Prejudice against 7 strings

[WhiteShadow]

I never understood alot of the negative thoughts/comments people have towards 7's. All it is, is a guitar with more tonal possibilities than a 6 string guitar. Plain and simple. Its clear, the stigma attached to 7 strings came from the Nu-Metal genre. Specifically Korn. Alot of people equate Korn's simple riffage as a lack of skill, which MUST mean that anyone who uses the 7 string guitar, lacks skill and is only able to play simple riffage. Because, before that, 7 strings werent very well known to the masses and were a pretty exotic idea for most guitarists.

I think the stigma originated directly from ignorance and close minded-ness. Which, the latter of the two is pretty prevalent with alot of guitar players. I think its due to them seeing alot of their "idols" using a 6 string, so they generally feel that anything that differs from that, cant be any better, or else their "idols" would be using them too.

I own some 7's, but i'm gonna be selling all of them but one. I'll always keep at least one 7 around, just for its extra tonal possibilities. But in the end, 7's just arent for everyone as a main guitar, like myself, and it doesnt stem from ignorance or prejudice, it stems from the feel and comfort.

 

[a7stringkilla]

Drop A on a 7? Personally, I wouldn't call it "lazy" to drop tune, depending on the playing style.

i didnt mean to offend anyone by what i wrote and i hope i didnt. dont get me wrong, i know there are lots of great players that tune down. but lets be honest, tuning down does make it easier to play things. alternate tunings for different chord voicings i can see, but just dropping one string for pretty much no reason i really dont get. when i needed more range i bought a 7 and if i end up one day needing even more then ill buy an 8. i will say though that i dont have a problem with tuning a six to B standard and if i ever play a one finger power chord its because the rest of my fingers got cut off.

 

[cyril v]

i didnt mean to offend anyone by what i wrote and i hope i didnt. dont get me wrong, i know there are lots of great players that tune down. but lets be honest, tuning down does make it easier to play things. alternate tunings for different chord voicings i can see, but just dropping one string for pretty much no reason i really dont get. when i needed more range i bought a 7 and if i end up one day needing even more then ill buy an 8. i will say though that i dont have a problem with tuning a six to B standard and if i ever play a one finger power chord its because the rest of my fingers got cut off.

Those two statements completely contradict each other... when you drop down two notes, you're obviously able to use two more notes than you were before. Though at the same time you're obviously losing two higher notes (which I can say I've probably never touched past the 21st fret on my B-string). Either way I don't see how you can say it as a negative thing, seriously love to see someone attempt to play some of the faster riffing Nile songs without having the dropped-A. It's not like playing a chord with more fingers somehow makes anyone more of a guitarist, so I fail to see the point.

 

[TomAwesome]

I've never understood the argument about using larger gauge strings on a 6 being somehow worse than playing a 7 which is supposedly built with the lower notes in mind. If you're playing a 7 in standard and a 6 in B standard, and both are 25.5" scale, wouldn't you logically be using exactly the same gauges for the 6 lower strings on the 7 as you would for the 6?

Also, D'Addario only seems to try to perpetuate this ridiculousness. They sell the EXL-110-7 set for 7-strings, which is .10-.59 (it used to be .10-.56), but also sell the EXL-158 set, which is .13-.62, and intended for baritone 6s. If you get the EXL-158 set and a single .10 (what I use), you end up with exactly the same gauges as the EXL-110-7 set, but with a low B that isn't floppy shit. I emailed them once to ask why they don't use the .62 in their 7-string sets, and the answer they gave me was some bullshit about how they're intended for different uses (even though they'd be tuned the same, and all the other gauges are the same? ). Clearly they have no idea what they're on about.

That always irked me as well that baritone string sets intended for B standard are thicker than 7-string sets also intended for B. As a result, there are a lot of people out there who think that the reason a person would get a baritone is so they can use thicker strings. That's kind of backwards from how it should work. I prefer baritone scales because they allow me to use thinner strings.

alternate tunings for different chord voicings i can see, but just dropping one string for pretty much no reason i really dont get.

