Baritone vs. 7-string

[TriumphOfDeath]

... [email protected]

what in your opinion is better to play death metal & to downtune to D-standard or C-standard >>> 7-string or baritone >>> what are the benefits in comparism for both ???

Many thanxxx in advance.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

uhh that's not that low. You don't really need a baritone or 7 for those tunings tbh. If you're really dead set on one or the other, grab a 7 string.

baritone:
+slightly increased string tension with same gauges
+ better upper fret spacing
+increased string tension and longer scale makes low string riffs feel "tighter" to an extent

-harder to play certain stretches and riffs
-not a good choice for people with smaller hands
-neck dive can be a problem due to extra mass of the neck
-limited availability/more niche typically
+-lots of variations on scale lengths and use case

7 string:
+ can do stacked extended chord shapes and voicings more easily
+lets you approach riffs differently
+ better availability overall
-replacement pickups and parts cost more

*keep in mind that a lot of newer seven strings also have longer scale lengths, so most of the pros and cons for a baritone also apply to 7 strings.

I own multiple baritones and 7 strings, and depending on use case they're basically interchangeable. For the tunings you want, I don't think you need a baritone tbh. I'd say just grab a 25.5" 7 string (or 26.5" scale). You don't really need a longer scale length for tunings above B tbh.

 

[Mot90DaD]

As mentioned above - D-standard or C-standard isnt a super low tuning that requires a baritone. A 7-string makes even less sense - you would have to uptune the low B-string

C-standard works well even on a short gibson-scale!

 

[budda]

Im currently playing a les paul in B standard. I have had a few 7’s but dont feel compelled to grab another for the foreseeable future.

 

[nickgray]

downtune to D-standard or C-standard

No need for extra scale length, you can play on a 24.75" just fine, let alone on a 25.5", and you can tune lower than C standard too. I wouldn't bother with longer scales if you're not tuning below A standard. Maybe if you prefer really thick strings with tons of tension, but then my advice would be to use thinner strings and get used to playing a lower tension setup.

7-string

It's a different instrument. The extra string is what gives it more options. But if you're simply using a 7 like a 6, there's no point, just downtune a 6. Newbies, for some reason, seem to think that downtuning = get a 7 string, but this is simply not the case. A 7 string is just a 6 string with an extra string, nothing magical about it, a 25.5" 6 string tuned to B standard will feel exactly the same as a 25.5" 7 string in B standard tuning.

Extra tip for beginners, this is a misconception that I see occasionally: a 7 string will not allow you to play songs in all the standard tunings between E std. and B std (i.e. a 7 string does not "contain within it" five 6 string guitars tuned to several standard tunings, at least not in a sense that you think). Metal relies on open strings quite a lot, but your open strings will be transposed to fretted notes. Furthermore, fingerings for chords/arpeggios/whatever might be considerably more difficult and even downright unplayable and/or not sounding right. Not to mention that you'd have to transpose tablature on the fly from a standard tuning to a B standard 7 string tuning, which is not fun at all, I've been reading tabs for god knows how many years, and I still have a really difficult time transposing on the fly, so for beginners it's a complete no-go.

 

[Pietjepieter]

As mentioned above D or C standard do not require a baritone or a 7 string.
However both are fun

But I think main difference between a barritone and a 7 string is:
7 string: more range
baritone: lower range

So if you just whanne tune lower and ower: grab a baritone, if you whanne have more range grep a 7/8/9/X string.

I think you can play fine in lets say B or even A standard on a 25'5 inch scale. But personally i like the sound of a longer neck, higher tensioned thinner strings. But that depend from player to player and the tone that you are after i guess

 

[bostjan]

Baritone seven string.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

No need for extra scale length, you can play on a 24.75" just fine, let alone on a 25.5", and you can tune lower than C standard too. I wouldn't bother with longer scales if you're not tuning below A standard. Maybe if you prefer really thick strings with tons of tension, but then my advice would be to use thinner strings and get used to playing a lower tension setup.


It's a different instrument. The extra string is what gives it more options. But if you're simply using a 7 like a 6, there's no point, just downtune a 6. Newbies, for some reason, seem to think that downtuning = get a 7 string, but this is simply not the case. A 7 string is just a 6 string with an extra string, nothing magical about it, a 25.5" 6 string tuned to B standard will feel exactly the same as a 25.5" 7 string in B standard tuning.

Extra tip for beginners, this is a misconception that I see occasionally: a 7 string will not allow you to play songs in all the standard tunings between E std. and B std (i.e. a 7 string does not "contain within it" five 6 string guitars tuned to several standard tunings, at least not in a sense that you think). Metal relies on open strings quite a lot, but your open strings will be transposed to fretted notes. Furthermore, fingerings for chords/arpeggios/whatever might be considerably more difficult and even downright unplayable and/or not sounding right. Not to mention that you'd have to transpose tablature on the fly from a standard tuning to a B standard 7 string tuning, which is not fun at all, I've been reading tabs for god knows how many years, and I still have a really difficult time transposing on the fly, so for beginners it's a complete no-go.

+1 on this.
I use both for specific things, but I may combine them if it will be complementary to the song.

For example. I have a couple songs where the primary rhythm guitar is the 7 string, that gets panned hard left. Rather than duping it on the same guitar for the secondary track, I may tend to go for my Bari-Tele and play it in open chords, perhaps add a chorus pedal on a couple of sections, and pan this track hard right. Even though my Bari-Tele is single coil equipped only, both guitars are EMG’s and I can roll off some of the high end on the Tele if needed. But, I don’t. It’s there to provide a sense of contrast from the primary, being the 7. Additionally, the bass will mask off some of that high end, and more can be done in post production. Even then, leaving it there may actually provide some “lift” the the overall guitar sound, and help spread the stereo image between the two guitars.