An increasing number of guitar players develop a need to increase their range of playing. This phenomenon isn't new. Players like David Gilmour have used whammy pedals to increase the pitch of their instruments. However, in this era of impeccable technique and with progressive genres moving towards "Djenting", there is an increase in the popularity of these instruments. We are here to guide you towards choosing the best 7 string guitars for every use-case.
Our journey will begin with examining first what actually makes a great instrument, then we will examine all the different components and discuss which might be the best for different cases. We will also recommend the best 7 string guitars in the world.
What are Seven String Guitars
Although the name is pretty self-explanatory, extended range guitars have some considerable differences when compared to 6 stringers.
Beyond the obvious addition of an extra heavy gauge string, normally tuned to a B (B1 on a piano) lower than the low E string on a 6 string (E2 on a piano), most extended range guitars require a slightly different playing style because of the wider neck and an increase in scale length.
The added wood, bigger pickups, extra string, and extra tuning peg make a seven string slightly heavier on average compared to a 6 string.
That is essentially all that is structurally different, the main difference a 7 string makes will be in your playing, tone, and overall sound as a guitarist.
How Do They Work?
A seven stringer works exactly like a 6 stringer: a metal string vibrates over magnetic coils inducing an alternating current.
This induced signal is later amplified by your amplifier.
The only difference in operation is that the best 7 string guitars have longer scale lengths so in terms of playability, bending the strings on an extended range guitar is tougher than on a normal six string.
Also, the strings are spaced a little more so the nut is wider.
Besides these factors a 7 string works exactly like a 6 string guitar.
What Purpose Do Seven String Guitars Serve?
7 string guitars were introduced in the 1990's with the UV 7 that Ibanez developed with the help of the great Steve Vai.
Even though the Universe was one of the best 7 string guitars, Ibanez discontinued it. However, the fire for the seven string guitar was already spreading fanned by a lot of progressive bands incorporating the instrument into their music. Notable of these are Deftones, Dream theatre, and Meshuggah etc.
As the bands and guitarists who used 7 string guitars rose in popularity, Ibanez started building them again in 1997.
Although 7 string guitars can be intimidating for most guitarists accustomed to their 6 strings, they do a lot in terms of your musical range and they also sound amazing.
So let us venture into the world of 7 string guitars and look for the best 7 string guitars out there.
Down Tuning is Much Easier
For some genres of music, down-tuning as low as a B is required.
Normal guitars allow you to tune down so low sure, but not without some additional problems.
For one, depending on the type of bridge you have you will have to make adjustments that can be difficult if you're not very skilled at that sort of thing.
Second, the added slack to your strings might make playing difficult and much more unresponsive.
Third, because normal guitars are just not designed to go that low, the tone can become very muddled.
Finally, if you think you can counter these things by just shifting to a heavier gauge of strings, think again. The changes you will have to make to accommodate the heavier gauge such as, filing the nut and saddle, are permanent and the parts you altered will need replacement if you try to shift back to the older configuration your guitar had.
A 7 string guitar can go low right out of the box without any adjustments on your end.
This will save you money, sweat, and tears. So, if you're planning to play genres that thrive on down tuned instruments, a 7 string is for you.
The Tone
It is universally accepted that most down-tuned 6 stringers don't sound as good as their 7 string counterparts.
The reasons for this are two-fold.
The first is that a 6 string's pickups are just not designed to handle the added low end from the down tuned strings. This make the high end of the sound seemingly disappear from the mix.
The second reason is that a 7 string is heavier and has more wood in its chassis. This makes it resonate with the low end much better.
The pickups in seven stringers are specially designed to perform well in the conditions they are to be subjected to. There are manufacturers offering pickup for 6 strings that achieve the same results but there will always remain a tonal difference in the chassis of the guitars.
The Range
This one is pretty obvious and it is the most important reason towards choosing a 7 string.
All 7 strings have long scale lengths, some in the 26.5 configuration and some in the 25.5 even 27.5 configuration, and even though it makes bending the strings tougher, it also means you have more notes to choose from.
Add to that the extra string and you've expanded your harmonic range considerably. This can be vital if you will be playing chords with added voicings and incorporating simultaneous bass notes in your guitar playing.
Versatility
Perhaps the greatest selling point of the best 7 string guitars, is that they can do anything that a 6 string guitar can do (better in some cases), but a 6 string cannot do everything a 7 string can.
This isn't just limited to progressive metal genres, in fact, the first mass produced 7 string guitar can be attributed to a jazz player: George Van Eps.
A 7 string guitar can prove to be a great companion in every case.
Who Should You Buy a 7 String?
