Speaking of 8 strings

[Jim Soloway]

I just came across this doing some random surfing. It's a BC Rich 8 string that was built several years ago by Bernie Rico for Bob Conti, a total jazz maniac. I had heard about this guitar for years, but I'd never seen it before. For most people it would need a bridge pickup added, but given it's provenance, at $2600 I would think it's a steal.

[Two hands31]

Wow Stick a bridge pickup on it (as you suspected) and it'd be perfect

[the.godfather]

There is something about that what I like!! Very nice.
Those 8-strings are just getting too tempting!
Gary - The.Godfather

[Jammy]

I saw that a while back. Ive got a video of the guy playing it somewhere...its very pleasant!
-better shred than dead-ANDY

[The Dark Wolf]

I wonder how he tunes it?

[Jim Soloway]

Originally Posted by Wordwolf

I wonder how he tunes it?

I have the JustJazzGuitar magazine interview with him and he says it's tuned F#-B-E-A-D-G-B-E. So he's adding an even lower bass string.

I've been asked if I would build an 8 string and my initial response was to pass, but we've just built out first 3 piece laminate neck and it's incredibly stiff. With a 27 inch scale length and a little extra meat on the back of the neck, it might work for an 8 string provided that it was a lower string being added like the Conti tuning or even E-A-E-D-A-G-B-E which is what I would probably use. The problem then becomes what would you use for pickups? I gues the answer would be to build it like the Chalie Hunter guitar and overlap a guitar pickup with a bass pickup.

[BucketBot]

Hmmm...not enough strings. j/k.
Yeah, I've seen those before. Pretty cool though. I know I wouldn't mind one(with a bridge pickup, of course).

[The Dark Wolf]

F#, that seems to be the way most go, ala Meshuggah. I like F# too, altho I think of it logically as Gb with my tuning. I get away with it with 7 strings tho... just utilize 2 "drops" as it were. Thanks Jim.

[Jim Soloway]

Originally Posted by Wordwolf

F#, that seems to be the way most go, ala Meshuggah. I like F# too, altho I think of it logically as Gb with my tuning. I get away with it with 7 strings tho... just utilize 2 "drops" as it were. Thanks Jim.

The question I have from a business perspective is whether it's worth building one. It seems like a lot of effort for an instrument with VERY lmited demand.

[snorkthesick]

it seems kind of an interesting concept. I like 7 strings because i can play my own bassline for jazz. This would be like taking it to another level.

[Jammy]

Does anyone know the scalelength of the conti 8 string? Ive had a search on google but cant find any proper technical specifications of the guitar...
-better shred than dead-ANDY

[pawel]

I just stumbled across Conti's website and the guy is a monster player, very impressive technique and tasty playing too.

He also has a really sweet custom 8 string Archtop/Tele-like guitar that was the prototype for the BC Rich.

[revsharp777]

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

I have the JustJazzGuitar magazine interview with him and he says it's tuned F#-B-E-A-D-G-B-E. So he's adding an even lower bass string.

Yep, that's way I tune my 8 too.

[Tsorovan]

Meshuggah isn't tuning F#.

Nothing has the following tunings: E, F and Bb (one octave lower than their standard 7-string tuning, for Spasm).

[revsharp777]

Originally Posted by Tsorovan

Meshuggah isn't tuning F#.

Nothing has the following tunings: E, F and Bb (one octave lower than their standard 7-string tuning, for Spasm).

True. There's also an Eb tuning in there.