Baritone? Detuning? Scale length?

[rschultz]

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.

[L20A]

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.

[Wade Hampton]

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

[colins]

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).

[Slothead56]

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.)

[The Bard Rocks]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

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

As usual I agree with Wade. In general, the best baritone-tuned instruments are those made specifically for it. That also means a noticeably longer scale length. Getting the right string tension is easier; there are a lot of strings out there and they are very cheap when compared to guitars!

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.

[rschultz]

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.

[PaulRadley]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

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.

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whm

I agree with you.

[Malcolm Kindnes]

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.

[rschultz]

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.

[JLS]

My Rainsong OM1000, B-b, mediums.

[rschultz]

Originally Posted by JLS

My Rainsong OM1000, B-b, mediums.

Very nice!