Mark Holcomb's guitar strings: the Periphery djent rig, sourced
Periphery · reviewed by the Change Your Strings editorial team ·
Mark Holcomb uses Ernie Ball 7-string Slinky Cobalt (.010–.062), SKU 2730, on his PRS Mark Holcomb SVN signature guitar. Periphery plays in 7-string Drop G# tuning on most recent material (G#-D#-G#-C#-F#-A#-D#), which the Cobalt 2730 was specifically developed for. He's an Ernie Ball Music Man-aligned endorser with a PRS signature SVN that ships factory-strung with this set.
What's on the guitar
Mark Holcomb's rig is one of the most deliberately engineered djent signal chains in modern metal:
- Guitars: PRS Mark Holcomb SVN (primary 7-string signature), PRS Mark Holcomb SE.
- Strings: Ernie Ball 7-string Slinky Cobalt (.010–.062), SKU 2730.
- Tuning: 7-string Drop G# (G#-D#-G#-C#-F#-A#-D#) for most current Periphery material.
- Pickups: Seymour Duncan Alpha (bridge) + Omega (neck), Holcomb signature set.
- Amps: Fractal Audio Axe-Fx III, Mesa Mark V.
Periphery is the band that defined modern djent production. Holcomb's decision to run a .062 low string in Drop G# on a standard 25.5-inch scale (instead of moving to a baritone) is a deliberate playability choice, he wants the low string taut but not stiff, and the 25.5 scale keeps bend feel on the higher strings consistent with a conventional 6-string setup.
Endorsed vs. verified use
Holcomb is a documented Ernie Ball endorser whose signature 7-string PRS ships with Ernie Ball Cobalt 2730 factory-strung. Ernie Ball markets the 2730 set on the PRS Mark Holcomb SVN product listing. Periphery's rig-rundown coverage in Premier Guitar and rig-walkthrough videos document Cobalt sets on his main guitars.
Why Cobalts for djent
Djent depends on rhythm-guitar clarity at speed, palm-muted sixteenth-note runs on the low string need to be readable as individual attacks through a high-gain signal. Nickel-plated steel on a .062 low string in Drop G# produces usable tone but smears more easily than Cobalt. The Cobalt's higher magnetic read translates to a more defined palm-mute attack, which is the entire point of the genre's rhythm aesthetic.
For the higher strings, the same argument about note clarity applies to lead work layered over dense rhythm tracks. Holcomb's Periphery solos sit in mixes that would swallow a less-defined string.
Sources
- Ernie Ball 2730 Slinky Cobalt 7-String product listing and PRS Mark Holcomb SVN spec pages. https://www.stringsbymail.com/ernie-ball-2730-slinky-cobalt-7-string-electric-guitar-strings-10-62-24304.html
- Periphery Premier Guitar Rig Rundown coverage.
- Ernie Ball Music Man and PRS signature guitar product pages.
Re-dated on each Periphery album cycle or PRS signature refresh.
If you want this rig
Slinky Cobalt 7-String (.010–.062)
Why this one: Factory set on the PRS Mark Holcomb SVN. Cobalt wrap defines the .062 low string in Drop G# better than nickel at the same gauge.
Next steps
- Full Cobalt line breakdown: Cobalt Slinky (.012–.056) review, the heaviest 6-string sibling to Holcomb's 7-string set.
- Adjacent djent + 7-string rigs: Jason Richardson, Keith Merrow, Wes Hauch.
- Drop C tuning guide for the 6-string equivalents.