The State of the 7-String Guitar in 2005
by Stephen Rekas

Welcome to the fourth Special 7-String Edition of Guitar Sessions®!

Can you believe it? I still I don't own a 7-string guitar, but with more and more private luthiers and manufacturers producing them in the low as well as the high end of the pricing spectrum- it's only a matter of time before I'll have one of my own. This is the Golden Age of Luthiery after all, and many top luthiers as well as forward-looking manufacturers are seeing the economic potential of the 7-string guitar. The nice thing for me as the editor of Guitar Sessions® is that I've noticed it's becoming easier to find writers for the annual Special 7-String Edition, which I hope you'll all enjoy.

Mel Bay Publications continues to issue products for the 7-string and both Bill Bay, our company president, and his son Collin [See "Mastering the Guitar"] have gravitated towards the 7-string as their instrument of choice. It no longer seems risky to predict that the future of the 7-string guitar is assured in various styles.

Let's first examine the current availability of 7-string guitars; a few of the 7-string luthiers who come to mind are: Robert Benedetto, Tom Bills, John Buscarino, Bill Comins, Jimmy Foster, Bill Moll, Ed Schaefer, and Dale Unger, founder of American Archtop Guitars featured in this issue. These builders are all known for their expertly crafted, hand-carved, high-end instruments and for some, 7-string guitars comprise 50-80% of their orders.

In the past few years, however, Buscarino, Moll and Unger have all produced more economical laminated archtops that are very attractive to nonprofessionals and professionals alike. For those with limited resources, laminated archtops are a significant development. While a seasoned ear could probably discern the laminated from the carved instrument, with a good amp the sound of a laminated archtop is excellent. Then too, there are many instances where professionals wouldn't want to risk damaging their prized hand-carved instruments; using a laminated guitar crafted by the same luthier offers the perfect solution.

Happily browsing through the 2005 Collections Catalog from Ibanez, I discovered that the solidbody 7-string is alive and well in the manufacturing scene as well. In addition to the JEM Steve Vai model UV777, the Korn "Head" and "Munky" co-signature K7, and the RGA Prestige RG1527, Ibanez makes the barebones solidbody AX7221 and RG7321.

Other manufacturers of solidbody 7-string electrics include ESP, Jackson, BC Rich and Schecter. Last year, the lowest price I found for an electric 7-string was $300.00; This year, it's the Washburn WG587 for $200.00! Clients who have purchased this guitar are giving it rave reviews as a great value for the dollar.

In its Artwood Series, Ibanez also offers a very nice cutaway jumbo 7-string flattop acoustic/electric (AJ307ECENT). John Buscarino or Jimmy Foster would be delighted to make you an artist model 7-string flattop with an arched back. Last September, jazz guitar and Chapman Stick player Craig Wagner was seen stalking the grounds of The Walnut Valley Festival (Winfield) with his 7-string Buscarino flattop, ready and willing to jam with anyone! (See "Tales From the Road" in this issue.)

For nylon-string players, John Buscarino offers his striking 7-string Cabaret model with an oval soundhole and arched back. Gary Zimnicki makes a lovely high-end 7-string classic guitar, and Augustino and daughter Donna LoPrinzi produce outstanding 6 and 7-string classic and acoustic guitars at very reasonable prices. I've just learned of a 7-string classic guitar from Giannini Guitars of Brazil for under $285.00! I can't yet verify the quality of these instruments, but they would certainly open a window of opportunity to students and others on a limited budget who wish to explore the world of 7 strings.

In the jazz world, the 7-string archtop guitar is clearly here to stay. The trajectory has gone nowhere but up since George Van Eps' early experiments in the 40s with his own 7-string adaptation of a production 6-string guitar. Even then, the Gretsch Guitar Company soon began manufacturing Van Eps model 7-string guitars.

A few high-profile rockers have also taken the 7-string solidbody guitar to heart for its unparalleled metal and shred capabilities. The sheer numbers of custom and manufactured solidbody 7-string guitars available today seem to indicate a promising future for the instrument in rock.

From a classical guitarist's perspective- there is very little new under the sun. Multi-string classic guitars have been fairly common in Europe since the 19th century, with Napoleon Coste of Portugal as the outstanding composer/performer for the 7-string as well as other multi-string hybrids. As you may have learned from past 7-string issues of Guitar Sessions, there is a 200-year history of the 7-string classic guitar in Russia, with a different tuning, however. Although the 7-string classic guitar certainly has a well-founded multi-faceted tradition, it doesn't seem to have caught on or entrenched itself in the current scene as firmly as its archtop and solidbody brethren. So get ready! The stage is primed for a 7-nylon-string jazz or classic guitar virtuoso.

Here at Mel Bay Publications, publications and strings for the 7-string jazz guitar are alive and well. These include:

1. 98220 - The First Chord Book for the 7-String Guitar by Jerry Sims

2. 99930BCD - Bucky Pizzarelli Master Jazz Guitar Solo Collection
This collection offers a look at Bucky's approach to chordal guitar solos and chord- melody playing. The book's 31 tunes include "Darn That Dream," "Sweet Lorraine," "One Morning In May," and other great standards. Some of the tunes in this book are arranged for 6-string guitar, but most are written for the 7-string.

3. 99936 - 7-String Jazz Guitar Chord Chart
by William Bay - A handy yet complete guide to 7-string jazz guitar chords.
See "Accessories" in this issue of Guitar Sessions®

4. 99749 - Full-Page 7-String Tab Pad
Summary: Designed exclusively for 7-string guitarists, this full-size manuscript pad features nine 7-line tablature staves per page.

5. 99750 - Guitar Chord Solo Manuscript Book 7-String Edition
Summary: Each page features six standard 5-line staves with eight blank 7-string chord grids above each line.

6. 98371BCD - Master Anthology of Jazz Guitar Solos contains a few solos for 7-string guitar.

7. 97113D - How to Play Seven-String Guitar
by Alan de Mause would be helpful to a novice 7-string player. This book is out of print but is available as a download for a moderate fee.

8. 99988BCD - Complete 7-String Guitar Method
by Chris Buzzelli

9. 99220AX - La Bella Electric Black Nylon Tape Wound 800-7, 7-String Set
1st .014, 2nd .018, 3rd .036, 4th .046, 5th .056, 6th .067 and 7th .079.
Comes with bonus extra first and second strings.

So there you have it! I hope you enjoy the 2005 Special 7-String Edition of Guitar Sessions. I'll close with good news- I'll no longer have to be a two-faced music journalist; I've just ordered my first 7-string guitar.

Stephen Rekas
Guitar Sessions® Editor