8 strings: maybe a new trend?
- Thread starter kaomao
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TheStoryteller
Member
TheStoryteller
Member
Because I can't play otherwise. I always always always use 6 string guitars, and tune Bb to Bb (normal intervals, no drop tunings).
I've owned a couple of 7 strings, but never liked'em. Even though I practiced quite a bit, I always played better with 6 strings.
dreamcatcher
Raising the Knife
JeffTD
Senhor Testiculo
I just wish I could get a 7 to sound as good as a 6 does. Even my 6's tuned down to B sound better than the 7's I've had. Hopefully the maple neck-thru/alder wings combo on the Carvin I've got on order fixes that.
What strings have you used? The typical 10-46+56 is one of the worst things that can happen to a guitar, there's just no balance between the strings. The B has five pounds less tension than the A, it's just going to sound odd.
Jeff
Jeff
Genius Gone Insane
http://www.¯\(°_o)/¯.com
I just jumped on the 7 string bandwagon maybe 6 months ago and it's opened new doors in songwriting for me. Not to mention an end to intonation issues.
JeffTD
Senhor Testiculo
Normally used a 10-46+60 set, but with ridiculously heavy strings, you don't get as much definition. I'm probably going to stick with 10-46+56 on this one, and just live with it, as it'll probably sound better.
Make sure you get a low string that's 'balanced' compared to the rest of the strings. Yes, definition changes, but with significantly lower tension (like you have even with that 10-46+60) you lose a lot more. I'd have put a 64 on the B and a 50 or 52 on the E if I were to use that tension, or lightened the A and D strings if I wanted to use that size B string... I fucking hate the 'popular' string gauges because they're just horribly picked. It's like someone just wanted everything to end in the same number, proper sound be damned...
Jeff
Jeff
Radd
Self Portrait
JBroll -I've been wanting to ask you Jeff about your 6 string Brice bass. Did you tune it to F# yet? I'm wondering how the tension is on that F#?
I've been thinking about doing that also eventually.
I have a UV777 tuned to F# standard because I'd like to experiment with that tuning. The F# is a .72 gauge. While the other strings are good to go, the F# is floppy as hell. I could get by playing it open as well as the first 3 or 4 frets but then its completely useless. I don't have to play power chords with it, single notes are fine but I wish it could be tighter and could get a few more notes out of it. Now my intonation isn't set with the low pro trem recessed into the body but still after doing some research, I'm under the assumption that its just not going to happen at F# no matter the gauge size. The other gauges are 62 52 42 26 17 13. What are your thoughts on this? Should I try a thicker gauge?
Also on a side note, I'm just considering the idea of replacing my stock neck and bridge Blaze II pups with Dimarzio Air norton in neck and X2N7 in bridge. I want killer chugga chug metal in the bridge and smooth Petrucci/Malmsteen solo tone in the neck. EMGs 707 will cause the body to be routed and I don't want to do that. Just wondering if that pup selection is good for what I want. Most reviews I've read have lead to that choice but I want to confirm with the REAL metal masters HERE.
Thanks in advance.
I've been thinking about doing that also eventually.
I have a UV777 tuned to F# standard because I'd like to experiment with that tuning. The F# is a .72 gauge. While the other strings are good to go, the F# is floppy as hell. I could get by playing it open as well as the first 3 or 4 frets but then its completely useless. I don't have to play power chords with it, single notes are fine but I wish it could be tighter and could get a few more notes out of it. Now my intonation isn't set with the low pro trem recessed into the body but still after doing some research, I'm under the assumption that its just not going to happen at F# no matter the gauge size. The other gauges are 62 52 42 26 17 13. What are your thoughts on this? Should I try a thicker gauge?
Also on a side note, I'm just considering the idea of replacing my stock neck and bridge Blaze II pups with Dimarzio Air norton in neck and X2N7 in bridge. I want killer chugga chug metal in the bridge and smooth Petrucci/Malmsteen solo tone in the neck. EMGs 707 will cause the body to be routed and I don't want to do that. Just wondering if that pup selection is good for what I want. Most reviews I've read have lead to that choice but I want to confirm with the REAL metal masters HERE.
Thanks in advance.
