Seven String Martin

[stevelawsn]

I just got the new Acoustic Guitar magazine yesterday. The cover story is on Roger McGuinn and he is playing a 7 string acoustic that he developed with Martin. The seventh string is a G octave like on a 12 string. For playing jangling (think Byrds and Beatles) G string lead lines, he says. Pretty cool.  :)  

[D4ve]

Ihave enough trouble with 6 strings. :P  

[samarks]

I saw a video of him playing it on Woodsongs a while back.

He said he plays most of his leads on the third string so it sounds like a 12 string but is much easier to play.

I asked Martin about it, who refused to comment.

You can find the Woodsongs concert by McGuinn here: http://www.woodsongs.com/showlist.asp

There is also a concert by Liv Taylor, who is one of my favorites and quite a nice fingerpicker.

Enjoy!

Steven

[Randy_R]

I saw a video of him playing it on Woodsongs a while back.

He said he plays most of his leads on the third string so it sounds like a 12 string but is much easier to play.

I asked Martin about it, who refused to comment.

You can find the Woodsongs concert by McGuinn here: http://www.woodsongs.com/showlist.asp

There is also a concert by Liv Taylor, who is one of my favorites and quite a nice fingerpicker.

Enjoy!

Steven

According to the article in AG, Martin is going to make a small lot of the 7 string guitars available to the public.

Thanks for the woodsongs link! nice website.

[Frederickmando]

I found that interesting. Sometimes I think people like McGuinn are from another planet.
When I try to play a Beatles song on my Larrivee or look at something Jimmy Page did on mandolin back in the 70's, I wonder what channel they were on. The intro to "Ticket to Ride" is brilliant in it's simplicity, but it was tough for me to get the first time out! Now, I am working on the rest of the song--I'm sure my wife is tired of it!
It's amazing. Then, I go see someone like Leo Kottke and realize that we are not all created equal!
--Fred

[dbirchett]

This reminds me that in 1964-5, when I was first looking for a guitar, there was a used Martin to which someone had added a 7th string as an octave 3rd like these. That was in a small shop in downtown Tempe, Arizona, next to my barber shop. The 7th string was a banjo peg that someone drilled through the peghead. At the time I thought it was strange. Now I guess it was visionary.

Later the store was turned into a grill/night club called Long Wongs where a band known as the Gin Blossoms got their start.

[orsino]

Long Wongs? Oh my! :lol:  

[dbirchett]

I kid you not! http://www.longwongsonmill.com/  

[Randy_R]

This reminds me that in 1964-5, when I was first looking for a guitar, there was a used Martin to which someone had added a 7th string as an octave 3rd like these. That was in a small shop in downtown Tempe, Arizona, next to my barber shop. The 7th string was a banjo peg that someone drilled through the peghead. At the time I thought it was strange. Now I guess it was visionary.

McGuinn has apparently filed for a patent on this concept. I find it difficult to believe that doubling a string on any musical instrument is patentable.

[Squawk]

I got into 12 strings 2 years ago and have both a Guild JF12-30 and a Ric 360-12.  I can see some versatility in a 7 string model as such, not to mention stamina - more effort is needed for a 12 and if I ever gig again, I couldn't last a nite exclusively on a 12.

But the full effect of the 12 - especially on Byrd's stuff - would be missed.