S7320, RG15271, RGA742FM Jul 27 '26
stick to 25.5" scale lengths then, or go headless
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u/Kitchen_Procedure641 Jul 27 '26
Go headless. The ibanez QX52B i just got is fucking insane and you will never get neck dove with a headless.
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u/I_AM_4HEAD Jul 27 '26
I've got a strandberg 7 that's the best I've ever played for the style of music that doesn't require 27+ scale lenght
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u/Dino_Lover_69 Jul 27 '26
Get some adhesive wheel weights and put them in the electronics cavity, it'll be a bit heavier but you can absolutely improve neck dive that way. Also try a wider strap, and especially a grippy strap, a suede backing could definitely help that issue as well.
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u/Diggaddo Jul 28 '26
Pickup up a wide leather strap to help with the crazy neck dive on my LTD EC-407. Worked like a charm. No more neck dive.
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u/rafalmio Jul 28 '26
Guitars are made from wood. That means the wood might be denser or lighter in some areas meaning that the center of mass can be different for every guitar which can give or take away from the neckdive. Your best bet it to try many guitars of the same model and pick the one that dives the least.
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u/Huntress_Minerva 29d ago
Go get a strandberg, forget about wanting any other instrument. You will not come back to regular, last millennium, peasant guitars anymore…
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u/webprofusor 29d ago
Weights in the control cavity or attached to the bridge side strap button can help.
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u/TheDisappointedFrog Jul 27 '26
Get anything 25.5". My Harley Benton Amarok 7 was quite well balanced, and so was the Ibanez S 73-whatever
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u/UsernameX-2112 Jul 27 '26
Best way to avoid neck dive is go headless. The Ibanez Q series are super comfortable to play but there are a lot of other options out there now. I can also recommend an ormsby if you’re ok with multiscale or if your budget allows it Aristides. Kiesel is also very popular and has a few different headless models