both

6 string - drop d/d standard
7 string - standard

I play a seven string. A few years back I joined a band who were tuning to B and since I needed to buy a new guitar anyway 7 string seemed like a more sensible option than buying a 6 string and tuning down. Also I have a woefuly small penis and the extra string helps me feel like more of a man. I prefer the 7 string anyway. If I bought a second guitar now I'd get a 6 string, but if I had no guitar I'd buy the 7 string first over the 6 string.

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7.

Just does more with less mods, much easier.

Quite unique aswell.

Quite sexy aswell.

7, for even tension and intonation. Everything from Cryptopsy to Steve Vai and I don't have to change tunings.

what do you mean by that?

haha you already responded to that exact message earlier in this same thread.

there are more pick-ups out there for six strings like EMG for example only have 2 7-string pick-ups and has more in six string

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I own 4 guitars;
-Jackson DXMG with custom paint and neck (6 string)
-Schector Damien 7 String
-Ibanez GSA60 6 string
-Fender 7 string acoustic

Its a 50/50 opinion from me. REason is that I play in shit loads of bands. One band I would use my 6 string guitars tuned to D or D flat for more smoother, tremolo picking, technical and sorta heavy break down styled songs.

Then I would use a 7 string guitar that emphasizes more on groove and brutality.

its weird, but I prefer mostly 7 string just because it gives me a high playing slower groovin' face pounding type of shit. But i really wouldnt recommend a 7 string for technical shit unless ur using the strings from low E to High E for your technical riffage and use ur B string for mostly breakdowns or power chord stuff.

its weird, i hope my screwed up english hasnt left u in confusion.

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I'm going through this uncertainty myself too at the moment.

I like both 6-strings and 7-strings and I'm driving myself nuts. I think I'll end up building a custom twin neck guitar ala' Michael Angelo haha

Anyway, I was thinking about buying a 6-string and downtuning it to D, sort of half way to get the best of both worlds, so to speak. 'Cause as I see it, even though a 7-string has the extended range, you can't play certain fast riffing.

What do you guys think?

I've never extensively sat down and played a 7 stringer, but the one brief time I did I played the intro to I Cum Blood by Cannibal Corpse, no problem. 7 stringers are strung up with 10-56, basically just like a 6 stringer, just with a low b string guage .056. So you shouldnt have trouble trem picking and stuff like that. What guage strings do you use on your 6 string guitar?

I don't think you hear Morbid Angel having any issues with any type of fast riffing on 7 strings.

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Yeah, playing fast isnt really a problem on a 7 string. Nevermore do it perfectly. But like 6 strings, there are low models and low model 7 string would have sub-par necks that would make playing fast difficult.

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That's not what I meant actually. Like if you have a 7-string and you want to play a song which is written on say, a D tuning or any other tuning besides B, you'd have a problem with some fast palm muted riffing. You'd have to slide up and down really fast. Or else use a capo. I don't know if I explained myself well enough. It's hard for me to explain it like this. I'm not a good guitarist anyway so I could be wrong.

Anyway, after hearing Exhumed's "Horrific Expulsion of Gore" demo again, I think I'll forget about 6-stringers and go for a 7-string. Peace.

It shouldn't be a problem. You could either:

A.) Transfer all the notes so it'll sound right. (ie. Instead of open low E string on a 6, just play low B on the 3rd fret, so it'll still be "D").

B.) Tune down a whole step.

Either way, it shouldn't be too difficult for you to work around stuff like that. I tune to Bb and can play Incantation songs on my 7-string alright using "A" method.

Cheers.

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Nope, that's not what I was referring to, but thanks anyway for your help. It's a little awkward 'cause I can't show you what I mean and my English isn't that good to explain it either but I'll try...

So to play songs in any of these tunings (Eb, D, Db and C) on a 7-string, you'd have to slide your hand up and down very quickly to be able to play certain fast muted chord/open 'E' riffs. I would use a capo in this case.

Sorry if this still doesn't make any sense.

Just pretend the 7 string doesnt have the 7th string for a moment. Tune the guitar to any one of your desired tunings. Then, figure out how may half-steps you detuned all the other strings. Finally, detune the 7th string that many half steps and now you have a 7 string in, lets say D tuning with a low A string.

i've never played a 7 string..but i cannot deny that having an extra string provides more options. however i also think you can come up with endless variation without the aid of an extra string.

I think this is as pointless as comparing a violin to a cello, or a 4 string bass to a 5 stringer. I consider 7 strings to be a different instrument... I have my Ibanez Universe UV7BK but I generally play more on my 6-string guitars, though the 7 is always great to have when looking for different sounds. I go for my 7 when I'm in the mood for slower doomy shit and virtuoso ish stuff, and of course Morbid Angel/Behemoth/Lost Soul stuff, but hit my 6-stringers for everything else.

I can't vote because it just wouldn't make sense.

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That's what I often think about when playing other band's songs on my (lefty) 7-string. I keep mine a wholetone down, so that's 6-string D or 7-string A.

One thing you can do with 7's is play 7-string chords! I managed to fit all the seven notes of a 13th chord onto it.

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i can agree about comparing violin to cello, but not bass or guitar with simply one extra string. they are practically identical.