Chryst Krispies
Vanilla Gorilla
That made me laugh out loud.
I feel that everyone that has an 8 sting guitar will , without knowing it, end up writing a bunch of meshuggah sounding songs.
Har, har, har... fucking hell, it was a mess with the stock 127. I can hardly play that bloody dental floss at Bb, I'm waiting until I can spend eighty bucks on a set of proper strings to take it down to F#.
My opinion on this will be biased, because I use the same gauge for my B as you do for your F#, but I would say to go heavier.
Further, I would say to look at all of your strings and calculate the tensions better, as those will be COMPLETELY unbalanced. The obnoxious "Well, if I go down a string all I need to do is add 10' myth is horrible in ways that only child molesters and tax collectors can beat; use a real tension calculator or PM me and I'll work out a set based on the tension you'd like.
Not sure I'd go X2N7 for that... go actives, D Sonic 7, or D Activator 7. My D Activator 6 stays clean and defined with a 70 in F# on a 24 3/4" scale... I think that's the one to go to in this case, but I know that the DS7 also slays there. Maybe try the new Seymour Duncan Blackouts, I don't know... for neck I'd go for one of the Dimarzio PAF7 or that AN7... I might lean towards the PAF7.
Jeff
Radd
Self Portrait
Thanks for the reply Jeff. I didn't mean to be obnoxious.
I didn't know about proper balanced tension. I figured my selection was not at all accurate as it should be. I made guesses based on what might be good for me and found it to be pretty doable but yeah, could be better. I would like to know what the proper balanced gauges should be so I'll look into the tension calculator but I'll probably end up sending you a PM 'cause I suck like that.
I would like to go active. The UV777 has a middle single pup also that I have no idea what to replace with if anything. I guess a tech would have no problem installing both passives AND actives in it...
No, it's not your fault that the bloody stereotype is obnoxious, not everyone can be obsessive about this stuff.
Just figure out what tension you'd like (spend some time bending and picking a random string - I'd go with an A string, because you're used to it being at a higher tension than the others - at different tunings and see what feels most comfortable, and then send me the scale length, pitch, and string gauge and I'll actually calculate the tension) and we can get things matched up.
If you're going to want to use a middle single coil, you can either leave it there or get a rewind for it... and yes, you can have it in at the same time as the actives. I would give it its own volume knob or give it a boost so that it isn't too quiet after running through the much-smaller pot that the actives require, but it's your call. Also, I don't know how many active pickups have split-coils, so you're going to be using a different wiring diagram or just having some bizarre switch options. And with any UV that'll still go for good money (or that you might want to put passives back in, if money isn't of importance), I'd go with the Seymour Duncan Blackouts in the 'standard' size so routing wouldn't be necessary.
Jeff
Just figure out what tension you'd like (spend some time bending and picking a random string - I'd go with an A string, because you're used to it being at a higher tension than the others - at different tunings and see what feels most comfortable, and then send me the scale length, pitch, and string gauge and I'll actually calculate the tension) and we can get things matched up.
If you're going to want to use a middle single coil, you can either leave it there or get a rewind for it... and yes, you can have it in at the same time as the actives. I would give it its own volume knob or give it a boost so that it isn't too quiet after running through the much-smaller pot that the actives require, but it's your call. Also, I don't know how many active pickups have split-coils, so you're going to be using a different wiring diagram or just having some bizarre switch options. And with any UV that'll still go for good money (or that you might want to put passives back in, if money isn't of importance), I'd go with the Seymour Duncan Blackouts in the 'standard' size so routing wouldn't be necessary.
Jeff
Radd
Self Portrait
60 was almost enough for me in standard tuning on my hellraiser, but since I like Bflat (the lowest I'll go) even a 70 had some issues (scale length). I miss my 7 and I'll get one again, but they're not 'better' then a 6. Just different. E/Eb/C#/Bb are my tunings and seriously, aside from loomis I haven't heard anyone really stretch out the 7string (checkout his solo stuff at namm08!). The different positions and amount of strings per position change, and its nice, but theres only a few notes missing that you can easily reach other ways....I like both Bb tuned 6's and 7's. One isnt better then the other, just different!
