# 9 String Agile Intrepid



## DevinShidaker (Jun 12, 2010)

Ok, so I have no idea where this came from, I just got linked to this picture from a friend. If this is a custom, I had no idea kurt could make 9's. I figured you guys would appreciate it. Crazy.


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## Deadnightshade (Jun 12, 2010)

WTF?what scale is that thing and it can handle a high A?Also the body wood is by far the best i've seen on an agile what is it?..


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## MaxOfMetal (Jun 12, 2010)

Kurt posted that recently in one of the Agile threads as "another fun project". I believe he's looking to produce these as production Agiles, just like the current crop of 8s. 

The picture is of an incomplete prototype, and as far as I know he hasn't listed specs. Perhaps on the Agile Forum.


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## chucknorrishred (Jun 12, 2010)

QHHHHHH SHIT!! ITS ON i could skip the 8 string version when the time comes but.......i'll need a trem and at least another pickup


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## Adam Of Angels (Jun 12, 2010)

I smell trouble... can't wait to give it a go.


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## LamaSabachthani (Jun 12, 2010)

Has anyone here played a 9 string? if the standard 8th string is F#, what would a ninth be? C? would that even be audible or would you be crossing into the tonality range of a bass guitar? Nine strings would be sick to preserve the lower 8 and add a higher one, but I can only imagine you'd need FF to stop the high breaking constantly... I am intrigued by this, but also vaguely cautious.


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## BlackMetalVenom (Jun 12, 2010)

Well helloooooooooooooooooo. 

After I get my 9-string from Roter I'll have to get one of these..


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## MF_Kitten (Jun 12, 2010)

LamaSabachthani said:


> Has anyone here played a 9 string? if the standard 8th string is F#, what would a ninth be? C? would that even be audible or would you be crossing into the tonality range of a bass guitar? Nine strings would be sick to preserve the lower 8 and add a higher one, but I can only imagine you'd need FF to stop the high breaking constantly... I am intrigued by this, but also vaguely cautious.



low C# 

i was going to say it's probably another one of kurt's prototypes, but that got confirmed before i got as far


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## AcousticMinja (Jun 12, 2010)

Oooh. A low C#? I bet that'll sound gnarly for some cleans and jazz-like stuff. Can't wait to hear what people will make with this if it becomes a production model. I'm sure it'll probably be around $999...semi-expensive, but beats buying a custom if you don't have the cash. 
Hopefully this will be official soon!


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## MF_Kitten (Jun 12, 2010)

@ gnarly jazz

it's surprisingly useful for slow distorted drone stuff. and general ultra-heavy grooves.


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## Ironberry (Jun 12, 2010)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Perhaps on the Agile Forum.



Haha, nooooo. He rarely posts there in general, and I think he knew that the general consensus from there would be unpleasant. Very different board than here.


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## troyguitar (Jun 12, 2010)

Damn, guess I was too slow in getting my own 9-strings into "production" mode.


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## Necris (Jun 12, 2010)

Ironberry said:


> Haha, nooooo. He rarely posts there in general, and I think he knew that the general consensus from there would be unpleasant. Very different board than here.


Yeah, i think the first reply on that forum was someone flipping out about Kurt wasting his money and something along the lines "no-one buys 8 strings, stick with 6's". Kurt is great at growing interest and getting people talking. I'm interested to see how this turns out, hopefully they are at the very least 28.625" scale, depending on the price I may pick one up.


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## Hollowway (Jun 12, 2010)

So, he's got two side projects going - the fanned guitars and the 9 strings. Hopefully he combines them, because I think the majority of us would prefer the high A as opposed to the low C#.


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## Netherhound (Jun 12, 2010)

Maybe I'm the only one but I was hoping for a higher string instead of a lower one. Just saying. Like for me having a string down tuned to C# seems a pit pretentious and a string above the High E would appear to be more practical. 

Just some food for though.

edit: god damnit ed


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## Necris (Jun 12, 2010)

I'm not sure whether or not kurt realizes the benefits of fanned fretboards for ERG's. Or if he does he has shied away from it due to the lack of intrest in the original run of fanned 7s, despite the fact that there were a few flaws in the original design of the first run which turned people away.

I'd much rather be able to have a non-octave4plus high A on this guitar if I were to buy one, but that could only be achieved with a fan. As for the C#, since F# is already only a whole step above the standard bass having a C# wouldn't really bother me as long as it sounded decent.


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## leftyguitarjoe (Jun 12, 2010)

AWESOME. AWESOME. AWESOME.

