Who plays 8s?

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Matt300ZXT

Matt300ZXT

Well-known member
I've played D'Addario strings for at least 25 years now and will never change...they're the best strings. Now that I've done my shameless plug, I've usually played 9s, with occasional forays into 10s, but always back to 9s. Most of my guitars I've been playing for the last 10 years or so have been in Eb. Since I'm learning all these songs to do a cover band, some of my guitars that weren't already in standard have been getting retuned to standard, and aside from the Les Paul I just finished putting new electronics in being easier to play because of the scale length, I fancy maybe trying some 8s on my standard tuning superstrats.

8s in standard should feel about like the 9s in Eb and may make extended sets with several solos in them a bit more manageable. Any thoughts?
 
Matt300ZXT said:
Nope, you assumed it'd be about chuggy riffs on 8 string guitars instead of 6 string guitars strung up with dental floss and 6lb test fishing line.
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You're right. Guess I will just have to pretend that I didn't read the OP and derail this thread now in the fashion of Charvel Dan. :ROFLMAO:

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I have an eight string. 10 -74 is good depending on scale and tuning. Half step down on a six stating with an 8 would be super sinky lol.
 
13-62 in Cb on one LPC

11-52 in Eb/D on other LP’s

10-46 in Eb on my charvel.

I absolutely could not play 8 gauge strings.
 
Matt300ZXT said:
I've played D'Addario strings for at least 25 years now and will never change...they're the best strings. ...
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So you haven't really tried other strings in 25 years, but you know d'addario are the best. I see...
i don't hear huge differences between the std. nickel plated strings. i have mostly GHS boomers, D'addarios and ernie balls

well just order a set starting with the .008 gauge and try it.
i am moving to lighter strings lately since i hate all that lowend pre distortion,
but i would go any lighter as 42 for the 6th string on a 25.5" scale with std. tuning.
 
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I have 8-38 in standard tuning on one 25.5" guitar and it definitely works. I originally tried it as a last ditch effort to help the truss rod get in a better range for adjustments, but once you´ve jacked up the bridge a bit to allow for the bigger excursion and make it feel less like playing rubberbands you have a very clean-sounding instrument that doesn´t play much different from your other guitars. For the chugs it might be very different, though, I´m mostly a rock lead player.
 
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10s for 24 3/4" scale guitars and 9.5s on 25.5" scale guitars for years. I'm having some wrist /hand issues so I'm thinking about dropping to 9.5s on my 24 3/4" guitars.
 
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Jeez, I am such a shit player that I am accidentally bending shit on 10s. I can’t imagine 8s haha.
 
I just switched to 8s.. Heard some guitar legend state "why do you want to work so hard?"

They are kind of hard to find.. I did find some 8.5s to try as well.
 
Standard .008 sets are kinda light (8-38)
Sometimes I try the Yngwie Fender set. 46, 32, 22, 14, 11, 8
Like the other dude says, you can jack the action a bit with 8's.
 
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