Just snagged a new 7 string

Just snagged a brand new Ibanez Universe UV777 - 7 string Vai model. Got a pretty good deal too, for $2000 (€1350) I got the guitar, a Prestige flight case, the Breed pickups replaced with a full set of Dimarzio Evolution 7's, a luthier setup and shipping from the US to Ireland. They are going for $1850 on all websites plus the only one in Dublin costs €2400 - and that's for a busted up floor model! Got it in black with the mirror pick guard, has the pyramid fret markers, lo-pro trem and 'large' frets (as per the Jem and Prestige).

I would have gone for an LGM Leviathon but they are about a year behind at the factory and also considered a Dean RC7G but after giving the UV a whirl in a local guitar shop I realised that Ibanez is where its at when it comes to quality, comfort and ergonomics. Surprisingly, this guitar beats the hell out of the Jem on the body shape, the lower horn has a proper cut away that actually gives total access to the 24 fret without any obstruction - difficult on the Jem if you have big hands like me. Will post pics and a review in a few weeks after I break it in;-)

whats really the point of 7 strings?

i mean, you can just detune your 6 string...
and the heaviest guitar in the world (system of a downs)
is a 6 string.

Originally Posted by: jamesplaysgitarthe heaviest guitar in the world (system of a downs)
is a 6 string.

system of a down? please tell me you're kidding

Methinks someone needs to investigate some more heavy guitar sounds. :p

As for a 7-string, I wouldn't want one personally. I have enough trouble handling six and don't need to add to my confusion. ;) But there are tons of things you can potentially do with a seven string that you can't by detuning -- like, uh, get a low B and keep all six of your other strings. Detuning works fine for D or drop D, but when you get down to B, things can go a little wobbly.

If you're good enough to use it, the seventh string just gives you another weapon in the arsenal. It's not for me, but the guitars that I use or you use are probably not for other people on this board, either. Play what you feel comfortable with and let everyone else do the same ... works better that way.

whats really the point of 7 strings?

The more the merrier, what else.

I already have an EBMM 7 string so there's no issue with the extra string. In fact the low B opens up so many doors when it comes to lead and shifting patterns around the fretboard. I don't like playing off drop D anyway, straight forward power chord shapes with standard E to E tuning is what I've grown up on. Add a low B in and things get very interesting. Besides, changing from standard tuning if you want to sweep arpeggios over 6 or 7 strings is making things unnecessarily difficult on yourself.
Re the heaviest guitar sound... you obviously haven’t heard Meshugga! 8 string guitars and they are down tuned a whole tone. The tone is so heavy that it has the same effect as a techno bass line when it comes to pushing air on front of speakers :eek:

Nice one SuperHuman... I picked one of those up a few months back - sweet guitar. Mine was an ebay job, so used but in nice condition, and I'm not very gentle so it's all cool. The pickguard on mine keeps cracking around the tone control though... I've stopped replacing it now.

Right with you on 7 strings... I don't use drop D or any other altered tuning - it would just irritate me... And, a fair few of my songs are in Bm so that low B really earns its keep even if I'm just lazy and hit it open now and again... ;)

Sweet, I've always wanted a 7 string.

pshaw turkey.
noone is heavier than system of a down.
MAYBE nile...

Originally Posted by: jamesplaysgitarpshaw turkey.
noone is heavier than system of a down.
MAYBE nile...

Wow man, there are a hell of a lot of other bands that have tones that are so far beyond that in terms of heaviness (just refering to the power of guitar tone):

Entombed ('Left Hand Path' cd) - the heaviest and nastiest death metal tone ever, downtuned with massive levels level of distortion (sounds like an overdrive pedal onfront of distortion unit on front of a large Mesa rig through a wall of 4x12 cabs compressed to the point where the palm muting is on the verge of rupturing stereo speakers). Also, it sounds like everything is downtuned to C or even B off regular 6 string guitars so you can actually hear the strings flopping about and hitting off the pickups! Very original guitar sound, still havent heard it replicated anywhere else.

Meshugga - The latest offering has a guitar sounds that really attacks stereo speakers - very thick and very powerfull, plus it has the added power of being played off downtuned 8 string guitars (low A). That plus the production is amazing - check it out, the pollyrhythms, weird tempos and mathmatical approach to riffing is not for everyone but the tone is crazy heavy.

Some others worth mentioning, Prong, Helmet, Exodus, Darkane and a whole load of others. Check em out for the tones!

I've never actually known anyone with a 7-string or seen one played in-person. Personally, I'm confused by the concept. The extra bottom string is a B? So, how does one play chords and scales, basically, play the guitar? Do you tune the thing to E, or do have to tune it down, or to an open chord?

mmm....
meshuggah may tune low, but theyre not HEAVY like soad...

Have you ever listened to Meshuggah? Some of SOAD stuff is heavy, primarily their early stuff, but there are a lot heavier bands out there like Meshuggah, BTBAM, Korn , death metal and ect.

I've never actually known anyone with a 7-string or seen one played in-person. Personally, I'm confused by the concept. The extra bottom string is a B? So, how does one play chords and scales, basically, play the guitar? Do you tune the thing to E, or do have to tune it down, or to an open chord?

you tune the guitar B-E-A-D-G-B-E if you're tuning to standard. You could always drop-tune as usual and open-tune too... It allows you a lot of things that a 6 string won't, like extending arpeggios and scales without switching position, and limits some possibilities such as hendrix-thumb-over-the-neck chord fingering. Overall, I've been playing almost exclusively 7 strings for the past 6 or 7 years and couldn't go back to only playing 6 strings. Try one, you might have fun...

Nice. very nice

"Have you ever listened to Meshuggah? Some of SOAD stuff is heavy, primarily their early stuff, but there are a lot heavier bands out there like Meshuggah, BTBAM, Korn , death metal and ect."



dude i freaking love you for saying btbam, but theyre still not as heavy, listen to deer dance, youll know what im talking about.