BARITONE OR 7 STRING? | Which One Suits You? 

This is the last video from my old studio! So I've had my 7 string for some time, and I decided to work out which was better suited to me out of a Baritone and a 7 String. Perhaps you guys can help shed some light on the benefits of each one?

As someone who started playing on a 7-string guitar, I can say that there is something about playing a 7-string that can lend itself to playing in different tunings easier than a 6-string. Playing 6-strings has always felt different to me, never in a limiting or uncomfortable way, but just in a way that required me to take a different look at the way I play the respective guitar. I tend to be much more riff-oriented when it comes to my 7, and when I play 6 strings, I play much more leads. I think when you approach playing different guitars than you're used to, it should never be viewed as "which is the better one" outright. There may be better ones for your playing style, but every guitar is different to every person and should present a new challenge, a new opportunity, and a new way to expand your use of the instrument to become a more well-versed and capable musician. The best option for anyone and everyone out there is an open mind.

I'm going to pull a pro-gamer move : *buys a 7 string baritone*

I like that on a 7 string, you get true extended range, while on a baritone it’s only lowered range. I feel like I’m losing out on the top. Even though I never really hit that far up the dusty end 😂

I'd say the primary reason to go for a seven string over a baritone is, if like me you play in drop tunings, you can tune a seven string to drop A and not only access all the chords of a drop tuning, but of standard tuning as well. Your barre chord options really go through the roof. Drop A really is a very versatile tuning.

Pickups are different, that’s 90% of the difference IMO when running heavy gain.

As a baritone player, my baritone is a lot brighter and less "djenty" than 7-Strings. But I still go for it due to "confort" reasons :)

You're absolutely killer on both, but the creativity and riffs just pour out of you when you pick up your baritone sig.

You often post about a topic I am researching. Thank you for being a mind reader.

IMO the sound difference has more to do with the pickups, string gauges & scale length.

You started playing on the 7, and I was like "That sounds great, why not just have the extra range?". Then you broke out the baritone, and that tone, omg so good. Would be interested to see how the 7 changes with a Ragnarok bridge. As things stand right now though, the baritone all the way.

Your sig Baritone has a 28" scale length vs 26.5" for the ML1-7 Pro. So the A string will sound more clear and also will be smaller for the same tension. Basically if you do need that extra e string, your baritone is the way to go !

I personally prefer the Baritone. It sounds more precise with a more agressive tone...dare I say more 'brutal' even. It's a little brighter too.

Every since I purchased a Boss Gt 1000 I've been getting into ambient playing and tones , and thank you for doing that in depth look at the GT 1000 vid where you showed how it's possible to have two channels true stereo , really clear and informative. ...since that vid I've purchased two FR active Speaker's and it sounds awesome , much Appreciated Rabea. I use a Baritone guitar alot. I took to it straight away ....being a six string I didn't notice....

Baritone for me on both..... Personally... I love 7-string guitars, and drop tuning the Low B is the way to go!

Thanks for the replies guys. I’m sure if I put the same pickups in both the tones would be a bit closer in terms of EQ. But I still feel there is a fundamental difference in the way the guitar produces the notes, in its resonance or timbre etc. Like the rounded mid honk the 7 has as opposed to the thicker or wider mid honk that the baritone has. Does anyone know what I mean?

I recently started playing 7 string where instead of standard 6 tuning + a low string, you have a standard 6 + a high string. I keep it in drop C with a high G on top and it’s SO fun to play

I was forced to move up to 7 strings for the last cover I did on my channel, having never played one before. The opening riff is a sequence of arpeggios with the root note of the lowest one being the A1 and the highest note being a C5, so it spans almost the entire fretboard across all 7 strings. Now I own a low end RG8 and play that more than all of my other guitars, even for rock. There's something about the wide, flat neck that I find preferable to regular six strings, and I can't describe what it is. Six string guitars feel like toys to me now.

