Considering buying first 7 or 8 string guitar. Advice needed.

[steveyraff]

Hey guys,

So a little brief introduction on my situation here. I work in the music industry, running a recording studio, doing live sound etc. I enjoy playing and listening to ALL styles of music. When I was younger I was into a lot of metal, and played in a few experimental type metal/rock bands that sounded along the same lines as Tool etc

Nowadays, I play every weekend with a successful blues band - we do festivals and clubs etc with a busy schedule. Because I am so busy with this, I invested a lot of time and money into a good gigging rig for this. I have a 25TH Anniversary Swamp Ash Special PRS with narrowfield pickups, and an Orange Dual Terror amplifier with a custom built cab. My pedal board is mostly all my own hand built pedals (which I also do as a job - www.facebook.com/raffertyguitarpedals )

I spent a lot of money on that guitar, its my main axe. For noodling around the house I use a little Ibanez JS100 that I put my own pickups in.

But I really, REALLY miss playing heavier stuff. I am really interested in low tuned stuff, and I really would love to have a guitar that would allow me to start playing around with real low tunings. I enjoy anything from Meshuggah, Deftones, hell I even enjoy stuff that is often considered by many musicians to be less credible - Korn etc! I just love that low sound in general.

I'd like you guys to give me a little advice:

Firstly, 7 or 8 string? Since I am used to 6 string guitars, the jump up to 8 seems like it would feel a little uncomfortable for me. Am I correct in saying that I can still play along to most tunes recorded with 8 strings, using a 7 string guitar with the low strings tuned the same (Meshuggah stuff etc)? I'm not a shredder by any means, so I am guessing I'd just be messing around with low note rhythmic stuff.

Also - what guitar brands and models would you guys recommend? This is just for my own enjoyment at home and I've already spent a fortune on my PRS so I want something decent but fairly cheap. If I got really into it, I'd like something that was still half decent in the event I ever was to play it live. Even if it means buying something that requires a change of pickups. I really don't have much knowledge on the reputable models when it comes to 7 or 8 stringed guitars. For example, I am also considering buying a Fender Strat for my blues stuff as a backup, but I know a Mexican Standard would be more than enough for me.

Hope I am making sense here. Just need to know if I can make do with 7 rather than 8 strings, and if there are certain models out there recognised as very reasonably priced 'industry standards'.

Thanks guys!

 

[TheBloodstained]

I bought an 8-string because I was curious about that whole fad. I was used to 7-strings and it only took me 5min. to get used to the extra string. I use my 8-string for a lot of 6-string stuff to because it's super comfortable

This is all down to personal preference, what you're going to play, how you want to tune your instrument etc. etc.
You can't play all (if any) 8-string stuff by just downtuning the low string on a 7-string. It would be a start - sure - but it would limit you a lot.

My first "tune-like-an-8-string" experience was me putting a bass string on my Epiphone Explorer and tuning it down to F#. It was enough for me to decide that I wanted to buy an 8-string to further explore that territory. Maybe you could start with that?

My 8-string is an Ibanez RG2228, but less could easily do the trick. The Ibanez RG8 would be a good bet, and Schecter has made a lot of nice 8's as well. Just make sure that you get one with a 27" neck, or else string tension or string gauges could become a problem when tuning that low.
7-string wise there's a lot of brands worth looking into, but again Ibanez and Schecter might be the best/cheapest?

Good hunting

 

[C-Squared]

I was a Les Paul player for over 30 years. Of course I had other guitars, but ultimately felt most at home on a LP. The last 5 years I've been trying to find a 7 that I like. I now have a Schecter Hellraiser C-7 and an Epiphone Matt Heafy Les Paul Custom7. Both of these feel very natural for a 6 string player to pick up and play. The biggest downfall with most of the readily available 7 string guitars is they all come with EMG pickups. Since you are looking for something to play heavier stuff on it will probably be fine.

 

[devwil]

If you're just looking to play the lower notes and not trying to take advantage of the overall extended range of an 8-string, I'd say just get a 7 and tune it down.

I've been playing my 8 for more than a year and it's still slightly overwhelming! Jumping to an 8 from a 6 would probably be fairly disorienting, and it's not worth dealing with that struggle if you're not reaping any benefit from the added string.

 

[steveyraff]

Cool guys, taking it all on board.

If I was to just settle for a 7 string, do I need to consider neck scale or baritone versions if I ever want to be able to tune down to jam with 8 string Meshuggah tunes ?

Having a look at the budget models you all suggested - it's a bit overwhelming so far! No idea where to start looking really. Is the Ibanez Apex series any good?

 

[TheBloodstained]

f I was to just settle for a 7 string, do I need to consider neck scale or baritone versions if I ever want to be able to tune down to jam with 8 string Meshuggah tunes ?

Yes!
Neck scale and string gauges are critical factors in achieving good tone and playability with such low tuning. The longer the neck scale, the thinner the strings can be used, and you will achieve a clearer tone from the low strings.
The downside is that the treble side can become shrill and lifeless.

If you're going to tune lower than A (and that's low A like KoRn), then I'd recommend at least a 26,5" neck scale, but preferably longer.
I'm currently using a 0.71 bass string for the F# on my RG2228 with 27" inch neck scale, and while it works great the string is still a little more flobby than I'd prefer it to be.

 

[steveyraff]

Yes!
Neck scale and string gauges are critical factors in achieving good tone and playability with such low tuning. The longer the neck scale, the thinner the strings can be used, and you will achieve a clearer tone from the low strings.
The downside is that the treble side can become shrill and lifeless.

