7 string guitars

[Hardtail]

I've never actually seen a 7 stringer up close. From what I've seen from pictures, it looks like a bottom string is added.

 

What's the general standard tuning for such an instrument? I'm thinking B-E-A-D-G-B-E. Am I right or is another configuration generally used?

[fantasticsound]

Right on. Most 7 stringers are an added low B.

 

But there are several other incarnations including an additional high string, the Taylor Roger McGuinn signature model with an octave G string. (Think of a twelve string strung as a six, with the exception of the octave G.) Get it? {edit}Here's a few pics:

 

http://www.bananas.com/multimedia/8233/FullImage/8233.gif

 

http://namm.harmony-central.com/WNAMM05/Content/Martin/PR/HD-7-Roger-McGuinn-lg.jpg

 

Roger wanted a twelve string sound with a 6 string feel.

[Hardtail]

Thanks. That's an interesting Martin.

 

I like the idea of a lower string than the E but wonder if it's just better to play a baritone guitar with a lower tuning? I guess both have their advantages and disadvantages.

[alittlebatty]

Hmmmmm I've never played a baritone guitar,so my only advice would be to go to a music store that has both & try them out,and see what works better for you!

[Gifthorse]

Right on. Most 7 stringers are an added low B.

 

But there are several other incarnations including an additional high string, the Taylor Roger McGuinn signature model with an octave G string. (Think of a twelve string strung as a six, with the exception of the octave G.) Get it? {edit}Here's a few pics:

WOW great idea. I want one of those!! Betcha it costs a fortune

[MILLO]

I wanna get a classical w/ a pickup and preamp, but to put a higher A string on it.

 

I like the idea of the lower string only for playing solo (classical or jazz chord/melody stuff--very useful for both), or for super-mega heavy stuff. Can't see much logical use of it in other band contexts. In those contexts I'd rather extend the range up.

[The Geoff]

What gauge of string do you think would take a high 'A' on a standard scale?

 

G.

[Kramer Ferrington III.]

Originally posted by KPB:

wonder if it's just better to play a baritone guitar with a lower tuning? I guess both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Well, with the baritone you may have to transpose (what looks like an open C chord on a baritone is actually a G chord on a "normal" guitar)

 

On the other hand, the chord shapes stay the same, which reduces the learning curve a lot.

 

But damned if I'd know what to do with the extra, 7th string on most chords.

 

What DO people do with it? I can see how it would be ok on barre chords (you'd have a sort of sympathetic fretted bass sound), but what about open chords?

[Caevan O’Shite]

Many seven-stringing jazz guitarists use an added Low-A (underneath a standard E-A-D-G-B-E, low-to-high, for A-E-A-D-G-B-E) instead of the Low-B (or down-tuned relative equivalent) usually favored by shred/hard rock/metal type players, and this tuning for jazz players has been in use since waaay before- by decades- there was any such thing as heavy rock (see George Van Eps, for example).

 

Our Forum's own Jim Soloway makes some beautiful extended-scale seven-string axes; do a search or two here on this Forum for'im. Likewise, Forum member Dave Wendler (a.k.a. Dave251) has been known to craft some seriously cool solid-body electric-acoustic seven-stringers (including baritones), Both of these gentlemen have posted numerous pics AND mp3 clips of their rumbling creations.

 

That Martin Roger McGuinn signature-model seven-string (pictured above by Neil "fantasticsound"), with it's octave "G", is pretty damn cool. That would excel primarily at rather full chord "rhythm guitar" work, where the highest, "soprano" voice in any given chord-fingering would usually be found on the 3rd-string- instead of the 1st-string- like the 3rd-course on a twelve-string, for that ringingly different sound.

 

http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/icons/icon3.gif - BUT - if you want to get a very similar sound on a six-string, simply replace the 3rd/"G" string with the equivalent to a twelve-string guitar's 6th-string (the G-upper-octave in the 3rd course), and tune it one octave higher than you normally tune the 3rd-string to. Sort of a "Cheater's Nashville-Tuning". This works and sounds great for strummy chords using lots of strings, changing the sound in a way that's hard for most listeners to put their finger on by swapping where the highest note in a given chord will be.

