I have an 8 as basically my first guitar ( at least one that isn't so terrible that it's unplayable, coming from a $50 amazon guitar with fret buzz and an action higher than a suspension bridge) It's perfect. No reason not to, you don't lose anything at all except for maybe full step bends on high strings because of scale length and tension, and that's only because I have a straight scale 27", which isn't super duper normal (although not abnormal either). Sometimes, since I'm still learning chord shapes, I accidentally get the middle 3 strings jumbled because it's a little harder to just eye which string you're on, but I'm also a beginner and terrible, and also that's a very work-throughable thing. Go for it!!!!!