7 stringers are tougher to play, so they are not generally recommended to beginners. However, if you generally listen to music that is played on a 7 string guitar or hold guitar heroes like John Petrucci in high esteem, you will need the same instruments to replicate their playing style and the music that they produce.
These instruments are best for people wanting to produce music that thrives in a low octave and demands a heavier sound.
If this musician profile fits you, then buy a 7 string.
Also, the 7 string guitar is a great tool for experienced player to use and grow their musicianship with. A normal guitar has an extensive range and to all the piano players' envy, we can bend our notes to extract microtonal notes from our instrument, but the 7 string goes a step further.
So if you get bored easily by standard chord voicings and want to enrich your playing further, go for a 7 string guitar.
How to Choose the Right 7 String Guitar
The market of musical instruments is dense and complicated with new features being added to models everyday consequently increasing the variety of products to choose from.
Although 7 string guitars are not as widely produced as other musical instruments, there is still a considerable variety to choose from and this can prove to be a complex decision that relies on multiple variables that further divide into more.
Let us now discuss how these different variables should contribute to sway your decision in one direction or another.
Scale Length
Scale length refers to the measurement of the distance between the bridge and the nut.
However, a more accurate way of measuring length is to measure from the nut to the twelfth fret and multiply it by two.
Scale lengths can affect your playing in both playability, tonality, and range.
Lets talk about playability. As a rule of thumb, the greater the scale length, the more tension in the strings. What this inadvertently means is that bending will take more effort the greater the length is.
Bending is instrumental for many playing styles so its important to factor in scale length when choosing.
A 7 string guitar will be available in a variety of scale lengths: the 25.5", the 26.5" and some even greater than 27" .
For a guitarist shifting from a 6 string to a 7 string, getting a 25.5" might be the best way to go and it will make the transition much smoother as the 25.5 will be easier to bend.
However, it will lack the range that a 26.5 or a 27.5 might offer. So, if your preferred genre does not involve guitar riffs with lots of bending and you would prefer larger frets or more frets, go for a 26.5 or 27.5.
Multi-Scale vs Fanned Fret
Fanned fret guitars are also known as Multiscale guitars and are an innovative novelty in guitar design.
Fanned fret or multi scale guitars have carefully calculated angled frets that allow for different scale lengths. The fret length usually increases as you descend strings to a thicker string.
The advantage with fanned fret guitars can be explained using the slight limitation of normal fret guitars.
In a normal fret guitar, the scale length is equal for all strings. This is suboptimal as the lower strings vibrate with lower frequencies and sound better on long scale lengths. However, in a normal fret guitar the lower strings length is equal to a higher strings length which means that the lower strings don't ring out as much as they could.
A multi scale guitar allows the lower strings to ring out more so it ultimately makes them sound great.
Nut Width
The nut width has mostly to do with the playability of a guitar.
Wider nuts are favored by players with bigger hands as they allow for comfortable playing.
There are a lot of different nut widths available on 7 string guitars. However, if you favor rhythms instead of leads and you have big hands, a wider nut width will be the best option for you.
Neck Size/Profile
This aspect of a 7 string guitar, much like the nut width, is subjective. the right neck size or profile for you will depend on your playing style and the size of your hand. There are 3 basic neck shapes and profiles.
The "C" Shape
This shape is one of the most common neck profiles out there. This one provides a comfortable chunk of wood in a players hand and for most guitarists is extremely comfortable (unless you have very large hands.)
Within the "C" shaped profile group there are further divisions: slim, extra slim, fat, and huge. providing more specific choices.
The "V" Shape
The V-neck (pun intended) is most commonly found on vintage guitars. this allowed old school blues players to swing their thumb over the neck and play bass notes (Hendrix style chords)
The V shaped neck is not very common on modern guitars but even if you do encounter it, the V will practically be flat and completely non-existent towards the nut.
This shape is the best for players who want the option to play old school music. However, due to the added width of the seven strings' neck, it wont be possible to play Hendrix styled chords unless you're John Mayer.
The "U" Shape
This one's for all of you folks with freakishly large hands. if your conventional C or V shaped guitar neck doesn't feel comfortable enough for you, try a "U" shaped guitar neck.
The "U" shape doesn't guarantee speed due to its heft however it will provide stability and a great bass response due to the very fact.
Also, this neck shape is best for players who keep their thumbs on the back of the neck.
Tone wood
This is the most diverse and detailed subject in the guitar manufacturing industry. Wood makes up more than 95% of your guitars weight so its safe to say that this topic is extremely important.
Guitars normally use different types of woods for different parts.
Obviously, this topic is too extensive to cover in this guide, however, we can indulge in a brief primer.
Different types of woods, depending on where they're used, have different characters.