Hot damn. I'll gladly bankrupt myself if he makes these.


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## Customisbetter (Jun 12, 2010)

Hihg A and i am there.


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## Mindcrime1204 (Jun 12, 2010)

another vote for high A instead


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## Despised_0515 (Jun 12, 2010)

Fanned fret all day, every day.


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## TheGuitarNinja (Jun 12, 2010)

That's fucking ridiculous. I vote High A, but either way it's fucking ridiculous.


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## BlackMetalVenom (Jun 12, 2010)

Low C# up in this bitch.


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## simonXsludge (Jun 12, 2010)

based on the photo i'd say it comes with a high A. doesn't look like there's an extra low string, it would look much thicker.


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## MaxOfMetal (Jun 12, 2010)

If this comes in a 25.5" or similar scale with a high A I'll actually buy another Agile. 

How does the old saying go? Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me? What would fool me six times make me? 

I kid I kid


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## xwmucradiox (Jun 12, 2010)

If you want a high A with normal strings its going to need to be a fan and its gotta go from about 23-26 inches. The tension escalates pretty quick once you start tuning up.


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## Leon (Jun 12, 2010)

VicerExciser said:


> Fanned fret all day, every day.


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## Leon (Jun 12, 2010)

TheGuitarNinja said:


> That's fucking ridiculous. I vote High A, but either way it's fucking ridiculous.


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## Hollowway (Jun 12, 2010)

xwmucradiox said:


> If you want a high A with normal strings its going to need to be a fan and its gotta go from about 23-26 inches. The tension escalates pretty quick once you start tuning up.



Yeah, but I'm not super excited about a low F# on a 26" scale. My 27" is just barely acceptable, so I'd rather increase the fan or increase the high side to 24".

And as said above, I'm not sure if Kurt is fully up to speed on the fanned idea, because IMO the first one should not have been a 7 but an 8. There's a much higher percentage of people who would require a fan on an 8 than a 7, and I'm sure many would find fanning mandatory on a 9. Though, vie never had a 9 string or a fanned instrument, so...


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## xwmucradiox (Jun 12, 2010)

24" would be too long to use a conventional string and get to high A. I think 26" would be fine for an F#. You would just need to use an .080 or something around that heavy. What you really need to consider is that adding extra strings requires much better technique and control. I think a lot of people buy 30" 8 strings because they are easier to control with all that string tension but your higher strings aren't going to work out as well. You dont need to have as good of technique with an instrument that large because the strings are so tight. If you have the necessary control you could have a perfectly fine low F at 26.


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## Hollowway (Jun 12, 2010)

^^ True, but I don't like the sound of a thicker string. I've used a .072 and .074 on my 27", and I like the tone less than the .068 on my 28.625. The thicker the string the less guitar-like it sounds, and I want to preserve that, especially on such low notes. Another possibility is to just go with a 4" fan.

One thing I can't figure out is where the breaking tension would be for a .008 string. i.e. at 24" you can get a .008 to tune to A with 16.4#, so would that break? It doesn't seem like it.


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## xwmucradiox (Jun 12, 2010)

Hollowway said:


> ^^ True, but I don't like the sound of a thicker string. I've used a .072 and .074 on my 27", and I like the tone less than the .068 on my 28.625. The thicker the string the less guitar-like it sounds, and I want to preserve that, especially on such low notes. Another possibility is to just go with a 4" fan.
> 
> One thing I can't figure out is where the breaking tension would be for a .008 string. i.e. at 24" you can get a .008 to tune to A with 16.4#, so would that break? It doesn't seem like it.



As strings get smaller they lose strength pretty quick. At that scale length you might be able to get the string to high A but its probably going to have the tension of a 12 at high E and thus will probably break really quick.


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## Xiphos68 (Jun 12, 2010)

I'm all for the High A.
Not really necessary to go lower than a F#. Unless you can play it out without being muddy at all.


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## Customisbetter (Jun 12, 2010)

I call dibs on that Ivory body.


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## RG7 (Jun 12, 2010)

Neck pickup, please please please...


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## vampiregenocide (Jun 12, 2010)

9 is just waaaaay to much for me, I can barely get to grips with an 8. However its good he's going to be making these into production models, will be nice to see what people do with them.


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## MaxOfMetal (Jun 12, 2010)

RG7 said:


> Neck pickup, please please please...


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## xiphoscesar (Jun 12, 2010)

dam in two years, people on here are gonna have 30 string guitars


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## BlackMetalVenom (Jun 12, 2010)

They should make two different fans availabe, for those that want the high A and those that want a low C#.


