Originally Posted by philjs
It always amazes me that some folks here have little issue with standard-tuned (or even DADGAD-tuned) guitars with scales as short as 24" but as soon as anyone mentions a short-scale "baritone" (or, tuned down one whole step, perhaps semi-baritone) then the naysayers come out with "oh, no, you can't do that!" Generally, they'll say something like, "well, it won't hold it's own at a session or in a group" unless it has a 28" or longer scale but I beg to differ!
Like the OP, I have a guitar that is setup for a semi-baritone tuning, in my case to CGCFGC, a full step below DADGAD so the 1st, 2nd and 6th strings are actually tuned down two steps and the 3rd to 5th are tuned down one step from standard, and it works very well. It's a '90 Larrivee J-09, a full 17" jumbo, with a slightly longer scale (25.7") using a custom set of strings (EXP singles in .015, .022w, .026,. 035, .045 and .070 with a total tension of 163.1 lbs, just slightly more than a light-gauge set on a 25.5" scale).
For anyone who thinks, "wow, an .070 for a bass string" keep in mind that the 28.3 lbs of tension at C is actually LESS than an .056 which has 29.1 lbs of tension at E. The Larrivee was set up specifically for those gauges and has been played this way for about 15 years now. It works quite nicely in ensemble work, too.
I also have a more recent fan-fret baritone, also a full 17" jumbo, 26" to 27.25" scale that I tune down to BbFBbEbFBb (two whole steps down from DADGAD, or 3 steps down for the 1st, 2nd and 6th strings, and two steps down for the 3rd to 5th, from standard) with similar string gauges (a light-gauge set with the 1st string discarded and a .070 bass string added, total 181.9 lbs or about 5 lbs less than a medium-gauge set at standard on a 25.5" scale) and it ALSO works very well, alone or in an acoustic ensemble.
A baritone does not have to have a 28" or longer scale to BE a baritone...it just needs to be appropriately strung for the intended pitches and then played.
Phil
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