Good scale length for Drop E tuning on an 8 String?

[xHaVK]

So Agile's custom shop is open again, and I'm looking at this baby here: Agile Pendulum Pro Dual Custom w/Case (Deposit for November 2012) - RondoMusic.com

Looking at the 8 string model, I wanna be able to put into Drop E (EBEADGBE).
What would ya'll think the best scale lengths would be? 27"-28.625" sounds good to me, but 27"-30" would allow me to use thinner strings on the low end. Also with the 27"-30", I'm worried the difference between the scales might be too much. Any opinions?

[Stealthdjentstic]

27-30 is fine on an 8

[sage]

I tune like that on an 82527 and have no probs

[2ManyShoes]

Originally Posted by Stealthdjentstic

27-30 is fine on an 8

+1

[Metal_Webb]

Just gonna add, I've got my 26.5" Schecter with a low Eb on there and it sounds fine. You just have to prepared to use the right thickness strings if you want a good tone out of it, that's all.

[Dayn]

I use an .086 at 27" for E. I even have a .106 for C# at 27" and it's more than usable. Going to 30" would more than suffice.

[mellis]

I've tried E on my 28.6 Intrepid with an .080 and it just sounds a little muddy to me, maybe it's just the stock Cepheus pickups? F sharp seems to be the limit of good note definition to my ears at least.

[knuckle_head]

As a matter of record - a fwiw - half step increments in scale length based on a 25.5" standard are; 25.5 - 27 - 28.625 - 30.3 - 32.1 - 34

[All_¥our_Bass]

26.5" if you don't mind thicker strings and the tone that comes with them-usually not as tight/bright/djenty, it's got a more beefy sound.
I have a Schecter 8 myself and use an 85 for F#-most people here use an 80 for F#/F on these I'm just heavy handed, so an 85-90 for E, probably.

27" and higher if you like like thin strings, and the tone they impart, also longer scale tend to sound brighter in general even with bigger strings, since it allows them to vibrate in a way that is closer to 'ideal' strings (nicer overtones, less inharmonic).

[Jessy]

Nothing that you'd call a guitar will sound good at that pitch. Yes, I've heard Tosin attempt it and fail.

[Razzy]

Originally Posted by Jessy

Nothing that you'd call a guitar will sound good at that pitch. Yes, I've heard Tosin attempt it and fail.

I've got to disagree. Tosin Abasi and Josh Travis get by just fine in E.

[Jessy]

Originally Posted by Razzy

I've got to disagree. Tosin Abasi and Josh Travis get by just fine in E.

Example, please.

This is the best you're going to get, for that pitch. Why anyone thought 34" was adequate, I have no idea. There's a reason people love Dingwalls.

[mattofvengeance]

Originally Posted by Jessy

Nothing that you'd call a guitar will sound good at that pitch. Yes, I've heard Tosin attempt it and fail.

sounds just fine to me, brah

[AnarchyDivine88]

Originally Posted by Jessy

Nothing that you'd call a guitar will sound good at that pitch. Yes, I've heard Tosin attempt it and fail.

Dude, do you know what forum you're posting on? Why even go to the ERG section of the forum if you feel that way? Just wondering. It's like when someone comments on a youtube video of a band just to say how much they suck. I mean, if you don't like the band, why are you watching their video?

[JP Universe]

Originally Posted by Jessy

bla bla bla Yes, I've heard Tosin attempt it and totally kick my ....ing ass.

AGREED!

[jeremyb]

I'd say at least 28.5", I find I need a .74 for F# on 27"...

[Jessy]

Originally Posted by AnarchyDivine88

Dude, do you know what forum you're posting on? Why even go to the ERG section of the forum if you feel that way? Just wondering. It's like when someone comments on a youtube video of a band just to say how much they suck. I mean, if you don't like the band, why are you watching their video?

Just because you love ERGs doesn't mean you think that it makes any sense to tune them to unusable frequencies, even if that's the standard. If it weren't for KoRn, this forum wouldn't exist. How much positive talk of KoRn do you see around here?

All of the low notes in that Animals as Leaders clip sound like sludge metal. Floppy, out-of tune, no overtones. If you pretend to dig that, it's because you're too much of a pansy to deal with the pain of stretching your hand to a real scale, or you're too old to hear anything above 1 kHz.

[EtherealEntity]

As much as AAL are my favourite band and Tosin is my favourite guitarist, I do also agree that their low E sounds like ass. If you check out his lessons and videos of him playing clean you can hear how floppy it is and covered in fretbuzz. Pretty bad live too. Sounds fine on distortion though! A tighter string like a 90 would probably sort out the cleans but wouldn't sound as bright on distortion. I'd also say 30 or at least 28.625 is a far better option.
Must say I don't agree with your more extreme opinions though and think 30" is perfectly sufficient.

[AnarchyDivine88]

Originally Posted by Jessy

Just because you love ERGs doesn't mean you think that it makes any sense to tune them to unusable frequencies, even if that's the standard. If it weren't for KoRn, this forum wouldn't exist. How much positive talk of KoRn do you see around here?

All of the low notes in that Animals as Leaders clip sound like sludge metal. Floppy, out-of tune, no overtones. If you pretend to dig that, it's because you're too much of a pansy to deal with the pain of stretching your hand to a real scale, or you're too old to hear anything above 1 kHz.

I don't think anyone is pretending to dig that, I mean if no one liked sludgyness, than doom metal wouldn't exist. Personally, I like a tighter sound and feel also, but I think 27" or 28" is fine if you use the right gauge (for me anyway) and 30" is definitely enough, I mean come on, that's a short scale bass length.

BTW just so you know, I'm not the one that gave you neg rep. I never give neg rep, because I don't see the point in it. You're entitled to you're opinion like everyone else.

[Andrenighthound]

I use a .090 on a 30" . Punchy as hell! Mostly play clean with it though.

Edit: I use a .090 for F# but I just ordered some .096 gauge labellas to drop to low E.

[Tiger]

My agile 7 string is tuned as EADGCEA with a .072 on a 30 inch scale. I think it sounds great. Maybe I'm not cool enough to realize it sounds bad.

[Rook]

Lol at the troll.

I managed an E just fine on my RG2228 at 27" with an 80. It wasn't real tight n stuff but it was fine, more than fine in fact.

I find that any decent gauge on any decent length is only half the story, you have to get the setup right (and by proxy have a guitar capable of being set up right) and have the right pickups or it won't work.

I have my 26 3/8" tuned to F# with a 68 - so short and thin by most standards on this site - and it sounds great, better than the RG2228 in fact.

So yeah, scale and gauge is only half the story, but an 80 on a 27" will be more than fine.

[Jessy]

Originally Posted by Fun111

Lol at the troll.

Eat poop. I'll keep on tuning up as far as I can!

[Konfyouzd]

I like 27"+

[Konfyouzd]

Originally Posted by Jessy

Eat poop. I'll keep on tuning up as far as I can!