Just got an M80M, few questions and initial impressions.

[Boy_Narf]

Hello Everyone!

I've been looking for a second hand M80M for nearly a decade and one finally popped up for a decent price so I picked it up.

Few questions:

1. I think it has the stock strings on it, but they seems pretty light. I'm wondering if this set is long enough to make it to the furthest tuner? EXL140-8, I saw a post about this same set but I don't think there was an answer.

2. My more worrisome question is that there is a rattle somewhere. Even turning the guitar in the air produces it. I can't tell where it's coming from because the guitar is so dang resonant haha. It sounds like washers rattling together and I'm concerned we might have a truss rod issue... not disclosed, but possibly why the price was lower than I usually see. I did a 1/4 on the truss rod and it looks to be working so I'm not 100% sure. I also took the control plate off but everything there is tightened down. Is this a solid or chambered body? If chambered could be something rattling around inside.

When I change the strings I'll be removing the neck and pulling the pickup to see if I can isolate the issue. Hopefully it's just something rattling around in the pickup cavity.

Initial impressions:

- This is my first 8 string and I've always been a 6 string player, well I had a 7 string GIO a few decades ago but never bonded with it. Although it has some wear, the fit and finish are pretty solid. The frets are very well done, possibly it's had a fret job but not sure.

- Lots of folks said this neck is massive and while it is on the larger side, I find it completely manageable. Granted both of my top 6 strings have extremely wide necks but I adjusted to it pretty quick.

- The pots are nice and tight, but I don't find the volume knob very dynamic to rolling off. If I keep the guitar I will be swapping these.

- The pickup I don't care for. It's extremely compressed which I suspect is helpful to keep the massive range of frequencies in check. All of my guitars have one pickup and one volume so I'm used to riding the volume and adjusting my playing position for different tones. If I end up keeping the guitar I'll be looking into pickup swaps for sure.

- All of my 6 string guitars are in Drop D, so I've got the top 6 strings in Drop D, then A, then E on the 8th string. This is allowing me to play my existing material but work on incorporating the lower strings as I see fit.

Thanks,

 

[Grindspine]

Cool review. Those are massive guitars, both massive sounding and just a huge amount to handle!

 

[penguin_316]

Drop the lowest string to D…full octave extension with the lower A and lower D. The Lundgren M8s are very flexible actually and respond to volume changes we’ll. Though, they tend to have a pretty sharp high end….

 

[penguin_316]

Check the bridge saddle springs for rattle…hopefully it’s not the truss rod. Also check the locking nut pieces. Otherwise, if it’s not cooking through an amp I would just ignore it.

 

[Boy_Narf]

Cool thanks. I ordered a set of nyxl1074 which should help with the lower tuning. Right now the strings are pretty floppy. I'll give that D and A a shot when the new strings come in. Thanks for the suggestion.

I still can't isolate the rattle, it sounds like it's coming from the middle of the body. I'm still goona take the neck off during string change and see what I find. Maybe someone shimmed it with a toonie or something stupid. It really sounds like a coin rattling around inside the body.

Does anyone know if these use dual action truss rods, or if they have an adjustable neck angle contraption in the neck pocket?

Tone wise I think the higher 6 strings sound great. Lots of attack and clarity. It starts to mud up with the lower two strings. The thicker strings should help plus I need to spend some time making new patches for this beast.

I'm in a whole new world...

 

[Nightside]

Where are all the pictures? Are the links broken? I don't see anything.

 

[Grindspine]

NYXL1074 should work pretty well. The stock strings are XL 9-65 or so. The 10-74 is what I use on my 26.5-28" Legator 8.

 

[badatguitar]

Absolutely in love with my M80M, purchased from a fellow member here! I order from stringjoy and the strings are plenty long enough. I get a custom set that has the same gauges as what is listed by Ibanez to come on the M8M from the factory, which is with a .70 on the F string. I pretty much only use mine for meshuggah so that gauge works well for their tuning in my experience. Really fun guitar, every note is clear as day. Hope you enjoy yours!

