Can't play 6ers anymore

[drmosh]

I only have a problem switching from my longer scale 8s and 7s back to 6s, but only for a moment. then I am right back in there

 

[Alma Mare]

I've only had my 7 for a month and for some reason, even though both the 7 and the 6 have the same scale length (25'5) and string gauges (0.09), the 7 feels like the strings have a lot more tension (it's a string-thru, the 6 has a floyd, maybe it's that?). The result is whenever I pick the 6 I feel like I'm manhandling the thing. My bends and vibratos can get into wack-zakk territory easily and the overall feel is that the thing is small, like a toy. But I still feel everybit at home as I ever did (10 years on that 6).

It's fun because I have to approach leads with a whole diferent mindset. Perfect for those dramatic, treble-heavy leads.

 

[Petef2007]

I can play either fine, but i'm more at home on a 7 then i am on a 6. I used to have a lot of 6's, but now i play 7's exclusively (both jamming and in my band), and thus have no need of a 6.

 

[headibanez]

my 6er friend is laughing over at you guys, he will never understand 7 love

 

[Konfyouzd]

^ has he played one? both 6s and 7s are awesome in their own way. i hate it when people say shit like "<insert famous guitarist> never needed that many strings"

i'm not saying that's what your friend thinks but it just came to mind. but if he hasn't already he should at least give a 7 a try. they're fun stuff!

 

[TomParenteau]

My 6-strings are super nice customs. They stay in there cases (they are pissed!) because I prefer to play my crappy Ibanez GiO 7-string! It's hard to go back to 6. They are missing something.

This should probably be a whole different thread, but I was somewhat relieved to hear that I'm not the only one who has people running from my 7-string. I use standard tuning, but I feel like an outcast sometimes. My jamming buddies seem weirded out by the extra string, and for no good reason.

 

[Konfyouzd]

My 6-strings are super nice customs. They stay in there cases (they are pissed!) because I prefer to play my crappy Ibanez GiO 7-string! It's hard to go back to 6. They are missing something.

This should probably be a whole different thread, but I was somewhat relieved to hear that I'm not the only one who has people running from my 7-string. I use standard tuning, but I feel like an outcast sometimes. My jamming buddies seem weirded out by the extra string, and for no good reason.

a lot of people are. when i show up with a 7 they're like "so what do you do with the extra string?"

and it usually leaves me quite konfyouzd as i have no idea how to answer that question. it's just an extension to my playground.

 

[hufschmid]

I have to get used to pretty much all of them because I first build them and then I end up selling them, I dont have any ''personal guitar''

Right now i'm tuned in drop B on a 6

But i'm a 7 string player at first and I miss playing on a 7 string neck

 

[Shadow_6667]

Dude I share your pain. Since I picked up my 7 for the first time, my other 6 strings got abandoned completely. Don't want to sell them though, I don't trust anyone to take good care of 'em

 

[Konfyouzd]

you should play them every now and then. my 6 has a different tone than any of my 7s. i've noticed i tend to switch guitars based on the tone i want more so than the number of strings although i do tend to miss that low B when i'm playing on my 6.

 

[synrgy]

I'm in the process of trying to sell a couple of my 6ers, but only the ones that I'm not particularly emotionally attached to.

They do feel awfully funny now that I'm used to the 7, where my thumb instantly wants to wrap around the fretboard and cover the bottom 2 strings, but I can adjust when necessary. A guitar is a guitar.

 

[Konfyouzd]

you know... since i switched to 7s i've noticed my thumb wants to do stupid shit now too.

i actually noticed it yesterday when i was practicing and i was switching back and forth between 6 and 7

 

[Shadow_6667]

I think the main reason is, that my 6's aren't baritones. The higher frets feel so awkward man! Nice for tapping though.

 

[ander09]

I got use to my 8 strings, so its pretty odd when I pickup my 7 or 6 string, I have to warm up to them before I feel comfortable.

I do try to cycle between them during my practice sessions to not get to use to just one guitar. The 7's neck feels very small and easy if I pick it up right after jamming with the 8th. The change is even more drastic going from 8 to 6, the neck feels tiny.

 

[Konfyouzd]

8 to 6 must make the 6 feel like a toothpick

 

[ander09]

8 to 6 must make the 6 feel like a toothpick

The string spacing also makes a difference. When I first started on the 8 string, my fingers had issues finding the string while playing common arpeggio or scale patterns. It seems that practicing on the 8 string made my accuracy better.

But yeah, my first reaction when I picked up the six string after playing the 8 string, was "This feels like a violin neck"

 

[Konfyouzd]

yea the string spacing from 6 to 7 (on mine at least) is really different. i think that might have to do w/ the neck radii. the strings on my 6 are actually closer together than the strings on my 7 which is kind of strange. the extra space i have with my 7 is actually a lot more comfy. with the strings so confined on the 6--which i didn't really notice so much before because it was all i had for a while--it just feels strange, but i guess you're right about it enforcing accuracy.

although when moving to the 7 where i have more space, i still kinda of play it like i don't have that extra space and kind of miss the strings. but sweeping certain patterns feels more comfortable on my 7 and others feel more comfortable on my 6. i find that switching between them frequently makes it less and less of an issue, though and it makes it easier for me to pick up most guitars and adapt quicker.