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Seven to Eight string- Going overboard?


Sevenstringfling

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There are some real issues with 8 strings, most notably how to get the correct scale length for both the low string and the high string. The most obvious answer is Ralph Novax' fanned fretboard. There's a really good discussion on the topic on the 7 string forum on jemsite. If you're seriousabout giving it a try, I strongly recommend taking a look.
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Originally posted by skipclone 1:

I`m not a master of the six-string either, but I have found it to be limiting at times. Still, I`m not familiar with this instrument. How are the extra strings arranged? in fact, is it a guitar?

I don't know too many folks that use eight strings. The only ones that come to mind are Fredrik Thordendal and Marten Hagstrom, the tag team from Meshuggah, and Robert Conti, a jazz guitarist. The 'shuggah guys tune their Nevborns F-Bb-Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-Bb-Eb, low to high. As for Conti, I'm not sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's something like A-E-A-D-G-B-E-A, low to high.

 

http://www.nevbornguitars.com/cgi-bin/guitars/Sleipner%20I/thumbs/sleipnerI4.jpg

Nevborn Sleipner I

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Man, "Sleipner" is such a wicked awesome friggin' cool-@$$3d name for an eight-string! That is just the $h!t. A real "Gee, I wish that I'd thought o'that first"!

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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Originally posted by Dr. Taz:

I don't know too many folks that use eight strings. The only ones that come to mind are Fredrik Thordendal and Marten Hagstrom, the tag team from Meshuggah, and Robert Conti, a jazz guitarist.

What about Charlie Hunter? He uses an 8-string Novax guitar, IIRC, with three bass strings and five guitar strings.

BlueStrat

a.k.a. "El Guapo" ;)

 

...Better fuzz through science...

 

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Originally posted by bluestrat:

Originally posted by Dr. Taz:

I don't know too many folks that use eight strings. The only ones that come to mind are Fredrik Thordendal and Marten Hagstrom, the tag team from Meshuggah, and Robert Conti, a jazz guitarist.

What about Charlie Hunter? He uses an 8-string Novax guitar, IIRC, with three bass strings and five guitar strings.
That's actually a hybrid instrument of sorts.The top three strings are bass guitar strings tuned E-A-D, low to high, and set up with a bass guitar's scale length of 34 inches. He uses flatwound strings for those.

 

The guitar part is 25 1/2 inch scale, and the strings are tuned A-D-G-B-E.

 

http://www.novaxguitars.com/images/pg_8string1_sm.gif

Charlie Hunter's main 8 string from Ralph Novak

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Originally posted by Dr. Taz:

Originally posted by skipclone 1:

I`m not a master of the six-string either, but I have found it to be limiting at times. Still, I`m not familiar with this instrument. How are the extra strings arranged? in fact, is it a guitar?

I don't know too many folks that use eight strings. The only ones that come to mind are Fredrik Thordendal and Marten Hagstrom, the tag team from Meshuggah, and Robert Conti, a jazz guitarist. The 'shuggah guys tune their Nevborns F-Bb-Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-Bb-Eb, low to high. As for Conti, I'm not sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's something like A-E-A-D-G-B-E-A, low to high.

 

http://www.nevbornguitars.com/cgi-bin/guitars/Sleipner%20I/thumbs/sleipnerI4.jpg

Nevborn Sleipner I

thanks for the scoop, Taz-

many many moons ago GP had a Novax in their `monthly giveaway`. I saw the photo and thought, I would LOVE to get a closer peek at one of those.

I sent in an entry but of course, nothing happened. The only giveaway was my postage stamp.

Same old surprises, brand new cliches-

 

Skipsounds on Soundclick:

www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491

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Originally posted by Dr. Taz:

Originally posted by bluestrat:

Originally posted by Dr. Taz:

I don't know too many folks that use eight strings. The only ones that come to mind are Fredrik Thordendal and Marten Hagstrom, the tag team from Meshuggah, and Robert Conti, a jazz guitarist.

What about Charlie Hunter? He uses an 8-string Novax guitar, IIRC, with three bass strings and five guitar strings.
That's actually a hybrid instrument of sorts.The top three strings are bass guitar strings tuned E-A-D, low to high, and set up with a bass guitar's scale length of 34 inches. He uses flatwound strings for those.

 

The guitar part is 25 1/2 inch scale, and the strings are tuned A-D-G-B-E.

 

http://www.novaxguitars.com/images/pg_8string1_sm.gif

Charlie Hunter's main 8 string from Ralph Novak

That's not quite right. The scale length is different for every string, getting progressively longer from highest to lowest.
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Originally posted by Dr. Taz:

I don't know too many folks that use eight strings. The only ones that come to mind are Fredrik Thordendal and Marten Hagstrom, the tag team from Meshuggah, and Robert Conti, a jazz guitarist.

Egberto Gismonti, a Brazilian guitarist/multi-instrumentalist who recorded for ECM in the '70s, plays 8 string guitar.

 

I like 2 of his early albums, "Sol Do Meio Dia" and "Danca Das Cabecas". Both include the GREAT percussionist Nana Vasconcelos. "Sol Do Meio Dia" includes the brilliant sax player Jan Garbarek, and guitarist Ralph Towner and the late Colin Walcott from Oregon. Very highly recommended music.

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There's Big Joe Williams and his nine-string guitar... http://services.windowsmedia.com/artistpic/P12627MG1Q6.jpg

 

I know, I know, it's like a twelve-string without the extra unison-trebles...

 

But there are the seven-string and nine-string Viennese "Kontragitarre" and the Russian ten-string variant of the classical guitar.

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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