I wish this was a 21 minute vid of bea playing ambient stuff on his baritone

This might be a strange way to express the difference in sound between the 7 string and the Baritone but , to me, the Baritone has a different vowel "Baaaa Baaa", where the 7 string sounds more like "Bow, Bow". I prefer the sound of the Baritone but I have a differing theory as to why the chugging sounds different on the Baritone vs. the 7 string. In the same manner a tele tends to lose a bit of it's twangy sound when a shorter scale neck is bolted to it, the longer scale of the baritone might be contributing to the snappier sound of the Baritone. It would be interesting to see if the sound of the Baritone could be, more accurately, recreated on a multi-scale 7 string. Awesome video, Bea, thx!

I always struggled with drop tuning because I loved the simplicity for the rhythm when writing. But when it came to spicing up the riffs/progressions with my love for playing partial and full barre chords would clash and the 7 string just made riffs/progressions that sweet spot.

Rabea’s licks always have a certain funk i just love, sweet jesus listening to this was amazing

This is a great way to show that transition to 7 string is not simply adding another string. There are so many different levels of intricacies that are brought to the table and some do struggle with it at first. I personally have been playing for 19 years and about 16 or them were on 7 string. I have my 7 for my heavier stuff I want to play or that deeper tone, and a few different 6 string setups in different tunings are they each have a different tone and have their place. Like a 7 string standard and a 6 string in drop A# both have different feels and tones that can be used. While I'm nowhere near as good as him, this is still a great example of jumping to the next string level. Next up, getting an 8 string and learning to play that beast.

That Ambient bit on the baritone was beautiful

I play a 27 inch scale 7 string and I love it. I had a 25.5 inch 7 string and never got along with it. I don't like really thick strings so having a baritone 7 is perfect. Also the longer scale makes the low B sound so much tighter and more clear.

I've been playing 7 strings for 5 years now, and 9 strings for 2 years now. I found that I prefer the string tension of standard tuning but like the extended range of a 7, 8, or 9 offers. Honestly Bea, with the kind of break-neck riffage you do on a 6, I think a 7 for you would be like taking ankle weights off! Keep up the good work homie! Cheers from Oregon!

I am super late to this party, but I thank you so much for this video. I just bought a baritone guitar and already have a 7 string as my main go to and this video cemented why I need both in my life. ❤

I just purchased a 7 string yesterday. I’m learning guitar for the first time at 51. I couldn’t find a guitar I liked until I play my new 7 string. I even started writing a song with it. Coming from a keyboard background, it just seems like a more creative juice flowing instrument for me, rather than trying to be SRV if that makes sense. Anyways, cheers 🍻

That baritone chug is so much better to my ears. So glad you made this video, I've been wanting to go to a baritone for a long time.

This was very interesting! I just love your baritone's tone. It's so rich! Also, Grinding Gears 1 and 2 are the best albums i've heard in years

I’m not a metal player but the differences, sonically, between the 7 and the Baritone shocked me massively. Great demo🤘

One is 28” (baritone) other is 26.5(7-strings). That is the sound and feeling milestone man. Like for real.

Thank you for this video, always glad to hear more folks championing baritone guitars and helping explain to folks what the difference is. I've been hearing the "why don't you just play a seven string" question for so damn long from people! Tried out your signature Bari at NAMM a while back and really loved it. Keep up the great work, cheers.

Can you please make a video explaining your ambient style of playing? it sounds amazing and I would love to try it!

Hearing that comparison is so sweet made me fall in love with that baritone. Just as chunky but bright as fuck I love it so much

Interesting tone test, between the baritone and the 7 string. It sounds like, through my crappy headphones, that the baritone has more definit mids (maybe upper mids) and seems to cut more. While both sounds great, I like the baritone more. Keep up the good work!

I think the simple fact is that Baritones allow you to get the required tension with a thinner string. Thinner strings DO translate their fundamental frequency more strongly than a thicker string, because there's less mass moving, leading to a quicker attack of the string and less 'woofiness'. I absolutely love the sound of slightly thinner strings at an appropriate tension on a baritone. For me, it's why Meshuggah sound like Meshuggah and so few are able to accurately copy their tone, they use thin strings on 30 inch necks, and it just gives that precise, piano like low end. The other fact is that brighter harmonics are concentrated closer to where the string originates at the bridge, so when you lengthen the scale length, the pickup has a slightly larger area of bright harmonics to work with, so you're inherently getting a brighter tone.

