# 7 string ok for beginners?



## J_men (Jul 31, 2016)

So, I've been learning to play for a year now, and am looking to upgrade my guitar. How much more difficult is it to play a 7 string? and should I wait until I have more experience before getting one? 

I wouldn't be only playing drop tuned music, I like Korn and Deftones, but also like playing blues, and want to learn more about jazz.

I am currently looking at either the RG652FX or the RGDIX7MPB


Also if a guitar has a longer scale length (like the RGDIX7MPB) does using standard tuning affect it's playability and sound? Was thinking about whether tuning it to have two low E's sometimes would be an option?


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## Zeus1907 (Jul 31, 2016)

I say go for it. I'm excited for you. 
What really made me happy about your question was that you said you wouldn't only be playing down tuned music. 
7 string is amazing for Jazz. That's been my focus the past few weeks (jazz).


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## Zeus1907 (Jul 31, 2016)

And yes, there is a slight adjustment period. Took me about a week to truly get comfortable with a 7 string, at 26.5 scale length.


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## Ikke (Jul 31, 2016)

I think it would be fine to learn on 7 string. Agree with above guy/gal: great for jazz. The only playing adjustment you'll need is fretboard width/neck grip (and maybe finger span if you get an extended scale). Besides that, it's all the same.

And, as an added bonus, going from 7 to 8 will be easier because you'll already have the mindset of playing an extended range guitar. I don't have any 8's, but I've played one and the mindset was "stretch fingers just like when I started on a 7"; picked it up within a few minutes.


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## A-Branger (Jul 31, 2016)

as long as you have a list of songs that you want to learn that are played in 7 string (korn and deftones as you mention), then you are fine to do so. Mind you those guys have a different tuninng from standard. But keep playing and keep finiding more 7 string covers to learn and play


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## Petar Bogdanov (Aug 1, 2016)

Yes, so long as you accept that you will have to mute the strings more. It's caused mostly by the tuning, and not the number of strings, by the way...


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## High Plains Drifter (Aug 1, 2016)

Moving from 6 to 8 strings can be quite a daunting move but moving from 6 to 7 is very natural... especially if you're in the mind-set that the concept already appeals to you. I don't have huge hands and despite that, the neck width and 26.5 scale was nothing very noticeable to adapt to. I stay in standard tune for the most part fwiw. I play a lot of sludge, metal, and blues... very comfortably on 7-strings. 

You sound like someone that would transition well into 7's. Best of luck.


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## Emperor Guillotine (Aug 1, 2016)

At this point, do you even need a 7? Sounds like you're just trying to fit into the trend of "more strings" or "7 is the new 6" (whatever the mentality is). Although getting it to play music by some of your favorite bands (like Korn or Deftones) is understandable since those bands have always been noted for their use of 7-string guitars.

You need to learn the basics first, and the basics include string muting and being able to play cleanly. Seems like many players, especially beginners, flat-out ignore this. If you know how to control all of the strings on a 6, then adding one more string won't be a problem.


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## bostjan (Aug 1, 2016)

If the number of strings was equivalent to difficulty in learning, then we would have all started on one string guitars and worked our way up.

To me, a seven string is easier to play than a six string.


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## Zeus1907 (Aug 1, 2016)

Emperor Guillotine said:


> At this point, do you even need a 7? Sounds like you're just trying to fit into the trend of "more strings" or "7 is the new 6" (whatever the mentality is). Although getting it to play music by some of your favorite bands (like Korn or Deftones) is understandable since those bands have always been noted for their use of 7-string guitars.
> 
> You need to learn the basics first, and the basics include string muting and being able to play cleanly. Seems like many players, especially beginners, flat-out ignore this. If you know how to control all of the strings on a 6, then adding one more string won't be a problem.





I totally agree, I've heard beginners who have less than one year of playing say, and I quote; "I need an 8 string for my progressive metal band. I'm buying one next week." That makes no sense to me. I think guitarist should be well rounded, before venturing too far left of center. 
Learn the basics, then, transition to ERG's.


