Opinions on custom idea?

[keithb]

I'm thinking of putting together a custom guitar (buying the parts from Warmoth, Stew Mac, etc). The specs would be:

Baritone scale/neck
Strat-shape body, hollow body, 1 f-hole
Wilkinson or "standard" strat bridge (maybe fixed bridge?)
Natural finish on everything, tortise-shell pick guard, gold hardware
H-S-S or H-S-H

Any opinions?

[darren wilson]

Sounds like it'll be pretty cool! What are you thinking of in terms of pickups?

[dot-dot-dot]

I'd highly recommend the Humbucker from Hell as a baritone neck pickup. Very clear - almost piano-like sounds.

[power freak]

What woods????

A baritone semi-hollow sounds pretty interesting . I would go with a fixed bridgeas it is a baritone. I would go with the thru body fender style fixed bridge for tone.

good luck
Freak

[Ice]

get the 26 1/4 neck so you have the tension but still to play on, unless you have bigger hands and it's no problem having the 27 or bigger scale.

[darren wilson]

StewMac baritone conversion necks are 27 1/2" scale, AllParts baritone conversion necks are 27.78" and Warmoth baritone conversion necks are 28 5/8" scale.

Where have you seen a 26 1/4" baritone neck? I can't imagine adding 3/4" would offer much benefit with a baritone.

[Ice]

Thats what Yamaha uses on their baritones and Mike of Taproot, and Darron of System of a Down uses on his custom shop Ibanez's. It adds all the tension you need and makes it easy to play for smaller people. Doesn't have the odd feel of a 27inch scale you have on an ESP VB-300.

[power freak]

Originally Posted by darren wilson

StewMac baritone conversion necks are 27 1/2" scale, AllParts baritone conversion necks are 27.78" and Warmoth baritone conversion necks are 28 5/8" scale.

Where have you seen a 26 1/4" baritone neck? I can't imagine adding 3/4" would offer much benefit with a baritone.

The OLP has a 30" scale I couldn't imagine playing that it tune SOO low to have a decent tenison.

Freak

[Ice]

That is odd because they tune it A-A. The 29in is labeled as a "True Baritone" It's tuned standard EADGBE but it's an octave lower. These are what the old danelectro baritones were. That's the next big thing that all the artists seem to be getting made. I have yet to see one on the road, but a lot of guys are aying they're getting them and will be using them on new albums etc. At the same time many bands are getting rid of their 27in baritones because they say the fret spacing is just too large they'd rather put heavier gauge strings on a 25.5 neck.

[Two hands31]

Originally Posted by Ice

That's just making a true baritone. It's tuned standard EADGBE but it's an octave lower. Yamaha does it with a 29inch scale though. That's the next big thing that all the artists seem to be getting made. I have yet to see one on the road, but a lot of guys are aying they're getting them and will be using them on new albums etc. At the same time many bands are getting rid of their 27in baritones because they say the fret spacing is just too large they'd rather put heavier gauge strings on a 25.5 neck.

So you're on the road, eh? With who? What's your connection to all these bands?

And why have I never ever ever heard anything about Darron of System of a Down using a longer scale than the standard Iceman?

And why have I definitely read in many places that Mike of Taproot uses 27"-ers?


As for the original topic of this thread before Ice decided he knew everything, I'd go with a hardtail, and even a piezo bridge if you can afford it. You could do some fun stuff with a piezo-ed baritone.

[Ice]

Cause I've been out with all the guys mentioned... Darrons Iceman with the string thru trem is a baritone neck. If you want him to tell you himself you can download the video on Guitar.com with a lesson from darron in which he shows both guitars (his silver sparkle my fav., and his baritone) All of your "sources" on mike's guitars are wrong. he specifically didn't want a 27inch because he's small and couldn't imagine playing anything bigger. Spineshank play the same scale, however Mike is also getting the true 29inch baritone in the near future. Ill Nino (aside from Aru) and chimaira have both stopped using baritones due tot he fret spacing.

[Two hands31]

Originally Posted by Ice

Cause I've been out with all the guys mentioned... Darrons Iceman with the string thru trem is a baritone neck. If you want him to tell you himself you can download the video on Guitar.com with a lesson from darron in which he shows both guitars (his silver sparkle my fav., and his baritone) All of your "sources" on mike's guitars are wrong. he specifically didn't want a 27inch because he's small and couldn't imagine playing anything bigger. Spineshank play the same scale, however Mike is also getting the true 29inch baritone in the near future. Ill Nino (aside from Aru) and chimaira have both stopped using baritones due tot he fret spacing.

Please stop trying to show off how many people you know, even if you are on tour with them or talk to them in person (which I don't believe, because you haven't given us any reason to believe you, you just dodge questions on how you know them).

I guess Darron has a baritone, cool. As for Mike from Taproot, my sources are not wrong, because they're direct quotes from him in both magazines and on guitar.com a long time ago (I'd double check that, but I can't find the interview, if you can, paste it to me, and I'll admit I'm wrong).

And no one cares about Spineshank or Ill Nino, no one asked, so stop bringing them up.

[Fry]

them there be fightin words

[Ice]

[jay ratkowski]

I really could not care less about all of this.

So, baritones... good idea!