Ever ditched the 7 & went back to 6?

revsharp777 · #1 09-15-2003, 06:43 PM

I've come to a really strange crossroads in my guitar playing. Since the mid-90s, I have played 7-strings exclusively. 99% of my stuff is based in low B or Bb & yes, I did use all 7 strings. I even considered moving to an 8-string. However, in the past few months, I've re-discovered the joys of a 6-string. I've found that I can play everything I did on the 7 on a downtuned 6...& play it better. The only thing I had to do is move some parts to a higher fret position. So, you are problably wondering why I went back to 6. Well...

In the past year, I been involved in a highly technical metal band. With all of this fret-burning (for lack of a better term), my wrist was really starting to hurt due to the wider 7-string fretboard. When I went to the 6, that all ended. Secondly, on a 6, certain passages are played higher on the fretboard, thus, curing my wrist problem, shortening the extreme stretches I had to make & allowing me to play with much greater accuracy. Not to mention, I also got a surge of creativity from playing the 6-string again.

So my question is...has anyone ever gone back to playing 6s after playing 7s exclusively? Why did you do it?

I've recently retired all my 7s & now play a Steinberger GU-7R & my newly acquired neck-thru Ibanez RGT42. Eventually, I'd like to have a 6-string built with an extended fretboard.

So let's here your stories...

Two hands31 · #2 09-15-2003, 08:31 PM

I swap back and forth all the time. I love both.

I can't believe I'm gonna admit this, but I occasionally play Linkin Park's "Hybrid Theory" album straight through beginning to end, and that means swapping back and forth a couple times (obviously, I don't play "Cure for the Itch"). I'm working on Evanescence's "Fallen", and again, lots of both.

I'm in a band that does mostly covers right now to get a feel for our "sound" and how well we work together, and these are two bands we all really like.

sam669 · #3 09-15-2003, 09:03 PM

I go back and forth too, depends on the mood

talking about possible physical problems, I always feared those knowing that I've already had a tendonitis, a carpal tunel syndrom on both arms, and that I still have nerve problems forcing me to be really careful about my technique. I have to stretch my arms alot and such. Moreover, I always felt a little uncomfy playing 76/7420s, but the neck on the 2027 is just perfect! ooh, a little short maybe

guitarkatana · #4 09-15-2003, 10:34 PM

I'm primarily a 6-stringer, and probably always will be. I continue to play 6-strings exclusively for all the reasons you mentioned Revsharp777. I would like to get a good 7 string eventually, though.

I used to be set on the idea of getting a 7-string. All I needed was the money, and then vuala. Then I picked up CDs by Spiral Arcitect and Symphony X. Well, I've still gots plenty to study on 6 strings.

I've actually been playing in drop-D a lot lately. I used to think that tuning was for pusys. Severe Torture has taught me to think differently about drop-D.

7LightWithOutHeat7 · #5 09-16-2003, 02:38 AM

i have a 6 string rg six string nylon string acustic ad my uv. A 7 string feels better to me than a six so i play it most the time

Scott of Actual Time · #6 09-16-2003, 09:52 PM

i switched to 7s six years ago and have never looked back.

i did have wrist pain similar to what you describe, when i started on the 7s, but i figured out the cause -- i was wearing my 6 strings slung low on the strap and grabbing the neck from behind like a baseball bat, not with my wrist below the neck like "proper" playing position. with the 7s slung at that same low height, my wrist had to bend more severely to envelope the wider neck, and that caused the pain.

raising all my guitar straps made my wrist angle less severe and completely eliminated the problem. yeah, i don't look quite so jimmy page, low-slung cool rocker, but for my technical/prog fusion/metal/??? band _actual time_, the music school geek vibe kind of fits! i sling my Dean EVO 7 a little bit lower than that, but i haven't had that wrist problem since the strap height adjustment.

so maybe give that a try before you sell off all your 7s.

Break Zero · #7 09-16-2003, 11:45 PM

I play both 6 and 7 strings and don't have much of a problem with the transition. But I like the feel and look of my ESP LTD F200 better and thats a six string, but I figured if I got a ESP F207 or a custom made 7 string similar to an F series, i'd play that most of the time

The_Grindfiend · #8 09-17-2003, 01:07 AM

I don't have much trouble with my 1527, and I use it for all of my original material, but if I'm just playing in standard, or don't really need the lowest string, I'll usually just grab my RG 570 or 520. I don't really mind the bigger neck, but if I don't have to use it, I'll go for the thinner 6 string neck.

microdmitry · #9 09-17-2003, 01:46 AM

I've sold my 6 string last week (3120). I'm now 7-string only. Not that I like it a lot more, but I can play EVERYTHING with it if you know what I mean. 6 string stuff seems to be a bit more comfortable even.

**jim777** · #10 09-17-2003, 01:26 PM

In answer to the original question, I would never drop one completely for the other, just like I would never drop electric for acoustic or vice versa. I love guitars, love everything about them, but they are tools for producing music and fun. And we all need lots and lots of them, of all different types. Seriously! (What craftsman carries a toolbox full of hammers?)
I would also never change the knobs on my 175 copy, and I won't take the SpongeBob stickers off my 550DY. Each guitar is different with it's own character if it is well enough made, and they all seem to get along fine

jim

guitarkatana · #11 09-17-2003, 01:45 PM

Very true, Jim

sam669 · #12 09-17-2003, 03:48 PM

spongebob? for the anim?

revsharp777 · #13 09-17-2003, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott of Actual Time

raising all my guitar straps made my wrist angle less severe and completely eliminated the problem.

so maybe give that a try before you sell off all your 7s.

I did all of that & it still didn't help. I've never worn the guitar all that low to start with. At one point, I had the guitar strap as high as it would go...albeit, it looked ridiculous too.

In my old band, the music was WAY less technical. I didn't have fast runs or many solos to do, plus, I rarely got above the 12th fret. I never had a problem with that band. However with my current band, I'm all over the place! This requires me to do pretty intricate runs. After a while, reaching for the lower strings above the 12th fret or doing wide-stretched licks on the lower strings below the 12th was a huge chore.

I think my only solution would be to have a narrower spaced 7-string built. This sucks because I have big hands & I'm still having this problem. Better to be safe than sorry.

Benno · #14 09-17-2003, 09:35 PM

I'm really starting to get into tech-metal, whats some bands i should check out?

I love my 7, feels more comfortable for me, but i have big hands...

revsharp777 does your band have any mp3s? website? sounds cool...

guitarkatana · #15 09-17-2003, 10:34 PM

Yeah Rev, I'd like to hear some of your stuff. Hurry up and get your website together!

Benno, check out Spiral Architect, Symphony X, and Death. I'd also recomend Kataklysm, if you can stand Death Metal. They are quickly becoming my favorite band. Nile's a pretty technical Death Metal band too. I've seen the names Cynic and Athiest mentioned a lot too for technical metal, but I haven't heard them yet.