# Seven string Pros/Cons help



## Dimensionator (Aug 16, 2010)

hey everybody, so im new here and i dont own a seven string.. yet. im going to get one, i know that for sure.
the thing is, i've been playing regular guitars for about 3 years and im wondering if i should get one now or just get a better six string for me to improve on first.
i played a Schecter Damien 7 at a guitar shop where I live, and I'm in love with it.
so i need some help deciding. what are some pros and cons to having a seven string guitar? and the increased neck size doesnt really matter, i have kind of large hands.
any help would be appreciated.


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 16, 2010)

I honestly can't really think of very many, if any cons to it other than the selection for 7-string guitars and components is smaller overall, but there are still plenty of options available. 

It's only a single extra string. The theory doesn't change. The physics don't change. Nothing changes other than adding that additional string. You'll be able to tune it as you like, and play anything a 6-string can.


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## Dimensionator (Aug 16, 2010)

yeah, i was thinking the same thing.
when i played it in the shop it didnt feel any different. just sounded beast tho.
thanks alot for the quick reply.


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## Mordacain (Aug 16, 2010)

The only con I can think of is the wider neck. Its more difficult to play with your thumb wrapped around to the low B and so bends suffer some when played in this fashion. If you never use that hand position than no worries. The only other thing is maintenance is slightly more difficult since you have to take the extra tension into account. If you don't do your own maintenance, then no worries there either.


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## EcoliUVA (Aug 16, 2010)

I'm getting my first 7 this week and I'm stoked. I see no reason NOT to use one. The options may be fewer, but they certainly aren't slim. Plenty of pickups, string packs, etc. out there for 7's you can get your hands on. Not sure about the string bending thing, when I bend I just cradle the treble side of the neck and twist. No downsides that I can see, only up (MOAR RANGE PLZ ).

Placing my order Wednesday (band's first solid gig Friday; I want to make sure it comes in AFTER that so I don't blow my time setting it up and fucking around, haha). Douglas SR-370...I'll spend more dough when I have it, but I hear great things about them and I have wedding+honeymoon+house downpayment coming up...yikes.


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## Mordacain (Aug 16, 2010)

The string bending thing is really just a hand position thing. It could just be a personal bias I've mine, but I've found vibrato and soulful bending to sound much better when cradling the neck with your palm, rather than using a vyse-like grip with your thumb against the treble side of the neck. Of course that's more a blues-oriented style, and probably just what I prefer. Classical vibrato obviously benefits from the thumb behind the neck and the hand arched.


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 16, 2010)

Mordacain said:


> The only other thing is maintenance is slightly more difficult since you have to take the extra tension into account. If you don't do your own maintenance, then no worries there either.



How so? 

The added string only adds roughly 17lbs of extra tension across a neck meant to have around 120lbs of constant tension, and in most cases can endure tension multiple times greater before significant damage is sustained. I've never noticed needing to adjust the truss rods on my 7s more than my 6s, a my 8s certainly didn't need more adjustments. As for setting up bridges, there too I've noticed no great difference in set-up times, minus the extra matter of seconds to open up the 7th string pack and string it up. 

I've heard this a couple times, and can honestly say it's more of a myth than a fact.


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## Mordacain (Aug 16, 2010)

Sorry, was speaking from personal experience regarding setup. Perhaps its just the super thin neck on the RG7321, but my neck was still responding to truss rod adjustment the next day. Overall it took more time for me to get mine setup properly after changing string gauges then I am used to with my 6's. Of course my tools are very limited as well - I have a straight edge and 1mm picks to gauge relief. More than likely this is just my own inexperience with 7 strings so I should have clarified that at first maintenance might be more difficult.


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 16, 2010)

You know, I just reread my last comment. I'm sorry if I came off as harsh, or a dick. I have the tact of a bag of hammers sometimes (read: all the time).


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## Mordacain (Aug 16, 2010)

MaxOfMetal said:


> You know, I just reread my last comment. I'm sorry if I came off as harsh, or a dick. I have the tact of a bag of hammers sometimes (read: all the time).



LOL. Its no problem, I have a bad tendency of voicing personal experience as fact and usually have to backtrack to make sure my intent gets through correctly. I only work on my own guitars usually and am by no means a professional so its much better to have the guidance of the more experienced.


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## C2Aye (Aug 16, 2010)

I wouldn't say there are many cons really. I guess most 7 strings will have necks optimised for fast playing so the increased neck width isn't really an issue. It wasn't on my RG1527 anyway.

If you know your stuff and know that the low B is just a continuation of tuning in 4ths, then mastering the 7 string should take no time at all because the scales and stuff are all the same.

If you're looking to go lower the register, then I'd heartily recommend a 7 string but I guess with any guitars there will be some rubbish ones too so I guess just be picky when choosing one.


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## right_to_rage (Aug 17, 2010)

If your going to get a seven string before you get a six make a note of working extra hard to understand music theory on your guitar. That way you wont be missing anything.


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## Psychobuddy (Aug 17, 2010)

As with most people here, I can't really the see any cons. 

If you want a seven string go ahead and get one, it just might take some time to adjust to playing with an extra string.


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## Konfyouzd (Aug 17, 2010)

You get one more string. 5 more notes... And several more places to play notes you already had. So you have a larger overall range, more tonalities (possibly) and you can cover more range with less linear movement (up the neck).