Personally I think the difference in tone has more to do with the different pickups and scale lengths as opposed to the difference in wood type and neck size. Everything I've heard from the Ragnaroks seems to sound a lot like Misha's current signature sound which is also much brighter and doesn't have near as much of that rounded midrange thing. And then of course the 28" in drop A is going to be more bright and twangy than the 26.5 so I'm sure that adds to it. Both still sound good in their own respects but for me the baritone really shines in drop G or lower.

I just love how savage 7 and more strings look on a guitar (especially on bridge side). It's just so dope!

I think it has to do with where you think of the scale shape as starting. I think of my 7 string as a 6 with a bonus A, so the E string is still my reference point for chords and scales.

I have a 7 string, and I don’t think I’ll ever need or want a 6 string again. Feels incredibly comfortable after a couple months of playing, extended range is amazing. That said, I have a 6 string acoustic I play regularly, and it doesn’t feel foreign at all. I also have a 5 string bass, also never going back lol, 7 strings feel like what the “standard” should have been.

PLEASE Bea, read this. Great video! But there is a very simple solution to your problem, and I don't recall you mentioning having tried it. Tune the lower 6 strings like your baritone, and leave the highest string as is. That way you have the best of both world. Chord shapes, reflexes, muscle memory from a baritone for the 6 lower strings, and an extra high string to increase lead range!

Cool video. So I was in a bit of a quandary myself. I owned a couple of seven strings and liked them, but playing on them was just ok. I always felt like I had to think about what I was doing, instead of just playing. My guitars for my current project Dark Avenue are all 6 strings set up, strung 13-62 and tuned to Drop B, (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#) and I’m super comfortable with them and that tuning. I however have always been intrigued by true baritones, as their tonal/sonic register is still different sounding than a standard scale guitar tuned down. So I sold one of my 7 strings and purchased a 6 string baritone, and I must say I love it. I do feel more at home on it for sure. When I tune it the same as my 6 string standard scale there is a tonal difference for sure, it’s a bit “throatier” sounding if that’s a word lol. But now that I have a true baritone I have started to explore more than just being tuned down low. Since it sits between bass and guitar it has started to open up some sonic creative ideas... I’ll record something in a Drop D tuning, and then play along with it on the baritone in a Drop A (B standard with a drop a to match my drop d guitar) the natural harmonies and solid/full tones when chording are really cool. I’m playing more and more with my baritone and really like it a lot. I do spend a fair amount of time on my other 7.... but to me the 6 still feels like home

As a player who plays both 6, 7, and 8, I find it relatively easy to transition because of the way I view the additional strings and tunings. To me it's just an extension of the octave that I would be playing in 6 string so I more focus on the root note rather than there is just an extra string. I mean there is only 12 notes so it's not like extra notes being added lol. Hope your journey goes well!

Cheeky Karnivool part at 16:38. (From Umbra at 3:40) One of my favorite things about Bea’s videos is picking out references to other bands that I love in his playing. Especially when he plays a Karnivool part because I almost always recognize it.

Rebea......I have been playing 7 string since the 90's. The large neck has a different feel...and tone...Baritones are good...depends on the person...love your approach.....keep at it...I switch back in forth 6/7 string all the time...cheers mate

I started with 6 strings and had only been playing 4 months when I got my first 7 string. It was daunting at first.. I still hadn't even learned the basics on a 6 string then dove in head first to 7. I made the right choice :)

I did something unique with my guitar. I got an ESP LTD guitar that was advertised as a "7-string baritone", but when I got it, it was tuned like a standard 7-string guitar; they only called it a baritone because of it's 27-inch scale length. So I re-strung it make it what I originally thought it was: I got a set of strings for an 8-string guitar, and used the bottom 7, I tuned the top 6 strings to baritone B-standard, and the 7th to low F# or low E. So I can go as low as an 8-string, but with the distinctive sound of a baritone.

I truly appreciate you willingness to show us imperfection and your fearlessness to learn and share.

