Rabs Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 I was talking to a guy I used to work with the other day who is also a guitar player... Hes was talking about all the different guitars he wants including a baritone, definitely has GAS but doesnt talk about it online so just doesnt know a lot of us get that 🙂 Hes been having a rough time of it recently and I thought about maybe building a baritone for him so I have been looking in to them. Now I kind of want one myself 😄 For those that dont know (as I didnt exactly before this). Baritones are six string guitars and can be played the normal way but have thicker stings and usually are tuned to B standard B-E-A-D-F#-B and the sting sets you can buy are something like 13 - 70.. Apparently any guitar that has a longer scale length than 25.5 is considered a baritone ( so 26-30" usually).. In looking it up it seems that often they go for a 27" scale length. So if you have one.. What are your thoughts on them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted July 26 Author Share Posted July 26 A more usual brand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparquelito Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 I had one for a few months. An ESP LTD. I got it used, from a nice pawn shop. We didn't gel. It wasn't my thing. I ended up giving it to a good friend, for his birthday in 2022. He loves it, and plays it to this day. 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grog Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 The guy I play guitar with bought one of these when they came out........ Vintage Gibson Les Paul Studio Baritone Electric Guitar Dealer Sheet/Print Ad | eBay He has the redish orange one. Other than having to compensate for the odd tuning, it's fun. You really don't see many of these pop up used........... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tx-ogre Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 Back in 2015, I was considering either a 6 string baritone or a 7 string. I ultimately purchased a 7 string. I thought the extra string would make it more versatile. I normally tune it to B Standard (B-E-A-D-G-b-e), but sometimes tune it to B-E-A-D-F#-b-e, which is standard tuning for a 6 string baritone with the additional high E string. I also play an 8 string. My 7 string has a 25.5” scale length. If I had it to do ever again, I would have bought one with a 27” scale length. My 8 string has a 27” scale length. If I but another 8 string, it will be a minimum 28” scale length. I’m really liking extended-range guitars and basses. I will be interested in seeing the baritone if you make one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted July 27 Author Share Posted July 27 Well I say I want one.. But I do at least want to try one. They have some baritone squire teles in the local shop so I may venture out next week and give one a go... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 I built one out of scrap parts back around 1992. It’s still here somewhere. I didn’t use it much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 12 hours ago, tx-ogre said: I will be interested in seeing the baritone if you make one. A Rabsitone! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tx-ogre Posted July 28 Share Posted July 28 17 hours ago, 'Scales said: A Rabsitone! Sounds like a trademark in the making to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tx-ogre Posted July 28 Share Posted July 28 (edited) On 7/26/2024 at 7:08 PM, Rabs said: Well I say I want one.. But I do at least want to try one. They have some baritone squire teles in the local shop so I may venture out next week and give one a go... It’s definitely worth checking out. Once you get used to the change in fretboard reference point (low and high B vs. low and high E), it is a fairly easy transition. And if you like the availability of the lower registers like I do, you will feel right at home. And if they have any 7 strings hanging in the wall, I suggest you give it/them a “test drive,” if nothing more than for comparison. You just might be surprised how a 7 string could be the answer. You can do everything you can on a 6 string baritone and more. Good hunting! Edited July 28 by tx-ogre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tx-ogre Posted August 5 Share Posted August 5 Hey Rabs, I forgot to ask if you have ever built a multi-scale guitar or bass, regardless of the number of strings or scal length. My 6 string Ibanez bass (SRMS806) is my first and only multi-scale guitar/bass. My 7 & 8 string guitars are regular scale, but in a future purchase of either, I would seriously consider a multi-scale option, along with a longer scale length. I was just curious as a builder what opinion, if any, you have on the subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted August 5 Author Share Posted August 5 (edited) 12 minutes ago, tx-ogre said: Hey Rabs, I forgot to ask if you have ever built a multi-scale guitar or bass, regardless of the number of strings or scal length. My 6 string Ibanez bass (SRMS806) is my first and only multi-scale guitar/bass. My 7 & 8 string guitars are regular scale, but in a future purchase of either, I would seriously consider a multi-scale option, along with a longer scale length. I was just curious as a builder what opinion, if any, you have on the subject. No, only standard six string guitars. I did try to cut my own fret slots with blanks when I first started, only to ruin like £50 worth of rosewood. I then found a place that pre slotted the frets and just used them the whole time. So doing something like a multi scale fretboard. Well im sure if I tried hard enough I could but these days as I said in the other thread, its hardly worth it in todays market. Edited August 5 by Rabs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tx-ogre Posted August 5 Share Posted August 5 (edited) 19 minutes ago, Rabs