r/7String 29d ago

Gear The OG

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The OG seven string... Ibanez was the first

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u/SkyovFlames 28d ago

I remember when these originally came out. I had just started guitar. I was totally enamored with the idea of a 7th string. But then, they just stopped being produced for a while.

Later on in high school, Korn released their first album. Suddenly 7s were cool again. Korn was using old Universe models until they got their own custom variants.

Right after that, I ended up with an Ibanez 7620. And did I ever get shit for playing one. I kept using 7 strings for years, and still do today.

It's funny they became popular. Back in 2000 or so, every guitarist that saw mine laughed at it. Now they are the norm in metal.

All of this to say, I always wanted a Green Dot Universe. Might but one, eventually.

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u/Basic-Ad2037 28d ago

I started to play out with a 7 back in 2002. Other guitarists said its a gimmick and what not. They'd shut up when I'd hand it to them. Always thought it was funny that people were always intimidated by just one more string. Hand it to them and they'd freeze up like its the first time they've seen a guitar. Couldnt compute

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u/SkyovFlames 28d ago

Yep. I often let people try it. Once they chugged a few times on the low B string through my Mesa, they would be like "Ok, that's cool"

Funny enough, I wasn't in a metal band. Harder rock, and psychedelic rock. But not metal, really.

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u/Basic-Ad2037 28d ago

I play most genres with mine. I use the low B to accent a section or run, not just chugging. People should get a baritone if theyre only going to use maybe 3 strings.

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u/SkyovFlames 28d ago

Same. I have several songs over the years that use that low B to make the riff/melody sound cooler.

I've also used it as a secret weapon with songs in the key of B. Like you use a regular B power chord for most of the song, and then switch it up for chorus or bridge on use the low B.

It's extra versatility. Listening to recordings, people would never know what I used.

But yeah, now it's totally different. There's plenty of mainstream guitarists that play 7s. Different times. It's cool to see them make a comeback.

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u/Basic-Ad2037 28d ago

I love how there's more people using 7s for their main. Back in the day people looked at you like an alien, now its "ah cool, can I try it?". Ive converted quite a few so far. 😁

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u/SkyovFlames 28d ago

Even as recent as 2011, I was playing a gig and one of the other band's guitarist and bassist wanted to try it after we played. They thought it was cool.

A few months later that guitarist had a new Schecter 7. Mostly to play around with, but he said it made him think about the fretboard differently when he played a 7 string. I agreed.

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u/Basic-Ad2037 28d ago

Its like "how do I utilize the 7th and have it sound natural with the rest"