Growing tired of downtuned guitars!

[P-Ride]

Hoping that grabbed some attention!

Having played Drop C with Beefy Slinkies since I was 18 (I'm 30), I picked up a Telecaster HH a few months back and set it up in Drop D, with Regular Slinkies (10s).

Every time I go to my Les Paul in Drop C with Beefy Slinkies now, it feels clunky and slow. Great power and the low C is real nice for palm-muting.. but it's just not as fun for lead work.

I find the Tele can flub out a little if I chug too hard, but otherwise it's more fun to play, with their current setups.

I can only wonder if an extended range guitar in Drop C with lighter strings would help me here?

I have this overwhelming desire to set my Les Paul up in Drop D with 10s.. but don't like the idea of not having a Drop C guitar..

I'd appreciate advice from anyone with a larger guitar collection, which includes longer-scale guitars, who enjoys liquid lead runs as much as chunky palm-muting.

Thanks

 

[CapnForsaggio]

Buy another Les Paul? ...?

 

[P-Ride]

Buy another Les Paul? ...?

Haha.. I love my Les Paul and am really glad to own one, but the upgradeability and customisability of Telecasters makes me much more likely to buy a couple more.. I really like having a draw full of different parts of add and the potential to mix-and-match!

Next I reckon I'll get one of those Telecaster guitar kits and make it my standard-tuning guitar.

I am open to the idea of a Telecaster-style baritone custom build.. if someone suggests that's what I have been secretly waiting for?!

 

[CapnForsaggio]

I have a telecaster baritone (warmoth).

N3 noiseless "single coils" though.

It does slay tuned down. I am tuned A-a.

 

[P-Ride]

I have a telecaster baritone (warmoth).

N3 noiseless "single coils" though.

It does slay tuned down. I am tuned A-a.

Hey! Cool. That is an appealing idea.. any pictures to share?

Have you got/used a Telecaster in standard/drop-D tuning, to compare?

How is lead playing?

Which string gauge?

Thanks!

 

[AkiraSpectrum]

I think its probably near impossible to find the perfect balance as a guitar player, which is why most guitar players end up buying more guitars and play in more than one tuning. Once you decide on one aspect (tuning/strings/scale length/woods/pickups/etc.) you sacrifice tonal and feel qualities in other areas. I have multiple electric guitars all in different tunings to satisfy my need for different tones/sounds/playing.

Every guitar feels different and will respond differently to different setups.
I think there will always be something satisfying about 10-46 in Standard E or Drop D tuning, which is why I always have a guitar in that setup to compliment my other guitars in different tunings.

You could try changing string gauge on your LP in Drop C to see if you can find a better balance of chunk/power and comfortable lead playing. You could try a 11-52 or 10-52 set for instance (custom gauge sets are also a possibility). HOWEVER, it sounds to me that you would benefit from having another guitar for Drop D stuff since you say that you can't not have a guitar in Drop C. If you have the funds definitely go out and buy a guitar to play in this tuning and use 10-46's or whatever gauge you enjoy most (experimenting is always a good idea).

In other words, you seem to have a problem which can take multiple directions. You can use a lighter gauge for your LP in Drop C AND/OR get another guitar to play in a higher tuning.

 

[NSE]

I get what you mean. I got one of those telecaster kits and set it up as my standard "I'm going to resist to just drop tune it and chug along to A Day to Remember or similar type music like I normally do" tuning. I've even set it up in Ernie Ball Regulars to keep any drop temptations!

Oh and I'm also from Cambridge if you ever wanna shot the .... about sketchy homemade telecasters!

 

[Halowords]

FWIW, and this may or may not apply to you at all, but that's kind of why I got a nine-string. An eight- or nine-string (maybe a multiscale?) can allow you to have that lower range, without as thick/clunky a set of strings, and also without losing the top end.

My take was, and is, to have the lower baritone range without losing the top end of my standard six-strings. I have mine at a 27"-30" multiscale length with twenty-four frets, tuned down a step to BEADGCFAD. I used this set of strings because I tend to play them thicker (11's on my Heritage H-150 AND on my G&L ASAT Bluesboy, LP and Tele-style respectively) for a rounder tone, but you can obviously go a lot thinner if you like.
http://store.kaliumstrings.com/index.php/electric-guitar/9-string-sets/standard-tuning/g9h-11-118-mt.html

So, that said...I'd consider an Agile Pendulum or one of the other multiscale guitars they have, maybe with a 7-string or 8-string configuration. I know that's not exactly within the realm of the "Standard Guitars" section, but even so. I also think a Bass VI (from Fender or that style from another vendor) might be worth considering.

For now, I enjoy the nine-string quite a bit. I could probably have lived happily with an eight-string. But the lower range/strings give me the option of the lower/fatter sounds, while the higher strings allow me to play more or less as I would on my H-150 (with some differences from the style of guitar and setup and whatnot, but the strings feel the same).

