General Music Chat

I bought an eight string guitar, about a year back.
I LOVE it.
It's an eight string Ibanez acoustic, with a cut-out.
.
Before last year, I'd never even heard of an eight string guitar.
Then I saw that this one guitar on the wall of the music store (A Sound Choice, Branford, CT) and it had had eight tuning keys.
Huh?! Eight? Cool!
So I picked it up & tried it out . . . sweet!
I bought it on the spot.
The E and B strings are doubled, tuned to the same note / frequency.
It sounds close to a 12-string but it's easier for me to finger-pick.
After 4 hours of playing, I noticed it's easier on the wrist, too.
I changed the strings from medium, to extra lights, and gained more playing time.
One drawback is that the built-in tuner is nowhere near accurate enough . . . just 'idiot lights' which light up when the string is close to being in tune.
I use a clip-on tuner, instead.
The sound out of an amp is incredible.
This guitar has 2 outputs.
They also make a model with the 2 middle strings doubled, but an octave apart. I haven't seen one of those, yet.

Congratulations and welcome back.

I saw a player use an old Fender electric twelve string with the high E, G and B strings single and the low strings how. I wouldn't have wanted to tune it but it sounded like a million bucks.

Talbot

'2 outputs' - yes Ibanez typically have a 1/4" and XLR output jacks (my 12 string does). an '8 string' can supply unique options for the right songs/style - for rhythm/strumming, a fuller high end sound, for leads, the 12 string/mando sound (as long as one only uses those strings).

recordings or it didn't happen!

I've heard of 7-string guitars but not 8-strings..good to know

I thought he was talking about a big ol 8-string Djent metal guitar all downtuned 5 half steps and sh*t.

https://youtu.be/K0yEWmWCoTI

Taylor made an 8-string baritone guitar, the D and G strings had octave strings:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... -edgeburst

I never played that model, only the 6 string baritone, and didn't bond with it at all, very muddy sound when strummed, didn't suit my style.

Congratulations and welcome back.

I saw a player use an old Fender electric twelve string with the high E, G and B strings single and the low strings how. I wouldn't have wanted to tune it but it sounded like a million bucks.

Talbot

Yeah, I gues that'd sound cool, too.

I've heard of 7-string guitars but not 8-strings..good to know

,
Mine is set up like a 6 string, with the High (E & B) strings doubled.
So it plays the same as either a 6 string guitar, or a 12 string guitar.
.
I'd suspect a 7 string guitar would not have any strings doubled, but perhaps add one more - separately fretable - string, eh?
Like, perhaps, a lower frequency 'B' string, set up like a 5 string Bass guitar?

Taylor made an 8-string baritone guitar, the D and G strings had octave strings:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... -edgeburst

I never played that model, only the 6 string baritone, and didn't bond with it at all, very muddy sound when strummed, didn't suit my style.

.
Hmmm . . . 'muddy sound' . . . interesting.
What style of music did you try it with?
I'll have to try one, one of these days.

The last guitarist I played with got an Eastwood baritone guitar and it was pretty sweet but he ended up selling it because he could do the same thing with his SG and an EHX Pitchfork pedal. Muddy would be how it almost sounds like strumming chords on a bass guitar. Sounds great in really heavy music, but in straight up Rock or Folk music you're better off playing one or two notes at a time.

Taylor made an 8-string baritone guitar, the D and G strings had octave strings:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... -edgeburst

I never played that model, only the 6 string baritone, and didn't bond with it at all, very muddy sound when strummed, didn't suit my style.

.
Hmmm . . . 'muddy sound' . . . interesting.
What style of music did you try it with?
I'll have to try one, one of these days.

I was just strumming it, no particular songs/style. From what I've read it sounds better when fingerplayed, and can make a nice accompaniment with someone laying a standard guitar. Baritones are tuned to a B - so every string is 5 semi-tones lower than a standard guitar.

I've heard of 7-string guitars but not 8-strings..good to know

,
Mine is set up like a 6 string, with the High (E & B) strings doubled.
So it plays the same as either a 6 string guitar, or a 12 string guitar.
.
I'd suspect a 7 string guitar would not have any strings doubled, but perhaps add one more - separately fretable - string, eh?
Like, perhaps, a lower frequency 'B' string, set up like a 5 string Bass guitar?

Yes, a 7-string has a low 'B' string.