My recent 8 string build :)

Serratus · June 2015

I finished this a few weeks ago (mainly just as an experiment to see if I could do it!) and I got asked on another forum to do a demo of the drop-tuning -> thought you guys might want a look!
It's a fan-fret 8-string (26.5" to 28"), one piece wenge body with bookmatched myrtlewood front, brazilian mahogany one piece neck with Pau ferro fingerboard, 16” radius, narrow/high fretwire, fixed bridge with (initially) a Duncan designed active pickup, to be replaced later!
On the bottom 3 strings I've got a zero fret and an extra nut a whole tone further back. I designed and built a little device out of stainless steel that pushes each string onto the zero fret, which you can lift out of the way to drop the note down to the extra nut.
So here's a quick video of me using the capo thing to drop the bottom strings! Only recorded on my phone so it's probably all treble!!!lol But hopefully you get the idea (used my Kemper with a heavy Engl profile).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFaiA9ss6tw

http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m622/Serratus1/Pic%2035_zpsejujk5ti.jpg

http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m622/Serratus1/Pic%2043_zpsln3srbqk.jpg

http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m622/Serratus1/Pic%2044_zpsdsy62bwc.jpg

http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m622/Serratus1/Pic%2040_zps1qdnugog.jpg

http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m622/Serratus1/Pic%2039_zpsaitmuylz.jpg

Plukky · June 2015

Wow!

octatonic · June 2015

That looks amazing.

Interesting how you've joined the top with some diagonal grain.

What was the thinking with that?

BigMonka · June 2015

Wow, that's amazing craftsmanship, and the little extra nut device looks very impressive - not that I've got any idea what it's for!!

octatonic · June 2015

BigMonka said:

Wow, that's amazing craftsmanship, and the little extra nut device looks very impressive - not that I've got any idea what it's for!!

Looks like it extends the string length by a semi-tone and a tone.

GuyBoden · June 2015

Great build, very impressive, just a question, no criticism, it's a great guitar, but what was the idea behind not using the nut to hold the bass strings in position behind the zero fret?

monquixote · June 2015

That looks brilliant.

Awesome skills.

Serratus · June 2015

GuyBoden said:

Great build, very impressive, just a question, no criticism, it's a great guitar, but what was the idea behind not using the nut to hold the bass strings in position behind the zero fret?

Well, effectively the zero fret for the bass strings is the partial fret that's a whole tone lower (halfway along the headstock), and so they have their own nut behind that If the other nut went the whole way across the fingerboard then it would get in the way of the bass strings when they're dropped back to the lower note. Did that make any sense???!!lol

Serratus · June 2015

octatonic said:

That looks amazing.

Interesting how you've joined the top with some diagonal grain.
What was the thinking with that?

I bought the bookmatched top cut at that angle so I just left it as it was - when I knew I was building a fan-fret I decided to use this top because the diagonal grain matched the angled bridge

stonevibe · June 2015

Should be in the 'Making a Harp' section.

Looks great!

Hertz32 · June 2015

Thats BRILLIANT

How do you have it tuned? I have my 8 in 9 string standard skipping the F# so; C# B E A D G b e

What are you replacing the Duncan active with? I quite liked the Duncan designed active I played, I have a set of EMG 808's you maight be interested in?

Serratus · June 2015

It's just standard 8-string at the moment F# B E A D G b e, then the bottom three strings can be dropped to E A D

I'm actually not sure if I'm gonna replace the pickup now - my plan was to only use it as a temporary thing to test it all out, but it actually sounds pretty good. They're based on the Blackout apparently. However, I did make sure the cavity under the bridge plate is big enough to take a Bareknuckle 9-string pickup! Because the pickup is at an angle across the strings, a 9-string pickup would cover the whole width of the strings better, and the BKP passive 9 is about the same width as a standard soapbar 8, so it would fit ok. I would probably make a cover for it out of wenge if I did that. So we'll see!