Baritone guitar tips? (Drop G)

[sickguitar]

I'm looking into picking up a baritone guitar after I found out that Joe Cocchi from Within The Ruins uses one.
It's a 6 string and he tunes it all the way down to Drop G.
Here's what I'm talking about (listen at around 0:46):


Really good tension and tone for being that low.
So here's my question to all you guitar nuts out there! Would it be wise to pick one up and what should I consider when it comes to scale length and gauge?

 

[BIG ND SWEATY]

you could get either one of mike mushoks customs, ones an ibanez and ones a prs, as for string gauge thats all preference

by the way

 

[biggator]

I've been bitten by the baritone bug myself.

I now have two of them.. both Agiles. One is a super-strat style with a 28" scale, the other a Les Paul style with a 27" scale.

They're cool as hell.. I loved the low tuning of a 7 string, but hated the extra string - so I went baritone.

I don't tune them super low... my 27 is normally in C and the 28 in B or drop A.. I forget what I have for strings on the 28, but the 27 I'm currently using DR DDT strings 11-56. Probably going to go a bit heavier the next time I change strings - maybe 13-65 or so.

 

[ziggystarpuff]

I have done drop G several times with many gauges on my c1-ex baritone but the elixir 68 will do about anything with the incredible tension that string has, I don't prefer coated strings but the 68 they make is the tits.

 

[ImBCRichBitch]

As long as its a 25.5" with somewhat havey strings you can go all the way down to F#. I use drop g for some Korn songs and i have used it for some of Stainds new album. i use it on a Warlock. and it sounds epic.

 

[ForThisGift]

For strings I would recommend going about it the scientific way and using an online tension calculator. I went through the trouble of working out my newest guitar (Ibanez MMM1) for a progressive tension set and ordered it through LaBella.

I have always bought the packaged string sets, but after plugging a few of those into the calculator you will see that they are more or less arbitrary. The tension from string to string does not appear to be a consideration when the sets are put together by the manufacturers.

String Guage and Tension Calculator - Version 0.1.4 - 26 apr 1998

With that said, I am still waiting for the guitar to be setup after dropping some new PUs in it, but I am expecting great results from a balanced set of strings.

 

[MF_Kitten]

i had an Agile AB-3500 i think it was, and it was 28" scale. that shit will get you down to F if you like, and the quality was awesome. resonant and comfortable guitar, light too. Replace pickups, and it's golden.

they don't have it in stock now, but they have some 27" scale 6 and 7 strings.

Rondomusic.com

Look for models ending in 627, 628, 727, 728. the first number is number of strings, the two following numbers are scale length.

 

[Rap Hat]

I have the PRS Mushok SE tuned F♯-C♯-F♯-B-D♯-G♯ (G♯ with the 6th dropped to F&#9839 and it sounds pretty tight. I had to replace the bridge pickup with a D-Sonic since the stocks are terrible for it and I'll be switching out the neck pup soon.

Tension wise I haven't gone crazy. Just using the Ernie Ball 14-68 baritone set it comes with. BTW, the set is waaaaay too much tension for Drop A, but it loosens up for G and lower.

Scale: 27.7"
Tension Chart:

F♯1   .068w    16.0 lbs
C♯2   .056w    24.4 lbs
F♯2   .044w    26.8 lbs
B2    .026w    16.7 lbs
D♯3   .018p    13.8 lbs
G♯3   .014p    14.9 lbs

Ideal balanced set would be something like this:

F♯1   .068w    16.0 lbs
C♯2   .046w    16.5 lbs
F♯2   .034w    16.0 lbs
B2    .026w    16.7 lbs
D♯3   .020p    17.0 lbs
G♯3   .015p    17.0 lbs

 

[sickguitar]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll be looking into some Agiles.

i had an Agile AB-3500 (...) Replace pickups, and it's golden.

Which pickups would you recommend? I'm looking for clarity in the high end so I can put on some sweet shredding but still have that heavy (however not overly distorted) low end for power chord chugging etc.

 

[Brohoodofsteel75]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll be looking into some Agiles.



Which pickups would you recommend? I'm looking for clarity in the high end so I can put on some sweet shredding but still have that heavy (however not overly distorted) low end for power chord chugging etc.

Bareknuckle Aftermaths have good clarity and the chugging sounds good too! It also depends on what body and neck wood you have, but for the most part I dig bkp Aftermaths.

 

[biggator]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll be looking into some Agiles.



Which pickups would you recommend? I'm looking for clarity in the high end so I can put on some sweet shredding but still have that heavy (however not overly distorted) low end for power chord chugging etc.

My AB3500 has SD Blackouts in it - great for active, high-output.
My AL627 I just put Lace Alumitones in it - extremely articulate, medium-output (no mud)

 

[MF_Kitten]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll be looking into some Agiles.



Which pickups would you recommend? I'm looking for clarity in the high end so I can put on some sweet shredding but still have that heavy (however not overly distorted) low end for power chord chugging etc.

I had an EMG 81 in the bridge on mine, and it slayed. But i don't think it's a very specific choice. Most metal sounding pickups will sound great in it. I realized the other day that i have 3 dimarzio-equipped guitars, so i can safely say Dimarzio is good stuff. Crunchlab and D activator for 6 string, and honestly most of the 7 string ones.

BKP has awesome pickups too, but i've only owned ONE of them. the Painkiller. And i wouldn't get it again unless it was for a standard guitar. From what i've heard, Cold Sweat, Aftermath, Emerald, and a few others, can do that nicely.

I have no experience with Seymour Duncan pickups, so i can't help there.

 

[ZEBOV]

I had an EMG 81 in the bridge on mine, and it slayed. But i don't think it's a very specific choice. Most metal sounding pickups will sound great in it. I realized the other day that i have 3 dimarzio-equipped guitars, so i can safely say Dimarzio is good stuff. Crunchlab and D activator for 6 string, and honestly most of the 7 string ones.

BKP has awesome pickups too, but i've only owned ONE of them. the Painkiller. And i wouldn't get it again unless it was for a standard guitar. From what i've heard, Cold Sweat, Aftermath, Emerald, and a few others, can do that nicely.

I have no experience with Seymour Duncan pickups, so i can't help there.

I thought you used or had used a Cold Sweat in an Agile Intrepid Pro 830
It was on one of your youtube videos.

 

[ras1988]

I've got that baritone tele blacktop from Fender, I couldn't be happier. I threw a BKP rebel yell in there just to see how that would fare and it seems to work very very well in the tunning range and string guage and guitar construction. I use it mostly to play in Bb standard or drop Ab but the last 6 strings from a GHS Boomer 7 string 10-60 set (with a .050 subbed for the Eb) seems to work just fine for that tunning and that scale length. The guitar originally came with a .065 low B and it could probably go to G might need to be a tiny bit heavier to keep it really though.

 

[sickguitar]

The agile I've got my eyes on comes stock with emg 81/85.
Would it be best to go for active pickups or passive pickups?
I've active pickups on all my guitars and never really tested passive ones..

 

[Bboren]

I recommend the prs mike mushok also! I'm looking into getting one. Dave who plays with Devin Townsend uses two of them, one in open C with a low G.

 

[MF_Kitten]

I thought you used or had used a Cold Sweat in an Agile Intrepid Pro 830
It was on one of your youtube videos.

Nope, it was a Painkiller