Part of drop tuning is that you can get alternate chord voicings. Yeah, there are a lot of people who drop tune to just chug along on single-finger power chords, but to say that that's the only reason for it is silly. I use drop Ab because I like Eb tuning, but I wanted to go a little lower than Bb. Then I started enjoying all the different kinds of chord shapes that the drop tuning afforded me. For example, have you ever barred a chord across 7 or 8 strings? It would be pretty difficult to do in any position other than open without using some kind of drop tuning.

 

[a7stringkilla]

Those two statements completely contradict each other... when you drop down two notes, you're obviously able to use two more notes than you were before. Though at the same time you're obviously losing two higher notes (which I can say I've probably never touched past the 21st fret on my B-string). Either way I don't see how you can say it as a negative thing, seriously love to see someone attempt to play some of the faster riffing Nile songs without having the dropped-A. It's not like playing a chord with more fingers somehow makes anyone more of a guitarist, so I fail to see the point.

i can see your point, sorta. technically yeah, "dropped whatever" is an alternate tuning but really, who in the world really considers it to be one. and your nile point only backs up mine about it making shit easier to play. but i do listen to alot of stuff thats recorded with dropped tuning and really we can go on and on about this but i dont want to so ill just shut the fuck up now.

 

[WarriorOfMetal]

i didnt mean to offend anyone by what i wrote and i hope i didnt. dont get me wrong, i know there are lots of great players that tune down. but lets be honest, tuning down does make it easier to play things. alternate tunings for different chord voicings i can see, but just dropping one string for pretty much no reason i really dont get. when i needed more range i bought a 7 and if i end up one day needing even more then ill buy an 8. i will say though that i dont have a problem with tuning a six to B standard and if i ever play a one finger power chord its because the rest of my fingers got cut off.

I actually find it harder to play in "drop" tunings, because I get thrown off by it and go to play power chords in my normal position. It also makes octaves on the 6th and 4th (or 7th and 5th) strings harder to play, as I learned when I had to play a Trivium song for a class once (not by choice, it's what the teacher assigned...I got so sick of that fucking song, that I never even liked that much to begin with)

 

[WhiteShadow]

Part of drop tuning is that you can get alternate chord voicings. Yeah, there are a lot of people who drop tune to just chug along on single-finger power chords, but to say that that's the only reason for it is silly.

 

[Zehailiu]

"7 strings? pah! you might as well be playing a bass HAHA."

what a prick...

Tell him he might as well go back to playing his fcking ukulele!

 

[hufschmid]

Tell him he might as well go back to playing his fcking ukulele!

Sorry this made me lol real bad

I may end up this evening loling like an idiot

 

[Sepultorture]

some people like the feeling of the larger neck 7 strings have compared to a 6 string.

i feel the same, i can't go back to 6's now, i feel like i'm playing a toothpick thin neck. and i like 6 string standard tuning aswell with my low B

 

[gorsch]

Also, D'Addario only seems to try to perpetuate this ridiculousness. They sell the EXL-110-7 set for 7-strings, which is .10-.59 (it used to be .10-.56), but also sell the EXL-158 set, which is .13-.62, and intended for baritone 6s. If you get the EXL-158 set and a single .10 (what I use), you end up with exactly the same gauges as the EXL-110-7 set, but with a low B that isn't floppy shit. I emailed them once to ask why they don't use the .62 in their 7-string sets, and the answer they gave me was some bullshit about how they're intended for different uses (even though they'd be tuned the same, and all the other gauges are the same? ). Clearly they have no idea what they're on about.

yeah, never got that either. Why would you need a .59 for a "normal" scale 7 string tunned to B and heavier for an extended scale tuned the same. Thats backwards.

And the 7 string set should come with a 62. Then I wouldnt have to buy a 10-46 gauge plus special order my single 62's or 64's.

 

[Shinto]

It's all about the place and the time, and I think production 7strings just missed the boat.

Although I do agree with that statement, I also believe that the popularity of 7 strings will increase, as deathcore bands tune lower and lower.

