Baritone build questions

[NickLevi]

Hi guy's, Im planning a Warmoth LP build, but am considering making it a Baritone and ordering the Warmoth Baritone Long scale neck instead of the usual Fender/Gibson scales as I understand Bucketheads new Gibson uses a 27" scale neck, and I dig the sound from some Baritone clips I've heard as well as it seems an area in guitar not often pursued, my thinking is it will open a whole new facet to my playing as well as give me alot of heavy sounds to work with.

Question 1. - Solid or Chambered ? will it have neck dive if I were to go with a Chambered Mahogany LP body shape ?

Question 2. - What gauge strings and tunings are typical on a Baritone guitar ? could I string it so I can at least get to the guitars 2nd or B string so I can still play solos in normal ranges ?

Question 3. - Does playing Baritone step all over the bass players toes or is it possible to just create some seriously Heavy rhythms together ?

Question 4. - Any useful suggestions or tips or knowledge, positive or negative on the Baritone Idea is greatly appreciated ?

                                                                              Thank you, alot of talent on these pages.

 

[Patriot54]

Question 2. - What gauge strings and tunings are typical on a Baritone guitar ? could I string it so I can at least get to the guitars 2nd or B string so I can still play solos in normal ranges ?

"A standard guitar's standard tuning (from lowest string to highest) is E A D G B E. Baritone guitars are usually tuned a perfect fifth lower (A D G C E A), a perfect fourth lower (B E A D F♯ B), or a major third lower (C F B♭ E♭ G C)."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baritone_guitar

Ernie Ball Baritone: .013 .018p .030 .044 .056 .072
D'Addario XL Medium Baritone: .014 .018 .026 .044 .056 .068

I don't have the experience with a baritone guitar to answer the other questions, but I'll find out soon when I'm done building mine.

Good luck

 

[Tempest]

Question 2. - What gauge strings and tunings are typical on a Baritone guitar ? could I string it so I can at least get to the guitars 2nd or B string so I can still play solos in normal ranges ?

"A standard guitar's standard tuning (from lowest string to highest) is E A D G B E. Baritone guitars are usually tuned a perfect fifth lower (A D G C E A), a perfect fourth lower (B E A D F♯ B), or a major third lower (C F B♭ E♭ G C)."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baritone_guitar

Ernie Ball Baritone: .013 .018p .030 .044 .056 .072
D'Addario XL Medium Baritone: .014 .018 .026 .044 .056 .068

I don't have the experience with a baritone guitar to answer the other questions, but I'll find out soon when I'm done building mine.

Good luck

What he said, and I still haven't decided whether I'm going to go with 13's or 14's.  None of the stores I go to carry baritone sets without a wound third so I'm going to have to order them online

 

[Killinger]

You should be warned, if you haven't got the parts yet, that the neck's nut is carved for a vintage style baritone, meaning tuned a full octave down from standard E. Baritone strings are usually 13s or 14s as mentioned above. I emailed Warmoth a while agoabout the nut on the baritone neck and was told that they are carved for 29s, which is in my opinion ridiculous. My friend has a 30 inch scale baritone, tuned to A standard and he's only got 14s on there with fairly decent tension, so.... yea, you might wantto bypass the nut from Warmoth and get one carved at a later time.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I got the blank, and had it slotted locally for .12's, tuned standard baritone (Low-->B, E, A, D, F#, B-->Hi) and they feel like 10's in A440.

 

[ihavenothingprofoundtosay]

You should be warned, if you haven't got the parts yet, that the neck's nut is carved for a vintage style baritone, meaning tuned a full octave down from standard E.

Hmmm.... my baritone Warmoth neck was cut for something much smaller than that - I had a .068 (I used the lower 6 of a 7 string set) and it fit perfectly.  I couldn't see much more than a .072 or so going in the bottom slot.  I used D'Addario flatwounds & loved them - they fit nice, felt nice, and sounded good.  I'd imagine the Bass VI necks would have nuts cut for the larger (up to .100) strings.

Question 1. - Solid or Chambered ? will it have neck dive if I were to go with a Chambered Mahogany LP body shape ?

I doubt it - unless the neck was really dense, and the mahogany was really light.

Question 3. - Does playing Baritone step all over the bass players toes or is it possible to just create some seriously Heavy rhythms together ?

Totally depends on the arrangements of the parts (unison/harmony/octave), your playing style, and EQ of the amp - in that order.  I played one tuned down to open A (EAEAEC#), and used the bottom 2 strings to play bass parts - I am the bass player.  :glasses10: