Seeking a new baritone guitar - with a happy ending!

Lestratcaster

The Ibanez RGIB6 looks alright, and its got the EMG 81/60 in it too. 

CavemanGrogg

Offset said:

CavemanGrogg said:

Both Rob and the Captain - Lee, both talked me out of buying a Chapman guitar on tweo seperate occasions, once for a Ghost Fret, and the second time was for the Capten, or what ever Lee's signature model is called.

That's a bit like someone walking up to the bar in one of our pubs and asking me for a pint of beer - only to be told "no, you really don't want that beer.  I recommend the pub over the road."

I thought so at the time to, but they, this happened on 2 occassions I wasn't looking at buying both on the same day, acually pointed me in the direction of guiars better suited to me.  Don't get me wrong I regret not buying the Ghost Fret based purely on looks if nothing else - maybe not now that i'm downsizing my collection.

They where both really nice guys, more interesed in me getting the right guitar that suited me and me playing style, than pushing, what was then, an Andertons only brand.  Still got to say, that Ghost Fret was a sight to behold.

Lestratcaster

Changed the title of the thread as I seemed to have gone off the idea of getting a Jim Root haha (told you it'd fade within a few weeks).

Turns out they don't do the Ibanez RGIB6 anymore but the 21 model is similar. 

The Chapman ML1 seems like a decent guitar, the 28" scale one not the 25.5 one.

PRS 277 baritone also looks quite good.

Not familiar with Schecter baritones but heard they're good.

Offset

https://reverb.com/uk/item/58986671-fgn-jil2ashde664g-iliad

skullfunkerry

Lestratcaster said:

Changed the title of the thread as I seemed to have gone off the idea of getting a Jim Root haha (told you it'd fade within a few weeks).

Turns out they don't do the Ibanez RGIB6 anymore but the 21 model is similar. 

The Chapman ML1 seems like a decent guitar, the 28" scale one not the 25.5 one.

PRS 277 baritone also looks quite good.

Not familiar with Schecter baritones but heard they're good.

Chapman also do a couple of Rabea signature models, one of which is a baritone. I was looking at the standard length one a while back and it does look good.

ToneControl

Lestratcaster said:

Proper baritones are 27inch scale right?

I like ones 28 inch to 30 inch

Lestratcaster

Offset said:

https://reverb.com/uk/item/58986671-fgn-jil2ashde664g-iliad

That best sound good for the price!

Lestratcaster

skullfunkerry said:

Lestratcaster said:

Changed the title of the thread as I seemed to have gone off the idea of getting a Jim Root haha (told you it'd fade within a few weeks).

Turns out they don't do the Ibanez RGIB6 anymore but the 21 model is similar. 

The Chapman ML1 seems like a decent guitar, the 28" scale one not the 25.5 one.

PRS 277 baritone also looks quite good.

Not familiar with Schecter baritones but heard they're good.

Chapman also do a couple of Rabea signature models, one of which is a baritone. I was looking at the standard length one a while back and it does look good.

Someone was selling the Bea ML-3 or whatever its called the other day for £400 shipped. The neck has a single coil and I can't remember what the bridge pickup was, not an EMG81.

They're selling for about £600 new I think.

Lestratcaster

ToneControl said:

Lestratcaster said:

Proper baritones are 27inch scale right?

I like ones 28 inch to 30 inch

I won't be going any lower than drop a, some have said even a 25.5 scale will be ok for it.

Never seen a 30inch scale neck though!

skullfunkerry

Lestratcaster said:

ToneControl said:

Lestratcaster said:

Proper baritones are 27inch scale right?

I like ones 28 inch to 30 inch

I won't be going any lower than drop a, some have said even a 25.5 scale will be ok for it.

Never seen a 30inch scale neck though!

You probably would be alright on a 25.5" scale, tbh. I use 10-52 and I tune to drop C; the other day I tuned my bottom string down to G just for a laugh, and although it was very slack it was just about playable. With a heavier string I'm sure you could get away with A. You'd probably need to widen the nut slot slightly, and the intonation would need adjusting I expect, but then it should work.

Musicman20

I picked up a Gretsch:

https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/191204351954008--gretsch-g5260-electromatic-jet-baritone-jade-grey-metallic?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5avE_eLI-QIVoIBQBh1sNANaEAQYBiABEgKx_PD_BwE

I'm firstly a bass player so the huge strings and almost bass short scale scale length is good fun for me!

Super fun guitar. 

Lestratcaster

skullfunkerry said:

Lestratcaster said:

ToneControl said:

Lestratcaster said:

Proper baritones are 27inch scale right?

I like ones 28 inch to 30 inch

I won't be going any lower than drop a, some have said even a 25.5 scale will be ok for it.

Never seen a 30inch scale neck though!

You probably would be alright on a 25.5" scale, tbh. I use 10-52 and I tune to drop C; the other day I tuned my bottom string down to G just for a laugh, and although it was very slack it was just about playable. With a heavier string I'm sure you could get away with A. You'd probably need to widen the nut slot slightly, and the intonation would need adjusting I expect, but then it should work.

Yeah probably, or I set it up for drop a# and also use it for drop a and leave my 24.75 scale ones for drop c and b. Most of these baritones come with 14-68's already on there and I presume that'd be sufficient to get playing straight out the box.

