Pros and Cons of Multiscale Guitars | Fanned Frets | Extended Range and 7 or 8 String Guitar

Multiscale / fanned frets for electric guitar. A discussion around the pros and cons of a varying scale length on a guitar, which is usually built into an extended range guitar i.e. a 7 string or 8 string. Stay tuned for the demonstration of playing a multiscale 8 string at the end of the video!
Larada review: • Abasi Concepts Larada ...
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00:00 Intro
00:09 Guitar is Abasi Concepts Larada Master Series 8
Pros
00:19 Longer scale length on bass side for tension, shorter on treble
00:45 More tension on low strings advantages
01:09 Some might find the look cool
01:25 Treble side is a standard scale length for playability
01:48 String sets more readily available
Cons
02:10 Can use a pitch shifter on a more standard guitar to achieve easy low notes
02:32 Fret angle makes it hard to see what you’re playing
03:24 Bass side lower frets harder to play
03:33 Bridge angle requires you to change your playing technique completely
03:51 Pickup angle can interfere with picking
The Verdict
04:05 Would I recommend it + alternatives
04:39 Try any multiscale before buying one to see if the difficult is worth it
05:17 Would I buy another multiscale?
05:27 Outro
Demonstration
05:42 Low end tension on 8th string
05:46 Easy bend on high string
05:51 More low string demonstration
05:58 Split coil bridge + longer low string scale length for modern metal sound
06:16 Easy high string leads with bends and stable low string chug
06:33 Open low string into chugs plus harmonized high string lead
06:44 Cleans don’t sound too brittle even with DI mixed in
07:11 More low string fun and intro reprise
07:32 Tapping across multiple strings is harder with angled frets but not so bad across 2
07:48 Cat outro
The multiscale has a striking and exotic appearance. One benefit is greater tension where you need it, on the lower strings, while maintaining a reasonable scale length on the treble side to preserve tone and ease of playability.
The spirit behind this design is to increase tension for low tunings while keeping the scale length at a playable measurement for the treble strings. In theory this gives the best of both works for modern metal downtuning while enabling easy lead work. In practice the varying angle of the frets makes it difficult to play and difficult to see what one is playing, especially in live show situations.
Overall I’d recommend trying any multiscale guitar before buying a specific one. They seem good in theory but they feel like an entirely different instrument when playing one. It can take a lot of getting used to and the difficulty might not be worth it if you already have a solution that works well enough. For example, instead of buying a multiscale instrument for a separate extreme low tuning, use a pitch shifter to tune down several steps with your existing guitar.
Would I recommend one? I like mine but can’t recommend one based on the drawbacks noted in this description and in the video. Ultimately it’s up to you, and if you get one, cane make it work, and are happy with it, power to you!

[@HighZ]

Hey everyone, I realize the background music is on the loud side - apologies! In following videos I have the background music quieter. Thanks for your patience!

[@anything.Andrew]

This really DID answer my question, thank you! Nice review!

[@HighZ]

Happy to help!

[@darthcalculusmusic]

I really appreciate this. I was wondering about multi-scale guitars but i don't know if i can commit to the learning curve

[@HighZ]

They're definitely one of those things that sounds great on paper but in practice can be difficult. I find if I don't play this guitar for a while, it takes some time to get used to it, and that familiarity goes away quickly

[@BrentAdams]

I took a chance and bought a less expensive Headless, FanFret, Multi-Scale 8 String after switching between regular & Baritone Guitars....for some of my Ambient Music (& a little heavier stuff on occasion)....and I LOVE IT! Mine is the Agile Chiral Parallax with the non-active pick-ups. I also bought the next model up, but sold it after finding that the Fishman Fluence pickups didn't really do anything for me in my Music other than require a battery! I'm completely happy with what I have...and will still use the other guitars, but this could be a do it all guitar for me in what I do. THX!

[@HighZ]

Glad you found something you like! That's really what's important. Sounds like you're putting the multi scale to good use. Nothing like the right tool for the job

[@corpsie666]

To me, the only advantage of multiscale is that the lower string(s) sound more musical and less droney.

[@DethScarred]

Good review. Nice job.

