ShortScale.org

Does this mean I get banned from this site now?

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Oh, I sold my Jaguar to pay for this (and other stuff).

I just don't understand seven-string guitars. What real purpose does that extra string serve? If you want a low B, tune your guitar to B. Then your tuning runs from B to B, it makes sense, you get those lows. I can't imagine that many players ever truly being able to justify the ability to go from a low B all the way up to the upper echelons of a high E string. It's a case of heavy metal guitars trying to add something and kind of missing the mark. Adding a string means you've buggered up your ability to play most chords without readjustment. The fretboard becomes rather wider than usual.

I am by no means a traditionalist. But I just don't understand paying through the nose for a novelty instrument when you can achieve almost exactly the same effect buying a heavier guage of strings.

I have a seven string Jackson, I tune my lowest either to A or B. It's fun to play. The only real functional advantage is that you can keep all your wheedley-wahh high ends while adding more chugga chugga low ends.

The other really fun advantage is if you retune to open tuning, you can get epic droning chords going very very easily.

When you want to play traditional chords you just use the tip of your index finger on barre chords to mute the low string. For open chords you can wrap the thumb around Clapton style for the same muting effect.

Or you can just be more accurate with your pick, and avoid the low string.

I got interested in 7 string guitars when I was 16 and this local jazz guy used the 7 string to play all sort of crazy acid jazz. Right now it's in pieces, because I had an airbrush artist friend of mine paint an absurd picture on it. This thread makes me want to put it back together again.

Do like, experimenting with Rondo (ur douglas classic and this) sounds fun.

i think it's quite nice, seems decent enough for the price.

Looks excellent build quality for $225, i really like neck thru designs and its rare to see it on Super Strats.

Like steve said there are obvious advantages of a seven string, like keeping reasonable string tension whilst having the lows for one. I've never dabbled with seven strings personally, they always reminded me of the k0rn brigade in the 90's, a silly reason i know. But the fact you are not a Metaller in any way means some interesting stuff should come out of that seven string. Pleased you like it.

ekwatts wrote:I just don't understand seven-string guitars. What real purpose does that extra string serve? If you want a low B, tune your guitar to B. Then your tuning runs from B to B, it makes sense, you get those lows. I can't imagine that many players ever truly being able to justify the ability to go from a low B all the way up to the upper echelons of a high E string. It's a case of heavy metal guitars trying to add something and kind of missing the mark. Adding a string means you've buggered up your ability to play most chords without readjustment. The fretboard becomes rather wider than usual.

My goal is to have standard E across the higher strings and a low A string so that I can do easy power chord riffs when I need them. That doesn't interfere with my ability to chord, and really, this fretboard isn't that wide. I can mute two strings with my thumb with ease for open chords, three if I need to.

Anyway, you have to remember that not everyone can easily switch to a different tuning. Personally I have a huge problem with anything that's not in standard E. I don't think in terms of intervals when I play guitar. Since I played piano first and have always thought about what note, not what interval, I was playing, combine that with the whole absolute pitch thing, I don't think of things like I'm on the 12th fret on the 5th string, I think of I'm playing a high B on the B string. The moment I even downtune a half step, I get confused. I can't even play with a capo because it confuses the hell out of me. Basically, I can only pretty much play in standard E. So for me, a 7 string guitar makes a lot of sense. It lets me play "Rock Lobster" and then I still have the higher strings for all my chords.

As for why others want that 7th string, it's up to them to decide but I'm sure people have equally good reasons.

ekwatts wrote:I am by no means a traditionalist. But I just don't understand paying through the nose for a novelty instrument when you can achieve almost exactly the same effect buying a heavier guage of strings.

Oh of course, but I only paid $225 for mine. The 25.5" 6-string version is $199, and I feel like one extra string for $25! It's one more, isn't it?

Fran wrote:Looks excellent build quality for $225, i really like neck thru designs and its rare to see it on Super Strats.

Like steve said there are obvious advantages of a seven string, like keeping reasonable string tension whilst having the lows for one. I've never dabbled with seven strings personally, they always reminded me of the k0rn brigade in the 90's, a silly reason i know. But the fact you are not a Metaller in any way means some interesting stuff should come out of that seven string. Pleased you like it.

Absolutely, and it makes no sense to not consider neck thru for a Super Strat because really, what's the point of 24 frets if you can't reach them? This guitar only has 22 frets but you can actually reach the 22nd fret comfortably with no stretching at all. How many of us can really say that about our guitars? I've seen a lot of 24 fret Super Strats with pretty hefty neck heels and you couldn't really reach the 22nd fret that comfortably, much less the 24th.

I think that's a perfectly good reason to dislike 7 strings. As a result of the K0rn factor, most 7 strings available today are of the shredder variety, which is a shame. There's no reason why you couldn't have a classy, nice 7 stringer that isn't totally metalled out. I mean mine is hardly a bad example of Super Strat for the sake of Super Strat, but still, it has the HSH configuration and Floyd Rose. Now, the Floyd I actually love and have secretly coveted for years, but I wish it just had a simple HH configuration..

I think it looks like a massive bag of fun. As Fran said, build quality looks great and the thru neck has a Japanese 80s charm.

I also like that you're using it for things like "Rock Lobster" and not the obvious nu metal intentions -would love to hear a demo.

FUCK DA HATERZ

Yeah, once I get this guitar strung up properly, I'll have to give it a proper and thorough setup, and I'll probably make a more different demo.

The stock tuning is really, really silly.

Sounds interesting, I particularly like that the neck is small enough to wrap your thumb over the top with small hands. Do you have trouble doing that with a Jackson or Gibson?

It actually looks pretty decent for a 7-string... certainly looks worth the price you paid

Fran wrote:I've never dabbled with seven strings personally, they always reminded me of the k0rn brigade in the 90's, a silly reason i know.

I'm the same way

Mind you, I was a 5-sting bass player from about 1999 through 2006 or 2007... Similar idea, but I think the bass hits the mark a bit better than guitar.

Awesome! It looks like a quality piece, and as stated already, your non-traditional approach to a seven-string is refreshing. Bummer about the Jag though.

I had a 7 string but ponied it up when Fender released the JS. Sold it to K0orn kidz

Good to see another Asian person on this board. I've always wanted a seven string.

You'll have to let us know how tuning it works out. A standard scale 7 string would have the tuning you want. A baritone 7 string tuned all the way up standard might have some intonation problems, I'd think.

I'd play this 7-string:

From where I'm sitting that Dano looks like an absolute shitting pig to play. Look at that neck!

Plus I think to negotiate the extra string and width you'd need higher output pickups and as much ergonomic design to make it less work for yourself.

It's cuter but not very practical.

OP's guitar is very nice.

I sometimes hanker after having a seven-string again.

George wrote:From where I'm sitting that Dano looks like an absolute shitting pig to play. Look at that neck!

Yeah what's going on there, surely its the camera angle.

Might be the slightly shorter scale and the shadow behind the guitar making it look a bit finger-unfriendly. But honestly, all 7-stringers are going to make your eyes go a bit funny anyway because they have the wrong number of strings.

And yes, the Korn association is entirely appropriate as it's Nu-Metal bands that really started using 7-strings and opened up the market.