# 8 string just for fun - Ibanez RG8 or RGIF8/RGIM8MH?



## mungiisi (Nov 20, 2018)

Hello All,

I've been toying with an idea of buying an 8 string guitar for just fiddling around at home. I've always been a huge Meshuggah and Animals as Leaders fan, so the 8 stringers have been really tempting for a long time. I used to have a Ibanez RG1527 and LTD SC607B 7-stringers, so the extended range is not that unfamiliar to me.

Ibanez has some options for budget ERG guitars, however I really don't know which one to choose. I was able to try out the RG8 at a local music store, but I gotta say I was disappointed. The guitar wasn't setted up well, but I've seen that a lot of people here tend to by it and upgrade it with hardware and pickups. Could it still be a solid choice?

Other option would be RGIF8/RGIM8MH which has greater price tag. I played briefly it's 7-string little brother RGIF7 at the store and I really liked it - compared to the RG8 it played much more better and the sound was much more alive. However, I haven't seen a lot of discussion of these particular fanned fret 8-strings. A lot of anticipation of the straight fret being on 12th fret, but not much else.

So, what this is going in the end is that should I go with a RG8 or should I look for the RGIF8/RGIM8MH? I'm a bit concerned of finding replacement pickups to the fanned fretters, I don't even know if there are any?

Of course I could always look for used RG2228, but I guess it costs anyways much more than those three others - quite be too much for just home playing.


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## BusinessMan (Nov 20, 2018)

For something to just fiddle around on, RG8 is a great guitar. Neck is comfy for an 8 string in my experience. Also good for mods down the road (stock pups aren’t terrible but nothing to write home about).


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## lewis (Nov 21, 2018)

BusinessMan said:


> For something to just fiddle around on, RG8 is a great guitar. Neck is comfy for an 8 string in my experience. Also good for mods down the road (stock pups aren’t terrible but nothing to write home about).



The stock pickups are 5 string cort bass pickups.


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## ICSvortex (Nov 21, 2018)

well, an RG8 is great if you want to invest further. The Pickups need to be replaced etc. But if you can find one with already replaced pickups used, that would be great. Also look into the RGA8, its the same thing with a better Bridge and they go for very cheap used. Also The RGIR28FE is a great option. 28" scale, emg pickups and solid build quality. And in europe you can find these for under 400Euros used. All of those are great options. But whatever you do, DONT buy a entry level jackson 8 string! The necks are like baseball bats but thicker and wider and the pickups sound as shite as the ibanez stock rg8 ones do.


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## ICSvortex (Nov 21, 2018)

Oh and concerning the fanned ibanez 8's they are cool and you dont have to replace the pickups immediately but the scale length is s bit strange on these... The RGIF8 is cool but the RGMS8 seemed odd to me, its like 25.5-26.something scale and you dont want to go lower than 27"


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## FancyFish (Nov 21, 2018)

According to the Ibanez website, the RGMS8 is 25.5-27.26. So it should be fine in that department.


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## ICSvortex (Nov 21, 2018)

FancyFish said:


> According to the Ibanez website, the RGMS8 is 25.5-27.26. So it should be fine in that department.



Oh, i must have looked wrong then^^


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## ThePIGI King (Nov 21, 2018)

Also, the RGIR28FE is 27"


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## ICSvortex (Nov 21, 2018)

ThePIGI King said:


> Also, the RGIR28FE is 27"



T_T okay but that's because of that misleading name... Better get my shit together now^^


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## Izalith (Nov 22, 2018)

I had both the RG8 and the RGIM8MH at one point. I kept the RGIM8 because the multi-scale made it easier to bend the high strings and it was also easier to properly set the intonation of the 8th string for drop E. 

The pickups on the RG8 suck and it has intonation problems with the 8th string. Someone here mentioned having to remove or cut the spring in the bridge in order to push it back further, but I didn't want to mess with my RG8 since I was already planning on selling it. 

A 27in. scale is probably the bare minimum for drop E tuning and anything shorter will need really thick strings. 

I had a 94 in my RG8 before I sold it. You might not need a 94, but before I got used to the low tension, it felt like I needed that 94.

I now have an 80 as the 8th string that comes from the EB Skinny Top Heavy Bottom pack. 

