My accidental 7 String scale length experiment with a twist ending

[Utkarsh Mohan]

So a few weeks ago, I purchased a PRS 7 String. I have been wanting one for a while, one of the reasons (apart from I love 6 string PRS's) is the scale length (26.5 inch) which I think is the best for 7 strings.

So it arrived and I immediately set it up in A Standard with 10-62s and was pretty chuffed. It was everything I wanted and for a 7 string, incredibly playable. I just did not feel the long scale length at all and even leads and complex chords were easy while of course the chugging was fun. The tension was just right on the low B which is so important.

Then in my curiosity, I decided to make it drop G. My calculations told me Drop G on a 62 on a 26.5 inch scale should be just about manageable. But it was more floppy than I expected. Not unmanageable but at the point I had to be quite careful while chugging.

Something didn't quite sit right. The tension for drop G should have been tighter for the 26.5inch. Then something struck me. I took out my measuring tape...

And surprise of surprise, it was not 26.5 inch, but instead the other scale length PRS offers, their regular 25 inch, as seen on their regular guitars. Needless to say I was shocked. I went back to the listing of the dealer I bought the guitar from and realized that there was no mention of the scale length. I (facepalm) had just assumed it was 26.5

A few things learnt
- A lot of what we expect specs to do is pyschosomatic. If I had not done my experiments in G, I would still have thought the guitar was 26.5. While this of course is a PRS Private Stock, with the highest grade of craftsmanship possible, which does help pull off a small scale 7 string( A lot like 7.25 inch radius can only be pulled off with high manufacturing precision), it does show that it is not only possible, it is optimal

- Realistically, unless you are tuning below Ab, there is no need to get anything beyond a 25.5inch scale 7 string, especially if you generally use the full fretboard including leads. In my opinion, a 26.5 inch would definitely be 'better' for tight low B chugging, but for every other use, a smaller scale length would be just be better. Easier to play lead. Easier to stretch for chords. You get the picture.

- Lastly, check the spec properly before you buy a $10,000 guitar. Or maybe don't for it may blind you. I am happy I didn't. I would NEVER have bought a 25 inch scale 7 string, so I am just happy I did not miss out on what is a great guitar. In case you are wondering, I haven't stopped playing this guitar since I got.

A video summarizing my thoughts and some sounds

 

[Stiman]

Cool story, thanks for sharing.

I'm sure there is a ton of that going on in the guitar/amp/tone world, people having opinions on things based purely on what they have read instead of first hand experience. I'm definitely guilty of it myself.

 

[ToolmasterOfBrainerd]

Beautiful guitar. Very nice information to know.

 

[odibrom]

Most of my guitars are 25.5" (6s and 7s) and I have an 8 stringer with 27". I do notice the difference between the scale lengths of the guitars. Changing from the 6s to 7s is super easy. From the 6s or 7s to the 8 stringer is a step, not too big, but not insignificant.

Nevertheless Nice guitar and may she serve you well for years to come.

 

[Emperoff]

Most of my guitars are 25.5" (6s and 7s) and I have an 8 stringer with 27". I do notice the difference between the scale lengths of the guitars. Changing from the 6s to 7s is super easy. From the 6s or 7s to the 8 stringer is a step, not too big, but not insignificant.

Nevertheless Nice guitar and may she serve you well for years to come.

Everything in life is a compromise. If you get a baritone for tighter low strings without going up in gauge, the tradeoffs are many: Harder to play leads (increased tension), stretching, less string gauge options, etc.

Plenty of people don't play leads, so extended scales work better for them. Others make them work with custom string gauges, etc. And some people even like them better for leads since there is more space for the fingers up the fretboard.

I've got 25,5", 27" and 28,75" guitars, but the 25,5" ones are by far my favourites. I'd agree with you on 26,5" being the perfect "all rounder" scale for a 7-string, but that difference would force me to switch from 10s to a lighter gauge. Which in turn would force me to give up Elixirs since they don't make 009.5 gauges.... You get the point. Nothing is perfect.

