Looking at a PRS SE 277 Baritone, but question...

[PunkBillCarson]

So this guitar comes strung with 68-14 strings in B standard. Now, this string gauge would be too tight for me in just 24.75, so my question is, how much lower in string gauge can I go without needing to replace the nut? Because ideally for this length, I MIGHT need a 59 for the B and that would be it. I'm just worried about getting a guitar and needing a new nut right away.

 

[Anquished]

When I had one I went down to 12-60 with the old nut and it was totally fine.

 

[Alex79]

Depends on how the nut is cut (shallow/deep). Most likely it'll be fine.

 

[PunkBillCarson]

So from side to side it doesn't matter or?

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Typically, sizing down isn't much of a problem, as long as the nut isn't cut too deep/uneven.

You might get some noise with bends, but it's hard to say without having the instrument on hand.

 

[diagrammatiks]

A few sizes down should be fine. But check the guitar first. At longer scale length and thicker things you need more tension get the same feels.

 

[GuitarBizarre]

Give them a chance. And I mean a *real* chance. Don't expect a baritone to feel or respond the same way as an LP scale. Sometimes the longer scale really only works properly with slightly thicker strings, it ends up just sounding wrong if you work on tension alone.

Also bear in mind that the difference really isn't that big. You lose a lot more tension going down to B, than you gain from 2.25" of scale length.

Consider this - if you tuned that guitar to standard your low E would be 34.87lbs. as it comes, it's only 19.57lbs.

 

[budda]

Buy it.

 

[LordCashew]

I have a baritone Telecaster that came strung in B. I needed it in D for a gig, so I put a .010 on the top end and just moved all the other strings over one slot. Not an ideal solution but I never had any issues with the nut. I doubt the change you're contemplating would have much of an effect, but as others have said you'll have to try it to be 100% sure.

 

[xwmucradiox]

PRS leaves those nuts cut rather high so you should be fine. 14-68 in B standard is a very comfortable string set though.

 

[PunkBillCarson]

Give them a chance. And I mean a *real* chance. Don't expect a baritone to feel or respond the same way as an LP scale. Sometimes the longer scale really only works properly with slightly thicker strings, it ends up just sounding wrong if you work on tension alone.

Also bear in mind that the difference really isn't that big. You lose a lot more tension going down to B, than you gain from 2.25" of scale length.

Consider this - if you tuned that guitar to standard your low E would be 34.87lbs. as it comes, it's only 19.57lbs.

The strings for the scale length that it comes with shows that the E string comes at 34 lbs. That's a hell of a lot of tension. That's a 56 for a low E.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

There's not gonna be a problem. I went down from the original 14 - 68 gauge all the way down to 11 - 56 with no repercussions.

Although you'd wanna replace the nut down the road anyway because they're meh of the highest caliber.

 

[PunkBillCarson]

There's not gonna be a problem. I went down from the original 14 - 68 gauge all the way down to 11 - 56 with no repercussions.

Although you'd wanna replace the nut down the road anyway because they're meh of the highest caliber.

Can I ask what tuning you're playing in and how you're finding it so far? I mainly want to play Chevelle style shit with it.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Can I ask what tuning you're playing in and how you're finding it so far. I mainly want to play Chevelle style shit with it.

Don't have it anymore, but it fluctuated between drop A# and B standard. It worked perfectly for that since I love using thinner strings.

Although I had the soapbar version with the pickups replaced with an EMG P81/P60 set.

It still should be fine, though. I went through 3 different sets of pickups and it still have that aggressive as fuck midrange that reminded me of Chevelle and Breaking Benjamin.

 

[G_3_3_k_]

68 at B is around 25.5lbs at that scale length. That's super manageable. A 60 at that length is going to be 20ish lbs. About the same as a 25.5" scale in standard tuned to E.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

I tried to use the 14 - 68 strings in B, but yeah no. Way too tight and I didn't like how the thick strings affected the tone. Dropping down was a huge improvement.

 

[Cynicanal]

I went down to 13-62 on mine without any problems. Feels really nice at that tension; give that a shot before going waaaaaay down.

The bigger thing you'll want to change is the stock bridge pup, it's totally inappropriate for anything that anyone is going to play on a baritone guitar. I find that the Black Winter bridge works REALLY well in this guitar.

EDIT: Also, if you're a wizard neck guy, be warned, the neck on the 277 is a heckin' chonker. If you're ok with thick C carves, you'll be fine with it.

 

[PunkBillCarson]

68 at B is around 25.5lbs at that scale length. That's super manageable. A 60 at that length is going to be 20ish lbs. About the same as a 25.5" scale in standard tuned to E.

Yeah, but I typically don't like that much tension.

 

[G_3_3_k_]

The added tension at a longer scale doesn’t generally feel as tight as on a shorter scale.

 

[GuitarBizarre]

The strings for the scale length that it comes with shows that the E string comes at 34 lbs. That's a hell of a lot of tension. That's a 56 for a low E.

Then it's fortunate that it comes tuned to B, where the tension is only 19.57lbs, isn't it?