OCAU Guitar Players Club 3

[Fireblade]

So I got to stand about 10mt in front of King Edward on Saturday night. Box ticked

[break]

So I'm seriously considering a 7 string guitar to experiment on in addition to my existing axes.

Torn between spending <$300 on a cheapy (ESP/LTD M-17 or a Schecter SGR C-7)... or actually pending proper coin on a moderately ok one (so $600-800), but with the off chance that 7 doesn't really suit me in the long run and thus the extra $$$ is wasted.

Anyone care to share their thoughts on moving from 6 to 7 string, and how you found it?

[MercyFlush]

Originally Posted by break

So I'm seriously considering a 7 string guitar to experiment on in addition to my existing axes.

Torn between spending <$300 on a cheapy (ESP/LTD M-17 or a Schecter SGR C-7)... or actually pending proper coin on a moderately ok one (so $600-800), but with the off chance that 7 doesn't really suit me in the long run and thus the extra $$$ is wasted.

Anyone care to share their thoughts on moving from 6 to 7 string, and how you found it?

A few pages back I talked about the transition. TOTALLY WORTH IT
If you are considering it, DO IT.

I would totally recommend the RG7321 if you don't mind Ibanez. The neck is perfect and still feels thin when I compared it to a Shecter 7 string. The Pickups are pretty sweet too. If you get an Ibanez just make sure it has the Gibraltar bridge as it is wicked (hardly goes out of tune). I got mine for ~$550 to my door.

I bought mine with zero experience on anything but a 6 string and the transition only took me maybe 2 hours before I was comfortable. I recommend getting a hard tail as you are just new to 7 string (as was I) and you will notice your preferred music shift as you find what you like, and hence tunings will change (for me it did anyway) and many artists use different tunings (I change my tunings probably a few times a day, just so I can play certain songs properly). Plus a 7 with a hard tail makes it the perfect backup guitar as it's easy to retune and even has an extra string!

TL;DR
If you are thinking of getting one, GET ONE

[break]

Cheers for that MercyFlush, good food for thought.

Yeah, I'm not super keen on the fatter Schecter necks on something as wide as the 7 string (although maybe an SLS C-7 would solve that, as my SLS C-1 is as thin as an RG neck, compared to my ATX C-1 which is chunky).

Hardtail will be a must... as the tuning will either be Bb or Drop G# (everything in the band is in Eb or Drop C# right now, so need a similar key for transitioning our tracks)

Aside from the transition challenges of getting your fingers used to it, how have you found the extra range? Are you really using it all that much in your songs?

[MercyFlush]

Originally Posted by break

Cheers for that MercyFlush, good food for thought.

Yeah, I'm not super keen on the fatter Schecter necks on something as wide as the 7 string (although maybe an SLS C-7 would solve that, as my SLS C-1 is as thin as an RG neck, compared to my ATX C-1 which is chunky).

Hardtail will be a must... as the tuning will either be Bb or Drop G# (everything in the band is in Eb or Drop C# right now, so need a similar key for transitioning our tracks)

Aside from the transition challenges of getting your fingers used to it, how have you found the extra range? Are you really using it all that much in your songs?

Yeah no worries break. The extra range really didn't change my style of playing or anything that much. But it did make me look at scales a bit differently. My music background is mostly practical, I never had that much theory behind my playing but when I got the seven I really started to get interested in the theory that I lacked. I guess I use the seven string alot more now so I'm used to adding it in to my riffs. Sometimes I write on my six then move it to the seven and play in a different tuning, it really can alter the colour of the sound. My favourite use of the seven is with a clean tone. It just sounds massively airy and open when you use it with a nice chorus and delay. You really get the guitars resonance shine through with a good clean tone.

[break]

So a Schecter SGR C-7 (aka. super el-cheapo 7 string) came up that was 2 months old at $200... I couldn't resist dipping my toe in the 7 string water.


Click to view full size!

Tuned it up... within 30mins I was completely blown away with both:

a) How awesome 7 string is.... it just adds this massive depth to the sounds you can produce

b) How easily my fingers got used to the extra string AND longer scale length (26.5, as opposed to the 25.5 I have on all my other guitars).

I foresee a very expensive period ahead where I buy myself a quality 7 in the coming months.

[MercyFlush]

Originally Posted by break

So a Schecter SGR C-7 (aka. super el-cheapo 7 string) came up that was 2 months old at $200... I couldn't resist dipping my toe in the 7 string water.

pix

Tuned it up... within 30mins I was completely blown away with both:

a) How awesome 7 string is.... it just adds this massive depth to the sounds you can produce

b) How easily my fingers got used to the extra string AND longer scale length (26.5, as opposed to the 25.5 I have on all my other guitars).

I foresee a very expensive period ahead where I buy myself a quality 7 in the coming months.

Awesome dude
It really is such an easy transition isn't it!
Now you have a seven string I recommend you check out the following videos for some awesome riffs.

(I actually tabbed the start to this one out on the seven string forums)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owArsqc3OFg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cpKat5fiyM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14Rn09k6DqU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edqH0ofRQrM

And for epic seven string cleans this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgKHimdfNrY

If you go through with the build be sure to put it up on here because I'm sure it will be pretty awesome