# Agile Texan 8 custom was actually done (!)



## plyta (Oct 3, 2010)

From the Agile Guitar Forum:

















Too bad you can't really see the headstock, but looks rather Fender'ish 

Agile Guitar Forum - - NCGD!


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## Prydogga (Oct 3, 2010)

I'd be very interested to see how the single coils handle the 7th and 8th strings in balance.


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## signalgrey (Oct 3, 2010)

single coils are grossly underrated
bet it sounds awesome. My Burns baritone handles the low stuff really well and they have super bright vintage pickup tones


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## Kapee (Oct 3, 2010)

Man that would be awesome! Maby i'll have some extra money in my pocket when the custom shop is open!


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## vampiregenocide (Oct 3, 2010)

Man thats epic. I'd prefer a humbucker in the bridge myself, but for jazzy shit that probably sounds incredible.


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## possumkiller (Oct 3, 2010)

Holy fuck!! That is plum possum killin perfect!

EDIT: Wonder when that will be a regular model??? Jesus Kurt will have the biggest range of ERG guitars of any company I know of. With so many options as well.


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## Daggorath (Oct 3, 2010)

Nice.

I love teles and ERGs but I can't see as I'd ever really want to combine the 2 to this extent. I can't see any 8 string musicians out there who play the kinda stuff teles are usually used for. Then again, that doesn't mean it's a bad thing.


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## Prydogga (Oct 3, 2010)

I'm sure Inception7 (member that does tap 8 string) would love this.


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## Waelstrum (Oct 3, 2010)

Daggorath said:


> Nice.
> 
> I love teles and ERGs but I can't see as I'd ever really want to combine the 2 to this extent. I can't see any 8 string musicians out there who play the kinda stuff teles are usually used for. Then again, that doesn't mean it's a bad thing.



Apparently there's at least one.


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## Vinnydude (Oct 3, 2010)

Daggorath said:


> I can't see any 8 string musicians out there who play the kinda stuff teles are usually used for. Then again, that doesn't mean it's a bad thing.



The weird thing about you saying this, is there are ALOT of people that use tele's.

A couple of great examples are:

Jim Root - Slipknot

Tom Morello - Rage Against the Machine

John 5 - Marilyn Manson



And i'm sure there are plenty more.


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## possumkiller (Oct 3, 2010)

I want a 3 single strat just like that. Maybe with black plastics though. Im not that crazy about tortoise. Those singles are sweet too! I hope they become available in the parts section! And become an option on Intrepids, Interceptors, and the upcoming fanned fret models.


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## Demiurge (Oct 3, 2010)

Vinnydude said:


> The weird thing about you saying this, is there are ALOT of people that use tele's.
> 
> A couple of great examples are:
> 
> ...





Teles are actually great for heavy music- I wouldn't have believed it until I tried one myself of course. The lower-output pickups reduce the risk of having that over-gainy sound, and that tele twang and punch sounds pure evil once detuned.


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## Daggorath (Oct 3, 2010)

Vinnydude said:


> The weird thing about you saying this, is there are ALOT of people that use tele's.
> 
> A couple of great examples are:
> 
> ...



No, this looks more like a traditional tele, and not just a tele-shaped guitar with different hardware. I suppose I'm generalising, there's nothing that says you cannot play other styles on a tele - I'm just saying that I don't see many ERG bluegrass, country, blues or classic/alt rock players.


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## Philligan (Oct 3, 2010)

Daggorath said:


> I love teles and ERGs but I can't see as I'd ever really want to combine the 2 to this extent. I can't see any 8 string musicians out there who play the kinda stuff teles are usually used for. Then again, that doesn't mean it's a bad thing.



If not all the time, it would at least be great to keep around for clean stuff.

Shit, I want this guitar so bad right now haha.


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## possumkiller (Oct 3, 2010)

Daggorath said:


> No, this looks more like a traditional tele, and not just a tele-shaped guitar with different hardware. I suppose I'm generalising, there's nothing that says you cannot play other styles on a tele - I'm just saying that I don't see many ERG bluegrass, country, blues or classic/alt rock players.


