Making a semi-baritone

[esteban]

It's that time of year to change my strings, and I think I'm gonna turn my Tele into a wannabe baritone using a 7-string set.

Right now, I use D'Addario EXL120 Nickelwounds (09-11-16-24-32-42). Baritones are normally tuned A-a, B-b, or C-c; my thinking is that I can use the EXL120-7 set (09-11-16-24-32-42-54), save the high E for another day, and use 11-54 to tune my guitar down that low.

That'll work right? Will the nut have to be filed a tad? And just in case I end up hating my guitar like that, will the newly filed nut accept 9-42 strings nicely? Do I need to adjust the neck, too?

[voided3]

I'm going to be trying this on one of my guitars soon with a set of 13's since the string gauges are roughly the same as those on a set of 10's per pitch (i.e. the 13 is still a B). The tuning is the same as a guitar, but down a fourth at BEADF#B or alternatively CFBbEbGC (down a major third). Sometimes people tune down to ADGCEA but I wouldn't on a standard guitar scale since there might not be enough string tension. The only issue one might encounter is issues with intonation, but as I have stated, the same string gauges are used on a set of 10s except I'm shifting their placement one over. It'll definitely need some adjusting, plus the slots at the nut may not be wide enough to accept the fatter strings without some elbow grease. I guess I'll be finding out soon enough though so I'll post back if it works (haven't decided which guitar to try it on yet).

[Nick JD]

I've just been talking with my gal about this. She wants a small scale bass - like a mustang bass with a 30 inch scale.

I've got a couple of unfretted necks and some wood for a body, and I noticed that there's about 5 inches of wood behind a tele bridge...

So I think I'll make her a 29" scale, four string bass using a tele neck but just fretting it to a 29" scale and place the bridge on the very edge by the strap button.

If you're not worried about having less than 18 frets, a baritone could easily be made with a standard tele neck.

[esteban]

Originally Posted by Nick JD

I've just been talking with my gal about this. She wants a small scale bass - like a mustang bass with a 30 inch scale.

I've got a couple of unfretted necks and some wood for a body, and I noticed that there's about 5 inches of wood behind a tele bridge...

So I think I'll make her a 29" scale, four string bass using a tele neck but just fretting it to a 29" scale and place the bridge on the very edge by the strap button.

If you're not worried about having less than 18 frets, a baritone could easily be made with a standard tele neck.

I was thinking along the lines of just adding thick strings and tuning that sucker down... but what do you mean by less than 18 frets?

[ironweed]

I keep one of my Teles strung with "light baritone gage" strings (D'Addario, can't remember which ones) that are 0.013" to 0.062" and tune to C or C-open, four frets below standard. Does not take any special adjustments of truss rod, little or no tweaking of bridge saddles. Sometimes it's the surf green one, sometimes it's the black one, very easy to switch back and forth.

[Dan German]

Originally Posted by Nick JD

So I think I'll make her a 29" scale, four string bass using a tele neck but just fretting it to a 29" scale and place the bridge on the very edge by the strap button.

If you're not worried about having less than 18 frets, a baritone could easily be made with a standard tele neck.

Originally Posted by esteban

what do you mean by less than 18 frets?

Fretting the neck for a 3 1/2" longer scale means wider fret spacing, therefore fewer frets on a neck of given length. And for an instrument like that, I think you could live without the upper frets since it's the lower notes you're building it for anyway.

[Dave_O]

I've been thinking about this for a while, too. I got a Dano Longhorn bass I bought at a hockshop, was gonna put a Dano guitar bridge on it, new nut with the correct amount of slots(!!!) and tuners, etc. But I like Nick JD's idea, so I might just string it up A/D/G/C and see how it goes.....

[esteban]

Originally Posted by Dan German

Fretting the neck for a 3 1/2" longer scale means wider fret spacing, therefore fewer frets on a neck of given length. And for an instrument like that, I think you could live without the upper frets since it's the lower notes you're building it for anyway.

Ah... my idea is closer to Ironweed and voided3: just adding thicker strings. I'm too scared of fudging up to start drilling holes and moving things around... nor do I have the resources to fret my own neck.

[Dan German]

Originally Posted by esteban

Ah... my idea is closer to Ironweed and voided3: just adding thicker strings. I'm too scared of fudging up to start drilling holes and moving things around... nor do I have the resources to fret my own neck.

Heard that! I'll pretend to know how to do a lot of things, and usually get away with it, but I'll let someone else do my fretting for me. As far as fake baritone goes, the low B on my 25" scale Dano 7 string gets me close enough. Though I have a longhorn body to build up, and I have though about either baritone or short-scale bass.....

[RomanS]

I just got a set of 13s with the intention of stringing m Danelectro 56 Pro Ri up in A or C, since the singer of my band wants to do "Ghost Riders In The Sky" either in C or D, which isn't really cool with a regularly tuned guitar...
Haven'T gotten around to do it yet, though...

[Nick JD]

Originally Posted by Dan German

...I think you could live without the upper frets since it's the lower notes you're building it for anyway.

That's exactly what I was thinking - who's gonna be going all eddie van halen (medilee, medileemedilee medilee medilee MEEEEEEE!) on their baritone?

Time for Strongbad.

[Dave_O]

Originally Posted by Nick JD

NICK JD------- you, me, Strongbad, Guitar Hero co-op band........
.....Strongbad goood......

[Nick JD]

Originally Posted by Dave_O

NICK JD------- you, me, Strongbad, Guitar Hero co-op band........
.....Strongbad goood......

I heard strongbad's got a video game coming out!

[voided3]

Just an update, but I strung up my Squier '51 with a set of 13's and tuned it BEADF#B. Much to my surprise, it sounds excellent and the intonation is quite good all the way up the neck. The F# feels a bit lighter than the others and the low B goes a bit sharp if you dig in REALLY hard, but otherwise it's great.

[Tele295]

Yes, it works fine. The action will feel rather loose, and the sound won't be as crisp as it would with a longer scale, but otherwise it will work just fine. I did it with an old Gretsch 6120 and didn't even have to mess with the nut (string guages were heavier back then).

[esteban]

Originally Posted by Tele295

Yes, it works fine. The action will feel rather loose, and the sound won't be as crisp as it would with a longer scale, but otherwise it will work just fine. I did it with an old Gretsch 6120 and didn't even have to mess with the nut (string guages were heavier back then).

Yep, I just did it on Sunday. The action doesn't feel any looser than before; in fact, it feels a bit tighter. The 6th slot on the nut had to be filed just a tad, and I had to reintonate, but that's all. I'm waiting to see if I have to adjust the neck.

[abraxas]

I've turned my "wallpaper" Squier 51 to a "kinda-baritone". This is the guitar:



I used D'Addario EXL157 strings (14 to 68) and tuned it to B.

Well, just to get things straight, it is not a real baritone. It intonates quite well but not perfect and string tension is a tad less than what I'd like. On the other hand, the (top loader) 51 has loose tension anyway. String through body bridges might be better in thar respect.

Please note that I had to file the string hole on the bridge, in order to persuade the 0.68 string to pass through. Check first to see if your Tele bridge allows the string to pass through comfortably.

In general I'm very pleased with the tone; anyways, it is an intermediate step for me, while waiting for the new Danos to become available in Europe.