6? 7? Thoughts? Suggestions?

[gemyneye]

Ok, so I am debating. I have Christmas coming up and I have pretty much the gamut in guitars that I want, need, and can afford at this time. It may take me a few years of saving up again to get the core guitars that may or may not come out in January. But, the one guitar in the lineup that kind of sticks out is the Mark Holcomb SE. The 20" inch radius is appealing. I've had a 20 inch radius and 25.5 scale and 7 string and enjoyed it except for a tuning issue (different brand). So, thinking about pulling the trigger on a used MH, but I can't seem to decide between the 7 or the 6. Any thoughts or suggestions? I appreciate it.

 

[alantig]

Both. But you knew that.

I have both. I don't play a lot of 7, but it's great to have around.

 

[gemyneye]

True! I wish my savings account agreed with our sentiment. I am leaning towards the 6 for now only due to short arms and it still handles down tuning.

 

[alantig]

I have the same short finger issue. I just recorded a part on my 7 for a backing track for my mother to use in church (I know, I can't believe I didn't spontaneously combust either!). Tuned the 7 WAY down - G-D-G-D-G-C-E. It took a few minutes to settle in, but it turned out pretty well, especially because I was copying a thing that was played on acoustic in a C# tuning.

 

[gemyneye]

Whoa, that's crazy low. Do you find a significant difference in the 26.5 and 25.5 scale length?

 

[shinksma]

I would suggest the 7 stringer. The 6 stringer is nice (I have one) but the SVN (non-MH) is a very nice guitar too, and I think the 7-string MH would be the desired "unique" configuration - assuming you want/need a 7-stringer. The only reason I don't have a MH 7 is a bitter aftertaste unrelated to the guitar itself...

I like having extended range guitars, and have two PRS SE 7 stringers (the aforementioned SVN and the older 25" Scale CU24-7).

I also have a different brand 8-stringer, because PRS doesn't make one I can afford...(there are several brands that make 8-stringers, some multi-scale, in the higher-SE price point range, some made in the same factories that PRS uses AFAIK, so it is feasible, if PRS thinks there is a market...c'mon PRS! Do it!)

 

[gemyneye]

That's a valid point, I don't have a 7 string...

 

[gemyneye]

Welp a used 22 SVN came up for a steal so I took it, and hopefully it will be here in a few days.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

The B stands for brootal.

 

[shinksma]

The B stands for brootal.

And on an 8-stringer, the F# and B stand for Stabby Effing Brootal.

edit: or if you tune to Drop E:

Extra Brootal

 

[gemyneye]

The B stands for brootal.

Took me a minute…

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Back when I was a just a young Slayer baby, and the Universe had just come out..

I thought real hard about buying that black and green RG.

I went to a store that had one and sat down and played an open B for 20 mins, and knew right then and there that I would never write another song that wasn’t in the key of B if I bought it.

 

[trisd]

I have had a couple of 7 string guitars. Its only worth it if you are going to use the full range of the guitar. If you just want to riff in B standard you can just buy heavier strings and a bit of a setup.

 

[gemyneye]

I have had a couple of 7 string guitars. Its only worth it if you are going to use the full range of the guitar. If you just want to riff in B standard you can just buy heavier strings and a bit of a setup.

I liked the 7 string when I had it for the guitar music theory aspect/pattern of it with extended cords. It was cool and allowed me to riff a bit lower in the baritone range.

 

[ViperDoc]

Sell a kidney and go for the 8-string PSOM from a few years back.

 

[trisd]

I liked the 7 string when I had it for the guitar music theory aspect/pattern of it with extended cords. It was cool and allowed me to riff a bit lower in the baritone range.

George van Eps had some very nice 7 string voicings but he had the low "B" tuned down to A, one octave below the open A string.

This thread has got me thinking I keep meaning to get one of my guitars set up in Robert Fripp's New Standard Tuning, (C-G-D-A-E-G). I have been looking to try it for over a decade..... hmmmmmmm

 

[trisd]

Sell a kidney and go for the 8-string PSOM from a few years back.

Conklin Custom shop!!!!!!!

 

[gemyneye]

George van Eps had some very nice 7 string voicings but he had the low "B" tuned down to A, one octave below the open A string.

This thread has got me thinking I keep meaning to get one of my guitars set up in Robert Fripp's New Standard Tuning, (C-G-D-A-E-G). I have been looking to try it for over a decade..... hmmmmmmm

Do people actually become adept at alternate and standard tuning and able to move from on to the other, improvise, and play on the fly? I find it challenging.

 

[trisd]

Do people actually become adept at alternate and standard tuning and able to move from on to the other, improvise, and play on the fly? I find it challenging.

Yes. It is not as hard as you may think if you use your ears rather than rely on the familiar geometry of standard tuning fingerings.

 

[shinksma]

Do people actually become adept at alternate and standard tuning and able to move from on to the other, improvise, and play on the fly? I find it challenging.

Yes. It is not as hard as you may think if you use your ears rather than rely on the familiar geometry of standard tuning fingerings.

Yes, but I wouldn't say everyone can do it. I'm not sure I can do it very much. I know a couple of songs in a Drop D tuning for regular guitar, and playing that is pure "pattern in my head" vs thinking about what notes are what along that low E (now D) string.

I am friends with an awesome local guitarist (Brian Smalley, look him up!) who changes tuning between songs to very oddball tunings sometimes. He definitely plays by "that sound/note from that fret on that string right now" technique, and is a monster at single-guitar arrangements that sound like two or three players.