# Custom 8 string all walnut



## myconfidenceinu (Oct 14, 2009)

Hi folks. I don't post in here often, but just thought I'd give you a little update on a guitar I'm currently getting built by Ged Green from Manchester UK, which will use a banjo scale length. Here are the specs:

8 string guitar
26-3/16 scale length (banjo scale length)
5 piece neck
Neck through construction (with ziricote bookmatched top and thin layer of quilted maple)
Cocobolo fretboard, side dots only
14" neck radius
24 Jumbo frets
Kahler 2318 silver tremolo
All black hardware
Bare knuckle holydiver pickup (Bridge)
Q tuner MediumZ Bass Pickup (Neck)


UPDATE: New pic on page 3!


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## Apophis (Oct 14, 2009)

sounds really interesting, post some pics asap


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## somn (Oct 14, 2009)

cool cant wait to see more


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## CAPTAIN SARG (Oct 14, 2009)

whats the body shape?


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## myconfidenceinu (Oct 14, 2009)

thanks guys. I have a carvin 7 string which I love and I'm using that as a 'basis' for the 8 string (not entirely happy with the reach to the top frets with the 7 string). I have attached a pic of the body shape I'm going for, I'm not one for wacky designs. I will be taking pictures every month as the guitar progresses and will upload them to this thread


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## Ironberry (Oct 14, 2009)

Won't that thing be a brick?


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## myconfidenceinu (Oct 14, 2009)

I already have an all-walnut guitar and I love it. The weight doesn't bother me


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## Hollowway (Oct 14, 2009)

myconfidenceinu said:


> thanks guys. I have a carvin 7 string which I love and I'm using that as a 'basis' for the 8 string (not entirely happy with the reach to the top frets with the 7 string). I have attached a pic of the body shape I'm going for, I'm not one for wacky designs. I will be taking pictures every month as the guitar progresses and will upload them to this thread


 
What guitar is in the pic, there? I like that, but tineye can't find it.


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## myconfidenceinu (Oct 15, 2009)

here's a link - custom work


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## darren (Oct 15, 2009)

Walnut sounds great... it's got the snap and growl of maple with some of the warmth of mahogany. It's used a lot in basses, but not as much in guitars for some reason. It'll probably make a GREAT 8-string.

I like the body shape mod. It's vaguely reminiscent of Meshuggah's old Nevborn guitars.


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## phaeded0ut (Oct 15, 2009)

Walnut is beautiful and I have to admit that I've always loved Claro Walnut tops on guitars and basses. Looking forward to seeing some pictures of this as it takes shape and of course the finished product.


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## myconfidenceinu (Oct 24, 2009)

Tremolo finally arrived a couple of days ago, so the design can finally start -





Does anyone know where I could get hold of an 8 string locking nut? We're going to contact Kahler and see if they'll make one, considering they've made a 7 string one before. If not, I'm then going to try and get the Ibanez one from their 2228 guitar. If we can't get that either, we'll end up making our own.


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## Erik Hauri (Oct 24, 2009)

I think you will like the walnut very much - a really underrated wood in guitar building IMO. The bass players discovered this a long time ago.

If you go with the ziricote top (and I LOVE ziricote) you might think about chambering it, but watch out for the neck dive, especially if the body is not much wider than a standard 7.


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## myconfidenceinu (Oct 24, 2009)

I already have an all-walnut 7 string and love it, that's why I'm getting this one all walnut too  I don't find the guitar too heavy at all, but I know what you're talking about with the neck dive though. We might end up having to make it a 5 piece neck or something to make it less heavy. We've already decided to make it neck-through construction instead of a 1 piece guitar - too much difficulty with 2 truss rods.


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## Mattmc74 (Oct 24, 2009)

I love the look of walnut. Can't wait to see some pics of it.


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## ChrisLetchford (Oct 25, 2009)

that Black Limba/Koa 7 is nice man!


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## Durero (Oct 25, 2009)

looking forward to seeing this


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## plyta (Oct 25, 2009)

You could have gotten it together with the trem - Kahler produces 8 string locking nut:





Kahler eight string locknut

And you can get the Ibanez one from ibanezrules for a bit more dough.


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## myconfidenceinu (Oct 25, 2009)

ok thanks. He forgot to order the locking nut at the time, but he's going to order it tomorrow.


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## vansinn (Oct 25, 2009)

I've seen comments suggesting Floyd locks works better than the Kahler, but I have no personal idea..
You might wanna do some searching on the subject; been discussed in many places..


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## myconfidenceinu (Oct 25, 2009)

I've already searched a lot about it, but I figured they said the locks behind the nut weren't very good, not the actual locking nut style? Can anyone clarify this?


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## myconfidenceinu (Dec 21, 2009)

updated pic of the guitar so far, still a lot of shaping, rounding etc to do. this is just to give a basic idea


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## Justin Bailey (Dec 21, 2009)

awesome been a fan of your work for some time. Can't wait to see this one finished!