I also though about buying and upgrading the cheaper RGMS8, but the cost of buying 9 string pickups comes to about the same cost as a RGIM8.

If you didn't like the RG8 then you probably won't like most 8 strings. The multi-scale 7 string sounds better because that scale(27.2-25.5) is better suited for 7 strings and I would definitely buy that 7 string if I didn't care for 8 string guitars.


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## Masoo2 (Nov 22, 2018)

Go RG8, preferably one with a mahogany body (ie: RG8WNF)

Nothing but great results from mine after owning it for 4 years

Stock pickups work absolutely fine, they sound pretty good (not amazing but not worth an immediate swap), could care less if they're Cort bass pickups considering they sound better than the EMGs and DiMarzios of my other guitars in the past

Absolutely stellar neck

Run mine with 9.5-46 + 56 + 74 from StringJoy in Drop A/D and Drop Ab/Eb with no problems whatsoever


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## lewis (Nov 23, 2018)

Masoo2 said:


> Go RG8, preferably one with a mahogany body (ie: RG8WNF)
> 
> Nothing but great results from mine after owning it for 4 years
> 
> ...


this screams of another pointless EMG bashing.

There is just no way in a million years, in any capacity, that Cort 5 string bass pickups in a guitar, sound better than EMGs.

good god EMGs get so much hate for no reason. Ridiculous. (Dimarzios Ive never tried so cant comment)


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## KnightBrolaire (Nov 23, 2018)

lewis said:


> this screams of another pointless EMG bashing.
> 
> There is just no way in a million years, in any capacity, that Cort 5 string bass pickups in a guitar, sound better than EMGs.
> 
> good god EMGs get so much hate for no reason. Ridiculous. (Dimarzios Ive never tried so cant comment)


emg's 8 string offerings blow ass, but they're def better than the rg8 stock pickups ime. That's not saying much though.


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## Joan Maal (Nov 23, 2018)

Maybe is a bit difficult to obtain an optimal results from EMG808s, but not impossible. It also depends a lot of equalization and the rest of gear, effects, amplifier ...


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## lewis (Nov 23, 2018)

KnightBrolaire said:


> emg's 8 string offerings blow ass, but they're def better than the rg8 stock pickups ime. That's not saying much though.


the 81-8x sounds great if going no lower than F.

I swear people talk like the 808 is the only 8 string EMG pickup


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## KnightBrolaire (Nov 23, 2018)

lewis said:


> the 81-8x sounds great if going no lower than F.
> 
> I swear people talk like the 808 is the only 8 string EMG pickup


the 81-8x was meh overall, it was solid for br00tz and chuggz though.. 808x is meh, but good for br00tz as well.
808 blows, too muddy ime. 57/66-8 set is good if you want a rounder warmer sound but felt kind of meh for metal imo. definitely more versatile than the other sets for sure.

i wouldn't willingly put emgs into another 8 string though.


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## lewis (Nov 23, 2018)

KnightBrolaire said:


> the 81-8x was meh overall, it was solid for br00tz and chuggz though.. 808x is meh, but good for br00tz as well.
> 808 blows, too muddy ime. 57/66-8 set is good if you want a rounder warmer sound but felt kind of meh for metal imo. definitely more versatile than the other sets for sure.
> 
> i wouldn't willingly put emgs into another 8 string though.


the thing I hear with the 81-8 is its closer to the base tone you want for an 8 than the others, and therefore is easier to EQ pre amp to get you closer.

No way you can EQ the 808s properly to get as close as the 81 haha

I know what you mean though. I would go Fishman Abasi set now for 8s


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## mungiisi (Dec 4, 2018)

Thanks for all the replies.

The intonation problem on the RG8 which lzalith raised is something that concerns me. It seems that even with replacing the OEM bridge with the Hipshot Ibby FP that problem will exist? 

RG2228 might be an option as well, but it seems that there isn't much of those for sale in EU.


