8 String Guitar Neck Question

[Canuck Brian]

Hi all!

I am currently planning to build an 8 string guitar and i was wondering if the single truss rod on it's own would be enough. I was planning to have a neck shape similar to an ibanez wizard.

Brian

[LGM Guitars]

Brian,

I have built a few 8 strings, I think it probably would be ok, but, not at wizard thickness's, first of all, wizard thickness will feel way to much like a board. A wizard is only 17mm thick at the nut, I use 21mm and it feels thinner than a wizard due to the width.

For safety sake I also use two 1/4" x 1/4" solid carbon fiber rods, they may be overkill, but the 8 strings aren't cheap, I don't want to have my customers having a problem down the road.

[asm]

im guessing your getting the 8 string idea from Meshuggah, so you probably allready know about

http://www.nevbornguitars.com/

if not, check him out. nice stuff.

also, just see what lenghts of reinforcement people are putting in those 5 and 6 string basses, if it will work for them then it will probably be enough for your tension.

[!!METAL MATT!!]

Hey I don't want to highjack you thread but I think I should add this one in hear instead of starting a new thread I was just wondering if any one knows of a place where I can buy 8 string parts like a bridge and pickup's and all that, I could make the bridge myself but not the pickup's!!

Thanks

!!METAL MATT!!

[Maiden69]

Hey Jeremy, have you made a 8 str with 2 thruss rods? In the Mx forum a guy says that he is having one done but with 2 rods and the way I see it is that it might twist the board! Any takes on this.

[LGM Guitars]

Hipshot makes an 8 string fixed bridge, that's what I've been using.

EMG 45DC pickups work nicely for an 8 string, they are 6 string bass pickups, but they work quite well.

Seymour Duncan is making 8 string pickups for the Leviiiathan guitar but they do not come cheap

I thought originally about using dual truss rods, but as mentioned, if they aren't adjusted exactly the same they can cause a twist, the single rod with the carbon fiber rods in there seem to work great, again, I'm not even convinced the carbon rods are necessary, it's really not that much more tension than a 7 string, but I like the extra bit of comfort in knowing that the carbon is there.

[Andy]

How wide are standard 8 string necks?

Are they comparable to 6 String Bass necks?

[IvanV]

Hello Andy,

Im not sure but here's a pic of Rusty Cooley's 9 string and 8 string guitars. (this are the best headstock pics I could get)

ok guys I tried to post the pics here but I couldn't so here is the link:

Rusty Cooley's Gear

ok now, these necks looks pretty thin though...

Cheers!,

Ivan

[Maiden69]

They look as thin as the wizard buit I bet it is because they are massively wide and that makes any increment in thickness look normal, I like the way he cut and set up the hard tail bridgfe, looks unique.

[Canuck Brian]

Wow! Thanks for the great responses (LGM definitely)!

I am in fact a fan of Meshuggah and I've wanted to try out an 8 string guitar. I've already received the 8 string bridge from Hipshot and the Emg's are on the way.

I'll definitely take your advice on the carbon rods.

Metal Matt >> no worries about a hijack, more information the better.

[asm]

i think bartolini produces an 8 string pickup. if not, im sure they custom make anything you want.

Edited December 11, 2004 by asm