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## J_men (Aug 1, 2016)

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm leaning more towards sticking with the 6 string for now.

I'll try out both, and see how comfortable it feels.

I got the idea of buying a 7 string because I've always been interested in what gives a style of music it's signature sound. But I guess there's still a lot of fun stuff I can do with the 6, without needing to over complicating things


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## Ironside (Aug 3, 2016)

Meh... I started on a 7 and have owned many 6's along the way as well.

I like 7's so much that when I pick up a 6-string, it feels 'too skinny' - the wider neck of the 7 feels right at home in my long-fingered hands.

Even when I don't use the 7th string, i'd rather have it and not need it, than want to transition to something on the 7, but realizing I have to switch guitars before I can (I actually got rid of all my 6's, I fly exclusively 7 now).

Go to a store, play both, see if you think 7 is too overwhelming. Then buy whatever you think feels best to you.

Have fun.


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## bzhan1 (Aug 6, 2016)

Ironside said:


> Even when I don't use the 7th string, i'd rather have it and not need it, than want to transition to something on the 7, but realizing I have to switch guitars before I can (I actually got rid of all my 6's, I fly exclusively 7 now).



playing 6 string songs on 7 is a huge pain, especially on chord or strum heavy songs


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## madwham (Aug 6, 2016)

One more voice saying that it's OK.  Everything written for 6-strings can easily be played on a 7. Rythm, solo, arpeggio, chords, tapping, all is fine.

I routinely play on both 6 and 7-strings now, but the 7-string is my only guitar in standard tuning, so it's my go-to instrument for most songs. There is a single issue that I can mention, due to the fact that I have short fingers: reaching high notes (near the pickups) on the low B string is sometimes harder, but it's easily fixed by adapting the way I hold my guitar. No biggie, and uncommon anyway.

Just make sure that you're comfortable with the neck, so try several models before buying anything. I couldn't do anything with Ibanez 7-string models (much to my regret) but was in heaven with an EBMM JP7, for example.


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## Ironside (Aug 9, 2016)

bzhan1 said:


> playing 6 string songs on 7 is a huge pain, especially on chord or strum heavy songs



No it's not. Just don't hit the 7th string.... 

What do you do when you strum a song that doesn't require the 6th string??? Just mute it.


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## Winspear (Aug 9, 2016)

Ironside said:


> No it's not. Just don't hit the 7th string....
> 
> What do you do when you strum a song that doesn't require the 6th string??? Just mute it.



This. Plenty of 6 string songs feature chords on the A string. Same for metal riffy stuff, plenty of riffs are rooted on the 2nd string.
Yes you'll be muting more often but that's literally it  If anything it's a good incentive to not rely on the bottom string as a crutch from which your playing is always better.


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## hodorcore (Aug 10, 2016)

To me it was all about getting used to the bigger neck. There is always that thought of making it harder on yourself unnecessarily. In most cases you can just downtune your 6 string guitar anyways. That way you get the low crushing sounds and you dont need to deal with all of the extra wood.

If your hands and fingers are big enough you should go for it. But i'd stick to a 6 string


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## RaulThrashMetal (Aug 10, 2016)

On the right guitar you won't even notice. Its perfectly fine to carry on your learning process on a 7, you'll learn whatever you would have learnt on a sixer plus you get the advantage of already knowing how to use the 7th string in your music and technique.


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## Ivars V (Aug 10, 2016)

Well, from my experience - I didn't play for a long time since I was focusing on doing vocals and I really hated my schecter six string. I wanted to practice guitar and get good, but everything held me away from it. If I managed to picked up guitar, I put it away asap, since it didn't feel right to me. After a year or so of total lack of playing I decided it's time to get back at playing, so I picked up a seven string and started from a blank page (kind of). So far it has been a really awesome journey. I had to adjust my technique, but I could apply concepts I still had in my memory. It was easier for me to wrap my hand around the notes I have on fretboard, etc.

TL;DR - Seven string guitar saved my life, go get one.


