High A vs low B...

[Alain]

Has anyone ever tried to set up a hugh A on a 7string?
Normally people put a low B on it....

And what was the result?

[EKG]

I'm pretty sure this has een discussed....

but every time I put a high A on, it would snap just tuning it

[trajectory fish]

I've been thinking about tuning my 7 string as though it had a high A, only tune the whole guitar either a step or a step&1/2 flat.

[7LightWithOutHeat7]

i like a low a

[Globbits]

i could never get used to a high A, i would be scared of snapping it every time i bent a note or tuned it.

[Z0rn]

I remember the High A discussion, Vai originally tried it as well. He said the string kept on breaking, so he went with the Low B. A nice choice I'd say.

[Petie]

I think I read somewhere that George Lynch had one with a high A.

[bryangraye]

Anyone tried any REALLY HEAVY gauge strings down low and tuned down excessively? I mean like down to 2nd C below standard, or F below that?
I'd try it, but I don't think a suitable string would fit through the machine head.

[Petie]

Originally Posted by bryangraye

Anyone tried any REALLY HEAVY gauge strings down low and tuned down excessively? I mean like down to 2nd C below standard, or F below that?
I'd try it, but I don't think a suitable string would fit through the machine head.

Yeah, it's called a six-string bass and they suck for playing chords in the first few frets.

[bryangraye]

Originally Posted by Petie

Yeah, it's called a six-string bass and they suck for playing chords in the first few frets.

Sorry, I should've specified 'guitar'.

[Two hands31]

Originally Posted by bryangraye

Sorry, I should've specified 'guitar'.

Still, it's a 6-string bass guitar.

[revsharp777]

I experimented recently with one of my 7-strings & tuned it down to Low F (see Meshuggah's latest CD). I got pretty good results with the following string gauges:

Bb 13
F 17
Db 24
Ab 36
Eb 46
Bb 56
F 68

[bryangraye]

Originally Posted by Two hands31

Still, it's a 6-string bass guitar.

A bass and a guitar are not the same thing in my book.

[Two hands31]

Originally Posted by bryangraye

A bass and a guitar are not the same thing in my book.

You're forgetting the fact that the term "bass" refers to a frequency range, not an instrument. You're thinking of a bass guitar, cuz it's a guitar built to play in the bass range, just like there's a bass clarinet, bass flute, etc, etc, etc.

It goes:
Guitar
Tenor Guitar (I think I've seen one somewhere?)
Baritone Guitar
Bass Guitar

[bryangraye]

Originally Posted by Two hands31

You're forgetting the fact that the term "bass" refers to a frequency range, not an instrument. You're thinking of a bass guitar, cuz it's a guitar built to play in the bass range, just like there's a bass clarinet, bass flute, etc, etc, etc.

It goes:
Guitar
Tenor Guitar (I think I've seen one somewhere?)
Baritone Guitar
Bass Guitar

Technically, you're incorrect. The physical variations between instruments of different range affect the sound dramatically. I'm not simply referring to bass frequencies, but lower fundamentals, of which the partials produced by a bass are very different to those produced by a guitar.

However, my purpose was not to debate the differences between a bass and a guitar - I'm just curious to see if anyone else has thought along the lines of insane tunings, and perhaps trialled some.