2 Years of playing a seven string

[AlexMg]

first of all, im pretty new to guitar, im far from Guthrie Govan but i know my way around my own genre, i play something that can only be explained by combining Pantera, Sleep and periphery (Yeah thats kind of a weird combination). it must be my fourth? year playing. when i started and played my friends Epiphone Les Paul custom gothic it felt huge and bulky, i couldn't understand how he could play such a huge neck. i was playing SGR by Schecter C-1 at the time. when i first touched soon to be my Ibanez 7321 i instantly fell in love with the fast playing thin neck. after playing it for 2 years almost 2-3 (at least) every single day, with very few exceptions, i got used to it very much. now when i play anything that has relatively narrow neck, i make a fool of myself by failing miserably! i just cant seem to re-adapt to a six string anymore, my classical guitar has neck as wide as my ibby (almost) so thats not much of help either.
-what do you guys do to fight that ?
-how long have you been playing a seven string?
-how long have you been playing a six string before?
-do you have any troubles adjusting?
-recommend me a six string that wont feel like a mandolin compared to by Wizard II-7s
Just General thread comparing ERG to Standard Guitars

 

[A-Branger]

I can realte but in the bass world. I played 4 string for 3 years? then I got my five string and nevver went back. Never though to use my 4 string for alternate tunings (I could have learn some Mudvayne stuff)... didnt knew that was posible. Now I have 15 years (or so) playing only 5 strings.

yes, it feels weird to go back to a tinny neck on a 4

- to fight that?..... just suck it up princess and things would flow again

 

[AlexMg]

- to fight that?..... just suck it up princess and things would flow again

sucking it up is not a problem, but there are lots of occasions where i have to use a six string, when writing songs with my band mates and thats a serious problem for me

 

[JohnIce]

I've been playing guitar since 1999, got my first seven in 2004, went back and forth until about 2012 and have played almost exclusively 7-strings since then.

In my experience, the longer you play the less bothered you'll get by differences in guitars. You learn the instrument so well that you learn to adapt to things like neck dimensions, scale lengths, string height and so on.

I compare that to the violin, which I started learning just 2-3 years ago. To me, the difference from one violin to another is astronomical, because I'm just not that experienced yet.

The advice I'd give is don't expect things to be easy It's not a problem you can fix immediately by just buying the right guitar, it's something that you'll just have to continue to work on until it's not a problem anymore.

 

[A-Branger]

sucking it up is not a problem, but there are lots of occasions where i have to use a six string, when writing songs with my band mates and thats a serious problem for me

heheh

theres no magic formula. Theres no a 6 string with a wide fretboard. ITs a matter to get used to it again... Maybe a ticker neck could help?

 

[AlexMg]

heheh

theres no magic formula. Theres no a 6 string with a wide fretboard. ITs a matter to get used to it again... Maybe a ticker neck could help?

Yeah, looking for a neck with a thicker neck

 

[p0ke]

Just play both enough to get used to both. I played 6-strings for around 5-6 years before getting my RG1527 and then I played that almost exclusively for about the same time. Then I joined my current band, and we play in C-standard, so the 7-string wasn't really an option. So now I mostly play my 6-string Xiphos, but when jamming at home I usually end up grabbing my RG, because it's the highest quality instrument I have, not really because it has an extra string (and wider neck).
The only issue I have with switching between those is that if I've practiced a riff on the 6-string I might need to re-learn it on the 7 or vice versa, especially if I'm playing some big chords or doing some fingerpicking stuff. For example playing Stairway to Heaven, I fail miserably trying to play it on my 7, but on the 6 it's fine

So yeah, like A-Branger said... Just suck it up. That's the only solution, really.

 

[AlexMg]

Seems like a plan!

 

[Glades]

Why would you want to play 6 strings? 7 strings are far superior instruments j/k

 

[AlexMg]

Why would you want to play 6 strings? 7 strings are far superior instruments j/k

thing is i cant take my axe to work and usually the rehearsal is right after, i lose an hour in a trip, so not worth it.

 

[bostjan]

I've been playing guitar seriously for 26 years now, and playing seven strings for more than 20 years of that. When I made the switch to sevens, I did so 100%, and made the transition very quickly. I was young then, so the adjustment wasn't too difficult. But, I also found it more difficult going back to sixes than adjusting to sevens, and then, about ten years ago, when I switched to playing 8 strings a lot, it made it even more difficult going back to an old six string. For me, it's more difficult to keep myself from reaching for something that isn't there than to ignore something that is there.

The most practical way to get used to switching back and forth is simply to switch back and forth when you are practicing.

It sounds more like you are trying to get more accustomed to a loaner guitar than it is a matter of getting used to six strings in general. Why not get a guitar similar to the loaner you have to use, then, and keep it around for practicing at home? Or else, if you are getting another guitar to use at rehearsal, then why not get a seven string? I suppose I don't entirely follow the situation.

 

[7 Dying Trees]

-what do you guys do to fight that ?
nothing, basically can pretty much pick up any guitar, and play it, regardless of the amount of strings. Now, that doesn't mean I'll know what to play on it (like a 9 string) but I will be able to do something.

-how long have you been playing a seven string?
Since the turn of the millenium, which makes it a very long time.

