Baritone Electric Guitar

Guitarists looking for a unique sound and a slightly different playing experience might consider picking up a baritone electric guitar. Check out the following article for information about baritone guitars and for help finding one to purchase.

Baritone guitars are essentially large scale versions of regular guitars. They have a longer scale length, the distance from the nut to the bridge, than standard guitars. A standard electric guitar has a scale length of around 25 inches, but the scale length of a baritone electric can be three to five inches longer. The bodies of baritone guitars are accordingly larger than normal guitars.

How this factors into the sound of the guitar can be explained as follows. Since these quitars have a longer scale length, baritone guitars also use thicker strings that give the guitar a beefier sound than regular guitars. However, the major tonal difference stems from the fact that baritone electric guitars are tuned lower than standard guitars. They are usually tuned a fifth, a fourth or a third lower than standard tuning. For example, a baritone guitar that is tuned a fifth lower would be strung A-D-G-C-E-A. This obviously puts the baritone guitar in a sonic range that guitars typically don't reach.

When Danelectro invented the first baritone guitars in the 1950s, they were originally marketed towards country musicians although they first caught on in the surf music genre. Its darker, more ominous tone also made this model popular for use on movie scores. In recent years, the instrument has gained popularity in the rock and metal music scenes. Since it is tuned down, it has a natural heavy sound that lends itself perfectly to heavy distorted riffs. Joe Petrucci of Dream Theatre has a signature baritone guitar produced by Music Man, and Mike Mushok of Staind has a signature baritone manufactured by Paul Reed Smith Guitars. Buckethead, the eclectic lead guitarist known for his brief stints with Guns-N-Roses, also plays a baritone guitar regularly.

However, it's not only metal players who are attracted to the sound of the baritone electric guitar. Punk/folk singer songwriter Ani DiFranco is a regular baritone player as is Dave Mathews, who plays one on the hit song The Space Between. And the seminal jazz guitarist Pat Metheny plays a number of baritone guitars on his album One Quiet Night.

Baritone guitars have never been as popular as standard guitars and are produced in significantly fewer numbers because of this fact. However, if you have your heart set on getting your hands on one, they are easy enough to find.

• Sweetwater – Sweetwater is a great music instrument retailer that carries a beautiful Fender Jaguar Baritone Special HH electric guitar. This guitar comes with two humbucker pickups and has a twenty-seven inch scale length. If you're looking for a quality baritone, this is a good place to start.

• Musician's Friend – Musician's Friend carries a number of baritone electrics by several manufacturers that range in price from the mid-three hundred dollar range to over one thousand dollars. If you're looking for an inexpensive intro baritone, check out the Danelectro Dead-On '67 Baritone guitar. This guitar is extremely cool looking, affordable and produces a killer sound. If you're looking to invest a bit more, the ESP Limited SC-608B Stephen Carpenter Signature Series is a beautiful instrument made out of solid mahogany.

• eBay – Don't forget eBay when you're looking for a baritone guitar. Some great deals pop up here from time to time if you are patient.

A baritone electric guitar is a great choice for guitar players who are looking to play with a new sound. They are excellent to have around when you are recording, as you can add a track of baritone guitar to a song to give it an interesting and unexpected feel. If you're curious, pick one up and experiment. You might uncover just the sound you were looking for.

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