carlo robelli/sam ash 8-string (and 8-strings in general)

I'm going to get a little cash for Christmas and have always been interested in having an 8-string (doubled 4, not 8 individual) to work with. I think it would work well in a sparse singer-songwriter type of environment and I'm really curious how I could get it to work when writing.

The only one I could stretch my budget to right now is the Carlo Robelli one at Sam Ash. $350, unspecified body wood (so probably plywood), silver metal-flake body. Unknown nut width and scale length. Has anybody played one of these? The only review I could find on the web was very positive but not particularly informative. I think it might be a cheap way to get into the 8-string world. I do like the Dean Rhapsody 8 better but the current minimum on that bass looks to be about $460 right now (they are popping up for that new-in-box on ebay pretty regularly) and I don't want to stretch to that right now for something that I don't know if I'll like.

So I'm fishing for specific comments on the Carlo Robelli/Sam Ash 8-string and any general comments on using an 8-string in various musical settings. And if anyone has a used Dean Rhapsody 8 they want to sell, let me know.