 

[Boy_Narf]

Hello friends,

Sorry no pics figured we've seen them enough but I'll slam some up this weekend.

Heard back from Ibanez they explained something about a mono rail neck adjustment system, still not answering my question if these is a tilt adjustment in the neck pocket, but a pretty in-depth adjustment system none the less.

I'm worried there are very light strings on here because of a truss rod issue... I did another adjustment and it seems fine, nice tension on the wrench and easy to turn so not really sure now.

I texted the seller asking if they ever had it setup or if they had any issues with the truss rod and no reply. Making me nervous now.

The strings will be here on Monday so I'll remove the neck and do some investigation.

 

[prlgmnr]

Heard back from Ibanez they explained something about a mono rail neck adjustment system

What's it called?

 

[Boy_Narf]

Some light reading from Ibanez...


The mono-rail neck adjustment system is a distinctive feature designed to provide enhanced stability and precise neck angle adjustments. Unlike traditional guitars that rely solely on a dual-action truss rod for neck adjustments, the Mono-rail system incorporates a different approach. It offers increased stability and the ability to fine-tune the neck angle and string action for a customized playing experience.



The key characteristics of the Mono-rail neck adjustment system include:

1. Individual Saddles: In this system, each string has its individual saddle. These saddles are designed to support the strings and are responsible for both setting the action (string height) and neck angle.
2. Neck Angle Adjustments: The key innovation in the Mono-rail system is that it allows for neck angle adjustments. By raising or lowering specific saddles, you can effectively change the angle of the neck in relation to the body. This feature is particularly valuable for players who prefer a specific neck angle for their playing style.
3. Stability: The Mono-rail system enhances the overall stability of the guitar. Since it eliminates the need for a traditional dual-action truss rod, there are fewer moving parts inside the neck. This can result in a more robust and reliable neck structure.
4. String Isolation: Because each string has its saddle, string-to-string crosstalk is minimized. This can contribute to improved string separation and resonance.
5. Customized Action: With individual saddle adjustments, players can fine-tune the action for each string according to their preferences. This feature allows for a high level of customization when it comes to setting up the guitar for optimal playability.
6. Minimal Maintenance: The Mono-rail system typically requires less maintenance compared to dual-action truss rods. This can be an advantage for players who prefer straightforward adjustments.

 

[badatguitar]

Some light reading from Ibanez...


The mono-rail neck adjustment system is a distinctive feature designed to provide enhanced stability and precise neck angle adjustments. Unlike traditional guitars that rely solely on a dual-action truss rod for neck adjustments, the Mono-rail system incorporates a different approach. It offers increased stability and the ability to fine-tune the neck angle and string action for a customized playing experience.



The key characteristics of the Mono-rail neck adjustment system include:

1. Individual Saddles: In this system, each string has its individual saddle. These saddles are designed to support the strings and are responsible for both setting the action (string height) and neck angle.
2. Neck Angle Adjustments: The key innovation in the Mono-rail system is that it allows for neck angle adjustments. By raising or lowering specific saddles, you can effectively change the angle of the neck in relation to the body. This feature is particularly valuable for players who prefer a specific neck angle for their playing style.
3. Stability: The Mono-rail system enhances the overall stability of the guitar. Since it eliminates the need for a traditional dual-action truss rod, there are fewer moving parts inside the neck. This can result in a more robust and reliable neck structure.
4. String Isolation: Because each string has its saddle, string-to-string crosstalk is minimized. This can contribute to improved string separation and resonance.
5. Customized Action: With individual saddle adjustments, players can fine-tune the action for each string according to their preferences. This feature allows for a high level of customization when it comes to setting up the guitar for optimal playability.
6. Minimal Maintenance: The Mono-rail system typically requires less maintenance compared to dual-action truss rods. This can be an advantage for players who prefer straightforward adjustments.

It sounds like they are talking about their mono rail bridge, which the M80M does not have.

 

[Boy_Narf]

Oh wierd. They must have not noticed the model in my original email.