Cons... Slightly harder to mute...? And it will take some getting used to coming from a guitar with a different number of strings (kind of goes w/o saying, though)...


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## Konfyouzd (Aug 17, 2010)

C2Aye said:


> I wouldn't say there are many cons really. I guess most 7 strings will have necks optimised for fast playing so the increased neck width isn't really an issue. It wasn't on my RG1527 anyway.


 
I thought the same thing but I've had a lot of ppl play my guitars and bitch because they can't wrap their thumb over the top of the neck.


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## Nights_Blood (Aug 17, 2010)

Pro: The extra string - More Range.

Con: The extra string. Most brands don't carry 7 string sets of guitar strings, meaning you have to buy the 7th separately a lot of the time.

Of course, if you really want a 7, that shouldn't even matter. Just a minor annoyance.


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 17, 2010)

Nights_Blood said:


> Con: The extra string. Most brands don't carry 7 string sets of guitar strings, meaning you have to buy the 7th separately a lot of the time.



D'Addario
D'Angelico
Dean Markley
DR Strings
Elixir
Ernie Ball
GHS
La Bella
Newtone
RotoSound 
Sfarzo
S I T Strings

Just to name a few, with gauges ranging from .009 - .052 up to .011 - .066. Unless you're going to be using a odd tuning you should be covered, then again even for 6-strings finding certain gauges for odd tunings can be a pain.


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## Dimensionator (Aug 17, 2010)

thanks for all the replies.
now i KNOW im getting one 

and btw, would anybody mind checking out my youtube channel?
i have 5 guitar cover vids. some feedback would be cool
youtube.com/user/EPICxSYN


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## Mordacain (Aug 17, 2010)

Konfyouzd said:


> I thought the same thing but I've had a lot of ppl play my guitars and bitch because they can't wrap their thumb over the top of the neck.



Yes, this is what I was trying to articulate. I really don't see many guys that play metal do this, so its really only a problem if you play lots of different stuff.

Even still, its not much of a problem, just takes getting used to more than anything. Though I think for playing quickly, I'm still much faster on a 6...but I'm still a 7newb myself.


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## C2Aye (Aug 17, 2010)

Konfyouzd said:


> I thought the same thing but I've had a lot of ppl play my guitars and bitch because they can't wrap their thumb over the top of the neck.



I must just have freakishly large hands then because I can play those Hendrix style thumb chords on my 7 with only slight added difficulty, although I don't usually bother. And I find my 7 string better for shred stuff but I put that to it having a lower action than my Strat/having a locking trem system.

As for strings, Super Slinky 7's would be my recommendation, although some would find a 52 gauge low B a bit too thin. I like the twang you can get from them, especially when drop tuning to drop A and such.


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## Dylan7620 (Aug 17, 2010)

The only possible negatives that I could see is that most (but not all) sevens are by design biased towards the modern guitarist. Meaning it's mostly dominated by superstrat shapes, high output pickups and flatter fretboard radiuses. Now that's fine for someone who's into metal and hard rock but for someone going after a more classic or vintage vibe might have a difficult time getting what they want. The last ten years have been a little kinder with stuff like tele inspired designs coming into regular production and more luthiers popping up all over offering their own skills to produce whatever you could ask for and even popular pickup makers are offering more and more 7 string versions of their classic and lower output selections. My RG7620 is a very versatile guitar, especially teamed up with my mark iv, but my LP special with P90s will produce tones my RG can't even dream of.


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## Mordacain (Aug 18, 2010)

C2Aye said:


> I must just have freakishly large hands then because I can play those Hendrix style thumb chords on my 7 with only slight added difficulty, although I don't usually bother.



I find myself not fretting the chords much in this fashion but I can do it and I have average hands at best. What's interesting is moving back to my C1 Classic and its like my hand has grown. I playing that stuff with no problem and stretching further than I ever have. Very interesting side effect of playing 7.


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## wayne63139 (Sep 22, 2010)

if you have small hands / shorter fingers like me.. you may tend to cramp when playing the B string.. because of the wider neck.. especially if the neck profile is thin.


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## Hallic (Sep 22, 2010)

i went from a 6s 25.5"scale to a 7s 26.5"scale. It really feels like a more mature guitar. like the 25,5" is a baby guitar


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## mmr007 (Sep 22, 2010)

depending on your playing style and the tone you like and gain, the 7 CAN be limiting...I stress can be because if you like to ride the e string when riffing, that can get mussy if you do the same on a B string...but again, it depends on your style, ability and tone as to whether that will be limiting or not


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## Thaeon (Sep 22, 2010)

I agree with Mr007... In most cases, a 7 requires a different eq carve than a 6 does. The lower string can sound muddy if you don't really fine tune your eq. And on a guitar that has a 25.5" scale or smaller this is even more important since they sound 'fatter' than longer scaled instruments. I've found that when I switch from my 7 to a 6 without twisting the knobs a bit, my tone is kinda thin. An eq pedal would be a really easy fix for this though.


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## bostjan (Sep 22, 2010)

mmr007 said:


> depending on your playing style and the tone you like and gain, the 7 CAN be limiting...I stress can be because if you like to ride the e string when riffing, that can get mussy if you do the same on a B string...but again, it depends on your style, ability and tone as to whether that will be limiting or not



Not really limiting. The low b just being there doesn't stop you from riding the e. But it can entice you to play the b string where you wouldn't have done so before.


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