[Nik]

Originally Posted by NegaTiveXero

Why can't people just settle on what they can get. If you want an affordable production eight, you shouldn't be going all out on the construction. I love the first design. I've tuned my 25.5" 7-String to F# with a fucking .70 with an Invader pickup, and it sounded perfectly fine. It sounded fine on the stock neck pickup. In all honesty, a 27" or 28 5/8" scale would be fine. I don't want to pay extra for fanned frets. On top of that, I don't like maple boards. I wouldn't buy that second design for anything, unless it was SUPER cheap. But with all the crap you guys are doing to it, I'll end up spending more for the Halo 8 or something.

I'd also prefer a 27" to fanned-frets, but some people seem bent on having an extra inch-and-a-half added to the scale, so the fanned-fret was supposed to be a compromise. If Kurt says no to fanned frets, then the argument starts again

I think, just like in the other thread, a poll is in order...

[technomancer]

Originally Posted by NegaTiveXero

Why can't people just settle on what they can get. If you want an affordable production eight, you shouldn't be going all out on the construction. I love the first design. I've tuned my 25.5" 7-String to F# with a fucking .70 with an Invader pickup, and it sounded perfectly fine. It sounded fine on the stock neck pickup. In all honesty, a 27" or 28 5/8" scale would be fine. I don't want to pay extra for fanned frets. On top of that, I don't like maple boards. I wouldn't buy that second design for anything, unless it was SUPER cheap. But with all the crap you guys are doing to it, I'll end up spending more for the Halo 8 or something.

Ok I'm with you except for the maple board. I would much prefer the maple board to rosewood, which are the options according to Kurt. Actually except for the fanned frets everything in the second design is realistic according to Kurt.

[darren]

Kurt didn't say fanned frets were unrealistic, just that they'd add at least $100 to the price. Depending on where the rest of the specs bring the price in, it still may be feasible.

[TMM]

Damn... that looks amazing. I'd buy it if it was $1500 or under.

[metalfiend666]

Darren, you're new designs are looking awesome! Brilliant work. The only point I will raise is the pickups need to be angled inline with the fan, ie the bridge pickup must be angled more, to keep the sound the same as a regular guitar. If not you are effectively angling the bass side of the pickup towards the neck. Other than that I'd say they are perfect.

Having played a 25.5 to 28" fanned 8 it really is the best compromise for those wanting it to still feel like a guitar and not a bass. It also has a surprisingly good effect on note clarity. If you've never played a fanned fret instrument before the angled frets mean the "clang" tones of each string at a given fret position are different, making the individual notes much easier to identify in complex chords. I know what you're probably thinking, it's bullshit. So did I until I played one.

[b3n]

Very nice Darren. You're not helping my Wallet here...

[urklvt]

Originally Posted by NegaTiveXero

Why can't people just settle on what they can get. If you want an affordable production eight, you shouldn't be going all out on the construction. I love the first design. I've tuned my 25.5" 7-String to F# with a fucking .70 with an Invader pickup, and it sounded perfectly fine. It sounded fine on the stock neck pickup. In all honesty, a 27" or 28 5/8" scale would be fine. I don't want to pay extra for fanned frets. On top of that, I don't like maple boards. I wouldn't buy that second design for anything, unless it was SUPER cheap. But with all the crap you guys are doing to it, I'll end up spending more for the Halo 8 or something.

I am totally with you man. I'll be getting the Halo anyway, but would have preferred it to be 28 5/8". For that reason I love Darren's first design. It is PERFECT. It has a sufficiently radical design and all the basic features that any of us would need. And I'm saying that even though I designed the damn Halo 8! But honestly, you can't get a fucking 6 string anywhere with those additional features for the price we want to pay, let alone a 7 or an 8, so a little reality check might be in order.

[Hexer]

personally I wont buy an 8 anytime soon so my opinion isnt worth much in this thread but I really like the looks of that. personally I would preffer an ebony fretboard, but what the heck...
about the scale: I would prefer a fairly long scale, but not VERY long and I'd really like to try fanned frets. I'd think something around 28" would be a good idea at least for the low-end (if we're talking fanned). I mean: I have tried playing that Carpenter 27" 7-string and I hardly felt any difference to 25.5"....

but I wont be getting any of those 8s anytime soon so dont listen to me

[Jason]

Originally Posted by TMM

Damn... that looks amazing. I'd buy it if it was $1500 or under.

Gurantee it will be I'd be suprised if it was over $799..the most expensive guitar I have seen rondo sell is $529 or $629

in regards to neg zero and urklvt...if you don't like it don't buy it..

[Jeff]

I'm totally in, with only one requirement: That it's 28" scale. Anything else, I don't give a shit for a ~ $600 8-string.