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7-string bass pros and cons?
- Thread starter dominus1986
- Start date
I suppose. This band will mostly be playing older country and CCR, etc.
It's something to play and I'm excited about it.
- Feb 27, 2005
- 3,218
- 125
- Disclosures
- Full disclosure, I'm a certified Fender technician working in a music store that carries Fender, Yamaha, and Ibanez products among others.
It's at this point in the conversation with any salesperson that I tell them, "I'm sorry, I thought I was talking to someone who worked here," and move on to the next salesperson I see, explaining in advance that if I want their opinion, I'll tell them what it is before I give them a dime.
Really. I do this sort of thing. I get irritated with some peoples' attitudes fast.
For the record, my seven string is the heaviest bass I own, yet is so well balanced that my shoulder doesn't feel as bad as when I play my fivers. The neck feels nice and slim, too, just fills up my hand more. I don't think anyone's making cheap, crappy feeling, thin-sounding seven strings yet. I could be wrong.
Pros: generally designed for balance and have less neck dive than typical 4 string basses.
Cons: people assume you 2 hand tap in some Cookie Monster & Guinea Pig Squeal Speedcore Metal stuff
Sadly, this is true. The reality is that a bass is simply a tool to make music, and different people have different preferences in what tools they choose.
It's like those carpenter shows - two guys can be making cabinets, one guy with a chisel, hammer, and hand saws....the other guy with a modern CNC machine. The cabs might look exactly the same when done even though they used different tools to achieve their goal.
Do I want a 7/8/9/323 string bass ? No. They just aren't comfortable for me, both in feel and style - but to criticize another person for liking them is not only silly, it also shows a great insecurity in ones own ability.
Perhaps you could simply explain why it is that you think you might want a 7-string bass in the first place, then we can take the discussion from there...
MM
Pros: It has 7 strings - lots of range and allows for versatility.
Cons: It doesn't have more strings
I like a lot of variety in basses. I like and own 4, 5, 6, and a 7 string bass and would like ot have a 9 string. I like active basses and passive basses. I like fretless bass I just can't play one very well.
Cons: It doesn't have more strings
I like a lot of variety in basses. I like and own 4, 5, 6, and a 7 string bass and would like ot have a 9 string. I like active basses and passive basses. I like fretless bass I just can't play one very well.
I owned two different 7-string basses, performing with them over several years. For me, the cons outweighed the pros, and I sold them. I currently play 5-sting basses, loving the low B.
Here are the plusses and minuses from my experience:
Positive nature of element 1: Extended tonal range allows solo potential and chording.
Negative nature of element 1: Extended tonal range can overlap tonal range of other instruments, specifically guitars (where's the booty, bootsy?); Special amplification or cabinetry may be needed depending on tuning or volume requirements; Pickups and electronics may need to be more complex to handle range.
Positive nature of element 2: Physical attribute of extended range allows diverse playing to be made on one instrument.
Negative nature of element 2: Physical attributes are far more demanding on player: overall weight; neck weight might cause imbalance; neck width makes playing more challenging.
This last element was the deal breaker for me. With my first 7 string the neck was very wide. I experienced wrist pain after playing for just 1 hour. My second 7 string caused me pain after playing gigs of just one night. The pain that I describe is carpal tunnel pain. Sometimes the pain lasted for days, and I had to wear an immobilizing wrist brace. To stop the pain, I stopped playing what caused the pain. This was painful in itself because I really liked 7 string basses!
No more 7 strings for me, even though I think they're amazing, especially when played by others!
Here are the plusses and minuses from my experience:
Positive nature of element 1: Extended tonal range allows solo potential and chording.
Negative nature of element 1: Extended tonal range can overlap tonal range of other instruments, specifically guitars (where's the booty, bootsy?); Special amplification or cabinetry may be needed depending on tuning or volume requirements; Pickups and electronics may need to be more complex to handle range.
Positive nature of element 2: Physical attribute of extended range allows diverse playing to be made on one instrument.
Negative nature of element 2: Physical attributes are far more demanding on player: overall weight; neck weight might cause imbalance; neck width makes playing more challenging.
This last element was the deal breaker for me. With my first 7 string the neck was very wide. I experienced wrist pain after playing for just 1 hour. My second 7 string caused me pain after playing gigs of just one night. The pain that I describe is carpal tunnel pain. Sometimes the pain lasted for days, and I had to wear an immobilizing wrist brace. To stop the pain, I stopped playing what caused the pain. This was painful in itself because I really liked 7 string basses!
No more 7 strings for me, even though I think they're amazing, especially when played by others!
Well its good to hear from some who has given them a lot of chances but it just didn't work for you. It brings me back to reality haha The funny thing is about your wrist pain is after playing my 6 string for so long and it also has that amazing wizard neck which is so comfortable to play, when I went back to mess around with my warwick corvette 4 string my wrist and even thumb started to scream cause it got used to the position with my 6 string.
Pros: It's a 7 string.
