How to play my old 6 string drop tuning song on 7 string drop tuning?

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ChaserHUN

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So I was looking for a cheap bartione guitar because our band plays in drop A# and my guitar didn't intonate well. I could only find pretty expensive ones, but found a B-stock Harley Benton 7 string multiscale (left handed) so was f..... it, always wanted a 7 string.

6 string drop A# is A# F A# D# G C and a 7 string drop A# is A# is A# F A# D# G# C F. For example in one of our songs a minor chord barred from the 5th string like 5-7-7-6-5 god to a chord of 3-3-3-3. Now on the 7 string I can't do this in the dro A# tuning because my G is now a G# and I would have to use 3-3-2-3 wich is very uncomfortable.

Would you just tune that string for the songs that need it that? Or is there a differrent tuning for the high F? Would that even make sense? I mean if I look it from a perspective that not the low string is my extension but I got the higher string as an extension. I don't know if this makes any sense at all?
 

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wheresthefbomb

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FWIW lots of people tune standard scale guitars as low as A standard (and lower). "intonation" issues I had that originally caused me to switch to baritone were actually technique issues. With a lighter touch I've got no problem playing drop A on 25.5". As to your question, you could just tune your 7 A# F A# D# G C F.
 

gh0styboi

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A on a 25.5" scale is absolutely doable. In fact, I've got my Washburn (which is 24.75" scale) in drop A# with no issues. It's all about string gauge and how you set it up. Now I wouldn't put my Washburn in F# or anything like that - I wouldn't go below Bb on it, frankly. But what you're looking to do is not only doable, but common. In fact, KoRn used 25.5" scale guitars for years and years, starting way back with the Universe 7 string.

As far as your tuning question about adjusting for the G#, I'd just leave it as is and adjust for the chord, personally. The one fret differential isn't the end of the world imo. That being said, like suggested above, you could just tune 7 to the fifth fret for that troublesome string. People have used weirder tunings. As long as it works for what you're doing and isn't harming your hand physically, there's really no wrong way.
 

ChaserHUN

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I now that lot of people did A# and A on standard 25.5 strings, but my guitar are pretty cheap and crappy ones and the intonation was always way off whatever I did. Now this 7 string multiscale intonates great. But will take time getting used to the xtra string and the fanned fret. Now it seems it is easier to play a regular fretted guitar

For the mentioned chord progression leaving it on G# isn't doable because they switch so fast that I couldn't get there fast enough :D
 

Hoss632

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So I was looking for a cheap bartione guitar because our band plays in drop A# and my guitar didn't intonate well. I could only find pretty expensive ones, but found a B-stock Harley Benton 7 string multiscale (left handed) so was f..... it, always wanted a 7 string.

6 string drop A# is A# F A# D# G C and a 7 string drop A# is A# is A# F A# D# G# C F. For example in one of our songs a minor chord barred from the 5th string like 5-7-7-6-5 god to a chord of 3-3-3-3. Now on the 7 string I can't do this in the dro A# tuning because my G is now a G# and I would have to use 3-3-2-3 wich is very uncomfortable.

Would you just tune that string for the songs that need it that? Or is there a differrent tuning for the high F? Would that even make sense? I mean if I look it from a perspective that not the low string is my extension but I got the higher string as an extension. I don't know if this makes any sense at all?
Going to ask so i can learn something. But why is only the one string different? Drop A# is drop A# regardless on if it's a 6 or 7 right? Only thing different would be you now have a high F added on.
 
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