Let the RG8 Mods begin...

[r3tr0sp3ct1v3]

Just going to leave this here .. Got this PG from perleguutars on eBay

 

[Randy]

Dumb quick question... Pertaining to truss rods... Since we are on the topic for an 8 string... What would be an "ideal" length for a truss rod? Or to bring it to even general-er terms... How do you figure out adequate length for a truss rod?

My particular situation... 28" scale 8 / 27" scale 7 (simultaneous builds)... What sized truss rod do i need?

Sorry if this goes a bit OT... And i know it would prolly be better suited in the luthery section... Please dont kick my ass Randy!!!

I basically put truss rods into two categories... "guitar length" and "bass length". There are some variations on specific length between companies but generally they fall into those two ranges.

Even though an 8-string or baritone (~27") is longer than usual, the length of the neck itself isn't long ENOUGH that it necessitates a bass truss rod. I ordered one for the first 8-string I built and found it ran almost all the way down to the end of the neck, which is not ideal.

When you get into bigger scale lengths, like the Meshuggah guitars (30"ish) THEN you're getting into potentially bass truss territory.

 

[Ram150023]

I basically put truss rods into two categories... "guitar length" and "bass length". There are some variations on specific length between companies but generally they fall into those two ranges.

Even though an 8-string or baritone (~27") is longer than usual, the length of the neck itself isn't long ENOUGH that it necessitates a bass truss rod. I ordered one for the first 8-string I built and found it ran almost all the way down to the end of the neck, which is not ideal.

When you get into bigger scale lengths, like the Meshuggah guitars (30"ish) THEN you're getting into potentially bass truss territory.

Ahh gotcha... so it isn't a big deal if the truss rod stops around the 18th - 20th fret.

Im reinforcing both with CF rods anyway... so should be stiff enough!

Grassy-ass good sir!!

 

[M3CHK1LLA]

looks cool, here is a close up...

Just going to leave this here .. Got this PG from perleguutars on eBay

 

[vick1000]

I'm still trying to get satisfied with the setup on my RG8, and I want to describe an issue that is unique to this guitar for me. Although the fretwork is very average I feel, I can get the string height set to where a single note rings through good enough through the amp, but when I go for a simple 2 string bar chord (particularly with a chord on the B-E strings) , the chord is choked off worse than a similar setup would be on any of my other guitars. In fact I'm actually using a higher string height and more string tension than with any of my other guitars.

This is my 1st 8, I've always had 6ers that I downtuned to get in typical 7 string realms. The appeal of the range of an 8 got too strong, but I did skip the usual 6 to 7 to 8 string progression. So I don't know if people have found similar issues with going to a 7, but maybe not as much as an issue when going to an 8. Most of my 6ers are thin neck Ibby's, and there are some other fairly thin-necked guitars in the arsenal. What I'm wondering is if this thin 8 string neck is less sturdy than what I'm used to and maybe the added vibration when you start doing chords vs single notes reverberates through the neck more which maybe causes a kinda of counter vibration against the strings which causes the strings to choke more as is the action is just simply too low.

Hopefully that description makes sense, but maybe I'm way off on what is causing this. Either way, this guitar is harder to play than I'd like. I've spent more time than I'm used to trying to get as good as a setup as the fretwork will allow, but I'm certainly no expert. Any thoughts guys?

Check the neck pocket, make sure it's not gapped. Maybe even pull off the neck and smooth out any nasty bumps you find in the neck pocket. I had some pretty high peaks on the plastic finish/filler they leave in there.

 

[mnemonic]

Getting pretty frustrated. I'm trying to intonate my RG8, and it's going awfully. Even on the high B string, the saddle is almost all the way back, and it's STILL sharp by a good bit... I'm in standard with a set of 10's. There's no reason I can think of as to why my B shouldn't be intonating. I'm not even going to attempt intonating any of the other strings. This is frustrating. Guess I don't really need it intonated anyhow.

Any suggestions? My action is almost all the way up, but does that have anything to do with intonation? I am absolutely ignorant when it comes to guitar, other than playing it. So school me, please.

EDIT: Maybe my tuner is the problem? It's the tuner on the POD 2.0...which, well, isn't the best.

Action almost all the way up? That doesn't sound right, makes me think you've got issues with the neck or something. My high B string isn't even half-way up to the maximum height, and I have almost a half inch of rearward travel before I reach the limit.

Here's how my bridge looks:

I can't remember the last time I intonated it, but it sounds in tune to my ear all the way up the neck. Though I'm using 9's, down a half-step.

It could be your tuner, but having the action set as high as it goes on the high strings infers other problems. Even my low F isn't all the way back, or all the way up.

Can you post pics of the neck bow and of the bridge?

 

[mnemonic]

I took the spring off the lowest saddle, as even fully compressed, I needed it to go back slightly further. If I wanted to go back further from where it is at now, I'd probably also have to trim the end of the screw.

Thats normal for action to be lower at the nut. When the string vibrates, it creates an arc, with the widest movement directly in the middle. So at the ends of the strings (nut or bridge) the string movement is much less. If you're having buzzing with open strings, but no buzzing once you fret the 1st fret, that would imply the action being too low at the nut.

Easy way to take your tuner out of the equation... pluck the 12th fret harmonic and then fret the 12th fret (being careful not to bend the string to either side). The notes should sound the same. I would expect in your situation, the fretted 12th fret should sound flat, so the saddle should move forward.

The easiest way to see the neck bow is to look down the strings/fretboard either from the nut looking at the bridge, or from the bridge, looking at the nut. The string will be perfectly straight as its pulled to tension. The neck should have a slight curve from the pull of the string. I'll try to get a picture of mine.

edit - its hard to see since my only camera is my iphone and I can't adjust the depth of field.

There is a slight bow in the neck, not much. Its almost straight. it could probably be bowed a bit more, now the weather is warming up.

 

[7STRINGWARRIOR]

For anyone who's interested, I'll be milling some Titanium trems in a few months after I get caught up. I wouldn't mind doing a few edge 8s, I'd just have to spec one out. The anodizing process of titanium will allow for some interesting color options... I'm rarely on here these days, I'll check back in a month or so.

 

[metale]

Pickups installed ob my RG8, bridge Painkiller and neck Oil City Masterwound Blackbird (with series/paralled push-pull switch on the tone knob).

Stringed with Guitar Joy 09-80s in drop E.

Sorry for the dark pics.

 

[Soya]

This was a fun little project. Body was a bit trashed when I picked it up, so decided to sand it down and fill the neck pickup, controls and truss rod cover screws. Dyed the fretboard, added a CTS pot and switchcraft jack. Really impressed with the playability, fret job is solid. Just using the stock bridge pickup for now, will switch it out eventually though. Sorry for the crap pic.

 

[metale]

^ that looks great, man! Love it

 

[exo]

Nice work!

 

[mnemonic]

Soya, awesome color, and great work.

 

[TripperJ]

This was a fun little project. Body was a bit trashed when I picked it up, so decided to sand it down and fill the neck pickup, controls and truss rod cover screws. Dyed the fretboard, added a CTS pot and switchcraft jack. Really impressed with the playability, fret job is solid. Just using the stock bridge pickup for now, will switch it out eventually though. Sorry for the crap pic.

What did you use for dye and how did you do it. That is one of the best dye jobs in this thread.

 

[lewis]

anyone been bold enough to route out the room to use one of those neutrik (spelling?) locking jack inputs?

 

[r3tr0sp3ct1v3]

Update on the rg8 I posted . My friend is custom painting it. I told him HR Giger Esque and this is what he gave me. Brutal as hell. Anyone wants custom paint pm me