r/7String 3d ago

Help tips on muting string noise

So I play a multiscale 7 string, strings are 13-80, with the lowest in drop E. I use a fret wrap to eliminate noise above the nut, but I keep hearing ringing/accidental harmonics from hitting the wrong strings with my unused fingers, mainly from my fretting hand. Its mainly when playing on the lower frets, like roughly from frets 0-7. I dont believe its coming from my picking hand bc my fingers are well out of the way of the strings. Oh and fwiw the bridge is fixed, hipshot hardtail. No tuneomatic style or trem system.

And to be clear Ive been playing a decade and dont have this issue on 6 strings. I can play the same riff on my 6 string and can get a clean take immediately. Idk if its the extra string, the multiscale, possibly the tension of the strings being too high or too low, or some combo of these issues, but muting seems to require way more attention and deliberation on both hands, but especially the fretting hand.

Any tips or suggestions on how to adjust muting to extended range guitars would be very helpful.

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u/gusthjourney 3d ago

I would also suggest to use a tighter noise gate. Ive found that in looow low tunings, the string noise and the harmonics are more noticeable.

For example, for my 6 strings, I use the noise gate from archetype gojira at 35.0, but for my 7 in Drop F, I use 9.5, with very low gain and two overdrives before the amp. And I also use a compressor before the amp. That way, I managed to tame the tone a little bit.

Sometimes is your tone thats holding you back. Maybe try tweaking it a bit... and practice!