-how long have you been playing a six string before?
About 6? 7? years

-do you have any troubles adjusting?
None at all, although before i got my first 7, I tuned a 6 string to the last bottom 6 strings of a 7 to get used to where all the notes would be. Is easy to switch between 6, 7 and 8 (when i still had 8strings)

 

[soldierkahn]

first of all, im pretty new to guitar, im far from Guthrie Govan but i know my way around my own genre, i play something that can only be explained by combining Pantera, Sleep and periphery (Yeah thats kind of a weird combination). it must be my fourth? year playing. when i started and played my friends Epiphone Les Paul custom gothic it felt huge and bulky, i couldn't understand how he could play such a huge neck. i was playing SGR by Schecter C-1 at the time. when i first touched soon to be my Ibanez 7321 i instantly fell in love with the fast playing thin neck. after playing it for 2 years almost 2-3 (at least) every single day, with very few exceptions, i got used to it very much. now when i play anything that has relatively narrow neck, i make a fool of myself by failing miserably! i just cant seem to re-adapt to a six string anymore, my classical guitar has neck as wide as my ibby (almost) so thats not much of help either.
-what do you guys do to fight that ?
-how long have you been playing a seven string?
-how long have you been playing a six string before?
-do you have any troubles adjusting?
-recommend me a six string that wont feel like a mandolin compared to by Wizard II-7s
Just General thread comparing ERG to Standard Guitars

I had a similar problem when I started doing the same thing. I started with a 7321, moved to a 7620, then to an 8527, and finally my 1077XL. It was very difficult when I went back to playing 6s again, but i found that it was an easier transition from 7s to using Prestige RG6s, due to the Prestiges having a slightly wider neck (IMO, i know people think im full of shit). Now, I havent been able to play any of the newer model Prestige 7s, which are 2mm wider than the 8527 and 1077, so I dont know about the transition between newer Prestige RG7s to Prestige Rg6s or Production RG6s, however in the next week or two i have a Prestige RGD2127 coming in so I can draw a better comparison once it arrives.

 

[soldierkahn]

sucking it up is not a problem, but there are lots of occasions where i have to use a six string, when writing songs with my band mates and thats a serious problem for me

i know this may sound assinine, but have you tried stringing your 7 up as a 6, with a doubled High E? I did that with my 1077XL when my bandmates were using 6s to make it easier to write with them?

 

[AlexMg]

i know this may sound assinine, but have you tried stringing your 7 up as a 6, with a doubled High E? I did that with my 1077XL when my bandmates were using 6s to make it easier to write with them?

Wow, never thought of that, wont be there issues with the nut tho ? since the slot difference is quite a big thing in ERGs

 

[AlexMg]

I've been playing guitar seriously for 26 years now, and playing seven strings for more than 20 years of that. When I made the switch to sevens, I did so 100%, and made the transition very quickly. I was young then, so the adjustment wasn't too difficult. But, I also found it more difficult going back to sixes than adjusting to sevens, and then, about ten years ago, when I switched to playing 8 strings a lot, it made it even more difficult going back to an old six string. For me, it's more difficult to keep myself from reaching for something that isn't there than to ignore something that is there.

The most practical way to get used to switching back and forth is simply to switch back and forth when you are practicing.

It sounds more like you are trying to get more accustomed to a loaner guitar than it is a matter of getting used to six strings in general. Why not get a guitar similar to the loaner you have to use, then, and keep it around for practicing at home? Or else, if you are getting another guitar to use at rehearsal, then why not get a seven string? I suppose I don't entirely follow the situation.

i have actually tried this since i borrowed my friend six string guitar, it helps a lot to practice half an hour on 6 string and then on 7 string! thanks man <3

 

[Vyn]

IBut, I also found it more difficult going back to sixes than adjusting to sevens, and then, about ten years ago, when I switched to playing 8 strings a lot, it made it even more difficult going back to an old six string. For me, it's more difficult to keep myself from reaching for something that isn't there than to ignore something that is there.

This. I keep going to grab E2 when playing in 4th or 5th position all the fucking time on a 6 string only to find nothing but air xD

 

[littlebadboy]

After having 2 7-stringers, I still couldn't adapt to it well enough. I still defaulted to my 6-stringers. I still needed the low tune, so I looked at octave pedals. The Digitech Drop was the best! Now, all my 6-stringers give me my down tune needs through the Digitech Drop... even my grampa tele!

 

[soldierkahn]

Wow, never thought of that, wont be there issues with the nut tho ? since the slot difference is quite a big thing in ERGs

NO issues what so ever. I did this both on my 1077XL and my 8527. One was for Drop D with a doubled high E which sounds really cool when you learn how to use it right. The 1077 i used for Drop-B with a doubled high C# (Wes Borland did the same thing with his Ibby sevens, even his RG7CST). Its really a wonderful thing to try out once in a while, not to mention your tone of playing a 7 like a 6 will have a much BEEFIER sound due to the extra wood in the neck. I LOVED the way it sounded.

~edit: just noticed that you were talking about a regular nut and not a locking nut. on both of my examples I had a locking nut, so it might be different for standard nuts, i apologize. Ive still done it before on the 7321, but i dont know how god of an example that is

 

[Vyn]

NO issues what so ever. I did this both on my 1077XL and my 8527. One was for Drop D with a doubled high E which sounds really cool when you learn how to use it right. The 1077 i used for Drop-B with a doubled high C# (Wes Borland did the same thing with his Ibby sevens, even his RG7CST). Its really a wonderful thing to try out once in a while, not to mention your tone of playing a 7 like a 6 will have a much BEEFIER sound due to the extra wood in the neck. I LOVED the way it sounded.

~edit: just noticed that you were talking about a regular nut and not a locking nut. on both of my examples I had a locking nut, so it might be different for standard nuts, i apologize. Ive still done it before on the 7321, but i dont know how god of an example that is

Was about to say that there shouldn't be any nut issues, especially if you play 9's - E string is .009, B string is .011, virtually no difference.