Baritone's In Standard Tuning

[elduave]

Do-able? Pro's? Cons? Gauges?

[Thundernotes]

For some reason, I think string tension would be quite high to get to pitch.

[cmatthes]

It can be done, but I believe scale length may be an issue. Baritones are typically tuned B to B, right? I think it would depend on the guitar, overall. I know that some guitars like the Ibanez & Schecters come in a B Tuning as standard, and the extra tension might be a very, very bad thing!

Fender Bass VIs, and that DanElectro Baritone from the 50s/60s tuned E to E, but an octave lower than a regular guitar. Those both used a 30" scale, IIRC.

Fender also makes a Baritone Jaguar which is also tuned E to E, but has a 28 1/2" scale. I have a Warmoth Baritone Tele neck that is done in a similar (maybe slightly different - Peso?) scale. That will be an E-tuned guitar as well.

[JohnnyB]

Unless you're dealing with a 30" scale (which is more likely intended to be tuned an octave below a guitar, like the Fender Bass VI and the Music Man Silhouette), the other baritones I've come across have scales of 26.5", 27", and 28". The Selmer-Maccaferri, the gypsy style guitar favored by Django Reinhardt, had a scale of about 26.37", and so did the Hamer Virtuoso. Both were built to be tuned to standard guitar pitch.

Therefore, it should be safe to tune at least the shorter-scale baritones to standard pitch if the neck is strong and well-braced. The Schecter is a 26.5" scale and uses a maple neck so it should probably be fine. You might start with 12-56 or 13-60-ish strings and see how it goes.

[Mike Lee]

I think on a long scale guitar tuned to standard pitch you should start with very light strings to keep the tension reasonable. I'd go no higher than 9-42 to start out with, but 8-38 might be better.

[Teh]

Wouldn't intonation be an issue?

[JohnnyB]

Since standard baritone strings are typically 14-70 or 16-80, 12s or 11s at the lightest would be plenty safe, especially on the Schecter which is scaled only an inch longer than a Stratocaster and is a steel-reinforced maple neck solid body. Gypsy jazz guitars have the same scale, are hollow body acoustics, and are tuned to standard pitch. Standard Gypsy Jazz strings are famously on the light side (relative to other acoustic guitars) at 10-45 and 11-46.

[azatplayer]

I have a jaguar, E to E, the thing is brilliant. Pretty heavy strings on it too. Most baritones ive picked up have skinny little strings, some even have plain on hi E and B. The heavy wound hi E and B make the guitar.

You cant really do bass, on it, but in the trio gig i do, i play guitar, and my mate plays his Jaguar.

Its such an awesome instrument, cos we guitar players dont play bass.. but what we can pull off with chordal stuff and soloing, while holding the bottom end, is pretty cool.

[Mike Lee]

Since standard baritone strings are typically 14-70 or 16-80, 12s or 11s at the lightest would be plenty safe, especially on the Schecter which is scaled only an inch longer than a Stratocaster and is a steel-reinforced maple neck solid body. Gypsy jazz guitars have the same scale, are hollow body acoustics, and are tuned to standard pitch. Standard Gypsy Jazz strings are famously on the light side (relative to other acoustic guitars) at 10-45 and 11-46.

My earlier comments were more about playability than what the instrument can handle. If you are comfortable playing .010's on a 25.5" scale, going down to a 24.74" scale allows you to move up to .011's. If you want the same overall tension, going up to a 26.5" scale would require 0.009's and a 27.5" scale or higher would require 0.008's.

Putting 0.011's on a baritone and tuning them up to standard pitch would be like having 0.013's or higher on a Strat. Not too many people like to play electric with strings that heavy. It's OK for jazz or acoustic styles with minimal string bending and lots of chording, but not so much for typical electric styles.

Heavier strings will sound "bigger" and more piano like, especially on a baritone. But it all depends on your style, and what kind of tension/playability you like. Try it a couple different ways and see what works for you.

[cmatthes]

I have a jaguar, E to E, the thing is brilliant. Pretty heavy strings on it too. Most baritones ive picked up have skinny little strings, some even have plain on hi E and B. The heavy wound hi E and B make the guitar.

You cant really do bass, on it, but in the trio gig i do, i play guitar, and my mate plays his Jaguar.

Its such an awesome instrument, cos we guitar players dont play bass.. but what we can pull off with chordal stuff and soloing, while holding the bottom end, is pretty cool.

Exactly my thoughts. I've got one of those on the project pile - it's a great sound - kind of twangy, but deep and clear too. I don't like the baris with skinny strings. They don't get that big, round sound that I like out of those.

[azatplayer]

I have a jaguar, E to E, the thing is brilliant. Pretty heavy strings on it too. Most baritones ive picked up have skinny little strings, some even have plain on hi E and B. The heavy wound hi E and B make the guitar.

You cant really do bass, on it, but in the trio gig i do, i play guitar, and my mate plays his Jaguar.

Its such an awesome instrument, cos we guitar players dont play bass.. but what we can pull off with chordal stuff and soloing, while holding the bottom end, is pretty cool.

Exactly my thoughts. I've got one of those on the project pile - it's a great sound - kind of twangy, but deep and clear too. I don't like the baris with skinny strings. They don't get that big, round sound that I like out of those.

Oh man, my buddy plays his thru and AC30 2x12, and the tremolo and distorted tone is massively cool. Anyone who plays one of these things, owes it to themselves to try it with tremolo. Ultra cool tones.

Funny we've been using one for about three years, seems we were on the resurgent wave of enlightenment on these things, people from everywhere getting in on baritone love. Really cool.