6 string vs 7 string

Gear
#1

Are there any benefits of getting a 6 string vs 7 string model of the same guitar, assuming the player is comfortable with playing 7 strings, and ignoring the fact that 7 string models are usually more expensive?

Thank you! :slight_smile:

#2

one word spun out to take up 20 characters or more: no

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#3

I would say the common pros and cons apply. Off the top of my head: some 6 string songs might be harder to play on 7, or just feel more cumbersome, as you’re gonna be muting the low B often. Likewise, you can’t play 7 string songs on a 6 (unless you change voicings, but that doesn’t work on low string riffs). More strings allows you to play lines that span more octaves quickly (like arpeggios), but also require you to be used to string tracking on the additional string.

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#4

I like the feeling of having my hand wrapped around the neck, lets you bend well and mute a lot. Thats harder on a 7 string. Various chords are much nicer to play with your hand wrapped around the neck too.

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#5

I’ve mostly played 7 strings for the past 15 years or so now. The only real advantage is the extra range, both the lower notes and in regards to what you can get in a single position. As for disadvantages, open chord strummy sort of stuff can be awkward, and certain ways of playing chords (like D/F# with your thumb grabbing the low E) become impossible.

That said, I’ll take a 7 string over a 6 pretty much any time. :slight_smile:

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#6

13 years ago I transitioned from 24.75” 6 string to 27” 7 string and haven’t looked back. Honestly it took at least a couple years for my muting to catch back up but all other factors were overcome quickly.

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#7

My advice, rent one for a week. I thought I wanted a 7-string until a friend bought one and I got to spend a fair amount of time playing it. I lost interest pretty fast and my friend did too and sold it. It’s not a “better” or “worse” thing but they’re definitely not for everyone.

#8

I play both guitars, and I definitely enjoy having both available. There are a few minor drawbacks on the 7 string that incentivize me to pick up the 6 for certain songs.

  1. For me, there is a significant speed difference on certain songs. The 7 string is not always slower, but there are some pieces that are easier to play on the 6 string. Sometimes it’s just preference, and sometimes we’re talking 10 to 20 bpm.

  2. Sometimes the low 7 is just in the way when I want to transition to a low string, like the tapped arpeggios in Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee.

  3. Conversely, there are also pieces that are much easier to play on a 7 string, like the closing G minor arpeggio at the end of Pagannini’s 5th Caprice. The 3 octave leap is covers a much shorter lateral distance on a 7 string. Other pieces can’t be played on a 6 string without transposition, but are comfortable on a 7 (like the Bach cello suites).

  4. Songs that require the thumb to come over the top of the neck, like Little Wing, present challenges for the 7 string that I haven’t solved.

  5. In the context of metal, it’s nice to have access to the lower range without the necessity of heavy gauge strings and intonation problems.