Best 7 String Guitars to Improve Your Playing Ability 2021
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7 string guitars have been around since the renaissance era. Jazz musicians are believed to have used the first extended-range guitars in the early 20th century. Gradually metal musicians followed suit. An extra string added room for more creativity for guitarists. Therefore, this soon caught the attention of guitar enthusiasts.
Since the time 7 string guitars took to stage, it became an alternative that offered a significant difference compared to the six-string guitar. Countless bands used them to extend the possibilities of their music creation. The guitar helped create lower tunings with deep low end for heavy riffs and sounds that became the hallmark of modern metal.
The standard tuning for 7 string guitars is B E A D G B E. The high six strings are the regular strings present on any guitar. This means that you can use this as a regular guitar as well. The wider fretboard and an added string are what make the 7 string guitars unique. The extra low string lets you phrase chords to sound different compared to a six-string guitar. Predominantly used in metal or modern jazz, the seventh string sounds unique when used in the right context.
We have listed some of the best 7 string guitars that will help expand your creativity.
Best 7 String Guitars– Comparative Table:
| Product | Features | Latest Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1. PRS SE SVN 7 [amazon fields=”B07Z5QXSLX” value=”thumb”] |
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| 2. Ernie Ball Music Man Majesty [amazon fields=”B016NUMOYK” value=”thumb”] |
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| 3. Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK2 [amazon fields=”B083YR1BMT” value=”thumb”] |
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| 4. Schecter Omen Extreme-7 [amazon fields=”B0002NPR2G” value=”thumb”] |
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| 5. Ibanez GRG [amazon fields=”B07M6VB9TP” value=”thumb”] |
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Best 7 String Guitars – Our Reviews and Comparisons
1. PRS SE SVN 7
[amazon fields=”B07Z5QXSLX” value=”button”]
Product Highlights
If you play a range of different music styles, the PRS SVN is a great choice. You can dish out some solid and heavy tones and at the same time play mellow and warm tones. The guitar is also an expert at bluesy single-coil tones.
Features
The versatility of the guitar is owed to the coil-tap on board. The coil-tap placed on the tone knob helps double the tone options from 3 to 6. These extra three tones give you single-coil sounds. Besides, with this guitar, you will be able to switch between heavy riffing and bluesy licks while sounding natural.
Moreover, adding to the performance and versatility of the guitar are the 85/15 S 7 string humbuckers. Also, the 26.5″ scale length contributes to tight string tension so that the strings feel responsive.
What We Like About PRS SE SVN 7
The guitar holds tune extremely well and the tuners feel solid.
What We Don’t Like About PRS SE SVN 7
It has an ungainly neck heel.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent build quality Smooth bridge feels very comfortable Versatile tones |
Awkward neck heel |
2. Ernie Ball Music Man Majesty
[amazon fields=”B016NUMOYK” value=”button”]
Product Highlights
What makes the Music Man Majesty stand out from other high-performance guitars is its controls and switching capabilities. With a simple flick, the push-push volume control can be activated to get an active preamp with a 20dB boost. Besides, there is a three-way toggle pickup selector with a center position to help select between two custom pickup configurations. There is also a three-way toggle piezo/magnetic selector for amplifying the sound and making the guitar more resonant.
Features
The Music Man Majesty features a 25 1/2–inch neck complete with a compensated nut and 24 stainless steel frets on an ebony fingerboard with Atlante Majesty inlays. Electronics include direct-mounted DiMarzio Rainmaker on the neck, Dreamcatcher humbuckers on the bridge, and a piezo pickup system placed inside the tremolo bridge’s solid steel saddles.
What We Like About Ernie Ball Music Man Majesty
Despite its lightweight, the guitar gives warm tones.
What We Don’t Like About Ernie Ball Music Man Majesty
It is slightly synthetic sounding.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent build Greater control |
Not beginner-friendly |
3. Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK2
[amazon fields=”B083YR1BMT” value=”button”]
Product Highlights
The Pro Series Dinky DK2 is fitted with an Okoume body adorned with a natural satin finish. The two-piece maple bolt-on speed neck of the guitar features a three-bolt scarf joint, which provides a deeply sculpted heel for playing in comfort while remaining stable. This design promotes great upper fret access.
Features
The versatility of tones is offered by Seymour Duncan pickups and a well-designed pickup-wiring scheme. The TB-4 JB Trembucker located in the bridge position and an SH-1N ’59 at the neck together contributes to the power, clarity, and tone of the guitar.
Another noteworthy feature of the Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK2 is that there is a full-on mode that gives a classic blend of warmth and sparkle on a clean setting. If you dial in some gain, you will instantly land in a classic rock mode to give you the advantage of big riffs and singing sustain.
What We Like About Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK2
The vibrato recess has a foam pad at the bottom to prevent noise.
What We Don’t Like About Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK2
Some players will miss the middle/dual-humbucker setting.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great choice of tonewoods Build to last |
The neck profile is too slim |
4. Schecter Omen Extreme-7
[amazon fields=”B0002NPR2G” value=”button”]
Product Highlights
The Extreme-7 features a mahogany body with a quilted carved maple top. It shows off a GraphTech nut with the body and neck adorned with a crème multi-ply binding. The inlays of the fingerboard are made of abalone and Pearloid. Moreover, the rosewood fingerboard has 24 frets.
Features
Fitted with a low action and humbucker mode, the Schecter Omen Extreme-7 is the right choice for metal guitarists. This is a versatile machine that houses a toggle for coil-tapping that opens up a range of sounds that you can explore. The guitar has a pronounced low-end, good for creating heavy riffs. The tone of the guitar and the easy playability makes it a great choice for an intermediate player who wants a guitar for practice sessions.
What We Like About Schecter Omen Extreme-7
The single-coil mode and the tapped pickups give the guitar an exceptional tone.
What We Don’t Like About Schecter Omen Extreme-7
The bridge is uncomfortable for palm muting.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| No fret buzz Wide range of tones |
You might need a different set of strings for it to sound better |
5. Ibanez GRG7221
[amazon fields=”B07Z5QXSLX” value=”button”]
Product Highlights
The GRG7221 from Ibanez can be considered as the best budget 7 string guitar. The company describes the product as the ‘’combination of speed, fury, and expression’’. Besides, the GRG7221 has a quilted maple top veneer and pine fretboard. Moreover, featuring a thin neck, it is comfortable to play on this guitar.
Features
A noteworthy feature of the product is high output Infinity R pickups. These pickups help in string buzz filtering. Since fret buzz is filtered, the guitar emits clean tones that lend warmth to your guitar notes. There is a five-way switch that can give you extra tonal possibilities. Moreover, this guitar emphasizes the lower range of the tones, while lending warmth to the mid-tones.
What We Like About Ibanez GRG7221
The guitar has a powerful sound, with the mids being most expressive.
What We Don’t Like About Ibanez GRG7221
The GRG7221 could have more controls.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy playability Beginner-friendly |
Not for professionals |
Final Verdict
According to us, the best 7 string guitar that can beat other high-performance guitars is the Music Man Majesty from Ernie Ball. We recommend this guitar due to the presence of multiple controls that help tailor music better. Also, the ease of use with a wide range of tonal possibilities makes this a star among other guitars.
Comfort and playability are incredibly important with 7 string guitars. The wider neck can feel uncomfortable if it uses a fat profile. It will also take a while to get used to the wider neck profile and it can be especially hard for people with short fingers. But, the advantage of an added string opens up a world of possibilities for your music.
Hope we were able to help you choose the best 7 string guitar according to your needs and budget.
Read also:
Best Blues Guitar for Superior Rhythm and Tonal Versatility 2021.
