Ortega RCE159-8 8-String Acoustic-Electric Classical Guitar – Used

An 8-string nylon-string classical in the Ortega Performer Series — solid North American cedar top, walnut back and sides, Venetian cutaway, MagusGo-8 electronics, Spanish heel construction with a 2-way truss rod, and a 690mm scale tuned to standard F# for players who need more range than six strings can offer.

Who This Guitar Is For

The Ortega RCE159-8 is a genuinely specialized instrument — an 8-string nylon-string classical guitar with a cutaway body and built-in electronics, designed for players who have moved past what a standard 6-string classical can offer and are ready to explore the harmonic and compositional possibilities that two additional strings provide. In standard F# tuning, the RCE159-8 adds a high F# above the first string and a low B below the sixth, expanding the range of the instrument both upward and downward simultaneously. That means richer bass accompaniment, more complex chord voicings, and solo repertoire that simply isn't playable on a six-string. The solid North American cedar top delivers the warm, dark, overtone-rich sound that classical fingerstyle players favor — cedar responds quickly to light touch, which suits the precise, nuanced dynamics of classical technique better than brighter tops. The walnut back and sides provide a woody midrange that matures and warms with age and playing. The Venetian cutaway opens up the upper register in a way that traditional classical bodies cannot, and the MagusGo-8 electronics give the instrument a clean amplified voice for recital or recording use without fundamentally altering the acoustic character. The Spanish heel construction places this firmly in the tradition of proper classical guitar building, and the 2-way truss rod adds practical adjustability that vintage Spanish-made instruments lack. If you play classical, fingerstyle, contemporary instrumental, or luthier-informed jazz and you have been curious about the 8-string extended range experience, this is a mature, well-specified entry point at a used price.

Key Highlights

• 8-string nylon-string configuration in standard F# tuning — adds a high F# above string 1 and a low B below string 6, expanding both the upper and lower registers simultaneously for richer solo and accompaniment possibilities
• Solid North American cedar top — responds quickly to light touch; produces a warm, dark, overtone-rich sound that is widely preferred by classical and fingerstyle players for its immediate resonance and tonal depth
• Walnut back and sides — a tonewood with a woody midrange character and a tone that opens up and warms with continued playing over time
• Venetian cutaway body — provides comfortable access to the upper frets in a body style that classical guitars traditionally lock out; critical for solo melodic playing in the upper register on all 8 strings
• Spanish heel construction — a traditional classical guitar building technique in which the neck is integral to the body rather than a separate bolt-on joint; contributes to sustain, resonance coupling, and structural integrity
• 2-way truss rod — a modern appointment on a traditionally built instrument; allows precise neck adjustment in both directions for consistent low action regardless of environmental conditions
• Mahogany neck — warm and stable, a natural complement to the cedar top's tonal character
• Fan bracing — the traditional classical guitar bracing pattern optimized for nylon string tension and tonal projection; maintains the authentic classical acoustic response
• 70mm nut width — appropriate for the wider string spacing that 8-string nylon fingerstyle technique requires; widens to 78mm at the 14th fret and 90mm at the saddle for comfortable right-hand access across all strings
• 690mm scale length (27.17") — full 4/4 classical scale, providing proper nylon string tension and intonation across the extended range
• Ortega MagusGo-8 preamp/pickup system — clean amplification of the guitar's acoustic voice, purpose-designed for 8-string nylon string output
• Gold-plated tuning machines with pearl buttons — elegant, smooth-action classical-style tuners appropriate for nylon string tension
• Ortega signature walnut/maple/white pearl rosette — a cohesive visual detail that ties the walnut tonewoods to the decorative appointments
• Ortega OCTA-8NS custom nylon strings — purpose-built string set for the specific gauges and tension requirements of 8-string classical tuning; not interchangeable with standard 6-string sets
• Deluxe gig bag and strap included

Why It Works

Great Fit For

• Classical and fingerstyle guitarists who have explored the limits of 6-string repertoire and want the compositional expansion that two additional strings provide
• Solo performers who need bass accompaniment range below low E and melodic range above high E in a single instrument
• Contemporary classical composers writing for extended-range instruments
• Luthier-inspired and neo-classical jazz players drawn to the warm, complex tonal character of nylon strings with extended range
• Studio session players who need a classical 8-string voice for recording without investing in a new-price instrument
• Established classical guitarists curious about 8-string technique who want a well-specified instrument to explore the format before committing to a purpose-built custom instrument

Sound, Feel, and Use

Cedar tops are the preferred choice of many classical and fingerstyle players for a specific reason: cedar is less stiff than spruce, and it responds to light right-hand touch with an immediacy that spruce-topped instruments require more force to achieve. The result is that pianissimo passages — the subtlest dynamic gradations of classical technique — register clearly and with genuine character. The warm, overtone-rich quality of cedar, combined with walnut's woody midrange, gives the RCE159-8 a tonal character that is full and round rather than bright and projecting. It is an intimate, articulate voice well suited to solo performance and close-microphone recording. The 70mm nut width is wider than any standard 6-string classical guitar — this is a deliberate design choice to accommodate the two additional strings while maintaining the string spacing that right-hand fingerstyle technique requires. Players transitioning from 6-string classical will find the adaptation period primarily involves right-hand string tracking rather than left-hand technique, as the neck profile remains comfortable. The Venetian cutaway makes the upper frets accessible in a way that matters specifically on an 8-string: with two additional strings, the upper register work on string 1 and the new high F# is where much of the melodic interest of the extended range lives, and reaching those positions cleanly is important for the instrument to deliver its full potential. The MagusGo-8 electronics amplify the acoustic voice cleanly without adding brightness or harshness — the goal is fidelity to the cedar-and-walnut acoustic character, and the system achieves that. The Spanish heel construction means there is no neck pocket, no bolt joint — the neck and body share a continuous resonance pathway that contributes to the sustain and note bloom that distinguishes traditional classical construction from bolt-on alternatives.

Specifications