# Schecter five-string guitars



## DDDorian (Jun 11, 2006)

Recently I learnt of the existence of the A-5X and C-5X five-string guitars made by Schecter some years ago (since discontinued). They're tuned in fifths like a cello, somethng I've long wanted to implimen into a guitar. Has anyone ever seen/played one of these guitars or knows if there are any similar guitars available? Much appreciated...


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## D-EJ915 (Jun 11, 2006)

The pop up on ebay somewhat-often...*checks my ebay* I had one in there...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7413361291&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1

^there's one there that ended with no bids.


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## bostjan (Jun 11, 2006)

Just take a six string, use a couple huge gauges in the bass side, and tune in fifths. GDAEBF# or something. I haven't seen the celloblasters for sale. The guy who claims to have invented five string guitar made a stink about it (ironic, since five course guitars have been around much longer than six course guitars anyway), but I don't think you can easily obtain them from him, either.

Interesting idea, though, for sure.

Jeff, that item shows six bids.


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## DDDorian (Jun 11, 2006)

bostjan said:


> Just take a six string, use a couple huge gauges in the bass side, and tune in fifths. GDAEBF# or something. I haven't seen the celloblasters for sale. The guy who claims to have invented five string guitar made a stink about it (ironic, since five course guitars have been around much longer than six course guitars anyway), but I don't think you can easily obtain them from him, either.
> 
> Interesting idea, though, for sure.



I've been thinking about taking a 3/4 length guitar and tuning it fifths from C (CGDAE, with the open C being the equivalent of the third fret on a traditional guitar's A string), tuning any lower than A on a guitar seems like sacrilege to me. Still, given the chance I'd probably pick one up.

...unfortunately for me, the ebay seller was selling to US only and I'm an aussie... oh well, thanks anyway D!


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## D-EJ915 (Jun 11, 2006)

lol, I must not have been paying attention, lol.


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## David (Jun 11, 2006)

damn... that's missing TWO strings.


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## D-EJ915 (Jun 11, 2006)

But anywhere you play on it...it's a power-chord! \m/ My H207 is purely 4ths right now with a dropped A string at the bottom.


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## DDDorian (Jun 11, 2006)

David said:


> damn... that's missing TWO strings.



Well the guitar I intend to modify (dunno what make it is exactly, probably Fender Squier) is only a six-string so technically it's only missing one string. Plus, I imagine the range of a seven-string tuned in fifths would be quite overwhelming, five strings seems to be the best compromise to me...


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## Naren (Jun 11, 2006)

I'd like to see a picture of one. Could someone post the link to a pic? I looked at that e-bay one, but the pics gave me the X of doom.


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## D-EJ915 (Jun 11, 2006)

Naren said:


> I'd like to see a picture of one. Could someone post the link to a pic? I looked at that e-bay one, but the pics gave me the X of doom.


Yeah wait a min or two...*fetches hoards of pics*


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## distressed_romeo (Jun 11, 2006)

Wanted one for a while here too...

http://www.guitarsite.com/newsletters/010521/7.shtml

As you can see from the above, the guy who invented them is a notorious douche.


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## D-EJ915 (Jun 11, 2006)

Not an A-5X, but a C-5X


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## Naren (Jun 11, 2006)

Jeff, that's interesting looking to say the least. Can't say I want one, though...



distressed_romeo said:


> Wanted one for a while here too...
> 
> http://www.guitarsite.com/newsletters/010521/7.shtml
> 
> As you can see from the above, the guy who invented them is a notorious douche.



What a complete idiot.

"A Pentatar for example gives you more range than a 7 string with only 5 strings and it is far more playable and fresh sounding."

He insults so many people in that.


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## Ibanez_fanboy (Jun 11, 2006)

that is weird, and i agree, its MISSING TWO STRINGS!!!!!!!


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## 7 Dying Trees (Jun 11, 2006)

Reminds me of DAD and the bass with 2 strings.


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## bostjan (Jun 11, 2006)

DDDorian said:


> I've been thinking about taking a 3/4 length guitar and tuning it fifths from C (CGDAE, with the open C being the equivalent of the third fret on a traditional guitar's A string), tuning any lower than A on a guitar seems like sacrilege to me. Still, given the chance I'd probably pick one up.
> 
> ...unfortunately for me, the ebay seller was selling to US only and I'm an aussie... oh well, thanks anyway D!




You'll have to make sure the scale length is less than 16" to be able to get the super-high E to work, you're talkin' five string mandolin tuning, best to go with a five string mandolin, then.


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## Durero (Jun 11, 2006)

Tuning in 5ths is very interesting - Allan Holdsworth used to tune one neck of his double-neck DeLap headless in 5ths - so he had a standard neck and a 5ths neck on the same guitar.

using 5ths does significantly increase your range. A 5-string tuned in 5ths has only 1 semitone less range than a 7-string in standard.

That Alex Gregory character is one sad case. Anyone who calls themselves 'maestro' is definitely the furthest thing from a master musician I can imagine.


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## zimbloth (Jun 11, 2006)

I contemplated trying one of those out MANY years ago, then realized I'd be stuck with queer Duncan Design 5-string pickups since no one makes good ones.


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## garcia3441 (Jun 11, 2006)

http://www.vintageinstruments.com/museum/berkfulpage.html


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## Ibanez_fanboy (Jun 11, 2006)

just do what keith does!


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## bostjan (Jun 11, 2006)

Hmm, only tenor guitars I've seen were tuned DGBD.

Keith's tuning is pretty much the opposite of a fifth's tuning, something like GDGBD. Which is tenor guitar plus low G.


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## Kotex (Jun 11, 2006)

I ran into one before. Just once and I've never seen it since. Kinda' cool though...


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## Elysian (Jun 11, 2006)

zimbloth said:


> I contemplated trying one of those out MANY years ago, then realized I'd be stuck with queer Duncan Design 5-string pickups since no one makes good ones.


any rail pickup could work, itd just stick out a little bit, or you could angle the pickup... an x2n i bet would work splendidly.


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## Chris (Jun 11, 2006)

No thanks. 

I mean, it's a nifty gimmick and all, but that's nothing I'd ever buy.


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## D-EJ915 (Jun 11, 2006)

For the record, those are 6-string pups which they used in them, the HB-104s.


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## bostjan (Jun 11, 2006)

Tuning in fifths is cool, though. I have a baritone guitar tuned FCGDAC. Well, it's almost fifths. I could probably make it to E with Garry's strings&#8230;


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## DDDorian (Jun 11, 2006)

I actually got the idea from Allan Holdsworth, who does that stuff a lot on his Synthaxe as well as the headless double-neck that Durero mentioned. The rationale between using a guitar was so that if I ever wanted to use it in a high-gain situation it would stand a better chance of cutting through a wall of distorted guitars than a mandolin, but considering how intimidated people are by my seven I doubt I'd ever have a chance to use such an instrument in a live context anyway. As for the insanely high E, I was going to experiment with banjo strings as I'd heard good reports about using them, but I will probably end up with the mandolin for the sake of convenience.


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## bostjan (Jun 11, 2006)

Banjo strings are loop-end and essential the same as guitar strings. I don't see how that would help. The highest banjo strings are still lower than guitar strings at the ssame length. You could use Garry Goodman's strings, but aside from that, you could just tune down a step and a half or two and it'd be fine for that scale length.


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