"I Made A Mistake"| An 8 String Guitar Story 

Try an 8 string with a 28" scale length. 27 doesn't seem to be enough.

I think this is the common issue I see when people are stepping up to an 8 or 7. They view it as a 6 with extra strings and this is WRONG. They are new instruments in themselves. This is something I try to really stress to my friends as an extended range player. Granted it WONT be for everyone. You are right when down tuning you DO need to compensate by either multiscale or thicker strings. I was the guy using 7 string sets on a 6 to downtune so for me when I use an 80 or up to 90 on my 8 its not a big deal. Plus I play bass so its not an awkward feeling. Its definitely different, but if approached as a new instrument in general it becomes easier to work with quicker. Great video though and I genuinely think this will help a LOT of people thinking about trying out extended range instruments!

I picked up my 7 back in 2010, and it felt like an easy transition from a 6. And it was, I was at home and didn’t need a “getting used to it” period. Then I got my first 8 in Jan of last year thinking it would be the same thing lol boy was I wrong. I had to take my time and gave it a week to get used to. I feel like going from 7 to 8 was a way bigger difference than going to 7 from a 6.

From the ones I've played kicking a good overdrive on and using a different combination of string guages gave me a great feeling and it didn't flub out at all in the mix. Just my 2 cents

Maybe you need focus more on the scale lenght, schecter makes 28" 8 string guitars and 27" on 7 string guitars. Or maybe you should chech out a 6 string baritone guitar.

I'm glad that I'm not the only one this exact thing happened to

I’ve had my Ibanez rg2228 for 11 years now and have been lusting for a Mayones Regus for a few years now. I love 8s and can’t imagine not having one at this point. Once you get over the 8 string chugging honeymoon it’s an incredibly versatile and playable instrument. I also have monster sized hands so af far as neck size goes that is a non issue for me. To each their own. Even though it has a built in 7 string I approach a 7 string completely differently. My only advice is minimum 27” scale and get a quality one with a good playable neck and good fret dressing that can intimate well and play buttery.

Can’t thank you enough for making this video

An 8 string does feel a bit more like a bass, which isn't as big of an issue for me, I guess, because I started out as a bass player in high school and then switched to guitar a few years after that. I mainly play 6 string guitars, but in May bought an 8 string Harley Benton fanned fret. It needed some work and I had to put EMG 909's in, due to the pickup route being too big for 808's, but after all that, that guitar slays! And the 909's do make it so the lower notes cut through and don't get lost. Is it my favorite guitar to play? No. But do I write some things on it I'd never think to write on my 6 or 7 string guitars? Absolutely! At any rate, great video and great words of caution to anyone thinking of buying an 8 string. It will definitely feel a bit more like a bass.

I bought one last week. It kicks ass!

Thanks for making this video. Im in this position as we speak. Clarified a lot of things for me! That was more or less my biggest concern, the low string was so low it sort of ruined the guitar and caused more problems. I'll probably stick with a 27" 7-string.

I purchased an agile 8 string and never got along with it so I traded it for a LTD ec1000 deluxe. I still have said guitar. However last year there was a gent selling an RG8 online with fishman fluence (classic) pickups in it for $120. I got there and he dropped it to $80 because he said "it doesn't totally work." The wiring was a mess so there was that, but once I redid all of the wiring, routed a battery box and replaced the pots the guitar plays great. Somehow I'm actually really comfortable playing it. The Fluence pickups are also a must in these types of guitars IMO because it gets rid of what you describe sound wise (the shitty undefined flub in the low strings). The agile I had sounded atrocious with it's stock pickups.

Very good info. My guitar playing days are over but when I went from 6 to 7 it was a big deal. When I saw the 8 strings come out, I thought about how I'm going to play the guitar and I just didn't see a purpose for it.

I've been heading down that path myself wanting to pick up an 8 string sometime but worried it'll sit for the most part. I have barely touched my 7 string since I got it so I kinda already know where that would wind up. Thanks for sharing. And no I'm not at all distracted by that VHT Pittbull Ultra-Lead there that I'm looking forward to hearing about...

Just spent 3k on a custom 8 but I had your concerns. So I went with a 28" length and an evertune. I would kill for the day when evertune has a multi scale style bridge

Agreed. In fact I recently had the same epiphany about my 7 string. So bang, I sold it and replaced it with another nice 6 string. I figure that If I want a lowish tuning, I can just drop one of the 6ers.

went from an Ibanez 7 to an ESP SC 808 don't play metal so instead I put a 7 on the first and tuned it to high A then the normal E B G D then the A E and B all get tuned up an octave of course much thinner strings are used I believe its called Nashville tuning this turns the eight string beast into a very different animal works for me I play finger style love the sound

I had an rg80e, sold it and got a multiscale 8 and its such an improvement. 9-80 for drop E on 26"-27.5" scale is so good

Man I would love an 8 string

I bought an 8 string before having even tried a 7. I still love it to this day but I wish I had a 7 string instead because I kinda don't care about the 8th string. Also, I feel like I'm somewhat limited as far as rythm playing goes when I go back to 6 so yeah, my next instrument is definitely going to be a 7.

I sold my 8 string months ago, I just felt like it didn't work well with the way I play and write, plus, I'd prefer tuning a 7 string down anyways and honestly, I'm not really into Djent stuff anymore but I don't know, maybe someday I'll get one again.

I think that it might actually work for me bc I'm torn between wanting a baritone guitar with a nice long scale length, and wanting a cool bass.

I started learning with a 7 string, obviously before I’ve touched 6 strings and even tried picking up a 6th string when I was like 12 but didn’t really learn till my 7 and my 7 string is amazing. When I bought an 8 string, oh boy. I listen to death metal and to me it’s just perfect, I’ll always use 7/8 but NEVER go to 9 I feel that’s way too much

8 string is a different beast for sure, if you play metal you absolutely need a OD pedal paired with high gain amp to tighten up low end, or its gonna be way to muddy, on a 6 or 7 you can tweak the eq without a OD pedal and get decent tone, but 8 definitely requires a different amp set up, also i noticed its a slower play style you can chug fast on 6 and 7 but 8 will require a mid/fast tempo, but if you get your string and amp combo set up for a 8 they can be a beast.

I surprised myself the way I nearly instantly lost interest in the Ibanez 7-string I bought after GASing for one so hard.

Yeah I too made a mistake buying a 8 string with no multi scale. Looking for another 8 string multi scale

You should buy ESP E-II HFR 8 string! Players who are left Ibanez: Dino Cazares, Herman Li, John Petrucci, Brian Head, etc... Of course also I left Ibanez as well!

Totally agree brother my Jackson soloist multiscale 8 with EMG 909s stays in tune but just the F# ruins the harmony of the other 7 strings, I purchased Fenrir, Libra, nux mg30 everything still sounds shitty unless I go clean w/ rev. & play along with blues backing tracks in F# or B

Best, i think, for single notes and bass fills.

I like mine but i always played 7 strings. It's like on a bass low power chords or chords just don't work all that great because of physics (and what our ears perceive).. So yeah its just 5-7 extra "single" notes (which are all ready taken care of by a bass player). For clean tapping it makes a lot of sense. And there is a lot of extra muting to be done. It's not for everyone i guess "the one thing is not better than the other" a six string has more options for (more comfortable) chords, strumming and muting I feel. It takes me different places and i like it.

You need 30 or so scale in order for the low F# or E to feel AWESOME.

i thought the same thing picking up an 8 string, but my hands are too small to mute all the strings so it sounds like a sloppy mess with all the overtones ringing out

Anything new takes getting used to. It’s all a matter of personal perspective. I bought one a few months and I love it to death. I actually forgot I own a 7 string.

That sucks that you had that experience, dude. I bought my 8 a few months ago and instantly fell in love with it, so, my biased mind is screaming that it might be the guitar itself that you're having issues with? Anyway, great video!

Add a high string and play as a 7 with an extra high lead string. It’s fun :)

5:01 Is Sarah Longfield who you're thinking of?

I'm with to u with you man. I bought mine whilst listening polyphia whilst pissed. Nuff said. Now just waiting to get back to a shop to get a .007 To go B to A rather than go F#, or whatever note guirists generally dont understand to E. Lol. I'm going BEADGBEA. Keep it, use it , don't try to play what the guitar asks. Ask what you want from, and what you can make from rhe guitar.

I dont gave an 8 string, but I would assume eight strings are supposed to be played like a bass on the bottom strings, and then more like a lead guitar on the higher strings. Trying to play it like you’re strumming on a 6 string sounds painful. I play bass and guitar, and recently started learning Meshuggah guitar parts on my bass, which I think will help me well once I get an 8 string. If it sounds flubby and out of tune then maybe get an 8 string with locking tuners and get a boost pedal?

Try bigger strings on 7th and 8th string

I agree, an 8 string guitar is not the right instrument for blues/rock/hard rock players. To me it makes more sense for jazz/fusion and classical music.

Before buying a fanned fret, 27 scale 8 string. I owned a six string acoustic guitar, six string electric, seven string guitar, and an 8 string without extended scale(lowest string defintley had clarity issues). I played all my guitars for years without any issues. Soon as I started playing the bigger scale 8 string w/ fanned frets I started having wrist issues. I can play all my other guitars without issues. My point is, some might not be physically made for 8 string. Idk

Do you think that I could get a good drop e tuning from a 7 strings 25.5 inches guitar ?

smart guy

Made the same mistake lol and it's a Schecter C8 multi scale with passives (black and white one, looks like a contemporary art design, thin, monochrome, splashy white on black finish... cum? Jackson Pollock?)... so mostly different reasons I guess? it's just too uncomfortable and not that great to me but I'm tired as fuck writing and have to take a while before drawing any conclusion... I received my 8 barely 5 days ago hahaha I'm not interested in pure djent, just good old traditional extreme metal and traditional heavy metal, thought I'd buy it as my rhythm guitar for my music project, while my 7 string FR with actives would rather be for lead and solos... but I also didn't feel the magic of when I switched to 7 strings, the transition is a LOT more painful and frankly I'm just... heh, not convinced that this 8th string will be my new baby. maybe I just expected too much, maybe I'm grumpy, I don't know. 5 days... I won't send it back anyway, maybe resell it to a djentleman. Hey you know what maybe I'll do an update to this comment in a few weeks or so saying how I feel about it with a bit more experience with it.

You should try 7 string guitar and then try 8 string because played 7 string for 4 years and more people right music now 7 string ❤

hahaha so funny but very interesting. 8 strings look cool as fuck but im just starting with 6 strings. it's already hard, i can't even imagine how hard a 8 string would feel to me. But you said it feels like a bass. I liked that part.

Same for me i prefer 7

That pitbull tho....... I waited impatiently to hear that thing lol

Not a small 25.5 scale on a 8string? Probably want more like a 28 or so.

Da boom na da noom

His situation and playing style is totaly difrent from anyone of us so the result might vary.Try 8 strings if you want and see it for yourself.You'll never know it.

Meshuggah!

29/30" scale length is the only way for dropping an 8 string

So you actually regret ever trying and buying the 8 string guitar?

So your saying you’d like to sell me that Ibanez then? 😏 🙏 💯 🤘 💀 🔥

Sarah Longfield :)

That ibanez is gorgeous if you had an evertune installed you would be good.

I bought my 8string because I didn't have one....no regrets.