cheddatom Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 Due to some circumstances out of our control, me and my guitarist could possibly start playing as a duet, with me on drums, and I have suggested him on baritone guitar. He's never played one before, and they're quite hard to find! So: What baritones are there? I swear I saw an Epiphone LP one on Ebay a while ago, and it was really cheap! Where can we find a baritone to actually play in a music shop? (stoke, brum, manchester are our limits) Are the strings on a baritone really thick, like bass strings? Or will it not be much different to heavy guage guitar strings? Ta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 It's a grey area. There's either baritone guitars tuned to E (same as bass) or B (an octave above a 5 string low B[b][/b]). The manufacturers don't always differentiate between them too well, and it's easy to get confused. It depends what you want really... Tuned to E: Fender Bass VI (Jaguar lookalike) Schecter Hellcat Baritone (Formerly available at Sound Control but now discontinued) Tuned to B: OLP MM5 Ibanez Mike Mushok Sig Epiphone Les Paul Standard Baritone Yamaha AES520D6 EDIT: dlloyd beat me to it by a matter of seconds... hmph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted March 13, 2008 Author Share Posted March 13, 2008 Is it the same as [url="http://www.firstguitarshop.co.uk/view_product.php?product=OLPTPBAC63"]this?[/url] He won't spend any money until he's tried one anyway, no matter how many times I tell him it'll be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted March 13, 2008 Author Share Posted March 13, 2008 Ahh, right, that might be the best way for him to try one then. I'd like to see a pic of yours, I love the shape. If you were local we could have sorted out a try-out. Nevermind! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 [quote name='dlloyd' post='156779' date='Mar 13 2008, 03:19 PM']Sorry! There's an error in your post though, the OLP MM5 is a long scale baritone tuned to E [/quote] The one I played was definitely tuned to B.. the shop may have screwed it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 Some info here about the history of what I assume is probably *the* original baritone type: [url="http://theband.hiof.no/articles/fender_bass_vi.html"]http://theband.hiof.no/articles/fender_bass_vi.html[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Burpster Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 Check out the NAMM show.... PRS have just released one....... Mmmmmmmmmmmmm! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 From my favourite luthier: [url="http://www.gusguitars.com/product.php?model_id=4"]28.5" scale tuned to B[/url] [url="http://www.gusguitars.com/product.php?model_id=10"] 30" scale tuned to A[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 [quote name='BigRedX' post='156998' date='Mar 13 2008, 08:45 PM']From my favourite luthier: [url="http://www.gusguitars.com/product.php?model_id=4"]28.5" scale tuned to B[/url] [url="http://www.gusguitars.com/product.php?model_id=10"] 30" scale tuned to A[/url][/quote] Ah yes, GUS. theres not a day that goes by that I don't long for this bass: [url="http://www.gusguitars.com/product.php?model_id=7"]http://www.gusguitars.com/product.php?model_id=7[/url] *sigh* one day, one day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Cheers mate! Unfortunately for you, that one's mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 ya lucky sod! mind if i ask how much it set you back? PM me if you prefer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Burpster Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 BRX you like remarkably like the Fonz in that pic.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 8-0 !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phaedrus Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 For what this observation is worth, I saw Band of Horses recently and Ben Bridwell played a baritone on a couple of songs. During one of those songs, I was wrecking my head to figure out why the bass was booming so much in a quiet part even when the bass player wasn't playing and had both hands muting the strings. "AHA!" I thought, "the organ player is playing sustained drone notes with his left hand". I moved my head to get a line of sight and saw the organ player's left hand resting on his lap. By deduction, it could only have been the only other instrument being played - the baritone guitar. Boomy, overpowering and distracting. Not necessarily the guitar's fault, or even the guitarist's - probably mostly the sound engineer's fault. But it was persistent and I figured that if the sound guy wasn't fixing it, then he either liked it sounding like that, or was told by the band that that's how they wanted it to sound. I didn't enjoy it. The rest of the gig was thoroughly enjoyable. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umph Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 get a 8 string Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Another option would be to get a baritone neck made see here, [url="http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/necks/necks.cfm?fuseaction=strat_baritone"]http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/necks/necks....=strat_baritone[/url] Warmoth stuff is fantastic quality highly recommended. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jono Bolton Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 [quote name='cheddatom' post='156759' date='Mar 13 2008, 02:57 PM']Due to some circumstances out of our control, me and my guitarist could possibly start playing as a duet, with me on drums, and I have suggested him on baritone guitar. He's never played one before, and they're quite hard to find! So: What baritones are there? I swear I saw an Epiphone LP one on Ebay a while ago, and it was really cheap! Where can we find a baritone to actually play in a music shop? (stoke, brum, manchester are our limits) Are the strings on a baritone really thick, like bass strings? Or will it not be much different to heavy guage guitar strings? Ta [/quote] Have you heard [url="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=56966459"]The Evens[/url]? I've fancied a Danelectro baritone for ages but they seldom crop up anywhere. There was Dano Innuendo on ebay the other day but its gone now. Cherry Sunburst, white pearloid scratchplate and built in effects. God it looked cool. I fancy the look of [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Eastwood-SideJack-Baritone-Guitar-silver-NEW-SUPERB_W0QQitemZ380007405452QQihZ025QQcategoryZ2384QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]this[/url] Eastwood too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WILD FROG SHOT Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Ok, so i've got my heart set on a Fender Jag Baritone and am literally teetering on the edge of buying it today. A couple of questions / requests for advice from the wise if you'd be so obliging. This way I am hoping that you can push me over the edge to buying it, or push me in another direction if I am at risk of making a grave error. First of all, yes i am fully aware that it is not a bass, or a replacement for one, but i'm pretty sure it's exactly what I need. I'm in a band that is soundscapey / soundtracky. Along the lines of post-rock I guess you could call it, but not so boring (in my opinion) so want to use the baritone to create a mournful backing to our tick-tock intertwining guitar lines. Will also probably be used with a shitload of distortion at some points too. So really what I am asking is a) is there something else I should be considering? and why the hell are fender currently only doing new ones in pure black, when I really want a sunburst one?! Cheers in advance... oh, and c) if i play one of these bad-boys through an octaver, will it be the equivalent of a monsterous chordy bass? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I was just thinking earlier how I'd like to see an acoustic, nylon strung fretless baritone guitar. Has anyone seen such a beast? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WILD FROG SHOT Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Oh yeah, the best price I can find (new) is £468 inc VAT. Anyone seen anything better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bnt Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 New, Doiphin Music has a few: e.g. a [url="http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/shop/flypage/product_id/14855"]Gretsch[/url] for £350, various Danelectros for £233, plus more expensive MM and PRS models. There are a few on eBay UK at the moment, including a [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Danelectro-Longhorn-Baritone-Electric-Guitar_W0QQitemZ200243715199QQcmdZViewItem"]Danelectro[/url], an [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Brand-New-Epiphone-Les-Paul-Standard-Baritone-black_W0QQitemZ290113509873QQcmdZViewItem"]Epiphone Les Paul[/url], and something called a [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-Italia-Modena-D-Man-Baritone-Electric-Guitar_W0QQitemZ360075247686QQcmdZViewItem"]Modena[/url]. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WILD FROG SHOT Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Thanks for that, the Gretsch actually looks quite a good model, the humbuckers look like they should give it some meat, shame it's in sparkly black really... The Danelectro '63's look ok too, just not really sure that I want single-coils on something like this. I think it would almost defy the object of me getting the baritone over a normal electric. Unfortunately, the Longhorn definitely isn't to my taste. (what a hideous piece of crap) I'm going to see if I can play a Gretsch, otherwise i reckon i'm definitely going to Jag-town! Thanks kindly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 [quote name='cheddatom' post='156759' date='Mar 13 2008, 03:57 PM']Due to some circumstances out of our control, me and my guitarist could possibly start playing as a duet, with me on drums, and I have suggested him on baritone guitar. He's never played one before, and they're quite hard to find! So: What baritones are there? I swear I saw an Epiphone LP one on Ebay a while ago, and it was really cheap! Where can we find a baritone to actually play in a music shop? (stoke, brum, manchester are our limits) Are the strings on a baritone really thick, like bass strings? Or will it not be much different to heavy guage guitar strings? Ta [/quote] Danelectro used to make one or two very funky/retro baritones. Unless anyone has mentioned it, wasn't there a Fender Jaguar baritone. That was a stonkingly attractive guitar. P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WILD FROG SHOT Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 The Jag Baritone is very nice to look at indeed. Sound control quoted me £630 for one, then I found one for £470 somewhere (Dolphin i think) on the internet. Thought my decision was made until bnt brought my attention to a Gretsch G5265 Jet Baritone (see post below), which I then found for £300 at Thomann. They're going to be tonally quite different, as the Jag has the full humbuckers on, but all the other guitars in my band are fenders, so maybe I should get the Gretsch so that it has more punch. Also I have heard quite a lot about Jaguars being unreliable / requiring almost immediate upgrading out of the box. Does anyone know if the baritone suffers the same issues? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted August 5, 2008 Author Share Posted August 5, 2008 Ta for all the replies (Nancy), but this has been revived due to Wild Frog. Since starting this thread I did actually buy a Yamaha baritone guitar off ebay and I just have to adapt some bass strings now to get it tuned as low as I want. It's very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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