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## Guitarwiz2k (Jun 12, 2010)

See there... Now NEVER make promises you can't keep. < "I promise this is my last guitar. I don't need another one, I swear this is the last Ibanez I'm buying. I neeed an 8 string to cover the tunes played with an 8. " 

Now here comes a 9-string strolling down the road waiting to be picked up. :-D Here we go again with the promises!


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## Opeth666 (Jun 12, 2010)

9 strings!?!?! fuck I havn't even made it to or even played an 8 yet! i need to get on the move!


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## yevetz (Jun 13, 2010)

I was thinking about 9 string a lot, with a high A tuning, but the main problem is that I am using Elixir strings on all my guitars, Garry's strings is on another side of the world from me, the thinnest string that I could find here is 0.08. So I'd pull the trigger on 9 string guitars. But restringing of it will be a big pain in the ass for me


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## Scarpie (Jun 13, 2010)

BlackMetalVenom said:


> They should make two different fans availabe, for those that want the high A and those that want a low C#.



I am in complete agreement with you. Besides, i need an alternative to playing out, because I am NOT gigging with my oni. Not the best of areas here in these whereabouts. Unfortunately a friend of mine had his 9,000 dollar rack system just magically dissapear from the back of the rig truck while loading after a gig. I will not take that chance. Losing equipment, and money like that would just induce homicidal tendencies of epic proportions.


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## xwmucradiox (Jun 13, 2010)

Scarpie said:


> I am in complete agreement with you. Besides, i need an alternative to playing out, because I am NOT gigging with my oni. Not the best of areas here in these whereabouts. Unfortunately a friend of mine had his 9,000 dollar rack system just magically dissapear from the back of the rig truck while loading after a gig. I will not take that chance. Losing equipment, and money like that would just induce homicidal tendencies of epic proportions.



Um... pics of the Oni 9 please


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## Scarpie (Jun 13, 2010)

All in good time friend. I still await it's heavenly arrival.


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## chucknorrishred (Jun 13, 2010)

Scarpie said:


> Unfortunately a friend of mine had his 9,000 dollar rack system just magically dissapear from the back of the rig truck while loading after a gig. I will not take that chance. Losing equipment, and money like that would just induce homicidal tendencies of epic proportions.


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## Beardyman (Jun 13, 2010)

Hopefully Kurt will put these into production, and with fanned frets and a neck pup pweasee! 
I think 24-27 or 25.5-28 would be a great compromise for tuning low F#-High A. Personally, I wouldn't have a use for a Low C#, but i'd like to hear it be put to good use.


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## MaxOfMetal (Jun 13, 2010)

I'd love a 22" - 26" fan but it'll never happen unfortunately.


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## xwmucradiox (Jun 13, 2010)

A 4" fan is pretty huge. Im not sure but im guessing it would make low chording pretty tough.


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## bachandroll (Jun 13, 2010)

xwmucradiox said:


> A 4" fan is pretty huge. Im not sure but im guessing it would make low chording pretty tough.




Actually, it's a bit easier depending on your playing posture. I recently checked out a 27"-23" and consider that an ideal fan for a low B (or F# in this case) and a high A.

Oh, and thanks a lot, Kurt. Now I need to get your FF 9 string (and a backup, of course--*sigh") and program the heck out of my scheduled-to-be-purchased-by-my-birthday Fractal Audio Axe FX Ultra to accommodate the awesome range.

We guitarists are so blessed to live in such amazing times...


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## Hollowway (Jun 13, 2010)

bachandroll said:


> Actually, it's a bit easier depending on your playing posture. I recently checked out a 27"-23" and consider that an ideal fan for a low B (or F# in this case) and a high A.



Yeah, I'd rather have a 23" than a 22" on the high side. I can barely cram my fingers in the high registers at 25.5. I may just have to invest in a GG string.


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## LamaSabachthani (Jun 13, 2010)

MF_Kitten said:


> low C#
> 
> i was going to say it's probably another one of kurt's prototypes, but that got confirmed before i got as far



Thank you sir. Forgive my utter musical ignorance.


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## LamaSabachthani (Jun 13, 2010)

Necris said:


> I'm not sure whether or not kurt realizes the benefits of fanned fretboards for ERG's. Or if he does he has shied away from it due to the lack of intrest in the original run of fanned 7s, despite the fact that there were a few flaws in the original design of the first run which turned people away.
> 
> I'd much rather be able to have a non-octave4plus high A on this guitar if I were to buy one, but that could only be achieved with a fan. As for the C#, since F# is already only a whole step above the standard bass having a C# wouldn't really bother me as long as it sounded decent.



