4003s8 string question

incubus2432 · Post by **incubus2432** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 12:08 pm

I received my 4003s8 yesterday and must say that I am quite happy and impressed with it. I do have a question about strings. I tend to break strings on a regular basis on my regular 4003's so I'd expect to have more of a problem on the lighter s8 gauges. On another thread it was recommended that I try GHS Boomer 8 string sets from "Just Strings" or get sets from a Ric dealer. Both of those options are fine but I'd rather just go to a local shop and piece something together so my question is (finally) does anyone know of a guitar string brand/model that makes guitar strings long enough to be my "octave" strings?
I can take the s8 with me to a store and have them pop some sets open but thought I'd check here first. All guitar sets may be long enough but I have no experience so......
Thanks.

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 12:24 pm

guitars have a 25 inch scale or there abouts so guitar sets will deifinately NOT work

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 12:33 pm

Brian, with the multi-string basses, there aren't many options except for singles of bass strings. Might want to check out 8stringbass.com for some listings of manufacturers of 8 string sets or single strings you can order online. I have a 12 string Hamer and it has the same issue, the sets need to be ordered special.

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 1:50 pm

It will probably be harder to break strings on an 8er.

dminer · Post by **dminer** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 2:42 pm

I've got an s8 and I can tell you definately that no acoustic or electric guitar string is long enough....the E octave string is around a 45 (check the ghs set) and therefore you could use a single g bass string for the e octave, but the other 3 octaves would have to come out of an 8 string set...I wanted to use all thomastiks on mine to get lower tension on the neck but I couldn't find any of the octaves in a long enough size...so I think I'll just string it with TI's for the lows and GHS for the octaves and use the spare ghs set on another bass.

80stingray · Post by **80stingray** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 3:00 pm

Brian, I have owned a few 8 string basses including a couple s8's and have always used Ken Smith strings. I prefer very low tension and Ken Smith offered the lightest gagues I could find. They have piccalo strings you can use as octaves. Check out their websight.

incubus2432 · Post by **incubus2432** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 6:06 pm

Hmmm....I thought for sure that I heard/read somewhere that there were some guitar strings that were long enough. Guess not

Thanks

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 7:05 pm

I have a fresh pack of D'Addario XL guitar strings here. The low E string just barely reaches the second set of tuners on my S8. Other brands might be longer but these clearly won't work.