Schecter OMEN 8 String Guitar
The Schecter OMEN 8 is the best 8-string guitar for those who want something affordable that also plays well.
It has a string through the body, which increases sustain without having to have a set neck, which would cost a lot more. This 8-string guitar has great value for your dollar.
MORE INFOWhy do you need the best Best 8 String Guitar?
If you are a guitarist or have a good ear for music, you have probably heard of the 8-string guitar. An 8 string guitar is just two more strings than the normal six-string guitar. They are used by a few classical, metal, and jazz guitarists to gain more range and to have more chordal possibilities. Also, 8-string guitars look cool, and they stand out in front of other regular 6-string guitarists.
Of course, you can always tune a 6-string to cover most or all of the notes of an 8-string. But as a scientific argument, the addition of two strings allows for more variation in frequency and wavelength. This translates to being able to hit a larger dynamic range of notes. In other words, you can hit notes between F# and G that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to hit with a 6 string.
Picking the best 8 string guitar is definitely not easy. First, you must decide between acoustic or electric. then you need to look at the guitar’s specs. You should really look at things like range, the fret size, the type of body, neck width, weight, and most importantly sound quality produced and feel.
A lot of deciding between one 8 string guitar and another is in the overall craftsmanship. The best 8-string guitar for you should be whatever one you feel comfortable with the most. It needs to be very responsive, accurate, agile, and produce the best tones.
Because these guitars have been around for a while, many people just resort to well-known brands. Overall, make sure your 8-string guitar is built well. This means it is made of quality components, great assemble, and that fret and nut work. Be sure to read other people’s reviews and find out what they say about how the guitar feels when played.
Best 8 String Guitar Reviews
- Schecter OMEN 8 String Guitar
- Ibanez RG8 8 String Guitar
- Dean C850X CBK 8 String Guitar
- Agile Renaissance 8X SB EQ 8 String Acoustic Guitar
- ESP Artist LTD Signature Series JR-608
1. Schecter OMEN 8 String Guitar
Schecter is a well-known manufacturer of electric guitars that are used in high-gain applications. Believe it or not, they actually have a lot of their parts sourced from Fender and Gibson. We would view these guitars in line with some of the legendary classics but without the crazy price tags.
We think the Schecter OMEN-8 is the best 8 string guitar if you are going for affordability. In terms of specs, it has a basswood body with a maple neck with carbon fiber reinforcement rods. One of the more notable features is the Schecter custom hardtail and string through body. This string-through design helps increase sustain, without having to go the expensive route via a set neck. The neck is a bolt-on, so we are quite surprised at the amount of sustain produced.
Overall, this is a great 8-string guitar for the price. You can mod this by replacing the nuts and pickups for an even better unit. We think it sounds great with a clear tone that is bright and crisp. Additionally, it tunes quite easily and stays in tune well.
2. Ibanez RG8 8 String Guitar
The Ibanez RG8 is a nice budget friendly 8 string guitar that plays very well. What we like about this guitar is that they don’t really skimp on quality while maintaining a competitive price. Ibanez has been in the business for ages and started in the 1950s as an acoustic company. Eventually, they transitioned to making electric guitars.
The most impressive thing about the Ibanez RG8 is that it has a thin fast wizard neck. This helps with faster movements from string to string and adds to the overall feel of the guitar. However, if you have large hands, this may not be the right fit for you. In terms of the scale length, we are at 27” which is pretty standard for an 8-string guitar.
Additionally, you should know that the Ibanez RG8 has a bolt-on neck. Although we prefer to have a set neck, we can’t really expect this at such a low price point. However, we do believe that this guitar can pull off a good amount of sustain without having a set neck. Finally, we really like the hardware associated with the RG8. All in all, this is the best 8 string guitar for those who want a good bang for the buck.
3. Dean C850X CBK 8 String Guitar
You can’t go wrong with Dean Guitars, which is known for artists such as ZZ Top and Kansas. Dean is often associated with guitars with high levels of distortion. They are a top-quality brand name and have been making premium guitars since 1977.
We think the Dean 850X CBK Custom Series is the best 8 string guitar for clean crisp definition. This is an extremely affordable 8-string guitar that has great pickups with a very comfortable feel. Additionally, it has a tight low end, bright attack, a basswood body, a maple neck, and a rosewood fingerboard.
The scale length is 26 1/2, which is a shorter scale length than most of its competition. It means that there is less distance from fret to fret and results in faster playing. Of course, this also means that you may need a higher gauge to reach a clearer tone. Overall, the Dean 850X CBK is a very smooth and playable 8-string guitar. It is on par with Schecter and Ibanez.
4. Agile Renaissance 8X SB EQ 8 String Acoustic Guitar
We can’t talk about 8 string guitars without at least mentioning an acoustic version. If you want the best 8 string guitar that is acoustic, you should seriously consider the Agile Renaissance 8X SB EQ. This is an acoustic pickup with top-shelf features. These include but are not limited to a pre-amp and 3-band EQ. It also has a built-in tuner, phase switch, volume, and presence. The scale length is 25 – 27”.
In terms of build quality, this acoustic multi-scale guitar is top-notch. It has a solid spruce top, with a rosewood slanted multi-scale bridge. The neck, back, and sides are made of high-quality mahogany. In terms of feel and balance, the Agile Renaissance 8X is at the top of its class. It has a nice low action and a fast neck.
All in all, the Agile Renaissance 8X SB EQ looks great and sounds even better. It has great acoustics both plugged in and raw. We really like the lightweight premium feel. It weighs in at only 8 pounds. Also, with the Wilkenson tuners, you get improved balance.
5. ESP Artist LTD Signature Series JR-608
If you have an unlimited budget, the ESP Artist LTD Signature Series JR-608 is the best 8 string guitar for you. ESP is a well-known brand in the guitar world and is known to make really expensive masterpieces. The ESP Artist Series is a high-range 8-string guitar loaded with premium features.
Perhaps the most notable feature is the set thru the neck. This simply means that the neck is set into the body and extends through the entire body. The result of this setup means that you get increased sustain by eliminating resonance in certain areas. This feature alone allows ESP to price its guitars higher than most of its competition.
In terms of the scale length, you get a 27” scale with 24 extra-jumbo frets. You also have a Schaller Hannes- 8 Bridge and the pickups are Dimarzio Jr Custom. And because the ESP Artist LTD Signature JR-608 commands a 4 figure price tag, you also get some premium features. There is a swamp ash body, a thin U shaped 5 piece walnut neck, and an ebony fingerboard. Finally, as a cherry on top, it just looks absolutely gorgeous.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight-string_guitar
https://aminoapps.com/page/metal/2281182/history-of-the-7-and-8-string-guitar