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## cwhitey2 (Aug 10, 2016)

Get a RG652FX and thank me later


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## bostjan (Aug 10, 2016)

bzhan1 said:


> playing 6 string songs on 7 is a huge pain, especially on chord or strum heavy songs



Even if you use a windmill strumming approach, the only way that this could be a problem is if you are less conscious of the seventh string than the sixth string.

The first thing I did when I bought a seven string guitar was figure out which bass notes sounded good with which chords (for example, playing D major as 3 x 0 0 2 3 2, G/B as 0 3 2 0 0 3 3, A/C# as 2 0 0 2 2 2 x, etc.)


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## P-Ride (Aug 10, 2016)

I find it interesting how rarely anyone debating scale length and number of strings mentions their age/size/general build.

My girlfriend is 5'5" and weighs 100lb.. I tried to teach her a few chords on my 24.75" Gibson Les Paul recently and she' can't manage the fret reach for some really basic chords.

Honestly, if she wants to learn, she'll need to go for a 3/4 size.

Whereas I'm 200lb and have fingers so wide that I cannot fret three strings next to each other on the same fret. It's impossible. That affects my whole style of play (rhythmic, lots of two-note chords).

I'm consequently venturing towards longer scale lengths.


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## bostjan (Aug 10, 2016)

P-Ride said:


> I find it interesting how rarely anyone debating scale length and number of strings mentions their age/size/general build.
> 
> My girlfriend is 5'5" and weighs 100lb.. I tried to teach her a few chords on my 24.75" Gibson Les Paul recently and she' can't manage the fret reach for some really basic chords.
> 
> ...



Maybe because it really has more to do with conditioning than size. I'm 5'9" and I have no problems playing a Dingwall for a four hour show. I also gravitate toward rather large guitars, 28" and longer scale. But I also love to play microtonal guitars and Mandolins, which have much closer fret spacing. But the difference in tuning means I don't have to bunch my fingers up.

My wife is significantly shorter than your girlfriend, but she has no issues with a 34" bass (although she's said that she doesn't like my Dingwall). And I've seen plenty of complaints on this forum from guys over two meters tall who shy away from extended scale guitars.

So I don't think it's height or weight that's the issue.


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## TedEH (Aug 10, 2016)

If there's anything surprisingly missing from the conversation, it's the options OP picked for "beginners" guitars.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but an rg652fx is a prestige level isn't it? Seems overkill to me for someone who has only been playing for a year. It's probably not a bad choice of instrument just in general, but it's not a "learners" instrument. I've been playing for maybe 15 years, and I still use a standard series Ibanez most of the time.

If the original question was "are these ok for beginners", the answer is "those are ok for anyone".


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## Psionic (Aug 10, 2016)

TedEH said:


> If there's anything surprisingly missing from the conversation, it's the options OP picked for "beginners" guitars.
> 
> Correct me if I'm wrong, but an rg652fx is a prestige level isn't it? Seems overkill to me for someone who has only been playing for a year. It's probably not a bad choice of instrument just in general, but it's not a "learners" instrument. I've been playing for maybe 15 years, and I still use a standard series Ibanez most of the time.
> 
> If the original question was "are these ok for beginners", the answer is "those are ok for anyone".



Dosent really have to do with being beginner or an advanced player, anyone is free to spent as much money on his gear as he wants.(Scale is a different thing, wouldnt say 8 string 30 inch is very beginner friendly)
A good guitar may keep you practicing and playing more since you have more fun doing it.
And if you buy something used you mostly dont even loose money if you dont play anymore or dont like the guitar, because you can sell it for the same price you bought it if you dont damage it.

I would say if you like playing and are willing to invest some money get what you really want before you get stuck with something you dont want and bought because it was cheap or someone told you it would be right buying it.
Try to get something used preferably japanese/korean made at least and spare yourself of chinese Toy Guitars its just a big gamble with them. 
Never had a bad Japanese Guitar and actually a Schecter blackjack V was one of the nicest sounding intruments i owned still regret selling it but would mainly stick with japanese if you buy it used and cant test it.


