I guess I suck for having an 8 string...

[Diggy]

I say F it.. play however many strings u want to..just OWN those strings.

 

[Aerospace274]

Really it's the 6 stringers that use two strings. "Check my pedal points bro!"
If they ever give me shit for playing more strings than them, I just say something like "Extended range. Me > You." Haha, I saw somewhere that someone said "My skill needed more strings." I think that's a good one if people are ever talking you down about it.
Really though, everything ELSE about guitar is personal preference so why should how many strings you have be any different you know?
I never really catch shit for it because I don't really prove those stereotypes correct in the first place. I don't djent and I sure as hell don't live off my Bb and F (Sometimes even G and low D) strings. I just use the notes when they could help the piece I'm writing. Like my sig says.
EDIT: Lol, neg repped for defending a minority group and having a sense of humor! I see how you guys roll! :O

 

[vampiregenocide]

My reaction when someone shows me a 2228 is FUCK YOU I HAVEN'T GOT ONE YET.

 

[CooleyJr]

When I first heard about 8 string guitars I thought it was a low B plus a high A string, any of you 8 string owners tried that setup? I can imagine having a high A would allow for some interesting chord voicings.

I tune from Bb to Ab. My fanned 8 is from 25.5" to 27". A longer scale isn't actually NEEDED for the lower strings though. A 25.5" 8 is really all that's needed.

 

[Demiurge]

Really it's the 6 stringers that use two strings. "Check my pedal points bro!"
If they ever give me shit for playing more strings than them, I just say something like "Extended range. Me > You." Haha, I saw somewhere that someone said "My skill needed more strings." I think that's a good one if people are ever talking you down about it.

Well, I don't think anyone wins the argument when one person's weapon is an appeal to traditionalism and the other person's is an appeal to elitism.

The music should matter first and foremost, as fun as talking shop about how it's made should be. Anyone who attempts to make a musical judgment based on non-musical things (like the appearance or features of a musical instrument) is a weenie.

 

[Aerospace274]

Well, I don't think anyone wins the argument when one person's weapon is an appeal to traditionalism and the other person's is an appeal to elitism.

Haha, yeah. Excellent argument there. I wasn't really being serious, just joking around a little. People tend to act like adding a string or two makes it a whole different world or something. I was just writing a song yesterday and talking to my buddy over Facebook about it and all he had to say was "You're wasting your time. I don't have a 7th string, go work on your song." From a guy who's tuned to A# F A# D# G C. My 7th is A# lol. As though they aren't totally the same notes. /sigh
Oh well!

 

[Kali Yuga]

Also, most Meshuggah riffs only use the top three strings (except for leads), and if they hadn't popularized 8-string guitars, most of you wouldn't own them today. Go tell Thorendaal that he should be playing bass or go back to 6-strings. The music as a complete package is what should be considered, not how many strings are implemented.

 

[SirMyghin]

Also, most Meshuggah riffs only use the top three strings (except for leads), and if they hadn't popularized 8-string guitars, most of you wouldn't own them today. Go tell Thorendaal that he should be playing bass or go back to 6-strings. The music as a complete package is what should be considered, not how many strings are implemented.

Those are the bottom 3 strings

 

[Kali Yuga]

You know what I meant.

 

[From 7 to 8]

Haha, I saw somewhere that someone said "My skill needed more strings." I think that's a good one if people are ever talking you down about it.
EDIT: Lol, neg repped for defending a minority group and having a sense of humor! I see how you guys roll! :O

I got your back brother.

 

[VinnyLemieux]

Its so hilarious how this growing fad is looked down upon by so many but yet so many people are dying to get their hands on one....thats like everything else these days....

 

[All_¥our_Bass]

Also, most Meshuggah riffs only use the top three strings (except for leads), and if they hadn't popularized 8-string guitars, most of you wouldn't own them today. Go tell Thorendaal that he should be playing bass or go back to 6-strings. The music as a complete package is what should be considered, not how many strings are implemented.

Meshuggah had actually considered using basses before someone suggested 8 string guitars with a low F.

 

[Kemono]

Ive been catching a bit of bullshit for buying an rg2228 lately. I assure you, nothing that anybody says will make me trade this guitar for anything. I am actually in love with it haha. But seriously, has anyone else been taked down because of our purchase? i know that were all supposed to be in "djent" bands because of it...

Upload some audio or YT clips of you playing it. Proof's in the pudding.

 

[Ginsu]

I started on seven strings, since I played piano first, and figured "hmm. 6 strings isn't gonna have a lot of range. Let's try seven! Maybe then I won't miss out on so many notes!" Then about three hours after I bought it, I realized I only had five more notes. -_- But hey. I can djent on it. XD (I hope nobody shoots me for that.)

 

[JosephAOI]

I'm currently a 6 string player only because of the fact that I'm a cash deprived teenage musician but I get a lot of shit when I talk about 8's with my friends at school. You wouldn't believe people's expressions when I showed off my amazing mockup/design for a fanned fret 11 string
Seriously though, fuck 'em. I always thought the 'underground scene' was supposed to be something different from what the norm liked or accepted. Why care what these close-minded people think when I doubt some of them haven't experimented into even 6 string down-tuned territory? We're musicians, dammit. Innovation and experimentation is what keeps this form of art alive.

 

[sage]

If I wait until I master every possible aspect of a 6 string guitar before I move on to a 7, master every aspect of that, and then move onto an 8, I will be 97 and everyone will be playing the Oscar Meyer Weiner jingle on 12 string Chapman Sticks like in "Demolition Man."

I got into 8 string guitars to have the extended range of notes and the additional chord shape options. I find myself exploring more on the 8, writing more, learning new techniques and it's affecting my playing in a positive manner. I don't find myself chugging away on the low E very often. OK. Sometimes.

 

[Konfyouzd]

*Whoa... Epic time travel thread read fail...*

 

[Konfyouzd]

Its so hilarious how this growing fad is looked down upon by so many but yet so many people are dying to get their hands on one....thats like everything else these days....

I get annoyed at people who do things simply to be trendy, but I don't really get annoyed so much at the trends themselves as they tend to bring some cool shit with them when they come along.

 

[unclejemima218]

I don't know why ANYbody would rag on you for buying an 8. Especially that one. I've wanted an RG2228 since they first came out, never even seen one in real life. I ENVY YOU!

 

[Konfyouzd]

I don't know why ANYbody would rag on you for buying an 8. Especially that one. I've wanted an RG2228 since they first came out, never even seen one in real life. I ENVY YOU!

*Clears throat*

<Singing>Hater's gon' haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate</Singing>