What are your thoughts on this guitar?

http://www.rondomusic.com/scope725bk.html


I am thinking of getting this so that I can play lower and maybe match my singing range more to the music I am doing. I am a baritone and am losing my higher range due to age, weight, and severe allergies.

never played a 7 string before...

It shouldn't be too different for playing metal with your fifths. Chording would be a bit odd to learn, but doable.

I am not really wanting to get the lower tones to make MO1 more heavy. I just want to get lower so I can sing more in a comfortable range like Lordchain does.

well.. it would be an adjustment because having 7 strings would make the neck wider.. though it would be fairly easy to drop tune it and play it like a 6 string drop tuned... would definitely have more range to it... 3 sets of strings for easy power chording... hmm...

the guitar itself looks nice.. I like the black.. and price doesn't look bad either.

I won't have to worry about the wider neck. I am primarily a bass player and regularly use a 5 and a 6 string bass. Surely this guitar neck won't be wider than my Tobias neck! It's 3 inches wide!

3 inches? man.. how do you even play it without killing your wrist? Or do you tip the neck up in the air real high? ... that would take adjustment..

I suppose in that case that wouldn't be a concern for you lol ...

Looks nice. good price. I have heard good things about Rondomusic.

3 inches? man.. how do you even play it without killing your wrist? Or
do you tip the neck up in the air real high? ... that would take
adjustment..

Actually, I play it rather low. The neck is wide on the Tobias, but it is tapered so that it is a really thin neck. I have really big hands, so I have always preferred a wider neck. Thinner necks make chording hard for me on a guitar.

Looks nice. good price. I have heard good things about Rondomusic.

That's why I am considering buying this. I actually own one of their guitars. I have an SX GG-5 semi-hollow body that I actually prefer to play over my Epiphone Dot (also a semi-hollow body). The pickups are a bit dirtier sounding which is great for playing metal or blues. The clean channel is just richer overall than my Epiphone.

So, I think I have pretty much convinced myself. LOL

alldatndensum wrote:

3 inches? man.. how do you even play it without killing your wrist? Or
do you tip the neck up in the air real high? ... that would take
adjustment..

Actually, I play it rather low. The neck is wide on the Tobias, but it is tapered so that it is a really thin neck. I have really big hands, so I have always preferred a wider neck. Thinner necks make chording hard for me on a guitar.

yeah.. true..

I have an ESP 7-string, it's never been a problem to adjust to it after playing bass or any of my other guitars.

I regularly play about 5 different 6 strings, 2 7 strings, and a 5
string bass, which have 3 different scale lengths amongst them in
addition to the differing profiles and neck widths.The "neck size adjustment" thing is REALLY over-rated, IMO....especially if you already switch back and forth between 6 string guitars with differing neck profiles. The bigger trick is incorporating that extra low string, unless all you do is transpose to a lower key......


Alldat, you already got my thoughts on the axe on FB.....but had another thought: being primarily a bass player, have you considered going with a baritone scale (27" or so) six string ala RED and Head Welch (he's gone away from the 7's because he doesn't play the same way he did in Korn)? If you're just looking to lower the tuning range, instead of expand it, it's a viable option, and won't require any re-learning technique. just a thought if you hadn't considered it

I haven't thought about it. Wouldn't having the baritone scale make for relearning chords and such? What makes a baritone guitar better than the 7?

I don't think I'd have much trouble incorporating the 7th string because of using the low B on the bass as much as I already do.

Nah, bro....the entire point of a baritone scale guitar is so you DON'T have to re-learn anything. It'll just transpose the range of the instrument, just like tuning down would. It allows you to keep the string guages similar to what you're used to rather than slapping bridge cables on to combat floppy strings. You could tune down to B, but do it with 10's instead of 13's. you'd spend far more time re-learning technique and chord shapes on a 7, (because it's not JUSt the extra low that you have to change technique wise) whereas on a bari, any chord shape you already utilize exists, it just sounds lower in pitch.


chord examples:

6 string reg:

e|---3---|
b|---3---|
g|---0---|
d|---x---|
a|---2---|
e|---3---|

6 string bari:
b |---3---|
f#|---3---|
d|---0---|
a|---x---|
e|---2---|
b|---3---|

7 string version of 1st example:
e|---3---|
b|---3---|
g|---0---|
d|---x---|
a|---2---|
e|---3---|
b|-------|

7 strign version of 2nd example:
e|-------|
b|---3---|
g|---2---|
d|---0---|
a|---x---|
e|---2---|
b|---3---|


You can still play the G chord (for example) rooted on the 6th string on a 7, but you CAN'T just transpose that shape down to the 7th, because the difference in tuning is on your THIRD string, not the 7th. with a bari, you're just dropping ALL the strings 2 1/2 steps, so all the chord shapes stay the same......

of course you also get stuff like

e|---2---|
b|---3---|
g|---2---|
d|---x---|
a|---x---|
e|---2---|
b|---3---|

on a 7 that you don't on a bari 6. the differences are subtle, but that 7th string changes the game a LOT on what you can do with open/barre/full chord voicings, so if you play a lot of them, it's something to consider. It's much simpler if you're a single notes/power chords player

So would it just be easier to throw the 10s on one of my existing guitars and try it that way? Is that what you are recommending?