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## TedEH (Aug 10, 2016)

^ Didn't mean to say you can't learn on a good quality instrument. It might even be better to learn on one like that. Just meant to point out that these aren't entry level guitars we're talking about, so that could be taken two ways- if we're trying to find the minimum bar for "good enough to properly learn on", we've easily surpassed that - but also, there's room to jump down a tier or two in terms of quality if cost is an issue, which would mostly be cutting out details or polish etc. that might not even be very noticeable to someone who hasn't been playing very long. It certainly took me more than a year to be able to discern the quality of an instrument outside of looking at the price tag.

But if those thing's aren't a concern, then by all means, go for the best thing that you're willing to invest in.


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## Psionic (Aug 10, 2016)

Its pretty hard at least on the price hand to determine beginner level.
Depends on how much you want to spend and your preferences.
Better to take a aim at a price range and find out whats the best for the buck.
Some years ago i bought a rg760 from the early 90s for under 300 what would you say is this guitar? 
Looking on the price beginner level i would say, on the other hand quality wise top notch.

So to me beginner guitars are non existent.

Anyways back on topic i think if you want to play 7 string and you are willing to practice get one, get it used and if you dont like it sell it.
I honestly think playing 7 strings improves playing in terms of technique (if you practice proper) at least for me it did.

899 for the indo ibanez seems way too much to me considering what you can get used for the money.


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## GrayLion (Apr 16, 2019)

Also beginner here. Currently learning on a classic guitar and looking for my first electric. Looking at the Harley Benton R-457 WH Fanfret (sorry, not allowed to post link) where the pickups are reportedly utter sh*te, so they'd need replacing immediately.


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## GrayLion (Apr 16, 2019)

Just got warned off of that guitar by a Thomann salesman


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## diagrammatiks (Apr 16, 2019)

GrayLion said:


> Just got warned off of that guitar by a Thomann salesman



Lol when they don’t even want to sell you their own guitars. What was his reason.


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## 777timesgod (Apr 16, 2019)

GrayLion said:


> Also beginner here. Currently learning on a classic guitar and looking for my first electric. Looking at the Harley Benton R-457 WH Fanfret (sorry, not allowed to post link) where the pickups are reportedly utter sh*te, so they'd need replacing immediately.



Did you try the fan fretted type and liked it? If not check it out first before buying. If you just need a 7 string then there are many choices but fanned fret is not so easy, especially on a budget.

If money is an issue, you can check the used market, Harley Bentons are not really a great choice. They are aimed at the new player who does not know anything about gear and does not want to spend much.

Since you like Korn/Deftones, Ibanez and LTD have many cheap models for you to choose from. Let us know your budget and maybe someone here can point you on the right direction.


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## GrayLion (Apr 16, 2019)

Wrong guy - my kink is Knopfler, The Edge, Gilmoure up to AC/DC. I just jumped into the thread. 

The reason the Thomann guy gave was really poor quality control. I am now looking at a Cort KX500MS. But that basically means that it won't be my first ...


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## FILTHnFEAR (Apr 16, 2019)

Get a 7. 

You can play everything you can on a 6, it'll improve your technique to avoid the 7th string if it's not needed, and honestly it opens up a lot of cool, creative possibilities. 

Playing got so much more fun and interesting to me when I started playing 7's after a few years hiatus from them.


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## diagrammatiks (Apr 16, 2019)

GrayLion said:


> Wrong guy - my kink is Knopfler, The Edge, Gilmoure up to AC/DC. I just jumped into the thread.
> 
> The reason the Thomann guy gave was really poor quality control. I am now looking at a Cort KX500MS. But that basically means that it won't be my first ...




I’d avoid the Cort unless you can try it out first. The design of the parallel fret makes it a very weird fan for anyone that doesn’t have Tom winspear sized yeti hands. 

There is the cheaper Jackson and schecter reaper series available now you should look into.


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## LeviathanKiller (Apr 16, 2019)

Buy a 7 (preferably 26.5" imo, wouldn't do 27" or longer when starting out). If you decide that 7 is too complicated for now, simply remove the 7th string. WHY in the world have none of you other guys suggested this yet? 