Body Woods
The most common types of wood for the body of the guitar are Mahogany, Alder, Basswood, Rosewood, Ash, Maple, Walnut, and Koa.
Maple, Walnut, and Koa have a brighter sound for those crystal clear cleans and bright distortions.
A Basswood body or an Alder body provide a neutral tone, the best of both worlds. They're not too bright or too warm, just perfectly balanced.
Whereas, Mahogany, Koa, and Rosewood offer a warm character.
Finger Board Woods
So for finger board woods manufacturers have a choice from Ebony, Maple, and Rosewood.
Ebony and Maple have an extremely bright timbre while Rosewood is better balanced however, its highs can sometime sound dampened.
Neck Woods
Neck woods are normally chosen from a wide range. These include Wenge, Maple, Koa, Mahogany, and Rosewood
Naturally, a Maple neck offers the brightest tones with a Koa, Rosewood, or Mahogany neck offering warm tones, while Wenge necks are very balanced.
That's a lot to choose from but the use of different woods in a single guitar makes the combinations endless. However, it's important that a guitar is not too bright or too warm i.e. A Maple neck with a Maple body might not be a great idea.
The best 7 string guitars will have a balanced combination of all the aforementioned features.
Comfort
7 string guitars are bigger and heavier than most 6 strings so they might not seem as comfortable as a 6 string if you're moving from a 6 string to a 7 string.
The best 7 string guitar is one that feels great to you. This is a very subjective matter, it depends on the size of your hands, your strength, and whether the widened 7 string neck grows on you.
Gauge
The best string gauge for you will depend on a number of factors, the most important of which is the length of your fretboard.
Heavier strings sound better when operating on a greater length so deciding on a balance is important.
Also, another factor to consider is playability. 7 string electric guitars will have a longer fretboard, opting for a lighter gauge will help you avoid Carpel Tunnel Syndrome.
If you want a heavier gauge though, getting a fanned fret 7 string will be great help with the intonation and extract the best tones from the heavier string.
Bridge
The fixed bridge, Floating tremolo bridge, and the Floyd Rose are the three most famous 7 string guitar bridges and we will walk through all of them.
The original guitar bridge is the fixed bridge and its name hints at its character. A fixed bridge guitar offers immense tonal stability especially during the occasional string break. However, it will limit your playing style.
A floating bridge tremolo uses a set of springs to balance out the tension from the strings and keep the bridge floating, this allows aggressive vibratos, dive bombs, and other cool tricks that add nuances to your playing. However, if you break a string, the tension from the springs becomes more than the tension from the strings and voila... you're out of tune!
A Floyd Rose is much much more complex bridge but performs the same function as the tremolo in a much more exaggerated manner. However, it also has the same issues, just much more exaggerated. It's difficult to restring and intonate. Although, once you've mastered the mechanics, there is quite nothing like it (watch Steve Vai play anything and you will understand).
Pickups
Pickups are deserving of their very own article. However, there are actually two higher distinctions between pickups that deserve a diving into.
Passive pickups are the original pickups. Pickups generate a voltage when a metal string vibrates over a coil. Passive pickups have a magnet in them and have no amplification of their own.
Active pickups are a newer creation. These pickups are powered (usually by a 9V battery) and have their own pre-amp section. Active pickups offer greater tonal clarity and consistency, a greater signal fidelity through long cables and better overdrive.
For a 7 string guitar, we recommend active pickups for clarity, range, sharpness, and headroom. Seriously, go for an active pickup.
Tuning
The standard tuning for a 7 string guitar is B-E-A-D-G-b-e in ascending order. This is what your 7 string guitar was set up for from the factory. What that means, especially for guitarists opting for a floating style tremolo or Floyd Rose will just have enough tension to ensure intonation accuracy with the standard tuning.
However, if you want to tune your guitar differently, you can by adjusting your bring using a few simple tools.
The most common tunings besides complete step down for 7 strings are the B-standard, A-standard, Drop G tuning, Open C, and drop E.
The Best 7 String Guitars: Editor's Top 5 Picks
No single list can ever encompass all the choices for the best 7 string guitar. The variety is vast, highly varied with respect to specifications and price range, and sometimes even very specialized. So this list will focus on the latest contenders for the title of the best 7 string guitar out there.
1. PRS SE Mark Holcomb
PRS has created a new benchmark for quality instruments with most new artists opting for a PRS rather than a Fender or a Gibson, which had a duopoly over the guitar market until PRS started getting recognized for its amazing quality, unique tone, an alluring shape, and meticulous attention to detail.
The PRS SE is Mark Holcomb's signature 7 string guitar. This 7 string has all that PRS goodness in it with a mahogany back, walnut top, maple neck, ebony fretboard, and a 26.5 scale all within an affordable price range.
