Rock 'n Christ's Guitar Search
 

Im looking at buying a Schecter C-7 Hellraiser 7-string electric guitar for Christmas, I will be playing through a Line 6 Spider III 75W amp and possibly a distortion pedal (looking at a BOSS ML-2 Metal Core, but am still looking). I will be playing to Demon Hunter primarily, but will switch to bands like Red, Skillet, Living Sacrifice, and other bands like that that play in drop tuning. This guitar will also be used about 15%-20% in standard tuning, but primarily in Drop B, Drop C, etc. Is this guitar for me? Is there a better one out there for what I'll be playing? Keep in mind that Ive yet to play this guitar yet, but will soon most likely by the end of the week (along with several distortion pedals). TIA

It's a seven string just so you know, so that definitely different than a six sting for anything you do. If you know how to wield it you can play heavy metal just fine, it's not uncommon for heavy metal bands to have a low seventh string. I'm almost certain that demon hunter plays a drop tuned six string though, and most of the tabs you'll find are tabbed this way. Not to say that you can't transpose them if you know how.

I own a schecter C-1 Classic and love it. I don't play much heavy metal but I'm sure that it could easily do that well. It's a very solid quality guitar, and I'd guess that other schecters are as well. I've tried a six string hellraiser with a floyd rose at a guitar center once and it felt on par with mine in terms of quality.

I'd recommend the hellraiser, if you decide to get a schecter six string, because of the emg pickups well suited for metal.

I have played the guitar you mention, but since I don't play seven string and the guitar wasn't in tune anyway I didn't spend much time playing it, but it felt like it had the same schecter quality as their other gutiars.

On a 7th string, Drop B would not exist, Drop A would. The low String in standard tuning is a B already. So to drop it would be to tune it this way
A
E
A
D
G
B
E

Furthermore, I would really look outside of Boss for a pedal. I would look at perhaps a higher quality pedal if such an item was necessary. However, I would consider using your amp and saving for an upgrade there.

My primary distortion pedal is a used H & K Tube factor, which I purchased for just a hair more than the Boss is going for, and its a dual mode, much better bypass, tube based pedal that is incredibly versatile.

The boutique pedals used do not cost much more than that one and you get a whole lot more bang for your buck, though my guess would be your spider could pull off demon hunter well enough.

If I may suggest, skip the distortion pedal...the Spider III will give you every bit of distortion you'll ever need for the style of music you wish to play...and use the money to buy at least the FBV Express controller for the Spider so that you'll have some control over your channel selections.

Also, someone explain to me the need to drop tune on a 7 string guitar. I don't get it.

because your bass player isn't very good :rolleyes:

so Drop B with a 7-string guitar would be like Drop D with a 6-string (only dropping the low string one note)? my grandparents will be getting the pedal(s), but they probably wont spend more than $100, what can I get for that (pedal-wise)? also, Digitech is doing a "Buy 2 Get 1 Free" deal on all their pedals, should I just to that?

skip the pedals, I really think they would end up being inferior to what you have, a floorboard as dave suggested will serve you well.

You can't do drop b on a seven string without tuning the rest of the guitar too high.

Drop B would be
B
F#
B
E
A
C#
F#
I think...

Standard tuning is
B
E
A
D
G
B
E

It would end up using a drop tuning as an a, which is a little below what most people would use. Personally, the only use I can think of is really laziness unless you are into doing crazy long scale runs all over the place and needed that low A on a song.

You're getting a Spider amp which has a variety of built in distortions already so no need to buy pedals to do what the amp will already do.
All you need is the controller to enable you get the variety of sounds already in the amp out at the touch of your foot.

If you were buying a non-modeling amp then it would make sense to buy a couple dist/od pedals but with a Line 6 modeling amp, it's redundant to do so.

I will be going to Guitar Center tomorrow afternoon/evening (most likely) and I'll be trying out the Schecter C-7 Hellraiser and several pedals, maybe a pedalboard as well. So should I save up for a pedalboard instead getting 1-3 individual pedals? I wont be able to get the pedalboard for several months, but I should have my Schecter by Christmas. Will a pedalboard give me the kind of distortion Im looking for and/or more? I know that a pedalboard will contain many varieties of different sounds, but will it go well with Standard tuning play as well as Drop B playing? Also, what pedalboard would you guys recommend me looking at and trying out at GC?

TIA
-RIC

my friend has the BOSS GT-8 and he loves it, and Ive been reading a lot of reviews and havent heard one bad thing about it yet, the only thing Ive seen negatively was that one guy said he had to route several stomp boxes (I think he said BOSS MetalZone) to get the distortion he wanted, but he said that everything else was great, as everyone has said. I could get a stomp box( or several) for Christmas (which wont cost me anything, gift) and then I could buy the GT-8 once I get enough money :yep:. Here it goes for stompboxes: I could either get the BOSS ML-2 MetalCore or I could get my choice of 3 Digitech stompboxes (Buy 2 get 1 free sale their having on all their pedals). If you could choose, which would you get?

P.S. the ML-2 MetalCore is $100, as is 2 Digitech pedals and the 3rd is free, so pricewise they are the same.

dude, are you reading the rest of your thread?

every has already said what i am about to say:

do not buy pedals!

get one of these to go with your amp. it works exactly the same way as any pedal would, except that it controls the distortion settings that are already on your amp.

Sorry about that. I have been reading the rest of this thread, its just Im also getting opinions from different people in different threads and opinions from friends here, its a lot of info. to decide what to do with in the short time span I have. I already knew about the FBV pedals, I just hadnt given it much thought. Anyways, since its only $100, I may get it for Christmas. Thanks

Keep 'em coming, the more opinions/takes, the better :D.

As everyone else has been saying, considering all of the amp models your amp has, it's a waste of money to splurge on effects pedal that will likely cover the same sonic territory your amp already does.

Exactly.
If you're going to buy a Spider III amp then you WILL NOT NEED TO BUY ANY DISTORTION PEDALS or multi-effects pedals or whatever!!!
The Spider series already has about 6 different overdrive/distortion modes that you can tweak and adjust exactly as you need to and it will deliver a wide variety of crunch, from basic blues to heavier and thicker than Demon Hunter.
All you need is the Line 6 controller (FBV Express or Shortboard or what have you) that will enable you to pick and choose all those sounds at the stomp of your foot.

If you're dead set on buying pedals and multieffects processors and all that then DON'T BUY A MODELING AMP!!!
Buy a regular tube or solid state amp that will be complimented by all those external effects and will not be redundant to what you already have.

Also, in my 20+ years of using and owning Boss stomp boxes, I can honestly say that their distortion pedals, be it a Metal Zone or DS-1 or Blues Driver or OS-2, are some of the most shrill and tone sucking pedals available. They are prime candidates for modification if you have the means or ability.
The Distortion Factory is the only one that I've heard that I would slightly consider but even it sounded buzzy.
If not, I encourage you to look elsewhere. Digitech is a good start BUT, again, if you're getting a Spider amp then none of this matters and you can spend your pedal money on something more worthwhile to you like the FBV Express which will give you access to all 4 channel presets, volume pedal, wah pedal, tap tempo, tuner and mute.
It's a MUST compliment to a Spider 75 watt amp, imho.

sorry that I didnt make this clear in the beginning of this thread, but Ive had the Spider III amp for about 3 months now. so, you wouldnt consider getting something like the BOSS GT-8 either?

Once again, that would be redundant, the control board for your amp would be far more useful and would probably lend you better results.