Advantages to 7 string guitar

[andrew11]

As a metal player and a fan of bands like whitechapel and suicide silence 7 string guitars have always interested me. But not really knowing how they really work has keep me away. Now that i am looking to buy another guitar im considering trying one. I now play just standard tuning six string guitar, bands like Metallica and Pantera. As i was looking into the 7 I noticed 7 tuning is standard tuning with a low B. So you could still play standard tuned stuff. Do guys play 7 strings just to have that low B to chug on (i dout it but had to ask) or is there more to this ie different chords, scales that come with a 7 string?

Thanks

[Stevepage]

watch videos of Dave Weiner on youtube and you'll get a good idea of what's possible with it. If you buy one with the intent of just chugging on it, don't bother just buy heavier strings. But if you approach it as a way of helping with ideas or chord progressions then you'll really benefit from it.

[Stevepage]

Here's a good video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi2Fp_5hIUQ

[andrew11]

Thanks for the video. I agree its not just for chugging, I was just wondering why they seem to be used my alot of metal bands? Are some bands using it as a alternative to to heavy strings?

[Stevepage]

I think it's just because you can make riffs sound heavier quite easily on a 7 string. I think those kind of bands miss the point though. Animals As Leaders use the 7 string and 8 string to its fullest within a metal type setting.

[andrew11]

Thats what I dont understand though. I can make my riffs sound heavier if I put on 12-60s and tune down to B on a 6 string. Theres got to be more to it? Any 7 string players out there?

[Nadz1lla]

Yes. More notes to play in scale runs are rather nice. That extra string opens up a plethora of new scale and chord possibilities. That's basically it, really.

[James C]

I find a seven is a good writing tool (I have an RG7321), i tend to automatically bounce more groove laden riffs off of the B string, which i never would have written on a 6, but when i play them on a 6 they still sound good.

also the wider neck is great if you have large hands, stops me wrapping my thumb round the neck too much.

also i can still play E standard stuff on it, and as it's my only guitar atm, thats pretty essential.

[Antag]

Long post coming up (sorry :))

I got a 7-string soon after Ibanez first started making them - a nearly new white UV777 for an absolute bargain (the guy who bought it new obviously struggled with it & PX'd it within a week or so).

My thinking was that the 7-string would allow me, with the aid of a capo, to play along with the CDs I was enjoying in whatever key they'd tuned their guitars to.  Of course, that's a lot harder than it sounds, so I soon abandonned the idea.  But even playing it for my own stuff, I found it really limiting (which sounds counter-intuitive) - it was far too tempting to just grind away on the low B.  Also, I found it hard to solo with: when playing a 6 string in E (or whatever you tune it to), I would automatically gravitate to the 12th fret of the top string to start a solo, but on a 7 that's 5 steps too high.  If you go 12th fret on the B string, the string below is a different interval.  But my hand didn't stretch as well if I started at the 7th fret.

Instead of actually thinking through these limitations (which were really limitations of my playing & theory knowledge rather than the guitar), I just stopped playing it & sold it after a year or so.

Fast forward 20 years, during which time I've tuned to Eb, D, C#, C, B, Bb, flirted with drop-C#, drop-Bb & come full circle back to Eb on my 6-strings :roll:
A friend had a battered old 7 for sale, I borrowed it, REALLY liked it & found myself on an immediate creative splurge.  My theory knowledge must be a lot better because it felt like I was using the full range of it rather than just transposing 6-string riffs down to the bottom strings.

I didn't buy that 7, but instead got a newer RG1527 from someone on this forum.  It's been a game changer for me: not only do I play it so much that I find it hard to adjust back to a 6 :lol: but Kieran's outstanding setup (D'Addario 10-59, tuned to std E-B) & the heavier picks I started to use made me realise what an imprecise loose setup I was playing on everything else.  I'm currently testing various gauges so I can get my 6s in Eb & C# to feel as precise & solid as the 7s do.

[Ratrod]

I'd rather have a baritone.

Same key, less complicated, better string tension.

[Sifu Ben]

^my (and most) 7 string has a 27" scale, so string tension is not an issue. Yes, it gives you extended chord and scale shapes to play with, but as Man on Edge said, the big advantage is the flexibility, you get the low string grind, but the upper end leads are still there for you.

[FELINEGUITARS]

The biggest challenge with finding a good 7 string is one where the low B doesnt dominate more than it should , or give resonance and overtones that muddy up the other 6 strings

Ideally the 6 strings should sound just like they would on any other 6 string but you have the low B string when you want it along with the extra 5 notes and extended chord voicings

[Stevepage]

The key to keeping the Low B clear and not overbearing is to have the right string gauge. For example I set my 7 string with regular 9 - 46's but for the Low B I use a .60. Reason being that the 46 is 17 pounds of tension so you have to match that or have a bit more. So the 60 also has 17 pounds of tension which works out very well.

[Lew]

It's one better, innit?

[BigK]

It's been a game changer for me: not only do I play it so much that I find it hard to adjust back to a 6 :lol: but Kieran's outstanding setup (D'Addario 10-59, tuned to std E-B) & the heavier picks I started to use made me realise what an imprecise loose setup I was playing on everything else.  I'm currently testing various gauges so I can get my 6s in Eb & C# to feel as precise & solid as the 7s do.

I glad to here you still loving it George - was the setup that good? I really struggled to get the playability close to were I wanted it when I first bought it and I just couldn't get on with the trem on it.

Being more of a riff based/rhythm player I prefer my down-tuned 6's to 7's but it may also have something to do with my small sausage hands too  8)

But it is nice to have something different in the arsenal.