Cons: A lot of flaws that may be alright on a 4-5 string can be a deal breaker on a 7. You really need to know what kind of string spacing and neck profile you need and an experienced luthier to pull it off.
The big obvious con is that it brings out the butthole nature of a lot of musicians. On the bright side, if a 7 string upsets a potential bandmate or existing bandmate, it's an obvious sign they're a turd and you can find something better.
Cons: A lot of flaws that may be alright on a 4-5 string can be a deal breaker on a 7. You really need to know what kind of string spacing and neck profile you need and an experienced luthier to pull it off.
The big obvious con is that it brings out the butthole nature of a lot of musicians. On the bright side, if a 7 string upsets a potential bandmate or existing bandmate, it's an obvious sign they're a turd and you can find something better.
pros: range and you can tap the super mario theme
cons: almost no one wants to hire a bass player with that range, at least not to hear a version of the super mario theme.
I dont think 7 is my cup of tea, but i salute all the players here who follow their heart and do, despite all negative coments from fellow bass players and others. I dig the fact that bass players like to explore new thing and are (unlike e.g guitar players) not conservative.
cons: almost no one wants to hire a bass player with that range, at least not to hear a version of the super mario theme.
I dont think 7 is my cup of tea, but i salute all the players here who follow their heart and do, despite all negative coments from fellow bass players and others. I dig the fact that bass players like to explore new thing and are (unlike e.g guitar players) not conservative.
Hey, about those strings: I play a 7, which I actually converted from a 6 (Peavey TL6 -- gives it narrow spacing which I prefer)... you can make your own plain wire strings using old clipped off ball ends from other strings and tying plain music wire, which is a standard product available from piano parts suppliers (the gauges we'd generally use for bass are actually thinner than the thinnest piano wire, which is usually .031", but the suppliers do sell thinner sizes for zithers, dulcimers, etc. in bulk reels).
I love the sound of plain wire, and use it for my highest 3 strings, which I tune A-D-G low to high (the entire bass is tuned up one whole step from the normal B-F). Only need to buy 4 string sets to complete the stringing.
I love the sound of plain wire, and use it for my highest 3 strings, which I tune A-D-G low to high (the entire bass is tuned up one whole step from the normal B-F). Only need to buy 4 string sets to complete the stringing.
Pros: generally designed for balance and have less neck dive than typical 4 string basses.
Cons: people assume you 2 hand tap in some Cookie Monster & Guinea Pig Squeal Speedcore Metal stuff
heheheheheheheheheheheheheheheh naice.
i'm in the process of getting a GT-7.. i've wanted one for quite some time.. although, i wanted the GTBD-7, i just couldn't afford it right now.. i will get one later on..
i want it so that i can express myself musically, in a way that i don't think that i could with a 4 string.. although, i do love my 4's and will continue to play them..
the only hassle i can see so far is strings and cases/gigbags..
i want it so that i can express myself musically, in a way that i don't think that i could with a 4 string.. although, i do love my 4's and will continue to play them..
the only hassle i can see so far is strings and cases/gigbags..
i just think the fkn cool
on a serious note i have massive respect for anyone that plays more then 5.. i couldnt see myself playing 6.. but they really are quite the beast in the right hands
i will never be a 6 + player but i will never be a basher either..
bar strings costs ffs lads
Heh. You never know. I had a reasonably high-profile classic country gig (Marty Robbins tunes, whole nine yards) where I used my Soundgear 6 and nothing else. No one ever complained. In fact, I ended up with a banjo-style solo in our version of "Foggy Mountain Breakdown".
I've only played one 7, and I really enjoyed it. After I pay off my fretless, then I'll start working on getting one.
If the 7 helps you play the music you hear in your head, then that's the only "pro" you need.
Cons are the physics of the thing relative to your body and your gear, and the perception of other musos if that matters to you. Otherwise, fill your boots and go for it! I've never regretted switching to 6 string, if that makes you feel any better.
-Mark
Typically hating usually boils down to what jt mentioned. Be it a 7, 6, 5, fretless, whatever the hater has had an issue with. Why not just be honest and say "I couldn't figure out a way to make "xyz" work for me and that's why I think it's useless for anyone else". That's right... it makes no sense when you actually say it.
I've only received one negative comment whether I've gigged with my fretlesses, my fives when they were a rarity or my sixes now. I don't play them like I've lost my mind and forgot what the gig was about either.
One keyboard player on an R&B gig told me he wasn't sure whether or not my Zon Legacy Standard fretless 5 was appropriate for the gig. I told him to ask the leader... he was the one who asked that I play it after hearing me with another group.
I've only received one negative comment whether I've gigged with my fretlesses, my fives when they were a rarity or my sixes now. I don't play them like I've lost my mind and forgot what the gig was about either.
One keyboard player on an R&B gig told me he wasn't sure whether or not my Zon Legacy Standard fretless 5 was appropriate for the gig. I told him to ask the leader... he was the one who asked that I play it after hearing me with another group.
