low tuned guitar

[Urinate Forever]

i know this is really the right forum, but im comfortable here, i'd hate to have to go to a new forum.

 

I kinda want a guitar I can keep tuned down low, say anywhere from A B to C

 

More likely B.

 

I know that's baritone territory, but i'm not really interested in a baritone guitar, i have a feeling i'd be disappointed in it, because I'd still like to be able to use it in standard if needed.

 

what kinda guitar is good for that low of tuning? humbuckers? what gauge strings? 12? 13?

 

I used 11's on my tele and it was really weird down at A#. If i pressed too hard down, it almost raised in pitch by a half step.

[NITEFLY182]

i know this is really the right forum, but im comfortable here, i'd hate to have to go to a new forum. I kinda want a guitar I can keep tuned down low, say anywhere from A B to C More likely B. I know that's baritone territory, but i'm not really interested in a baritone guitar, i have a feeling i'd be disappointed in it, because I'd still like to be able to use it in standard if needed. what kinda guitar is good for that low of tuning? humbuckers? what gauge strings? 12? 13? I used 11's on my tele and it was really weird down at A#. If i pressed too hard down, it almost raised in pitch by a half step.

 

 

I have run the gamut with tunings and pretty much any guitar can do any tuning. It will just sound different based on what you have. Basically, figure out what you want: country baritone? nu-metal? super low drone? 50s janglebass?

 

For almost any purpose something with a 25.5" scale with 12s will get you to B standard with no trouble. 10-52 is nice if you want a lot of dynamic since the low strings will be firm and the high strings will be movable.

 

Get something with splitable humbuckers since that can give you some plinkier bass-type sounds if you like. Ultimately, a baritone is generally only a 27" scale which is only about one extra fret. Most of the time you can capo up and have a regular guitar. You can also put 9s or 10s on one and tune it to E standard with no problem. If you do that you also get huge piano tones too!

 

I have used ESPs and LTDs to great effect with a lot of tunings and they sound great. Being neck through doesn't hurt either since that keeps a lot of sustain at lower tunings. If you have a lot of money, go for a Tom Anderson Baritom. They play great and sound even better. They are 29" scale or so so its a long neck but capo up two frets and you have a standard 25.5" neck.

 

Finally - B standard is a weird tuning. If youre going to do that just get a 7 string and keep your high notes. A lot of people dont want that stigma and dont want to "learn a new instrument" but its not a big deal. The range is great and the chord extensions are great too! There are also 7 strings on the market that dont look like metal guitars either. Some older LTD/ESP and Schecter guitars are very classy.

 

Try A or C. A is really low and gets beyond most of the downtuners on the radio. Everything comes out with more growl than B and youll find yourself writing for the tuning and not thinking youre sounding like a trapt single. Same for C - C is just low enough to give you lots of bass and punch without losing definition with some pickups and guitars. you also keep some of your eerie high notes and the overall feel is really comfortable with 10-52s.

 

BTW - if you really want to go the distance, work with G or drop G.

[Turd Furgison]

while not as indepth as nitefly's here is my opinion...

i just use an SG with .11's to get down to B without any issues. it stays in tune for quite a while (a day+) It can do drop A without a problem as well.

[tri99er]

I am actually in the same situation as you, looking for a dropped tuning guitar. I believe I will be going the Schecter route, quality is great, and price is right. Gonna throw some 10-56 customs on it, and raise the action a tad more than my other guitars, but I may just pick up a baritone instead.

[cass]

for various tunings may i suggest locking tuners and no tremolo

[hilikus8]

I do A LOT of de-tuning and experimenting with different tunings on just a single string, using 10-52's really helps, because, as Nitefly said, gives you nice tension on the heavy strings and the high strings are not as loose as if they were with a set of 9's or 8's.

[Urinate Forever]

I have run the gamut with tunings and pretty much any guitar can do any tuning. It will just sound different based on what you have. Basically, figure out what you want: country baritone? nu-metal? super low drone? 50s janglebass? For almost any purpose something with a 25.5" scale with 12s will get you to B standard with no trouble. 10-52 is nice if you want a lot of dynamic since the low strings will be firm and the high strings will be movable. Get something with splitable humbuckers since that can give you some plinkier bass-type sounds if you like. Ultimately, a baritone is generally only a 27" scale which is only about one extra fret. Most of the time you can capo up and have a regular guitar. You can also put 9s or 10s on one and tune it to E standard with no problem. If you do that you also get huge piano tones too! I have used ESPs and LTDs to great effect with a lot of tunings and they sound great. Being neck through doesn't hurt either since that keeps a lot of sustain at lower tunings. If you have a lot of money, go for a Tom Anderson Baritom. They play great and sound even better. They are 29" scale or so so its a long neck but capo up two frets and you have a standard 25.5" neck. Finally - B standard is a weird tuning. If youre going to do that just get a 7 string and keep your high notes. A lot of people dont want that stigma and dont want to "learn a new instrument" but its not a big deal. The range is great and the chord extensions are great too! There are also 7 strings on the market that dont look like metal guitars either. Some older LTD/ESP and Schecter guitars are very classy. Try A or C. A is really low and gets beyond most of the downtuners on the radio. Everything comes out with more growl than B and youll find yourself writing for the tuning and not thinking youre sounding like a trapt single. Same for C - C is just low enough to give you lots of bass and punch without losing definition with some pickups and guitars. you also keep some of your eerie high notes and the overall feel is really comfortable with 10-52s. BTW - if you really want to go the distance, work with G or drop G.

