# Rondo/Agile $499 "Base" Model 8 String Guitar



## The Echthros (Apr 14, 2008)

Since it looks like Kurt has ideas for a second base model 8 we might as well get a thread going to discuss what we as the customer would like to see in this model.

A) So far it looks like we all just about want it to be a passive equipped guitar and Kurt is looking to add his own 8 string pickup if it happens. Any other low cost alternatives?

B) It also looks like it may be a set neck(Kurt's original suggestion) or a bolt-on. Each has it's own pros and cons and is something that needs to be discussed.

C) There is also the question of tone woods to be used. Kurt has not yet made a suggestion of what his plans may be but most popular at this time seems to be alder or ash; imagine the neck would be maple. On the topic of neck, it has been suggested to utilize either rosewwod or ebony for this model.

D) Lastly, there is the finish. many want color on this model and we need to discuss what kind of color we want. Do we want solid/metallic finishes as found on the septors? Do we want transluscent colors to highlight wood grain(good idea with ash)? Do we want high gloss finishes or satin finishes?

With these questions in mind I would prefer bolt on maple neck to an ash body, translucent satin finish, and a passive in house pickup. Darren had some pretty good mockups on finishes over ash and I think that may be a good starting point for this model.

let's get this thread started!


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## plyta (Apr 15, 2008)

A) There are no low cost alternatives. Use them Agile pickups. 
B) Bolt On FTW IMHO 
C) Ash body + Maple neck + Rosewood freatboard 
Ebony fretboard was out of question in the previous thread, because of the price for 8 string neck width pieces
D) This body and neck finish:


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## Desecrated (Apr 15, 2008)

this is a question

I'm sure that ash and bolt on will sound good on the lowest 2 strings , but what about on the other 6 -strings, will it just sound honky tonky country twang or will there actually be a good tone?


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## plyta (Apr 15, 2008)

Bulb has an all maple 30 incher with them ice cold Lundgrens. 

Can anyone say it sounds bad? 

I think ash is very versatile and highly musical body wood. If I can make it sound good with single coils in a Strat, it'll sound godly in humbucker equiped 8 string 

Besides it looks pure sex with transparent finish


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## Metal Ken (Apr 15, 2008)

Desecrated said:


> this is a question
> 
> I'm sure that ash and bolt on will sound good on the lowest 2 strings , but what about on the other 6 -strings, will it just sound honky tonky country twang or will there actually be a good tone?



To quote Dave, "Ash makes everything sound better."


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## bostjan (Apr 15, 2008)

Ash looks great with that sort of finish. My father's fretless bass has an ash body with the finish that shows the texture of the woodgrain. It worked out very well. Transparent finishes also look great.

There are more and more eight string pickups out there...but:
a) they are not cheap
b) they may be limited in availability
c) they may not be voiced to the liking of the plurality of customers

For low-cost instrument, a bolt-on neck should suffice. There is absolutely nothing wronmg with this construction and it'll allow some people to use Agile necks someday for their own project guitars, possibly...much as RG7 necks have been used.

I would also like to mention that there are plenty of tonewoods out there in abundance that are not as thouroughly discussed.


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## The Echthros (Apr 15, 2008)

Im the one who suggested the pirate bass open grain finish pn the other thread...so fo course im kind of partial to that color/finish

I also think darren's suggestion for charcoal as well as maybe vintage cherry satin or like a white washed satin would be cool too

also case in point for ash bodies...LOOMIS. need I say more?


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## TemjinStrife (Apr 15, 2008)

Ash body is fine (I love the tone) , I'd go for a maple/rosewood or maple/maple set neck and possibly an S-H pickup configuration, so we can get some good cleans.

I'd want a green, red, or amber transparent finish.


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## Desecrated (Apr 15, 2008)

The good thing about a bolt on is that we can do any scale we fell like because it's easy to get a new neck. 

I would love to see an 8-string version of this with a fixed bridge. 





But with alder body and a 28.625" and maple fretboard.


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## Desecrated (Apr 15, 2008)

Is anybody up for a 30" ?

Something like an alder body, black paint, bolt on, rosewood neck, 1 pickup, meshuggah wannabe guitar :-D


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## Drage (Apr 15, 2008)

Desecrated said:


> Is anybody up for a 30" ?
> 
> Something like an alder body, black paint, bolt on, rosewood neck, 1 pickup, meshuggah wannabe guitar :-D


 
This, plus an extra pickup.


