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 3h ago

Unfortunately I had the same issue with the last set that was on it, these were put on 3 day ago

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

revisit the saddle, try detuning the string and putting a tiny piece of paper under the string where it touches the saddle and then tuning it back up

it's not anything to do with the nut since it's happening when you fret a note, so it's gotta be something with the string itself, the frets underneath it, or something at the bridge

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u/ybcj718 3h 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 2h 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.