#1
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Baritone? Detuning? Scale length?
I’ve been thinking about getting an 8-string baritone, Guild 27” scale, and tuning D-d.
But first I thought I’d derive my 6 string Furch (25-9/16” scale) D-d. I got a custom set from string joy (13.5-60) that had pretty close to the same overall tension as normal. But it doesn’t sound that great. It’s only 1 step!?! It doesn’t sound super in tune, I tried. Would that mess with intonation? I did this before on a cheaper guitar and wasn’t impressed. But my Furch Red is a $3000 guitar. What am I missing? Are longer scales necessary for detuning? A bigger body would help, Furch Red is like a Taylor x14.
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'10 Wechter 5712c - Fishman Rare Earth '13 Jaffrey #26 - Malaysian Blackwood! '21 Gretsch 5622 '22 Furch Red Pure G-LR - Barbera Soloist ST-300 Mini + DIY mic preamp |
#2
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I also tried to tune a couple of standard tuned guitars to D to D tuning.
The results were not that impressive. I own a Guild 8 string Baritone and tune it D to D with standard medium gauge phosphor bronze strings. I really like this set up. The guitar sounds great and it frets very easily. I agree that the big body of the Guild Baritone helps with it's sound.
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Happiness Is A New Set Of Strings L-20A |
#3
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I’ve found that most of the guitars I’ve tried tuning down a step haven’t sounded all that great. But on those that do, going to a somewhat heavier string gauge helps with the intonation.
whm |
#4
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I have not tried D to D on any of my “standard” guitars but I do know that some of them sound great in drop D or DADGAD while others don’t.
I believe that a large part of a good baritone sound is due to the body being sized and set up in a certain way. My baritone guitar is tuned B to B. When I use a capo at the fifth fret I get E to E, but the guitar does not sound at all like a “standard” guitar tuned E to E. It has a lot more oomph (sorry, cannot think of a better term). |
#5
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I put heavy strings on my Gurian JR and tuned down to D as an experiment. So far, so good though I will likely switch it back to regular tuning. (Put another way, I avoided the inevitable “buying/selling” cycle.)
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Please note: higher than average likelihood that any post by me is going to lean heavily on sarcasm. Just so we’re clear... |
#6
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Quote:
But, we are all different and also our needs. This seems especially so with baritones. Some may find themselves satisfied with changing the tuning on a regular guitar. Others may hate the longer scale length. What works for one may not for another. Like with any guitar, only more so. One thing I have noticed is that baritones do not have to be large guitars to get a really good one. Personally, I might avoid small bodies (if you could find one) but would have no problem with any other size. I've owned 2 over the years, one a sloped D size and the other an OM or Concert and there was no difference between them that could be attributed to the body size.
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The Bard Rocks Fay OM Sinker Redwood/Tiger Myrtle Sexauer L00 Adk/Magnolia For Sale Hatcher Jumbo Bearclaw/"Bacon" Padauk Goodall Jumbo POC/flamed Mahogany Appollonio 12 POC/Myrtle MJ Franks Resonator, all Australian Blackwood Blackbird "Lucky 13" - carbon fiber '31 National Duolian + many other stringed instruments. |
#7
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I'd love to just go play one, but they are generally not at GC or other guitar shops. There was an alvarez baritone at GC tuned B-b, sounded ok. I think B-b without any octaves is generally dull even in bigger guitars. Needs the octaves to pop out a bit.
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'10 Wechter 5712c - Fishman Rare Earth '13 Jaffrey #26 - Malaysian Blackwood! '21 Gretsch 5622 '22 Furch Red Pure G-LR - Barbera Soloist ST-300 Mini + DIY mic preamp |
#8
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Quote:
Last edited by PaulRadley; 04-30-2024 at 06:09 AM. |
#9
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Guitars are built to resonate at certain pitches, tuning down that much just doesn't work although a longer scale and heavier strings will help a little.
I have owned a luthier built baritone guitar and it sounded wonderful, I just didn't use it very much. |
#10
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I plugged it in and played for a while… sounded way better than unplugged. Bar chords sound better than standard oddly enough. Different chords sound better, others not as much. Interesting. I might play it Sunday at church see how it goes.
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'10 Wechter 5712c - Fishman Rare Earth '13 Jaffrey #26 - Malaysian Blackwood! '21 Gretsch 5622 '22 Furch Red Pure G-LR - Barbera Soloist ST-300 Mini + DIY mic preamp |
#11
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One thing I have noticed is that baritones do not have to be large guitars to get a r
My Rainsong OM1000, B-b, mediums.
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#12
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'10 Wechter 5712c - Fishman Rare Earth '13 Jaffrey #26 - Malaysian Blackwood! '21 Gretsch 5622 '22 Furch Red Pure G-LR - Barbera Soloist ST-300 Mini + DIY mic preamp |