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## MF_Kitten (Apr 15, 2008)

ash or alder is fine, scale from 28.625" to 30" is nice. i would make it exactly like the mockup darren made, with the transparent charcoal and maple board, with the single pickup. maple board because it brightens the tone, and i think that would be a good thing in this case. also, it looks great with the darker body 

as for the neck, i think bolt-on would be good for this one. it´s budget-friendly, but also flexible, as you can get new necks, use the old neck for other things, and you can remove the neck for different kinds of adjustments.

other than that, it´s perfectly awesome


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## Desecrated (Apr 15, 2008)

Okay idea, what about some bindings, to get it looking a little more sassy ? Just some white binding on the body and neck.


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## TimSE (Apr 15, 2008)

Desecrated said:


> Okay idea, what about some bindings, to get it looking a little more sassy ? Just some white binding on the body and neck.



not a fan of binding myself


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## TemjinStrife (Apr 15, 2008)

Binding is rather labor-intensive. We're looking at a budget model here, and I'd rather have other options open than just binding.


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## TimSE (Apr 15, 2008)

TemjinStrife said:


> Binding is rather labor-intensive. We're looking at a budget model here, and I'd rather have other options open than just binding.


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## MF_Kitten (Apr 15, 2008)

remember that this is the "budget" model... meaning barebones simplicity 

plus i don´t think the binding would look nice with the charcoal finish... maybe if it were black or colored, but how can anyone turn down something as sexy as that damn charcoal?


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## kristallin (Apr 15, 2008)

I like the idea of a translucent satin finish over ash, the grain is just going to pop out at you beautifully. In-house pickup, I've heard a lot of good things about the Agile stock pups, so why the hell not? I'd give a choice between a maple and a rosewood board, though, rosewood sounds more mellow than maple, so if it's not too cost-prohibitive to implement it may be cool to give that option.


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## OwlsHaveEyes (Apr 15, 2008)

30" scale, Maple neck, Ebony fretboard, Ash Body, same design as the Interceptor, 2 passive pickups, fixed bridge, green burst satin finish, matching headstock, bolt on


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## TheIllustratedLuthier (Apr 15, 2008)

plyta said:


> Bulb has an all maple 30 incher with them ice cold Lundgrens.
> 
> Can anyone say it sounds bad?
> 
> ...



The maple in Bulb's is to accentuate the low 2 strings, as was previously mentioned. All other 8's I personally build, have been of Swamp Ash and sound more balanced, IMHO.


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## sakeido (Apr 15, 2008)

OwlsHaveEyes said:


> 30" scale, Maple neck, Ebony fretboard, Ash Body, same design as the Interceptor, 2 passive pickups, fixed bridge, green burst satin finish, matching headstock, bolt on



and so begins another ridiculous thread


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## MF_Kitten (Apr 15, 2008)

TheIllustratedLuthier said:


> The maple in Bulb's is to accentuate the low 2 strings, as was previously mentioned. All other 8's I personally build, have been of Swamp Ash and sound more balanced, IMHO.



bulb has always wanted his guitars really really bright


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## TMM (Apr 15, 2008)

A) Agile Pickups, as there are no low cost alternatives.

B) Bolt-on as long as the heel is minimal.

C) Ash body, no question. Ebony or Maple fretboard, no rosewood.

D) I'd like to see a black satin finish with matching headstock and either off-white or smoky pearloid binding around the whole body/neck/headstock.


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## darren (Apr 15, 2008)

sakeido said:


> and so begins another ridiculous thread



Indeed. 



il_echthros_777 said:


> A) So far it looks like we all just about want it to be a passive equipped guitar and Kurt is looking to add his own 8 string pickup if it happens. Any other low cost alternatives?
> 
> B) It also looks like it may be a set neck(Kurt's original suggestion) or a bolt-on. Each has it's own pros and cons and is something that needs to be discussed.
> 
> ...



A) The whole reason Kurt is looking at making his own in-house Agile 8-string pickup is because there simply *are* no low-cost alternatives. If there were, he'd be using them. If the Agile pickups end up being cost-effective, it would be nice to see a neck pickup added. From what i've heard, the passive pickups on the latest Interceptor models have been quite good.

B) If the "pro" model is neck-thru, i would personally like to see this model be bolt-on, just so there is a little more differentiation between the two.

C) I think alder or ash would be fine choices for body woods, with my preference leaning toward ash for a nice "snap" and "growl" to keep the notes articulate on a bolt-on guitar. Ebony for the fretboard will not be an option, even rosewood may be cost-prohibitive for the target selling price, but if people want it, Kurt can investigate the potential cost implications.

