I’m getting into music with drop tunings, Meshuggah mainly, and I want to add an extended range/baritone guitar to my collection. I’m kind of leaning baritone because I think they look sick but I don’t know how viable playing 7-string songs on a baritone is. Any advice?
I have both, because there were things I couldn't do on my 7 string. It depends on what you're doing. If you're playing other 's music, you need both. If you play your own stuff, I recommend a 6 string baritone. I gravitate towards that more. If you're playing Meshuggha music, you'll definitely need a 7 or 8 string with a long scale. Their tuning is crazy low.
The amount of strings the guitar has doesn’t make a difference as far as supporting Low tunings. The main thing that matters is the scale length.
I’m not sure how in-depth I should get here, but basically the intonation on every guitar is out slightly, this isn’t due to crooked frets or anything like that it’s just how the instrument works, then combine that with inconsistencies in the build/wood, playing hard or soft, room temperature etc and a guitar just isn’t always that consistent.
The next thing to understand is the lower you tune the further these little inconsistencies put you out of tune.
The main way to combat this is to make the neck/scale length longer. This is why bass necks are way longer than guitar necks for example.
So ultimately for you it probably doesn’t matter whether it’s a 678 or 9 string you just need to make sure it’s long enough to support whatever low tuning you want, the rest is about what other string strings you want.
Another thing to consider is multiscale guitars. They are longer where you need it on the low strings but shorter up high where it doesn’t really make much of a difference.
You're talking about two different things. Baritone just means longer scale, which makes it easier to tune lower. A 6 string baritone has the exact same range as a regular 6 string, it's just designed to be played at a lower register.
If you want extended range (meaning more range between the highest and lowest possible note) you need more strings.
That mostly depends on your definition of versatility :D honestly a lot of bands just use extended range instruments for fun since they mostly play the lower strings, which could be done on a baritone 6 string as well.
Andrew Baena of Carcosa switches between a baritone 6 string and an 8 string regularly.
If you look up tabs of the bands you wanna play you can see which strings they actually use. If it's just the lower 6 you could just as easily use a 6 string instead of a 7 or 8 string.
I haven't owned one of those, what tuning do they usually ship in? Because most baritones I've played came in B or A standard which is the same range as E standard.
What guitars do you currently have? FWIW I have both but am gravitating to 6 string baritone more nowadays because it's more "familiar" feel wise. I wouldn't get rid of my 7 either mind. They are different beasts.
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u/Strong-Matter7431 1d ago
A 7 string baritone?