 
Ive played all sorts of metal just fine on Strats (traditionally equipped), Gretsch hollowbodies (traditionally equipped). I really dont get all this certain guitars for certain genres BS. Its all fine and dandy for someone to chug on an LP but not a Tele? My friends stepdad plays a Warlock in his blues/country/gospel group just because he loves the neck on it. 

Its the man not the machine.


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## Randy (Oct 3, 2010)

That headstock looks different.


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## josh pelican (Oct 3, 2010)

The headstock is a complete Fender rip, but it appears to say Agile.

Nevertheless, this fucking rules. I would never buy a 7 or 8 string telecaster... but I'm glad this has happened.


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## ellengtrgrl (Oct 3, 2010)

Daggorath said:


> Nice.
> 
> I love teles and ERGs but I can't see as I'd ever really want to combine the 2 to this extent. I can't see any 8 string musicians out there who play the kinda stuff teles are usually used for. Then again, that doesn't mean it's a bad thing.


 


Vinnydude said:


> The weird thing about you saying this, is there are ALOT of people that use tele's.
> 
> A couple of great examples are:
> 
> ...


 

Yep, not everybody wants a strat styled 7 or 8-string. You can play heavy music single coils - you just have to work a bit more at dialing things in. But you know what, like using a hollowbody for heavy guitar sounds, it not only sounds cool, but you don't end up sounding like every other Tom, Dick, or Harriet. 

I would SO LOVE to have a T8 Texan!


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## ellengtrgrl (Oct 3, 2010)

possumkiller said:


> Ive played all sorts of metal just fine on Strats (traditionally equipped), Gretsch hollowbodies (traditionally equipped). I really dont get all this certain guitars for certain genres BS. Its all fine and dandy for someone to chug on an LP but not a Tele? My friends stepdad plays a Warlock in his blues/country/gospel group just because he loves the neck on it.
> 
> Its the man not the machine.


 



Ask Samers sometime, about playing my Gretsch Country Club through his Peavy 3120. IIRC, the first words out of his mouth were, "wow! does this thing ever scream!" I have no problems with playing single coil guitars or hollowbodies at mega gain. It's not better or worse than your typical LP, or super-strat style HB equipped guitar - just different. Ditto for playing clean. Many players assume Teles are only twang machines. Tell that to Jim Campilongo, Bill Frisell, or Ed Bickert, who play jazz with theirs. 

It gets kind of old dealing with the mindset, that certain guitars are only good for certain things. I deal with that a lot on the Gretsch forums, where many of the members seem to feel that playing a Gretsch at high gain, is a terrible thing, and that they should only be used for twangy oldies rock & roll, rockabilly, or Chet Atkins-style country. Why pigeonhole yourself?


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## Grand Moff Tim (Oct 3, 2010)

Uh oh, a slanted pickup with a straight bridge! It's going to sound like shit!


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## Customisbetter (Oct 3, 2010)

So beautiful.


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## chucknorrishred (Oct 3, 2010)

wow, wonder whats the deal with the pickups on this


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## Black_tear (Oct 3, 2010)

Suddenly i feel the urge of listening to some 8 string chicken picking


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## JamesM (Oct 3, 2010)

Grand Moff Tim said:


> Uh oh, a slanted pickup with a straight bridge! It's going to sound like shit!



I hope that was a joke.


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## possumkiller (Oct 3, 2010)

Looks like an enlarged version of the mormal Strat/Tele/Pbass/Jbass headstock that they used to use to me. It wasnt a complete ripoff of Fender but Kurt changed it anyway.


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## jaretthale78 (Oct 3, 2010)

throw a tremolo on dat bits and im in.


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## Grand Moff Tim (Oct 3, 2010)

The Armada said:


> I hope that was a joke.


 
Your hopes are not in vain!


