Extended-Range Guitars

Traditionally used by jazz guitarists, 7-string guitars were originally made with an extra high A string for an extended upper register. In the early '90s, when solidbody production models by Ibanez hit the market, it eventually became apparent that on a 25.5" scale guitar, an extra high A string was very prone to breaking. Instead, adding a low B string extended the lower register, allowing for detuned riffing while still keeping a full standard range for intricate soloing.

If seven strings just doesn't cut it, maybe an 8-string guitar is more your speed. The 8-string setup has been a standard configuration for lap and pedal steel guitars for decades, with open tunings based around the E9 and C6 chords for country and jazz. The wider range allows for an extended low end, and can even open the door for more out-of-the-box tunings utilizing major thirds. Pick up an 8-string guitar of your own to follow in the footsteps of progressive metal masters like Animals as Leaders' Tosin Abasi and Javier Reyes, or Meshuggah's Marten Hagstrom and Fredrik Thordendal.