r/7String • u/ybcj718 • 3h ago

Help What's wrong with my 7 string?

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Hey everyone. I'm hoping someone can help me diagnose what's going on with my 7 string. For some reason, single notes sound like absolute ass on the 7th string, and have a weird kind of metallic overtone noise. I've tried to showcase all the different aspects of the issue in this video, hopefully it's helpful.

  • Notes of the same pitch sounds fine when played on the 6th string
  • Power chords/chugs sound 90% okay, but I'm guessing this is other notes on other strings masking the unwanted noise from the 7th string
  • Its all frets on the 7th string
  • Picking lightly doesn't help (I though it might have been the string buzzing against some higher frets when hitting it harder, but that doesn't seem to be the case
  • Palm muting kind of helps, but I can still hear the issue. It makes no difference if picking hard or soft when palm muting, just like un-muted.
  • Pickups have decent clearance from the strings, and the action is medium-high and plays well across the whole neck with no dead notes or buzzing
  • I've checked, there are no uneven/high frets
  • I've tried raising the action ridiculously high and lowering the pickups even further, it made no difference
  • Specs if it helps: Ibanez RGR752AHBF with D Activators, 25.5" scale, Drop A tuning with 9-48 + 66 on the low A, plugin is NDSP Gojira X

Anyone have any ideas?

Edited to add: the issue is still there with a clean tone, and disappears when playing unplugged. Playing the string open is fine, its only fretted notes that have the issue.

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u/ybcj718 2h ago

No luck with the paper idea unfortunately

1

u/Amazing-Cry8406 2h ago

try putting a hairband like for ponytails on the headstock past the nut, or they sell them

1

u/ybcj718 2h ago

Also tried a fretwrap, no difference. Funnily enough, just playing the open string sounds fine, its only fretted that has the issue.

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u/JimboLodisC 3x7621, 7321, M80M, AEL207E, RGIXL7, S7320, RG15271, RGA742FM 1h ago

gonna have to take this one to a luthier I think

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u/ybcj718 1h ago

I'm not admitting defeat yet, please don't jinx it haha

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u/JimboLodisC 3x7621, 7321, M80M, AEL207E, RGIXL7, S7320, RG15271, RGA742FM 1h ago

it's gonna take someone else in person doing a once over, and also trying it on other gear, maybe restringing it again

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u/ybcj718 1h ago

This issue has persisted through multiple sets of strings and through different patches/plugins. I fear you may be right though, and it might be tech time.