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## myconfidenceinu (Dec 22, 2009)

yet another pic now showing both wings


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## Winspear (Dec 22, 2009)

Awesome, can't wait to see this finished. Looks very much like the custom I'm planning


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## xmetalhead69 (Dec 22, 2009)

the walnut looks sick


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## phaeded0ut (Dec 23, 2009)

Very pretty thus far!


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## myconfidenceinu (Jan 13, 2010)

update, still a while to go


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## damigu (Jan 14, 2010)

that looks totally sick so far!! 

EDIT: excellent choice with the BKP + q-tuner pairing. that's what i have and it gives such a huge range of tones from beautiful to downright nasty (the good kind of nasty, that is)!!


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## myconfidenceinu (Jan 14, 2010)

Yeah I was hoping for a big range of tones, and I didn't want something overly powerful. I've gone out on a limb with the BK, having heard some demos on youtube, and by each pickups description. I know the Q Tuner will sound good though, having 1 in one of my 7 strings. The only disappointment with the Q Tuner pickup is the lack of single-coil switching. I'll still be able to split the BK, but wanted to have the neck pickup split too. Oh well


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## SPBY (Jan 14, 2010)

Solid walnut is going to be heavy as shit, i have an 1982 solid walnut 6 string strat (not a stratocastor ) and it weighs a good 10+ pounds


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## myconfidenceinu (Jan 14, 2010)

I already have a solid walnut guitar and love it. Sitting or standing. Walnut varies in weight, and the piece this guitar is made out of isnt too bad.


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## myconfidenceinu (Mar 19, 2010)

new pic


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## SYLrules88 (Mar 19, 2010)

fkin gorgeous! i love walnut so much.

that fretboard aint too shabby neither!


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## Customisbetter (Mar 19, 2010)

I love that carve on the elbow rest.


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## myconfidenceinu (May 8, 2010)

Here are some more pics. Used my camera phone, isnt very good - guitar should be finished within the month though, at which point ill use a professional camera to take the pictures


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## Customisbetter (May 8, 2010)

SEx on a stick.


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## Randy (May 8, 2010)

Fuck, that thing is amazing.


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## myconfidenceinu (May 8, 2010)

quite disappointed with the latest pics, dont do it justice. still some sanding to do then the multiple finishes will be applied - gloss the entire body, then rub down the neck so it has a matte/satin feel and look.


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## SYLrules88 (May 8, 2010)

yummy!


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## Defsan (May 8, 2010)

myconfidenceinu said:


> still some sanding to do then the multiple finishes will be applied - gloss the entire body, then rub down the neck so it has a matte/satin feel and look.


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## Hollowway (May 8, 2010)

Man, that I'd nice! Thanks for the photo updates, too!


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## MF_Kitten (May 8, 2010)

IMO, coil split on a q-tuner would be absolutely pointless. you can get tones close to an acoustic pickup, good enough to render a piezo obsolete, so i don't think you'd need it brighter. and remember that you can fine tune it to tweak the frequency response.


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## myconfidenceinu (May 9, 2010)

Yeah, would have still been nice to have the extra tonal option, but oh well  I'll still have a coil splitter for the bridge pickup though.


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## bucketbot (May 9, 2010)

That's gonna be awesome!!!

I used to have this Carvin DC400CW but sold it to help finance my 8 string.


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## myconfidenceinu (May 9, 2010)

bucketbot said:


> That's gonna be awesome!!!
> 
> I used to have this Carvin DC400CW but sold it to help finance my 8 string.



Wow love it! Especially the Holdsworth headstock! Do you prefer the Ibanez 8 string or wish you still had the Carvin?


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## bucketbot (May 9, 2010)

myconfidenceinu said:


> Wow love it! Especially the Holdsworth headstock! Do you prefer the Ibanez 8 string or wish you still had the Carvin?



One other reason I sold it is if you look at my post on my RG2228 you will see that I also have a Custom Jem.
Done by Max Cottam...you may even know of him as also from Manchester?

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/extended-range-guitars/118168-rg2228-with-bkp-painkillers.html

I found that every time I felt like picking up a guitar with a Trem I always went for that one & I love it! So the DC400 never got used much.

Definitely loving the RG2228 especially with the BKP Painkillers.
Have found it a lot easier to play than I expected.


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## simonXsludge (May 9, 2010)

myconfidenceinu said:


>



maaan, i'm jealous of you already. holy shit!


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## Soopahmahn (May 9, 2010)

Love the cocobolo! Body is an excellent design  I almost bought a walnut Telecaster once, I loved the tonal balance of the wood. Keep it going!


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## Alekke (May 9, 2010)

S*I*C*K ! ! !


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## jsousa (May 9, 2010)

looks pretty sick!


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## revclay (May 9, 2010)

What a tasty beast. Clips will be required upon completion.


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## leandroab (May 9, 2010)

bucketbot said:


> That's gonna be awesome!!!
> 
> I used to have this Carvin DC400CW but sold it to help finance my 8 string.



Those inlays, they look familiar...


ALAS!












Diablo 1


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## Aurochs34 (May 10, 2010)

SO BEAUTIFUL!


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## Soopahmahn (May 11, 2010)

leandroab said:


> Those inlays, they look familiar...
> 
> 
> ALAS!
> ...



