Prejudice against 7 strings

[cyril v]

I blame korn for all of this(the misconceptions) and Limp Bizkit sure as hell didn't help any... if Van Halen had started using a 7 string back in the day, every van halen cover band in ever single bar, every friday night would also have one. I remember hearing people talk about 7 string guitarist years back and the assumption was that if you had one you also; had baggy pants, guitar strung past your waist, super sloppy strings, and can't play a solo if their life depended on it (visualizes video of korn playing with steve vai).

/sigh

 

[Harry]

I remember when I told people I was buying a 7 string.
Some of the reactions are "WOA, WOULDNT THAT BE EXTREMELY HARD TO PLAY?"
Or "6 strings is too hard for me, how could anyone play 7s".
I tend to think there is a school of thought in the guitar world where some people believe you gotta use the stuff that has become the staple, tried and tested product that is safe and familiar to them.
For some people, this means 1960s guitars and old vintage amps.
Works for them, fine.
But within that group of people, some have an attitude that those are the only things that work and hence what others should be using.
And because 7 strings do not fit into that idea of a familiar electric guitar related thing because they didn't not exist before a certain time frame (in terms of widespread use/manufacture), there is something wrong with them perhaps, something too unnatural or whatever about it.

Me personally, that is not my approach and my way of thinking.
To me, it's the 21st century, so why not take advantage of the more recent advances that have come our way?
Things like computer software amp modeling, 8 string guitars or whatever, we have those tools available now and fairly easily accessible (given you have the money), and if it gets the job done for you with good results, use it I reckon.

I play 7 strings because for me, it's just what works for me, for the style I play.
Not because I'm totally concerned about pushing boundaries and nor am I concerned about what is vintage and what has been known to work in the guitar world for the last 40 years.
I mean, think about it, back in 1950, the Telecaster was the unknown, the scary depths of something unfamiliar and totally new and people shunned.
The people that used it probably weren't thinking "ohh, I'll buy it because I want to push boundaries" but just bought it because it worked for them.
What did inevitably happen though, is the guys that first bought the Telecasters/Strats when they were just fresh off the line in the 50s become boundary pushers, innovators and guitar players that did something different partly because they had the attitude that they would take advantage of the latest tools on the block that worked for them.
But look at these guitars now, they are played by some guys that play them because they are accepted and the norm, and forget that these were once frightening and different, unfamiliar tools.
Just the same as when Vai or Petrucci or Loomis started using 7s, I suspect their approach wasn't "I'll buy one to be different and to push boundaries", but was just, it was available at the time as a new tool to work with and as an indirect result perhaps, they pushed those boundaries and did something different.

It's just a fact of human nature, that a lot of people are scared of the unknown.
Kinda like the weird kid at school everyone used to bully cos he was weird and went about his day his own way, not deliberately being weird, but just as a result of who he was.
And one day, he knocks everyone off their feet by doing something brilliant none of the 'normal' kids thought of, because he had that creativity and that mind set of doing his own thing, rather than doing what was hot and cool at the time.
Dunno if that's a good analogy, but hope that made sense

 

[flyingllama]

I blame korn for all of this(the misconceptions) and Limp Bizkit sure as hell didn't help any... if Van Halen had started using a 7 string back in the day, every van halen cover band in ever single bar, every friday night would also have one. I remember hearing people talk about 7 string guitarist years back and the assumption was that if you had one you also; had baggy pants, guitar strung past your waist, super sloppy strings, and can't play a solo if their life depended on it (visualizes video of korn playing with steve vai).

/sigh

I agree with this. Korn only had one idea for the 7 string and never got past that. But again you have to thank them, because for a brief period of time the 7 string became the "hot thing" for big guitar companies and everyone was turning out their own take. If it wasn't for them we wouldn't be able to pick up cheap used 7's in stores no one wants. 7 strings would still be custom order only if it wasn't for their influence in mainstream. So I give props to them, regardless of how much they give the 7 string guitarist the stereotype.

 

[ZeroSignal]

I agree with this. Korn only had one idea for the 7 string and never got past that. But again you have to thank them, because for a brief period of time the 7 string became the "hot thing" for big guitar companies and everyone was turning out their own take. If it wasn't for them we wouldn't be able to pick up cheap used 7's in stores no one wants. 7 strings would still be custom order only if it wasn't for their influence in mainstream. So I give props to them, regardless of how much they give the 7 string guitarist the stereotype.

