Who plays the 7 string guitar ?

[coolvinny]

I picked up a Cabaret 7-string around a year ago...it was virtually new, flawless, and a great deal so I thought I'll give it a try. I wanted to get a nylon string guitar and I know from past experience that John's instruments are outstanding, so I decided to "stone two birds at once" with a nylon 7. It's fun to play but I've only used it for solo playing or with a friend on uke. The 2.25" nut width was challenging at first but even with my smallish hands, now it's not really a problem (note: I use a pretty strict "thumb behind neck" for everything I play).

Another reason I took the plunge with a 7 is that most my playing is home solo since COVID (not that I was ever a gigging pro, but did jam regularly with others and play fun gigs for around seven years) and I think that will continue for me since it's way less "work" to organize and...I gotta say...it's just so damn hard to find compatible non-pro jazzers to play with. I've pretty much given up on that and so will focus on solo playing with occasional playing with others if I really get along with them.

I just wish I had more time to explore the 7. I don't find it hard going back to 6 strings (all my other guitars are 6) but every time I use the 7 it takes some adjusting, so I do sometimes wonder if I should just get another 7 to replace one or two of my 6's so that the 7 is less foreign to me. Ultimately, I think it just comes down to...I need to practice more. Time will tell. Playing finger style, it's easy enough to play the 7 "like a 6" basically ignoring the 7th string (low A) for everything except some tonic chords and turnarounds that I'll probably keep the guitar regardless.

[Lionelsax]

I'm not lost when I play a 6 string guitar, I'm playing again my 5 string bass, I can say I'm sometimes lost because of its low B, I'm so used to playing the 7 string guitar (low A) that I make a lot of mistakes.
I could play a regular bass but my hands are too little to play what I've got to.

[murphybridget837]

How does the playing technique differ or is similar to a 6-string guitar?

[Lionelsax]

How does the playing technique differ or is similar to a 6-string guitar?

With a low A not a lot, it's basically the same. It differs if you've got to play bass lines.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

With a low A not a lot, it's basically the same. It differs if you've got to play bass lines.

If you mean the physical technique, picking and plucking are still picking and plucking. But the extra string can mean a slightly longer rise time for chords played with a pick, so timing is an issue if you try to play a 7 like a 6. There's more physical distance to cover across the strings, both because there's an extra one and because both nut width and the space between strings are often wider than they would be just by adding another string to a standard board. The nuts on my 7s range from 1 7/8" to about 2 3/16". A standard Strat and a basic LP have nut widths of 1 11/16", so there's an extra 10 to 15% of space between each pair of strings on my 7s compared to a Strat or LP. It takes a fraction of a second more time to strum from the 7th to the 1st. So the highest note will sound a bit behind the lowest in a chord that includes the 7th and the 1st or 2nd string.

As a result, you have to learn to adjust both your timing and your voicing to play in good time with a band. You also have to learn to control the tendency to strum harder on a 7 to make up for the time lag between strings 7 and 1. Faster is not harder, but it's as difficult for us to control that is it is for drummers to control playing louder when they play faster. FIngerstyle becomes a much more practical option for chording because of this. It's the only way to get multiple notes to sound simultaneously.

The low A adds a whole new dimension to voicing, too. You can play inversions with the 3rd, 6th, flat 7 etc at the bottom all the way up the neck and still have full, rich sounding chords. You can use harmonics on the 7th to really fill in close harmonization with fretted notes on higher strings. Being able to add the root to even 2 or 3 note chords 'way up on the neck also adds a richness that you simply can't get from a 6.

[Lionelsax]

Yes, I was talking about picking and plucking, not about splitting hairs.

[GuyBoden]

I don't think playing with three fingers and your thumb over the neck would work on a 7 string.

I play with a low 'B' string.

Three note chord shell voicings work fine.

[coolvinny]

I'll probably keep the guitar regardless.

Update…I determined that just don’t have the time to learn 7-string. Wish I’d tried 10 years ago when I was shedding 3 hours a day. Moved my Cabaret 7 along and now have a Cabaret 6 on the way later this year.

[Liarspoker]

I'm really loving my 8 strings though the strings are a little close together.

Truth be told, if I had seen the 7 string first I probably would have bought that instead of the 8 string.

[SoftwareGuy]

I keep on thinking about wanting to get a 7 string. The low B version makes sense to me and I think it would be easy to visualize how the notes are laid out.

But I wonder about the ergonomic stuff. Is the neck to wide; will muting the 7th string be possible if I fall back to a 6 string chord.

I think I would go with a solid body guitar. I generally prefer somewhat chunkier necks. If not sure what options I have if I started to look seriously for a 7 string.

Any comments? Please consider your answers carefully as I haven't purchased a guitar in 5 years ... and the 7 string ideas has been on my mind for a while.

[GuyBoden]

I keep on thinking about wanting to get a 7 string. The low B version makes sense to me and I think it would be easy to visualize how the notes are laid out.

But I wonder about the ergonomic stuff. Is the neck to wide; will muting the 7th string be possible if I fall back to a 6 string chord.

I think I would go with a solid body guitar. I generally prefer somewhat chunkier necks. If not sure what options I have if I started to look seriously for a 7 string.

Any comments? Please consider your answers carefully as I haven't purchased a guitar in 5 years ... and the 7 string ideas has been on my mind for a while.

These ESP 7 String acoustics look interesting, I'd like to try one. I play 7 string.
TL-7 - The ESP Guitar Company
48mm nut width.

[Lionelsax]

I keep on thinking about wanting to get a 7 string. The low B version makes sense to me and I think it would be easy to visualize how the notes are laid out.

But I wonder about the ergonomic stuff. Is the neck to wide; will muting the 7th string be possible if I fall back to a 6 string chord.

I think I would go with a solid body guitar. I generally prefer somewhat chunkier necks. If not sure what options I have if I started to look seriously for a 7 string.

Any comments? Please consider your answers carefully as I haven't purchased a guitar in 5 years ... and the 7 string ideas has been on my mind for a while.

I've got a 7 string Harley Benton guitar and I think it's my favourite guitar.

It's cheap and good.

[SoftwareGuy]

Is there some way to describe the playing feel, like compared to a strat or Les Paul?

I would love to try just to see how it play. Given the lack of local retail, I'm not sure where I would go.

[Lionelsax]

Is there some way to describe the playing feel, like compared to a strat or Les Paul?

I would love to try just to see how it play. Given the lack of local retail, I'm not sure where I would go.

Maybe like Ibanez guitars (RG series).

[Donnd]

Rob, beautiful playing! I also play an 11-string alto but tuned usually to D minor for baroque lute repertoire.