Diablo inlays = +rep.


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## german7 (May 11, 2010)

god stuff, keep working.


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## shogunate (May 11, 2010)

Guitars, and walnut specimens in particular, make me wonder why some people ever paint over the wood....


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## myconfidenceinu (May 13, 2010)

+1 shogunate. I hate painted guitars. natural all the way


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## Ernesto (May 13, 2010)

It's beautiful. I need to contact Mr. Green.


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## myconfidenceinu (Jun 12, 2010)

new pic! it'll be finished in a week or so, one more coat to go then on to buffering! (dont worry fretboard was covered, just peeled off for the picture) i'll also be posting better higher-resolution pictures tomorrow once i get them from Ged - this one was just with my camera phone!


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## metalvince333 (Jun 12, 2010)

wow man its freakin gorgeous!


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## Yen (Jun 12, 2010)

awesome


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## Hollowway (Jun 12, 2010)

Holy crap that's amazing!!!! You are one lucky dude!


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## Aris_T (Jun 12, 2010)

This is A W E S O M E ! ! ! 

Congrats on choosing Q-Tuners for the neck! It should sound amazing on such a fine wood selection!


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## Deadnightshade (Jun 13, 2010)

This is so classy you can get married with it !


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## Stealthdjentstic (Jun 13, 2010)

Wow that looks shinier than a greased up deaf guy!


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## 77zark77 (Jun 13, 2010)

Fantastic ! great job !


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## avenger (Jun 13, 2010)

WOW!

That thing is incredible!!


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## simonXsludge (Jun 13, 2010)

this is gonna look epic when done. good taste, sir.


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## vampiregenocide (Jun 13, 2010)

Looks beautiful, this is going to be awesome.


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## CFB (Jun 13, 2010)

Wow, really cool!


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## Dragonfly (Jun 13, 2010)

myconfidenceinu said:


> new pic! it'll be finished in a week or so, one more coat to go then on to buffering! (dont worry fretboard was covered, just peeled off for the picture) i'll also be posting better higher-resolution pictures tomorrow once i get them from Ged - this one was just with my camera phone!



Probably a dumb question, but why should the fretboard be covered?
Is that because of the oiling, why can't that be on the fretboard?

Oh, and this guitar really looks awesome! 

And I agree about painting guitars, that's just weird when you have such nice woods


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## myconfidenceinu (Jun 13, 2010)

Thanks guys!  I'm unbelievably happy with its progress, and can't wait to get my hands on it! I don't think I can ever look at a painted guitar the same way ever again - just not in the same class. As to the fretboard being covered - fretboards should not have a finish on them! They are the only part of the guitar that should have no finish at all, so you cover them when your spraying the guitar! You just clean it with lemon seed oil whenever you change strings. 

P.S. Yen? where in Ayrshire are you from? I actually come from East Ayrshire, near Loudoun Hill. Currently living in Manchester, but travel back up at the end of month!


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## Yen (Jun 13, 2010)

myconfidenceinu said:


> P.S. Yen? where in Ayrshire are you from? I actually come from East Ayrshire, near Loudoun Hill. Currently living in Manchester, but travel back up at the end of month!



I'm from Stewarton, but I'm living & working in London for the rest of this year.


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## myconfidenceinu (Jun 13, 2010)

ah! Didnt realize anyone else from that area knew what an extended range guitar was


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## Neil (Jun 13, 2010)

Very nice.


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## damigu (Jun 16, 2010)

i came.


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## myconfidenceinu (Jun 17, 2010)

just received 3 new pics - picking it up Saturday (fingers crossed)


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## Customisbetter (Jun 17, 2010)




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## s_k_mullins (Jun 17, 2010)

Looks damn good! Congrats


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## MF_Kitten (Jun 17, 2010)

the reflection makes it look like there´s a huge "pit" dug into the top right next to the tremolo 

looks great!


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## damigu (Jun 17, 2010)

...

i came again.


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## SD83 (Jun 17, 2010)

Customisbetter said:


>


Exactly my reaction.


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## Ben.Last (Jun 17, 2010)

That body is absolutely gorgeous


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## Daggorath (Jun 19, 2010)

That's ridiculous. I'm lovin the thin flamed maple layer that's visable on the arm cutout.


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## gfactor (Jul 2, 2010)

Holy dick on a face.
That guitar makes me want to have sex... 

...with that guitar.


..or play it or whatever.



But seriously, congratulations


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## Aurochs34 (Jul 7, 2010)

gfactor said:


> Holy dick on a face.
> That guitar makes me want to have sex...
> 
> ...with that guitar.
> ...


 


SD83 said:


> Exactly my reaction.


 
x 2...


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## SYLrules88 (Jul 19, 2010)

oh shit i posted in this thread a while back and forgot about it! i think i thought it was done or something. damn, walnut is so beautiful!

speaking of walnut, can the topic starter or someone else here describe its tonal properties and maybe compare it to other more common woods? im considering a chambered walnut body from warmoth.

i cant wait for finished photos and vid clips of this thing in action. its so beautiful.


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