Scale Length?

[RGGR]

Okay.....

I'm playing with the idea to build a 8 string guitar, when done with current projects.

A Meshuggah Ibanez 8 string type copy seems very appealing to me,

From what I understand this thing has a 30" scale neck. Yep. Huge!!!

I have cadded this and printed it out.....just to get a feel for the neck......and yep, it's freaking huge......it's hard to make power cords on top strings at top frets.

My question has to do with the scale length.......Cause from what I understand.....for proper set-up you need at least a 27" or higher scale length set-up to max out the top low strings. With going this 27", 28", 29" or 30" length route......I suspect you get into trouble with the lower (or higher for that matter) E strings........meaning the high E will get seriously out of wack when going the 30" route.

Is this assumption correct???

And if so......this Novax or Fanned fret idea....will off set the downside of going the longer scale length route, by having a proper shorter scale length at the bottom end of the fret board and a longer scale length at the top of the fret board. In addition to having a more natural finger spread when fretting.

In addition to looking darn cool.

So say you want the best of both worlds..........what would be an ideal 8 string combo.

27"/25.5"

28"/25.5"

28.5"/25.5"

29"/25.5"

30"/25.5"

????

[Daniel Sorbera]

i'd say go with the 27"/25.5" Thers really no reason you need a 30" unless your gonna put bass strings and tune it like a bass.

[darren wilson]

Also, you don't see too many fanned-fret instruments that have a spread of more than 2.5" or 3". Any more of a spread than that, and it negatively impacts the playability, as the frets become too angled at the low and high ends of the fretboard.

[rhoads56]

How quickly we forget previous guitars with simular scale lengths, featured on this very site. Research more.

[cc2003btw]

Okay.....

I'm playing with the idea to build a 8 string guitar, when done with current projects.

A Meshuggah Ibanez 8 string type copy seems very appealing to me,

From what I understand this thing has a 30" scale neck. Yep. Huge!!!

I have cadded this and printed it out.....just to get a feel for the neck......and yep, it's freaking huge......it's hard to make power cords on top strings at top frets.

My question has to do with the scale length.......Cause from what I understand.....for proper set-up you need at least a 27" or higher scale length set-up to max out the top low strings. With going this 27", 28", 29" or 30" length route......I suspect you get into trouble with the lower (or higher for that matter) E strings........meaning the high E will get seriously out of wack when going the 30" route.

Is this assumption correct???

And if so......this Novax or Fanned fret idea....will off set the downside of going the longer scale length route, by having a proper shorter scale length at the bottom end of the fret board and a longer scale length at the top of the fret board. In addition to having a more natural finger spread when fretting.

In addition to looking darn cool.

So say you want the best of both worlds..........what would be an ideal 8 string combo.

27"/25.5"

28"/25.5"

28.5"/25.5"

29"/25.5"

30"/25.5"

????

Charlie hunter fan?

[Meegs666]

Charlie hunter fan?

not meaning to hijak but, i think most of the guys on this site who aim for excess are usually into metal, not really jazzy type stuff. meshuggah plays straight. hunter plays walking bass lines while playing higher jazzy stuff. in other words there is a reason for charlie hunter to be playing an 8 string because he has bass strings on the low end and guitar strings on the high end. the guys from meshuggah while being excellent guitar players just wanted that gutteral low end because it makes it so you can have a low tuned baritone guitar and a standard in one package, very good for metal.