-Cheers

 

[P-Ride]

I think its probably near impossible to find the perfect balance as a guitar player, which is why most guitar players end up buying more guitars and play in more than one tuning. Once you decide on one aspect (tuning/strings/scale length/woods/pickups/etc.) you sacrifice tonal and feel qualities in other areas. I have multiple electric guitars all in different tunings to satisfy my need for different tones/sounds/playing.

Every guitar feels different and will respond differently to different setups.
I think there will always be something satisfying about 10-46 in Standard E or Drop D tuning, which is why I always have a guitar in that setup to compliment my other guitars in different tunings.

You could try changing string gauge on your LP in Drop C to see if you can find a better balance of chunk/power and comfortable lead playing. You could try a 11-52 or 10-52 set for instance (custom gauge sets are also a possibility). HOWEVER, it sounds to me that you would benefit from having another guitar for Drop D stuff since you say that you can't not have a guitar in Drop C. If you have the funds definitely go out and buy a guitar to play in this tuning and use 10-46's or whatever gauge you enjoy most (experimenting is always a good idea).

In other words, you seem to have a problem which can take multiple directions. You can use a lighter gauge for your LP in Drop C AND/OR get another guitar to play in a higher tuning.

I think it's true that all setups are a compromise of some kind; but the range of variables (scale-length, string gauge, action, intonation, not to mention hardware) suggests there are way more setup styles than I've experienced so far.

Even just 'I like this exact guitar' isn't enough; as I will then want it in both Drop D and Drop C, potentially!

Perhaps I'm psychologically-attracted to Drop D, as having all my guitars in one tuning would do something to simplify my collection!

Yeah my Telecaster is staying in Drop D, despite being a good scale length for down-tuning.. and I'm really tempted to put my Les Paul in Drop D too.. they'd make a great pair for double-tracking!

I guess I'm hoping I'll spot a guitar which will hold an advantage over both these guitars, for Drop C. That would be convenient!

 

[P-Ride]

I get what you mean. I got one of those telecaster kits and set it up as my standard "I'm going to resist to just drop tune it and chug along to A Day to Remember or similar type music like I normally do" tuning. I've even set it up in Ernie Ball Regulars to keep any drop temptations!

Oh and I'm also from Cambridge if you ever wanna shot the .... about sketchy homemade telecasters!

Hey, yeah that's my plan. Just standard, for funk and practising theory! I've wanted to have a crack at one of those kits for a while.. and figured it'd be a good match-up with my need for a standard-tuning guitar!

Sure! Where abouts in Cambridge are you? What do you get up to?

 

[P-Ride]

FWIW, and this may or may not apply to you at all, but that's kind of why I got a nine-string. An eight- or nine-string (maybe a multiscale?) can allow you to have that lower range, without as thick/clunky a set of strings, and also without losing the top end.

My take was, and is, to have the lower baritone range without losing the top end of my standard six-strings. I have mine at a 27"-30" multiscale length with twenty-four frets, tuned down a step to BEADGCFAD. I used this set of strings because I tend to play them thicker (11's on my Heritage H-150 AND on my G&L ASAT Bluesboy, LP and Tele-style respectively) for a rounder tone, but you can obviously go a lot thinner if you like.
Hybrid Guitar Strings

So, that said...I'd consider an Agile Pendulum or one of the other multiscale guitars they have, maybe with a 7-string or 8-string configuration. I know that's not exactly within the realm of the "Standard Guitars" section, but even so. I also think a Bass VI (from Fender or that style from another vendor) might be worth considering.

For now, I enjoy the nine-string quite a bit. I could probably have lived happily with an eight-string. But the lower range/strings give me the option of the lower/fatter sounds, while the higher strings allow me to play more or less as I would on my H-150 (with some differences from the style of guitar and setup and whatnot, but the strings feel the same).

-Cheers

Haha.. I should have mentioned.

I have drummer hands!

Bold, as this is important for any suggestions.. my hands are chunky, wide and my fingers aren't very long. Consequently I've got a strong, percussive rhythm style, but am not optimum design for sweep-picking and legato-style playing.

So, I'm even slightly concerned about seven-strings.. let alone nine-string guitars! Maybe 7-string?

Do you find a longer-scale guitar to facilitate the drop-tuning, with regular strings is noticeably faster than an average-scale guitar with bigger strings to facilitate the drop tuning?

Cheers

 

[CapnForsaggio]

Hey! Cool. That is an appealing idea.. any pictures to share?

Have you got/used a Telecaster in standard/drop-D tuning, to compare?

How is lead playing?

Which string gauge?

Thanks!

I do have a standard telecaster to compare. It is a totally different instrument, honestly.

I use the medium "baritone" strings from Daddario (13- -62 I think). I have only been through about 3 sets.

The lead playing and cleans are wonderful. Faster runs are more difficult on this scale (29").

The low tuned stuff sounds awesome, growly and present. The lead work can seem shrill, but that's what the neck pickup is for.

