Sound difference between 6 and 7 string version

[cryogenic419]

I have 2 guitars, a 6 and and 7 string. Same wood species on both, both fixed bridge, JB bridge and 59 neck, 6 and 7 string versions, same value pots, caps and wiring, pretty much identical guitars except for the extra string.

If I palm mute the low E on the 6 string its pretty chunky, chords cut through when distorted, good solid clean tones and if you aren't careful if can get a little ice picky.

f I do the same palm muted notes on E on the 7 string it doesn't have that same girthy chunk. I get that chunk again once I hit the low B. Chords cut through a bit more in the mids, almost sounds like kicking on a tubescreamer without the gain. Clean tones have less of the icepick, again there is a midrange spike. Its not a bad thing by any means

Specs show the 6 string JB at 16.6 DCR, the 7 string JB at 18.8 DCR. Going to venture a guess they use the same formula on magnet, wire diameter, and winds per coil when they make a 7 string version. More copper wire length per coil explains the DCR difference? Is that what's causing the difference in sound or something else going on?

[beaubrummels]

Can't go by DCR. The recipe is a certain number of turns. On a 7 string, the bobbin is longer, so more wire, more resistance. But the number of turns is the recipe.

Are the strings/gauge identical?

Could also be that the E on a 6 string is on the end, whereas on your 7 it's in between two strings - the magnetic field might be different on the end vs in between strings.

[cryogenic419]

Same gauge and brand of string, just the extra one on 7. String lining up over pole pieces on both guitars. Same pickup height to string.

I know no 2 guitars sound alike, but I have another guitar that is different wood species and shape, single coil in neck, floating trem, but has JB in the bridge and its pretty much the exact tone and response I get from the 6 string.

Like I said the sound I am getting from the 7 string isn't bad, I kind of dig it. Adds a cut to the sound that my other guitars don't have and I can't seem to replicate that through the amp settings. Just trying to understand the why. At this point those pups have been in the guitars for 18+ years, if memory serves my music shop had to special order the 7 string ones.I don't remember whether SD was making 7 string models as a standard pup or it they were made as custom shop models I just knew you could get them. Took about a month to get them but keep in mind this was 2003. I dont know if that would make a difference.

[JB_From_Hell]

This is one of the issues Fishman addressed with the Fluence pickups. 6/7/8 string pickups of the same model all sound the same.

With regular pickups, there are a lot of variables that affect how the pickup is going to sound. Wider bobbins, more wire, a longer magnet, etc... are all gonna influence what comes out. I regularly swap between 6, 7, and 8 string guitars, and notice that if I'm playing in the 6 string range on my 7 or 8, I don't attack the same way as I do a 6, which means me playing the intro to "Master of Puppets" doesn't sound quite as good as it does on a 6.

[cryogenic419]

This is one of the issues Fishman addressed with the Fluence pickups. 6/7/8 string pickups of the same model all sound the same.

With regular pickups, there are a lot of variables that affect how the pickup is going to sound. Wider bobbins, more wire, a longer magnet, etc... are all gonna influence what comes out. I regularly swap between 6, 7, and 8 string guitars, and notice that if I'm playing in the 6 string range on my 7 or 8, I don't attack the same way as I do a 6, which means me playing the intro to "Master of Puppets" doesn't sound quite as good as it does on a 6.

So that is a thing then? Interesting.

[JB_From_Hell]

So that is a thing then? Interesting.

I believe it is. There aren’t many 7 string or ERG players on this forum, so check out sevenstring.org. Around here, active pickups are the Devil for the most part. Lots and lots of 7 and 8 string players love them, because they work really well for the lower stuff, and tend to be more similar to their 6 string counterparts.

[Mr. B]

Wider neck, bigger headstock, different magnetic field in pickups because of different number of polepieces, different number of winds, different sized baseplate, different wood density, your different angle of attack on the E string.... There are dozens of variables contributing to the difference in sound.

[freefrog]

If I palm mute the low E on the 6 string its pretty chunky, chords cut through when distorted, good solid clean tones and if you aren't careful if can get a little ice picky.

f I do the same palm muted notes on E on the 7 string it doesn't have that same girthy chunk. I get that chunk again once I hit the low B.

If I can contribute: +1 about the idea that dozens of parms are at play and +1 about what beaubrummels said. The magnetic field of a humbucker is not the same above/around the outer poles (high E, low E). It logically affects the attack and tone. You'll get an idea of what is going on here: https://skguitar.com/SKGS/sk/Images/.../Magnetics.htm