Thanks, that was helpful.

I'm going for the Electric Wizard, Sunn O))) type sound.

Electric wizard does A#, I like that.

I really don't want a 7 string.

I was looking at the schecter C-1 Baritone, looked nice.

I wanna avoid the jag baritone, I'd be disappointed with it a lot.

What's weird about B though?

[capnbringdown]

BTW - if you really want to go the distance, work with G or drop G.

 

 

What's Drop G? I looked it up, but it looks just like open G (DGBDGD) except the first string is tuned to E. I might try that because I don't like having the first string tuned to D.

 

I'm still looking for the right drop tuning. I once accidently tuned my accoustic an octave lower then it should've been in open G. The sound was killer, but it was like playing rubber bands for strings.

[NITEFLY182]

What's Drop G? I looked it up, but it looks just like open G (DGBDGD) except the first string is tuned to E. I might try that because I don't like having the first string tuned to D. I'm still looking for the right drop tuning. I once accidently tuned my accoustic an octave lower then it should've been in open G. The sound was killer, but it was like playing rubber bands for strings.

 

 

You would have to change things around a bit if youre playing a 6 string but to me its GDGCFAD.

 

The Jaguar baritone is actually really nice but its a really long scale length and it comes tuned an octave down which is really way too low unless you have an 8 string. Other wise its creat tuned to A or B or C.

 

The only reason that I think B is weird is because it straddles the line between that 'djent' sound meshuggah has and the generic detuned sound and it lacks the best attributes of both to me if youre only playing 6 strings.

[Urinate Forever]

djent? what kinda band is meshuggah? ive heard them mentioned a lot.

[Bob Doom]

When my band went for low tunings, I didn't want to dick around with the PRS or Les Paul, so I dug up my old Gibson Gothic SG. I bought a pack of Ernie Ball 7-string 11's... I put the 11 on a shelf and gave myself a 14's Full C set-up.

 

Once I got the string height and tension around where I was comfortable, I was set. I've grown to love that guitar. A bright finger-board and hot (but not too hot) pick-ups help a lot in getting a heavy yet articulate sound. I've got Ebony on the neck and Gibson stock 490's and I've never had the desire to change it.

 

B and A are a bolder statement. I think D and C have become the new Eb for down-tuned rock....

 

Hoorah for down-tuning!

[Urinate Forever]

When my band went for low tunings, I didn't want to dick around with the PRS or Les Paul, so I dug up my old Gibson Gothic SG. I bought a pack of Ernie Ball 7-string 11's... I put the 11 on a shelf and gave myself a 14's Full C set-up. Once I got the string height and tension around where I was comfortable, I was set. I've grown to love that guitar. A bright finger-board and hot (but not too hot) pick-ups help a lot in getting a heavy yet articulate sound. I've got Ebony on the neck and Gibson stock 490's and I've never had the desire to change it. B and A are a bolder statement. I think D and C have become the new Eb for down-tuned rock.... Hoorah for down-tuning!

 

 

C tuning is more downtuned,

 

Nirvana was doing D standard on their studio albums for awhile.

[petejt]

Metallica were using C# tuning back in 1986 (The Thing That Should Not Be, live performances)

[stanner]

i use a 77 Black LesPaul Deluxe plugged into my Sunn Amps & Cabs tuned to dropped C and when ya feel it yer DNA gets altered.

of course i had it set up professionally and it has never gone outa tune.

s

[johnrambo]

What's Drop G? I looked it up, but it looks just like open G (DGBDGD) except the first string is tuned to E. I might try that because I don't like having the first string tuned to D. I'm still looking for the right drop tuning. I once accidently tuned my accoustic an octave lower then it should've been in open G. The sound was killer, but it was like playing rubber bands for strings.

 

 

i'll put my guitar in open g, aka spanish tuning, and it'll stay like that for weeks at a time. it's definately my favorite alternate tuning.

[Urinate Forever]

i use a 77 Black LesPaul Deluxe plugged into my Sunn Amps & Cabs tuned to dropped C and when ya feel it yer DNA gets altered. of course i had it set up professionally and it has never gone outa tune. s

sounds awesome.

take some clips and pix lplz