Baritone or normal scale ?
Baritone or normal scale ?
It all depends on feel if you ask me. I have a 25.5 that I used in B for awhile. I used ernie ball strings not even slinkies I think. I didn't think it was too bad. It was a little loose for me. I have been contemplating moving to a baritone for stuff that low. Or at the least getting a 26.5 scale. It could work very well but if you like your stings really tight then it might not be as ideal.
I hate loose strings. But I'm not a fan of huge strings either. For Drop C, is it about the same as for B ? I'll develop a bit : I play most stuff in D, some in E, and for rhythm riffing, easy playing and recording I'd like a Drop C guitar. For many other stuff I like, I need to play in B. So question is, do I get a Baritone for both Drop C and B or is it better if I switch tunings on my normal scaled axes ?
I hate loose strings. But I'm not a fan of huge strings either. For Drop C, is it about the same as for B ? I'll develop a bit : I play most stuff in D, some in E, and for rhythm riffing, easy playing and recording I'd like a Drop C guitar. For many other stuff I like, I need to play in B. So question is, do I get a Baritone for both Drop C and B or is it better if I switch tunings on my normal scaled axes ?
I would say based on the fact that you don't like loose strings and that you dont like using bigger strings you may want to get a baritone.
this is sillie.
anyhoo, imo main reason for longer scale neck is to improve intonation issues.
i find gibson scale 24.75" horribibble for any tuning beyond D-standard (not dropD ), which is 2 semitones down from standard E-standard.
typical "baritone" scale is B-standard and that is 5 semitones down, so is quite a lot.
fender scale 25.5" works for me down to about C-standard i guess, but that's still up 1 semitone from usual baritone.
A lot of bands/songs i like though are in Drop-C, which is D-standard PLUS drop the lowest string to C, so effectively isn't really much different than D-standard in terms of intonation issues for me, only 1 string going very low. i wouldn't do drop-C on a gibson scale but i'll do it on a fender scale.
but afer Korn and Staind came out a lot of bands now are going below standard baritone of B down to A, so just imagine a standard-scale guitar and trying to tune it down to A, that's 7 semitones below what it was designed for. the result blows imo.
string gauges resolve the tightness/looseness issues for playability,
but they don't resolve intonation problems;
you've got the bridge too close and virtually all your frets (and your nut) jammed too close together, to get good intonation.
imo - use the proper tool. if i'm only tuning down to C and own a 25.5 that's fine; if i'm only going to drop-C (which is D) then that's definitely fine. If i'm going to B and below, i want more than 25.5".
jmo.
I have already tried 7-strings, not my thing. The music shop here has had a Stephen Carpenter LTD for months and I played it several times, I just can't hold 7-string necks, they are too wide for me. I have small hands, but with longer scales I have no problems strangely. I can't play on 35" basses, but 27" baritones I can (strangely, I suck on Les Paul scales, wtf ? I'm wicked ^^). And also, 7 string configuration being simply a six-string with some lower horror is just unnatural for me, I'm much more at ease with strongly detuned 6-strings.
i like 7s too but i found i'm never using the highest string - i dont' do Steve Vai histrionics, and no longer doing any Korn covers (used to ), so i just had extra stuff in the way i wasn't using; baritones make more sense to me for downtuned songs, and a 7 makes more sense to me for playing an extended range - which i personally don't end up doing. again "right tool for the job" applies here for me. JME!
i like 7s too but i found i'm never using the highest string - i dont' do Steve Vai histrionics, and no longer doing any Korn covers (used to ), so i just had extra stuff in the way i wasn't using; baritones make more sense to me for downtuned songs, and a 7 makes more sense to me for playing an extended range - which i personally don't end up doing. again "right tool for the job" applies here for me. JME!
I will use this an excuse to buy a bari.
Baritones are tighter, and mean you dont have a sound that sounds like mush.
But dont be fooled by baritones, you can have a good tight sound in standard scale lengths.
Id say try baritone scales first. I have a Baritone fro Drop A just so things sound tighter.