If you do remove the 7th string, you'll still be learning to work with a 7-string neck which will make perfect for when you do decide to add the 7th string back into the mix.

I switched to 7-strings about 2 years ago and haven't looked back really. Playing on a 7-string has been MUCH more comfortable for me.

Also, when selecting a guitar, be sure to post here so we can help you out with any options. While you don't _need _a fancy guitar to start out, I would at least get a decent one that has nice stock pickups. The Schecter Reaper series seems to be getting some love and Solar has some really nice options too.

What's your price range? I see you're located in London so Thomann is one of your major music gear distributors right?


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## GrayLion (Apr 16, 2019)

*g*, my profile says Ireland. where London isn't  Thomann is more or less the best option, since I am aiming to get most of my kit form there. And the Cort seems the next best option if I want fanfret which seems to be the rational thing with a 7 string. Since the HB had really crappy pickups, I was thinking swapping them out for Seymour Duncan PRails. Custom made for 7 string and with vintage rails rather than hot rails.

What I like about the Cort is that it is ash.

At the moment I am looking at a 6 string rig instead with the Cort G 260. If ye are saying I can do without fanfret What would you suggest? I'd prefer not to break 300€ or 400€ max


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## GrayLion (Apr 16, 2019)

https://www.thomann.de/ie/dean_guitars_mab_7x_michael_angelo_batio_cb.htm looks decent with pickups that aren't overly violent and a trem. But 25.5" scale length?

Or the Ibanez RGMS7-BK Multiscale? Change pickups now, fit trem later?


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## Thaeon (Apr 16, 2019)

I transitioned from 6 to 7 almost ten years ago. 7 to 8, 7 years ago. Sold my 8's 2 years ago, and bought a new one this year. Missed it too much. I write songs and melody on a 6 because its easier to utilize the entirety of standard chord shapes. I write most of the riff on the lower strings and transpose the songs lower for the 8 if that's what I hear. There are myriad ways to tune a guitar however many strings it has. If you start out on a 7 or even an 8, it won't honestly be any different than starting out on a 6. Maybe a little more physical. But not by enough for it to matter all that much.


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## LeviathanKiller (Apr 16, 2019)

GrayLion said:


> *g*, my profile says Ireland. where London isn't  Thomann is more or less the best option, since I am aiming to get most of my kit form there. And the Cort seems the next best option if I want fanfret which seems to be the rational thing with a 7 string. Since the HB had really crappy pickups, I was thinking swapping them out for Seymour Duncan PRails. Custom made for 7 string and with vintage rails rather than hot rails.
> 
> What I like about the Cort is that it is ash.
> 
> At the moment I am looking at a 6 string rig instead with the Cort G 260. If ye are saying I can do without fanfret What would you suggest? I'd prefer not to break 300€ or 400€ max



I was responding to OP but didn't realize you had necro-bumped and were the one seeking advice. My bad.

You can do with or without multi-scale. It'll make some chording work easier, some harder.

I'd avoid getting custom pickups made for your first electric guitar. There's plenty of great stock options to try first before diving into something custom. Plus custom shop would cost you quite a bit. You're looking at spending at least $300 USD for a set of customs from Seymour Duncan. That's a conservative estimate and it's already sitting equal to what you want to spend on a guitar.

Have you checked out Solar guitars? They ship to Ireland and Thomann also sells some models. The stock pickups in them are pretty good. They can be around $700 USD new but you might get lucky on a B-stock directly from them or try to find one used. They are really good quality in my experience.

There's not much in your price range of 300€ to 400€ that's going to be without some sort of compromises. The Harley Benton might be a good option and then just swap pickups when you can.


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## GrayLion (Apr 16, 2019)

Solar 7 strings seem to be costing over 1k$. What about the Dean MAB-7X Michael Angelo Batio CB , even though it has 25.5 string length, or the Ibanez RGMS7-BK Multiscale?

The Dean is tempting due to less loud pickups and tremolo.