 

[jephjacques]

It just has a standard 2-way truss rod, no neck angle adjustment. Dunno what could be causing a rattle, but it doesn't sound like it would be the truss rod if it can hold tension normally. I'd be more suspicious it's something loose in the bridge. Maybe a loose washer on one of the neck bolts? Or some wiring bonking around inside?

As for the pickup, keep in mind that it's much closer to the bridge than on normal 8 strings, so any pickup you put in there is going to sound different than on other guitars. That "compression" you're hearing is as much the scale length and pickup position as the pup itself. I'd suggest experimenting with pickup height before you try swapping for something else. Might also be worth swapping the pots- I don't know what Ibanez puts in their indo models but they're probably not great.

 

[Boy_Narf]

Thanks very much! Strings will be here on Tuesday so I'll strip it down and report back.

I'm liking the pickup the more I play it. I need to put some work into my FM3 patches.

 

[Boy_Narf]

It just has a standard 2-way truss rod, no neck angle adjustment. Dunno what could be causing a rattle, but it doesn't sound like it would be the truss rod if it can hold tension normally. I'd be more suspicious it's something loose in the bridge. Maybe a loose washer on one of the neck bolts? Or some wiring bonking around inside?

As for the pickup, keep in mind that it's much closer to the bridge than on normal 8 strings, so any pickup you put in there is going to sound different than on other guitars. That "compression" you're hearing is as much the scale length and pickup position as the pup itself. I'd suggest experimenting with pickup height before you try swapping for something else. Might also be worth swapping the pots- I don't know what Ibanez puts in their indo models but they're probably not great.

Oh sorry missed the line about pots. If I keep the axe I'll be pulling to tone all together, plugging the hole with a metal plug, moving the volume to the tone location, and putting in a better pot.

I never use tone knobs and always bump my hand into pots that are close to the pickup.

 

[Jamin]

Cool thanks. I ordered a set of nyxl1074 which should help with the lower tuning. Right now the strings are pretty floppy. I'll give that D and A a shot when the new strings come in. Thanks for the suggestion.

I still can't isolate the rattle, it sounds like it's coming from the middle of the body. I'm still goona take the neck off during string change and see what I find. Maybe someone shimmed it with a toonie or something stupid. It really sounds like a coin rattling around inside the body.

Does anyone know if these use dual action truss rods, or if they have an adjustable neck angle contraption in the neck pocket?

Tone wise I think the higher 6 strings sound great. Lots of attack and clarity. It starts to mud up with the lower two strings. The thicker strings should help plus I need to spend some time making new patches for this beast.

I'm in a whole new world...

I just ran into a similar rattle/ringing problem a few months ago and it ended up being loose springs underneath a pickup. Somehow, whoever installed the pickups must have left the springs (that were supposed to go around the screws to lift the pickup when adjusting) just sitting loose under the pickup and it would cause a ringing sound that would sustain after muting the strings, like it was coming from inside the guitar body. Maybe check to make sure there isn’t anything sitting loose and rattling underneath the pickups or inside any other cavities within the body? Sounds random but I figured I’d mention this just in case it happens to be what you’re also experiencing! It took me some time to figure out what the hell I was hearing!

 

[Boy_Narf]

I just ran into a similar rattle/ringing problem a few months ago and it ended up being lose springs underneath a pickup. Somehow, whoever installed the pickups must have left the springs (that were supposed to go around the screws to lift the pickup when adjusting) just sitting lose under the pickup and it would cause a ringing that sounded that would sustain after muting the strings, like it was coming from inside the guitar body. Maybe check to make sure there isn’t anything sitting lose and rattling underneath the pickups or inside any other cavities within the body? Sounds random but I figured I’d mention this just in case it happens to be what you’re also experiencing! It took me some time to figure out what the hell I was hearing!

Awesome thanks. I'm goona pull the pickup first to see. It sounds like a coin or washer banging around inside the body.

 

[odibrom]

... why no pics?...

 

[Boy_Narf]

Because I own a business and work two jobs .

Soon soon the pics are otw...