 

http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/icons/icon3.gif Hey, MILLO and Grandad Geoff: look up the late, great, vastly underappreciated fingerstyle master Lenny Breau, who sometimes played custom-made seven-string classical and solid-body electric guitars employing a High-A above the High-E. On his seven-string classical, I believe he actually used a specific type and weight of fishing line for the High-A, while his custom electric was an unusually short-scaled guitar (pictured below); it was the only way he could tune up to a High-A without breaking the string all the time. Probably an .008" or a .009" gauge.

 

________________ http://images.picsearch.com/is?32565112675

 

Oh, and MILLO-

 

Originally posted by MILLO:

"Can't see much logical use of it in other band contexts. In those contexts I'd rather extend the range up."

One nice thing would be simply going across the fretboard, instead of down it, to reach some low-notes in either chords or "lead"-lines and fills. Personally, I wish it was easier to have both an extra lower AND an extra higher string on one eight-stringed axe for just those reasons... not a very practical reality all-around, though, I'm afraid...

[J. Robert Rennix]

Originally posted by CaevanO'Shite:

Many seven-stringing jazz guitarists use an added Low-A (underneath a standard E-A-D-G-B-E, low-to-high, for A-E-A-D-G-B-E) instead of the Low-B (or down-tuned relative equivalent) usually favored by shred/hard rock/metal type players ...

Actually, the low A note is popular in new metal too, because it's so similar to drop D tuning on a standard six string. I believe Korn tunes their seven strings in "drop A", half flat (Ab, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Bb, Eb).

[Caevan O’Shite]

Cool, thanks for the clarification!

 

I had thought that they (Korn, and maybe some of their klones) had sometimes gone with a double-dropped tuning, dropping both the 6th and the 7th strings by a whole-step from whatever their standard-relative pitches were. I considered looking it up and adding something about that, but... I was lazy, and I felt that I'd been enough of a windbag there already!

[MILLO]

Originally posted by CaevanO'Shite:

Oh, and MILLO-

 

Originally posted by MILLO:

"Can't see much logical use of it in other band contexts. In those contexts I'd rather extend the range up."

One nice thing would be simply going across the fretboard, instead of down it, to reach some low-notes in either chords or "lead"-lines and fills. Personally, I wish it was easier to have both an extra lower AND an extra higher string on one eight-stringed axe for just those reasons... not a very practical reality all-around, though, I'm afraid...

Yup... Like I said, "much" use. Yeah, I'd like to work up an 8-stringer and add both, but oh well... Now, for pop projects, I'd rather have a 7-string classical w/ a higher A, namely to go even farther away from bassist's range, and well... the regular guitar's range doesn't really go that high up, and going higher would be helpful if you want to use it namely as a 'melodic' instrument in an ensemble context w/ a bassist. I just see a lot more benefit that way.

[Caevan O’Shite]

Then ya definitely wanna check out Lenny Breau; he used seven-string classicals with High-A strings and played picking-hand harmonics, etc.

[caprae]

[MILLO]

Originally posted by CaevanO'Shite:

Then ya definitely wanna check out Lenny Breau; he used seven-string classicals with High-A strings and played picking-hand harmonics, etc.

...yeah, I have two of his albums and love his playing.

[MILLO]

Also, we have to mention Paul Galbraith, on the classical side of things....

[MILLO]

look here...

Galbraith\'s 8-stringer

[Caevan O’Shite]

Originally posted by MILLO:

look here...

Galbraith\'s 8-stringer

Very cool! I want to try one; dare I dream of a similar steel-string flat-top, or even a quasi Les Paul or Strat styled version of this 8-string "orpherion" approach? (Probably only limited by my wallet, huh?!)

 

It's interesting just how similar- though not quite identical- this arcaic orpherion's fanned-fret arrangement is to that of Ralph Novak's multi-scale fanned-fretboard designs...

[Gabriel E.]

Has everyone read the interview with Phil DuGruy in this month's GP? I saw him playing a Novak 7-string at a farmers market (!!!) a couple of years back. He's a fucking monster.

 

Now he plays a 17-string Guitarp built by Novak that has a high A and 10 harp strings above the A. DeGruy is a Lenny Breau devotee.

 

BTW, Lenny Breau was a Canadian.

[Bluesape]

Breau was amazing. Too bad about the addiction.