Baritone guitars... And, go!

unix-guy

unix-guy

Master of RTFM
Anyone have experience with baritone guitars?

I never thought much about them but since really digging Mark Lettieri's Deep album they've been percolating in the back of my mind.

My current band is in the process of writing all original instrumental tunes and I think a baritone could nicely expand the palette available for a bass, drums and dual guitar lineup.

I'm not looking for down tuned metal riffage, although that could be fun, too.

I like what I've seen/heard of the Referend Descent HC90...

There's also the PRS SE 277 and the Fender Blacktop Baritone Tele, and the Dano's.

I'm not really a fan of the Airline models I've seen - the visual aesthetic is not for me.

Looking for something $1k or less.

Thanks!
 
I have a Trussart baritone on the way. There is nothing not to love about that sonic range. Surf, Spaghetti Western, Desert Rock, Ambient ... nothing not to love.

Do it. Danelectro makes a cheap one if you are on the fence.
 
I have the black sparkle danelectro

It's nice

Kinda sounds like the theme to forensic files

I have an OLP Baritone too but set it up/string it to be a Bass VI
I paid $40 for the OLP it's a very solid/well built guitar, really impressed by it- and for some reasons the Baritone model OLP MM5 go for $400-500 somehow

I say go cheap- spend $150 on a used Danelectro- I think up to $1000 is a little much for something someone unpractical or useful... also a 7 string guitar might be an option too
 
I have the LTD BB-600 - has a piezo pickup as well that I use a lot for recording. The new price is over your range but I do see a few on reverb for under a grand. May be worth checking out.
 
Jeries said:
I think up to $1000 is a little much for something someone unpractical or useful
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But how do you know what will or won't be practical for me?

I'm comfortable setting my own spending limits. Most likely I'll probably spend between $500-750.
 
unix-guy said:
But how do you know what will or won't be practical for me?

I'm comfortable setting my own spending limits. Most likely I'll probably spend between $500-750.
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Outside of a car, I don't think anyone should spend $1000 on their first anything... 7 string, 8 string, baritone, especially when options are in the $200-300 range- try it, like it- then buy a $1000 one or a $10,000 one for all i care

Every day I can buy a $1000 7 string for $200-300... do you want to be the one that took the hit or got the deal?

Unique guitar things- like 7/8/baritone/extended scale guitars, even 5 6 7 string basses, etc- have a curve of people that like them.

They're like Looper pedals- you can buy any looper out there for pennies on the dollar because they never live up to what people hope

I think a lot of guitar players today are jaded or unrealistic or unpractical... $1000 is a lot of money... if it's not- then anyone reading this can feel free to send me $1000 to my paypal- PM me for my paypal email.

Aside from that- there's a weird dip in music gear- guitars, amps, even cameras in a certain range

is a $300 guitar better than a $100? yes- is a $600 really twice better than a $300? most likely not-

I think anything in the guitar range that's $1000 today-- is really a $350 guitar people are fooled to overpay for

LTD/Schecter/Premium Ibanez- anything in that 600-1000 range is just overpriced $300-500 stuff.

I love 12 strings, I have 6- fairly shitty ones compared to the rickenbacker i always wanted- then I got the $3500 rick i always wanted- it's nice but not 10x nicer than my two danelectros.

Anyway- it's your money- anything left over I'm happy to take
 
Have always fricking loved the guitar tone on Van Halen’s “Spanked” from the FUCK album, and heard that he used a baritone for that. Have somewhat wanted one since, but something else seems to always come along.
 
i've got the prs se 277. the hollow one with soapbar pickups. it's not made for riffage, the pickups are too noisy with gain and don't have enough output. that's not what i use it for though. both pickups on through a clean, or edge of breakup amp is just delicious for big fat dreamy chords and single note lines with a bit of trem sound very old school and authentic. the neck is quite big, but not uncomfortable (i think it's what prs call the wide fat) and the guitar as a whole is extremely light and actually balances well, considering the length of the neck. i have baritone light strings on mine, because i need low tension, but i think they add to the chimeyness and stop it getting muddy. not enough snap for lettieri funk riffage though. i'm very pleased with it and was actually thinking about picking up one of the solid 277's with humbuckers, so i've got the option of playing some heavy rhythm stuff if i need to for a session, or maybe the ibanez rgib6 which is cheaper on the used market. if you have a woman's hands like it do, it's a good alternative to a 7 string.
 
I've built a couple baritone partscasters and owned a few 7-strings. I just don't bond with them personally.

I actually went the opposite and just got a Fender Alternate Reality Tenor Tele - I'm planning using it tuned in 5ths like an octave mandolin or mandola.
 
simeon said:
i've got the prs se 277. the hollow one with soapbar pickups. it's not made for riffage, the pickups are too noisy with gain and don't have enough output. that's not what i use it for though. both pickups on through a clean, or edge of breakup amp is just delicious for big fat dreamy chords and single note lines with a bit of trem sound very old school and authentic. the neck is quite big, but not uncomfortable (i think it's what prs call the wide fat) and the guitar as a whole is extremely light and actually balances well, considering the length of the neck. i have baritone light strings on mine, because i need low tension, but i think they add to the chimeyness and stop it getting muddy. not enough snap for lettieri funk riffage though. i'm very pleased with it and was actually thinking about picking up one of the solid 277's with humbuckers, so i've got the option of playing some heavy rhythm stuff if i need to for a session, or maybe the ibanez rgib6 which is cheaper on the used market. if you have a woman's hands like it do, it's a good alternative to a 7 string.
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Ok... I watched a PRS video of the 277 with soap bars. I was a bit worried when they mentioned the wide-fat neck as I prefer thinner necks and even their pattern thin is a little thicker than I prefer, although comfortable enough.

Thanks for the comments regarding what you feel it works for - I think having a bit of snap is good, so maybe not what I want.

The PRS video for the solid 277 seems like it might be a too oriented towards the metal crowd, as the only tones I really dug were the split coils and I'm not a huge fan of those in general.
 
Since you're an Ibanez guy, why not check out one of the Ibanez RG XLs? Or the RGIB6 .. Or if you wanna go really low, there's a bass / guitar crossover they make called the SRC-6.
 
Kamil Kisiel said:
Since you're an Ibanez guy, why not check out one of the Ibanez RG XLs? Or the RGIB6 .. Or if you wanna go really low, there's a bass / guitar crossover they make called the SRC-6.
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I was not familiar with the XL series. Looks interesting - I'll look into those more. The RGIB6 seems more like a metal guitar, but that's just first impressions.

The SRC-6 just looks too much like a bass for me ;)
 
simeon said:
dunno if you've seen this...

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Yep... That seemed fairly focused on the metal riff-y super down-tuned crowd with the focus on guitars with 27"+ scale length.

Most of the ones they mentioned are tuning down to E/F/G range... I'm really only looking for something from A-C.

But it did at least expose some more options. ;)
 
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