[BrianCarroll]

^ +1

Anyway, an update from Tak Hosono (Ibanez representative) about the future "straight-fretted" RG8:

The concept of fretted guitar/bass is fundamentally a compromise, but this compromise also gives them a character.Why straight fretted 8 strings guitar is a HUGE compromise? The Ibanez custom shop has been working with the artist like Fredrik Thordendal,Marten Hagstrom of "Meshuggah" for a long time before come up with our production RG8 model.The RG8 may not have a perfect intonation for every single strings but they sure have a great sound and playability.

http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showth...t=30837&page=3

[Jeff]

Let's see, a $800 or $900 dollar Ibanez 8 string made in Korea, or a $600 Agile/Brice made in Korea? I'll take the Agile/Brice, thanks.

[Tubbs Mcgee]

It's funny how nobody on that thread recognized any of the people in those pictures. I'm pretty sure I know every one of them AND their basses. Anyway, yeah. I'm starting to want an 8 string more and more now.

I'm just worried about the cost, etc. I mean, a normal RG7 goes for around like, 350-450 now, and I would imagine this would be higher.

EDIT: Dammit, I posted late. Nevermind about the price then. However, I don't care about anything else; I'M GETTING AN IBANEZ!!1111oneoneone

[bostjan]

This is not the first time Ibanez said an eight was coming out 'next year.' No matter how many years go by, it's always 'next year.' I'm sure I'll give them plenty more money over my lifetime, but I think they have seriously lost my trust on this issue…like ten months ago.

A big company should have its shit together better than this. I won't be surprised if, in 2007, they promise an eight out in 2008. Sure, it'll come out sooner or later, as long as people keep begging for one. The time for them to make an eight string was around 2000. Better late than never, I guess.

[Nik]

Originally Posted by Jeff

Let's see, a $800 or $900 dollar Ibanez 8 string made in Korea, or a $600 Agile/Brice made in Korea? I'll take the Agile/Brice, thanks.

If Ibanez release an 8, I doubt it'll be a mere $800-900. I'd expect it to be at least around $2000. Anyway, I suppose the scale on Meshuggah's 8s would give us a realistic idea on what to expect if there is a production model. What are they, 30"?

[BrianCarroll]

Yeap

[Tubbs Mcgee]

Originally Posted by bostjan

This is not the first time Ibanez said an eight was coming out 'next year.' No matter how many years go by, it's always 'next year.' I'm sure I'll give them plenty more money over my lifetime, but I think they have seriously lost my trust on this issue…like ten months ago.

A big company should have its shit together better than this. I won't be surprised if, in 2007, they promise an eight out in 2008. Sure, it'll come out sooner or later, as long as people keep begging for one. The time for them to make an eight string was around 2000. Better late than never, I guess.

Well, it gives me more time to save up for one then. It's really hard for me to find an 8 string I like, so saving up until an Ibanez 8 comes out would be a good idea, even if I find a better one in the meantime. I'm sure this applies to anyone who wants it.

Originally Posted by Nik

If Ibanez release an 8, I doubt it'll be a mere $800-900. I'd expect it to be at least around $2000.

That's a RIDICULOUS price. Why would they make a production model that costs as much as some fully custom ones? It might be over 1000, but I highly doubt it will go up to 2000 if they're modelling it after the RG series.

[Nik]

Originally Posted by Tubbs Mcgee

That's a RIDICULOUS price. Why would they make a production model that costs as much as some fully custom ones? It might be over 1000, but I highly doubt it will go up to 2000 if they're modelling it after the RG series.

The Universe costs about that much

And an 8-string is a much more exotic instrument than the Universe. Good 8-string pick-ups right now cost arond $400 a pair, and 8-string hipshot is about $100... you get the idea. It's a pricey ordeal to make an 8 right now, and since there's not a huge market for 8s, Ibanez will probably only make a small run of 8s, which will also bump up their price. This will likely result in a price tag similar to, if not higher, than a Universe.

[Rick]

Originally Posted by Nik

The Universe costs about that much

And an 8-string is a much more exotic instrument than the Universe. Good 8-string pick-ups right now cost arond $400 a pair, and 8-string hipshot is about $100... you get the idea. It's a pricey ordeal to make an 8 right now, and since there's not a huge market for 8s, Ibanez will probably only make a small run of 8s, which will also bump up their price. This will likely result in a price tag similar to, if not higher, than a Universe.

I'm not too sure I'm gonna want to pay that much for one then.

[bostjan]

If it happens to be a signature model, it will be very expensive. For just a plain old RG8, which I highly doubt we will see, it will retail around $1500 most likely, which would be around $1000 street price. So that's the best case scenario I see, but I may be wrong.

The reason it won't be so cheap is that there are no cheap parts for eight stringers.