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## LamaSabachthani (Oct 3, 2010)

I suppose having an 8 with single coils that was a bit more twangy would probably push one in quite an interesting new musical direction actually. I recently started playing a tele (wish I'd bought one years ago, they are fantastic instruments) and I noticed that I had started to unconsciously change my playing style (not only in terms of phrasing but also what I was actually playing) in order to get the most out of the distinct tone of the guitar. Makes me wish I could get a Texan 8 now...


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## Holy Katana (Oct 3, 2010)

Daggorath said:


> Nice.
> 
> I love teles and ERGs but I can't see as I'd ever really want to combine the 2 to this extent. I can't see any 8 string musicians out there who play the kinda stuff teles are usually used for. Then again, that doesn't mean it's a bad thing.


Sure, you wouldn't normally think of country players playing an 8-string, but Teles are also used in fusion. And indie, but that has the same sort of unwritten "no ERGs allowed" rule that country does. That said, if I had one of these puppies, I'd write some 8-string indie.




possumkiller said:


> Ive played all sorts of metal just fine on Strats (traditionally equipped), Gretsch hollowbodies (traditionally equipped). I really dont get all this certain guitars for certain genres BS. Its all fine and dandy for someone to chug on an LP but not a Tele? My friends stepdad plays a Warlock in his blues/country/gospel group just because he loves the neck on it.
> 
> Its the man not the machine.




I can get some awesome metal tones out of my Ibanez AS-73, which is a semihollow. Granted, it's more of a sludge/doom-type sound, but I dig it.


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## LamaSabachthani (Oct 3, 2010)

Because I've never played one through an amp, I'm going to ask: what does a hollowbody sound like when you run it through an amp?


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## BrainArt (Oct 4, 2010)

LamaSabachthani said:


> Because I've never played one through an amp, I'm going to ask: what does a hollowbody sound like when you run it through an amp?



Fucking awesome, that's what they sound like through an amp.


I've got even more Tele GAS, now. Do want.


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## Thaeon (Oct 4, 2010)

Daggorath said:


> Nice.
> 
> I love teles and ERGs but I can't see as I'd ever really want to combine the 2 to this extent. I can't see any 8 string musicians out there who play the kinda stuff teles are usually used for. Then again, that doesn't mean it's a bad thing.



I know a couple of guys who would be murdering people just to get a shot at playing this guitar. Both are classic rock/jazz players. One a student and the other an instructor at my school. The student is already trying to figure out how to get ahold of an 'Fender' 8 with single coils just for the possibilities in extended chord voicings... I have a feeling that 8 is gonna be the new 6.


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## Grand Moff Tim (Oct 4, 2010)

When I played guitar in a black metal band, I actually preferred to use my Hamer ES-335 copy over my Hamer superstrat copy, because tremelo-picked chords sounded much more articulate further up the neck. Everyone should have a hollowbody lying around


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## LamaSabachthani (Oct 4, 2010)

Thaeon said:


> I know a couple of guys who would be murdering people just to get a shot at playing this guitar. Both are classic rock/jazz players. One a student and the other an instructor at my school. The student is already trying to figure out how to get ahold of an 'Fender' 8 with single coils just for the possibilities in extended chord voicings... I have a feeling that 8 is gonna be the new 6.



Perhaps, but I doubt it. Most people I know see Tosin Abasi and go 'WOOOW 8 strings?!' like they could never have even possibly fathomed the idea of such an instrument.


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## Holy Katana (Oct 4, 2010)

LamaSabachthani said:


> Because I've never played one through an amp, I'm going to ask: what does a hollowbody sound like when you run it through an amp?


Like Jesus titfucking Karina Hart.


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## ellengtrgrl (Oct 4, 2010)

LamaSabachthani said:


> Because I've never played one through an amp, I'm going to ask: what does a hollowbody sound like when you run it through an amp?


 
It's a bit rounder sounding. And, at high gain, they sound very throaty.


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## E733 (Oct 5, 2010)

Always dug the tele design. 

Looks pretty sweet as an 8 string


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## Peteus (Oct 5, 2010)

If you have chance could you record a vid interested to what you are going to do with it!


