8 String Guitar roundup
8 String Guitar: A Complete Buyer's Guide
An 8-string guitar has more variables than a standard guitar — scale length, bridge type, neck profile, pickups. Understanding them before you buy prevents an expensive mistake.
Buying an 8-string guitar is not a decision you back into — you have usually spent time listening to Animals as Leaders or Meshuggah, realised the low register is doing something a six-string cannot, and decided you want in. That is a good reason to buy one. But extended-range instruments have more variables than standard guitars, and understanding them before you spend is how you avoid an expensive mismatch.
Fixed or Tremolo Bridge?
Start here. Almost every extended-range metal player uses a fixed bridge — Hipshot, Gotoh, TonePros — because keeping eight strings in tune across a tremolo is a mechanical nightmare without a locking nut and a lot of careful setup. If you play styles that need a tremolo, it is achievable, but it is not the default. A fixed bridge keeps setup simple and stable.
If you genuinely need a tremolo, Floyd Rose makes extended-range variants. Budget extra time (and some patience) for the initial setup.
Scale Length
Scale length is more significant on an 8-string guitar than on a standard guitar. At 27 inches or longer, the lowest strings have enough tension to feel solid and track cleanly under heavy picking. At 25.5 inches, they tend to feel floppy and intonation is harder to maintain. Most players in metal and djent contexts prefer 27" or 27.75". Multiscale designs give each string an optimised length — longer for the low strings, shorter for the highs — and feel natural after a brief adjustment period. If you are new to extended range, a standard (non-fanned-fret) 27" instrument may be the easier starting point.
Budget Tiers
Under £500: Ibanez RG8, Schecter Damien
Ibanez's RG8 is one of the longest-running production eight-string models and offers reliable quality at an accessible price — a solid-body, fixed bridge, and the company's well-regarded Wizard neck profile, which is thinner than many competitors and suits players who find wider necks difficult. The Schecter Damien is another reliable choice, with active EMG pickups and a slightly heavier construction suited to drop tunings.
£500–£1,000: Ibanez RGD series, Solar Guitars
The RGD series adds a longer scale length (typically 26.5" or 27") to Ibanez's proven construction. Solar Guitars, founded by Ola Englund, has built a strong reputation for well-specified extended-range instruments at honest prices. Both companies offer multiscale options in this range. The quality jump from the entry tier is audible in pickup quality and hardware.
£1,000 and Up: Strandberg, Mayones, Aristides
At this level you are buying headless designs, premium hardware, boutique pickups and serious build quality. Strandberg's Boden range is the most visible: lightweight, ergonomic, headless, and with fan-fret options. Mayones and Aristides offer European-made alternatives. These are instruments you keep for a long time.
Pickups
Stock pickups on budget instruments are often the first thing players replace. For metal and high-gain playing, active pickups — EMG 808, Fishman Fluence Modern — add clarity and consistency across the full string range. For cleaner applications or players who want more dynamic response, passive humbuckers from DiMarzio or Bare Knuckle work well. Whatever you choose, make sure the pickup is designed for the extended-range format: the wider pole spacing is not compatible with six-string pickups.
Neck Width and Nut
Eight-string necks typically run 52–56 mm at the nut. If you have smaller hands, this matters. Ibanez's Wizard profile is among the thinner options; some boutique builders offer slightly narrower options at a price premium. Play before buying if you can — a neck that is physically uncomfortable undermines everything else about the instrument.
The Bottom Line
For most players entering extended range for the first time, a fixed-bridge 27-inch 8-string guitar from Ibanez or Schecter represents the clearest path to a playable, well-specified first instrument. For a full technical introduction to the format, our overview covers everything. For specific instrument picks, our best picks guide covers the market. If you are just starting out, our beginner's guide is where to begin.
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