Seven string to six string conversion

Rat Bastard

Rat Bastard

Member
I have a seven string that I wanted to convert to a six string. The current gauges is:
.060, .052, .042, .030, .017, .013, .010

Do you guys think it would be okay to remove the first string, or should I remove the seventh string? The tuning would be D flat (or C sharp) standard, with the occasional drop B. I don’t want to cause any structural damage to my guitar. The guitar is an Ibanez S series, and I am pretty sure the scale is 25.5.

Any and all opinions are much appreciated.
 
Rat Bastard said:
I have a seven string that I wanted to convert to a six string. The current gauges is:
.060, .052, .042, .030, .017, .013, .010

Do you guys think it would be okay to remove the first string, or should I remove the seventh string? The tuning would be D flat (or C sharp) standard, with the occasional drop B. I don’t want to cause any structural damage to my guitar. The guitar is an Ibanez S series, and I am pretty sure the scale is 25.5.

Any and all opinions are much appreciated.
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Don't think you'd do any harm just removing the 7th string. You'd need to adjust springs and maybe intonation.

But, you'd still have a seven string guitar with a string missing, so would have a wider fretboard than a six string and an unused, empty area.

Is there a reason you'd want to remove a string instead of just not using it?
 
secondwindow said:
Don't think you'd do any harm just removing the 7th string. You'd need to adjust springs and maybe intonation.

But, you'd still have a seven string guitar with a string missing, so would have a wider fretboard than a six string and an unused, empty area.

Is there a reason you'd want to remove a string instead of just not using it?
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The reason I want to remove it is because if there is an extra low string I’m too tempted to do nothing but chug on the lowest string. I bought the guitar because I’ve never had a seven, but for whatever reason I’m just not jelling with the extra string, but like I said if it’s there I want to play nothing but the lowest string.

I was wanting to use the .060 as the lowest string (C#), but wasn’t sure if I would ruin my guitar tuning some of those higher strings higher.
 
Rat Bastard said:
The reason I want to remove it is because if there is an extra low string I’m too tempted to do nothing but chug on the lowest string. I bought the guitar because I’ve never had a seven, but for whatever reason I’m just not jelling with the extra string, but like I said if it’s there I want to play nothing but the lowest string.

I was wanting to use the .060 as the lowest string (C#), but wasn’t sure if I would ruin my guitar tuning some of those higher strings higher.
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Don't mean to be a jerk, but if it's not working for you, sell it and get something you think will. You've got a round peg there, why try to convert it to a square one?
 
I would use a double of either the top/bottom 'E' strings (or whatever you're tunning to) rather than remove a string entirely. Experiment with it but double bottom strings, for example, makes for some very heavy sounds and can inspire very different playing. Especially so if you drop tune your bottom 2 strings which for this case would give B B F# B E G# C#

Or as Dave said, sell/trade it for a 6 string.
 
I use 7 strings now. Is the reason you don’t like it because you’re not playing any songs that actually use the lowest string? That low string can be really great in even regular songs just to get a lower note here and there. It takes a bit to adjust if you’re used to 6 strings - I think we all went through this. But it can be beneficial to keep it there.

I don’t see what’s wrong with always wanting to jam out on the lowest string. Are you in a band? Just playing at home? Either way if it’s not the right guitar I would sell it rather than remove a string permanently.
 
Romo82 said:
I would use a double of either the top/bottom 'E' strings (or whatever you're tunning to) rather than remove a string entirely. Experiment with it but double bottom strings, for example, makes for some very heavy sounds and can inspire very different playing. Especially so if you drop tune your bottom 2 strings which for this case would give B B F# B E G# C#

Or as Dave said, sell/trade it for a 6 string.
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I read this, and immediately tuned the sixth and seventh strings to C#. I’m really digging it. Thank you for thinking outside of the box.
 
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