sethris Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 hey guys, im new here, and this may sound crazy, but im trying to build an 8 string from scratch. the thing is i want to build it within the dimensions of a 7 string, you know, basicly fit 8 strings on a 7 string neck, and use 7 string pickps, etc. the only major holdup is the bridge. I cant play without a tremelo, does anyone know someway, or someone that can build one, and does this idea seem like it will work? thanks for any help seth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goth_fiend Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 im not sure if they can do it, but there is a russian guitar company by the name of shamray that do full custom guitars, one of there workers posts on guitar.com, you could ask if they would be willing to machine you an 8-string trem, that being said, your definatly not going to be able to fit 8 strings in the space of a 7-string neck since the 8th string is a bass string (also you had better be using 2 truss rods, just a heads up for the future) good luck on it though dude! also unless your going to be using a 'blade' type of pickup up i dont think you will be able to use 7 string pups, shamray also does custom pickups, but like i said there in russia, i would suggest going to guitar.com and making a post addressed to rockandroller since he would know more about the custom shop then i do, i plan on ordering a custom neck from them soon but there a bit backed up and its about a 6 month wait right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 My 8 string is in the process of beeing built by jeremy at LGM, and I have been doing alot of research into parts available. I know from a friend that hipshot will make a custom 8 string trem for around the $250-$300 mark (US). Give the a mail, they might well be able to help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goth_fiend Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 btw, welcome to the forums! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goth_fiend Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 jammy, how much is that 8 gonna cost ya? also does hipshot use a custom locking nut or just locking tuners? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 I dont really know about the nuts, as no one has ever actually employed hipshot to make an 8 string trem; its just something they COULD do. Im not having a trem on the 8 string, but am still going for locking tuners, I just prefer the stability. Allthough I suppose making an 8 string locking nut wouldn't be hard as its just a case of splicing a couple of modified 6 string ones together - definatly do-able. As for the cost of mine, Im going for a few swish items such as a quilted board and a flash inlay, but its coming to around the $2000 mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goth_fiend Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 thats not too bad a price for that kinda axe man, keep us posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 Wasnt there a topic about 8 string bridges and what pickups are suitable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 There was...hipshot actually make a production 8 string fixed bridge now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 Why use locking tuners with a fixed bridge? I see no reason so long as you're using decent tuners to begin with, and you wind the string properly (not too many turns around the post). The strings will stretch, the entire instrument will shrink & swell with temperature, and the lockers will just end up being an impediment to tuning up every time this happens (which is nearly every day in my experience). I play a stock LP a lot and no matter what, I always need to tune up a little bit every time I pick it up. And its not because the tuners slip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 he is wanting a trem.... but anyway locking tuners are still useful as you don't have to wrapthe string around the tuner ,which saves ALOT of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWishICouldShred Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 Nevborn is a company somewhere in north-west europe that makes 8-string guitars and might sell you parts. They make the 8-string guitars that Meshuggah uses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank falbo Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 A 7 string Floyd type can be modified to have an eighth string saddle off the baseplate. Not a Floyd saddle, and not fine tunable unless you get fancy. But it is intonatable, and works with the ball end on. I know because when 7's first came out I designed it to convert a 6 into a 7. Basically you have a movable saddle "cradle" piece and string through the back like a strat. Then, since it's not locking or fine tunable, you can use the 7 string lock nut with graphite for the eighth string. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 U got any pics of the mod? I might have to get a floyd on my 8 string Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 For Pickups, EMG bass pickups will work fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowser Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 i think the EMG 707's would work as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reaper Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 i think the EMG 707's would work as well I'm not so sure... unlike the bass pickups, the 707's designed with pole pieces, which may not quite line up with the 8 strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 all of the other emg humbuckers are blade style...i think the 707s are no exception Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 i find it hard to believe that you would get a good sound for metal with bass pickups... and i think that is what most 8 strings are used for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reaper Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 From the EMG website: "The 707 is a dual coil pickup with Alnico Poles" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 i believe that is a misprint...it is an alnico magnet it says it is similar to the 85...which is a blade pickup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reaper Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 i believe that is a misprint...it is an alnico magnet it says it is similar to the 85...which is a blade pickup Ok... that makes more sense... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 it also seems to me if it had pole pieces they would also offer it in an f spaced version Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reaper Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 it also seems to me if it had pole pieces they would also offer it in an f spaced version I suppose that makes sense. I just looked up the 707 to check if it had pole pieces, read what the website had, and responded based on that. Anyway... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethris Posted February 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 Wow, you guys know ur stuff! i appreciate the help too. the guitar is going to be used for metal, so i would like to have pickups that would be better suited for that style. i have an american bcrich iron bird, that i have active emgs and really like the tone, and was leaning towards them if possible. i really would like to make 8 fit to a 7 because i really dont want to get any thicker than a 7 string neck if possible. i am new at this so im sure are some basics i dont have yet but im trying to gobble up as much info as i canbefore i start cutting wood jammy do you have any contact info or web adds for some of the places you mentioned. also i had a limited edition usa charvel a while back that was made of african mohogany with active emgs that i really loved, do you think afr. mohogany would be a good choice for this. thanks again seth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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