2 7-string questions!

[skalla]

Hello. I recently bought a 7 string guitar, and I'm LOVING it, BUT I have a few questions to you more experienced people.

1, I don't know what strings that came from factory but I suppose it probably was .10-.56, I recently changed my strings to elixir 10-46 (six string pack) and a ernie ball .60 for the A string (I play drop A). Do I have to adjust something so I don't f*** the whole guitar up with this new, thicker string? it gives some buzz, but I'm afraid to change shit I don't have a clue about :/


2, I actually want even more string tension on the strings in general, what can I do? I really don't want the A string to be thicker than .60, I had .68 once on another guitar and I HATED it.

The string which tension annoys me the most at the moment is the A string, I want it to be tighter, it's so hard playing fast(er) picking on it when it just "get stuck in the pick" if you know what I mean. And higher string tension in general would be good- because it's a lot more confortable for me to play fast picking parts and sweeps with higher tension/string-tightness.

So is there a specific brand of strings, thicknesses etc. that I should use? I really don't want too big strings, that's just annoying :/..

My guitar is a "ESP Horizon NT-7" btw.

Please, guitar gods, you surely have some experience with this and can give me some answers


I don't want it to be SUPER-TIGHT so I can't bend the strings at all, I just want it.. in a scale of 1-10 I want it at 8. or 9.

Thanks in advance!

[MaxOfMetal]

You should REALLY take a look at the string tension sticky/megathread.

[jymellis]

i use elixir .10 six string packs with elixir .56 for the low B/A

i order my .56 from stringsandbeyond.com usually get 5 or 6 at a time.

[beneharris]

here is the link for the string tension thread

edit: idiot, i forgot to hit paste

String Tension Super Thread (Got a string question? Post it here!)

[skalla]

Originally Posted by beneharris

here is the link for the string tension thread

hm..?

http://www.stringsandbeyond.com/el7naelgust.html ?

[beneharris]

check it again, haha

[jymellis]

Originally Posted by skalla

hm..?




Elixir 7 String Nanoweb Coated Electric Guitar Strings ?

those are new. elixir recently started making 7 string sets. i used to buy six string sets with a single .56 but i havent needed strings in a while when i do. ill be ordering the pack you posted maing.

[skalla]

That's basically what I've got but with a .60 ernie ball on the A string instead of the standard .56 .. and it's still too loose for my liking :P

(Yes I'm looking in the string tension thread, I just don't see how I'm supposed to get any help from that calculator, so I'm trying to look for people with similar problems as me there)

edit: I mean, surely there must be someone like me out there.. :P

[sound-byte]

I had the same problem that you had, and now I use 13-56-70, and that works great for me. try from nakedstrings.com, you can order custom gauge sets

[skalla]

70 is insanely thick, as I said, I have .68 on my other guitar and it's reallyreally thick and still not very tight (an old schecter with FR) :/ (it uses the elixir .12-.68 set baritone, I dont know if its a baritone guitar though lol) And it's not comfortable to play on strings thicker than .60 :/.. Hopefully there's a specific brand or something that goes tighter?

edit: Is it okay if I just paste my whole question to the string tension thread, might be more people looking there ><

[jymellis]

maybe a single .62 elixir? i personally think elixirs feel more tense than regular strings. i have also noticed that going from daddario 10s to elixir nanoweb 10s requires a trem claw tightening.

[skalla]

Originally Posted by jymellis

maybe a single .62 elixir? i personally think elixirs feel more tense than regular strings. i have also noticed that going from daddario 10s to elixir nanoweb 10s requires a trem claw tightening.

unfortunately elixir doesn't have singles at that size I think.. I looked at that site you linked (and I've gone to local shops here) and I think they only have 56 and then a gap to .68 :/

trem claw tightening? I use a esp horizon nt(no tremolo)-7

edit: I might actually try something thicker again, but I don't think I wanna go over .65 I think.. What adjustments do I need to do on my guitar if I switch to thicker strings?

[jymellis]

Originally Posted by skalla

unfortunately elixir doesn't have singles at that size I think.. I looked at that site you linked (and I've gone to local shops here) and I think they only have 56 and then a gap to .68 :/

trem claw tightening? I use a esp horizon nt(no tremolo)-7

i was mentioning the trem claw tightening because that means your strings have more tension. so keep in mind an elixir of the same size as a daddarrio may feel tighter.

