Expanding your musical horizons is one of the great things about owning your own extended range guitar. The full sound of a 12-string and the enhanced low end of a 7-string or 8-string guitar offers a dramatically different sound from a standard 6-string, while also making your performance one to remember. An extended range guitar will definitely add something unique to any song in your repertoire. Craftsmen have been experimenting with adding strings to guitars since the 1500s. Once electric guitars became popular in the 1950s, instrument enthusiasts set out straight away, adding more strings and creating totally unique models of extended range electric guitars. There are a few different types of extended range guitars. If you’re looking to stick with your standard style of playing, a solid 12-string is where you’ll want to begin. 12-strings are played exactly like six strings but you experience a much more choral effect when you strum away. The treble strings are tuned in unison, while the bass strings are tuned an octave apart. Options like the Dean Boca 12-string ring out when you play it, offering a tone reminiscent of The Byrds or The Beatles psychedelic era. Over the years, seven and eight string guitars have really become synonymous with the loud and impressive world of metal and progressive music. Most extended range guitars in this category add to the bass end instead of the treble, allowing the musician to create a dramatic low end on their own as well as enhance any bass line coming from the bassist. Options like the Schecter Research Blackjack or the Dean ML Modifier 8-String give you the ability to play with a deeper tone, fuller sound and extra ‘ring’. When you strum an extended range guitar, you will fill a room its impressive range. These specialty instruments can really bring a unique feel to your practice. With a little extra knowledge, you can truly make these extended range guitars sound incredible. Whether you want to fill your songs with the jangly sounds of a 12-string, or the pulse pounding bombast of a seven or eight string, extended range guitars are a perfect way to make your music stand out.
