Infinity 8

Variant · #1 05-10-2007, 02:26 PM

Well, since I posted this mock-up to overwhelming applause over at the www.sevenstring.org forum, I thought I'd post it over here on the Jemsite in the suggestion section to see what everyone thinks. It's basically an evolution of an earlier idealized seven-string design employing my signature ‘Infinity’ body shape & quilt/quilt/quilt motif I did a ways back, now stretched out to the dimensions of an eight! Construction is a 5-piece neck-through, with swamp ash body wings, and a one-piece maple top (transparent finish or not, I like how it sharpens the tone)... and yes, the transparent models get AAA quilts on the fingerboard and headstock face to match! No binding, bursts, fades, pickguards, rings, or other garish stuff, though. In fact, the original design had no fingerboard inlays (I'm not a fan), but after experimenting with the off-sides ellipses, I found that it actually balanced the visual elements of the design without cluttering the fingerboard. Scale length is 27.0", same as the RG2228, but the bridge is an honest-to-goodness Edge Pro 8. Standard electronic gear... dual EMG 808 humbuckers, 3-way switch, volume, and tone knob. I'd probably drop piezos and a 13-pin RMC output on my own personal guitar, but that’s not really illustrated here. Tone should be somewhere between the warmth of a Strat and the tightness of a Les Paul, but with a good deal more brightness on the top. Decent sustain without sounding spongy, and not too much midrange quack. So, there you go, what do you all think? Surprisingly (to me, anyway) many have gotten giddy over the white one. Cool. Anywho, pics and specs are as follows:

Specifications

Construction: Neck-through-body, with one-piece maple top
Scale length: 27.0” (tuned F# B E A D G B E)
Body Wings: Swamp ash
Shape: Infinity archtop with semi-contoured back, and deep-cut, chamfered cutaways
Neck: Infinity 8, 5-piece maple/walnut neck, with Wizard II-8 profile
Fingerboard: 430 mm radius, body-matched AAA quilt maple on models with transparent finishes, ebony on standard black
Inlays: Offset ellipse fret markers
Frets: 24, 6100 extra jumbo nickel
Headstock: Infinity 8 reverse, 15-degree tilt back (with body-matched AAA quilt maple veneer on models with transparent finishes)
Bridge: Edge Pro 8, with installable tremolo block
Nut: Toplok 8, with string retainer bar
Tuning Machines: Gotoh, 4 per side
Bridge Pickup: EMG 808
Neck Pickup: EMG 808
Controls: 3-way pickup selector, volume, and tone knob

Available Finishes

QTK = Transparent black over maple quilt / cosmo black hardware / mother-of-pearl inlays
QTC = Transparent crimson over maple quilt / cosmo black hardware / mother of pearl inlays
QTW = Whitewash over maple quilt / with satin nickel hardware / black pearloid inlays
BK = Standard black with ebony fingerboard / with standard black hardware / mother of pearl inlays

Demiurge · #2 05-10-2007, 03:09 PM

I like those alot, but the top 3 couldn't be Ibanezes- no basswood or flat black finish to speak of!

bammbamm · #3 05-10-2007, 03:32 PM

Those look great, but the remind me of the Schecter 7s somewhat.

Dee · #4 05-10-2007, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Variant

So, there you go, what do you all think?

I think 8-strings are stupid and there's barely a market for them. Looks nice, but should be a 7 and have plain black hardware. Crimson looks like dried blood. We don't need any more flamed/quilt tops and transparent finishes. I'm sick of seeing those. I hate EMG's. METTTAAALLL!!!

Dee · #5 05-10-2007, 05:22 PM

What's so special about this "infinity" body design, btw? Looks almost exactly like an RG with an arched top. How can you copyright that?

newbieguitarmaker · #6 05-10-2007, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dee

What's so special about this "infinity" body design, btw? Looks almost exactly like an RG with an arched top. How can you copyright that?