D) At the $499 price point, i would imagine the finishes will have to be relatively straightforward: Solids or transparents (no bursts). Anything that adds time and human intervention to the process also adds cost.

And i think we can pretty much forget things such as:
- binding
- figured tops
- exotic woods
- fancy inlays
- etc.

They're just not going to happen at this price point.

I think going even longer on the scale length is also going to be a challenge. Personally, that's the point at which it ceases being a guitar and starts becoming a short-scale bass. The neck and bridge would have to be set deeper into the body in order to keep it balanced, and if people still want good upper-fret access, the body design would have to be modified.

On this model, i think one core guiding principle needs to be kept in mind: Keep it simple.


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## SevenDeadly (Apr 15, 2008)

I would very much like this shape. If it is possible to do so and stay economical as well.


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## darren (Apr 15, 2008)

Well, that would end up being a different model. 

If this process goes well, maybe Kurt would consider doing an 8-string Interceptor for those who prefer more of an RG-ish "superstrat" shape. I chose the shape of the Defiant bass as the starting point because i wanted something a little less "shred" and more conservative in looks.


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## Justin Bailey (Apr 15, 2008)

OwlsHaveEyes said:


> 30" scale, Maple neck, Ebony fretboard, Ash Body, same design as the Interceptor, 2 passive pickups, fixed bridge, green burst satin finish, matching headstock, bolt on



would you like fries with that?

I posted before in this thread, but I guess it didnt get through... anyways here is what I said..

this should be even simpler than the pro model.

bolt on maple neck, with rosewood board (to further differentiate between the two

alder or ash body, with some kind of natural finish. For a couple reasons, number one; it's cheap. Number two; it'll be easier to paint it if someone wants a specific color, because there is no way, we'll come up with one color that everyone will love. Treat this much like we treated the neck pickup on the pro model; we'll leave it off, but you can always put it on kind of a thing. 

Asking for all the crazy colors and options is just pointless, this thread is about getting a production model 8, not your own personal signature. If you want a purple to orange burst with an engraving of danny divito, then you can call kurt up and get a custom, because it wont be on this one 

That being said I wouldn't mind if we could get it with the old rounder interscepter pro body....


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## MF_Kitten (Apr 15, 2008)

i think darren is spot-on here, and tbh i would much rather have the exact guitar from the 499$ mockup... don´t alter it further than that, just keep it exactly like that 

-ash, charcoal finish
-maple neck, maple fretboard
-single passive pup

and bolt-on sounds just fine as well


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## ibznorange (Apr 15, 2008)

Metal Ken said:


> To quote Dave, "Ash makes everything sound better."



hes totally right


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## saastara (Apr 15, 2008)

MF_Kitten said:


> i think darren is spot-on here, and tbh i would much rather have the exact guitar from the 499$ mockup... don´t alter it further than that, just keep it exactly like that
> 
> -ash, charcoal finish
> -maple neck, maple fretboard
> ...



I agree. It'd be very versatile yet very low on costs to manufacter a guitar with those kind of specs.. And that's what we are looking for right..? 

If I might add something to those, and if the agile-passive pups don't get price way up high, I'd recommend a neck pickup. I'm quite shure there are many of us who would find it very usable..  Plus this would create more variety between this model, and the "pro" model.

But of course, if the neck pickup and routing for it are an obsticle in getting the price down to 499$, then of course we should go with the single bridge pickup.


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## Ishan (Apr 15, 2008)

string spacing is different for a neck pickup, so they'll have to manufacture another set of bobins, uping the price a bit I guess.


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## TemjinStrife (Apr 15, 2008)

I'd love to see an 8-string Strat-style single-coil, but that's something I'd have to rout for myself and hit up the Duncan Custom Shop for. I'm for the single pickup so that I have that option available.


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## TMM (Apr 15, 2008)

SevenDeadly said:


> I would very much like this shape. If it is possible to do so and stay economical as well.



+22003


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## The Echthros (Apr 15, 2008)

> I would very much like this shape. If it is possible to do so and stay economical as well.


sooo....in other words youd like to see an interceptor 8? i think its cool but its not the proposed "Base" model.

Im glad to see Darren providing input as he seemed kind of reluctant to start another thread. Sure, it may start as some mindless option craming at first...but wasnt the first thread like that as well in the beginning?

Keep the suggestions coming so we can put together a list of most reuested specs here in the near future!