As far as playing and recording goes, I am mostly a power chords kind of guy. If I was going to be doing more worship type of stuff, I'd still reach for my semi-hollow body 6 string guitars. But, if downtuning with thicker strings would get me the lower pitch without a learning curve, I'd try it.

yeah, you could definitely do that. personally, I'd order a set of 12's or 13s from amazon and wait a few days 10's on a 24 3/4" scale are gonna be VERY loose and floppy on the low end(at least to me), though, and a .042 or .046 MIGHT sound muddy and pitchy to you, just FYI. If you're at all heavy on the fret hand, you WILL pull a set of 10's sharp tuned down that far. I usually run something like .012-.056 on my 6's that are tuned down, to help retain the note clarity. I brought up the bari idea because the longr the scale, the lighter the strings you can use to get that lower pitch while still retaining note clarity and feel similar to what you're used to on a "standard" scale guitar (i.e 10's tuned to B on a bari will feel very similar to 10's tuned to e on a standard) and I figure that since you're used to playing bass (usually 34-35" scales), you might have less trouble adapting to the longer scale than to the changes in chord shapes etc....

10's ought to work enough to give you an idea about the range you're shooting for to match your vocals, though.

the difference in tuning on a seven string is the THIRD string?!?

unworthy wrote:the difference in tuning on a seven string is the THIRD string?!?

ONLY incomparison to tuning a 6 string DOWN to a 7 string's lower range. "Standard" tuning for a 7 string is BEADGBE, or a normal 6 string guitar plus a low B. if you tune a 6 string down to B, however, you end up at BEADF#B. what i was getting at is that it's not just "add the low B and go". There are different ways to get into the lower range, and subtle differences involved between a 7 string (ADDING range)and a drop tuned 6 (SHIFTING range) that might not be readily apparent, but could be VERY important depending on how you play, and what you want to do.

There's Drop B, B standard and baritone.

exo wrote:

unworthy wrote:the difference in tuning on a seven string is the THIRD string?!?

ONLY incomparison to tuning a 6 string DOWN to a 7 string's lower range. "Standard" tuning for a 7 string is BEADGBE, or a normal 6 string guitar plus a low B. if you tune a 6 string down to B, however, you end up at BEADF#B. what i was getting at is that it's not just "add the low B and go". There are different ways to get into the lower range, and subtle differences involved between a 7 string (ADDING range)and a drop tuned 6 (SHIFTING range) that might not be readily apparent, but could be VERY important depending on how you play, and what you want to do.

I see... I've just never felt the need/desire to go lower and I've never played a 7 string.. I appreciate that information and I will certainly make sure any guitar decisions I make are well informed

danielbandfan wrote:There's Drop B, B standard and baritone.

Pretty much, yeah.
Although Drop A (AEADGBE)is probably more common on a 7 string than Drop B.

Just doing some price comparisons and I can definitely get a 7 string less expensively than I can a baritone guitar.

http://www.rondomusic.com/hadron627na.html



Rondo codes their instruments a lot: modelname625 is a 25.5" scale 6 string, 727 is 7 strings, 27" scale, 828 is 8 strings 28" scale, etc........this beauty is a Hadron 627 so it's a neckthru 6 string with a 27" scale, and it's 2 bills.......yeah, slightly more expensive than the bolt on, fixed bridge version, but only about 10 bucks more than the original guitar you posted......Heck, if ya REALLY want to play around, and expand your price range a hair more to $229, you could get a 7 string, baritone version of the same guitar here, and tune down to f#

Options....you have them

If I dropped to F#, I'd have to get a 7 string bass. Make it stop!!!!


I am leaning towards the 7 string without the tremolo now. While I'd like to have that, I just don't want to get something that might not ever stay in tune even with a pro setup.

Wise choice. Tremolos are a pain. (my brother said "Never again!" after getting a Floyd Rose for his guitar)

If this came with a real Floyd Rose, I'd be all over it. But, since it is a licensed copy, I am wary.