I quite like the look and the sound of the Ibanez RGIB21 though, 28" scale with the EMG 81/60 combination. About £700 most places.

Lestratcaster

*EMG isn't a must, I just liked them in the Jim Root strat I played the other week, not played actives much and never owned a guitar with them in but they just do what they say on the tin don't they?

skullfunkerry

Lestratcaster said:

*EMG isn't a must, I just liked them in the Jim Root strat I played the other week, not played actives much and never owned a guitar with them in but they just do what they say on the tin don't they?

They do - the 81 is very tight in the bass, which is what you want when you’re tuning that low. I really like EMGs, and their customer service is excellent too, which pleases me greatly.

There are plenty of super-low tuned djent guys playing passive pickups too though. The Djenerators (from @OilCityPickups) I have in my Schecter and Jackson are super-clear with tight bass too, I’m a huge fan of them.

Lestratcaster

10 years ago the EMG81 was the go-to for metal pickups. Nowadays plenty of passive pickups are on the market. 

I love the Bareknuckle Juggernauts in another guitar I've got (shorter scale neck I may add) but they're so expensive now, like £175 for a single humbucker.

An EMG is around £79 and easily sourced straight away as its an off-the-shelf pickup instead of taking weeks to wind by hand.

Also if I got the RGIB21 its already got EMG's in them so saves me buying an aftermarket set.

Lestratcaster

After some more thought and research I'm ditching the idea of getting any form of 25.5" length guitar so the Jim Root strat copy is out the window now. If I'm going down to as low as drop a I will need a 27" scale at least methinks.

Other brands have entered the choice, Reverend, Gear4Music's Subzero baritones, and I saw a brand called EastCoast on the Andertons website that do baritones for £199. 

I will be going there or another store to try some out but most of the ones like PRS 277/Ibanez are out of stock and won't be in until October.

Lestratcaster

Now a mate has lent me his PRS SE 277 baritone, with the P90 pickups in and 13-56's setup for drop a. I had a go earlier and its nice to play, nice tension and super chunky when riffing. However its the semi-hollow one with the f-hole thing and the P90's are quite noisy under high gain.

It is possible to rout out P90's for humbuckers isn't it? But aren't P90's wider than a humbucker? Else I just get the 277 SE non-semi-hollow body (as I'm not a fan of the f-hole) and with humbuckers. The 27" scale ain't too much of a shift from my shorter scale guitars, its literally one fret's worth longer in length.

Planning a trip to either Andertons or Guitar Guitar next week but they don't have many baritones I want to look at in stock. The PRS SE 277 is £849 so a bit more than I wanted to spend.

markblack

I had a 30" squire jazzmaster baritone and it's was fun, but a bit like playing a bass. I sold it for silly money as they became a bit of a thing after some internet hype. 

I just bought one of theses from andertons and i like it. Not big money and well made. 

https://www.andertons.co.uk/squier-fsr-paranormal-baritone-cabronita-telecaster-olive-green-0377030576?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=surfaces&gclid=CjwKCAjwpKyYBhB7EiwAU2Hn2YU-0XhlWDf1SDxR2-DURL6tHxzO6wUALi7U3pUdx64kOVtqRYM-0hoC548QAvD_BwE

Lestratcaster

Yeah the Cabronita Tele's look interesting but not a fan of the P90 style pickups hence the question if I can get it re-routed for a humbucker. I know yo can get P90 sized humbuckers but do they sound like one? A good price though for alot of guitar.

Lestratcaster

Ok for anyone still following my pursuit of a baritone I tried out 3 of them in Andertons over the weekend. The Chapman ML-1 modern standard, the EastCoast T1 and the Squier Paranormal Cabronita.

My thoughts after annoying the shop floor customers with bad metalcore chug riffs through a Boss Katana for about 1.5 hours....

Chapman ML-1 - 28" scale pretty tricky to play, 5 fret stretchy riffs were tough, and I didn't like the feel that much. I think I shall avoid 28" scales from now. Pickups were alright, think they were stock ones. Neck was ok I guess, just the scale length.

EastCoast T1 - 27" made it a bit better to play above riffs. Tele style neck was nice and silky to play. Overall the guitar was nice to hold and was comfortable to riff in drop a. Only £200.

Squier Cabronita - to my surprise these were really nice to play, another 27" scale neck which was fine for me, neck was comfortable, and very fast. Only gripe were those P90's. Too fuzzy and noisy under high gain, but its the hassle of having to re-rout for humbuckers.

I still have to try out the PRS SE277, Ibanez RG and a Reverend. I think if I can get one that's 26.5" inch I can still get the baritone sound/feel but without a big jump from 24.75/25.5" scale. But I can manage on 27". I feel a chunky neck and some body resonance will help with low tuning.

My next dilemma is whether to get that EastCoast for £200 and throw some EMG's in it. I like how it plays, but will I be disappointed with the result after throwing some mods at it (new nut and tuners perhaps). Or should I spend a bit more initially on a nicer guitar to start with, i.e a PRS or Ibanez and put actives in those? I've not seen many PRS's with actives, is it not common to see them with those? I kinda do want an active pickup guitar though to contrast with all my others that have passives.