 

[vilk]

I recently got a guitar that you cannot adjust intonation, so I've been playing it higher than my normal Drop Bb SG. I guess I'm tuning to Eb standard, and dropping, so that's drop C#. Anyhow, even though it isn't as low as my SG, the tone rings out more clearly. I can't tell if it's that the stock pickup is magnificent, which I wouldnt assume it should be so excellent considering the price of the guitar, so it's making me feel that maybe I'll find my tone better if I stopped dropping so low.

Also, the idea of buying packs of strings at the store sounds so good. I remember when I used to do that, when I was 13

 

[KnightBrolaire]

Haha.. I should have mentioned.

I have drummer hands!

Bold, as this is important for any suggestions.. my hands are chunky, wide and my fingers aren't very long. Consequently I've got a strong, percussive rhythm style, but am not optimum design for sweep-picking and legato-style playing.

So, I'm even slightly concerned about seven-strings.. let alone nine-string guitars! Maybe 7-string?

Do you find a longer-scale guitar to facilitate the drop-tuning, with regular strings is noticeably faster than an average-scale guitar with bigger strings to facilitate the drop tuning?

Whether it's "faster" depends on whether you're going to play a multiscale or a straight scale. If you can, check out a multiscale 6 or 7 string, especially since you have smaller hands. A longer straight scale (27-30") will only make things more difficult for lead work if you struggle on a 25.5" or less.
There's a lot more snap to longer scale lengths when playing the same riffs. Multiscales are the way to go dude. Agile has 6 string baritones and 7 string multiscales for cheap if you just want to dip your toes in the water.

 

[P-Ride]

I do have a standard telecaster to compare. It is a totally different instrument, honestly.

I use the medium "baritone" strings from Daddario (13- -62 I think). I have only been through about 3 sets.

The lead playing and cleans are wonderful. Faster runs are more difficult on this scale (29").

The low tuned stuff sounds awesome, growly and present. The lead work can seem shrill, but that's what the neck pickup is for.

I'm really leaning towards the Telecaster as my 'go-to' body shape.. and a baritone Telecaster is really appealing. I definitely need to spend some time playing one first though!

Do you have a Warmoth neck? Compound radius?

 

[P-Ride]

I recently got a guitar that you cannot adjust intonation, so I've been playing it higher than my normal Drop Bb SG. I guess I'm tuning to Eb standard, and dropping, so that's drop C#. Anyhow, even though it isn't as low as my SG, the tone rings out more clearly. I can't tell if it's that the stock pickup is magnificent, which I wouldnt assume it should be so excellent considering the price of the guitar, so it's making me feel that maybe I'll find my tone better if I stopped dropping so low.

Also, the idea of buying packs of strings at the store sounds so good. I remember when I used to do that, when I was 13

Well, I like keeping things simple! If I have to get custom string gauges, then so be it; but having a go-to pack I can get anywhere is appealing!

 

[CapnForsaggio]

I'm really leaning towards the Telecaster as my 'go-to' body shape.. and a baritone Telecaster is really appealing. I definitely need to spend some time playing one first though!

Do you have a Warmoth neck? Compound radius?

Warmoth neck, SS6100 frets, 10-16" compound.

Watch their "showcase" for a great deal on the baritone conversion necks. Should run you about $250 with options.

 

[P-Ride]

Whether it's "faster" depends on whether you're going to play a multiscale or a straight scale. If you can, check out a multiscale 6 or 7 string, especially since you have smaller hands. A longer straight scale (27-30") will only make things more difficult for lead work if you struggle on a 25.5" or less.
There's a lot more snap to longer scale lengths when playing the same riffs. Multiscales are the way to go dude. Agile has 6 string baritones and 7 string multiscales for cheap if you just want to dip your toes in the water.

Hey, I am looking at multi-scale, which I have previously known as 'fan-frets!' Looks like these are Ibanez at the low-end, into boutique, custom guitars?

My hands are pretty huge; just chunky/stubby.. average length fingers, but very wide (I lift weights a lot too). If I place three fingers next to each other, they go wider than three frets, which makes complex chords difficult.

My feeling therefore is that length of scale shouldn't be an issue; it's fretboards with strings really close together that I struggle with, which puts me off 7-string upwards.

You're saying a longer-scale length would give me snappier riffing, compared to a shorter scale-length with heavier strings? That sounds appealing!

 

[P-Ride]

Warmoth neck, SS6100 frets, 10-16" compound.

Watch their "showcase" for a great deal on the baritone conversion necks. Should run you about $250 with options.

Arghh.. this is sounding seriously tempting!

How nice is that neck?

 

[CapnForsaggio]

Arghh.. this is sounding seriously tempting!

How nice is that neck?

It's NICE. I paid a little extra for one that had great tiger striping in the maple.

The fretwork was none-existent. I did do some fret end shaping when I received it.

Fitment was perfect.