So I have become entranced by the the sound of a baritone. Seeing this is a surf site, where better to throw out my opinions
So far this is my list. Share your thoughts.
My first choice would be a Jaguar Baritone Special. That said the HB's would have to go. AVRI Jazzmaster pups can be had for a song. Of course that requires some routing. Second choice would be GFS Surf 90's that drop straight in but will devalue the guitar.
I like the fact that the Bari Special, with it's shorter scale, can be strung with lighter gauge strings therefore a more guitar-like sound.
My other two choices are a photo finish. The Eastwood Sidejack Baritone with Tremolo or the Danelectro Dead On '67. I think a baritone should have a tremolo for the spaghetti western effect. The Jag Baritone Special is lacking that but perhaps a Les Trem can be fitted with no issue. The Eastwood sounds nice but I'm not sure if the P90's aren't a little dark for the surf/spaghetti western effect. I suppose those too can be swapped.
My last question is string thickness. This subject I presume hinges on the scale length. I would prefer to go as close to a standard guitar gauge as possible without the rubber band effect so please I need a course in baritone strings 101.
- Home
- News
- Submit News
- Contact
- Contests
- Donations
- Downloads
- Forums
- Guitar Instruction
- IRC
- Member List
- Private Messages
- Podcast
- Polls
- Photo of the Day
- Links
- Search
- Store
- Surf Band Map
- Wiki
- Yahoo Group
dp:
dude
347 days ago
Bango_Rilla:
Shout Bananas!!
302 days ago
BillyBlastOff:
See you kiddies at the Convention!
287 days ago
GDW:
showman
238 days ago
Emilien03:
https://losg...
159 days ago
Pyronauts:
Happy Tanks-Kicking!!!
153 days ago
glennmagi:
CLAM SHACK guitar
139 days ago
Hothorseraddish:
surf music is amazing
118 days ago
dp:
get reverberated!
69 days ago
Clint:
“A Day at the Beach” podcast #237 is TWO HOURS of NEW surf music releases. https://link...
2 days ago
No polls at this time. Check out our past polls.
No contests at this time. Check out our past contests.
April Birthdays
- 1st – Bombora, FekeFez, grackle, juliomoreno, mrbassman1950, pauliweasel, ProfessorLongboard, RogueChiefster, stevel
- 2nd – FritzCat, Marcin
- 3rd – GypsyJay, Rubberboy
- 4th – smid, Sunny_Jake
- 5th – bbigmusic, dirtgrub, GS4, johnmcillan61, killbabykill34, Shakey64, themonsterwave
- 6th – BenVoiles, bobwalk, DavidMcCoy, Emilien03, Jaque_Kilauea, Manic_Presley, segler
- 7th – Clint, johnmares, togergo
- 8th – 303vegas, Tiki
- 9th – chicklang, Emguitars, holdenfan101, mrmomo, ToneMonkey, Unca_Stu
- 10th – CARLOSVENTURES, catguy, nightsurfer, PreBeatles, the_eyeberries, vintagesurfdude
- 11th – schrademo
- 12th – dlhogge60, EvilDeadTux, fredder120, jp, RonC57
- 13th – Grimnir, ifallalot
- 14th – JimiDW
- 15th – cricketseed, davis, nickwass, thetwilightsurfers, Thompar
- 16th – ChrisPlatt, miked416, Skizz
- 17th – BMo2xl, jjudas, Taj, Trace
- 18th – Bobc1956, herreisenmax, Yelo
- 19th – Chris_Vierge, MonsterMash, speacial_agent_Conrad_Uno, tonewoods
- 20th – halibutrick
- 21st – Craigthekeg, fattkatt, SurfinUsa2007, Swamp_Surfer
- 22nd – bandita, donbarroso, LHR, Norman, purpletornado, RazorReverb
- 23rd – apolloben, AstroSurf, BigTim, Schwenman, worldmartini
- 24th – CrashHardtop, El_Guerrero, Irion_Fin, Iron_Fin, Plan9Band, Pokerstar, xray1960
- 25th – Alstikis, Baxter, cowabungasurf, McLefty83
- 26th – Jason
- 27th – ActionJosh, Ayatho, Dstreeter, MahdaHairy
- 28th – BigWaveRider69, CaptainThunder, drumuitar, VernJules101
- 29th – brerbo, chuckhughes2, DNUTH17, ElPato, HockeyPuck, Mr_Reverb63, petebiltoft, Samurai, sysmalakian, tenniseme, tom_k1tl
- 30th – Cranky, elpacifico, Mariop, robl, SurferJoe46, TheTommyGuns
SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »
The Old Baritone Question
Joined: Feb 09, 2014 Posts: 26 |
Posted on Feb 09 2014 03:10 PM
|
Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 1338 Escondido, CA 
|
Posted on Feb 09 2014 04:33 PM
The solution is simple. |
Joined: Oct 05, 2011 Posts: 744 France
|
Posted on Feb 09 2014 05:09 PM
If you intend to use the trem then I wouldn't recommend the Dead On '67. It's quite flimsy on the guitar version, and I imagine things won't get any better with the heavier string gauge of a bari. Some other suggestions here. And here you'll find a demo of the Eastwood Sidejack bass VI -- NOT the bari, but it should give you an idea, as the pickups are the same on both. And if you go for a bari-tuned Squier Bass VI as Ran suggests, look here for advice on what string gauge to use. —Old punks never die... They just become surf rockers. |
Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 2762 Finknabad, Squinkistan 
|
Posted on Feb 09 2014 08:30 PM
I bought a like-nu Danoblaster in red burst, ca. 1999, with the built-in effects, for $275 and have been quite happy with it, excepting the nasty flat clangy ceramic-magnet pickups that it came with. Once I switched them out for some (really cheap 'scatter-wound' 60s Strat-style) p'ups I got on ebay the axe came to life. Stringing with flatwounds also helps with vintage tones. I bought D'Addario 7-string steel flats and used the bottom 6. I love this Korean axe and the whammy even stays in tune. I'm sure you can find one around for cheap. |
|
Joined: Feb 09, 2014 Posts: 26 |
Posted on Feb 10 2014 05:13 AM
The Squier VI does sound like a good option but wouldn't the baritone strings be a bit flimsy or can that be dealt with through string gauge. I seemed to have read about stringing a VI with baritone strings but if I recall correctly it's a matter of finding longer sets. |
Joined: Mar 15, 2011 Posts: 8528 Back in Piitsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I grew up. 
