8 string as your only guitar?

[lead23]

I have been thinking about getting an 8 string but my current financial situation only allows me to have 1 guitar. I typically play 6 string songs but there are the occasional 7 string songs that I enjoy playing (from when I owned a Universe), and now I would like to experiment with some 8 string songs. For those of you who have an 8 string, is it hard to play 6 or 7 string only songs on an 8 string? I am trying to figure out if it would be worth selling my 6 string for an 8 string that could possibly cover the majority of music I would like to learn.

Thanks

 

[MaxOfMetal]

I've never really had any problems playing stuff written for 6-strings on 7s or 8s. Is there an "adjustment" period? Yeah, but after a week of getting used to it, it's a complete non-issue.

 

[glassmoon0fo]

i would say its harder for me to play 6 string stuff on an 8 than it is to play 7 string stuff on one. so im getting rid of all my 7s and keeping an 8 and a 6, but hey, im sure if you put a little effort in, itll be a nonissue soon enough. plus, youd rather have the extra strings and not need em then need em and not have em

 

[Murdstone]

I only play my 8 right now, it's simple playing 6 string songs on it as well as 7. It actually feels stupid going down to playing a 6 string; it feels like something's missing.

 

[kylendm]

I only play my 8 right now, it's simple playing 6 string songs on it as well as 7. It actually feels stupid going down to playing a 6 string; it feels like something's missing.

Absolutely about that feeling. At the same time I really like all my guitars and 75% of people who play guitar still use 6 strings so I keep mine for the sake of learning covers or playing in a band.

 

[Coalesce42]

There is an adjustment period but after playing an 8 string the things played on a 6 seem so different that they did before. I try to play 6 string songs on my 8 but it just feels odd. So I like to have both, that being said I intend on showing up to my next practice with only the 8 string.

 

[Shredcow]

This depends entirely on your playing tastes. I don't see an 8 having "superior" attributes over a regular 6 because the 2 instruments feel drastically different. I wouldn't say a uke player sucks, you know what I mean?

So I would not expect an 8 string to easily nail classic Hendrix stuff - I can't do thumb overs as easily, I have problems finding classic 8 string single coils, I can't slam away at the chords because 2 more strings are in the way, etc etc. I'm sure one can nail the sound but the 8 will inspire you in different ways than a 6 would.

Since you can only own one guitar... I hope you make the right choice or it's going to be another sale somewhere down the road, just to get back to square 1.

 

[thraxil]

If I could find an 8-string that played as well as my Parker 6-string's I'd consider it (hence I am saving for an Oni. My Agile is OK, but not amazing).

Oddly, I find it easier to play 6-string stuff on my 8-string than I did on 7-strings. Somehow, a 7-string feels like "a 6-string with an extra string" and my hands get confused while the 8-string feels like something totally different and forces me to re-think everything.

 

[Hollowway]

Yeah, I'm pretty much cleaning house of all my 6s and selling off one of my 3 sevens. I find it easy to adapt to an 8 from a 6 (after an adjustment period) but much harder to go back the other way. I don't think there's a problem with having two guitars, but if you must sell the 6 to get the 8 I say try it. Otherwise you'll drool on here all day long and never know.

 

[Blackheim]

^ True, once you get used to 8 strings, it feels strange to go back to 6 strings... However, in some cases, when I would like to play some BTBAM stuff or some tech death, my 6 has no comparison with my C8. However, when I am playing some Emperor or black metal oriented music, my 8 is the best choice... Strange

 

[IDLE]

For my style no, but I just kind of freakout and hit whatever string is open so the 6 string songs I write tend to sound strange with the extra notes in them. I have just doubled the high e and made the 7th string the normal 6 string low E on my seven strings when I've needed to. You could do that on a 8 string... double it to make a 7 string or triple it for a 6 string. It would probably sound massive as fuck hitting the same note on 3 strings.

 

[Goatfork]

^You should check out Paul Gilbert.

 

[Asrial]

I only play my 8 right now, it's simple playing 6 string songs on it as well as 7. It actually feels stupid going down to playing a 6 string; it feels like something's missing.

+1 to that

But I would recommend you to find a guitarist in your vicinity, that owns or has an 8 in stock, and try it out first, to see if the neck width is good enough.
But more or less, go for the guitar that suits your playing style the most. If you just wish to achieve deep tones and doesn't care about the higher register, I would rather recommend you finding a baritone 7.

When I first got my RG1527, it was equipped with baritone strings, so I practically had an 8, with more noodly strings of course. Looking past the tension, I did not like the thickness of the strings nor the tonal results I recieved when playing the instrument, as I felt I achieved far more progression and playability on my RG7321, because of the gauge.
I didn't have any problems covering 8's, but I didn't feel an issue with that before I trifled with the deep tunings. I just moved the song a fifth up to match my tuning. Same deal with songs written on 6's, I just move them down.

So again; grab a guitar that accents your playing just right, don't get one just because you want to play an eight.
But that's just my merit

 

[Daevasmodeus]

Whenever I pick up a 6 string now, it just feels absurd, like I'm playing a child's guitar, and my hands are far too big for it. Probably because I exclusively played 7 strings for many years before switching to 8.

 

[lead23]

Not sure how to delete a double post.
See post below.

 

[lead23]

Wow, thanks for all of the feedback. It sounds like I need to try an 8 string out but unfortunately I haven't been able to find one. The other problem is that if I sell my 6 string, get an 8 and then wish I had the 6 back, it would probably not be an easy guitar to come by again(EB musicman JP6 Dargie Delight II) At least not that particular model. It would be like someone mentioned above, starting from square 1 again. I've discovered a guitar company called Strictly 7 that seems to be not far off of my price range so a little saving and I will hopefully have the best of both worlds. Thanks again!

Just curious, has anyone tried to play Satriani, Vai, Petrucci, Guthrie Govan, or Steffen Schackinger on their 8's? That is the type of music I enjoy on the 6 stringer.

 

[Murdstone]

I've played around with a little Petrucci, but those guys aren't really my cup of tea.

The way I see it is with an 8 you have the range there for you when you need it. You can play anything that's normally on a 6 or anything that's on an 8. If you only use the top 6 strings for now so be it, but the point is that you have the added range when you want it. With a normal 6 you can only play stuff for a 6 there's not really much of an option.

Sorry if I'm rambling a bit

 

[SirMyghin]

No reason you can't play anything written for a 6 on an 8, the other way around not so simple, I say go for it. I also don't think one should sell gear to acquire gear (unless said gear is not good quality to begin with). So when I get my 7 later this year, I will be keeping my 6s too.

 

[Winspear]

The way I see it is with an 8 you have the range there for you when you need it. You can play anything that's normally on a 6 or anything that's on an 8. If you only use the top 6 strings for now so be it, but the point is that you have the added range when you want it. With a normal 6 you can only play stuff for a 6 there's not really much of an option.

Once I get my 9 string, I intend to be 9 string exclusive. Especially as I don't like owning multiple guitars. I will continue to own a 7 string though, only because some of the features I want in my recording are not available on a fanned 9 (extremely angled Kahler, sustainer pickup).

 

[malphas]

As far as electric goes, I only play my 8 now. There was a little bit of adjustment for me to play 6 string stuff on it, no problem at all with 7 string material, probably because I went straight from 6 to 8. I figured I might as well take that extra step because if I had bought a 7, I would have soon wanted an 8. So I went straight for the 8 since I could play 6 and 7 stuff on it too.

I say go for it and take your time getting used to it. I've had mine for about a year now and I'm still amazed at all of the things I can do with it.