[skalla]

Originally Posted by jymellis

i was mentioning the trem claw tightening because that means your strings have more tension. so keep in mind an elixir of the same save as a daddarrio may feel tighter.

hm, not sure what that is though.

D'Addario ECG24-7 String Chrome Flat Wound Electric Guitar Strings - Jazz Light looks interesting? is it actually proven that elixir is more tensioned than d'addario or is it just rumors? :p

[jymellis]

Originally Posted by skalla

hm, not sure what that is though.

D'Addario ECG24-7 String Chrome Flat Wound Electric Guitar Strings - Jazz Light looks interesting? is it actually proven that elixir is more tensioned than d'addario or is it just rumors? :p

i have never seen it proven that elixirs hold more tension. i speak from personal experience and try not to state anything as fact. unless i have seen it proven.

[sound-byte]

Originally Posted by skalla

I might actually try something thicker again, but I don't think I wanna go over .65 I think.. What adjustments do I need to do on my guitar if I switch to thicker strings?

unless its a drastic change, probably nothing, but you might want to tighten your truss rod a quarter turn or so (clockwise)

[skalla]

Originally Posted by sound-byte

unless its a drastic change, probably nothing, but you might want to tighten your truss rod a quarter turn or so (clockwise)

I really have no clue about this stuff, is the truss rod the thing behind the small hatch in the head? and what happens if I don't? does the neck break?

[skalla]

Originally Posted by jymellis

i have never seen it proven that elixirs hold more tension. i speak from personal experience and try not to state anything as fact. unless i have seen it proven.

I might look into buying those d-addario I just linked then, they seem interesting to me .. It's worth a try ^^

edit: sorry double post :s..

But aight, if I get the .11-.50-.65 from D'addario, and switch to them from .10-.42-.56, I should turn the "truss rod" a quarter turn clockwise? just to make sure :d

[Felvin]

Originally Posted by skalla

I really have no clue about this stuff, is the truss rod the thing behind the small hatch in the head? and what happens if I don't? does the neck break?

DON'T PANIC!



The neck will not break if you do not adjust the trussrod. It takes more than a little more string tension to break a neck. Have you tried raising the action a bit?

Yes, the trussrod is that thing in the head. I would not turn it in any direction as long as I am not sure what I want to do to the neck. You want to know where it buzzes and WHY it buzzes before you touch the trussrod.

Although I don't think it's rocket science to adjust the trussrod of a guitar, you shoud acquire some knowledge about it before you do it. There are plenty of vids on Youtube.

BTW:
Maybe change the Ernie Ball String to a D'addaro? EB's feel a lot softer to me (and tend to buzz more on my guitars).

[Kamikaze7]

Wow, starting with a high-end ESP 7 and having issues... Not a big thing to get stressed over bro, I assure you - especially since you have an easy guitar to work on. As someone with 5 different 7-strings each tuned a half step from another I can shine some light on the subjects you ask

-In reference to the string guaging issue: From the factory your ESP ships with a 10-56 set in standard E w/ low B. I currently use this set for my standard E w/ low B and Eb (E Flat) w/ low Bb (B flat/A sharp). For my one whole step drop D w/ low A I use an 11-58. Now if your saying that a 60 is still too light, then to me your hammering the living shit out of your strings. Ir-regardless, try a 62 first. If that don't work then try a 64. In looking at the D'Addario set you mentioned, it sounds and looks to be your best bet for the tension feel you want and are looking for...

-As Felvin said, have you tried raising the action (bridge height) at all??? You have a TonePros locking bridge on your guitar. While it seems similar in appearance to a normal tune-o-matic bridge, there's 2 little set screws - one on each post in the bridge itself. In order to adjust the height or action up or down, you will first need to loosen the 2 sets screws that lock the bridge to the posts, then take a flat head screwdriver and go up with the bridge height. You don't need to go up super high, just high enough to get it to stop buzzing. Once you get it high enough, then proceed to tighten the 2 set screws to lock the bridge back to the posts. You will need to re-tune your guitar again after you do this.

