The keys to 7-string success----no mud please

EnigmaUV7 · #1 11-09-2003, 11:21 AM

New member here, UV7BK with stock Dimarzios. I have noticed many people on this forum discussing how to get clarity out of their 7-strings. Just wanted to share a few things I have learned over the years, these may be simple, but they really work, hopefully it will help some of you. And of course, these are only opinions, except #1 LOL.

1. First of all, you MUST HAVE MONSTER 500 PERFORMER CABLE!!! It is just the best cable IMO period, I would never use anything less again, not even Monster 100 Standard, for any instrument. The clarity and treble is so much better it's like having a new pickup!! And it really shines on recordings too. This includes ALL cables, even mike cables.

2. Either Elixirs or DR Tite Fits rule! I use .010-.046 + .056, tougher to play than 9s, but well worth it for the tone. 9s are like toys on these guitars.

3. I boost the hell out of around 1.5k or so on my mixer for better cut in the mix for the UV7, compared to about 1k for most 6-strings.

4. I only use 3 springs for the trem, IMO 4 springs take away from playability and brightness. And the truss rod is your friend, experiment with it, intelligently of course.

5. It definitely helps A LOT to adjust the pole pieces on the individual coil nearest the trem for extra brightness, while leaving the pickup itself fairly far from the strings.

6. And lastly, rosewood needs conditioning, a little fretboard conditioner and fast fret now and again makes a MAJOR difference.

The Dimarzio Blaze IIs can sound excellent with the right setup, although I have heard some people sound like crap with them. Just have to fine tune your rig. Of course, you have to have an amp with lots of cut to sound good with any 7-string, otherwise you will always be muddy.

If anyone else has any pointers, please post them here!!

MehYam · #2 11-09-2003, 03:09 PM

I would love to hear a Monster cable vs. non-Monster cable comparison somewhere to prove what the Monster zealots proclaim. Would you record one?

Akhenaten · #3 11-10-2003, 02:10 AM

Somehow at the end of that post I expected a "AND YOU CAN BUY IT ALL AT.....". Geez...

Akhenaten · #4 11-10-2003, 02:18 AM

...And #1 IS your opinion...
From someone who had an entire rack of stuff wired with Monsters, I've never found enough of a difference to bother with it. In studio environments, the shielding was nice. Very helpful. But frequency-wise, there's nothing new there that you can't get by changing your EQ a bit. (I noticed even you said you're boosting frequencies despite the apparent sparkle from the cable's magical powers)

I'm not flamin' ya'...just sharing an experience I had for years with the stuff. For the average kid playing in his room, or a hobbyist playing in the back yard, a Monster will not replace getting familiar with your instrument and maybe actually practicing your technique a bit, instead of accessorizing the crap outta everything to find tones. And for me, when I play gigs, any tone difference you got with a cable gets swallowed up by the volume and carachter of the amp. Again...just a different point of view here. :-)

sanitarium · #5 11-10-2003, 03:47 PM

Bass is my first instrument and as I don't use any effects and plug straight into the amp, I would say monster cables are a must. I couldn't comment about it on guitar because I only use a few effects and don't go mad with full racks with all the flashing lights and dials.

dot-dot-dot · #6 11-10-2003, 03:51 PM

Personally I don't think Monster compares to Klotz LaGrange... except on price, where it zooms way past and keeps on going.

EnigmaUV7 · #7 11-10-2003, 06:11 PM

If someone can honestly sit down and A/B a typical cable to a Monster Performer 500 with a guitar and say there is no difference or not much difference, I would say they must be deaf. It definitely does not speak well of their sensitivity to tonal changes at all. You can bet that players such as Vai, Eric Johnson, etc. can hear such differences. Hell, even my dad said he could hear the difference.

vaijem777 · #8 11-10-2003, 06:29 PM

Keep it on topic please. There are PLENTY of discussions on the "value" of Monster cables elsewhere on the Forum- please continue this discussion there.

And please try to refrain from attempting to pass of OPINION as FACT.

Akhenaten · #9 11-12-2003, 02:51 AM

Agreed...the reply I had started wouldn't have done well anyway...lol

sam669 · #10 11-12-2003, 06:19 PM

adding a bit of thick and slow flanger, just enough to fatten the sound rather than actually make the effect hear-able (?) gives some extra crunch while sometimes (in my case) adding some brightness

sniperfrommars1 · #11 11-12-2003, 09:33 PM

The best way to take mud away is your eq settings. More treble less gain less bass, and more mids.

Gresh · #12 11-13-2003, 03:21 AM

I agree...heavier sounding tones often contain less gain than you would think. Gain sucks tone to a large degree, and it especially effects the sound of a seven string so experiment with backing off a little. Everybody loves EVH's brown sound...there's really not a lot of gain going on inside of that tone if you really listen to it.

sniperfrommars1 · #13 11-13-2003, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gresh

I agree...heavier sounding tones often contain less gain than you would think. Gain sucks tone to a large degree, and it especially effects the sound of a seven string so experiment with backing off a little. Everybody loves EVH's brown sound...there's really not a lot of gain going on inside of that tone if you really listen to it.

He really has very little of anything at all. He pushes the amp in a way that makes his tone sound wet and sustain rather than using effects to do so. Combined with his eflat tuning, his tone basically came from playing the hell out of it. Even if he tunes down to A he sounds bright which is a *GOOD* thing if you ask me. he always cut through the mix. You can hear the guitar cause its not hid behind some bs

EnigmaUV7 · #14 11-14-2003, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gresh

I agree...heavier sounding tones often contain less gain than you would think. Gain sucks tone to a large degree, and it especially effects the sound of a seven string so experiment with backing off a little. Everybody loves EVH's brown sound...there's really not a lot of gain going on inside of that tone if you really listen to it.

Definitely. Depending on which amp I am using, I don't use more than 5 to 7 gain. Super high gain sounds even worse at high volume, not to mention the feedback.

mike777 · #15 11-14-2003, 01:33 PM

There are a lot of people new to 7-string guitar and a lot of people that don't play it as regularly as most play their 6-strings. Definitely a lot of opinion here.

A lot of sound solutions cannot be generalized as tone "problems" can come from many different areas of the "sound shain" or signal flow. Thus, the solutions will be equally varied. Also consider the fact that most of one's sound is the player. I, too, am a Monster user but I don't feel it's increased clarity will improve a sloppy player.

String types and brands will respond differently to the technique and body chemistry of different players so I never recommend any. I share my ideas and trials but never recommend anything specific.

Basically, there are way too many variables to offer a narrow list of solutions for any one player. Seek and ye shall find. The more I type, the more I realize this subject isn't UV-specific so I'm backing off, now.

Mike 777 Haug