That would be infinitely preferable in my opinion. That way, you could maintain the ability to actually bend the treble strings and not have them snap in two. I wish they would do some 7 or 8 FF's... I want one very, very badly.


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## heavy7-665 (Jun 14, 2010)

They do 7s


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## BLACKFOX86 (Jun 14, 2010)

I think it looks really cool. But with the F#-A tuning I think it would be better with 27"-28.6" multiscale for that high A and that low F#.


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## xwmucradiox (Jun 14, 2010)

BLACKFOX86 said:


> I think it looks really cool. But with the F#-A tuning I think it would be better with 27"-28.6" multiscale for that high A and that low F#.



a 1.6" fan is almost not worth doing and would require a $5 custom string for every string change.


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## Krauthammer (Jun 15, 2010)

I'll take a High G with my low E 

Fan the frets on the 9 for best results(IMO). I think a short-scale, non-fanned 9 would not be for me. Perhaps the jazz? 

I told my bandmates the 7 string was all I would ever need. 10 years later, I acquire an 8string. Again, I told them that is definitely all I would ever need. And now, possibly the 9. Where is the line drawn???


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## Deadseen (Jun 15, 2010)

Krauthammer said:


> I'll take a High G with my low E
> 
> Fan the frets on the 9 for best results(IMO). I think a short-scale, non-fanned 9 would not be for me. Perhaps the jazz?
> 
> I told my bandmates the 7 string was all I would ever need. 10 years later, I acquire an 8string. Again, I told them that is definitely all I would ever need. And now, possibly the 9. Where is the line drawn???



12 individual strings, after that it's very very hard to find strings that works.


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## BlackMetalVenom (Jun 15, 2010)

Scarpie said:


> All in good time friend. I still await it's heavenly arrival.



Yeah, when the hell do you get that thing?

Make a thread in the Luthiery section maybe? 

And yeah, I would love a low C#, it'd be better than lugging around an 8 tuned to B standard and another tuned to E standard.


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## mother_board (Aug 3, 2010)

lol


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## heavy7-665 (Aug 3, 2010)

mother_board said:


> lol



Fail


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## Xiphos68 (Aug 3, 2010)

Is there any update on this guitar?


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## ixlramp (Aug 3, 2010)

Wooo! That looks great with no controls on it.


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## ncbrock (Aug 3, 2010)

BlackMetalVenom said:


> They should make two different fans availabe, for those that want the high A and those that want a low C#.


they SHOULD but doubt it. I think theyd make a fanned 8 first, and that hasnt come yet. the 9 string market isnt going to be as big as the 8 string and probably wont have that many models.

sorry to be a debbie downer


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## Variant (Aug 4, 2010)

Looks like a high A me (four plains).


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## Jarmake (Aug 5, 2010)

I don't think I could handle 9 strings.. Not sure if I can handle even 8. And when will this "more strings" madness end? At 28 strings, when you'll have to press those low strings with your forehead?


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## Peteus (Aug 5, 2010)

I think that the 9 looks amazing however practically using it is going to be an issue both playing and maintaining buying 9 strings is going to be a a bitch especially a low C#. I use an .080 for my F# so what would pep using for a C# .100 I mean the F# already sounds kinda mental and almost not guitar like?
However getting a high A string doesn't everybody find that they can get high enough using a high E on the 24th fret if not wouldn't a 29 fret 8 string be of more use preventing very pesky string changes and less chance of string breakages.


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## Gitte (Aug 6, 2010)

i sometimes dont even know what to do with 8 strings  so this will be tooooo much for me...


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## Waelstrum (Aug 6, 2010)

Peteus said:


> However getting a high A string doesn't everybody find that they can get high enough using a high E on the 24th fret if not wouldn't a 29 fret 8 string be of more use preventing very pesky string changes and less chance of string breakages.



You'd think so, but then you don't get the warm tone of a neck pickup, which is quite necessary for going that high, and having the extra string reduces the need for position changes.


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## pink freud (Aug 6, 2010)

I think people are being a bit too limited in their thinking about this. Who says you have to treat this like a regular guitar? You could easily set this up as a tapping instrument, which wouldn't necessarily use the standard string arrangement.


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## TreWatson (Aug 6, 2010)

Brown note up in dis beeeeehitch


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## vlover (Aug 6, 2010)

Im gonna sweep the fuck out of all those 9 strings!


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