Baritone Question.....

[skiizalot]

It has probably already been discussed or talked about on this message board, but I figured I would ask it anyway. Can you just tune a regular guitar to baritone, or do you need a special guitar to play that way? Also, how does one go about tunning to baritone if you can?

Last questions. Is this site in any way connected to the original dmbtabs that use to be out? I still have mass of the original dmb tabs on my computer as word documents.

Thanks everyone.

Matt

[gcom007]

It has probably already been discussed or talked about on this message board, but I figured I would ask it anyway. Can you just tune a regular guitar to baritone, or do you need a special guitar to play that way? Also, how does one go about tunning to baritone if you can?

Last questions. Is this site in any way connected to the original dmbtabs that use to be out? I still have mass of the original dmb tabs on my computer as word documents.

Thanks everyone.

Matt

technically you can, but the string tension won't be enough to give you a good sound, you really need a longer scaled neck to get the tension right

[jkanter]

Last questions. Is this site in any way connected to the original dmbtabs that use to be out? I still have mass of the original dmb tabs on my computer as word documents.

Aside from the name, the site has no other affiliation w/ the old dmbtabs.com. I took it over from Mike becuase he decided to give it up. Hope that helps....ENJOY!!!

[KevinGTArch]

First of all I wouldn't try goofing with a baritone tuning on an acoustic. Typical strings wouldn't be able to achieve the necessay tensions for the tuning and baritone strings could possibly damage your neck because they are designed specifically for the neck scale of an acoustic baritone.

However someone, long ago on the older dmbtabs boards, once posted how he re-worked his acoustic guitar using random string guages that would hold the tension without damage to the neck. Also, I think you can do a search in google or on guitar magazine websites and get results on articles where different bands/artists have tried this successfully with details on how it was accomplished.

I purchased a cheap Epiphone Les Paul clone a few years back to mess around with (my true love is acoustic) and have since succesfully tuned it to baritone. It came with a "tune-o-matic" bridge which allows you to adjust the action (height from the fretboard) of the strings. I simply raised the action a bit and then bought a pack of the heaviest D'addario electric guitar strings available (EJ22, low E - .056) and tuned them to the standard baritone tuning. Since the strings were heavier and the risen action made them naturally tighter, it was possible for the guitar to remain in-tune.

FYI - Baritone Tuning is, low to high, B-E-A-D-F#-b

It sounds REALLY good when run through a bass amp instead of an electric guitar amp. There's just something about the way it handles those lower tones.

Peace,

Kevin