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## Hcash (Apr 15, 2008)

MF_Kitten said:


> i think darren is spot-on here, and tbh i would much rather have the exact guitar from the 499$ mockup... don´t alter it further than that, just keep it exactly like that
> 
> -ash, charcoal finish
> -maple neck, maple fretboard
> ...



That's a great base model. I'd only change the fretboard. I haven't followed any of these threads and don't know much about this. But, I'd only put a volume knob on it. If it did ended up having a neck p/u then add a selector, but that would cut the cost a couple more pennies... And did anyone else notice that the inlays on that Ibanez RG8 mockup are misplaced... 3,5,7,10,13,15,17,19, 21, 24...


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## bostjan (Apr 15, 2008)

I've seen guitars before with 3 5 7 10 12 15 17 19 etc, but never seen one with a marker on the 13th.

Now that I'm playing without a neck pickup, I've realized that I miss it even less than I anticipated. I think it'd be a swell way to cut costs.

Routing for a single coil could be great, too, except it'd be a huge set up to make single coils as well as humbuckers. If you find an aftermarket SC-8 and route it yourself, you could maybe even put a four lead HB in the bridge and wire it for phase-cancelation to reduce the noise, although it'd give a bit a of a brighter tone that way.


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## Desecrated (Apr 15, 2008)

darren said:


> Indeed.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I agree with this. 
Not sure about the scale yet,


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## TemjinStrife (Apr 15, 2008)

bostjan said:


> I've seen guitars before with 3 5 7 10 12 15 17 19 etc, but never seen one with a marker on the 13th.
> 
> Now that I'm playing without a neck pickup, I've realized that I miss it even less than I anticipated. I think it'd be a swell way to cut costs.
> 
> Routing for a single coil could be great, too, except it'd be a huge set up to make single coils as well as humbuckers. If you find an aftermarket SC-8 and route it yourself, you could maybe even put a four lead HB in the bridge and wire it for phase-cancelation to reduce the noise, although it'd give a bit a of a brighter tone that way.



Yeah, I realize that adding a 8-string SC is cost prohibitive. That's why I'm a fan of no neck pickup, so if I decide I want it I can get one from the Duncan Custom Shop and rout for it myself... Granted, considering the clarity and general sound of a Strat, a 3-SC 8 string would be awesome... but that's for custom stuff, not for this thread.

What all that means: no neck pickup if it's really not needed


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## Cancer (Apr 15, 2008)

I am REALLY excited about the Pro model of the 8 string that's been proposed. The specs are looking great, the price is amazing, and once more we banded together as a community to get stuff done.

That being said, I don't think this budget model is a good idea.

The RG 2228, right now, is the reigning standard in production 8 string guitars, as that's ONLY because the other competitors haven't released their wares yet. ESP/LTD is looking to do same, with more or less the same specs (their releasing two models ..a 25.5 and a 27, specs we have already tossed out the window as making zero sense). Whatever they end up doing, if they repeat history, their 8's will simply be copies (more or less) of Ibanez's, done simply so they can grab some the spotlight that Ibanez currently has with players interested in going 8, without actually taking the requests of players into account.

I could get wordy here, so I'll just get to the point, instead of thinking cheaper, I think we should be thinking BIGGER. For example, when the first Interceptors were released they were really good, but they had some problems (I should know I had 2 at one point). We took these problems to Kurt and he responded by releasing the Iinterceptor Pro, which, not only has met with RAVE reviews, but I think proves that, as community, we are willing to shell out more money for quality product with specs that make sense (I think our interest in KXK proves that as well).


Again, to get to the point. The PRO model 8 string should be the base model, stay at the price point where it currently sits, and any model after should be an EXTENSION of the base. Examples, different wood options, electronics option, and perhaps most importantly multi-scale (the lack of which IMO is the fatal flaw of all of our current production 8 string choices).

Will it jack up the price?, of course it will. So to end I suggest the following, set the base price of the UberPRO (or whatever you want to call it) at 999$ and keep adding features to the PRO (base) model until a mutually beneficial point is reached between Kurt's profitability and our desired feature set.

The PRO, it is stands, ALREADY smokes the other production offerings. Why not keep it going?


Just my 2 cents.




oh...and one more thing. The multi-scale should allow the player to choice or either having a low string or a high string without any undue tension difficulties, this way you can sell the UberPro to both (more cost effective than building two different 8 strings). I leave that to the tension geniuses in our village to figure that one out.