It looks to me like elongated horns and s style cover on switch with arched top. Thats only thing i can tell

funkdubious · #7 05-10-2007, 05:41 PM

I like the look of them,alot nicer than those funny plastic guitars ibanez are flogging at the moment.Cant say I'd ever use one though,but good job.I like the white one best

Roland · #8 05-10-2007, 07:37 PM

Dude, you were pimping your model in the stickied Ibanez-thread - but the lower horn is huge. Looks like a sweet mock-up, but the features are a no-no. No 8-string without fanned frets for me (unless it's a hardtail "25.5).

luvuvibanez · #9 05-10-2007, 07:43 PM

Are you producing them? I'd take a flat white on off your hands in a heart beat.

Variant · #10 05-11-2007, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dee

What's so special about this "infinity" body design, btw? Looks almost exactly like an RG with an arched top. How can you copyright that?

Well it WAS based on Ibanez concepts, as is was designed to be an Ibanez and not some revolutionary concept... merely evolutionary taking into account some of the features I liked the best about existing Ibanez guitars, as well as a few others (Jackson Dinky, Brian Moore Customs, etc.). As for copyrighting: That's inherent in any original design that is documented, and as we all know, you don't have to do more than change a profile curve a bit here and a feature there to have your own copyrighted design in guitarland (think of all the the Les Paul and Flying V deviations out there by ESP, Ibanez, and others).

It was meant to be a unique aesthetic (as I thought the Sabre was too bland... as do a lot of metal players) as well as having a fuller body and deeper more ergonomic cutaways for high-register access. If you superimpose it over an RGA, you'll see that it is, in fact, quite different. In any case, it is simply what I'd like to see from Ibanez and I thought that I'd share that with people.

crevis · #11 05-11-2007, 02:52 AM

Now make one with 'Dimarzio Tone Zone 8's'

Dee · #12 05-11-2007, 03:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Variant

Well it WAS based on Ibanez concepts, as is was designed to be an Ibanez and not some revolutionary concept... merely evolutionary taking into account some of the features I liked the best about existing Ibanez guitars, as well as a few others (Jackson Dinky, Brian Moore Customs, etc.). As for copyrighting: That's inherent in any original design that is documented, and as we all know, you don't have to do more than change a profile curve a bit here and a feature there to have your own copyrighted design in guitarland (think of all the the Les Paul and Flying V deviations out there by ESP, Ibanez, and others).

It was meant to be a unique aesthetic (as I thought the Sabre was too bland... as do a lot of metal players) as well as having a fuller body and deeper more ergonomic cutaways for high-register access. If you superimpose it over an RGA, you'll see that it is, in fact, quite different. In any case, it is simply what I'd like to see from Ibanez and I thought that I'd share that with people.

Cool. Good luck, but I just can't see them producing anything like this, it'd cost a fortune. Looks nice, though.

Eco · #13 05-11-2007, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dee

I think 8-strings are stupid

Finally someone said it, i really do think the money and time they poured into the 8 string the should of revamped the current lineup.

They look cool, replace the ebony on the black one with rosewood and thats probably got the best chance of being released.

Ranz 777 · #14 05-11-2007, 10:21 AM

Wow!
I would so order up a red one...........possibly a white one too!
Very impressive.....................so how come youre not designing for Ibanez? Its becoming obvious they need some fresh blood in their design department.
At any rate............very nice, very impressive!

Variant · #15 05-11-2007, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dee

Cool. Good luck, but I just can't see them producing anything like this, it'd cost a fortune. Looks nice, though.

Oh, probably not... though the design originated as a seven-string, and could easily be adapted to a six as well. I'm moving on to eight strings myself (I already play a seven string bass with a low F#) and the finishes are, admittedly to my personal liking (though the whitewash one has been a hit with everyone that's seen it... hear that Hoshino?

) but who's to say the gist of it might not make a new line-up option?

In the eventuality, I may end up just giving someone like Bill Conklin a huge wad of money to make me one or two. It's probably time I moved on to custom guitars, I'm just a cheap (and impatient) bastard... LOL.