I might be 2-3 years too late, but I think you’re getting that buzz on the 8th string because E is just too low a note for that scale and gauge of string. A thicker gauge string and more tension / a higher pitch would reduce the buzzing.
Yes, I agree that is worth considering. However, I have discovered an error, I might call it, in the neck where the top 8-ish frets near the sound hole protrude above the rest. This has caused a lot of buzzing when playing high notes, so I recently spent a few hours carefully sanding and filing them down. I also slightly loosened the truss rod to raise the action, which also allows the guitar to speak more loudly without buzzing. I think I might also try shimming the bridge to raise the low end a bit. It works much better now. I should make a video about all this. I recently started playing the guitar again, and I really do love it much more than my 6-string steel acoustic.
Thanks for the review mate. You convinced me to buy one after a year of umming and ahhhhrrrring. One thing similar to yourself I found on my 8 string fan fret electric was the sloppy base string. Its a steel electric for which I swapped in heavier base strings which fixed the issue. i acctually jist bought classical strings for it (again custom heavy base barritone classical strings) only to find out from the music shop man they wouldnt work on it due the pickups needing metal strings this also helped my decision. Anyway said 8 string Agile classical non cutaway is on its way and Ill let you know how I get on with the heavier set. Thanks again your playing is good keep at it! RiverRat
Any thoughts on if a 10 string or harp guitar is "worth" it for someone getting into extended rnage guitars but with no hands on experience. The price triples for the extra 2 (to 10 extra) strings. It seems like Agile or Cathedral are the few "accessible" brands. Thanks!
Yes, I think so, if you're trading with the lowest string. Just make sure the tension of the string you put on is around the same as the one you take off. You can also adjust the truss rod if there's an issue.
Thanks for the update. I have been considering this guitar and like you I am hesitant to get an 8 string without the fan fretting. Other than the ibanez 8 string, which is hard to come by, do you know of other classical 8 string makers that we can choose from? After listening to the Agile, how does the resonance of the Agile compare to the sound resonance of another solid body six string classical that you might have? I have an Ibanez AEL207E 7 string steel and a 6 string solid body dreadnought Alvarez, and the resonance of the Alvarez solid body always has me going back to it. Love playing the 7, just wish that it would pop like the solid body.
I have to admit, this is my first classical guitar. I was surprised how "quiet" it is, but I think that's a general feature of classical guitars compared to steel string. I've seen a few others on UA-cam with 8-string classicals -- It'd be worth contacting them for other options. I do love the fanned frets, though.
You might be able to make a saddle cap just for your low E string to raise it up a bit. If you mix baking soda and superglue it dries instantly and it's super hard. You could maybe build up your saddle this way and then sand it down to shape it. There are videos on youtube of luthiers fixing nuts and saddles this way but maybe you could take this technique a step further to modify your saddle somehow so the string won't buzz as you move up the frets. Also, maybe you could find a better piezo pickup and install it while your are modifying your saddle. I hope this helps.
Very interesting idea with baking soda and superglue. Definitely something I'm capable of trying. I'm also thinking of putting a heavier lowest string on, which will probably help move the neck into a better position.
And it would stiffen that particular string so there wouldn't be as much swing on it when you either pluck or strum it. That's a good idea too; I would have suggested it but I don't even know where to get a basic 8 string set for an extended range nylon guitar for my guitar for a good price. Do you know where to find an 8 sting nylon guitar string set and/or thicker individual strings to create or modify a standard set? I can't find 8 string sets anywhere other than through the guitar manufacturer that made my guitar and they cost a whopping $75, yikes!!!
I bought an extra set at Rondo Music for something like $20. My brother thinks I could probably get better quality single strings than that. I would buy a full "normal" set of 6 nylons and augment it with two larger strings for the last two -- Probably singles from a nylon bass guitar set.
Was that a full set of 8 string that you bought for $20, individual strings to make 8 or otherwise? I couldn't find the specific extra set of strings that you bought from Rondo Music, would you be kind enough to send me the link to that string set or to the individual strings you bought to make a full set of 8? Thank you so much.
Yes, Rondo's website is quite lacking in search function and layout... Looking back at my order, this is the line for the 8-string set: "Labella Acoustic 8 String Set Classical Heavy 29-60 $14.95" I can't find a stock number or anything for it, though. I must have found it somewhere on the website while ordering. It looks like these are the factory strings for the guitar.
Actually, to keep the string pitch intervals consistent, the low strings should be a G and B (then E, A, D, G, B, E).... 27" scale for what would be the same note on a bass guitar (which is usually 30" for a short scale) is probably still going to be a bit 'floppy'(?).... That said, I run the Ibanez 8 string classical, with G and B in the bottom (0.75 and 0.58 or 0.60) -- I had to ream the string holes to fit them.... ** It's a shame because I'd would have loved a comparison to the Ibanez
Honestly, I haven't had much time to play it in the last few months, unfortunately. As long as it's played on the quiet to moderate volume end, there is no buzz. If you play hard, you get buzz on the lowest string; again I should change the string to a thicker gauge since I detuned it from it's native F# to E.
![[開封動画] 7弦アコギ！（Agile Renaissance 7 strings guitar）~What you won't do for Love by Bobby Caldwell~](/img/n.gif)
I might be 2-3 years too late, but I think you’re getting that buzz on the 8th string because E is just too low a note for that scale and gauge of string. A thicker gauge string and more tension / a higher pitch would reduce the buzzing.
