SX and 7/8-string guitar ....

[\m/Øyvind\m/]

I´m glad as hell Michael romeo don´t use a seven string.
Then I would have to buy a seven string myself to learn symphony X songs.

(Off Topic) I am maybe going to buy a seven string anyway
What is your thoughts about the Agile Septor Elite 727 EMG MN Black Flame: http://www.rondomusic.com/product3436.html or the Agile Interceptor Pro-B 727 EB Tribal Red Q Duncan: http://www.rondomusic.com/interceptorprobduncan727triredq.html

 

[Marwen]

The Septor Elite looks sweet! I'd love to give it a try it, though I'd miss the whammy bar.

 

[\m/Øyvind\m/]

I´m not sure if I really need the whammy bar.
Have an Esp Horizon and I never use the whammy bar.
And the Floyd Rose system is nothing but stress.
I mean, you need to open the string lock every time you are tuning the guitar, and to tune the guitar down is a nightmare. And it´s a lot more easy to change strings on a no FR guitar

But if I one day start´s to use it...

I guess I rather have a whammy and not need it then need a whammy and not have it

I think I can handle the stress I think...

lol! I also think I just convinced myself to buy a whammy

 

[Kenneth R.]

I think it's easier to change strings on a floating bridge.

Also, once you set up a floating bridge, you do NOT change tunings. Ever. Unless you want to spend 5 hours.

Plus, the locking tuners keep it in tune better than unlocked.

 

[JPX]

I´m glad as hell Michael romeo don´t use a seven string.
Then I would have to buy a seven string myself to learn symphony X songs.

(Off Topic) I am maybe going to buy a seven string anyway
What is your thoughts about the Agile Septor Elite 727 EMG MN Black Flame: http://www.rondomusic.com/product3436.html or the Agile Interceptor Pro-B 727 EB Tribal Red Q Duncan: http://www.rondomusic.com/interceptorprobduncan727triredq.html

Ernie Ball Music Man BFR JP7

Ernie Ball Music Man JPX7 (They sell a 7 string version)

 

[\m/Øyvind\m/]

Looks sweet!
But the reason why I am looking at the agile´s is because the brand is still pretty unknown. Therefore they sell good guitars to cheap prices.
I know a guy who said it felt like playing on a 2000$ guitar when it really cost 675$

Trying to keep it cheap, because next up:
Engl Savage
http://www.sound1.com/portal/asp/produktdetalj1.asp?Produkt_ID=1766
(Not the cheapest site)

 

[JPX]

Fair enough. I have some cheaper Ibanez guitars that sound/feel just as good as their $1,000.00+ counterparts. Sometimes you can find a diamond in the rough if you shop around. For overall quality/tone/versatility/aesthetics/investment/customer support I would always recommend EBMM. I have a 6 string BFR and 7 string JP, both exceptional instruments.

Also I played a JPX 6 for the first time last night and the painted neck/ebony board is like glass. Awesome sparkle too.

 

[\m/Øyvind\m/]

Fair enough. I have some cheaper Ibanez guitars that sound/feel just as good as their $1,000.00+ counterparts. Sometimes you can find a diamond in the rough if you shop around. For overall quality/tone/versatility/aesthetics/investment/customer support I would always recommend EBMM. I have a 6 string BFR and 7 string JP, both exceptional instruments.

Also I played a JPX 6 for the first time last night and the painted neck/ebony board is like glass. Awesome sparkle too.
JPBODY3.jpg[/IMG]

I checked Ibanez´s homepage. I did not find any of the guitars you are writing about.

http://www.ibanez.com/ElectricGuitars/home

 

[Kenneth R.]

While I'm no huge fan of Petrucci, the JPX is a very nice axe.

For less money, I have an Ibanez RG1527 that's been rock solid from day 1.

 

[GreggSuspyre]

Me too. I started on a 5, so that 5th string is an anchor of sorts for my thumb. I rarely even use that extra fat string, but I'm just so used to it that playing a 4 is awkward.

But back on topic. Some bands really benefit from using a 7-string, such as Adagio (I'm pretty sure Stephan always uses the 7, and their bassist is a beast with his 6). But who uses an 8-string?! What would the bass even play that wouldn't instantly sound like mud?!

Meshuggah uses an 8-string (tuned down a half-step) on their newer stuff. The new The Ciem Show album will also feature an 8-string (tuned even lower). It by no means replaces the six-string guitar, but it sure creates some new sounds.

 

[GreggSuspyre]

If I may make recommendations to those interested in seven-strings, I have two, the EBMM JPM (2002 model) and a custom-made Manne Taos Satin Special with all the bells and whistles (coil-tapping, piezo, and MIDI setup).

I personally prefer the feel of a six-string to any seven; the JPM has a very thin neck, which makes it tiring on the left hand. Its clean single coil tone is amazing, but I'm not a fan of the pickups in humbucking mode; they're very mid-ranged, and only work if you have a rig like Petrucci himself. I find I need lots of coloration with effects to make it sound the way I want, while the Manne sounds just as good through my Roland Cube as it does my TriAxis. When it comes to comfort, I prefer the Petrucci, as its body size is perfect for me. I find the Manne to be too small (wish I went with the bigger size ), and I can't play it without a strap or else I'm all hunched over.

My friend has the 30" scale Agile 8. Its longer scale helps the strings breathe a little more and not be so tense. Its also really fun to play as it's like a cross between a guitar and a bass.

I believe seven-strings are there for more options and tonal range, not to replace the six-string guitar. I can get some more interesting chord voicings out of it.

 

[Progbass]

Meshuggah uses an 8-string (tuned down a half-step) on their newer stuff. The new The Ciem Show album will also feature an 8-string (tuned even lower). It by no means replaces the six-string guitar, but it sure creates some new sounds.

Yea tuned in F, and in meshuggah's case the bass plays that F in same octave...probably because if the bass would be tuned to low F it would sound just muddy and not tight enough...more like just air pressure coming from the speakers . But maybe with right setup and longer scale bass...it could work, who knows.

 

[JesterIF]

Its longer scale helps the strings breathe a little more and not be so tense.

Err...the longer the scale the more tension you need to attain the same frequency (or note). So 30'' would be super tense!

 

[GreggSuspyre]

Err...the longer the scale the more tension you need to attain the same frequency (or note). So 30'' would be super tense!

Hmm...true. I remember calculating the PSI on guitar strings in my Physics of Music class back in the day. But this was easily the slinkiest guitar I've ever felt. Maybe I was just getting confused because of the 9-gauge strings.

 

[GreggSuspyre]

Yea tuned in F, and in meshuggah's case the bass plays that F in same octave...probably because if the bass would be tuned to low F it would sound just muddy and not tight enough...more like just air pressure coming from the speakers . But maybe with right setup and longer scale bass...it could work, who knows.

Yeah, the human ear can only hear down to about 20hz, so we're hearing more of the upper harmonic partials rather than the fundamental. The low F that the bass would have to play would be 21.83hz, a major-third lower than the lowest note on a piano (but not quite as low as the one and only Octocontrabass Clarinet, which goes to 15hz). Most people have enough trouble discerning pitch differences below E1 (the open low E string on a standard bass) that anything that low is just pointless.