Decent Budget 8-String from Schecter: Riot Eight

[BCRich58]

Not certain what the availability of these basses are on the used market in the EU and UK, but the Schecter Riot Eight is a really playable 8-string that can be had for under a grand here in the U.S., and might be worth your time and attention if you're interested in exploring it without a major outlay of funds:

[Skybone]

Not helping my GAS for an 8 string... 😄

[BCRich58]

They're a real forearm workout, I can tell you that, more than I expected them to be, honestly, but a ton of fun all the same...

[Grahambythesea]

I really can’t see the point of it.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

If only there was a way to design an eight string with a way to separate the signals from the normal and the octave strings like a more advanced version of rick-o-sound to go to two separate amps (or mixer channels for recording)

[BCRich58]

You know, that would be brilliant, honestly...

[PinkMohawk]

I'd think your best shot at something like that would need to have piezo elements under each saddle. Obviously it'd need each string on it's own separate saddle to minimise crosstalk, but it might be feasible? Of course, then you're left with having to deal with the piezo sound rather than traditional magnetic pickups, and all the challenges in terms of tone that entails, especially if you want to run the signals through effects, but I don't really see a viable way to make it happen otherwise. 

[BCRich58]

There was a Kramer made in the late eighties that had something similar to this, it was the Kramer Ripley I think

[NancyJohnson]

Given that the original Schecter business model was pretty much what Warmoth are doing right now, it's a bit of a pity they're not a spares/build business anymore.

 

Schecter are doing a handful of 8/12-string models, parts of which could probably ignite a bit of passion for bolting some different parts together, but right now neither this bass (or the dUg and Starmaker(?)) just don't tick all the right boxes for me.

[warwickhunt]

I got my Hagstrom for half that price and it is pretty playable!  

[snorkie635]

On 06/01/2025 at 07:21, Skybone said:

Not helping my GAS for an 8 string... 😄

Soz @Skybone, just had to: