Bad Idea?

[lakey7bsb]

Hello, i hava a Jem7-Vsbl and i was wondering if it would be a bad idea to put a set of strings for a 7srting guitar (B E A D G B and leaving out the bottom E) onto the jem, i kno i would have to re position the trem but would it be bad for anything else like the neck or the trem in the long term or anything else?

[Jemwielder]

Well... Do you mean to tune lower or just have super heavy strings? Cuz with super heavy strings you'll have a hell of a time keeping that neck from bowing. If you mean to tune lower it might sound ok. It might also sound like crap cuz the jem isn't a baritone guitar. Then again steve plays some jems tuned down a whole step with the lowest string dropped down to c and doesn't have too many problems. Any lower than that and you're looking to get into having a sludgy muddy sound.

[Demiurge]

Since most 7-strings are 25.5" scale length, there shouldn't be too much problem with overly slack strings. You may need to adjust intonation and tweak the neck slightly, though.

[sniperfrommars1]

It will work and its possible, but i dont necessarily suggest doing it on a jem, just because of the type of guitar and pickups it has in it. It WILL require a full setup for that string gauge including neck bow issues etc.

[lakey7bsb]

yer i was gna tune it down to basically a 7 string guitar, minus the bottom E, yer i dont really want to ruin my Jem, so i wont risk it, thanks a bunch anyways!

Cheers

[Lefty Robb]

Yep, it would sound like crap...

[Flobanez]

Originally Posted by Demiurge

Since most 7-strings are 25.5" scale length, there shouldn't be too much problem with overly slack strings. You may need to adjust intonation and tweak the neck slightly, though.

+1

The thing is, back in the day before I bought my first 7-string (before 1998 ), I had my six-strings tuned down, I used heavier gauge strings and had it set for it. I thought it was great but I was still missing the high E, buying a 7-string was the perfect solution.

[Chris777]

Meshugga used to put F# B E A D G B on thier UV's before they got 8 stringers, so theoretically it would work. It would just require a complete set-up.

[King Nothing]

if you want to part with that vsbl, i have a uv777bk i'll trade you in the classifieds section!
http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50750

[Flobanez]

Originally Posted by King Nothing

if you want to part with that vsbl, i have a uv777bk i'll trade you in the classifieds section!
http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50750

I wish I had a VSBL right about now. I regret ever selling my '98 UV777BK. Sounds like a good deal.

[marianozz]

Originally Posted by Lefty Robb

Yep, it would sound like crap...

Steve tuned the original horsie down to D, the new one to drop C or full on C (dont remember), and Petrucci has some of his standard 6ers tuned down to C, too...

With the right strings and setup, it would sound massive, not like crap at all

but, as Flobanez said, you will be missing the high E

[Dragon Slayer J]

thats the same priniciple as a baritone B E A D F# B

[Lefty Robb]

Originally Posted by marianozz

Steve tuned the original horsie down to D, the new one to drop C or full on C (dont remember), and Petrucci has some of his standard 6ers tuned down to C, too...

With the right strings and setup, it would sound massive, not like crap at all

but, as Flobanez said, you will be missing the high E

And thats as low as you'd ever, ever want to go, not down to B. You'd loose a lot of definition on that B, and the neck and bridge would have a hard time keeping its tension on it, you'd have to had a few springs added as well I'm sure, which would make the strings stiffer as well, plus a few good turns of the truss rod. Not to mention the pickups wern't really designed for that type of bottom end. In the end a Baritone or 7 string would sound 1000x better, which why they make them. And what he's trying to do isn't the same thing as a baritone, which are a whole 5th lower that what he wants to do, which theres no possible way of doing that without it sounding like total ****.

Steve Bad Horsie is D A F C G C and always has been played on that tuning.