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7 String Guitar


Red Fire

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Never played one. Most people I think tune the low string so they can just whack something three strings across. I did find some confusion in playing a five string bass as I kept always thinking I was playing the E string when in fact I was hitting the B.
"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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Back in the day, my guitar teacher played a '70s Gretsch George Van Eps 7 string. Fantastic for solo guitar arrangements with a latin bass.

 

Today's 7 string players are a different animal. George is turning in his grave. If I ever come across one of those Gretsch Van Eps models, it's mine.

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Originally posted by Scott from MA:

HA HA HA... Who is going to be the first to explode?! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

 

David St. Hubbins and Nigel Tufnel recently switched to 7 string guitars because they felt that 7 strings would be louder than 6.

 

This message has been edited by mzeger on 08-13-2001 at 05:06 PM

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Originally posted by Red Fire:

Ego alert

 

 

Ok! Now we HAVE to have a talk, Red Fire? How old are you? Are you living in a cave, up north? I know you're not completely isolated, because you're online.

 

The joke is from one of the classic rock & roll films of all time, This is Spinal Tap. If you haven't seen it, RENT IT! Not only is it hilarious, but you'll miss a LOT of humor online if you don't know it.

 

Honestly, you must be young. Ignorant is fine, it's not stupidity. Will educate you, if you give us half a chance!

 

Now be nice boys and girls!

 

7 strings... Hmmm... never played 'em for more than a few minutes. The current hip thing in heavy rock is to play barre chords with more bass, by playing them lower than is possible on the E string.

 

The George Van Eps reference is what YOU want. Check him out. As an educated guitarist, you'll find an extra string opens creative doors. Sad that most of the kids buying 7 strings these days haven't a clue about this. They don't play anything interesting on the extra string, just lower notes.

 

 

 

------------------

Neil

 

Reality: A few moments of lucidity surrounded by insanity.

It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman

 

Soundclick

fntstcsnd

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Scott, Neil: thanks for responding to a comment that didn't merit a response

 

Van Eps was a sadly underrated legend. My teacher used to practice from a Van Eps exercise book called Harmonic Mechanisms for Guitar (there are 3 volumes). Very challenging material if I remember.

 

For a more contemporary example of what huge talent can do with extra guitar strings, check out Charlie Hunter. Plays an 8-string Novax guitar, often with a Leslie effect. This guy kills me. For an introduction, pick up "Natty Dread" on which he plays jazz arrangements of the classic Bob Marley album. Also worth hearing is Hunter's duet with Pat Martino on Stevie Wonder's "Too High" from Martino's "All Sides Now".

 

This message has been edited by mzeger on 08-14-2001 at 03:59 PM

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Since we are on the subject of "too many strings"... How come you never see 10-string guitars anymore. Does anyone even make them anymore? I know LaBella still makes strings for them, so there must be a few still out there!

Scott

(just another cantankerous bastard)

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Funny you should mention spinal tap I own it bought it yesterday I just didn't watch it wet (My Dad's a drummer he want's to watch it with me and he is at work) I mea it egotistcle (Shit that's hard to spell.) that he bought a 7 string to make himself sound loud. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

 

------------------

I play WashBurn

And I use a Marshall

 

This message has been edited by Red Fire on 08-15-2001 at 05:51 PM

I play WashBurn

And I use a Marshall

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Originally posted by Red Fire:

Plus I meant ego alert to David St. Hubbins and Nigel Tufnel for getting 7 string's to sound louder. I know the amp go to eleven joke and all that He schrached on an eleven and said that it was louder than most amp's.

 

 

Good! Enjoy the movie.

 

But have you seen the Martin ad from, I believe, the early 1990's with Nigel Tufnel on one stool and Chrisopher Guest on another? (Chris IS Nigel!) Chris asks Nigel to turn down his new Martin acoustic. (the model was specifically sold on the feature that it was a loud Martin) Nigel's response, "It's not turned on!!!"

 

 

 

------------------

Neil

 

Reality: A few moments of lucidity surrounded by insanity.

It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman

 

Soundclick

fntstcsnd

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Originally posted by fantasticsound:

But have you seen the Martin ad from, I believe, the early 1990's with Nigel Tufnel on one stool and Chrisopher Guest on another? (Chris IS Nigel!) Chris asks Nigel to turn down his new Martin acoustic. (the model was specifically sold on the feature that it was a loud Martin) Nigel's response, "It's not turned on!!!"

 

Now THAT'S funny! If I remember, soon after Tap came out, Sunn did briefly sell an amp that had the volume up to 11. And last year, Ernie Ball/Music Man did a limited edition Spinal Tap guitar.

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with 7-strings (and 5-string basses) the idea is that you have more range at one left-hand position.

 

for example, if you're playing A & D power chords at the 5th fret, you can also play a low E power chord without changing positions.

 

W

 

btw: you can't fold it.

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I've been playing a 7 string for 9 years now and it's really pretty easy. I bought an Ibanez and it only took me about a day to get really used to it. While the neck is wide, it's also really fast. After playing one, going back to a regular guitar felt weird at first . I started switching back and forth frequently and now that doesn't even feel strange.

 

The 7th string opens up a lot of possibilities. From different chord voicings to extra low end superheavy death metal power chords, you simply have more range to work with.

 

My only complaint is that most 7 strings produced these days are either metal/rock guitars or high-end archtops. I'd like to see more versatile Strat/Tele/Les Paul like guitars available in 7 strings. I'd kill for a 7 string PRS!

 

BTW Charlie Hunter is great. He was playing a 7 string about 10 years ago but it didn't have enough range for him so he moved to 8 strings! I doubt that I'll ever have that problem.

 

Gabriel

"You never can vouch for your own consciousness." - Norman Mailer
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