Has anyone played the Seventy Seven "JT" guitars?

[snarkle]

I'm finding it hard to determine whether these are Japanese-made, or made elsewhere and completed in Japan. The website is not much help, and some of the online information is contradictory.

I'm asking because have two older, Japanese-made models: an Exrubato Hollow, like a long-necked ES-330 with humbuckers, and an Exrubato Standard, with P-90s. Both have larger necks and are sublimely comfortable, while the Standard, which has been upgraded with Lollar pickups and an RS wiring harness, is hands-down the best-sounding thinline I've ever played. (Granted, I prefer single-coils to humbuckers.)

A friend recently played the Standard and agreed, and now wants one for himself—but I'm hesitant to recommend a "JT" without knowing whether it was made in Japan, or whether it has the fuller neck. Some reports suggest that the JTs have more of a '60s neck profile, which is not what either of us like.

Anyone have first-hand experience?

 

[wzpgsr]

I've read that the JT series are made in the Philippines and set-up in Japan.

Not sure about the neck profiles on the JTs. There is some neck variance in the Japan-built models. My Exrubato Jazz has a thinner profile that feels very different from the vintage-style handful of my Hawk Standard Deep. I am guessing that my Exrubato Jazz was a custom build because it also has a white finish (body, back of neck) that I have not seen elsewhere. I have been keeping one eye open for a Japan-built Seventy Seven with P-90s.

 

[AltecGreen]

Here's the description from a Digimart listing for a Exrubato JT.

"
Slim neck
Adopted a slim C shape neck. It is easy for players with small hands to hold down, and it is easy to challenge the performance of complicated songs that make heavy use of chord changes.
The smooth taper from the low position to the high position helps the natural fingering to flow."

 

[snarkle]

I've read that the JT series are made in the Philippines and set-up in Japan.

Not sure about the neck profiles on the JTs. There is some neck variance in the Japan-built models. My Exrubato Jazz has a thinner profile that feels very different from the vintage-style handful of my Hawk Standard Deep. I am guessing that my Exrubato Jazz was a custom build because it also has a white finish (body, back of neck) that I have not seen elsewhere. I have been keeping one eye open for a Japan-built Seventy Seven with P-90s.

If you can find one, I'm sure you won't be disappointed! I haven't heard the Seventy Seven P-90s, but the stock humbuckers in my Exrubato Hollow sound a lot like Seth Lovers (very vintage PAF, in other words) and i don't feel any need to swap them out.

 

[wzpgsr]

If you can find one, I'm sure you won't be disappointed! I haven't heard the Seventy Seven P-90s, but the stock humbuckers in my Exrubato Hollow sound a lot like Seth Lovers (very vintage PAF, in other words) and i don't feel any need to swap them out.

The stock Seventy Seven humbuckers are excellent as well. I put a BG Pure90 in my Hawk Deep because I was going for the mid 50s ES-175 thing.