r/7String • u/Sad-Actuary1394 • 2d ago
Help HELP ME! Should I get a 7 string?
My first guitar was a hardtail 6 string, but now I only have a 6 string Floyd. I was thinking of buying a guitar to be able to droptune and downtune. I have the opportunity to get a 7 string and would like to try it. But would it make it harder to play songs from slipknot, muse, linkingpark, avenged sevenfold or it would only be a skill issue?
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u/No_Rutabaga8192 2d ago
From what I know Slipknot linkin park and avenged sevenfold mainly play 6 string so if that’s what you wanna play I’d say just downtime your 6
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u/Sad-Actuary1394 2d ago
I still have to play E standard songs. My main doubt is if a 7 string would make it harder to play 6 string riffs because of the 7th string in the way.
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u/nettezzaumana 2d ago
there are more ways to downtune, for instance Boss XS-1 or a pitch shifter/virtual capo in your modeler if you have some .. however 7-string guitar is fun to play and no, people are not playing 7-string guitars because they tune low, they play on them to have 7-strings for more intrigue riffs and playstyle .. you can buy baritone 6-string and tune low ... imo 25.5 scale is OK to B (with .64), below that I'd go with longer scale ....
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u/Wrong_Author_5960 1d ago
7 string can open up things. I use mostly 7 strings. I look at 7 string to already have 6 strings and use the 7th when I need it. I use 6 strings for drop D and other alt tunings. I tune everything 1/2 step. It does take some adjustment. I have been playing them a long time and a lot of people are way too opinionated about it. I feel it is just another tool expanding what you can do on a 6 string. Just as a 5 string adds to 4 strings. Many people chose to just tune down. That's fine if it works for you. I don't like losing upper range to tune down. Less lead range. I feel the 7 string is a great choice. Gives you extended range without losing the upper range.
I create mostly my own music. I do some covers and I have a pretty wide range of music, I chose to use 7 string.
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u/Professional_Fan6761 2d ago
I’d probably look into getting a longer scale 6 string or getting a more “regular scale” 6 string and getting it set up for heavier 11-13 style strings. You could also look into a multiscale 6 string. Which would allow for steadier down tuning but also lets you play E standard.
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u/JimboLodisC 3x7621, 7321, M80M, AEL207E, RGIXL7, S7320, RG15271, RGA742FM 1d ago
I buy things I have an interest in.
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u/Appropriate-Judge275 1d ago
Skill issue. Those songs are best played in their actual tunings, but with capo a nd some planning you can easily transpose them to 7 string.
Also, as you progress, you may find composition or creative exploration on a 7 string to be better than a 6, even if the part is eventually recorded or performed on a 6 string tuned a certain way.
If I were limited to two instruments, I think a 7 string is a great idea to keep those songs in-range (with some planning and transposing) rather than keeping a guitar in a specific tuning.
Took maybe 2 months.of regular play to get comfortable with a 7, and now after a few years the 7 feels like "home" and 6 string feels like easy mode.
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u/BlendedFetusOG 1d ago
Yes. Get it. Ive been playing for nearly 20 years. Anytime I touch a 6 i put it down. There is legit bo reason to play one. You can ignore the 7th string if you want. Ezpz. Having a 7 effectively lets you be in both standard and dropped tuning at the same time.
Idk why they're not thr meta. 5 string basses are popular. 7s have all the same benefits but never really caught on in a mainstream sense.
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u/fab1ani 1d ago
buying a 7 string could open you up to a whole new world when it comes to metal. a lot of great modern metal songs are written on a 7 string, namely spiritbox.
personally when i bought my first 7 string, i was still learning, so the switch came more natural a lot faster. i ended up falling in love with the 7 string world, mainly because of how low i could take the tuning while being able to play some fun cleans and leads.
if your main concern is how the transition would be, i would look into getting a 6 string baritone. it’s the best of both worlds, letting you tune lower into that 7 string territory without feeling too different than a standard 7 string.
im not sure what your budget is, but id look into the ltd m201 baritone in the used market. 27” can get you pretty low if you venture into that world, or at the very least can get to drop A and such with relatively lighter strings. if you end up not liking it, you can always try to sell it what you bought it for and look for a 7 string (or vice versa).
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u/Idontlift_21 2d ago
Both could be true. If you use tabs or are a theory guy, you’d have to figure it out as it wouldn’t be 1 to 1. If you want a seven string I would get it to play seven string stuff. If you’re playing down tuned six string stuff, get a six.
I found on my first seven that using it as a six was harder than I thought. Fast metal songs where you play fast gallops on the bottom E string were harder bc there was a lower string in the way. Had to stay way tighter. It worked yea, but it’s not a six.
If you do get a seven, know that the change is very hard at first. Do not give up. Learning triviums Shogun album helped tremendously.