An eight-string guitar is a guitar with eight strings instead of the commonly used six strings. Such guitars are not as common as the six string variety, but are used by classical, jazz, and metal guitarists to expand the range of their instrument by adding two strings.
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History and variants
There are several variants of this instrument, one probably originating from Russia along with the seven string guitar variant in the 19th century. The eight string guitar has recently begun to gain popularity, notably among jazz artists such as Charlie Hunter, The Special Purpose, Terje Rypdal and Richard Scott, and metal artists such as Meshuggah, Stations, and After The Burial. More technical bands aimed to achieve more audio span and ambience within metal and experimental genres utilising the additional strings such as Periphery and Animals as leaders, Using a combination of octave E and top A throughout. There are steadily increasing numbers of manufacturers offering eight string guitars, and a production eight string was released in 2007 by Ibanez, followed in 2010 by a new RGA 8 string available for an amazing £600, similarly priced to Agile 8 strings (including postage and packaging to the UK). Some of the main manufacturing companies of 8 and even 9 string guitars are Novax Guitars established by Ralph Novak and ConklinGuitars. Recently ESP Guitars has also begun to make production line eight string guitars as well along with Schecter Guitars, BlackMachine guitars, Agile guitars from Rondomusic.com and Halo guitars.
The Eight-string Classical Acoustic Guitar
Eight string variations are also found in classical nylon strung instruments. They are generally tuned with two extra basses ([BD]EADGBE) that vary in pitch depending on the piece being played. Another common variation is to add an extra bass and treble string. The extra treble is almost always tuned to A, while the added bass string usually falls on A, B, or C.
The Classical guitarists Paul Galbraith and Alexander Vynograd are two of the most notable 8 string players who use the extra high and low string tuning. Galbraith generally tunes (B)EADGBEA which puts standard 6 string guitar chord voicings and scale shapes within the neck and allows him to read directly off of lute tablature (a whole step higher). Vynograd chooses to tune AEADGCEA (notice the B string is tuned up a half step) which allows him to play the top 6 strings like a guitar a 4th higher. Vynograd writes his music on a grand staff in a different key and plays as if the guitar was tuned EBEADGBE. This is a less confusing approach than Galbraith's for a 6 string guitarist transitioning to 8 because the fingerings and sheet music are more familiar.[citation needed]
The Eight-string Electric guitar
The 8-string electric guitars are used by Meshuggah, Rusty Cooley, Whitechapel, Scale the Summit, Dino Cazares (Asesino, Fear Factory, Divine Heresy), Deftones, Stations, After the Burial, High on Fire, Trapt, and other metal artists. They are most often tuned in regular 4ths, with two extra basses (Low to High) F#,B,E,A,D,G,B,E. Fredrik Thordendal and Marten Hagstrom of Meshuggah tune their 8-string guitars F,Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Bb,Eb, and one and two semitones below this tuning. Rusty Cooley has been seen using one extra bass and one extra treble string. Several smaller luthier companies now offer 8-string models such as BlackMachine, Blackdroïd Guitars Switzerland, Oni, Mike Shermann.
8-string pickup makers include Bareknuckle, EMG, Häussel, Lundgren, Hufschmid by Kent Armstrong, Nordstrand, Seymour Duncan Custom Shop and Swineshead.
Ibanez was first to offer a production 8-string guitar, the RG2228 in March 2007. It was introduced at the Winter NAMM show of 2007 and features a 27" baritone scale bolt on neck[1]. This first mass produced solid body 8-string electric guitar is played by Stations' frontman Dave Kavanagh and Divine Heresy guitarist Dino Cazares. Ibanez added a more affordable 8-string model RGA8 in 2010.
At the Winter NAMM of 2008, ESP Guitars unveiled three new 8-string guitars: two of them, part of Stephen Carpenter's signature line, are in 27" baritone scale, and an LTD version, the FM-408, in 25.5" standard scale; both versions are of neck-through-body construction. Like the Ibanez's RG2228, they utilize the same EMG 808 active pickups.
In 2007 Octave4plus introduced an effective high A440Hz string for guitar scales up to 30" without the need for a multi-scale fingerboard(or fanned frets) giving the 7, 8, and 9 string guitars another viable tuning option. These strings tune as high as B4 (493.88Hz) at the 28" scale.
European manufacturer Blackmachine also offers some 8 string guitars. The 8 and the F8 (multi-scale) models. These were originally an experiment by their producer, and are now a regular part of the company's product line. One notable user of these instruments is Clive Jevons of the German band Bludgeoned.
In addition, the guitar manufacturer Schecter Guitar Research produced a short run of 100 custom shop C-8 Hellraiser Guitars. These guitars feature a 26.5" scale. They were not included in the company's official line up for 2009, but were a special limited release for that year. As of now, there is no news as to whether or not this will be added to the Hellraiser series of guitars as a regular part of the Schecter line up. They also released 100 (50 white/50 black) Blackjack 8-string guitars with Seymour Duncan Blackouts pickups, which also feature a 26.5" scale.
Since the spring of 2008, American importer-distributor Rondo Music has been accepting pre-orders for a limited-run Korean made budget 8-string electric guitar model named Agile Intrepid. This guitar features a 28.625" scale neck with 24 jumbo frets and a graphite nut. All models utilize a fixed string-through-body bridge and Grover die cast tuners unless noted otherwise. Pro models have a 5 piece neck-through-body maple/walnut neck with mahogany wing construction. Standard models have a bolt-on 3 piece maple neck with an ash body construction. Most guitars feature a maple fretboard and a single passive humbucker or single EMG 808 pickup, however a 30” scale neck option, rosewood and ebony fretboard option, fretless option, and dual humbucker option are sometimes offered.
Notable users
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See also
Notes and References
Agile 8 String Production/Beginning - http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/extended-range-guitars/15813-the-official-agile-intrepid-8-string-thread.html
- ^ Official Ibanez Forums announcement: http://www.ibanez.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4151&PN=1
External links
- Site with information about extended range guitars
- Mac Randall: Rising Young Guitarist Charlie Hunter Holds Forth on the Virtues of Digital Independence and Eight Strings
- Site with photos of eight string guitars
- Information on the Ellis 8 string Baritone Tricone
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