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?

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

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.

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

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 😂

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 :)

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.

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?

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

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....

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

Loved this. Glad to watch more of this journey

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

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

That Ambient bit on the baritone was beautiful

Really nice ambient on the baritone toward the end. Thanks Rabea!

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.

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 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 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. ❤

Man the tone with you on your sig is fantastic. Enjoy the journey

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

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

Hey thanks for this video. Been wondering about which way to go. This was helpful

I absolutely love your mind, brother! Your chords in just noodling through the video are just amazing and beautiful. I’m in love with your music. I will be checking all your music out, so I’m looking forward to it. You are inspiring me to get back on my music horse and really try to go for it. Rock on! Josiah from little old Hemet, CA, USA.

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 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.

This is definitely a cool idea for a video. Love the baritone dude. You make them both sound amazing, but something about that baritone just does it. Especially on the ambient stuff!

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

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.

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!

Really enjoyed the ambient stuff, inspiring.

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

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

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

You sound great on both, definitely makes me want to learn more, thanks

LOVED IT what you did @6.45 ! Huge Help and good spotting !

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

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

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 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.

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 😊

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

Thank you for this! I am waiting for a Schecter C1 Apocalypse Baritone to be delivered and will be my first ever baritone. I've always loved drop tunings and now can afford this guitar and am very excited to try it. I was swaying towards 7 string but without ever had playing anything like that. I think your video has reassured me this first 6 string baritone is a good first choice to stir the water and work on my ambient music which I love. Appreciate it!

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

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 🍻

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!

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

I’m going through the exact same decision right now, thanks for making this

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

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.

Thanks Rab. With you and Ariel Posen both sounding great tuned down and now this, I know staying with down tuned 6 is better for me.

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.

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

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 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.

Great video, Rabea, cheers! I do think you're absolutely right about the difference in timbre 'tween the the two. The 7-string seems djentier and throatier. Both sound absolutely fantastic, though.

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!

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!!

I keep coming back to this video because your ambient playing and tone is so heavenly here I think. With my 8 string I have done some jazzy bass line stuff with it. I covered money with Djent stuff in parts of it in music school with a rock/metal ensemble which was funny. You could tune the B to A for a drop A one fret power chord deal. I have my 8 string with F# for lowest and A on The 7th with sometimes which inspired me to make heavy riffs/licks which I did recently. I liked both guitars tones equal.

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

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

You had me at "Karnivool".

I soo love the matte finish + dark colored sunburst on the chapmans

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

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.

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?

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

i love having the extended range in the extra string. makes shaping up and down have more depth. but i love the baritone guitar tone.

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.

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

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#

It all sounds good! Looking forward to more 7-string ambient! :)

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.

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

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.

I've been struggling with this decision over the past month and haven't committed. Thanks for the insightful video Rabea.

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

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

I've been playing 7 strings for 10+ years now and they're 'home' to me now for definite. I find that going back to a 6 makes it feel almost like a different instrument altogether and I tend to write very definitely on 6 & 7 as well. I'm the reverse of you though, i find going back to 6 string messes up my whole idea of scale shapes and I'm expecting to reach the D string when i hit the G instead. Great video dude.

Excellent video. Still can't decide. I want both😄

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

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

I've been debating on what type I would want to save up for. This gave me some things to consider, thank you sir.

Upvoted immediately upon seeing the Karnivool shirt. Video is quite helpful too!

"this is where my swearing finger would go" lol

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.

Dude, you're an amazing player and I love your videos, but the faces you make while playing are priceless. Great guitars BTW!

Hauntingly beautiful playing

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

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

I agree that the wider neck does something, whether it's how it resonates or subtle adjustments to your fretting hand. I notice I write differently on 6 vs 7 string, even with both in Drop A.

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