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## TemjinStrife (Apr 16, 2008)

Umm... and this is probably gonna be pointed out by everyone above me, but Kurt has said that it is prohibitively expensive to create multiscale instruments since standard fret slotters that slot multiple boards at a time do not work.

I like the idea of the low- and middle-end options... without multiscale, aiming at a $1000 price tag (which seems to be a bit beyond Rondo's usual spec anyways without a custom order) a high-end Rondo instrument is missing the point; it's competing with ESP and Ibanez on their own level.


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## Desecrated (Apr 16, 2008)

Cancer said:


> I am REALLY excited about the Pro model of the 8 string that's been proposed. The specs are looking great, the price is amazing, and once more we banded together as a community to get stuff done.
> 
> That being said, I don't think this budget model is a good idea.
> 
> ...





Why not do both ?


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## darren (Apr 16, 2008)

The main reason i'm participating in this thread is to point out that most of the things being suggested or requested have already been reasoned out in the 2.5 years of discussion and development in the previous thread. 

I think Kurt wants the $499 model because it fits into his business. He has learned enough through his retail activities to know that $500 is a psychological threshold for a lot of people, so if he can get an instrument under that price point in a niche category, he's going to sell a lot of them, because it becomes an easier "impulse" buy.

I think a bolt-on ash model would be a great instrument in its own right. And i'd also love to see an "Elite" model that includes exotic tops, stained and bursted finishes and maybe a neck pickup.

But the possibility of either line extension is months away.


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## Emperoff (Apr 16, 2008)

il_echthros_777 said:


> With these questions in mind I would prefer bolt on maple neck to an ash body, translucent satin finish, and a passive in house pickup. Darren had some pretty good mockups on finishes over ash and I think that may be a good starting point for this model.
> 
> let's get this thread started!



You pretty much nailed it!


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## darren (Apr 16, 2008)

What is it with people on this forum and green guitars?


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## GuitarG2 (Apr 16, 2008)

darren said:


> What is it with people on this forum and green guitars?


 
Well, the starting eRep bars are green, so for many SS.orgers a green guitar reminds them of their forum childhood, their thanked post virginity.


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## TemjinStrife (Apr 16, 2008)

There aren't many other green guitars out there.

Green + gold hardware + white pickups = beautiful.


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## bostjan (Apr 16, 2008)

UV Green Dot?


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## Desecrated (Apr 16, 2008)

darren said:


> What is it with people on this forum and green guitars?



I honestly don't know, I hate green in everyday life but when I see a green guitar my heart jumps two beats.


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## darren (Apr 17, 2008)

If i had a list of colours i'd want on a guitar, green would be at or near the bottom, just above pink. (Although a pink Hello Kitty strat would be an exception.)

About the only green guitar i've liked the look of was the one i helped Kevan design for Rob Balducci:


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## Desecrated (Apr 17, 2008)

darren said:


> If i had a list of colours i'd want on a guitar, green would be at or near the bottom, just above pink. (Although a pink Hello Kitty strat would be an exception.)
> 
> About the only green guitar i've liked the look of was the one i helped Kevan design for Rob Balducci:



O nooz, it's a burst. I'm 50 % allergic to guitars with burst, tobacco burst, sunburst, silverburst, they are all the guitarworlds resemblance of country clubs buffets.


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## ElRay (Apr 17, 2008)

Desecrated said:


> O nooz, it's a burst. I'm 50 % allergic to guitars with burst, tobacco burst, sunburst, silverburst, they are all the guitarworlds resemblance of country clubs buffets.


I like the same color getting darker, almost black, towards the edges style of burst, but not the radically different colors style. That Carvin Dragonburst and tri-color 'bursts just look really weird to me.

Ray


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## Desecrated (Apr 17, 2008)

ElRay said:


> I like the same color getting darker, almost black, towards the edges style of burst, but not the radically different colors style. That Carvin Dragonburst and tri-color 'bursts just look really weird to me.
> 
> Ray



I agree, like a dark red guitar that gets gradually darker near the edges, but I've never understood the bright colors that goes black. Or even worst bright colors that switch to another bright color like a yellow guitar with a red burst :shiver:


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## ElRay (Apr 17, 2008)

Desecrated said:


> I agree, like a dark red guitar that gets gradually darker near the edges


 'nuff said.


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## MF_Kitten (Apr 17, 2008)

i, for one, like silverbursts on les paul shaped guitars


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## Cancer (Apr 17, 2008)

darren said:


> I think Kurt wants the $499 model because it fits into his business. He has learned enough through his retail activities to know that $500 is a psychological threshold for a lot of people.





darren said:


> I think Kurt wants the $499 model because it fits into his business. He has learned enough through his retail activities to know that $500 is a psychological threshold for a lot of people.