Another option seems to be the Schecter Banshee 7 Extreme BCHB

My feeling at the moment is that I'd probably rather compromise on 7 strings than on the kind of pickups I want. That would just annoy me all the time. Again, I am looking for clean sound, not metal.


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## ixlramp (Apr 16, 2019)

> 7 string ok for beginners?

Yes of course, you should play whatever instrument your intuition desires, otherwise you are just pointlessly torturing yourself.
Only playing a 7 is practice for playing a 7, playing fewer strings is not.

This 'master X first before you play the Y you really want' thing irritates me and is irrational.
Someone said that to me once when i desired a 6 string bass: "master 4 string first", i would have died of old age before touching a 6 string. He was a 4 string bassist, unsurprisingly.
No-one delayed me getting a 6 but now i do i wish i had started even sooner.

Also ridiculous is this idea you have to increment upwards by 1 string at a time, that just wastes even more of your money and time and makes your true desire even more distant.

Playing instruments that don't interest you as much increases the chances of you getting bored and giving up on playing before you get the instrument that inspires you.


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## ixlramp (Apr 16, 2019)

Emperor Guillotine said:


> Sounds like you're just trying to fit into the trend of "more strings" or "7 is the new 6" (whatever the mentality is).


Doesn't sound like it to me.


Zeus1907 said:


> I think guitarist should be well rounded, before venturing too far left of center.
> Learn the basics, then, transition to ERG's.


Nonsense. If you desire an ERG from the start, once you get to ERG you'll regret not starting sooner.


J_men said:


> I got the idea of buying a 7 string because I've always been interested in what gives a style of music it's signature sound. But I guess there's still a lot of fun stuff I can do with the 6, without needing to over complicating things


This is very sad to see. You obviously have an interest in 7 but you're now pointlessly deciding to play instruments that interest you less.
7 is not overcomplicated, neither is 8.
Don't let fools kill your dreams with their own irrationality.


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## LeviathanKiller (Apr 16, 2019)

GrayLion said:


> Solar 7 strings seem to be costing over 1k$. What about the Dean MAB-7X Michael Angelo Batio CB , even though it has 25.5 string length, or the Ibanez RGMS7-BK Multiscale?
> 
> The Dean is tempting due to less loud pickups and tremolo.
> 
> ...



No, there's one for 619 euros. Quite a few between 600 and 700 euros actually.

I think I tried a cheaper Dean maybe once. I wouldn't recommend Dean based off that experience I had.

Ibanez in this price range isn't going to be good either. Schecter has been much better in my experience testing/playing the lower end series from those mentioned brands.

That Banshee Extreme looks like a great option actually. One of the few people I've seen with one said they enjoyed it a lot so I'd give it a shot.


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## spudmunkey (Apr 16, 2019)

7-string isn't, like, 16.66667% harder than 6-string. If 7-string were "too hard", then why don't we all play 5-string, which would be easier? There's only 5 more notes you can't play on a 5-string that you can on a 6, right?

You'll find it MUCH easier to learn on a 7 than going from 6 to a 7. I tried for about 3 months to switch from 6 to 7, and it was way harder to re-program my brain than I was expecting.


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## spudmunkey (Apr 16, 2019)

High Plains Drifter said:


> Moving from 6 to 8 strings can be quite a daunting move but moving from 6 to 7 is very natural..



Funny you say that...I've seen that mentioned before, but I've seen a couple people say that 6-to-7 was a bit of a struggle, because it was like they were dancing and then god suddenly gave them a 3rd foot...while an 8-string seemed like a whole 'nother instrument, which was easier to wrap their head around as it seemed to take a whole different mindset. I can't vouch for either, though, so don't listen to me.


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## GrayLion (Apr 17, 2019)

What about Legator Ninja P?


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## High Plains Drifter (Apr 17, 2019)

spudmunkey said:


> Funny you say that...I've seen that mentioned before, but I've seen a couple people say that 6-to-7 was a bit of a struggle, because it was like they were dancing and then god suddenly gave them a 3rd foot...while an 8-string seemed like a whole 'nother instrument, which was easier to wrap their head around as it seemed to take a whole different mindset. I can't vouch for either, though, so don't listen to me.