Yes, I agree that is worth considering. However, I have discovered an error, I might call it, in the neck where the top 8-ish frets near the sound hole protrude above the rest. This has caused a lot of buzzing when playing high notes, so I recently spent a few hours carefully sanding and filing them down. I also slightly loosened the truss rod to raise the action, which also allows the guitar to speak more loudly without buzzing. I think I might also try shimming the bridge to raise the low end a bit. It works much better now. I should make a video about all this. I recently started playing the guitar again, and I really do love it much more than my 6-string steel acoustic.
Thanks for the review mate. You convinced me to buy one after a year of umming and ahhhhrrrring. One thing similar to yourself I found on my 8 string fan fret electric was the sloppy base string. Its a steel electric for which I swapped in heavier base strings which fixed the issue. i acctually jist bought classical strings for it (again custom heavy base barritone classical strings) only to find out from the music shop man they wouldnt work on it due the pickups needing metal strings this also helped my decision. Anyway said 8 string Agile classical non cutaway is on its way and Ill let you know how I get on with the heavier set. Thanks again your playing is good keep at it! RiverRat
So how did your Agile classical work out? I'm considering one now.
Thanks! Very useful review!
Any thoughts on if a 10 string or harp guitar is "worth" it for someone getting into extended rnage guitars but with no hands on experience. The price triples for the extra 2 (to 10 extra) strings. It seems like Agile or Cathedral are the few "accessible" brands. Thanks!
Do you think it would be possible to put a high a string on this instrument?
Yes, I think so, if you're trading with the lowest string. Just make sure the tension of the string you put on is around the same as the one you take off. You can also adjust the truss rod if there's an issue.
Thanks for the update. I have been considering this guitar and like you I am hesitant to get an 8 string without the fan fretting. Other than the ibanez 8 string, which is hard to come by, do you know of other classical 8 string makers that we can choose from? After listening to the Agile, how does the resonance of the Agile compare to the sound resonance of another solid body six string classical that you might have? I have an Ibanez AEL207E 7 string steel and a 6 string solid body dreadnought Alvarez, and the resonance of the Alvarez solid body always has me going back to it. Love playing the 7, just wish that it would pop like the solid body.
I have to admit, this is my first classical guitar. I was surprised how "quiet" it is, but I think that's a general feature of classical guitars compared to steel string. I've seen a few others on UA-cam with 8-string classicals -- It'd be worth contacting them for other options. I do love the fanned frets, though.
You might be able to make a saddle cap just for your low E string to raise it up a bit. If you mix baking soda and superglue it dries instantly and it's super hard. You could maybe build up your saddle this way and then sand it down to shape it. There are videos on youtube of luthiers fixing nuts and saddles this way but maybe you could take this technique a step further to modify your saddle somehow so the string won't buzz as you move up the frets. Also, maybe you could find a better piezo pickup and install it while your are modifying your saddle. I hope this helps.
Very interesting idea with baking soda and superglue. Definitely something I'm capable of trying. I'm also thinking of putting a heavier lowest string on, which will probably help move the neck into a better position.
And it would stiffen that particular string so there wouldn't be as much swing on it when you either pluck or strum it. That's a good idea too; I would have suggested it but I don't even know where to get a basic 8 string set for an extended range nylon guitar for my guitar for a good price. Do you know where to find an 8 sting nylon guitar string set and/or thicker individual strings to create or modify a standard set? I can't find 8 string sets anywhere other than through the guitar manufacturer that made my guitar and they cost a whopping $75, yikes!!!
I bought an extra set at Rondo Music for something like $20. My brother thinks I could probably get better quality single strings than that. I would buy a full "normal" set of 6 nylons and augment it with two larger strings for the last two -- Probably singles from a nylon bass guitar set.
Was that a full set of 8 string that you bought for $20, individual strings to make 8 or otherwise? I couldn't find the specific extra set of strings that you bought from Rondo Music, would you be kind enough to send me the link to that string set or to the individual strings you bought to make a full set of 8? Thank you so much.
Yes, Rondo's website is quite lacking in search function and layout... Looking back at my order, this is the line for the 8-string set: "Labella Acoustic 8 String Set Classical Heavy 29-60 $14.95" I can't find a stock number or anything for it, though. I must have found it somewhere on the website while ordering. It looks like these are the factory strings for the guitar.
Bravo. Incredible!
Actually, to keep the string pitch intervals consistent, the low strings should be a G and B (then E, A, D, G, B, E).... 27" scale for what would be the same note on a bass guitar (which is usually 30" for a short scale) is probably still going to be a bit 'floppy'(?).... That said, I run the Ibanez 8 string classical, with G and B in the bottom (0.75 and 0.58 or 0.60) -- I had to ream the string holes to fit them.... ** It's a shame because I'd would have loved a comparison to the Ibanez
So did you ever try adjusting the neck to see if you can get rid of the buzz? I wouldn't be able to tolerate that.
Honestly, I haven't had much time to play it in the last few months, unfortunately. As long as it's played on the quiet to moderate volume end, there is no buzz. If you play hard, you get buzz on the lowest string; again I should change the string to a thicker gauge since I detuned it from it's native F# to E.
Seriously thinking about getting one of these. How would you say the action is on it?
The action is low and the fretboard is flat. That makes it easy to play, but if you play too hard, it buzzes a bit.
Nice demo. Nice playing bossanova style. You need a Brazilian girl singing along.