I prefer the baritone sound personally. The 7 sounds brighter to me, guessing it gets the advantage of additional harmonics changing the tone.

Perfect timing. I thought about getting a 7 for like a year and just realized that I could go baritone too.

I watched this, as a Baritone player and maker, thinking "ah crap, what if I prefer the sound of the 7 string? I mean he has talked about punchier mids and thats what I like in a guitar tone"... And then you chugged on the 7 with the Baritone back to back. I am happy to report I think I made the right decision. For me at least 😊

Huh. Surprisingly, the difference between baritone and 7 string is one of the clearest distinctions I've heard in any kind of A/B comparison guitar video on RU-vid. I wouldn't have thought there'd be that much difference in tone. Very informative video!

9:02 I can't be the only one that hears a little bit of the friends theme there.

I don’t have a Baritone and just the 7, but had the same thoughts as you around riffing and chords, riffing felt good but chords through me off. Then I found the trick to tune the D string down a half step in standard tuning, then the chord shapes for the lower six strings match, and it plays like a Baritone with a high string to add some extra tone. This was a game changer for me as for chords. I then go back to standard tuning on the D when playing leads and it’s like having a lower string to play with.

They sent me one just means my friend Rob Chapman gave me one.

I would speculate pickups before the neck size effecting output frequency, but feel, absolutely! I just started experimenting with 7 strings and they are good fun for sure

I prefer my 8-string for the same reason. I can still do leads and go for the low stuff too.

I love hearing the 7 and baritone back to back but I wanna hear them together it’s probably huge

I chose a 7. I'm mainly a lead player (not that that really matters). The reason for a 7 for me was because I couldn't be bothered downtuning playing other songs.

Yes, this video did help me make my decision. Baritone it is for me. Although I am mostly a lead guitarist, the few notes I'll be missing in the upper register are really no big deal for me. I can write the lead lines accordingly.That's the only disadvantage I can think of for the baritone solution. Among the advantages: No new learning and familiarization necessary, better sounding instrument, in my opinion, a more familiar neck size, no risk of hitting the 7th string by mistake when riffing... Well anyway, this is my take on it. Thanks Rabea!

"Djenty Honk" sounds like a tremendous name for an EP.

Been playing 7 strings for a little over 10 years. Just sold my last 7 string custom. I'm going to go back to 6 string baritones. Both are great guitars and I must say I really like your sig baritone and 7 string. The one thing that seems to be a constant is the different players saying that the baritone 6 strings are great for clean or heavy sounds and not their favorite for something in between. I suppose for me I can get as heavy on a 6 string baritone as any 7 string and there are more choices with 6 strings. Throw in a 25.5 Tele or 24 3/4 LP or Explorer or SG and I think I'd be pretty happy. Thank you for your video, I really enjoyed it as well as your playing.

I bought my Rabea yesterday from Guitar Center... it's on it's way. I'm shitting myself with excitement.

I was thinking on the same thing for a while. But finally i bought my PRS Mike Mushok baritone 1 month ago, and i'm very satysfied. 😁 Its working perfectly between Drop A - F#

You had me at "Karnivool".

seriously could listen to you noodle the ambient stuff all day.

Both stunning, do love the baritone sound better, and I'm more a 6 string player so biased. But also, get lost in watching you shred man. Great video as always!!

Don't know why, but when rabea picks the baritone, the tone that comes out of it along with that beautiful chords is absolutely gorgeous. For me hands down baritone

I prefer 7 strings guitars rather than a baritone guitar, because the seven strings has more versatility

Bea .... your right! I'm not sure how different it would sound with the same pickups. But what a difference...

I think the baritone sounds brighter because of the 28” scale. In the same way, Les Pauls are “thicker” sounding than fat Strats because of the shorter scale length. That said, I like the brighter sound of the Baritone, I think it’s one of their defining characteristics.

I was asking myself this question just now, and OF COURSE Rabea has a video 😎🤘🏼

I wouldn’t give it the “djent” label... That being said, you just mentioned in the video that you have the Bare Knuckles in the Baritone and the stock PUs in the 7. That’s gonna make a huge difference. I like the tight sound of the 7 on the chugging. But, I’m sure that the Baritone could do the same if it was the same electronics and woods.

This video helped me switch to baritone after my painful 7 and 8 string experiments. I am happy with my 30 inch baritone and not going back to 7s and 8s. Perhaps I will buy another one for tuning down to drop E and use it as a bass/guitar hybrid.

Sevens are cool, but I'm always way more comfortable on a six.

You can definitely hear that the baritone is brighter. I think what attracts me more to the 7 string is that you have a wider range of sound. You can stay in your chuggy lows but not compromise your highs.

Nice Karnivool shirt m8! Band does not get enough love imo

Baritone is just so much more chunky and heavy. Definitely correct about the rounder I tone on the 7 string.

The first thing I thought on the 7 vs Baratone was the B was much brighter and as soon as you said it had different pickups I'm sorry Rabea but that makes the test invalid.

Hey Rabea! Regarding what you were saying about using more ambient sounds on the 7 string, somethings will translate well from a 6 string perspective and some won't. Something you may want to try as well is tuning the G string down, making it the same as your 6 string, but with a higher string. The best advice that can be given with this is simply, take a lot of time to learn how the 7 string can be used, and find what suits your playing style. Best of luck, enjoy the discovery process with the 7 string!! Cheers from Canada!

The baritone by far. More clarity and note definition on your sig.

Rabea! Rolling through old ' in can ' vids from his old space - keep killing it man!

Dude i love the expressions on your face when youre riffing.. it almost looks like you are talking to the guitar

Hey, great vid! Have you tried tuning to A E A D F# B E so the 6 lower strings match the 6 string guitar?

I've been playing baritone and 7 string for years. It's an eye opener and mostly a brain opener. It really opens up your pallet of available riffs. It short, if you want to expand your mind, don't drop acid, pick up a 7 string or a baritone.

why go with "or" when "and" is on the table?

Only teasing, but I think Rabea keeps making these vids to show off how GOOOD his Baritone sounds 🤫

ive been playing low tuning so long that the 7 string arriving next week will "feel" like having an extra high string lmao.

I found a multiscale 7 string works best, personally. That way on the low end you have essentially a 7 string baritone. The tone and string tension is great even in drop A while still retaining clarity and definition if you use a .062-ish string for the low A

"this is where my swearing finger would go" lol

Definitely understand what you mean as far as tonal difference. Also it’s interesting to see that you changed from single note playing on the 7 to more chuggy riffing on the baritone.

Shred Wars with Jared Dines! Gooo

I've been a baritone guitar player since 2005, I have 2 Baritones a ESP LTD MHB-400 and a Ibanez the Mike Dewolf 27' scale baritone and I'm actually on the verge of purchasing the Chapman Baritone bc I need a 28' scale length baritone and I was VERY IN LOVE with it when I first heard about it from The Bunn from his YT channel a couple of years ago. I was sorta leaning towards of getting the Mike Mushok PRS SE Baritone the silver sunburst but then I saw the Chapman baritone and I did my research and I told myself I will be getting me one VERY SOON, Awesome video bro

Please... I'll take an 8 strings, fanned fret, baritone archtop with a piezo in the bridge

5:07 the exact reason why I have the low tuned to A. I can keep the standard tuning and have bigger power chords. Plus I dont need to learn another string, cuz I already know the notes on the regular A string.

Don't feel obligated to play a 7 string man. You sound much more creative on your 6.

Years I played down tuned 6 & finally took the step to a 7 string & have a hard time going back to 6 on a song writing basis. The extended low end really lends itself great to new ideas, & not all of them have to be heavy. As far as Baratone's go I never felt the need after years of down tuned standards. 7 all the way! I think you'll really enjoy it once it subconsciously sets in. It can be a ton of fun!

It sounds like it’s a scale length difference🤷🏼‍♂️

Pretty sure those pups in the baritone are magic, and the ones in the ml7 are just muddy. I'm sure the amount of wood changes things, but I'd bet the 7 would sound immense if it had the se pups. Great vid, Bea! I'm loving the new grinding gears! I rock it everyday while I drive or study!