If you're going to tune lower than A (and that's low A like KoRn), then I'd recommend at least a 26,5" neck scale, but preferably longer.
I'm currently using a 0.71 bass string for the F# on my RG2228 with 27" inch neck scale, and while it works great the string is still a little more flobby than I'd prefer it to be.

Thats some great info man - thanks - slowly getting my head around this.

Will keep all of this in mind on my search for an appropriate model!

 

[wildrat666]

used to own a universe ibanez, but feeling like a noobie on 7 strings. I just bought a ibanez 2027x.... I think Ibanez works. I ve tested schecter too and they feels nice too. just test a couple of guitars and make your own opinion. maybe for studio work I d use a guitar with a fixed bridge

 

[7stg]

Schecter makes some respectable guitars for either 7 or 8. Their scale lengths increase as the string count increases 7 - 26.5 inches, 8 - 28 inches, 9 - 28 or 30 inches which is good. They have good hardware and neck profiles.

For 8 there is the Ibanez m80m with its 29.4 inch scale which results in amazing tone. If you can handle it, it's the 8 to get.

Jackson makes the b7 a 7 string with a 27 inch scale others at 25.5
ESP has a couple 7's with a 27 inch scale others at 25.5
Legator 7's are 26.5
Skervesen can make guitars with several scale lenghts

you are outside the us so the Carvin dc7x with a 27 inch scale will be a bit more costly and the Agile return policy is not good outside the us due to customs

 

[Andless]

Hey guys,

Also - what guitar brands and models would you guys recommend? This is just for my own enjoyment at home and I've already spent a fortune on my PRS so I want something decent but fairly cheap.

Hope I am making sense here. Just need to know if I can make do with 7 rather than 8 strings, and if there are certain models out there recognised as very reasonably priced 'industry standards'.

Thanks guys!

I got an FF 8-string because I thought it would make the perfect sense. But I didn't like the longer scale and found it hard to find a place for low F# in my music arrangement-wise. So I sold it after a month or two and now I have a one-6/two-7 set up as my main guitars.

I guess that if you can live with wizard necks (some swear by them, but they are not for me) Ibanez would likely give you a lot of bang for your buck so to speak. I'm playing GKG mainly but for traditional shapes I have to give the JP sigs my nod of approval - tho possibly out of your budget?

 

[steveyraff]

Schecter makes some respectable guitars for either 7 or 8. Their scale lengths increase as the string count increases 7 - 26.5 inches, 8 - 28 inches, 9 - 28 or 30 inches which is good. They have good hardware and neck profiles.

For 8 there is the Ibanez m80m with its 29.4 inch scale which results in amazing tone. If you can handle it, it's the 8 to get.

Jackson makes the b7 a 7 string with a 27 inch scale others at 25.5
ESP has a couple 7's with a 27 inch scale others at 25.5
Legator 7's are 26.5
Skervesen can make guitars with several scale lenghts

you are outside the us so the Carvin dc7x with a 27 inch scale will be a bit more costly and the Agile return policy is not good outside the us due to customs

Great info - plenty of points of research for me here.

As Andless suggested, I might go with Ibanez. I'm starting to see that a few brands are doing reputable budget 7 and 8 stringers, so it might be down to me to settle on a brand and then hone in on particular models. For some reason I am slightly drawn towards them simply because I've owned Ibanez before and I quite like their build style.

I found an Ibanez M80M going on eBay UK for £500 ($750) which is a pretty great price I thought, yet still out of my budget! What a shame!

 

[punisher911]

If it's only the lower notes you're after, you can always get a baritone 6 string...

However, a clean 8 in drop E can do some wonderful chord stuff...

 

[steveyraff]

If it's only the lower notes you're after, you can always get a baritone 6 string...

However, a clean 8 in drop E can do some wonderful chord stuff...

Well, I might also do higher riffs occasionally - I do like to mix it up, but certainly not anything speedy.


A few places I've been researching state 8 strings to be quite difficult for doing chord type work on?

It's making me sort of lean toward a 7 string with a long neck scale.

 

[slythy]

i recently just jumped into my first 7!

I kinda did it on a whim. i went to guitar center and just checked out what they had and they had a couple 7/8 strings from different brands but i have a schecter c-1 that i love playing so i ended up buying a schecter demon-7. Before the guitar was even shipped to me, I already ordered replacement EMG 57/66 pickups from a member on here but if you want a heavier sound the duncan designed blackouts seemed ok. The Schecter C-1 was the first guitar that i liked over my Strat, feel wise. It took me over 10 years to find another guitar i liked more than my Fender strat.

I'd really recommend just hitting up a local guitar shop and seeing what they have to just see what works for you. I have no idea how anyone plays on an ibanez with a wizard neck. That thin of a neck just hurts my hand, and I have actually been getting pain in my left hand on the seven. I've been playing guitar for years and never had an issue, but i think the seven neck is just a little different profile thats taking getting use too.

 

[punisher911]

A few places I've been researching state 8 strings to be quite difficult for doing chord type work on?

Takes a little extra effort to barre chord all 8 strings. In drop E on the 8, you can do your E shape (F barre) across all 8 strings. It adds the two lower notes to your chords. Sounds pretty darn good when played clean. There's a few good videos about 8 string chords. You can always find some Tosin Abasi videos on it. He plays in drop E as well.