[@blahblahsen1142]

I build guitars and baritones, and I made myself a fanned fret 31-29incher, hated it. Struggled to play it right, it just felt awkward, had it for years, never got used to it. It's sitting in the project room with like 3 loose strings on it, leaning against the sketch table. Then I built a similar one that was a flat 30 inch scale. Love it. One of my favorites to play, upgraded to Nazgul 7 pickups. Absolute beast. I also have access to custom strings, Like I literally call a guy by first name and tell him what I want, gauge, core wire, even the alloy of the wrap wire, scale length. Point is that the supposed ergonomics don't feel ergonomic for everyone. Everyone is built different. Even with custom everything built to my exact body, and custom strings of the exact tension I know I want for the same tuning, Just fanning the frets for me rendered it non-enjoyable, and it’s the difference between The guitar I hang beside my computer chair and the one jammed in the corner of the room I store ugly things and ideas that never worked. Be aware that your body and proportions are not like anyone else, and no two fanned fret instruments have the same feel, or even the same angle, the same flat fret starting point, the same tone. Hell, I thought I couldn't play a 6 string bass because the one that stumped me was fanned. I thought a 30 inch baritone was too excessive, but it was the fanned frets. I thought I couldn't play fretless bass for shit, and despite being a multiscale bass, No I can't, I suck at fretless bass regardless, but the fanned scale made it worse. If you think you wanna go fanned, before you drop all your money, play one of them, and consider how much fan you actually need.

[@HighZ]

Of course. Everyone's body and guitar preferences are different. But angling the frets on a guitar changes the feel to such a degree it might as well be another instrument. Really glad to hear I'm not the only one one that things this. If anything, your experience more than validates this idea given your professional background

[@jackbootshamangaming4541]

Just played for 6 hours straight on my Ormsby Goliath 7. I don't think I could do that with any LP, or any other of my guitars(Minus my V Ormsby, I also got a Strandberg Boden NX 7 in the mail, but not yet here), 6 or 7 strings. Multiscale also helps make it easier to play, and according to Perry, reduces RSI, which I can definitely see.

[@HighZ]

Awesome! Glad it works for you. Your skills and creativity are going to skyrocket after being able to play for so long. Hope the Strandberg turns out great for you! Those endure necks are certainly unique

[@jackbootshamangaming4541]

@@HighZ the Strandberg has been great! Love your content, been going back and watching most all of it so far, great stuff.

[@HighZ]

Thanks dude and glad to hear!

[@stephen0483]

Thanks for creating content for the community! Your explanation on "More tension on low strings advantages" is kind of wrong. Bc the scale length is longer, you can have more tension and/or smaller string gauge for the same respective bass strings compared to a single scale 8 string

[@user-yn2mu8js6j]

Розенбаум, ты, штоле? 😳 😁

[@psymbaparsapu]

Appreciate the video, great information but the bgm is loud my friend 😄 It’s distracting. Unnecessary imo.

[@HighZ]

Sorry about the volume!

[@inlikeflynn223]

Bro use a mic stand please

[@HighZ]

See my newest video. Thanks

[@KiLLJOY1056]

I absolutely hate fanned frets. Ruins any form of muscle memory made.

[@HighZ]

Yeah I gotta say at first they ruin muscle memory, and later on they're annoying to see what you're playing and to get your fingers just right on. There are plenty of guys out there who can do it but it never really got easy enough to be confident on

[@barneycockburn]

IMHO experience, most guitarists I know with a guitar that has more than 6 strings leave the top 6 strings unplayed. Then again… they’re buying looks, which leads me to- “I care more about the functionality of a guitar”… TOUCHÉ. Looks can help me decide between 2 guitars that have me torn, but I’m not buying a guitar ONLY cuz it looks cool. I think… 😂

[@HighZ]

Absolutely. A lot of modern string players tend to only use the 8th string. If it makes them happy, power to them. When I bought mine I was looking for a guitar that I could have more range on than a 7 string (since a lot of video game music I cover doesn't care what a guitar is tuned to) and would be more sane to play on the higher strings. Honestly I still prefer to play 6 strings. They'll always be the most comfortable and make the most sense to me. But it's a useful tool and sometimes inspires some songwriting! And yes we're clearly definitely not buying guitars only because they look cool... 🤣