“You get this huge spread that's not possible on a six-string...”

The eight-string guitar opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Two of its leading exponents – Mårten Hagström of Meshuggah and Tosin Abasi from Animals as Leaders – Reveal all

- By Amit Sharma

In 2020 the art of eight-string guitar is in rude health. This was once an incredibly obscure instrument, with roots going as far back as 19th century classical music. But since 2007, when Ibanez launched the RG2228, the first mass-produced eight-string, its popularity has grown and grown. You can easily find an eight-string in most first-hand guitar shops. This popularity is mainly thanks to metal bands who called for lower and thicker tunings to take their imaginations to the extreme - foremost among them Meshuggah, math-metal pioneers from Sweden, and Animals As Leaders, masters of instrumental tech-metal from Washington D.C. In both bands’ new albums, the extended range of the eight-string is explored by two guitarists: Mårten Hagström and Fredrik Thordendal on Meshuggah’s Immutable; Tosin Abasi and Javier Reyes on Animals As Leaders’ Parrhesia. In conversation with TG, Mårten and Tosin reveal the secrets to mastering this instrument – and what it gives them in terms of creativity...

What have you both learned about getting more mileage out of an eight-string?