It really does seem to be quite different for everyone. I can certainly understand that mindset in regards to 8-strings. I think there's a lot of variables that go into the equation... learning ability, what type of music the person is wanting to play, etc. I'm an oddball because I use my sevens for sludgy stoner type stuff typically. In that regard I don't think I fit the norm of this forum because I'm not into the whole death/ black/ djent scene. I use my sevens when I want to bridge the gap between typical metal rhythm/ solo stuff and deep low end riffing. I think that the transition for me was easy due to the fact that 1) I don't do things right... and 2) it's nothing more to me than simply adding a low B to standard tuning.


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## GrayLion (Apr 17, 2019)

Jackson DKAF7 MS X-Series Dinky IL looks like the best option so far


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## LeviathanKiller (Apr 17, 2019)

GrayLion said:


> What about Legator Ninja P?



No to Legator. The only Legator I'd ever buy was one someone took to a professional luthier and had fix into a decent instrument. The quality is horrible judging by the amount of complaints I've seen actual buyers/players have. Meanwhile, they'll give their artists nice fixed up ones to advertise with. You'll have much better luck with that Banshee Extreme.


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## diagrammatiks (Apr 17, 2019)

GrayLion said:


> Jackson DKAF7 MS X-Series Dinky IL looks like the best option so far



That Jackson ff is a great bang for the buck guitar.


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## GrayLion (Apr 17, 2019)

diagrammatiks said:


> That Jackson ff is a great bang for the buck guitar.



Yes, but no trem and hot pickups, where I want vintage. What looks very tempting, especially for the money is the Schecter Banshee 7 Extreme CB. Tremolo can be refitted and I'll have to live without the fanfret. That bears the question about pulling the high notes - doable? What kind of gauge would people recommend?


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## Se7enHeaven (Apr 18, 2019)

For the price I think Solar is one of the best companies, at least if you're playing rock/metal. There's something buttery about the play and fretboard, whereas other guitars I have (1.5 to 2 times the price) have a stiffer feel when played. I like it easy on the fingers since I tend to press too hard at times (lack of technical skill, lol).


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## GrayLion (Apr 19, 2019)

Thanks!. I am after clean tones though. Schecter Banshee 7 Extreme seems to currently tick most of my boxes


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## Se7enHeaven (Apr 20, 2019)

Solar can do clean tones, that's not an issue.. it's when you start cranking things up that you hear the difference between other metal type guitars and the clarity of a Solar. The Solar pickups (presuming they are the Solar models) are very flat... no noticeable bass, midrange or treble, which makes them very ideal for tweaking your own gear and for the tone to cut through the mix.


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## HungryGuitarStudent (Apr 20, 2019)

I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun learning to play a 7-string. At the end of the day, it's an outlet for musical creations and if having 7 strings inspires you more and corresponds more to your musical tastes, then go for it and don't listen to the irrational "increment by 1 string" argument.

For ease of playing I'd recommend one with "small' scale length (25.5), jumbo frets and a "thin" neck, but that's just me, try many and you'll find what feels right.


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## PunkBillCarson (Apr 20, 2019)

Something that a lot of people forget is that when a player can't sound similar to what they want to play, it discourages them. People always told me that I should only play with a clean tone, no distortion when I was starting out and I'm like "well, Metallica and all my favorite bands don't play clean when they're really hammering, so why should I?" The closer you can get to sounding like how you want to sound, the better off you'll be and the more likely you are to pick up your instrument. If a kid just starting out wanted to get a 7 to play Korn, I'd tell them the same thing. You don't HAVE to start on anything you don't want to start on. Selecting the right tool for the job in music is half the battle.


