I've been thinking about getting a Strandberg and, while I've mostly deciphered their product range, one big decision that I keep coming back to is: do I stick with 6 strings or add a string or two?
The obvious thing to do would be to get a 6-string with a whammy bar but I feel like this might be a missed opportunity to experiment with extended range...or am I already missing the point and overlooking the quintessential
Strandberg thing?
If anyone has been here before...maybe with another brand...chime in
There are some spec-based 'strings attached':
- 6 string guitars come with Suhr pickups, 7/8 string guitars come with Fishman Fluence pickups
- 8 strings are all hardtails
Random background points:
- This wouldn't be my main guitar so there are no essential aspects
- I'm new to extended range guitars...I don't chug much
- I tend not to use 'thumb over' playing...I presume this becomes harder the more strings you add
Comments
An 8-string is typically tuned F#BEADGBE
Do you think of this as a regular guitar with two bass strings? Do you still play standard open chord shapes on it? Or do you have to let go of thinking about shapes and boxes that are based on standard open A or E chords?
It's tempting to think: F#BEADGBE has even more 4ths in it than a regular guitar...why not abandon standard and go for 4ths all the way with F#BEADGCF? That way every shape remains consistent across the entire fretboard.
On the other hand, I've tried having 8 strings twice and they never work for me. They do the chug chug but feel very unwieldy, and I struggle to play on them the things I find easy on a 6 or 7 string. I can also do the chug chug on a 7 string with a pitchshifter and then don't have to put up with how wrong they feel.
Now I'm not you, but if that sounds familiar then I'd heartily encourage a 7.
I'm not blown away by the Fluences in my Prog NX 7 but they get the job done.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taVjuvoq8AM
I can't help about the shape I'm in, I can't sing I ain't pretty and my legs are thin
But don't ask me what I think of you, I might not give the answer that you want me to
7 strings are perfect for me in terms of extended range and are just as comfortable as 6 strings.
Strandbergs have lovely necks on them and are very comfortable to play
I sold it after buying an almost identical new Schecter 6 string 30 inch baritone with EMGs, and I rarely buy new.
I still have the baritone about 10 years later.
I tune it 5 semitones down, sound is amazing, Extended range without having to relearn the fretboard.
Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message
6: 25 - 25.5
7: 25.5 - 26.25
8: 26.5 - 28
Having never thought about this stuff before, I noticed that the 'neutral fret' was different for each model too (not that it would affect you much):
6: 0th fret
7: 10th fret
8: 7th fret
Other more tangible stuff...string spread at nut:
6: 35mm (bit skinny...an Ibanez is something like 36.5mm)
7: 42mm
8: 49mm
(string spacing at bridge remains constant at 10.5mm)
If I went for an 8 I wouldn't want 2 extra lower strings though, I'd set one lower and one higher. I find going too low you start competing for space with the bassist which I don't really care for.
I'm a long way away from a typical "extended range" player though.