For anyone looking for an 8-string with a too-short scale length

[Soopahmahn]

Musician's Friend is selling 'em off for $699.

Buy ESP LTD FM-418 8 String Electric Guitar | Solid Body Electric Guitars | Musician's Friend

[Tom]

26"? Is that a typo? I thought these were 25.5".

[Soopahmahn]

Originally Posted by Tom

26"? Is that a typo? I thought these were 25.5".

Either way, a .068 gauge string tuned to F#1 will be floppier than my dick after watching Yoko Ono orgasmically scream for 3 minutes.

This guitar would make a reasonable candidate for high-tuning, in my mind. And after looking around a bit, it seems you're right and that's some kind of mistake on their part.

[Tom]

I think a .075" would work pretty well for F#. I wouldn't tune it any lower than that, though. It certainly would work decently for an extra high string.

[Soopahmahn]

Originally Posted by Tom

I think a .075" would work pretty well for F#. I wouldn't tune it any lower than that, though. It certainly would work decently for an extra high string.

See I liked a .074" or so at 27.5" scale. I guess it would work, just doesn't seem like you could riff hard on it.

Still, pretty damn good deal for an LTD with a pair of 808s and a Hipshot-style bridge.

[shannon]

Oh whatever. This "It's gotta be baritone scale or it sucks" regimen gets really old. What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for the other guy...

Back in 2004, my 1st custom 8 was basically a hardtail 25.5" scale RG. I used a set of 10s w/ a 56 for the B & a 74 for the F# & it was fine. Something like a 78-80 would've been ideal, for case in point, most anything can work with a great setup catered to the individual player's playing style.

[Hollowway]

Originally Posted by Soopahmahn

Either way, a .068 gauge string tuned to F#1 will be floppier than my dick after watching Yoko Ono orgasmically scream for 3 minutes.

Interestingly, I've been going back and forth with Octave4Plus about a build I'm getting done for a 10 string C1#-A4, and they assure me they can make a string that feels and sounds like a normal guitar string and will sound C1# at 25.5". I can't wrap my head around that, but if that's the case this guitar might work.
But generally speaking, I agree with your sentiments. It would make a pretty cheap B-A guitar.

[Joey]

Originally Posted by shannon

Oh whatever. This "It's gotta be baritone scale or it sucks" regimen gets really old. What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for the other guy...

Back in 2004, my 1st custom 8 was basically a hardtail 25.5" scale RG. I used a set of 10s w/ a 56 for the B & a 74 for the F# & it was fine. Something like a 78-80 would've been ideal, for case in point, most anything can work with a great setup catered to the individual player's playing style.

this. this is one of the main reasons i've decreased my activity on ss.org

[distressed_romeo]

Played one of these a while ago when it popped up at Denmark Street. It was pretty nice, although they were charging an absolutely ridiculous price for it.

It'd be pretty cool tuned ADGCFADG, although I agree with Shannon that an F# at 25.5" is perfectly doable with the right strings and tone.

[Soopahmahn]

Originally Posted by MusicTheoryJoey

this. this is one of the main reasons i've decreased my activity on ss.org

That's ludicrous. I didn't say 30" scale or bust, and I don't djent my way to the Post Office either, but I think the low string needs to have at least a similar tension to the rest of the strings.

With a .074, an F# is fine - Shannon's string set rocks. I don't see why a .072 or .074 isn't the factory string. You can see this would also mate well with a set of .009's for the top 6 strings.

len 25.5", Shannon's string set (I prefer a .059 on the B, standard D'Addario set)

E .010" PL == 16.21#
B, .013" PL == 15.38#
G, .017" PL == 16.57#
D, .026" NW == 18.41#
A,, .036" NW == 19.54#
E,, .046" NW == 17.48#
B,,, .056" NW == 14.79#
^F,,, .074" NW == 14.25#

With a .068, it's not happening for me.

^F,,, .068" NW == 12.19#

And even with a .074 tuned to F or E, it falls apart.

F,,, .074" NW == 12.69#
E,,, .074" NW == 11.31#

So anyway, anybody who wants this guitar in standard tuning should be happy, and that's why I posted the link, because this seems like a pretty damn good deal.

I just think you're going to have to crank up the lower string pair gauges if you start tuning down and then you end up battling the brightness issue.