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## darren (Oct 5, 2010)

That headstock looks like the original Agile/SX headstock before they changed it to the gumby headstock they use now. Kurt may have allowed it on a custom.

Killer looking guitar... i bet it just slays.


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## Konfyouzd (Oct 5, 2010)

Daggorath said:


> Nice.
> 
> I love teles and ERGs but I can't see as I'd ever really want to combine the 2 to this extent. I can't see any 8 string musicians out there who play the kinda stuff teles are usually used for. Then again, that doesn't mean it's a bad thing.


 
Yea I'm kinda feeling like this too. That looks like a novelty guitar to me. Cool... But I dunno...


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## bostjan (Oct 5, 2010)

I'd love to hear that thing in action. 

Does anyone have spec's like tuning and scale length?

And for the record, country guys were some of the first ERG electric players, so in some ways this makes perfect sense.


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## pink freud (Oct 5, 2010)

Daggorath said:


> Nice.
> 
> I love teles and ERGs but I can't see as I'd ever really want to combine the 2 to this extent. I can't see any 8 string musicians out there who play the kinda stuff teles are usually used for. Then again, that doesn't mean it's a bad thing.



Isis drop-tuned to F for some songs on their six strings.


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## Konfyouzd (Oct 5, 2010)

bostjan said:


> I'd love to hear that thing in action.
> 
> Does anyone have spec's like tuning and scale length?
> 
> And for the record, country guys were some of the first ERG electric players, so in some ways this makes perfect sense.


 
Really? I didn't know that... Anyone in particular I might check out?

Also, I *shouldn't* be surprised since it's just an extended range, but I'm guilty of thinking "low end" every time someone mentions an ERG... Ironically... Play any chords on my low B.


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## Holy Katana (Oct 5, 2010)

bostjan said:


> I'd love to hear that thing in action.
> 
> Does anyone have spec's like tuning and scale length?
> 
> And for the record, country guys were some of the first ERG electric players, so in some ways this makes perfect sense.


Yeah, but only six-string baritones.


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## ivancic1al (Oct 5, 2010)

pink freud said:


> Isis drop-tuned to F for some songs on their six strings.



example:




Sounds heavy as hell to me, with plenty of punch. 

I dig single coils for heavy music. If you have the right band/bass player, it can sound as heavy as you want it.


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## bostjan (Oct 5, 2010)

Holy Katana said:


> Yeah, but only six-string baritones.



In a sense, yes. But also country players were the first ones to add strings to the electric steel guitar, taking it from six to seven to eight and eventually ending up with ten strings as the industry standard. Some steel guitarists have thirteen strings.

Keeping the timeline in perspective, which is all pre-Steve-Vai, I think that the expansion of range with baritones and extra strings on steel guitars is worth noting in the pages of history.

Also, modern country does not seem to follow the same basic ideals. In the 40's and early 50's, it was country music that took on the influence of jazz and blues to make "cat" music- the earliest iteration of modern rock. Back then most country guys were more interested in pushing boundaries than in sticking to tradition. These days it seems to me to be just the opposite.

Regardless of this history, I would love to see how an eight string tele would be used, whether in rock, country, metal, pop, blues, or jazz.


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## Holy Katana (Oct 5, 2010)

Kurt should do a 7-string Argus next. I would buy it in an instant. Instead of the Jazzmaster-style bridge, it could have a Kahler 7.

I realize this opinion is contrary to just about everyone else's in this forum, since people just seem to hate the Jazzmaster here.


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## pink freud (Oct 5, 2010)

Holy Katana said:


> Kurt should do a 7-string Argus next. I would buy it in an instant. Instead of the Jazzmaster-style bridge, it could have a Kahler 7.
> 
> I realize this opinion is contrary to just about everyone else's in this forum, since people just seem to hate the Jazzmaster here.



I'd be most interested in a semi-hollow. Preferably one with a unique body shape (not a gibson or ric copy).