 

[TheBolivianSniper]

I do actually prefer a longer scale it turns out, but not too much. 26.5 is good, the 26.2 I have on my other 7 is perfect and idk why people don't use it a lot more. G isn't super fun on a 25.5 but F# on 26.2 sounds great and feels nice and slinky. Yeah you can't dig in REALLY hard but I pick like someone who plays too much fingerstyle acoustic, that is to say, really light.

I really think you can get away with shorter scales on 7s than everyone says. I played 24.75 longer than 25.5 and that's incredibly comfy especially for low tunings. A feels great on that scale. 27 is overrated, 26.5 isn't much of a change, and 26.2 is great for low tuning. 25.5 is more than good enough for pretty much all 7 string applications.

 

[AkiraSpectrum]

wow you have a ridiculously amazing collection of PRS guitars.

awesome guitar!

I had a PRS SE-7 (25" scale) for many years and loved it. It was extremely easy and comfortable to play for a 7. Sold it recently to get a Schecter KM7 mkII though, a guitar I've always wanted. But that SE-7 was very very good and 25" scale was ridiculously comfortable.

 

[Adieu]

Cool

But also, just don't buy a $10k guitar at all. Unless you are earning high 6 figures and it doesn't even affect your monthly budget in the slightest, much less your bank balance.

 

[Emperoff]

Cool

But also, just don't buy a $10k guitar at all. Unless you are earning high 6 figures and it doesn't even affect your monthly budget in the slightest, much less your bank balance.

If you'd bothered to watch even 2 seconds of the video, you'd have probably guessed he can easily afford that guitar.

 

[NoodleFace]

It probably depends heavily on your picking hand and how hard/soft your touch is. I hit the string pretty decently hard, no ot super heavy but enough that I dont enjoy going below B on 25.5 and my 26.5 is the one i have in A.

I think there's no one solution for everyone. The real take away is find what equipment works for you.

Id also never buy a $10k guitar to chug power chords, but more power to you.

 

[Robslalaina]

Zakk Wylde plays Crazy Horse on a Les Paul basically and that song is in Drop A so it's all about technique.

I still think 26.5 is the best for a 7 string though because of the range of tunings easily available to you, from B standard to F# or even F and everything in between.

 

[odibrom]

Everything in life is a compromise. If you get a baritone for tighter low strings without going up in gauge, the tradeoffs are many: Harder to play leads (increased tension), stretching, less string gauge options, etc.

Plenty of people don't play leads, so extended scales work better for them. Others make them work with custom string gauges, etc. And some people even like them better for leads since there is more space for the fingers up the fretboard.

I've got 25,5", 27" and 28,75" guitars, but the 25,5" ones are by far my favourites. I'd agree with you on 26,5" being the perfect "all rounder" scale for a 7-string, but that difference would force me to switch from 10s to a lighter gauge. Which in turn would force me to give up Elixirs since they don't make 009.5 gauges.... You get the point. Nothing is perfect.

I was mainly speaking of the scale length, not so much on the string tension. I have tested before different string gauges on my guitars and at one time I've had .011 on a 7 stringer tuned to regular B2 to E4 (fixed bridge). My point was really on how I feel the scale length difference on the guitars. I tendo to do some stretched chords here and there with the extra length and a bit more tension (I'm using 0.10s on the 8 stringer and .009s on the 7s), one notices the differences quite well.

... but I get the point @Utkarsh Mohan was trying to pass on, on trying the guitars without looking at their specs list just for the sake of trying the guitars. In my perspective, just out of curiosity, I've tried a few Gibsons and maybe some Fenders or similar guitars... they're cool and all, but not my thing, so I mainly try out the guitars that are specs friendly to what I think works for me... price tag included.

 

[IwantTacos]

you'd probably love their multiscale 7

 

[Utkarsh Mohan]

Most of my guitars are 25.5" (6s and 7s) and I have an 8 stringer with 27". I do notice the difference between the scale lengths of the guitars. Changing from the 6s to 7s is super easy. From the 6s or 7s to the 8 stringer is a step, not too big, but not insignificant.

Nevertheless Nice guitar and may she serve you well for years to come.