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## Se7enHeaven (Apr 21, 2019)

Not sure if anyone else stated this, but I think it also depends on how long your fingers are. I have smallish hands, and although I play 7 and 8 string guitars (often using 6 string), I don't find it that big a deal. Then again, I do more riffing and melodic lead vs. shredding (just can't get into that and it). If a beginner has a good finger span, I don't think playing a 7 string is a big deal, and often people use the top string as a open drone or the odd 'bass line' within a riff, etc. It's not like you have to learn much more music theory when adding a string.


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## 777timesgod (Apr 27, 2019)

A good thing with learning on a 7 string is that it is harder to wrap your thumb over the fretboard from the back to the front due to the width of the neck. When I begun I used to wrap the thumb over the neck and reached the fretboard as opposed to the more proper way of keeping the thumb out of sight and extending the fingers on the fretboard in a more linear way. When I began lessons my teacher called me out on it and my response was "But Slash does it as well..."  
When I bought my first 7 string (a Washburn WG157) it helped a lot as it was a pain to go the wrong way.


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## Se7enHeaven (Apr 27, 2019)

I find wrapping the thumb over top is useful in certain situations, long intense string bending (just ask Clapton). Hard on the fingers if you don't use your thumb joint and hand strength to participate. Tell your teacher that.


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## 777timesgod (May 1, 2019)

Se7enHeaven said:


> I find wrapping the thumb over top is useful in certain situations, long intense string bending (just ask Clapton). Hard on the fingers if you don't use your thumb joint and hand strength to participate. Tell your teacher that.



Agreed but I have not seen him in more than a decade to present the comeback. Lol. I do wrap the thumb for some instances in songs but I make sure to return to the proper position to prevent tiring myself as doing the wrap creates big tension.


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## Shadow Explorer (May 3, 2019)

I started taking lessions on a 7string, there are only a couple of things that work differently than a 6.

Bending correctly (as in using your thumb as a lever) can be way more difficult, especially on the 1st string.
You might need to slightly modify the position of the thumb a bit lower to make it work.

String Muting is more difficult.

Other than that it's just a guitar with an extra string. I learned guitar on a classic acoustic one, the nut width is the same as my 7string Les Pauls. (5cm) so I feel like home playing one. I no longer use a 6 string, however I do see the sevenstring as a 6+1 guitar.

When I played with 6ers, I downtuned to C (I like In Flames you see), now I just transpose the parts I play
and also have a regular 6 string tuning at my disposal to jam with others.


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## Djentlover666 (May 26, 2019)

It's a slippery slope. I got a 7, then in months got an 8 string then 6 or 8 months later got a 9, and guess what, I kinda want a 10.


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## LeviathanKiller (Jun 9, 2019)

Djentlover666 said:


> It's a slippery slope. I got a 7, then in months got an 8 string then 6 or 8 months later got a 9, and guess what, I kinda want a 10.


You just have a problem


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## Phil Lewis (Jun 9, 2019)

GrayLion said:


> Yes, but no trem and hot pickups, where I want vintage. What looks very tempting, especially for the money is the Schecter Banshee 7 Extreme CB. *Tremolo can be refitted* and I'll have to live without the fanfret. That bears the question about pulling the high notes - doable? What kind of gauge would people recommend?



I’d just like to point out that you e mentioned a couple of times that “a teen can be fitted later”.

It’s really not that straightforward. That’s a major piece of luthiery work, including routing lots of wood out of the body, and making sure the geometry is all correct. It may be possible, but don’t bank on it. And even if it is possible, you’d looking at high hundreds - at least - in overall cost.


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## LeviathanKiller (Jun 9, 2019)

Phil Lewis said:


> I’d just like to point out that you e mentioned a couple of times that “a teen can be fitted later”.



A WHAT CAN WHAT?


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## Konfyouzd (Jun 9, 2019)

Play the instrument you hear in your head. If it's a 7, then get a 7.


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## Phil Lewis (Jun 9, 2019)

LeviathanKiller said:


> A WHAT CAN WHAT?


Ha. IPhone autocarrot. Should have said “trem”.


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## Se7enHeaven (Jun 9, 2019)

Phil Lewis said:


> Ha. IPhone autocarrot. Should have said “trem”.



No, I think it was a Freudian slip, lol


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