Baritone Guitars ..help

[keeponehandloose]

Im thinking of getting a Baritone to use instead of
my 51 Precision RI, Ithink it would suit better fo the 50s rockabilly we do.
Thing is there seems to be lots of tunings and scale lengths.
Any advice or experiences of baritones welcome.

[geoffbyrne]

I had a baritone with a 26" -ish scale tuned BEADF#B & really had problems getting strings & making the intonation work on the bottom B. IMHO this scale is too short & you'd want at least 28". It *might* have been slightly better tuned to bottom A, but I doubt it.

If I were to go that route again, I'd look at either a Fender VI (or clone) or the Burns Barracuda (both 30" scale) and use Bass Vi strings.

G.

Edited April 21, 2013 by geoffbyrne

[BigRedX]

What's the lowest note you need for your songs?

Conventional baritone guitars go down to either B or A above the low E string of a conventional 4-string bass. Since I've been playing in a Rockabilly influenced band I've been using more notes below E on my 5-string bass then I ever used before!

[keeponehandloose]

I was thinking the Danelectro baritones, Ithought they were the first ones In the 50s. Not sure how low it needs to go, its just that some of the stuff Im trying to play (covers) seems to be baritone, the playing is more akin to lead lines than bass playing

[mrdreadful]

Gretsch do a 'baritone' that's actually a bass VI (six strings, 30" scale, tuned E-e), and by the sounds of it a bass VI is what you're after.

[dannybuoy]

Schecter Hellcat VI is another option for a Bass VI with E-E tuning. If you're after a baritone tuned to B, there's a new Fender Blacktop Baritone Telecaster which looks pretty tasty.

Also, if you have a guitar lying around already you could try a set of baritone strings like the D'Addario EXL158 on it; many metal players downtune their guitars this way.

[Sgroh87]

I've had some experience with the new Fender Pawn Shop Bass VI (30" scale tuned EADGBE) and a PRS SE Mike Mushok Signature Baritone (27.7" tuned BEADF#. They both have a unique sound and the different tunings have some pros and cons.

First of all, the Fender is too low for traditional guitar chords. Personally, I have mine tuned EADGCF and just do basic barre chord shapes using the highest four strings. It is low enough to be used as a bass in a pinch, though the strings are a lot looser and sound a little muddy because of the short scale. The strings are too tightly spaced to play fingerstyle effectively, so you pretty much need to use a pick to play comfortably.

The baritone in B from PRS ( http://youtu.be/SFcts1BpZMs ) has the advantage of being right on the cusp of "too low," so all of your guitar chord shapes will work with no problems. The problem becomes one of thinking in B rather than in E; that is, what you play actually sounds a fourth lower than what it would sound like on a standard guitar (for example, an open G chord shape played on a baritone in B will actually sound as a D chord).

In short, the Bass VI sounds like a short scale bass with extended high range, while the PRS sounds like a guitar with a lower tuning.

[paulconnolly]

My mate ( guitarist) has an Eastwood baritone guitar as used by Mr. Bill Nelson. Mind you as it was one of Bills, he doen't play it much - just sits and stares at it

[steve-bbb]

dont forget the [b][url="http://www.shergold.co.uk/models.html"]Shergold Marathon 6[/url][/b]

[ash]

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1368559481' post='2078616']
dont forget the [b][url="http://www.shergold.co.uk/models.html"]Shergold Marathon 6[/url][/b]
[/quote]

If you can find or afford one! Hooky bought most of them back!

[Wooks79]

[quote name='mrdreadful' timestamp='1366577896' post='2054472']
Gretsch do a 'baritone' that's actually a bass VI (six strings, 30" scale, tuned E-e), and by the sounds of it a bass VI is what you're after.
[/quote]

This. I've got one and the fact that its tuned E-e just kind of makes it make sense.