Advantages/Disadvantages of 7 string guitars?

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xedwinx206

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Hey guys i'm looking at getting a 7 string guitar, but i want to know is it really worth having that extra string? I'm a huge fan of Unearth, that is what got me thinking about a 7 string guitar. Any reccomendations on 7 string models that are good? I've been looking at a Schecter Damien 7 string.
thanks for any input
edwin song
 
for a good deal on a 7string i'd say go to ebay and find either a ibanez RG7620 or RG1527.

i see no disadvantage to 7strings unless you like to string it with Elixirs since they dont make 7string sets.
 
sweet thanks for the input. I hear that the s series was a really good series, but are very hard to find?
thanks again
edwin song
 
I have an Ibanez S7420 and I love it, I also have an RG7620 and between the two, the RG almost never gets played. Ibanez just started making another S 7 string this year- the S7320 - I haven't played it yet, but if I was going to buy a new one it would be the one I bought. I've also owned 3 other Ibanez 7 strings that were all RG's (one was a prestige), and I was never impressed with the RG's like I am with the S. The Schecter Damien has a better neck than some of their other 7 strings IMO, but it's pickups are horrible (IMO). I see no disadvantage with 7 strings, it just takes an adjustment period to get use to the extra string.
 
I would have to say that a con would be expecting to pay AT LEAST 1/6th increase in a price that normal guitar strings cost.
 
Check out the Music Man JP7.

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i really am diggiing the Ibanez S7320 so i think im going to look for a used one on ebay or something. I will definately be swapping in some EMG's when i get it though
thanks
edwin song
 
disadvantage? how about three months after you buy, it has become a dust collector. now you're left thinking of better things you could have done with your money, not to mention the depreciation factor.

JUST BE SURE YOU REALLY WANT IT, and it's not something you're doing on a whim. everybody i know that's bought one has wound up selling them at a loss after the honeymoon ended.
 
yea im going to borrow one of my friend's 7 string guitars for a while to see if i like it enough to buy one.
thanks
edwin song
 
xedwinx206 said:
yea im going to borrow one of my friend's 7 string guitars for a while to see if i like it enough to buy one.
thanks
edwin song

that's a VERY Good idea edwin. I bought a cheap Peavey Predator ST7 from a friend for like $150 and ended up selling it after finding out the 7 string guitar thing is a cool idea, but not for me. I picked it up and played a few Dream Theater songs and random heavy stuff I made up, but got bored with it REAL quick.

The Music Man JP7 posted above is not an entry level 7 string! That's the mack daddy of 7 strings. It's a good $2500 too... You'd have to LOVE 7 strings to throw down that much cash for one of those bad boys. I LOVE 6 strings and thus threw down that much for my MM 6er that i'm still waiting for...
 
another thing is that i play a lot in drop d so it seems like if i did that with a 7 string i would have then tune the b to an a and than it seems a little overkill? Anyways i want one really bad but i dont want to blow my money on something and not like it.
thanks
edwin song
 
Playing in drop D on a 7 is really no big issue. You can drop the low B to an A if you like but I've found interesting voices leaving it as is. I think it compliments the high open B.
 
If you do any over the top thumb fretting on low E on a 6 string, it's really tough to do on a seven. That's the only disadvantage i've run into and i've been playing 7 strings for about 10-12 years.
 
xedwinx206 said:
Any reccomendations on 7 string models that are good? I've been looking at a Schecter Damien 7 string.

Some players have picked up a 7-string and never touch their 6er's any more. If and when you decide on a 7-string and you look at a Schecter- I believe you will like the Hellraiser C-7 or the new ATX models better than the Damien model.
The Jeff Loomis 7-string model is awesome also. :wink:
 
urklvt said:
Playing in drop D on a 7 is really no big issue. You can drop the low B to an A if you like but I've found interesting voices leaving it as is. I think it compliments the high open B.

thats because the D is a minor 3rd of B
 
Ever since I picked up my EBMM JP7, all of my other guitars just sit and collect dust.
 
the other guitar player in my band plays a 7 string and it sound really cool. Some of those low notes are just erie. I'd like to find a les paul scale 7 string though.
 
nomad100hd said:
the other guitar player in my band plays a 7 string and it sound really cool. Some of those low notes are just erie. I'd like to find a les paul scale 7 string though.

on a les paul scale the strings would get quite sloppy and loose most likely. but i did see a 7string les paul on craigslist a few weeks ago.
 
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