 

[flyingllama]

The most common misconception with 7 strings is that they are "tuned" entirely different. People don't really know off the chain its just a normal 6 string with a low B (or whatever other tuning you need).

 

[TomAwesome]

Although I do agree with that statement, I also believe that the popularity of 7 strings will increase, as deathcore bands tune lower and lower.

I don't think that will help the popularity in general. The association with deathcore bands isn't any better than their original association with nu-metal, IMO. 7-strings are slowly becoming more accepted, though, and I expect this trend to continue over time. The fewer connotations the instruments have to one specific genre, the better.

 

[Isan]

yeah, never got that either. Why would you need a .59 for a "normal" scale 7 string tunned to B and heavier for an extended scale tuned the same. Thats backwards.

And the 7 string set should come with a 62. Then I wouldnt have to buy a 10-46 gauge plus special order my single 62's or 64's.

Buy D'Addario ECG24-7 7-String Chrome Flat Wound Electric Guitar Strings | 7 String Sets | Musician's Friend
My favorite strings

 

[caughtinamosh]

Buy D'Addario ECG24-7 7-String Chrome Flat Wound Electric Guitar Strings | 7 String Sets | Musician's Friend
My favorite strings

What is is the tone like? I would imagine it's incredibly dark - a combination the "round wound" factor and the sheer mass of that .66

 

[auxioluck]

People associate to what they are subjected to. The mainstream use of a 7 string is in nu-metal and shred, and so that's the immediate generalization. People who don't appreciate that music won't take the time to delve into a 7 string's roots or uses. They would rather just assume that the only use a 7 string has is for nu-metal and what they would not generally define as "music". This isn't necessarily the people's fault, but more the lack of publicity that jazz and classical 7 string players get. There's two sides to every coin; take a look at Steven Seagal, everyone assumes he's just a martial arts actor, but what do you know? He's a blues guitarist!

In the end, I think it's due to the mainstream music scene contributing to the quarantine and dilution of what a 7 string can actually be used for. That's why I think there's a lot of 7 string prejudice.

 

[flyingllama]

Buy D'Addario ECG24-7 7-String Chrome Flat Wound Electric Guitar Strings | 7 String Sets | Musician's Friend
My favorite strings

I had a set of those on a 7 string Ibanex AX

Very warm and mellow sounding, like exactly the string you think of when you think Jazz. The wound strings feel and look like bass strings too.

 

[Filip S]

just a thought,
a lot of people (n00bs) who take up guitar aspire to be like "people" they hear playing "something" they like. most of those are more 6 string players.
in conclusion, n00bs buy n00b 6 strings to be like older n00bs. original, brave people try new things. GuitarBass

 

[ShadyDavey]

I think anybody who thinks that a 7 is a prejudice must watch this video....

The 7 is not a new instrument, its been first used in jazz music...

People who play lower as hell on a 6 and put heavy guage strings can find an interest in a 7 string....

Because they obvioussly dont play in E standard tuning so they need more bass.......

The 7 is a much more complete Guitar, even Bob Benedetto is the first to admit that in his video...

This. Its not a modern instrument, its not exclusively the domain of lower-register riffers....its just the general guitar-playing public are quite happy with 6 strings and don't feel the need to purchase a 7 (regardless of it being tuned BEADGBE, Drop A, or Even EADGBCA).

There's nothing ignorant or noob-like in not desiring to play an instument (just as theres nothing brave in actually doing so) but making fun of someone who does is moderately pathetic (Might as well play a bass? Nice attitude for a shop owner/assistant..)

There are certainly going to be some people who associate 7's with nu-metal/deathcore/shred/*insert genre but lets be honest the market for 7's is never going to be as large as it is for standards and I can only partially attribute that to a lack of musical education (for want of a better term). It could be simply that the lower(higher) strings aren't neccessary for their playing needs, they might not like the feel of a 7-string neck....a questionnaire or poll would certainly address the needs of the OP if he wanted hard data (as long as the sample size was across several forums).