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## Marv Attaxx (Dec 15, 2018)

Can't tell about the replacement bridge but so far I've had 3 27 inch 8 string guitars:
- Ibanez RGA8
- Ibanez RG8
- Harley Benton Fan Fret 8

I was unable with any of these to push the saddle as far as necessary to get the intonation spot on, even when I removed the springs from the saddle. Tuning is drop E. Standard was not a problem tho. Tried every string gauge between 68 and 95.
I currently have a RGMS8 which has a 27.25 inch scale length for the lowest string and the intonation now is perfect and I'd still have enough room behind the saddle to go lower I guess


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## r3tr0sp3ct1v3 (Dec 16, 2018)

I suggest RG8 as the parallel fret on their multiscale makes anything below the 5th fret uncomfortable


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## Vyn (Dec 16, 2018)

FWIW, I will take standard 808's over those cort bass things everytime. Those things are actual cancer.


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## Chabo (May 6, 2021)

I have a Ibanez RGMS7 & LOVE it. Pups are okay but IDK about replacement options. I know the RGMS8 won't be AS comfy, but still...

A previous comment suggested 9 string pickups (active, I assume) fit the RGMS8, is that true? Anything else fit (other than custom Elysian or Instrumental pups)?


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## ElysianGuitars (May 6, 2021)

Chabo said:


> I have a Ibanez RGMS7 & LOVE it. Pups are okay but IDK about replacement options. I know the RGMS8 won't be AS comfy, but still...
> 
> A previous comment suggested 9 string pickups (active, I assume) fit the RGMS8, is that true? Anything else fit (other than custom Elysian or Instrumental pups)?



Actives would require routing on the RGMS8. Passive 8 string pickups MIGHT be able to be made to fit, but they wouldn't be ideal. Here's RGMS8 design vs the widest 8 string bobbins you can get (non-WSC bobbins):






The cyan lines are the standard bobbins. As you can see, the neck pickup may work, but the pole alignment on the bridge may be far enough out of whack you'd lose volume on the lowest and highest strings. 9 string pickups wouldn't fit either, as the bobbins would be wider than the actual route in the RGMS8.


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## Chabo (May 6, 2021)

That's Very helpful to know, Thank you. I have some great 8 string (passive) pups but I don't know if I could somehow alter them to fit (I.e. make them slanted) or route the the cavities for actives.

A. Is routing necessary because actives don't fit? I.e. it's not simply b/c a battery cavity is needed, right? (as that's one thing, whereas resizing pickup cavities is another - not confident I can do that).

B. Has anyone converted pickups to multi-scale? I read about removing the baseplate but don't know much beyond that, & if it's doable.


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## Chabo (May 6, 2021)

I figure active are easiest since I don't have to worry about pole pieces (as long as I can get active pups to fit, it should work fine as long as I make room for a battery, no?


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## Rob Joyner (May 11, 2021)

I got an RGIM8MH and I love it.
You probably won't be able to change the PUs because those are 9 string EMG X. I have no idea what would fit in there


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## Chabo (May 11, 2021)

Breno Girafa said:


> I got an RGIM8MH and I love it.
> You probably won't be able to change the PUs because those are 9 string EMG X. I have no idea what would fit in there



I guess EMG909x were used in 2018, EMG909 before that (I have a 2017 w/ 909 set)...
Good point about the pickups. Come to think of it, the model that effectively "replaced" that guitar - the RGMS8 - makes pickup changes even harder (they're passive/slanted). Plus, the pickups are Ibanez, so the desire to swap them will be many times higher.


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## Chabo (May 11, 2021)

Chabo said:


> I figure active are easiest since I don't have to worry about pole pieces (as long as I can get active pups to fit, it should work fine as long as I make room for a battery, no?


I was about to say yes, that's true, then realized I wrote this comment.
Yikes.


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## EdgeCrusher (May 12, 2021)

I picked up a used RG8 off of the Guitar Center used website for dirt cheap ($199) a few years back on a whim to try out 8 strings, and am so glad I did. I replaced the pickups with a used set of BKP's, strung it with the NYXL 9-80 set, and have a killer sounding workhorse for $400. I actually play it more than my MIJ RG6 and 7. The main quality issue with it is sharp fret ends, which I do want to address at some point, but otherwise the neck feels great. Ideally you will want to be able to try a few out in person to make sure you do not get a dud; I'm sure there are plenty out there.


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## Joan Maal (May 12, 2021)

ThePIGI King said:


> Also, the RGIR28FE is 27"



Great guitar. Better option than Rg8


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