Got A Bartione

[Taylor Martin Guild]

Lately I have become very intrigued with the thoughts of having a Baritone Guitar.
Over on the Acoustic Guitar Forum there has been a lot of talk about them.
One of their members bought an Alvarez Baritone and has been very happy with it.

A few weeks ago, I decided to see if I could sell a Blueridge OM Guitar that wasn't getting much playing time.
The guitar sold rather quickly and for my asking price.

With the funds from that sell, I ordered one of the Alvarez ABT60 Baritone Guitars off of the net.
It was delivered to me a few days ago.

I had only played a Baritone once and that was a couple of years ago. I remember liking the difference that
a Baritone offers.
Well this one has been a lot of fun so far.
I got it to use in my Band.
I think that it will be a nice fit in our group.

It is tuned B to B and talk about a deep bottom end!
I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it frets. The guitar is set up very well.
The store where I purchased it had just received 4 of them and they said that they would send me the one that they liked best.
I think that they treated me right on this one.
I'll give a better report about it after I have had some more time to play it.

 

[Ridgemont]

How about some pics TMG?

 

[southernGuild]

:wink: Sounds interesting...........Let us know how you go with it.
Are they tuned to DGBE? ( or EADG?) and sound an octave lower?
I imagine that would be fun to play, and a whole new sound altogether. :wink:

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

The guitar is tuned 5 half steps down. When I play a G chord, I'm actually playing a C.
If I capo up to the fifth fret, I'm back into normal range.
Now I can play a song that was to high for me to sing and have it in my vocal range.
This works very well for songs that you don't want to change the original chords in.

Some of my favorite John Denver songs are that way.
You can't capo up, or play in a different key and still get the same effect on the guitar.

 

[southernGuild]

Thanks TMG, That clears things up nicely, and makes sence. I bet it sounds great. Deeper tones and no new chordings. You bought a Baritone guitar, but I was thinking you had purchased a Tenor Guitar. I read 'baritone', but pictured a 'tenor' in my mind. :roll: Ok, Now I know.

 

[RussD]

I'll give a better report about it after I have had some more time to play it.

It's been days - let's hear it!

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

I got to use the Baritone at practice last night.
If fit in very well on several songs.
Some of our songs have us capoing up to the fifth , sixth and even seventh fret.
I simply found some chords that I could play either open or capoed at the second fret.
The Baritone balanced out the sound very well.
I was surprised at how much volume I could get out of it.

It was kind of weird though when I looked at one of the guitar players and noticed that he was playing the same chords capoed at 7,
as I was in open position.

I could never have a Baritone guitar as an only guitar but it sure is a fun alternative to a regular 6 string.
Kind of the opposite of a 12 string.

 

[GardMan]

Sounds like your having fun...

I've toyed with the idea of looking for an old G-41 to tune down for those songs that just need to be a lttle bit lower to match my limited vocal range. But I don't have particularly long fingers, and worry about my reach. Are you finding the reach challenging at all?

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

The feel of this guitar is surprisingly good.
The neck is easy to play and the scale length isn't a problem at all.
I can play some John Denver songs that require a good stretch and it isn't hard to do at all.

The guitar just feels very good in my hands and it still surprises me when I hit that open B string.
Wow, that note is low!

For $500.00 delivered inc. a nice hard case, this is a great guitar.

I would think that a G-41 would be a kick but guitar tuned C to C.
Heavy gauge strings would match up very well with that set up.
Has anyone here ever tried this?

 

[Zelja]

Now I can play a song that was to high for me to sing and have it in my vocal range.
This works very well for songs that you don't want to change the original chords in.

Exactly the reason why I was considering a baritone for one of my songs - either that or put really heavy strings on long scale guitar & tune down which probably wouldn't work as well.

A friend played his baritone electric (Danelectro I think) on my album - a bit of spaghetti western type lead runs on one track.

Did Guild ever build baritone guitars?

I think what would be quite cool would be a baritone 12 string electric.