That Ibanez 8-string....

[Miles Copeland]

I think a couple of folks here mentioned the Ibanez 8-stringer. Has anyone gotten a chance to see how it would be as a tapper?

I know the marketing is about offering more low-end to guitar players, but with a 4ths tuning, you have a somewhat cheaper alternative for an almost full-range tapper if it can be used for that. I know its' list price could get you a good Megatar, but I thought the regular scale length of the Box guitar would be good for smaller folks (like me). So I think the Ibanez may present an alternative.

Any thoughts on this instrument?

[rjgoos]

The Austin Douglas ADG-8 costs about the same, was designed for tapping, and has a longer scale (34" I think).

Someone who wants to get started, but who has severe budgetary constraints, should consider getting a used 7-string guitar and set it up for tapping. Perhaps I was lucky, but I got a used Jay Turser 7-string on eBay for about $125, and it was of good enough quality to set the action low. It is not as nice as a $2000 instrument, but certainly very nice for $125:

http://homepage.mac.com/tap6/7-string-sampler.mp3

[lactose]

I bet, with a few compromises, an eight string could be built cheaply (< $500). I am thinking it would need a custom neck (unless you could use a 6 string bass neck but they are probably too narrow at the top), some kind of custom bridge, and the rest could be standard parts. You could use a standard guitar pickup + a bass pickup to cover the eight strings. It wouldn't be perfect but it would be less than $1500.

[Tom Drinkwater]

Warmoth will build a custom neck for around $600. Soulmate guitars will do them too. You have already seen the Novax necks. I think that even with an expensive custom built neck you could do a really great guitar for less than $1000 and it would be as good or better than the Ibanez. And I looooove Ibanez. I would look at the Graphtech vs100 lockdown saddles on www.graphtech.com and build a plate out of steel or brass. For about the same expense, you could get the single string platlettes and saddles from Traktor for around $145 and have 4 left over for the next build. That would take care of the two hardest parts and leave just the body routing and electronics. And best of all it would be the only one like it until you built another one!!! Are the Novax necks for bolt on, set or thru construction?
If you wanted to build the neck you could save all kinds of money, until you factored in the tools required if you don't already have them. I think the single most expensive part of the neck is the truss rods (I use Stew Mac hotrods) and second most expensive is the graphite rods if you use them. After that the wood is cheap if you buy it locally and don't have to have it shipped. If you have a good lumber yard or a Rockler where you are at you're in luck.

[lactose]

Are the Novax necks for bolt on, set or thru construction?
They are bolt on. Great quality low action fast necks.