I'd give props for them turning out some great music too. The increased er... "infamy" of the 7 string is an added bonus.

 

[Raoul Duke]

I remember when I told people I was buying a 7 string.
Some of the reactions are "WOA, WOULDNT THAT BE EXTREMELY HARD TO PLAY?"
Or "6 strings is too hard for me, how could anyone play 7s".
I tend to think there is a school of thought in the guitar world where some people believe you gotta use the stuff that has become the staple, tried and tested product that is safe and familiar to them.
For some people, this means 1960s guitars and old vintage amps.
Works for them, fine.
But within that group of people, some have an attitude that those are the only things that work and hence what others should be using.
And because 7 strings do not fit into that idea of a familiar electric guitar related thing because they didn't not exist before a certain time frame (in terms of widespread use/manufacture), there is something wrong with them perhaps, something too unnatural or whatever about it.

Me personally, that is not my approach and my way of thinking.
To me, it's the 21st century, so why not take advantage of the more recent advances that have come our way?
Things like computer software amp modeling, 8 string guitars or whatever, we have those tools available now and fairly easily accessible (given you have the money), and if it gets the job done for you with good results, use it I reckon.

I play 7 strings because for me, it's just what works for me, for the style I play.
Not because I'm totally concerned about pushing boundaries and nor am I concerned about what is vintage and what has been known to work in the guitar world for the last 40 years.
I mean, think about it, back in 1950, the Telecaster was the unknown, the scary depths of something unfamiliar and totally new and people shunned.
The people that used it probably weren't thinking "ohh, I'll buy it because I want to push boundaries" but just bought it because it worked for them.
What did inevitably happen though, is the guys that first bought the Telecasters/Strats when they were just fresh off the line in the 50s become boundary pushers, innovators and guitar players that did something different partly because they had the attitude that they would take advantage of the latest tools on the block that worked for them.
But look at these guitars now, they are played by some guys that play them because they are accepted and the norm, and forget that these were once frightening and different, unfamiliar tools.
Just the same as when Vai or Petrucci or Loomis started using 7s, I suspect their approach wasn't "I'll buy one to be different and to push boundaries", but was just, it was available at the time as a new tool to work with and as an indirect result perhaps, they pushed those boundaries and did something different.

It's just a fact of human nature, that a lot of people are scared of the unknown.
Kinda like the weird kid at school everyone used to bully cos he was weird and went about his day his own way, not deliberately being weird, but just as a result of who he was.
And one day, he knocks everyone off their feet by doing something brilliant none of the 'normal' kids thought of, because he had that creativity and that mind set of doing his own thing, rather than doing what was hot and cool at the time.
Dunno if that's a good analogy, but hope that made sense

You Melbourne kids


ONLY KIDDING!

Yeah summed it up pretty good with the whole "scared of the unknown thing"
When the other guitarist in my band got a 7 and was trying to suggest we both get them i was like "fuck that, its gonna heaps hard to play". Then i actually started playing one and really liked the feel and how it made me approach writing stuff on it differently, its a totally different approach then when i play a 6.

I feel too "cramped" playing a 6 string now

 

[a7stringkilla]

i too gotta give korn lots of credit. when they they came out it was like a fuckin A-bomb had been dropped. nothing like that was ever heard before. they didnt shred but had an odd set of skills. seriously, something truly unique is very rare and should be praised. the copycats on the other hand...............!!!! and when those skills werent new anymore, they became GREAT songwriters. "Untouchables" is a monster rock album. although ive heard Heads solo shit and its fuckin terrible.

 

[cyril v]

I agree with this. Korn only had one idea for the 7 string and never got past that. But again you have to thank them, because for a brief period of time the 7 string became the "hot thing" for big guitar companies and everyone was turning out their own take. If it wasn't for them we wouldn't be able to pick up cheap used 7's in stores no one wants. 7 strings would still be custom order only if it wasn't for their influence in mainstream. So I give props to them, regardless of how much they give the 7 string guitarist the stereotype.

True. Either way, people that really belive these stereotypes just blow my mind...

but still... this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R41YPr-SlPM

 

[a7stringkilla]

man, that video was a disaster!!! i think Vai was even stumped too. but to be somewhat fair, im sure a high percentage of us on this forum would freeze up in front of Vai while being filmed. AND a high percentage of those saying they wouldnt freeze up are the guys that run around saying they have a huge dick!!!!!(but are lying)