Yes I noticed the difference too. I have always found 26.5 to be one of those deceptive scale lengths which doesn't feel too long, but the moment I get to 27, i really feel it.

 

[Utkarsh Mohan]

Everything in life is a compromise. If you get a baritone for tighter low strings without going up in gauge, the tradeoffs are many: Harder to play leads (increased tension), stretching, less string gauge options, etc.

Plenty of people don't play leads, so extended scales work better for them. Others make them work with custom string gauges, etc. And some people even like them better for leads since there is more space for the fingers up the fretboard.

I've got 25,5", 27" and 28,75" guitars, but the 25,5" ones are by far my favourites. I'd agree with you on 26,5" being the perfect "all rounder" scale for a 7-string, but that difference would force me to switch from 10s to a lighter gauge. Which in turn would force me to give up Elixirs since they don't make 009.5 gauges.... You get the point. Nothing is perfect.

This is very well summarized. Compromise is the name of the game. Btw I love Elixers too

 

[Utkarsh Mohan]

I do actually prefer a longer scale it turns out, but not too much. 26.5 is good, the 26.2 I have on my other 7 is perfect and idk why people don't use it a lot more. G isn't super fun on a 25.5 but F# on 26.2 sounds great and feels nice and slinky. Yeah you can't dig in REALLY hard but I pick like someone who plays too much fingerstyle acoustic, that is to say, really light.

I really think you can get away with shorter scales on 7s than everyone says. I played 24.75 longer than 25.5 and that's incredibly comfy especially for low tunings. A feels great on that scale. 27 is overrated, 26.5 isn't much of a change, and 26.2 is great for low tuning. 25.5 is more than good enough for pretty much all 7 string applications.

I do agree on getting away with shorter scales for lower tunings. I was thinking of Adam Jones who plays a 52 for a low B on a Les Paul scale

 

[Utkarsh Mohan]

wow you have a ridiculously amazing collection of PRS guitars.

awesome guitar!

I had a PRS SE-7 (25" scale) for many years and loved it. It was extremely easy and comfortable to play for a 7. Sold it recently to get a Schecter KM7 mkII though, a guitar I've always wanted. But that SE-7 was very very good and 25" scale was ridiculously comfortable.

Thanks, I am quite lucky. I haven't tried the SE. Had dismissed it due to the scale length but as you imagine, I am a changed man now. I was reading reviews of it since this revelation and something Paul Reed Smith said when the Gear Gods dude was interviewing him on Scale lengths, struck me. To trust the manufacturer. If they went with a 25 inch scale, there would be a reason

 

[Utkarsh Mohan]

Zakk Wylde plays Crazy Horse on a Les Paul basically and that song is in Drop A so it's all about technique.

I still think 26.5 is the best for a 7 string though because of the range of tunings easily available to you, from B standard to F# or even F and everything in between.

Gotta agree. 26.5 will cover you from B to F# and maybe even beyond. I have a PRS 8 string that goes to Drop E just fine and is 26.5.

 

[Utkarsh Mohan]

It probably depends heavily on your picking hand and how hard/soft your touch is. I hit the string pretty decently hard, no ot super heavy but enough that I dont enjoy going below B on 25.5 and my 26.5 is the one i have in A.

I think there's no one solution for everyone. The real take away is find what equipment works for you.

Id also never buy a $10k guitar to chug power chords, but more power to you.

Haha I am a wannabe chugger. Opeth Damnation clean territory is where I am usually at

 

[Utkarsh Mohan]

Cool

But also, just don't buy a $10k guitar at all. Unless you are earning high 6 figures and it doesn't even affect your monthly budget in the slightest, much less your bank balance.

Haha let me assure you it certainly does affect my monthly budget. It's not a purchase taken lightly. In this particular guitars case, I first spotted it in Japan in 2018 while browsing Ochanomizu (Guitar street) on business trip and fell in love with it. But due to exchange range fluctuations, it was at a crazy price (1.8 Mill yen or about $18K US at the time). I web stalked this guitar for 3 years hoping that the yen would one day reach a better rate and they would discount the guitar given how out of whack it was. And finally in Dec'21, both these circumstances happened and only then did I pull the trigger