....and who, exactly, are these people?


I'm going to preface this by saying it is absolutely NOT my place to tell Kurt (or anyone else for that matter) how to run their business, so I apologize now if it comes off this way, but when I go to Rondo Music I see guitar across 3 spectrums, elementary, middle , and high (much like school...hehhehheh). I would submit to you now that an 8 string, is NOT an elementary instrument. It just isn't. Sure someone with drive and dedication could make it work and learn its secrets, but I would bet that, at least for the time being, the average guitar noob who wants learn who to play Meshuggah, will probably (hopefully) have enough intelligence know that a 499$ 8 string it probaly not where he wants, OR WORSE, he'll buy it, compare it to rg 2228 and then realize that he my have made a mistake which then might cast doubt upon the PRO (which he should've purchased in the first place).

That, and I would further submit, that Rondo could be gaining credibility among ERG players, which "massaged in the correct direction" could have a huge and positive impact on Rondo's bottom line the future. You see proof of that in the Interceptor series. Version 1 had cautious players purchasing that and offering feedback (and in some cases selling the guitar outright because of some of the issues), meanwhile Version 2 can barely be kept in stock. Players interested in ERG now know who Rondo Music is, but that momentum could ruined with the release of a perceptionally inferior product (because really the 499$ job could end up being a fine guitar).

Truthfully, if the 499$ was released first, then I probably would'nt have as much of an issue, but to release the PRO and then go "backwards" just seems like a bad idea to me. 

Put another way, what would have happened if the Iinterceptor Pro was released first (assuming it had the version 2 improvements), THEN the Interceptor (assuming it has the same version 1 issues)?


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## Drew (Apr 17, 2008)

honestly, dude, even the 7's are departures for Rondo. How many $650 Rondos can you think of that _aren't_ sevens? 

Their business niche is making solid playing affordable guitars. They've done very well over the years doing this, producing $200-500 guitars based on "traditional" designs that can compare well to their more expensive bretheren, and have developed quite the following on internet discussion boards. Kurt's already taken kind of a gamble by even considering an 8 here; asking him to rethink his _entire business model_ seems a little much, just because you want to see a bigger Rondo, you know?

Right now they're in a pretty good place, a lot of people say their strat style and LP style guitars are as good as if not better than the real thing. In short, they're reputed to be a great "bargain" builder, making "namebrand-quality" guitars for a hell of a lot less than the name brands. It's a little tough to drop that overnight and try to remarket yourself as a botique builder, and it's a HELL of a lot harder to market yourself as a botique builder while _continuing_ to produce budget models like this, something that is seriously augmented by the fact that we're talking 8 string guitars, a design with an already limited appeal. 

My personal thoughts are that based on specs I'm more interested in the "budget" model than the "pro" model; maple board (probable), passive pickups, ash (probable) body. As long as it's anything but black, lol.


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## TemjinStrife (Apr 17, 2008)

Drew said:


> As long as it's anything but black, lol.


+1. I have far, far too many black guitars.

Also, the ERG market is a teeny niche of the guitar-buying public. Investing in and building a whole bunch of $1000+ 8-strings is not only risky and against previous business practices for Rondo, but it also puts them in direct competition with Ibanez and ESP, who are much more established names and generally something Rondo seeks to avoid... plus, for that money most would buy the Ibanez or ESP simply on name recognition.

Cheap 8-strings are not a dime a dozen, and I think Rondo would do better to release the lower-priced ones and stick with them, as that stands out far more than just trying to compete with other brands. It also marks them as forward-thinking, which can be a bad thing in some guitar circles, but is a good thing in my book and probably in many of your books as well!


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## Cancer (Apr 18, 2008)

TemjinStrife said:


> Cheap 8-strings are not a dime a dozen, and I think Rondo would do better to release the lower-priced ones and stick with them, as that stands out far more than just trying to compete with other brands. It also marks them as forward-thinking, which can be a bad thing in some guitar circles, but is a good thing in my book and probably in many of your books as well!



I can understand this logic, the whole "going where your competitors aren't" sorta thing, and it does make good business sense. Ultimately I think it would cool to see a "bigger Rondo" especially since he seems to listen to us more than Ibanez has lately. That said, I also relaize that being "bigger" comes with it own share of problems.


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