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## JamesM (Oct 5, 2010)

bostjan said:


> In a sense, yes. But also country players were the first ones to add strings to the electric steel guitar, taking it from six to seven to eight and eventually ending up with ten strings as the industry standard. Some steel guitarists have thirteen strings.
> 
> Keeping the timeline in perspective, which is all pre-Steve-Vai, I think that the expansion of range with baritones and extra strings on steel guitars is worth noting in the pages of history.
> 
> ...



And though it is generally not used in an "ERG" sense but more in a harmonic resonance sense, this:


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## Philligan (Oct 6, 2010)




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## Holy Katana (Oct 10, 2010)

pink freud said:


> I'd be most interested in a semi-hollow. Preferably one with a unique body shape (not a gibson or ric copy).


That would be cool, but I already have a semihollow, and I'd rather have a seven-string Jazzmaster-type guitar that you can get outside of Japan (since Schecter have a seven-string Jaguar-type guitar that's Japan-only, albeit without a trem) than another semihollow.

I already know of a company that makes four semihollow sevens, albeit Gibson copies, as well as several fully hollow sevens, acoustic sevens, and classical sevens: http://www.mattraines.com/pages/cfProduct_Intro.cfm


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## plyta (Oct 11, 2010)

Holy Katana said:


> That would be cool, but I already have a semihollow, and I'd rather have a seven-string Jazzmaster-type guitar that you can get outside of Japan (since Schecter have a seven-string Jaguar-type guitar that's Japan-only, albeit without a trem) than another semihollow.
> 
> I already know of a company that makes four semihollow sevens, albeit Gibson copies, as well as several fully hollow sevens, acoustic sevens, and classical sevens: http://www.mattraines.com/pages/cfProduct_Intro.cfm



http://www.mattraines.com/pages/product_display_traditional7.cfm

holy shiet, 7 string archtop for $500USD


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## MaxOfMetal (Oct 11, 2010)

Holy Katana said:


> That would be cool, but I already have a semihollow, and I'd rather have a seven-string Jazzmaster-type guitar that you can get outside of Japan (since Schecter have a seven-string Jaguar-type guitar that's Japan-only, albeit without a trem) than another semihollow.
> 
> I already know of a company that makes four semihollow sevens, albeit Gibson copies, as well as several fully hollow sevens, acoustic sevens, and classical sevens: http://www.mattraines.com/pages/cfProduct_Intro.cfm





plyta said:


> http://www.mattraines.com/pages/product_display_traditional7.cfm
> 
> holy shiet, 7 string archtop for $500USD



I'd read some reviews on Raines before buying one. They seem to be quite hit or miss. I myself have worked on a couple of pretty ragged ones. From what I've heard though, the quality is getting a bit more consistent.


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## op1e (Oct 11, 2010)

Was this above, or below a G ??? So want the 7 with that headstock.


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## Holy Katana (Oct 11, 2010)

plyta said:


> http://www.mattraines.com/pages/product_display_traditional7.cfm
> 
> holy shiet, 7 string archtop for $500USD


Where did you find that? I can't see it on the list of models.


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## dnoel86 (Oct 11, 2010)

Vinnydude said:


> A couple of great examples are:
> 
> Jim Root - Slipknot
> 
> ...



Tom Morello is the only one of these three who's actually got single coils in his tele.

Anyways, that thing looks sweet.


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## Kamikaze7 (Oct 15, 2010)

possumkiller said:


> Ive played all sorts of metal just fine on Strats (traditionally equipped), Gretsch hollowbodies (traditionally equipped). I really dont get all this certain guitars for certain genres BS. Its all fine and dandy for someone to chug on an LP but not a Tele? My friends stepdad plays a Warlock in his blues/country/gospel group just because he loves the neck on it.
> 
> Its the man not the machine.



Ahh, so true... Hell, the guy from Burnt By The Sun plays a Ricenbacker semi-hollow body through a 5150, and look at the tone they get...

So with that being said, I'm sure that 8-string tele is a sweet axe. And I also agree with the guy who said that Tele's sound evil when drop tuned... I have tested that theory with my buddy's American Tele Deluxe, and it was rather surprising the sound I was able to get from single coils!!!


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