25.5" Scale Baritone

[StevenO]

I've been thinking of turning my Strat into a Baritone so that it sees some use in the band I'm in. I've been thinking about getting the thickest strings I can find for a 6 string guitar and have the guitar set-up for a baritone tuning of A or B.

Has anyone done this before? Good idea? Bad Idea?

[wardpike]

not a great idea. Even with 14-64 d'addario baritone medium gauge strings. the tension will be darned loose tuned B to b, and floppy an flabby sounding tuned A to a. I recommend getting a 28.5" scale conversion neck!! That's what I did for me bari-tele.


Ward

[Superfuzz]

maybe with zack wylde custom guitar strings...on the heavy set the sixth is .70!

[garyptaszek]

I disagree!
I use D'Addario 14-68s on my Tele for the same tuning.
works perfectly well

[null.fuzz]

You could probably just get a 7-string set and use the lowest 6. Some 7-strings have a different scale length, though - schecters are 26.5".

[garyptaszek]

You could probably just get a 7-string set and use the lowest 6. Some 7-strings have a different scale length, though - schecters are 26.5".

most 7 string sets I've found only go as low as 56 and I use a 52 for standard...
I went straight for the big bastards

[Redgaard]

I've just bought a regular set of strings and a 75 bass string.
You just move the strings a step down and put the bass-string on top.

[blueavenger]

You could probably just get a 7-string set and use the lowest 6. Some 7-strings have a different scale length, though - schecters are 26.5".

most 7 string sets I've found only go as low as 56 and I use a 52 for standard...
I went straight for the big bastards

Yeah. My buddy has an Ibanez 7 string (he was never the same after Freak on a Leash came out) and he runs an Ernie Ball 7 string set with a 58 low A. It's one of those Steve Vai thingies with a 25.5 scale. I've played it a couple times. It doesn't feel awful. I could get used to it given time. I mean the feel of that one string tuned to A. Not at all interested in getting used to 7 strings

[blueavenger]

not a great idea. Even with 14-64 d'addario baritone medium gauge strings. the tension will be darned loose tuned B to b, and floppy an flabby sounding tuned A to a. I recommend getting a 28.5" scale conversion neck!! That's what I did for me bari-tele.


Ward

I played a Fender Bajo Sexto once... Damn I wanted that guitar. Dude wouldn't sell it.

[StevenO]

I was thinking about using the Ernie Ball 13-72 baritone set and tune to B. I wouldn't want to use much lighter strings and most certainly not anything in the 50 range for the low B...

I'm still in the "I'm considering it" stage, though.

[ohm-men]

It's defenitely doable. But, if you use a strat, Block the trem. And try to get a higher action. (2 point trems work great) but it does the trick with the wintage kind as well. I have a Strat-ish thing tuned to A-a and it works nice. Indeed the lowest string is a bit loose, but still manageble.
It does require a bit of a different aproach to your playing, but the sound is there.

[garyptaszek]

I was thinking about using the Ernie Ball 13-72 baritone set and tune to B. I wouldn't want to use much lighter strings and most certainly not anything in the 50 range for the low B...

I'm still in the "I'm considering it" stage, though.

oooh I wasn't aware of those Ernies
might have to try them even though I'm a strict D'Addario man