|
Posted on Feb 10 2014 07:34 AM
razzer10_4 wrote:
Even though the scale is 30-inches, the overall distance, from tuning pegs to the vibrato tailpiece on a Fender/Squier Bass VI, is essentially the same as on 34-inch scale basses. So baritone strings for 30-inch scale guitars will be about 4-inches short. Are there any 34-inch scale baritone guitar strings? —This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got. |
|
Joined: Feb 09, 2014 Posts: 26 |
Posted on Feb 10 2014 08:09 AM
It appears it comes down to ordering custon made strings. |
|
Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 1338 Escondido, CA
|
Posted on Feb 10 2014 08:59 PM
I had D'Dddario flatwound chromes ECG24-7 put on a custom necked Jag (30"+ scale) I used the bottom 6 like I use on my guitar. I find them a little too flimsy. I ordered a couple of CG080 so I can go 80-22 on the Baritone, should not be a problem with the length, but haven't tested them yet. There's a guy on the Offset Guitar forum that sells extra long round wounds if that's what you want. Ran — |
|
Joined: Feb 09, 2014 Posts: 26 |
Posted on Feb 11 2014 09:14 AM
There's a guy on YT demoing his Squier VI with baritone string. While tone sounds nice there seems to be a lot of rattling of the strings. The Squier VI has a lot of curb appeal but now I'm not sure that's the way to go. Like the Fender site says, you can put baritone strings on a Bass VI but it's still a Bass VI, not a baritone. |
Joined: Jul 31, 2012 Posts: 4053 Nashville, TN.
|
Posted on Feb 11 2014 09:51 AM
I have a Sidejack and the pickups are much clearer, twangier than regular P-90's which is a good thing to me. http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic |
|
Joined: Feb 09, 2014 Posts: 26 |
Posted on Feb 11 2014 10:29 AM
The Sidejack Bari is still on my radar. In the beginning I wasn't too enamored with the styling but it has grown on me. And for the price it's basically good to go. I just haven't been totally convinced that the P90's are a little dark for the baritone version. But you are right, on your demo they sound just like the tone I'm looking for. |
|
Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 2762 Finknabad, Squinkistan
|
Posted on Feb 11 2014 11:12 AM
Nice bari action there, Crazy Ace. Still shopping later on, I saw a CL ad for the Danoblaster and even with 13-year old roundwounds and the stock ceramic mag p'ups, I dug it right off. After a while the clangy, pingy sound of the the stock p'ups put me off, even after installing flatowunds of the right gauge, and I switched them out toute suite. Now I'm a happy camper for less than $300. — |
|
Joined: Feb 09, 2014 Posts: 26 |
Posted on Feb 11 2014 12:08 PM
JOBeast, that's not a baritone. That's a std. Sidejack. |
|
Joined: Feb 09, 2014 Posts: 26 |
Posted on Feb 11 2014 03:30 PM
Looks like I just became the proud owner of some AVRI JM pups so I'll be trolling for a Jag Bari Special HH. No rush. |
|
Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 2762 Finknabad, Squinkistan
|
Posted on Feb 11 2014 11:19 PM
D'oh! I thought it didn't sound very deep. razzer10_4 wrote: — |
|
Joined: Jul 31, 2012 Posts: 4053 Nashville, TN.
|
Posted on Feb 12 2014 08:36 AM
Yeah, sorry. I should have pointed out the fact that it's not the bari but I just thought you'd like to hear the pickups as they are the same. —http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic |
|
Joined: Feb 09, 2014 Posts: 26 |
Posted on Feb 13 2014 08:08 AM
So anyone have any experience with converting a Squier Vintage Modified Jazzmaster to Baritone? One could pick up one of these guitars for around $270, a neck from DC Kunkle for under $200. I already have some Fender AVRI Jazzmaster pups so my opinion is put all that together one might have a pretty sweet baritone for around $500. |
Please visit our friends in the surf music community:
Contact Us • About Us • Terms of Service • Privacy Policy • Colophon
SurfGuitar101.com © 2004 - 2025 by Brian Neal. All comments and user contributed articles are property of the posters.
Thanks to all the surf bands, past and present. And thanks to all the fans who care about and keep surf music alive.