Relatively speaking, it is one of the cheap 7 string guitars on this list but still ranks on the higher price end of the PRS SE range, and offers the greatest quality. If you are a fan of Periphery and want the best 7 string guitar for djent, what better model to get than the djent master's signature guitar.
John Petrucci is one of the best guitarists that has ever graced the guitar world. He is known both for his great melody and his flawless technique. So when a famed and revered company like Ernie Ball teams up with one of the great guitarists on the planet to make a 7 string electric guitar, you can rest assured that the product will be just as great.
The John Petrucci Majesty 7 has a Mahogany neck and body, and Ebony fretboard, a 3 way piezo pickups, 25.5 scale, tremolo bridge and tone for days.
There is no doubt that this guitar is the best 7 string guitar for metal but it certainly cannot be classified as a budget option. In fact, on a list of the best budget 7 string guitars, it would probably rank towards the bottom.
However, if money is not an issue, then you cannot go wrong with the Ernie Ball John Petrucci Majesty 7. It certainly is one of the best 7 string guitars on the market.
On our journey to find the best 7 string guitars, this guitar takes the spot for both the best beginner 7 string guitar and the best budget 7 string guitar.
The Jackson JS22-7 has a basswood body, a maple neck and a rosewood fingerboard with. The pickups are 7-string humbuckers controlled by a 3-way and the bridge is a floating tremolo.
Jackson is known for making great products, especially for metal genres and this guitar is no exception even with a low price range it gives much more than any other at that price.
If you're operating on a budget or just experimenting with 7 stringers then the Jackson JS22-7 is the best 7 string electric guitar for you.
ESP is renowned for making some of the best 7 string guitars in the world. Models like the ESP ltd EC-407, ESP ltd deluxe range, and ESP ltd M-7 have cemented its reputation as a great guitar manufacturer.
This legacy is carried on by the M ii 7. It features a Mahogany body and neck with an Ebony fretboard allowing for a rich balanced sound with shimmering highs and resonant lows. It has a 25 and a half inch scale and is an absolute beast and a joy to play.
The hardtail hipshot bridge offers sustain for days while relieving the tonal inconvenience caused by a floating bridge and also makes each of the 7 strings much much easier to replace. The model has passive pickups-Bearknuckle Warpig's for both its neck pickups and bridge pickups.
These features and the impeccable quality do come at a price however, so the ii 7 is a guitar that we would recommend to experienced players who have a good grasp on the skill needed to play a 7 string electric guitar.
We end this list with the company that partnered with Steve Vai to start the trend. Ibanez, while one of the best 7 string electric guitar producer out there, has also released arguably the best 7 string acoustic guitar.
Enter the AEL207E. This is a semi-acoustic model with a Maple construction, Mahogany neck and a Rosewood fretboard.
7 string acoustic guitars are not as popular as their electric counterparts as they don't really have a place in the sort of genres that usually require 7 string guitars.
Nevertheless, anyone looking for a great acoustic guitar with all the benefits of the added strings should definitely check this one out.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who makes the best 7 string guitars?
Although instruments, like the music they produce, are subjective, Ibanez and ESP are leading manufacturers of seven string guitars however, Jackson and Kiesel also make great instruments.
2. What 7 string guitar should I get?
Every musician has a different preference. You should buy an instrument that does not break your bank while ensuring comfort and playability. Our buyers guide should help you find exactly what you're looking for. Check the how to choose section above.
3. Are 7 string guitars worth it?
Definitely! Added musical flexibility in any instrument is never a bad thing. Even if your preferred genre of music does not normally require an extended range instrument it is always great to have more options.
4. Is a 7 string guitar harder to play?
These instruments certainly require some effort to master especially if you have been trained on a normal guitar. The neck is thicker, the instrument itself is heavier, and the strings are difficult to bend but its nothing a few months of playing won't fix.
5. How to play a seven string guitar
The trick to playing a seven string guitar is incorporating the extra notes in a melodic and musical manner. Besides that playing a seven string guitar requires much of the same skills demanded by a normal guitar.
This video does a great job of demonstrating and giving tips that should be helpful for beginners:
Conclusion
We have searched far and wide to come up with our top 5 recommendations. It is an unimaginably difficult task to compile a list of the best 7 string guitars for players of all levels keeping affordability and playability in sight, while sifting through the vast variety available in shops and online.
The top pick is the PRS SE Mark Holcomb signature. It is definitely not an easy choice to make considering all the great contenders. However, the blend of quality and affordability offered by the PRS SE Mark Holcomb is unbeatable and we highly recommend that players looking for the best 7 string guitars check this one out.