-As Felvin also stated, I wouldn't worry about your truss rod just yet, especially if you have no idea on what your doing. However, once you get the new string guage (D'Addario...) set on it, you will want to check the neck after a few days. Checking the neck is very easy, and there's 1 of 2 ways to do it:

*The first way is to take the guitar and hold it up so that the strings are facing the ceiling, and you will want to hold the headstock towards the light. What you want to do to check the neck is to check the level of the neck compared to the level of the strings. You will be looking at the neck from behind the bridge, looking up the neck to the headstock. The level of the strings will always be strait, and this is your reference point to checking the neck.

*The other way is to take the guitar and hold it as if it were sitting in a stand. You can even do it while it's sitting in a stand too. In this way, you'll be doing the same thing in checking the neck by comparing to the level of the strings. In this way, you'll be looking down the neck from the headstock down to the bridge. Again, the level of the strings will always be strait, and is your reference point to the neck.

If you have a hard time trying to check it from one way, try the other way. And just curious to know, did you buy the guitar new or used? If you bough it new, then it should have come with an owner's manual that tells you how to look and adjust everything. If you didn't get it, or got it used, then you can download the manual right from the ESP website here - http://www.espguitars.com/ESP_Owners_Manual.pdf

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

[Tobi]

hey if you want I will buy your ESP of you for 100 bucks and that can help you safe for an baritone one XDDD

JK,
nah I guess what everyone else recommended should help, otherwise I will take your guitar as I said DD

[skalla]

I bought it new .. Checking the neck, I don't really understand:/..

So I take the guitar, set my eye at the bridge, and just see if the strings are straight? I'm not sure what exactly I'm looking for. I've got a friend though who builds guitars, he has some sort of measurement-ruler with holes in it that he can put on the neck to check the neck or something, I'm not sure if that's for checking the neck though. Anyway, I'll probably try those d'addarios OR change the A string to a .62 d'addario .. I'll probably try the single string first :P..

I'll come back if I need further assistance, but I'd still like to know what I'm supposed to look for when checking the neck

edit :I don't have any big issues with the guitar tbh, it was perfect when I got it, I mean, no buzz at the B string etc. but when I tuned it down to drop A and started changing strings and stuff it started getting more buzz and stuff, but I'm sure everythings gonna be fine eventually

[Kamikaze7]

Originally Posted by skalla

I bought it new .. Checking the neck, I don't really understand:/..

So I take the guitar, set my eye at the bridge, and just see if the strings are straight? I'm not sure what exactly I'm looking for. I've got a friend though who builds guitars, he has some sort of measurement-ruler with holes in it that he can put on the neck to check the neck or something, I'm not sure if that's for checking the neck though. Anyway, I'll probably try those d'addarios OR change the A string to a .62 d'addario .. I'll probably try the single string first :P..

I'll come back if I need further assistance, but I'd still like to know what I'm supposed to look for when checking the neck

edit :I don't have any big issues with the guitar tbh, it was perfect when I got it, I mean, no buzz at the B string etc. but when I tuned it down to drop A and started changing strings and stuff it started getting more buzz and stuff, but I'm sure everythings gonna be fine eventually

The reason it's buzzing now is because of the changing string guages and tensions recently, and possibly your bridge height (action)... Usually it's more a tension thing and the neck is where to get the buzzing to stop. But also, try raising the bridge up just a little bit like I explained in my last post and see if that helps. Again, you don't have to jack it way up, just the littlest bit to stop the buzzing.

Checking the neck: When your looking at the neck from either behind the bridge or down the neck from the headstock, you wanna check the neck itself. Again, use the level of the strings for comparison. If your neck is bowed in either way, the neck will be in a slight "U" shape either going in towards or out away from the strings. Like I said, the strings will always be strait to compare the neck itself to. So when you do it, your not looking at the strings, your checking the neck itself! If your not sure, have a trusted luthier or tech check it for you.

And again, if you got the guitar new it should have a little tool kit and the owner's manual with it. Consult the owner's manual as it will show you what your looking for in reference to the neck bow. Since you have no experience, don't attempt to adjust it yourself - have a trusted tech/luthier do it.

As for the string issue, try the single 62 first with the 10-46 set and see if that gives you what your looking for. If not, then I'd try and use that D'Addario set.