Adieu
Well-Known Member
Hint: start with DropA tuning
This site may earn a commission from merchant links like Ebay, Amazon, and others.
It all depends on the stuff you like to play. When Chris Broderick was playing in Megadeth, he was using his sig which was a 7 string. You need to get used to it but after few days of playing you'll be good. Coming back to 6 after playing a 7 feels funny I'd say. 6 strings feels like a baby guitar for a moment
Playing 6 string songs on a 7 is easy. Playing 6 string songs on an 8 string is a little rougher. I don't think I will ever buy a 6 string guitar again (outside of some collector reason). Having the extra range is very nice. You do want extra range right?
I get it, but for some reason the clarity is much better when it comes to 6 string pickups. I tried loads of 6, 7 and 8 string pickups and I've always found that the 6 strings sound much rounder. I even tried the 6 and the 7 string versions of some pickups (BKP Nailbomb Alnico and Ceramic, Warpig Ceramic), and the 6 string versions sounded way better.
It's hard to describe it with words. I had quite a few sixers, sevens and eight strings in the last two decades or so with different specs and pickups and generally I always had the same feeling. In low- and mid-gain settings there's this twang, which is not present when I'm playing on 7 or 8 strings. The notes sound duller in a way, no matter how I tweak the amp. Also, on the low end, the note separation is a bit lacking - 7 string standard B tuning vs 6 string tuned to B for example. I tried everything from Bare Knuckles to Seymour Duncans to EMGs to Fishmans and for my ears, the end result is always the same.You are going to need to describe "clarity" and "roundness"; they mean different things to different people. Also yes sometimes the 7 string version of pickups sound different than their 6 string versions. However, I would say a couple things:
I did that. 6 string swamp ash Regius vs 7 string swamp ash Regius. Same pickups, loved the 6 string versions much more. But I had the same pickups in two mahogany guitars where one was 6, the other was a 7 etc, with the same result.1) Unless you found a way to fit a 7 string pickup in a 6 string guitar for test purposes, you are also playing different guitars when comparing pickups. Are you sure the specs are exactly the same with the only difference being a wider neck and one extra string?
I never experienced this, but I'm probably looking for something else than you do when it comes to tone.2) Sometimes the 7 string version of a pickup produced a more desirable tone. The X2N7 comes to mind.
Had guitars with 250k and 500k pots in them, tried a 7 with 250k but it didn't fix my issue. I'm not even sure if it's an issue, it's probably only me who feels this way.3) There are so many other items that can affect tone, even something overlooked like cap values in the guitar. Unless the pickup has way too much or way too little gain, you can shape it so many different ways.
I get it, but for some reason the clarity is much better when it comes to 6 string pickups. I tried loads of 6, 7 and 8 string pickups and I've always found that the 6 strings sound much rounder. I even tried the 6 and the 7 string versions of some pickups (BKP Nailbomb Alnico and Ceramic, Warpig Ceramic), and the 6 string versions sounded way better.
This has always been a big problem for manufacturers. You can't just wind a 7 string pickup the same way as a 6, DiMarzio do that and the result is wildly different sounding pickups. BKP put a lot of work into their pickups but like you said there is a noticeable difference. Sometimes makers get close but it sounds like ass on the low 7th string so they have to tweak or compensate and then it results in a different sounding pickup again. Blackmachine Doug said he never played a 7 string pickup he liked and explained why the design only really works for a 6, not understanding pickup construction it went mostly over my head but I've heard a lot of other makers and gear heads say the same thing since, having a 6,7,8 version is mostly marketing rather than being a consistent sounding pickup for each guitar. Just one of the many flaws electric guitar has I guess.
literally just try playing a 6 string song on your 6 string but starting on the 5th string
it's literally nothing, I have never understood why people make it out to be such a big deal
do I prefer playing 6 string songs on a 6 string? yes, but it's not a make or break and as such I've decreased my collection to a single 8 string for the past few years
Hint: start with DropA tuning
Chiming in late, but I think I have some useful perspective. The problem with a lot of people here is that they're good at guitar. I've never experienced this issue, so learning anything new is hard for me.
I just got my first 7 a couple weeks ago. Since then I've been trying to learn a lot of 6 string songs on it. Now, keep in mind I haven't sat down and really learned a song in years.
I would say it's initially pretty tricky, especially if you're reading tabs. You have to mentally shift everything one string up. That's a lot of extra cognitive load for someone with my tiny brain.
That being said, it's been only two weeks and I'd say I'm mostly used to it now. It took way less time to adapt than I expected. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, because at the end of the day, a 6 to 7 is only a 16% increase in strings.
I figure if you sat down and set aside a whole day to play a 7, your brain wouldn't have much of an issue after.
Instead of mentally changing everything you do one string up, just look at the instrument from a different perspective. I had a 7string several years ago and just couldn’t jive with it, sold it, regret it. But I dipped back into the 7 game, and just looked at the instrument from the bottom strings up instead, and it really helped me visualize what I wanted to do and it kept me from constantly having to think about what I was doing. It’s just less mental strain, as opposed to having to think of everything ahead as you’re playing.
I know this sounds silly, but it’s what really changed my thoughts on 7’s, and now I own three of them, along with two 8’s.
I probably explained this like shit.