said: No, only standard six string guitars. I did try to cut my own fret slots with blanks when I first started, only to ruin like £50 worth of rosewood. I then found a place that pre slotted the frets and just used them the whole time. So doing something like a multi scale fretboard. Well im sure if I tried hard enough I could but these days as I said in the other thread, its hardly worth it in todays market. Thanks for the reply. I can see where it would be challenging to do/learn something like that in a limited market. Not a lot of us crazies wandering off into the “dark side.” The transition from a standard scale 4 string bass to a MS 6 string bass was easy since I had been playing a 7 string guitar for years so I was used to dealing with the low B string. Moving around the MS fretboard was very comfortable, but I obviously don’t do things like strum Barre chords on a bass. That is something I think about when considering a MS 7 or 8 string guitar. I won’t know for sure until I actually play one, but as you might expect, finding one in a local guitar shop to “test” drive is highly unlikely. Edited August 5 by tx-ogre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted August 5 Share Posted August 5 I came close to buying a Danelectro Baritone many moons ago. I dont know why I didnt, as I liked it. I saw Lee Anderton play a baritone on his channel once. It made me want one all over again. He made it sound terrific. Rich & deep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil OKeefe Posted August 5 Share Posted August 5 Yes, I have a 2005 Danelectro M.I.K. Baritone. It has a 30" scale length, the classic "bottle" headstock, and I have it tuned B – B. It's the classic single cutaway Dano body shape, but it's a solidbody (not masonite over a pine plywood frame like my '98 DC-12) with two lipstick single coil pickups. I like it quite a bit. I also have a Squier Bass VI which is also a 30" scale, but that one is set up for 6 string bass, as per normal Bass VI specs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tx-ogre Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 On 8/5/2024 at 4:46 PM, Phil OKeefe said: Yes, I have a 2005 Danelectro M.I.K. Baritone. It has a 30" scale length, the classic "bottle" headstock, and I have it tuned B – B. It's the classic single cutaway Dano body shape, but it's a solidbody (not masonite over a pine plywood frame like my '98 DC-12) with two lipstick single coil pickups. I like it quite a bit. I also have a Squier Bass VI which is also a 30" scale, but that one is set up for 6 string bass, as per normal Bass VI specs. With the 30” scale length on the Danelectro baritone, what string gauge do use use for B Standard tuning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 Just watched some vids.... they are kinda strange sounding guitars. Don't think I'll ever have a use for them, and the scale length I can see myself getting lost on the fretboard and causing more of a disaster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil OKeefe Posted August 7 Share Posted August 7 15 hours ago, tx-ogre said: With the 30” scale length on the Danelectro baritone, what string gauge do use use for B Standard tuning? I have been using D'Addario EXL157's, which are gauge 14-68. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted August 8 Author Share Posted August 8 On a side note.. Every time I see this thread title I hear the word Barrytone in my head.. Like you are buying a Barry White sounding guitar 😄 Every time you play a note it goes Ohhhhhhhh baaaayybbbaaaahhhh... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tx-ogre Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 (edited) On 8/7/2024 at 10:10 AM, Phil OKeefe said: I have been using D'Addario EXL157's, which are gauge 14-68. Thanks for the reply. I was curious if the 30” inch scale length in contrast to the 27-28” scale length made lighter strings more comfortable to play. I would mostly likely buy a multi-scale/fanned fret 7, 8 or 9 string guitar in the future and string gauge/tension is always an issue when you get into scale lengths over 27”. Edited August 9 by tx-ogre 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil OKeefe Posted August 9 Share Posted August 9 12 hours ago, tx-ogre said: Thanks for the reply. I was curious if the 30” inch scale length in contrast to the 27-28” scale length made lighter strings more comfortable to play. I would mostly likely buy a multi-scale/fanned fret 7, 8 or 9 string guitar in the future and string gauge/tension is always an issue when you get into scale lengths over 27”. If you count the Bari, I have guitars with scale lengths from 22 3/4" (a Baby Taylor) to 30" (the Dano Bari). In my experience, the shorter the scale length, the heavier the string gauge I need to use to get the string tension that I prefer. For example, on most of my acoustic guitars, I usually use 12-53 gauge strings, but on my Taylor GS Mini (23.5" scale), I have to use mediums (13-56) or they feel too loose and rubber band-like for my tastes. For my Fender Mustang, Music Master and Duo Sonic (all 24" scale), I have to use at least 10s, or even 11s to get to where it feels similar to my Tele or Strat running 9s or 10s. I go back and forth between those two gauges on my 25.5" scale guitars. I use 10s on all of my 24.75" scale Gibson electrics and my 25" scale PRS. I can easily run a lighter gauge on the baritone (13-62), and I have previously, but I wanted to try the mediums to see how they sounded and felt. They have a bit beefier tone, which I like, but are harder to bend. Since I don't do a lot of bending on the baritone, I've stuck with the heavier strings. If you want lighter gauge strings for your baritone, I think a longer scale length would make that easier and more practical than trying to use the same lighter gauges on a shorter scale length baritone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.