Is a tele baritone a good idea...?

[john.hostetter]

Hey guys, this is my first post. I would like to get some opinions if y'all have any (and I suspect you do).

I just bought a Squier vintage vibe tele as a quick replacement for a stolen guitar. The guitar gets the job done, but my OCD problem is with the fretboard. I play in a dropped tuning, everything down a step and a half (C# F# B E G# C#). I have 11's on the thing, but it still buzzes more than I'd like when I get the action where I want it (pretty low). I'm considering replacing the neck with a Warmoth. Would it make sense to go ahead and use one of their baritone conversion necks? I know most baritones are tuned down a 4th, 5th or an octave...I'm afraid a minor third isn't enough to warrant a baritone conversion. Does this make sense? Any thoughts?

 

[jimh]

Do it.

Tele's make good Baritone conversions.

Oh, and welcome to the forum.  ccasion14:

 

[JaySwear]

sounds like a good idea to me! i think you'd want to go down to 9's with tuning that high though. i've thought about doing the thing to an old squier 51 i have, but don't know if i'd use it enough to justify the neck purchase. but for you it sounds like the perfect fix

 

[reinhold]

That would be awesome, go for it!

 

[john.hostetter]

Thanks guys! I appreciate the welcome!

Looks like you pushed me over the edge. Next paycheck will be spent on a Warmoth baritone Tele neck!  :headbang1:

I'll post updates asap.

 

[Graffiti62]

Baritones are pretty interesting axes to play around with--almost like playing the bass like Lemmy from Motorhead--you're in that mid-octave range between the bass octave and the guitar octave. One thing I've heard is that a baritone can really make a wicked slide guitar. Give it a shot, and welcome to the forum!

 

[swarfrat]

Like peanut butter & jelly.

 

[Volitions Advocate]

Just make sure your neck pocket will fit a warmoth tele neck.  It's pretty hit and miss with Squier.

 

[john.hostetter]

Thanks for all the encouragement guys. It's also really helpful to hear a concern like Advocate's. What is the best way to make sure the Warmoth neck will fit my Squier? Should I just call them? Also, I just read most of the Warmoth user reviews on Harmony-Central and...yikes! Can anyone relieve my concerns about action and playability?

 

[Mor Paul]

Thanks for all the encouragement guys. It's also really helpful to hear a concern like Advocate's. What is the best way to make sure the Warmoth neck will fit my Squier? Should I just call them? Also, I just read most of the Warmoth user reviews on Harmony-Central and...yikes! Can anyone relieve my concerns about action and playability?

Warmoths are parts, not completed instruments. To get them playing they're best, they'll need a setup. With a good setup, like almost any guitar, they can play amazingly.

 

[JaySwear]

Warmoths are parts, not completed instruments. To get them playing they're best, they'll need a setup. With a good setup, like almost any guitar, they can play amazingly.

definitely. the action on a warmoth can be changed as much (if not more) than any production model. seems like a lot of the people who write reviews for warmoth products think they're buying a kit guitar or something. but it's just a body and neck, you do the rest. i definitely would not worry about those reviews! if any of those reviewers knew how to preform a decent set up or would take their guitar to a professional it would be the end of their action problems.

 

[Mor Paul]

I'd like to say that I have done *nothing* other than bridge and truss rod adjustment on my warmoth, and the action is quite nice. Around 1/16th at the 12th. Also, I've never set up a guitar before this one.

 

[JaySwear]

me too. on one guitar i didn't even touch the truss rod. it was great when i strung it up, waited a week or so for it to "settle" and it never really did. still exactly where it was! no adjustment necessary from me. of course you should expect to make adjustments to something like the truss rod.

 

[john.hostetter]

Well, I'm sold! Thanks again, you've been quite helpful.

 

[Mor Paul]

Do you know what goes in to making warmoth parts become a guitar, then makes that guitar become a great guitar?

 

[tfarny]

I'd experiment with .012 or .013 gauge before buying a bari neck, honestly. I don't like .011 for anything more than 1/2 step down. I have one of my strats tuned down two whole steps with .012 and action is not a problem. Flubby bass is, but that's down to pickups.

 

[john.hostetter]

@tfarny: Thanks for the advice. I would certainly like to find a $6 solution rather than a $300 solution.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Fender used to make what they called the "Bajo Sexto Telecaster," which was essentially a Baritone Tele.

 

[jay4321]

I've got a new (finished) baritone LP neck I tried to sell a couple times. Nut installed, PW tuners installed, etc.

I put it on ebay, no bids. Put it on here, no interest at all. I had it at 200 last I tried. Totally unused, if you're interested send me a msg.

 

[jay4321]

Also, it's maple neck, rosewood board, gloss with gloss black headstock. No face dots.