8 string guitars

[loki: god of chaos]

am i the only one who finds 8 strings just overkill?

[Musician78]

I find 7 strings overkill to be honest.

[ceedee]

and they sound crap as amps are designed for a certain frequency range which lower tuned instruments drop below

[Endrik]

Don't care less about them, can't put the thumb over the neck, which means it will look gay.

But they aren't as ridiculous as 6 string basses. I don't need 8 strings on a guitar but If I'd have such an instrument around I'd probably mess around once in a year with those extra strings. Low chugga or violin-ish high notes or some other pointless crap. But 6 string bass? I loaned one from a friend, the changes that I play on the low string are pretty rare but the stupid high tiny string will never get played. And I do play fusion leads.

[MetalHeadMat]

I'd get one, but tune it like a 7 string, with another higher string, (so B-E-A-D-G-B-E-A?) Just for the hell of it.

[Misanthrope[ALWT]]

too much, eh?

tell that to tosin abasi.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bt-Ro...eature=related

[levantin]

and they sound crap as amps are designed for a certain frequency range which lower tuned instruments drop below

They don't sound like crap, listen to Meshuggah's live album. Amplification has changed in the last 30 years.

I'd get one, but tune it like a 7 string, with another higher string, (so B-E-A-D-G-B-E-A?) Just for the hell of it.

Apparently Steve Vai wanted his Ibanez Universe with a high A instead of a low B, but found that the string was too thin to be playable.

But they aren't as ridiculous as 6 string basses.

Endy it's all about expressing yourself. I know a lot a bass players who rock a six string and have adopted a lead bass approach. If you are arguing how much the extra strings are used in heavy metal and rock, that's a different matter all together.

[Endrik]

all the great lead bassist are using 4 string basses

[toejam]

John Myung from Dream Theater uses a 6-string bass. 'Nuff said!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVJ2z...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87UVbOIYT_k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JKAb...eature=related

[toejam]

too much, eh?

tell that to tosin abasi.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bt-Ro...eature=related

That guy is awesome! Meshuggah are also great. And Fear Factory now have 8-string guitar on their new album since Dino is back in the band.
I'm not sure I could handle an 8 myself, but the 7 is cool. I used to own an Ibanez RG7620 years ago, then had a Schecter 007 Elite, got sick of them after awhile and sold them off. I really want to get back into playing a 7 and just recently ordered a custom Carvin 7.

[Endrik]

John Myung is boring as hell and can't groove, next...

[Endrik]

Real lead playing on electric bass was started by Stanley Clarke and Jaco, both 4 string players. Then all the greats Gary Willis, Jimmy Johnson, Jeff Berlin, Dave Holland, Jonas Hellborg etc. 4 string players. Rock wank a la Billy Sheehan, 4 strings. Ground breakers who still are on top Marcus Miller, Stu Hamm, Michael Manring, Victor Wooten 4 string. Very few good players use more than 4 string players. And it's usually 5 strings than 6 or 7. Those extra strings are even rarer among exclusively groove oriented players.

[Endrik]

Tony Levin often uses 5 stringer live, for low D not when he plays with funk fingers. Mike Porcaro also for low D or C#.
Richard Bona also some times uses a fiver for low notes.
But 6 stringer for high notes? Anthony Jackson has a 6 stringer and I really have to concentrate to recall when was the last time he touched the 6th string...

[loki: god of chaos]

Apparently Steve Vai wanted his Ibanez Universe with a high A instead of a low B, but found that the string was too thin to be playable.



.

7 strings were around before vai but he was the first to have the low b.

[Grim]

Jackson made an 8-string for NAMM. Some interesting features on that guitar, there's a shot of Pablo(?) holding it somewhere on the forum. Surprised nobody here started a thread about it.